Superman Ultimate Collector's Edition - Part 2

Now that the 14-disc "Superman" Ultimate Collector's Edition set has hit the stores with the corrected "Superman" and "Superman III" discs, it's time to go back nearly 30 years to where the entire film franchise began...

Of course, it all started with Richard Donner's classic 1978 adaptation. Everything seemed to click together into place when the film went into production in the spring of 1977 and upon its release on December 15, 1978. (Little would we know otherwise.) For me, like so many other kids across America, this became of the defining films of my generation (alongside a little $10 million outer space project released the following year, something called "Star Wars", I think). Each of us has that one particular film that we latch onto more than any other, making it THE iconic film not only of our youth but also of our lives. For me, that film was "Superman". (I'm sure Bill Hunt and Jim Bowers would definitely agree with that sentiment!)

Every note just struck properly from start to finish, from the now-classic John Williams fanfare (I must have had at least a dozen copies of the soundtrack on LP, cassette, and CD over the years!) to the compelling visuals from cinematographer Geoffrey Unsworth, to the fast-paced action from the pen of "creative consultant" (re: the one true screenwriter) Tom Mankiewicz, to the heartfelt portrayal of a most human Man of Steel in a then-little known actor named Christopher Reeve. Over the years, through home video and numerous TV broadcasts, the first "Superman" film took on a larger-than-life status of its own, becoming more and more popular with each generation. With a $134 million gross (adjusted to over $350 million in today's box office budgeting), the first film seemed like the perfect launching pad for a then-seemingly endless string of films. At one point executive producer Ilya Salkind had hinted that as many as seven to ten "Superman" films with Reeve were possible, a la the James Bond series. No one in 1977-78 knew of the real troubles that would befall the Man of Steel over the next ten years, as the proposed 7-10 films would dwindle down to four by 1987 and stall the franchise for another 19 years.

When Reeve suffered his tragic accident in 1995, I found it extremely difficult for quite some time to go back and watch any of the "Superman" films. In his portrayal of the Man of Steel, Reeve became a childhood hero to me. But just like his fictional counterpart, Reeve would become a real-life hero to us all, once again cementing the magic and sincerity he brought to the role for a whole new generation of youth.

Even the development of the Internet brought a whole new layer of exploration and excitement for "Superman", as numerous web sites (my favorites in particular: CapedWonder.com, Superman Cinema and Superman Homepage) thoroughly examined the challenges and problems inherent with the film, along with information on the different theatrical, home video, and extended versions of the film. In an era when many classic films saw restoration and preservation for future generations of home theater buffs, fans rallied for a restored an extended version of "Superman" and its sequels.

In 2001 Warner Home Video blessed the fans with a 151-minute expanded version of the film on DVD, with a remastered and newly mixed soundtrack. Now Warner has taken it one step further, with its latest incarnation of "Superman" on DVD as a four-disc special edition. (It's also been issued on Blu-Ray and HD-DVD as well, though in a seriously stripped-down form.) Right way I can tell you that nearly all of the content presented in the previous DVD release has been carried over into this new set (with the exceptions of the "Superman: The Legacy" text commentary and the DVD-ROM link to the film's storyboards), so if you're mainly interested in the DVD itself, you can safely upgrade to this new release. With this new DVD, Warner has given the film a comprehensive "Lord of the Rings" feel with its expanded availability in content and presentation, giving "Superman" a bit more room to breathe and come alive.

New to this release is something fans had long requested: the original 143-minute theatrical release from 1978, which is presented on Disc 1 of this set in anamorphic widescreen format. There are actually five different ways you can view this film. First off, the film is presented with its original 1978 audio track in your choice of English or French Dolby 2.0 sound, though there was a problem (which I'll discuss later in further detail). Having the original 1978 audio track is a plus, because that's how we remember the film over the years. Of course, the film is also presented in its remized 2000-01 soundtrack in your choice of English or French Dolby Digital 5.1 sound. Originally, the theatrical cut with the 5.1 mix was intended for inclusion on the previous DVD release but was left off (it would later be shown on Turner Classic Movies, along with the restoration credits from the 2001 DVD release). And for you purists out there, yes, the "Coming Soon: Superman II" final tag is preserved here as originally seen in 1978.

Also included on Disc 1 is a brand-new feature-length audio commentary with executive producer Ilya Salkind and producer Pierre Spengler. Both Salkind and Spengler provide a wealth of information on the challenges they and Ilya's father Alexander Salkind had in bringing "Superman" to life, discussing the many financial and casting challenges for the film, the problems in making Superman fly convincingly, problems with Richard Donner, and so forth. I'd like to say that I enjoyed this commentary, but given their penchant for spin statements over the years, not to mention the injustice they'd done to Donner, it becomes debatable as to how much of their thoughts are factual and how much are just plain bull. But that's not all. Also on Disc 1 are the original 1977 preview teaser trailer, the 1978 theatrical trailer, and a vintage 1978 TV spot for the film, all carried over from the previous DVD.

Disc 2 ports over the 151-minute remastered and expanded Special Edition from the previous DVD, with the eight additional minutes of footage restored into the film by Richard Donner and film restoration producer Michael Thau. Some fans felt that the restored version was almost sacrilege to what they remembered seeing and hearing over the years, and I have to admit it took me a while to get adjusted to this new version. But whatever your taste, you can now pick your poison wisely and decide for yourself which version is better. I myself like the restored version.

If I have one caveat at this point, it's that the color balance between this release and the previous 2001 DVD is a bit different. In all actuality, it's not as good. After watching several sequences between both discs it appears that the color balance is off at times in the 2006 release. From what I understand, it was to give a richer visual quality to the HD and Blu-Ray versions (I have not seen either of these versions, so I cannot comment on their quality), but I can honestly say that the colors and blacks on the previous DVD are a bit more vibrant. This is one of those rare occasions where the reiusse doesn't look as good as the previous issue - Warner Home Video, which has prided itself with such high-quality DVDs in the past with its fully loaded editions of "Gone With the Wind", "The Wizard of Oz", "Citizen Kane", "The Adventures of Robin Hood", and "The Searchers", knows fully well that they've set the bar very high in its DVD production standards, and this is a bit of a step down. It's not a bad step, but it would have made it a little easier had they used the same pressing for this new DVD release.

Also ported over from the previous DVD release on Disc 2 is the feature-length audio commentary with Donner and Tom Mankiewicz. This is a fun and enjoyable listen from start to finish! All you need now is some pizza, popcorn, and a cold Coke, and it's like getting together with old friends. From the word go you can tell that these two men love and respect each other even 30 years later, their humor and shorthand dialog prevails throughout the audio commentary. From their very first thoughts ("1938 - did we really start filming back then?") to their comments on Marlon Brando ("The kid's diapers he's reading from are worth a fortune") to their love and appreciation for Christopher Reeve and the entire cast, even down to Donner's cameo with Reeve ("Look at that good-looking guy next to Chris... he's a natural, I wonder what became of him?"), the commentary is enjoyable from start to finish.

In addition, on Disc 2 you have the isolated audio track of the breathtaking John Williams score, ported from the previous DVD. All in all, some 97 minutes of music is presented throughout the 2001 cut in Dolby Digital 5.0 sound and reproduced from the original master tapes. It's not often that we get a good audio score track on a DVD, let alone a John Williams audio track on DVD. Listen to the first six minutes of the film alone with just the isolated score track, and you'll hear how well it all holds up.

Moving to Disc 3, we now have the first disc of supplemental features, all of which were included on the B-side of the previous DVD release. All three of the 2001 documentaries - "Taking Flight: The Development of Superman", "Making Superman: Filming the Legend" (both narrated by Marc McClure), and "The Magic Behind the Cape" (narrated by visual effects supervisor Roy Field) - are carried over onto this new release. The fun in these documentaries is seeing the vintage production footage, blue screen tests, and interviews with Donner, Mankiewicz, Reeve, Stuart Baird, Gene Hackman, and Margot Kidder, among others. At the time it seemed that the documentaries presented only one point of view in favor of Donner while neglecting the Salkinds - thankfully, that's been rectified (which I'll discuss in covering Disc 13 later). Also included are all of the added scenes restored into the 2001 cut; the two additional deleted scenes from the master print (which were prominently featured in the various extended versions of the film); the screen tests for Reeve, the various actresses trying out for Lois Lane, and the various actresses for Ursa, narrated by casting director Lynn Stalmaster (with optional audio commentary on the Lois Lane screen tests); and the additional audio tracks from the master session tapes of John Williams' score (also presented in Dolby Digital 5.0 sound).

The fun continues on Disc 4. First off, we have the vintage 1980 TV special "The Making of Superman", hosted by Christopher Reeve and narrated by Ernie Anderson. This 50-minute special which aired on ABC served as basically a fluff piece to meet the different actors and production crew involved in the making of the film, though there are some interesting behind-the-scenes production segments from the filming of both "Superman" and "Superman II", as well as vintage interview clips with Brando and production designer John Barry. Of course, at the time, as Reeve narrates, the intention was to show only some of the things that went into filming "Superman" without revealing everything, most importantly how they made him fly. It's a great documentary, and thanks to Ilya Salkind we now have it officially on DVD where it belongs.

Disc 4 also contains the 1951 feature film "Superman and the Mole Men" starring George Reeves and Phyllis Coates, which served as the 60-minute pilot film for the long-running "Adventures of Superman" series in the 1950's. This had been previously released on DVD in the first season AOS set, so why it was included here is a mystery to me.

But the most fun part about Disc 4 is the inclusion of the first nine "Superman" animated segments from 1941 and 1942, produced by Max and Dave Fleischer. These vintage cartoons have appeared over the years on one video label after another due to its then-public domain status, in one varying form of quality or another, some good and some not so good. The only previous Warner release of the Fleischer cartoons had been only four selected segments included with its four-tape VHS set of "TV's Best Adventures of Superman" in 1988. If you think the animation looked good then, wait until you see it now - it's stunningly beautiful! For animated films over 65 years old, these look absolutely fantastic! Kudos to Warner for a spectacular mastering job!

With all of this content on the four-disc set, would there be anything left out? Absolutely. For starters, there are a wealth of additional promotional trailers and TV spots for both the 1978 theatrical release and the 2001 re-release (the lattter of which was produced to promote the San Antonio screening and intended for a proposed theatrical reissue that never materialzed) that were not included. It would have been nice to see all of the different promotional ideas for the film. Also, as I previously mentioned, the DVD-ROM web link to the film's storyboards is omitted from the previous release. In addition, script access to the various versions of the screenplay, from the original Mario Puzo draft to the 1976 rewrite from David and Leslie Newman and Robert Benton, to the final Tom Mankiewicz script, in some sort of form - either step-page format a la "The Abyss", "Terminator 2", and "Titanic", or a DVD-ROM link - would have been nice additions. (If you look carefully online, all of this is available on different web sites.)

Furthermore, even with the restored scenes and additional cut scenes included on the DVD, there are still some 30 minutes of additional footage from the various TV broadcasts not issued on DVD in an official capacity. This footage includes the much-debated sequence of Superman outracing the Concorde (which was shepherded to the extended TV broadcasts of "Superman II"), extended clips during the missile chase and the ensuing earthquake, more footage of Reeve as Superman, more mugging with Lex Luthor and his partners in crime, and an even more intense expanded version of the destruction of Krypton, among others. Some of this cut footage serves merely as exposition and/or filler, obviously, but some contributes to the overall story. Finally, I would have loved to see any production outtakes featuring Reeve, some of which were featured on British television but were not seen in the United States or in any version of the film. Little things like these only serve to complement the entire picture.

Yet there's a caveat that has to be addressed. In its initial pressing, Disc 1 had erroneously omitted the original English-language Dolby 2.0 mix of the original 1978 sound mix of the film, which was clearly promoted in all marketing materials for the DVD. This production error not only affected Disc 1 of the 14-disc Ultimate Collector's Edition, but also Disc 1 of the four-disc "Superman" Special Edition set and Disc 1 of the eight-disc Christopher Reeve "Superman" Collection. Thankfully, Warner Home Video stepped up to the plate and offered a replacement program whereby fans could (and still can) send in the defective disc for a corrected one. Upon viewing this disc the sound mix is correct, and that's good on Warner's part. The corrected Disc 1 (as well as the corrected Disc 8, featuring the deluxe edition of "Superman III", which I'll discuss later) appears in the new reissue of the 14-disc set.

However, there have been reports from Scott Bosco (who contributed to the audio commentary on the "Supergirl" DVD release) claiming on this web link - http://www.geocities.com/hollywood/palace/3454/superblunder.html - that the English 2.0 sound mix on Disc 1 is still in error. This comment prompted a response from none other than Michael Thau, who clearly stated that the English 2.0 sound mix on Disc 1 is indeed correct. Thau's statement is as follows:

"If you've seen the squabbling on the net about Superman The Movie’s original sound mix being messed up on the DVD's--they're completely wrong.

"The dialog being "draped" across the front three speakers and the reverb into the surrounds was the way it was mixed in 1978. This was one of the factors that led us to decide to re-mix the film. Back in 2000, as always, we brought Dolby to the studio to verify the set up, because we were working with mixes that were recorded over 20 year before.

"This has nothing to do with a messed up transfer to video in the 80’s. This can be verified by playing a VHS or laserdisc (both have the original 2 track mix) through a correctly set up Dolby Pro-Logic sound system. Or if someone really wants to be thorough go to a theater that shows one of the old prints of the original cut, as long as the theater’s sound is set up correctly."

Bosco still argues otherwise. His response: "Michael is wrong. Dolby has certain standards and originally set up the process of Dolby Surround to create in a constant way how a film would sound. Only earlier films not in the Dolby Surround process – done in, and listed as Dolby System had only Dolby noise reductions via compression, were different.

"Once Dolby Surround came into being in the mid-70’s the standard of 4.0 tracks, where were encoded into 2.0 as a compressed format to fit onto 35mm film, then decoded in the theatre back into 4.0. This matrix is comprised of Front Left, Front Center, Front Right and a MONO rear, or Surround track.The laserdisc DID NOT sound the way Mr. Thau is states. He is also very wrong about the original film sound this way. It is against what Dolby Labs ever intended.

"Going by the way WB has avoided calls and the way a previous thread was deleted [HTF?] I dare say someone is being a mouth piece to cover up shoddy work. My info is not via some 'fan' but rather the company who invented the sound format, and what I’ve heard in the past.

"BTW – need I mention how slanted the archival footage for the 2001 SUPERMAN is? It was nothing short of revivalist history as per the director. I am old enough not only to have experienced the original SUPERMAN in the cinema, but have followed the progression and evolution of cinema sound as we know it today from Dolby Labs. I’ve have also been a consultant to a great many more films as a professional, not just because I was 'fan'."

If you ask me, this bickering is pointless, to quote the late great Peter Cushing in "Star Wars". The sound mix is correct, and if Bosco has a problem with it, he needs to chill and let us enjoy the film for what it is.

All nitpicks aside, this is nonetheless an excellent upgrade to the first "Superman" film, one that definitely merits inclusion in any film fan's library. And this is just for starters! Next time I will look at both versions of "Superman II", where the real excitement, trouble, and debates begin.

See you then!