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IMDbPro

Taking Flight: The Development of 'Superman'

  • Video
  • 20012001
  • 30m
IMDb RATING
7.3/10
143
YOUR RATING
Taking Flight: The Development of 'Superman' (2001)
DocumentaryShort
Marc McClure presents a documentary on the making of Superman (1978).Marc McClure presents a documentary on the making of Superman (1978).Marc McClure presents a documentary on the making of Superman (1978).
IMDb RATING
7.3/10
143
YOUR RATING
    • Michael Thau
    • Jonathan Gaines
  • Stars
    • Marc McClure
    • Richard Donner
    • Tom Mankiewicz
    • Michael Thau
    • Jonathan Gaines
  • Stars
    • Marc McClure
    • Richard Donner
    • Tom Mankiewicz
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 1User review
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Photos

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    Top cast

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    Marc McClure
    Marc McClure
    • Self - Host
    Richard Donner
    Richard Donner
    • Self - Director
    Tom Mankiewicz
    Tom Mankiewicz
    • Self - Creative Consultant
    Christopher Reeve
    Christopher Reeve
    • Self…
    Gene Hackman
    Gene Hackman
    • Self…
    Margot Kidder
    Margot Kidder
    • Self…
    Marlon Brando
    Marlon Brando
    • Self
    • (archive footage)
    John Williams
    John Williams
    • Self - Composer
    Stuart Baird
    Stuart Baird
    • Self
    • (credit only)
    Lynn Stalmaster
    Lynn Stalmaster
    • Self - Casting Director
    Andrew Fogelson
    • Self - President Warner Bros. Marketing '78-'80
    Yvonne Blake
    Yvonne Blake
    • Self
    • (credit only)
    Roy Field
    • Self
    • (credit only)
    Melody McClure
    • Self
    • (voice)
    Anne Archer
    Anne Archer
    • Lois Lane
    • (archive footage)
    John Barry
    • Self - Production Designer
    • (archive footage)
    Lesley Ann Warren
    Lesley Ann Warren
    • Lois Lane
    • (archive footage)
    Ned Beatty
    Ned Beatty
    • Self
    • (archive footage)
    • (uncredited)
    • …
      • Michael Thau
      • Jonathan Gaines
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    More like this

    Superman
    7.4
    Superman

    Storyline

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    Did you know

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    • Connections
      Featured in The Curse of Superman (2006)
    • Soundtracks
      Theme from Superman (Main Title)
      (uncredited)

      Written by John Williams

    User reviews1

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    Verisimilitude, part I
    Marty McFly's older brother hosts this retrospective on the making of Superman – The Movie. Well he would, being the only person willing to appear in all four Superman films as well as Supergirl. To thank him for his trouble, they let his daughter do the opening narration (a homage to the opening of The Movie). All the main players reassemble to reminisce about the movie (except the all powerful Salkinds) and give us an honest and funny look back (as apposed to one of those salesman like making of features made to promote a movie).

    After chopping their 'Three Musketeers' movie into two separate pictures (a trend that unfortunately has made a comeback in recent years), the Salkinds planned to do the same on Superman. They managed to snatch Marlon Brando and Gene Hackman to fill the space above the title and promptly released the first mock up poster. Then they got Mario Puzo to write a script enormous enough for two movies. When Guy Hamilton passed on filming in England, Richard Donner took his place. Dick immediately got rid of all of Guy's preproduction work and hired Tom Mankiewicz (who has been appearing on quite a number of these DVD featurettes) to rewrite the campy Batman influenced script.

    Next came the difficult task of finding the right man to fill Superman's tights. Christopher Reeve appears in his wheelchair to share his memories and soon his fellow interviewees offer him a small tribute devoted to Reeve's horse riding accident and his hopes of regaining the use of his legs. Christopher's first screentest is a hoot: wearing a prototype supersuit and sweating like a stuck pig (as Donner eloquently puts it), it is amazing to see how much of a difference a year of working out under the tutelage of Dave Prowse made this skinny kid into the Superman we all know and love.

    Glad to see Margot Kidder is back to normal, providing us with some of the funniest anecdotes and observations. Still, when watching footage of other actresses up for the part, you can't help but wonder what the movie would have been like with the over the top Lesley Anne Warren or the just a tad to gorgeous Anne Archer as Lois. Gene Hackman also shares some fun memories, and they included some footage of Brando from 1978, which strangely enough earns him a place in the end credits. These credits suddenly appear after the completion of the cast and we have to move on to Making 'Superman': Filming the Legend'.

    8 out of 10
    helpful•3
    0
    • Chip_douglas
    • Oct 20, 2004

    Details

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    • Release date
      • May 1, 2001 (United States)
      • United States
      • English
    • Production company
      • Warner Home Video
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

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    • 30 minutes
      • Color

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