User:Wildroot/Suprman (1978 film)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Superman | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Richard Donner |
| Produced by | Alexander Salkind Ilya Salkind Michael Thau (2001 director's cut) |
| Written by | Superman Created by: Jerry Siegel Joe Shuster Screenplay: Mario Puzo (also story) David Newman Leslie Newman Robert Benton Tom Mankiewicz (credited as "creative consultant") |
| Starring | Christopher Reeve Gene Hackman Margot Kidder Marlon Brando Ned Beatty Valerie Perrine Glenn Ford Jackie Cooper Marc McClure Jeff East |
| Music by | John Williams |
| Cinematography | Geoffrey Unsworth |
| Editing by | Stuart Baird Michael Ellis Michael Thau (2001 director's cut) |
| Distributed by | Warner Bros. Pictures |
| Release date(s) | December 15, 1978 |
| Running time | 143 min (original release) 151 min.(2001 director's cut) |
| Country |  United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $55 million (estimated) |
| Gross revenue | $300,218,018 |
| Followed by | Superman II |
| Official website | |
| Allmovie profile | |
| IMDb profile | |
Superman (also known as Superman: The Movie) is a 1978 superhero film based on the fictional DC Comics character Superman. Richard Donner directed the film, which stars Christopher Reeve as Superman, as well as Gene Hackman, Margot Kidder, Marlon Brando, Ned Beatty, Valerie Perrine, Glenn Ford, Jackie Cooper, Marc McClure and Jeff East. The film depicts the origin story of the character from being infant Kal-El of Krypton, and then being rocketed to Smallville by Jor-El. There he is discovered by good-natured farmers who raise him to be an honest and faithful teenager, an aspect that will help him in future years. In his wake, he fulfills his destiny at the Fortress of Solitude, discovering his past and knowing what he specifically is to do on Earth. He takes up the guise of mild mannered reporter Clark Kent and falls in love with fellow reporter Lois Lane, though to make conflicts even more is the villainous Lex Luthor, who sets a dire plot that will ultimately face consequences for The Last Son of Krypton.
The film was initially conceived as far back as 1973 by Alexander Salkind, his son Ilya and fellow partner Pierre Spengler. The project went through various directors and scripts by Mario Puzo, David Newman and wife Leslie, and Robert Benton before given the directorial job to Donner. Donner in turn, brought in Tom Mankiewicz to make changes as a means to what he calls, "respect the character, not do a straight face parody." Due to Puzo's original 500 plus page script, it was decided to shoot Superman and Superman II simultaneously. Locations during the shoot included Shepperton Studios, Canada, New York City and California. Due to the film's excessive budget, tensions rose between Donner and the Salkinds, to which it was decided to finish filming Superman while Superman II was already 80% finished. This would eventually give birth to Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut.
Superman was released to positive reviews and a box office success. Some critics found analogies similar to Jesus, which Mankiewicz claims were set purposely as he himself finds the character to be a symbol of Christ. It was this film that sparked and inspired the birth of comic book movies.
Contents |
[edit] Plot
On the planet Krypton, the Council sentences three insurrectionists, General Zod, Ursa and Non, to isolation in the Phantom Zone. Later, believing that the planet will shortly explode, Jor-El launches a spacecraft containing his infant son, Kal-El towards Earth, a distant planet with a suitable atmosphere, and where his dense molecular structure will give him superhuman powers. Moments after launch, Jor-El's prediction comes true: Krypton is destroyed.
The ship crashes in an American farming town, Smallville, where little Kal-El is found by Jonathan and wife Martha Kent and raised as their own son, Clark. Eighteen Earth years later, when Clark learns the truth about his heritage, he leaves the homestead and heads to the Arctic, where a vision of Jor-El appears before him, explaining his responsibilities on his adoptive planet. More years pass, and Clark Kent finds a job at the Daily Planet in Metropolis, where he meets and develops a crush upon fellow reporter Lois Lane, whom he later rescues from a helicopter accident after switching his street clothes and glasses for a costume bearing his father's symbol.
Later, he visits her at home, takes her for a flight over the city and allows her to interview him for a newspaper article in which she names him 'Superman.' Meanwhile, criminal genius Lex Luthor diverts two nuclear rockets from a missile testing site, one to Hackensack, New Jersey, the other to the San Andreas fault line. The latter, he hopes will knock California into the sea, increasing the value of his real estate on what would become the new West Coast. To stop Superman from preventing the disaster, Luthor lures him to his underground hideaway, where he exposes him to Kryptonite, the only substance known to cause him harm.
Superman escapes, in time to prevent the first impact but too late to stop the second; the missile explodes, and as a consequence, Lois Lane is killed. Unable to cope with her death, Superman ignores his father's warning not to interfere with human history, and spins the world back to its axis, effectively turning back the clock, ans saving the woman he loves. While Lois is left to ponder why Clark Kent is never around when Superman shows up, Superman delivers Lex Luthor to his new home: prison.
[edit] Cast
- Christopher Reeve as Superman / Kal-El / Clark Kent: After discovering his roots and origins from his native planet Krypton, he sets himself to be fulfill his destiny and help those on Earth. In his wake, he finds the villainous Lex Luthor which sets dire consequences. As a means protect his identity, he works as mild mannered reporter Clark Kent at the Daily Planet.
- Gene Hackman as Lex Luthor: A villain armed with an excessive amount of money and various knowledge of science. His only counterparts are bumbling henchman Otis and gorgeous girlfriend Eve Teschmacher.
- Margot Kidder as Lois Lane: A fellow reporter at the Daily Planet who becomes a crush of Clark Kent. She is madly in love with Superman and often ignores Clark.
- Marlon Brando as Jor-El: Kal-El's father on Krypton. He has a theory of the planet exploding, though the Council refuses to listen. He dies as the planet explodes but successfully sends his infant son to Earth as a means to help the innocent.
- Ned Beatty as Otis: Lex Luthor's bumbling henchman.
- Valerie Perrine as Eve Teschmacher: Lex Luthor's girlfriend. She falls in love with Superman's charms when Luthor nearly kills him with Kryptonite and walks away. As such she saves him, though strikes a deal for him to stop the missile heading towards Hackensack.
- Glenn Ford as Jonathan Kent: Clark Kent's father on Smallville during his teenage years. He is a farmer who teaches his son ideal skills that will help him in the future.
- Jackie Cooper as Perry White: Clark Kent's tempering boss at the Daily Planet. He assigns Lois to uncover the news of an unknown businessman purchasing a large amount of property in California.
- Marc McClure as Jimmy Olsen: A teenage photographer at the Daily Planet. He is present with Lois in California, though doesn't die as he is at a different location.
- Jeff East as Young Clark Kent:
- Phyllis Thaxter as Martha Kent:
