Superman (1978)

Director:

Richard Donner

Writers:

Jerry Siegel (creator: Superman) &
Joe Shuster (creator: Superman) ...

Release Date:

15 December 1978 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

You'll Believe a Man Can Fly!

Plot:

An alien orphan is sent from his dying planet to Earth, where he grows up to become his adoptive home's first and greatest super-hero.

Plot Keywords:

Planet | Superman | Reporter | Newspaper | Earthquake

Awards:

Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 10 wins & 14 nominations

Cast

Marlon Brando	...	Jor-El
Gene Hackman	...	Lex Luthor
Christopher Reeve	...	Superman / Clark Kent
Ned Beatty	...	Otis
Jackie Cooper	...	Perry White
Glenn Ford	...	Jonathan Kent
Trevor Howard	...	1st Elder
Margot Kidder	...	Lois Lane
Jack O'Halloran	...	Non
Valerie Perrine	...	Eve Teschmacher
Maria Schell	...	Vond-Ah
Terence Stamp	...	General Zod
Phyllis Thaxter	...	Martha Kent
Susannah York	...	Lara
Jeff East	...	Young Clark Kent

Also Known As:

Superman - Le film (Canada: French title)
Superman: The Movie

MPAA:

Rated PG for peril, some mild sensuality and language.

Runtime:

143 min | USA:127 min (1980 video release) | USA:151 min (2000 restoration)

Country:

Canada | UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) | Dolby (35 mm prints) | Mono

Certification:

Iceland:L | USA:PG-13 (2001 expanded edition) | South Korea:All | Brazil:Livre | New Zealand:PG | Portugal:M/12 | Argentina:Atp | Australia:PG | Canada:PG | Chile:TE | Finland:K-12 | France:U | Norway:11 | Norway:12 (1978) | Peru:PT | Singapore:PG | Sweden:11 | UK:PG | USA:PG | West Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Albert R. Broccoli 007 Stage, Pinewood Studios, Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Company:

Alexander Salkind

Trivia:

When they meet at Lois Lane's penthouse, Lois asks Superman how fast he can fly. He responds that he never timed himself. At the end of the film when he orbits the earth to set back time, at peak speed he appears to orbit the earth 44 times in approximately 10.5 seconds at a diameter of approximately 1.75 times the earth's diameter. This means at peak speed he traveled approximately 183,000 miles per second. The speed of light is 186,000 per second. So essentially Superman was traveling at the speed of light, which is possibly the director's intention, and is extraordinarily "faster than a speeding bullet"!

Goofs:

Continuity: When a staff member lights Perry White's cigar, the lighter immediately vanishes and the guy has his hands in his pockets in a split second.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Jor-El: This is no fantasy - no careless product of wild imagination. No, my friends. These indictments that I have brought to you today, specific charges herein against the individuals. Their acts of treason, their ultimate aim of sedition. These... are matters of undeniable fact. I ask you now to pronounce judgement on those accused.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in A Small Summer Party (2001) (TV)

Soundtrack:

CAN YOU READ MY MIND

Still flying high after twenty years...SUPERMAN!!!

I have to say, I have seen this film at least two thousand times since I was three years old, and the film STILL amazes me with every viewing! There are at least a hundred things I could say about this film to get those of you out there who haven't seen it already to check it out, but alas, I have had to narrow it down to a brief plot summary and a few teasers to get you in the right direction. First,a semi-brief history of the film and who is involved, in case you recognize any of the names. Richard Donner (the Omen) directed this film under the condition that every element serve faithful to the values and heroic symbolism that Superman has stood for since his creation in the 1930s. From the original screenplay written eloquently by Mario Puzo (who penned "The Godfather"), Donner enlisted Tom Mankiewicz to flesh out the script, ironic considering he was given the arguably menial in comparison title "Creative Consultant" when the finished product opened to the public. Throughout the production, the word "verisimilitude" was the slogan; meaning realism or truth. The result, when it opened on December 15, 1978, was as verisimilar as its long-standing legend, and as American as apple pie. (Teaser 1) Here we are, in the theater...excitedly awaiting the opening credits. In a brilliant flash of red and yellow, we see the legendary "S" flash through the far reaches of space, followed by the equally impressive credits. We've got the best on this one; Christopher Reeve, Margot Kidder, Jackie Cooper, Terrence Stamp, Marlon Brando (as only he could play Jor-El), and my personal favorite, Gene Hackman. We are brought to the planet Krypton, where Jor-El is arguing for an immediate evacuation of the planet Krypton. When his pleas fall on the arrogant ears of the counsel, Jor-El places his only son, the infant Kal-El, aboard a rocket built from his own design. The Krypton sequences are among the most impressive this lengthy feature has to offer--from the opening lines spoken by the senatorial Jor-El in the hierarchical counsel arena, to the final parting shots of the doomed planet, the effects and general conceptions are nothing short of brilliant (thanks to John Barry). Kal-El is raised on Earth as Clark Kent by the loving Kent family in Smallville, Kansas. Clark, aware of his powers, is a confused teenager. In a particularly touching moment with Pa Kent, he ponders why "everytime I get the football I can make a touchdown-everytime!" The confusion turns to clarity to him in a single moment when, in the early hours of the morning, he learns of his true calling, and his heritage (no spoilers for that one). Let's leave it there and go to Metropolis--where Clark Kent, now 12 years older, struggles with his first day at the headquarters of the newspaper "The Daily Planet". It is love at first sight as he encounters none other than Lois Lane, played by Margot Kidder. While Clark is fleshing out his first day, however... 200 feet below the streets of Metropolis, Lex Luthor (played with absolute genius by Gene Hackman) is hatching his twisted and brilliant plot for the ultimate real estate caper (no spoiler). At either side of him are his lackeys, the bumbling Otis (Bed Beatty) and the seductive Eve Teschmacher (former Vegas showgirl Valerie Perrine). Lex's lair is perfect in every detail--from the swimming pools to the "babies". Note: the babies are only mentioned in the DVD version of Superman and the extended cuts broadcasted on ABC TV in the 80s and on KCOP TV here in 1994. There's the set-up for you. All main characters have been introduced by the end of the introductory lair scene, so the rest of the film naturally only builds further on them. Not to be missed are the flying sequences in the film, which are of outstanding quality (I don't care what all the little new-age tech junkies think of the "dated" print--hey, we had to start SOMEWHERE), and the climatic showdown between Lex and Superman. The dialogue is excellent, and the visuals even more stunning. I do have one quabble, but it has nothing to do with the film itself. It might do you good to note while enjoying this film that Richard Donner went through absolute HELL to bring it to the screen, and shortly after its premiere, he was kicked off the project. Interestingly enough, Donner had already shot a great deal of the sequel, Superman 2, so when the time came to put THAT ONE in theaters, the...producers decided to resume filming with Richard Lester, billing him as the director, when Donner's shots are equally if not more present in S2! Sorry--I just wanted to let you know that Superman the Movie is unique in comparison to S2 as it is the only complete Donner film. So what are you waiting for? Go out tonight, get a copy of the film, and watch it from end to end--you might find yourself believing that a man can really fly!