Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987)

Director:

Sidney J. Furie

Writers:

Christopher Reeve (story) and
Lawrence Konner (story) ...
(more)

Release Date:

24 July 1987 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Family | Fantasy | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

Nuclear Power. In the best hands, it is dangerous. In the hands of Lex Luthor, it is pure evil. This is Superman's greatest battle. And it is for all of us.

Plot:

The Man of Steel crusades for nuclear disarmament and meets Lex Luthor's latest creation, Nuclear Man.

Plot Keywords:

Sun | Hair | Explosive | Museum | Great Wall Of China

Awards:

1 win & 4 nominations

Cast

Christopher Reeve	...	Superman / Clark Kent
Gene Hackman	...	Lex Luthor / Nuclear Man (voice)
Jackie Cooper	...	Perry White
Marc McClure	...	Jimmy Olsen
Jon Cryer	...	Lenny
Sam Wanamaker	...	David Warfield
Mark Pillow	...	Nuclear Man
Mariel Hemingway	...	Lacy Warfield
Margot Kidder	...	Lois Lane
Damian McLawhorn	...	Jeremy
William Hootkins	...	Harry Howler
Jim Broadbent	...	Jean Pierre Dubois
Stanley Lebor	...	General Romoff
Don Fellows	...	Levon Hornsby
Robert Beatty	...	U.S. President
Bradley Lavelle	...	Tall Marshall
Mac McDonald	...	Marshall #2
Czeslaw Grocholski	...	Russian General #1
Steve Plytas	...	Russian General #2
John Hollis	...	Russian General #3
Bob Sherman	...	Pentagon Senator
Eiji Kusuhara	...	Japanese U.N. Guard
Yuri Borionko	...	Russian General at Red Square (as Yuri Borienko)
Boris Isarov	...	Cosmonaut Captain
Dorota Zieciowska	...	Cosmonaut (as Dorota Zienska)
Jirí Stanislav	...	Cosmonaut
Jayne Brook	...	JFK High School Teacher
Ron Travis	...	Convict
Matthew Freeman	...	Submariner
Indira Joshi	...	U.N. Secretary General
Douglas W. Iles	...	Chief of Staff
Ted Maynard	...	Army Chief
Raymond Marlowe	...	Navy Chief
John Cagon	...	Technician
Malcolm Bullivant	...	Swedish U.N. Guard
Mark Caven	...	Boystown Priest
Diana Hunter	...	Museum Tour Guide
Nicholas Colicos	...	Paul at Metro Sports Club
Keith Edwards	...	Fort Mason Technician
David Garth	...	1st Elder
Esmond Knight	...	2nd Elder
Eugene Lipinski	...	Cosmonaut Space Walker
Dennis Creaghan	...	Bill Compton
Philip Fox	...	Husband at Great Wall of China
Jimmy Fung	...	Chinese Official at Great Wall of China
Guinevere John	...	Tourist at Great Wall of China
Peter Penry-Jones	...	Tourist at Great Wall of China
Witold Scheybal	...	Russian Premiere
Rex Robinson	...	Subway Engineer
Kerry Shale	...	MBC Newscaster
Susannah York	...	Lara (voice)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Clive Mantle	...	Nuclear Man #2 (scenes deleted)
Max Bracey	...	Baby Superman (uncredited) (unconfirmed)
Peter Diamond	...	S.W.A.T. team member with melting gun (uncredited)
Christine Hewett	...	Woman Running for Bomb (uncredited)
Derek Lyons	...	Russian Guard (uncredited)
Kingsley Pilgrim	...	School kid (uncredited)

Directed by
Sidney J. Furie

Writing credits
Christopher Reeve		(story) and
Lawrence Konner		(story) &
Mark Rosenthal		(story)
Lawrence Konner		(screenplay) and
Mark Rosenthal		(screenplay)
Joe Shuster		characters
Jerry Siegel		characters

Produced by
Graham Easton	....	associate producer
Yoram Globus	....	producer
Menahem Golan	....	producer
Michael J. Kagan	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Alexander Courage

Cinematography by
Ernest Day

Film Editing by
John Shirley

Production Design by
John Graysmark

Costume Design by
John Bloomfield

Makeup Department
Stuart Freeborn	....	makeup supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Harrison Ellenshaw	....	second unit director
Mike Higgins	....	first assistant director: second unit
Gino Marotta	....	first assistant director
Ken Shane	....	third assistant director

Art Department
Terry Apsey	....	construction coordinator
Michael Boone	....	draughtsman
Mick Chubbock	....	plasterer
Steve Cooper	....	assistant art director
Martin Hitchcock	....	draughtsman
Robert Jackson	....	carpenter
Patricia Johnson	....	draughtsman
Michael King	....	construction buyer
Steve Furneaux	....	carpenter (uncredited)
Mark Harris	....	technical set dresser (uncredited)

Sound Department
Steve Bartlett	....	post-production sound
Stan Fiferman	....	sound editor
Stanley B. Gill	....	sound recordist
Chris Greenham	....	supervising sound editor
Jack T. Knight	....	sound editor
Tony Message	....	sound editor
Terry Poulton	....	sound editor
Martin Trevis	....	boom operator
Simon Harris	....	assistant foley editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Steve Hamilton	....	senior special effects technician
David L. Hewitt	....	special effects
David McCall	....	special effects technician

Visual Effects by
William L. Arance	....	airbrush artist
Bruce Cardozo	....	optical line up
Harrison Ellenshaw	....	visual effects supervisor
Peter Ellenshaw	....	supervising matte artist
David Emerson	....	optical camera
Jammie Friday	....	rotoscope artist
Ken Herbster	....	visual effects
Brandy Hill	....	visual effects camera operator
Dorne Huebler	....	visual effects art director
Phil Huff	....	visual effects
William Humphrey	....	visual effects
Christopher Keith	....	visual effects production supervisor
Art Kellner	....	opticals: Synoptics
Kevin Kutchaver	....	visual effects animator
Michael Lessa	....	visual effects supervisor
Candace Lewis	....	rotoscope supervisor
Michael Lloyd	....	optical effects supervisor: Buena Vista Visual effects
Rocky Mahoney	....	visual effects
Jeff Matakovich	....	optical supervisor
George Muhs	....	visual effects
Patrick T. Myers	....	motion control camera
Jody Rogers	....	visual effects editor
Nina Salerno	....	rotoscope artist
Scott Santoro	....	visual effects animator
John Scheele	....	technical support
Jodi Sullivan	....	visual effects staff
Bruce Tauscher	....	visual effects
Lynda Thompson	....	visual effects production supervisor
Robert Wait	....	element control supervisor
Joseph Wallikas	....	visual effects
Martin Beek	....	roto artist training (uncredited)

Stunts
Gabe Cronnelly	....	stunts
Perry Davey	....	stunts
Peter Diamond	....	stunts
Sarah Franzl	....	stunts (as Sarah Franzel)
Richard Hammatt	....	stunts
Nick Hobbs	....	stunts
Alf Joint	....	stunt coordinator
John Lees	....	special stunts
Terry Richards	....	stunts (as Terrence Richards)
Trevor Steedman	....	stunts
Mark Stewart	....	flying stunts
Terry Walsh	....	stunts
Ken Barker	....	stunts (uncredited)
Terry Cade	....	stunts (uncredited)
Simon Crane	....	stunts (uncredited)
David Forman	....	stunts (uncredited)
Alf Joint	....	stunts (uncredited)
Tina Maskell	....	stunts (uncredited)
Chrissy Monk	....	stunts (uncredited)
Terence Plummer	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Chic Anstiss	....	camera operator: second unit
Alan Barry	....	best boy
Keith Blake	....	focus puller
Bob Bremner	....	gaffer
Bob Bridges	....	clapper loader: second unit
Roy Ford	....	camera operator
Maurice Gillett	....	gaffer
Godfrey A. Godar	....	photographer: second unit
David James	....	still photographer
Jim Kane	....	grip
Michael Kelem	....	aerial photographer
Martin Kenzie	....	first assistant camera
David B. Nowell	....	aerial photographer
Paul Wells	....	best boy
Marc Wolff	....	aerial photographer: gyrosphere

Casting Department
Robert MacDonald	....	casting: USA

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Betty Adamson	....	wardrobe consultant
Amelia Davies	....	wardrobe assistant

Editorial Department
Charles Knight	....	third assistant editor

Music Department
Frank Barber	....	orchestrator
Alexander Courage	....	conductor
Jack Fishman	....	musical advisor
Paul Fishman	....	composer: additional source music
Robert Hathaway	....	music editor
Harry Roberts	....	orchestrator

Other crew
Alan Corder	....	cutting room assistant
Richard Dobson	....	location manager
Bill Edwards	....	unit publicist
Cheryl Leigh	....	script supervisor
Carl Martin	....	end credits
Rick Nathanson	....	production executive
Jill Samuels	....	assistant: Mr Golan
Adam Somner	....	key production runner
Joe Straw	....	production accountant
Ronnie Wass	....	titles (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Cannon Films
• Warner Bros
• Golan-Globus Productions
• London-Cannon Films

Distributors

• Warner Bros (1987) (USA) (theatrical)
• Hoyts Distribution (1987) (Australia) (theatrical)
• Oy Europa Vision AB (1987) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Warner Home Video (1987) (USA) (VHS)
• Scotia-Cannon (1988) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• MTC Video (1988) (Greece) (VHS)
• Nelonen (1999) (Finland) (TV)
• RCA/Columbia-Hoyts Home Video
• Showtime (1988) (Finland) (VHS)
• U.G.C. Worldwide Distribution
• Vestron Video International (198?) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Warner Bros. Entertainment Finland Oy (2006) (Finland) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2008) (Canada) (DVD) (4 film set)
• Warner Home Video (2008) (USA) (DVD) (4 film set)

Special Effects

• Olsen, Lane & White (visual effects: U.S.)

Other Companies

• Gyrosphere  aerial photography
• Ray Mercer & Company  opticals: U.S.
• Cinema Research  opticals: U.S. (as Cinema Research Corporation)
• Hollywood Optical Systems  opticals: U.S.
• Buena Vista Visual Effects  opticals: U.S. (as Buena Vista Studios Visual Effects)
• Lookout Mountain Films  opticals: U.S.
• Van der Veer Photo Effects  opticals: U.S.
• Praxis Film Works  opticals: U.S.
• Howard Anderson Company, The  opticals: U.S. (as Howard A. Anderson Company)
• Image 3  opticals: U.S.
• Available Light  opticals: U.S. (as Available Light Ltd.)
• Visual Concept Engineering (VCE)  opticals: U.S. (as Visual Concepts Engineering)
• Panther Productions (I)  opticals: U.S.
• Rick Zettner & Associates  opticals: U.S.
• Magidson Films  opticals: U.S.
• Westheimer Company  opticals: U.S.
• Disney Special Photographic Effects  opticals: U.S.
• Synoptics  opticals: U.S.
• Acme Film Effects  opticals: U.S.
• Filmoptic  opticals: U.K. (as Elstree Filmoptic)
• Optical Film Effects  opticals: U.K.
• Graunke Symphony Orchestra  music performed by (as Symphony-Orchestra Graunke, Munich)
• National Philharmonic Orchestra  music performed by (as The National Philharmonic Orchestra, London)
• Bavaria Musik-Studios  music recorded at (as Bavaria Musik Studios, Munich)
• C.T.S. Studios  music recorded at (as CTS Studios, London)
• Peter Govey Film Opticals  titles
• Joe Dunton & Company  cameras and anamorphic lenses
• Lee Lighting  lighting equipment (as Lee Electric [Lighting] Ltd.)
• Cannon Elstree Studios  post-production
• Flying Pictures  aerial filming services provided by
• Sapex Scripts  post-production script services

Also Known As:

"Superman IV" - Japan (English title)

Runtime:

90 min (theatrical version) | USA:134 min (original cut) | Finland:93 min (1987)

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English | Russian | French | Italian

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Canada:PG | Finland:K-12 | France:U | Norway:11 | Singapore:PG | Sweden:11 | UK:PG | USA:PG (Approved No. 26789) | Netherlands:MG6 | Australia:PG | Iceland:L | South Korea:12 | Brazil:Livre | Portugal:M/6 | West Germany:6

Filming Locations:

Aldwych Underground Station, Aldwych, Holborn, London, England, UK

Company:

Cannon Films

Trivia:

Trevor Howard and Harry Andrews were asked to play The Elders but were not free.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: The motion control dolls used to represent Superman and Nuclear Man flying (and fighting) in space look nothing like Christopher Reeve or Mark Pillow. Nuclear Man's muscles are way too big, and Superman's arms are way too long in several shots (if you put the arms at the figure's side, Superman's hands would reach his feet).

Quotes:

[first lines]
Cosmonaut Captain:[in Russian] You can sing later comrade Sinatra.
Cosmonaut:[in Russian] Back at home they told me to sing in space.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Directors: The Films of Wes Craven (#1.4)" (1999)

Soundtrack:

Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On

So bad, yet so watchable !

Superman 1 was such a classic movie, and 2 was almost as great - Superman 3 is not a great Superman movie, but as a piece of '80s American comedy / spoof it succeeds and has some very memorable scenes (notably Chris Reeve as the evil Superman). But Part 4 is just an awful film overall with few redeeming qualities. Reeve's admirable storyline works well, and the double date scene with Superman & Clark is very entertaining (similar to the style of Superman III). But it's when Superman IV tries to get serious and exciting in its action sequences that it fails miserably and becomes a cheesey, ridiculous farce that only succeeds in showing how pointless it was to make the film on such a small budget. The story's not bad and if Donner was directing and you had 100 million dollars you could do it now and create a great adventure movie with some classic comedy scenes and some exciting action sequences. But anyway, it's too late. For all its failings, every time you see it, it's still fairly watchable, mainly because you're always expecting it to magically be better this time around. It's not as bad as everyone makes out and far more creative and original on a 16 million budget than what Batman and Robin did with 100 million! If Batman and Robin's a 3 out of 10, then Superman IV's a 6 out of 10.