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Bob Simko Byrne Robotics Security
Negative Mod
Joined: 16 April 2004 Location: United States Posts: 5574
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Posted: 13 April 2018 at 5:01pm | IP Logged | 1
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As Superman turns 80 this year...I read (which just doesn't feel right) that Superman: The Movie is turning 40. That just feels...weird!
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Christopher Frost Byrne Robotics Member

Joined: 24 October 2016 Location: Canada Posts: 160
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Posted: 13 April 2018 at 8:42pm | IP Logged | 2
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I was four years old when Superman: The Movie came out. It's the first movie that I have an actual memory of going to see at the theater and I've always had a special place in my heart for it. (Though I could do without Otis, lol.)
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James Best Byrne Robotics Member

Joined: 02 March 2014 Location: United States Posts: 545
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Posted: 13 April 2018 at 8:49pm | IP Logged | 3
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I have a lot of fond memories about Superman: The Movie.
It was the first movie, that I remember, that my father and I saw together. Just the two of us. A terrific bonding event as I was just 12 years old at the time the movie was released.
We stood outside of the walk-in theater in a long line but managed to get tickets for the evening showing.
I remember coming out of the theater after having one of those "wow" moments that stick with you for a lifetime. And I had the John Williams music in my head. Still one of my favorite movie themes.
Forty years may have gone by, but that film set the crossbar very high for those that came after it. And very few have measured up.
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Neil Lindholm Byrne Robotics Member

Joined: 12 January 2005 Location: Macau Posts: 4315
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Posted: 14 April 2018 at 1:14am | IP Logged | 4
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I saw it in the theatre and loved it, as any 10-year-old boy would. I do remember my confusion about time going backwards when Superman flew around the world, as I was (and still am) an Astronomy buff. My dad mentioned something about it just being a movie and that was it. Good times.
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Matt Reed Byrne Robotics Security
Robotmod
Joined: 16 April 2004 Posts: 32211
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Posted: 14 April 2018 at 1:54am | IP Logged | 5
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Great movie...but for Lex Luthor and his lackeys. Oh, Gene Hackman was fine (as he always is) but Mrs. Teschmacher and Otis are, to put it lightly, awful. Their characters enable the worst of the franchise.
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James Woodcock Byrne Robotics Member

Joined: 21 September 2007 Location: United Kingdom Posts: 4386
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Posted: 14 April 2018 at 5:14am | IP Logged | 6
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I’m with Matt. Everything about the movie, except the villains, is perfect. And the degree that the rest is perfect manages to make it a movie I will watch again and again, even though I have to suffer those villains each time.
Rescue of Lois from the helicopter? Brings a tear to my eyes every time for its sheer perfection in depicting Superman
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Petter Myhr Ness Byrne Robotics Member

Joined: 02 July 2009 Location: Norway Posts: 2767
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Posted: 14 April 2018 at 8:33am | IP Logged | 7
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40 years... wow! That probably makes it 38 years since I first saw it - on home video back in 1980 (if my memory serves me correct). And I've watched it countless times since.
Matt, in many ways I agree with you about Lex and lackeys, but having seen later incarnations of Luthor on film (Spacey, Eisenberg), I'll take Gene Hackman any day.
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Peter Martin Byrne Robotics Member

Joined: 17 March 2008 Location: Canada Posts: 10530
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Posted: 14 April 2018 at 9:07am | IP Logged | 8
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The movie shows how much fun you can get out of Superman just helping out in disasters and rounding up regular criminals. Christopher Reeve, the costume and the music couldn't be any better. The snappy dialogue and the supporting cast in the scenes at the Planet are great fun as well.
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Shaun Barry Byrne Robotics Member

Joined: 08 December 2008 Location: United States Posts: 5567
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Posted: 14 April 2018 at 9:08am | IP Logged | 9
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I have to admit the film is starting to show its age, due in no small part to the unlikely trio of Luthor, Otis (who I actually enjoy!) and Teschmacher... but the three are such a riot together, it's hard to get too worked-up over them.
Like others here, I agree the rest of the movie is still glorious, and I'll probably always feel that SUPERMAN: THE MOVIE is the golden template for the modern superhero film (even after 40 years)... and for my money, no comicbook movie has yet to top the casting of Christopher Reeve, nor the stupendous soundtrack by John Williams.
Still patiently waiting to hear that the original film is coming back to theaters for 2018... how is this not already on the calendar by now??
Edited by Shaun Barry on 14 April 2018 at 9:12am
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Eric Sofer Byrne Robotics Member

Joined: 31 January 2014 Location: United States Posts: 2141
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Posted: 14 April 2018 at 10:00am | IP Logged | 10
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Still a classic. Still the best live Superman actor (with George Reeves a VERY close second... and in 15 minutes, I might switch the two.) Chris Reeve also brought to the character sufficient gravitas that the role was splendid, where a lesser actor might have made it too camp, and too unbelievable.
The special effects, for the era, were absolutely the best. And I've seen the cut scenes... they weren't critical to the film, but they do add some flavor to it.
And why have Miss Teschmacher? I think there are two good reasons.
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Greg Kirkman Byrne Robotics Member

Joined: 12 May 2006 Location: United States Posts: 14843
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Posted: 14 April 2018 at 11:23am | IP Logged | 11
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And why have Miss Teschmacher? I think there are two good reasons.++++++++
Ah, yes, you’re referring to scenic Teschmacher Peaks, located near Marina Del Lex.
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John Byrne
Beam Me Up, Scotty!
Joined: 11 May 2005 Posts: 110258
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Posted: 14 April 2018 at 12:37pm | IP Logged | 12
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Miss Teschmacher. The first time something SO overtly "adult" was shoehorned into a superhero movie. And so it began......
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David Miller Byrne Robotics Member

Joined: 16 April 2004 Posts: 1976
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Posted: 14 April 2018 at 5:38pm | IP Logged | 13
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My favorite moment is when Reeve transforms between Clark and Kal at Lois's apartment. It's a great bit of stagecraft, akin to the best on-camera transformations into Edward Hyde. Reeve risked destroying audience suspension of disbelief by showing his physical work so explicitly on camera, but instead he brought the audience deeper into the fantasy by establishing its reality.
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Peter Martin Byrne Robotics Member

Joined: 17 March 2008 Location: Canada Posts: 10530
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Posted: 14 April 2018 at 7:28pm | IP Logged | 14
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That is a great moment, David and I totally subscribe to the notion that is one of the most remarkable on-screen transformations -- I struggle to think of something on a par with it without the use of make-up or special effects.
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Steven Myers Byrne Robotics Member

Joined: 10 June 2004 Location: United States Posts: 5088
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Posted: 14 April 2018 at 9:02pm | IP Logged | 15
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Reeve was awesome, Superman looked and acted like Superman. His first night of heroing is excellent. Hackman was great, though not the Lex of the comics. And it's my favorite movie theme ever. Even over Star Wars!
There are things that still bug me. Krypton the ice planet? The "S" being a Kryptonian symbol. The romance was too adult, as were the sexual innuendos. And that one horrible scene that I won't mention, you'll just have to read my mind...
Skipping Superboy bugged me then. Now I see why they did it.
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Peter Martin Byrne Robotics Member

Joined: 17 March 2008 Location: Canada Posts: 10530
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Posted: 14 April 2018 at 9:31pm | IP Logged | 16
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Never had a problem with "Can you read my mind?" till I got older and realised the lines rhymed... for some reason, it totally escaped me as child. But, still doesn't bother me too much. The scene is supposed to be magical, romantic, almost like Peter Pan and, for me, it still works.
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Greg Kirkman Byrne Robotics Member

Joined: 12 May 2006 Location: United States Posts: 14843
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Posted: 14 April 2018 at 9:37pm | IP Logged | 17
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Never had a problem with "Can you read my mind?" till I got older and realised the lines rhymed... for some reason, it totally escaped me as child. But, still doesn't bother me too much. The scene is supposed to be magical, romantic, almost like Peter Pan and, for me, it still works.+++++++
Yeah, I don’t really have a problem with it, either. Any excuse for more John Williams music is okay by me!
If Margot Kidder had actually sung the lyrics (as originally intended), then I might have a problem!
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Matt Reed Byrne Robotics Security
Robotmod
Joined: 16 April 2004 Posts: 32211
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Posted: 15 April 2018 at 2:37am | IP Logged | 18
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Ohh....I don't like that scene at all. Never have. It's cheesy and totally out of character for the film in which it lives.
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Michael Penn Byrne Robotics Member

Joined: 12 April 2006 Location: United States Posts: 10036
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Posted: 15 April 2018 at 6:23am | IP Logged | 19
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When I saw SUPERMAN in the theater in '78 I felt very feh about that Flying With Lois Scene: too romantic, boring, long -- a bathroom break, if needed. But when I watch it now, and he takes off with her, I love it. At times I've I busted out in a big smile and I actually teared up. You really do want to feel how much they could love each other so that the ending hits home all the more powerfully. But... as soon as the "Can You Read My Mind" voice over bit kicks in, I'm out. It's overkill.
I was of an age when the movie came out to be quite enthralled by Miss Tessmacher, but clearly that was a horrible mistake.
Luthor & cohorts: not so good. Far too much broad comedy. Otis is actually quite well-played by Beatty. It's fine comedic acting. But who the wants it in a Superman movie? Not me! Hackman also, he is quite excellent. "Miss Tessmacher!" He makes you hate him. But ultimately it's a silly Luthor the movie offers. Too much bad "Batman" TV show influence.
Still, and despite other faults I think it has, for me, it's the best superhero movie ever made.
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John Byrne
Beam Me Up, Scotty!
Joined: 11 May 2005 Posts: 110258
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Posted: 15 April 2018 at 7:34am | IP Logged | 20
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I found -- and find -- "Can You Read My Mind" to be utterly delightful.
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Robbie Parry Byrne Robotics Member

Joined: 17 June 2007 Location: United Kingdom Posts: 10485
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Posted: 15 April 2018 at 8:55am | IP Logged | 21
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I bought this film so many times. I bought it on VHS in the 80s. And again in the 90s. And again in 2000 (a special release). And on Blu-ray.
It's one of my favourite superhero films.
I like the special effects. No idea how they filmed that "Superman saves the helicopter" scene, but it looks 100% real.
I truly did believe a man could fly.
Incidentally, as a kid, I so wanted Adam West and Burt Ward to return as the Dynamic Duo and team with Reeve's Superman in a TV movie. Never happened, of course. As an adult, thank goodness it didn't (not that it would ever have been even a distinct possibility).
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Greg Kirkman Byrne Robotics Member

Joined: 12 May 2006 Location: United States Posts: 14843
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Posted: 15 April 2018 at 9:33am | IP Logged | 22
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It should also be noted that they originally recorded more of a 70s pop-style music cue for the nighttime flight scene before settling on a traditional orchestral one, so we should be grateful for what we got!
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John Byrne
Beam Me Up, Scotty!
Joined: 11 May 2005 Posts: 110258
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Posted: 15 April 2018 at 10:27am | IP Logged | 23
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My one negative reaction came the very first time I saw the movie. I was so afraid they were going to screw things up. When Lois "asked" if Superman could read her mind, I let out an anguished (and non-verbal) NO-OOOHHHHHH!!!!!
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Robbie Parry Byrne Robotics Member

Joined: 17 June 2007 Location: United Kingdom Posts: 10485
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Posted: 15 April 2018 at 11:18am | IP Logged | 24
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I showed my 8-year-old nephew the film recently. He loved it. His favourite scene - which made his eyes light up - was when Superman "became a railway track" so as to protect that train during the earthquake.
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Eric Sofer Byrne Robotics Member

Joined: 31 January 2014 Location: United States Posts: 2141
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Posted: 15 April 2018 at 11:27am | IP Logged | 25
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ITEM: Mr. Byrne, I couldn't argue with how you felt. I thought it was logical, though... Superman has all these abilities. Why wouldn't she wonder if he could read her mind? Telepathy isn't that great a leap, and while WE know that Superman isn't a telepath... Lois Lane wouldn't.
ITEM: Arguably my favorite movie scene of all time is when Clark changes to Superman in Lois' foyer. As a fan, I was stunned with its brilliance. As an actor, I am still in awe of that performance. I love it.
ITEM: And that scene at the end, when Superman looks at me and smiles. Great. Oh, I know all of you think he was smiling at you, but I know for certain. He was smiling at me.
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