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Techtite's DVD Reviews! |
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Superman
Click the picture to order this DVD A Techtite Review[Also consider : Superman 2, and The Complete Superman Collection.]
The film chronicles the initial years of Superman, from his rocket-ride as a baby escaping the fate of the doomed planet of Krypton, to his young years learning how to best hide his powers, and his eventual rise to fame. You see Clark Kent/Superman (Christopher Reeve) as he first works at The Daily Planet, meets longtime love Lois Lane (Margot Kidder), saves her from a near-fatal helicopter accident, and soon decides that using his powers for good is for the betterment of all humankind. This is a good time to make that decision, when Lex Luthor (Gene Hackman) is about to launch two nuclear missiles, in a megalomaniac plot that could cost millions of lives. As you'd expect, Superman saves the day...even if he has to break the rules of time to do it. The care and consideration of this film is what makes it a classic. If any comic book character's film was worthy of being called an "epic," it's this one. From the magnificent use of panning scenery shots, awesome flying sequences, and impressive special FX (even by today's standards), there's a lot of grandeur to the way this film was made, unlike the schmaltzy way most comic-book heroes are portrayed in film. Adding to the thrills is a spectacular classical soundtrack by John Williams (Star Wars, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Jurassic Park, etc.). His composed main theme of this film has become a classic, to be heard gladly and frequently, time and time again. There is one setback, however, in short, the DVD reviewed here is the "director's cut" of the film. What does that mean? Well, that means the film isn't as it appeared in theaters, and has scenes not considered for the final cut in the 1970's. This is actually intriguing to see such scenes, though what if you'd rather see the film as-it-was? No dice. FYI, These scenes were implemented into the TV network airing of the film, and became cult favorites. So, thought director Richard Donner, why not put them in the DVD version, as they were originally meant to be seen? Nice idea...though it's a shame you don't have the option to see the film as-it-was, too. The DVD : This is a double-sided DVD, due simply to all the added bonus materials! Impressed yet? You will be; most bonus materials are lengthy, impressive, behind-the-scenes featurettes. There are, in fact, a couple of them, devoted to each level of production. "The Magic Behind the Cape" discusses special effects, while "Making Superman : Filming the Legend" discusses the way production was handled, as well as the way the film's release was handled. Lastly, "Taking Flight: The Development of Superman" discusses pre-production of the film. There is also an audio commentary track. The anecdotes by director Richard Donner and Creative Consultant Tom Mankiewicz are quite interesting, as you'd expect. This pales, however, to the truly fascinating addition, of actual screen tests made during the casting of this film. Did you know actresses like Anne Archer, Lesley Ann Warren, Debra Raffin, Stockard Channing, and Susan Blakely, all read for the role of Lois Lane? Well, believe it; their screen tests are all here! In addition, Margot Kidder's original screen tests are shown, and you get to see why she was chosen among all the above hopefuls. Added screen tests include ones involving Superman himself (Christopher Reeve) and Ursa (Sarah Douglas). This is a top-notch addition worth a "Deep Impact" rating, all by itself! Another intriguing option, is to hear
alternate musical scoring! It seems John Williams had alternate ideas for
music in key sequences, and you finally get to hear these optional scores
on this DVD. Of course (and that is a major OF COURSE!), the actual film
has the original musical score, and you even get the option to listen to
the film in a music-only track, and enjoy the score throughout the film,
without any audio distractions. This is a good thing, because some people
may not like how the film's revised, digital audio track includes overdone, enhanced
sound effects, that can often overshadow the music. However, this is a
small disappointment, in a sea of top-notch decisions. If you like
superhero films, this is still one of the best purchases you could ever
make.
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Burnout
Near
Miss
Small
Crater
Large
Crater
Deep
Impact
Superman: The Movie - Original Soundtrack CD
Superman
2
Superman
: The Complete Collection