Movie Retrospective: Superman II

                   

Directed by Richard Donner

Starring Christopher Reeves and Terence Stamp

5 out of 5 Arnolds (It has taken all the Arnolds!)

If Superman: The Movie was a blueprint for the superhero film, Superman II stands as a shining example of how to make a sequel. 

To this date, the second film is my all-time favorite Superman movie. Everything that made the first movie awesome is expanded on here. It doesn't take the plot of the first film and re-hash it with a flimsy, new disguise. We get a completely different story, raising the stakes and offering villains that can go toe to toe with our hero. 

By all accounts Superman II should have been a complete disaster; there was a lot of behind the scene drama that led to a change in directors during the filming of the movie. Richard Donner had completed 75% of the movie in 1977 before being taken off the project and replaced by Richard Lester. Lester would continue on the franchise and is ultimately responsible for its decline in quality. He can be considered the Joel Schumacher of the Superman movies. Lester's Superman went for simple camp,  destroying the epic potential of the franchise. Luckily, in 2006, a re-cut of Superman II was released titled Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut. Much of Donner’s original vision is here and makes the viewing of the first two films a delight.

The greatest collection of movie villains ever? It would not be a stretch...

            Superman IIonce again stars Christopher Reeves as Superman, Margot Kidder as Lois Lane, Gene Hackman as Lex Luthor, and Terrence Stamp as General Zod. Before Krypton was destroyed, three criminals General Zod, Ursa, and Non were banished to the Phantom Zone by Jor-El for insurrection. After years of floating through space the Phantom Zone is shattered and they are granted freedom. They head to earth and discover they have super powers given to them by Earth's yellow sun. It doesn't take long for the trio to use their new abilities to terrorize the world in an attempt to become our new leaders. Meanwhile, Clark reveals his secret identity to Lois, forcing him to decide whether he will remain Superman or become a normal human to be with the woman he loves.

            Once again the performances are top notch. Reeve’s proves he’s the definitive Superman and he definitely plays the vulnerable side of the character as he attempts to further his relationship with Margot Kidder’s Lois. However it’s Terrence Stamp’s Zod that steals the show. He’s cold, menacing, and arrogant, the polar opposite of Superman and a perfect foil. As in Superman: The Movie, Lex is once again the jester, but his funny moments outshine those from the first film.

Gene Hackman's best scene stealing ever?

          Superman II is jam packed with amazing moments, one of which includes Supes getting into a brawl with a drunkard at a diner. Also, there is a great scene involving Superman battling his fellow Kryptonian in the streets of Metropolis.  

           It isn't much of a stretch to say that Superman II has certainly been embraced by popular culture.   With the new Zack Snyder film attempting to revisit Zod (this time played by Michael Shannon), Man of Steel will have to do a lot to surpass this film's greatness. When it's all said in done, will Man of Steel be as fondly remembered as Superman II was by the previous generation? Or will Snyder and Shannon be forced to kneel before Superman II and its greatness? Only time will tell.

By Justin Fennell 
www.justartstudio.com 

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5 Superman Titles For People Who Think Superman is Corny

Superman is more than just a pop icon, his character is a direct link to an American way of life. He is a reminder of the bygone spirit of the USA, an ideology that we always wonder about when our country forgets to live up to it.

Best of all, he’s an export. A sentinel of "Truth, Justice, and the American Way," brandishing a red and yellow emblem that is recognizable across the globe.

For that reason, no person should be without Superman. Fortunately, the recent decades have had plenty of avenues to properly re-introduce the character to the uninitiated. But they weren't in the movies or on TV (sorry, Smallville fans), no…they were exclusively in the comic books.

If you’ve ever wondered why people feel so strongly about that cornball superhero, the answers lie in the following five titles. This is…5 Superman Comics For People Who Think Superman is Corny.

5. It’s A Bird…

Writer Steven T. Seagle and painter Teddy Kristiansen give us a very offbeat take on the Man of Steel.

Seagle opens up about his own experience writing for an American icon.  His initial disregard for the character turns into true understanding as he ends up using the strength of the fictional hero to lift up his spirits during a personal bout with Huntington’s disease.

It’s very meta. But more importantly, it’s the type of character dissection that really brings you to the heart of what Superman is supposed to mean.

Amazon 

4. Luthor

Lex Luthor. His name is nearly as synonymous as Superman and heroism. But what makes him such an important part of the mythos? Writer Brian Azzarello knows, and he invites us to see things completely from Lex’s perspective in Luthor.

The layers that can be found within the arch-nemesis of arch-nemesis are many, and Azzarello uses that to makes a strong argument for Luthor. Hell, you might even find yourself secretly rooting him on after this.

Amazon

3. Superman: The Last Son

The movie that Superman Returns should have been.

If it turns out that you enjoy Superman: The Movie and Superman II as much as Bryan Singer, this straight-up superhero adventure is right for you. Written by fan-favorite Geoff Johns with director Richard Donner, this blockbuster-styled graphic novel officially introduces General Zod and crew to modern comics.

A new last son of Krypton arrives to Earth. This young alien boy is instantly rescued by Superman from the clutches of big government. For the first time ever, Superman is now on the other side of the law.

To make matters worse, the incarcerated General Zod and his fellow Phantom Zone inmates land on Earth in similar pods across the globe. What seems like proof that Superman isn’t alone in the universe turns out to be a full scale Kryptonian prison riot – with Earth as the prison.

Bonus: Some copies come with 3D glasses for the Phantom Zone sequence. Amazon

2. Kingdom Come

Alex Ross’ amazing painted images and Kurt Busiek’s lively imagination give birth to one of the crown jewels of any comics collection.

A new breed of ruthless and careless superheroes have taken up the mantle. The difference between the good guys and the bad guys has drastically narrowed and Earth’s three biggest powers (Wonder Woman, Batman, and Superman) have hung up their tights.

What happened to the man of tomorrow? Did he turn his back on humanity or did humanity turn their back on him? When did the golden vigilante, Magog, take over Metropolis, and what series of events put all of Earth’s greatest superheroes into retirement. More importantly, how bad will it have to get to bring Superman out of retirement? Answer: Pretty bad.

Amazon 

1.All-Star Superman

Like all great stories, All-Star Superman is simple yet full of emotion.

This Technicolor dream introduces us to a decaying Superman. Ironically enough, the sun -- his power source -- is killing him. Naturally, Lex Luthor had a little something to do with it but the Man of Steel's greatest challenge isn’t that megalomaniac, it's the guarantee of his earthly legacy. He just wants to know if we’ve learned anything from him.

Humble as always, even Superman doesn't know in the end. He’s too busy crossing off his list of final things to do.

Amazon

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Retrospective: Looking Back at Superman: The Movie

Superman: The Movie
Directed by Richard Donner
Starring Christopher Reeves and Margot Kidder

4 out of 5 Arnolds

        Directed by Richard Donner, Superman: The Movie is the first major super hero film.  Sure, there have been on-screen treatments of the superheroes in serials from the 1940s -- and let’s not forget the Batman television series of the 60s, but these fun iterations always skewed into the realm of camp. Superman: The Movie, however, offered something more. No longer was the character treated as a simple two dimensional character, now we had a fully realized hero that audiences could relate to. So let’s get right into what makes this movie so damn amazing.

        Superhero movies have gone from being barely a genre to the number one game in blockbusters. With major hits like The Dark Knight (2008) and The Avengers (2012), everyone wants a piece of the superhero pie. Supermanis the blueprint in which every superhero movie should follow if they hope to be even a moderate success.  The thing that makes the film work so well is its focus on its characters -- how they bounce off one another. Sure, the action is great and the special effects top notch for the time, but they serve only to compliment the brilliance of the casting.



Christopher Reeves made everything 
about Superman look effortless.

           Christopher Reeves stars as the Man of Steel, and by all accounts Reeves is SUPERMAN. He nailed it, right down to his dual identity as Clark Kent. The actor's ability to distinguish awkward, shy Clark from heroic and charming Superman was flawless and, in my opinion, has been unmatched.  

Also, we have ­­­Margot Kidder as Lois Lane, Gene Hackman as Lex Luthor, and Marlon Brando as Jor-El. Kidder as Lois Lane was just as fun to watch as Reeve’s Superman. She was everything Lois was supposed to be, a fast talking reporter with quick wit and a do it herself attitude. Naturally, a guy like Clark would find this city girl attractive. Their dialogue as Lois and Clark is definitely one of the highlights of the movie, they have such great chemistry you want to see them get together. Hackman’s Luthor, on the other hand, has always bothered me, but not in a big way.

A comic book interpretation of Lex that 
takes him much more seriously.

Lex Luthor is one of my all-time favorite baddies in comics. He’s a super-genius who has spent his entire life perfecting himself and he feels that Superman undermines his very existence. Luthor spends his unlimited resources devising deathtraps and building super robots to destroy our boy in blue. It's important to note that other versions of the character re-imagine him as a corrupt business man who doesn't believe in getting his hands dirty. Both of these iterations are infinitely more compelling than what we get in this movie. 

Lex is essentially boiled down to comic relief, even saddled with a bumbling sidekick named Otis and a sexy airhead named Eve Teschmacher. Despite all of these detractors, Gene Hackman delivers a solid performance. If only it had been taken a bit more seriously.  

Marlon Brando gets full blown Shakespearean as Superman’s biological father Jor-El. It's a memorable performance that even transcended his death when it was used again in Superman Returns (2005) years later.

In conclusion, Superman: The Movie is well-paced, keeps you engaged and has the right amount of set pieces scattered throughout the film. John Williams score is as memorable and iconic as Superman himself. Just the first five notes will get you hyped for the adventure that’s ahead. The movie is a milestone in special effects, coming out just a year after Star Wars broke new ground in that department, and manages to bring Superman’s world to life. Things that originated in this film have become part of Superman’s canon, like the crystallized look of Krypton or Pa Kent’s heart attack. These things struck a chord with people and have managed to stick. Aside from a really cheesy resolution at the end, this movie will leave you feeling inspired, empowered and, most importantly, you will leave believing a man can fly.

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