After the critical and commercial successes of the first two "Superman" films, it seemed nothing could possibly go wrong with Warner Bros.' successful film franchise. But after the troubling debacle that ensued during the production of the first two films and affected the eventual development of "Superman II", producers Alexander and Ilya Salkind were determined to steer the franchise back on course (read: in their own direction). Their intention: to produce "Superman III" with elements that then-contemporary audiences could relate to. Working with writers David and Leslie Newman, they conceived the elements of hostile corporate businessmen and computers gone haywire. In today's times, these threats are all too commonplace. Back in the early 1980's not many people thought this was possible.
The Salkinds also wanted more emphasis on comedy and humor to steer the third film to the big screen and bring in a larger audience, but who would fill that role? Enter the late Richard Pryor, at that time the hottest comedian in America. Pryor had just emerged from a near-death experience and sought diverse, interesting roles that stretched him as an actor - in other words, something safe and not so risky as the work he produced in the 1970's that brought him recognition and popularity. Pryor's role of the bumbling Gus Gorman, a down and out computer genuis, took center stage away from the Superman character, a sign that things were in trouble for the Man of Steel. (This blend of comedy and adventure seemed to threaten other film franchises, most notably in 1985-86 when at one point Eddie Murphy was considered for a supporting role in "Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home", which to the delight of Trek fans everywhere didn't come to light.)
Despite a fairly respectable $65 million domestic gross, "Superman III" premiered in the summer of 1983 but was hampered from the start with a weak script, recycled elements from the first two films that never made it to the screen, and too much comic emphasis on Pryor's mugging and director Richard Lester's flair for camp comedy that made his films of the 1960's successful. Add to it the fact that Christopher Reeve had begun to grow tired of the Superman role and vowed never to return, and you have a recipe for certain disaster.
Over the years I had viewed "Superman III" as an uneven mesh of elements both good and bad, and my thoughts hold true now as they have in the past. In some cases the good really comes forth. Reeve brought a needed maturity to Clark Kent that was severely lacking in the first two films; he no longer needed to put on an act, especially back home in Smallville. While Margot Kidder's part of Lois Lane was reduced to a mere two-scene quickie, no thanks to the Salkinds, Annette O'Toole brought quite a pleasing counterbalance as the now-adult Lana Lang, a divorcee and single mom who brings out Clark's heart of gold in a bittersweet romance that never fully develops. And while the action this time around is more pedestrian in presentation than epic in quality, the showdown between Clark and the evil Superman is an interesting study of man wrestling with his dual nature that comes right out of the Superman comics. However, the bad elements threaten to outweigh the good more often than not. With Pryor, Robert Vaughn, Annie Ross, and Pamela Stephenson as the film's villains du jour, their actions take center stage through much of the film, unfortunately shepherding Reeve to the middle of the group as a featured player instead of a leading man. In any James Bond film the main character is Bond himself, not the villain. The same is expected in a Superman film. Not so with this weak effort.
Now we come to the Deluxe Edition of "Superman III" from Warner Home Video, issued as Disc 8 of the 14-disc Ultimate Collector's Edition and also in a separate release. Right away I can tell you that compared to the previous DVD release, this new version is better in terms of some of its content and presentation, though overall the release itself needed quite a bit more effort put into it in some areas. (More on this later.)
The film itself is presented in a crisp anamorphic widescreen transfer conforming to the fiml's original 2.35:1 aspect ratio, with your choice of English or French Dolby Digital 2.0 sound. This transfer is the same as on the previous DVD release from 2001. Colors and blacks are solid, and the image quality is quite good - a little too good, if you ask me. That's because as with the previous DVD, some of the elements that hid the illusion of a man flying are gone - in other words, lots of wires, wires, and more wires. No wonder Ilya Salkind was upset about this alteration from the original film masters. Compare this DVD to your old laserdisc or VHS copies of the film, and you'll see what I mean. If anything, Warner Home Video should have fixed the wire problem for this release (and for that matter with all of the Reeve Superman films) with a little CGI love that would have preserved the effect. The serious presence of wires all over the place simply draws me out of the film - where's the verisimilitude that Richard Donner worked so hard to maintain in the first two films? Gone with that little "You're fired!" telegram the Salkinds sent to him back in 1979.
Where this new DVD release shines is with the inclusion of a number of fairly decent supplements. First off, Ilya Salkind and Pierre Spengler provide an optional audio commentary for the film, as they did with the first two films. Here they discuss their insights into bringing "Superman III" to life, working with Pryor, Lester's comic touches, and so forth. It's a decent commentary from start to finish, though I still have trouble with some of their spin statements. In addition, the film's theatrical trailer (with the spoiler-filled ending, no less!) is recycled from the previous DVD and laserdisc releases, presented in widescreen format and Dolby 2.0 sound. You know it's an ominous feeling for a film's box office release when its ending is heavily spoiled in the preview trailer(s).
New to this DVD release is the vintage TV special "The Making of Superman III", narrated by Al Matthews (who portrayed the fire chief in the film). This 48-minute documentary pulls the curtain back on some of the production elements in making this third film come to life, including the construction of Ross Webster's elaborate skyscraper ski slope, the construction and destruction of the ultimate computer, shooting the elaborate opening sequence of comic mishaps, the junkyard fight, and other scenes throughout the film. Reeve, Lester, and O'Toole, among others, offer their thoughts on this latest installment, and it turns out that the biggest Superman junkie on the block this time around is not Reeve, Pryor, or Lester, but O'Toole! I had never known this program had aired on ABC during the 1980's, though I had suspected it so, and it's only been in the last few years that I found out it indeed aired on ABC. How I missed it, I have no idea. It's presented in full frame format and Dolby 2.0 sound, and the image quality is fairly good for a 20-year-old documentary. While it's far less technical than the other documentaries on the Superman DVDs, there are some nice little technical nuggets to glean here.
We also have a series of deleted and extended scenes, pulled from the film's extended TV broadcasts. All of these added scenes are presented in full frame format and Dolby 2.0 sound. Unfortunately, all of these cut scenes, along with those that didn't make this DVD release, add no story value at all to the film are not relevant to or missed in the final theatrical version. They still don't. Except for the brief snippets involving Reeve, I wouldn't have missed them at all. Furthermore, the selected clips included on this DVD are taken from a filthy-looking print with lots of dirt throughout the footage. That's really careless if you ask me. It's possible that the full frame print may be the only source in existence in referencing these cut scenes, and if that's the case, then that's one thing. Obviously the Salkinds had to reference a widescreen print of the film and its cut scenes to prepare it for broadcast (as with the first two films), didn't they? So where are the widescreen versions of these clips? Somebody fumbled the ball in a big way, if you ask me.
Furthermore, to call this DVD release a "Deluxe Version" is a misnomer. Seriously, a single-disc DVD release like this is far from earning the title deluxe anything. Had this been a true deluxe edition, Warner would have gone all out and included vintage interviews with Reeve and Pryor, a commentary with Lester (though every effort was made to obtain his participation in the creation of the new DVD releases), additional production features, TV spots for the film (including at least one with some alternate footage that never made it into the film), and the extended version in its entirety, all spread out over a two-disc set. This DVD is no more deluxe than a single-disc release of a standard DVD with the film, a trailer, and a few extras.
In preparing the Ultimate Collector's Edition, initial pressings of the set erroneously included the 2001 DVD pressing of the film sans extras. This turned out to be an honest production error that affected only the 14-disc set. Thankfully, Warner stepped up to the plate and corrected that problem, and while the recent reissue of the 14-disc set contains the corrected disc, fans who purchased the set back in November can still send in the original disc for a replacement. At least that's one good point in Warner's favor for this film.
"Superman III" is a disappointing film from start to finish. As a so-called "Deluxe Edition" DVD, it's still disappointing. But the documentary and Reeve's presence are probably the sole things that keep me from forgetting about this release altogether. As with IV (which I will review next time), Warner dropped the ball in a number of areas with this one. Unless a proper two-disc special edition comes along (something I honestly don't see happening), this is probably all we're going to get. And with Bryan Singer's 2006 revamp of the Superman franchise many have cast off III (and IV) into alternate universe continuity. I can't say that I blame them. Otherwise, this one's really for the hardcore Superman fans.
Next time around, it's Disc 9, "Superman IV" and the quest for the complete picture. See you then!
(Oh, lest I forget, happy 25th anniversary, "Star Trek II!" They don't make 'em like that anymore!)
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
Friday, June 8, 2007
Miscellaneous musings at the end of the week...
About a week ago I managed to find the HBO Video 2002 DVD release of "Above Suspicion", with the late Christopher Reeve, at a discount store for all of three bucks! It's really hard watching this film now, knowing that this was shown at the same time as Chris' tragic accident. Still, finding this for only three dollars is a deal indeed! I hope I'm as lucky in finding the rest of Chris' films on DVD (or VHS) down the road.
Which reminds me... Question to Warner Home Video: When's "In the Gloaming" coming out? This is the second year in a row that The Digital Bits has announced it, yet it's not on DVD. It's been 10 years since this excellent film, which marked Chris' directorial debut, premiered on HBO. Somebody needs to get on the stick about it.
The guys at TVShowsonDVD.com confirmed some time back the release of "Young Indiana Jones" on DVD by the end of this year, in time for Christmas and several months before the release of the fourth film with Harrison Ford. While that's good news for many, it still bums me out because these will be the 22 re-edited movie versions with additional footage, completely neglecting the original TV broadcast versions of many of these episodes featuring actor George Hall as an elderly Indy in the opening and closing bookend segments. That includes the first telecast from 1992, "Young Indiana Jones and the Curse of the Jackal", with three incarnations of Indy; the original broadcast version of "Travels with Father" (with the Sean Patrick Flanery footage ported over to the second half of the re-edited "Winds of Change"); and numerous other changes throughout the series. (And for those of you keeping track, the second half of "Passion for Life" chronologically occurs in 1908, before the first half, set in 1909, though George Lucas reversed the order for the re-edited version.) And yet, IndianaJones.com (the official Lucasfilm web site for Indy) references all of the original adventures! For that matter, there's no word on whether or not Flanery's screen test (which was included on one of the 1999 VHS releases) will be included in its entirety on the DVD set. Luca$ apparently has no respect for our memories. Better hold onto those original TV broadcasts, because they won't be on the big DVD set apparently. And while you're at it, let Luca$ know your thoughts about it.
I'm kind of wondering about that big "Star Trek: The Next Generation" complete box set coming out in September just in time for the series' 20th anniversary. Like the MASH "Martinis and Medicine" box set, will it have some exclusive extras to it - maybe, perhaps, the bonus DVD features that were included on the Best Buy bonus discs for seasons 4-7? Maybe the text commentaries from the different "Fan Collective" sets? "From Here to Infinity: The Ultimate Voyage", on the Jean-Luc Picard Collection a few years back? Maybe even some new features, like hidden Easter eggs, deleted scenes (yes, there are some out there for TNG!), more outtakes, the Patrick Stewart A&E Biography, the "Journey's End" special from 1994 (which has never been issued on DVD), episode trailers? Who knows? Maybe like the MASH box set, they'll throw in the four TNG feature films (hopefully with all of the bonus features). In any event, this is one set worth keeping an eye on, not to mention getting as an early birthday present! (Hint hint out there!)
For that matter, will Paramount do likewise for the other "Star Trek" series - issue them in new complete series box set with all-new extras? More documentaries, deleted scenes, outtakes, bloopers, episode trailers, etc.? Time will only tell. Maybe by then we can see the recent remastered versions of "Trek" classic (with all those neat new CGI effects) on DVD as well. Hey, some of us (like me) don't have cable or TiVo!
And that's a wrap for this week! Next time I'll get back to continuing my commentary on the "Superman" Ultimate Collector's Edition with a look at the "Superman III" Deluxe Edition. See you then!
Which reminds me... Question to Warner Home Video: When's "In the Gloaming" coming out? This is the second year in a row that The Digital Bits has announced it, yet it's not on DVD. It's been 10 years since this excellent film, which marked Chris' directorial debut, premiered on HBO. Somebody needs to get on the stick about it.
The guys at TVShowsonDVD.com confirmed some time back the release of "Young Indiana Jones" on DVD by the end of this year, in time for Christmas and several months before the release of the fourth film with Harrison Ford. While that's good news for many, it still bums me out because these will be the 22 re-edited movie versions with additional footage, completely neglecting the original TV broadcast versions of many of these episodes featuring actor George Hall as an elderly Indy in the opening and closing bookend segments. That includes the first telecast from 1992, "Young Indiana Jones and the Curse of the Jackal", with three incarnations of Indy; the original broadcast version of "Travels with Father" (with the Sean Patrick Flanery footage ported over to the second half of the re-edited "Winds of Change"); and numerous other changes throughout the series. (And for those of you keeping track, the second half of "Passion for Life" chronologically occurs in 1908, before the first half, set in 1909, though George Lucas reversed the order for the re-edited version.) And yet, IndianaJones.com (the official Lucasfilm web site for Indy) references all of the original adventures! For that matter, there's no word on whether or not Flanery's screen test (which was included on one of the 1999 VHS releases) will be included in its entirety on the DVD set. Luca$ apparently has no respect for our memories. Better hold onto those original TV broadcasts, because they won't be on the big DVD set apparently. And while you're at it, let Luca$ know your thoughts about it.
I'm kind of wondering about that big "Star Trek: The Next Generation" complete box set coming out in September just in time for the series' 20th anniversary. Like the MASH "Martinis and Medicine" box set, will it have some exclusive extras to it - maybe, perhaps, the bonus DVD features that were included on the Best Buy bonus discs for seasons 4-7? Maybe the text commentaries from the different "Fan Collective" sets? "From Here to Infinity: The Ultimate Voyage", on the Jean-Luc Picard Collection a few years back? Maybe even some new features, like hidden Easter eggs, deleted scenes (yes, there are some out there for TNG!), more outtakes, the Patrick Stewart A&E Biography, the "Journey's End" special from 1994 (which has never been issued on DVD), episode trailers? Who knows? Maybe like the MASH box set, they'll throw in the four TNG feature films (hopefully with all of the bonus features). In any event, this is one set worth keeping an eye on, not to mention getting as an early birthday present! (Hint hint out there!)
For that matter, will Paramount do likewise for the other "Star Trek" series - issue them in new complete series box set with all-new extras? More documentaries, deleted scenes, outtakes, bloopers, episode trailers, etc.? Time will only tell. Maybe by then we can see the recent remastered versions of "Trek" classic (with all those neat new CGI effects) on DVD as well. Hey, some of us (like me) don't have cable or TiVo!
And that's a wrap for this week! Next time I'll get back to continuing my commentary on the "Superman" Ultimate Collector's Edition with a look at the "Superman III" Deluxe Edition. See you then!
Tuesday, June 5, 2007
Superman Ultimate Collector's Edition - Part 3
It's extremely difficult to comment on "Superman II" without having to divide it into two camps, the original theatrical version credited to Richard Lester and the original version helmed by Richard Donner (the latter of which finally saw the light of day in 2006). Of course, there's the many different versions of the extended telecasts, most notably represented by the fan-created Restored International Cut - but that's a different story for another time.
In the Ultimate Collector's Edition, the "Superman II: Richard Donner Cut" is presented as Disc 6. To read my original review on that release, click here. To borrow from the excellent graphic novel "Kingdom Come" (now why doesn't Warner Bros. turn that into a movie? That would absolutely rock!), now it's time for the democratic response, and to that I have to go back in time to the film's release.
I remember the summer of 1981 like the back of my hand. I had attended a YMCA youth camp in North Carolina when the bus I rode in passed by a movie theater. There, in large letters on the marquee sign, read the announcement "Now Showing: Superman - Part II". Little did I know at the time that whoever put that information on the marquee actually got it right.
"Superman II" was originally intended to continue the story begun in the first film and wound up one of those rare sequels that exceeded the first film's tradition and spirit. This time, however, there would be no slow build-up, no lengthy backstory to preface the events; things would start off with a bang - literally. From the freeing of the Phantom Zone villains to Lois Lane's attempts to expose Clark Kent's secret identity of Superman, to the battles in Metropolis and the Fortress of Solitude, "Superman II" offered plenty of action. Of course, I had read in David Michael Petrou's book "The Making of Superman: The Movie" that Donner had filmed most of II simultaneously with the first film and that the footage was already in the can. Even the final credit at the end of the first film touted that II would be here "next year". So what took so long?
Unknown to me, a lot of movie politics and conspiracies changed the look and tone of "Superman II". Over the next 25 years I, like many others, analyzed everything that took place during the production of both films, chief among them the many conflicts involving Donner, Alexander and Ilya Salkind, and Pierre Spengler, which resulted in Lester coming aboard as an uncredited associate producer (read: go-between to Donner and the Salkinds). With the first "Superman" a success, one of the great injustices in the history of cinema occurred, as Donner was fired from the project in the summer of 1979, and Lester (along with George Macdonald Fraser) was brought in to do an uncredited rewrite on the shooting script and to reshoot many key sequences, thereby earning him sole directorial credit on II. Along the way I glimpsed scenes from Donner's version in the final theatrical version and the extended TV broadcasts throughout the 1980's. Sometimes the scenes were as sincere and believable as the footage in the first film; at other times it was more comical and disjointed. Even the father-son relationship that set up the first film was gone, as all of Marlon Brando's scenes were jettisoned in favor of Susannah York as Lara, thereby setting up an awkward (though certainly plausible) mother-son dynamic.
"Superman II" wound up one of the big hits in the summer of 1981, earning a respectable $110 million at the box office (which in today's terms rounds off to an estimated $225 million) and coming in second behind the surprise hit of the year, "Raiders of the Lost Ark". Above the surface, you couldn't tell what was going on. Beneath the scabs that permeated the final film, however, the firing of Donner, the lawsuits forced onto the Salkinds by Brando from the cutting of his scenes from II and his profits from both films, the lawsuits by Margot Kidder over delinquent salary promises (note to Pierre: you can't refute what is publicly established in print! Liar liar, pants on fire!), and the chunking of most of Donner's footage took its toll on everyone. While "Superman III" was certainly a guarantee at the time, no one knew that the franchise would soon be steered into shaky waters. Over the years "Superman II" has become a study of what can go right and wrong during a film production, and like the Donner Cut it is not, and never will be, a perfect film. Still, in all fairness to Donner, some of Lester's footage is actually quite good and has held up fairly well over time.
Now we have the "Superman II" Special Edition, issued as Discs 5 and 7 in the Ultimate Collector's Edition and individually as a 2-disc set. I wish I could say that Warner pulled out all the stops in giving much care and consideration to "Superman II", but after looking at this film I have my doubts.
First off, the film itself is presented on Disc 5 in anamorphic widescreen format and your choice of English Dolby Digital 5.1 or 2.0 sound, or French 2.0 mono sound with optional English, Spanish, or French subtitles. This is a fairly decent step up from the previous DVD release, which offered the film only in 2.0. The sound balance is much better this time, though there's still one thing that bothers me: even in 5.1, the sound is still tinny at times. This is not Warner's fault, which did the best job it could in reproducing the sound in 5.1 from the original source material. The problem is the source material itself. Except for the extended TV broadcasts, "Superman II" has always sounded tinny, particularly in the music. This is because of the usage of one of two prints for every home video release from the initial VHS tapes of the 1980's to today. (The other version, with slightly different end credits and a richer sound to the music, especially in the main title credits, remains unreleased in any home video format beyond the extended TV broadcasts. I know this for a fact because when I saw the film in 1981, I remember this version being shown in my local theater - the key is the Howard R. Schuster and Zoptic logo title cards, which were not in the initial release but were in later releases; neither of these title cards are in the end credits in the extended versions.) A film like "Superman" is supposed to sound broad and bombastic, not tinny and almost rinky-dink. The Donner Cut got the sound right, with a richer, fuller remixed sound all the way through.
The visual print, however, is another story. It's still the same source print for the 2001 DVD release, and the visuals look almost horrible at times. There's quite a bit of color bleed-out in many places, particularly in the opening prologue and main title credits, and at times the film looks almost hazy. Add to it the fact that the visual scabs are all over the place - from the poor airbrushing of Brando out of the borrowed STM shot in the prologue, to the wires clearly evident not only throughout a good portion of the Lester footage but also in the Donner clips as well! (Check out the scene of the Russian cosmonaut just before Zod pulls him away, and you'll clearly see the wires in the film print.) So much for verisimilitude, if you ask me. In this day and age, when so many films from the past get top-notch digital restoration treatment, there's clearly been no love given to the theatrical cut of "Superman II". Warner should know better than this.
Also on Disc 5 we have a new audio commentary with Salkind and Spengler. Like their commentary on the first "Superman" film, and in juxtaposition with the Donner-Tom Mankiewicz commentary on the Donner Cut, Salkind and Spengler discuss their views on Donner's dismissal; Lester's completion of the film; the replacement of John Williams (who refused to score II without Donner there) with Ken Thorne (who at the Salkinds' request restructured all of Williams' themes for II); the many production problems and logistics in completing the film; and the reverse release scheduling of the film for the foreign markets first and the U.S. market last. Some of the thoughts Salkind and Spengler offer in this commentary are fairly valid and spot-on with established documentation; however, other comments sound nothing more like spin, basically boiling down to a "we said, he said" argument over Donner's firing, which is contrary to the facts. At times I couldn't help but laugh at their spin stories and wanted to say, "Get your facts right!" Granted, with the passage of time people's memories do become hazy, and we sometimes forget some things, and that's a given, but when a film the caliber of "Superman II" has this much documentation, sometimes it's best to get every fact straight, which is what Salkind and Spengler should have done in the first place.
In addition, on Disc 5 we have the film's second theatrical trailer, recycled from the previous DVD and laserdisc releases, presented in widescreen format and Dolby 2.0 sound. Why the first teaser trailer, which remains unreleased on DVD, was not included is beyond me (go to CapedWonder.com to view that teaser trailer and other trailers not included on the DVD releases). Furthermore, we are given one lone deleted scene from the Lester footage, an almost sexually suggestive scene of Superman and Lois talking about it being his first time... cooking a souffle'! This scene, one of many included in the extended TV broadcasts, is presented here in anamorphic widescreen format and Dolby 2.0 sound, sourced from a widescreen print of the extended version (I wonder why the extended Salkind cuts have yet to appear on DVD?) and complete with visual effects and music. At least it looks and sounds good on DVD. I only wish more Lester outtakes were included on this DVD (though another outtake is included elsewhere in the Ultimate Collector's Edition) - then again, having one outtake (or two) may be enough; all you have to do is compare this DVD and the Donner Cut to your VHS copies of the extended TV broadcasts, and you'll see just how many campy and unnecessary outtakes there are! Sometimes less is enough, and in some cases it's more than enough.
Moving onto Disc 7 we have the vintage TV documentary "The Making of Superman II", which originally aired in 1983 and was hosted by Christopher Reeve and narrated by Ernie Anderson. This program, presented in full frame format and Dolby 2.0 sound, focuses primarily on Lester's direction for the film, the staging of a number of visual effects and stunts, and interviews with the cast and crew, though there are some production clips from the Donner era included - like the final film Donner was never mentioned by name in the documentary, obviously, to keep any production problems hidden from the viewers, though serious film fans know better. As good as the documentary is content-wise, there is one very glaring problem with it: the documentary's transfer is sourced from NTSC into PAL and slowed down to compensate for the PAL speed increase (go to http://www.supermancinema.co.uk/daily_planet/dvd2006/2006_disc_issues_qa.asp for more detailed explanations). The final result looks and sounds slower and blurrier than normal. That's not good, and Warner should definitely know better than that. It's also unfortunate that while corrected pressings of the original "Superman" cut with the corrected 1978 sound mix and the Deluxe Version of "Superman III" (which I'll discuss next time) were issued, there are no plans to reissue the "Superman II" DVD with a corrected NTSC transfer of the documentary. Why isn't everything run by QA prior to release?
Also on Disc 7 is another TV special, "Superman's 50th Anniversary: A Celebration of the Man of Steel", produced by Lorne Michaels of "Saturday Night Live" fame. This strange piece, hosted by Dana Carvey and featuring clips from different incarnations of the franchise and a plethora of comedians, plays up Superman's 50th birthday in 1988 mostly for laughs, though there are some truly sincere segments with Reeve, Jack Larson (remembering George Reeves' work on "The Adventures of Superman"), and writer/artist John Byrne (who spearheaded the revamp of the Superman comics line in 1986).
But the real treasure of this set is the final eight segments of the animated Superman series produced in 1942-43. By this time Famous Studios had taken over the production reigns from Max and Dave Fleischer, but they nonetheless handled these cartoons with lots of action and excitement, with some segments featuring Superman battling the Nazis and Japanese during World War II. Pulled from mint 35-millimeter prints, these transfers look and sound absoultely sparkling for 65-year-old cartoons! Now this is a treat indeed! We even get a 13-minute feature entitled "First Flight: The Fleischer Superman Series", which features interviews with film and comic historians and the late Richard Fleischer on the creation of these segments. You get to see some of the extremely rare production sketches for the series, explanations for the film noir-like visual flair for the segments (inspired by "Citizen Kane"), and a few clips of even more rare animation from cinema's early days. Simply put, short of a HD or Blu-Ray release, this is the best these cartoons have ever looked!
If I have a few concerns with this DVD release, it's that I would have wanted to see more outtakes from Lester's production, as well as Lester's involvement on the DVD in a commentary or interview format (as it turns out, Lester was invited to contribute to the new DVD releases, though why he didn't participate is a mystery) and any other publicity materials or production footage for the film. Still, this is a fairly nice complement to the "Superman" Special Edition and the Donner Cut just for the animated segments and commentaries alone, as well as for comparing both versions of II, and like the Donner Cut it makes for a good study of problematic filmmaking at its best and worst.
While both versions of II are included together in the Ultimate Collector's Edition and overseas in a complete 3-disc set, for some reason they were issued separately in the U.S., and I think this had to do with marketing. Like Warner's dual versions of the "Exorcist" prequel from Renny Harlin (the released theatrical version) and Paul Schraeder (his original cut), both versions of "Superman II" were issued individually in the U.S. for home viewing and analysis. Is this the last word on the film(s)? For that matter, which version is considerably better? Pick your poison wisely before going to the debates!
Next time I'll look at Disc 8 of the set, "Superman III", where the problems just keep on rolling. See you next time!
In the Ultimate Collector's Edition, the "Superman II: Richard Donner Cut" is presented as Disc 6. To read my original review on that release, click here. To borrow from the excellent graphic novel "Kingdom Come" (now why doesn't Warner Bros. turn that into a movie? That would absolutely rock!), now it's time for the democratic response, and to that I have to go back in time to the film's release.
I remember the summer of 1981 like the back of my hand. I had attended a YMCA youth camp in North Carolina when the bus I rode in passed by a movie theater. There, in large letters on the marquee sign, read the announcement "Now Showing: Superman - Part II". Little did I know at the time that whoever put that information on the marquee actually got it right.
"Superman II" was originally intended to continue the story begun in the first film and wound up one of those rare sequels that exceeded the first film's tradition and spirit. This time, however, there would be no slow build-up, no lengthy backstory to preface the events; things would start off with a bang - literally. From the freeing of the Phantom Zone villains to Lois Lane's attempts to expose Clark Kent's secret identity of Superman, to the battles in Metropolis and the Fortress of Solitude, "Superman II" offered plenty of action. Of course, I had read in David Michael Petrou's book "The Making of Superman: The Movie" that Donner had filmed most of II simultaneously with the first film and that the footage was already in the can. Even the final credit at the end of the first film touted that II would be here "next year". So what took so long?
Unknown to me, a lot of movie politics and conspiracies changed the look and tone of "Superman II". Over the next 25 years I, like many others, analyzed everything that took place during the production of both films, chief among them the many conflicts involving Donner, Alexander and Ilya Salkind, and Pierre Spengler, which resulted in Lester coming aboard as an uncredited associate producer (read: go-between to Donner and the Salkinds). With the first "Superman" a success, one of the great injustices in the history of cinema occurred, as Donner was fired from the project in the summer of 1979, and Lester (along with George Macdonald Fraser) was brought in to do an uncredited rewrite on the shooting script and to reshoot many key sequences, thereby earning him sole directorial credit on II. Along the way I glimpsed scenes from Donner's version in the final theatrical version and the extended TV broadcasts throughout the 1980's. Sometimes the scenes were as sincere and believable as the footage in the first film; at other times it was more comical and disjointed. Even the father-son relationship that set up the first film was gone, as all of Marlon Brando's scenes were jettisoned in favor of Susannah York as Lara, thereby setting up an awkward (though certainly plausible) mother-son dynamic.
"Superman II" wound up one of the big hits in the summer of 1981, earning a respectable $110 million at the box office (which in today's terms rounds off to an estimated $225 million) and coming in second behind the surprise hit of the year, "Raiders of the Lost Ark". Above the surface, you couldn't tell what was going on. Beneath the scabs that permeated the final film, however, the firing of Donner, the lawsuits forced onto the Salkinds by Brando from the cutting of his scenes from II and his profits from both films, the lawsuits by Margot Kidder over delinquent salary promises (note to Pierre: you can't refute what is publicly established in print! Liar liar, pants on fire!), and the chunking of most of Donner's footage took its toll on everyone. While "Superman III" was certainly a guarantee at the time, no one knew that the franchise would soon be steered into shaky waters. Over the years "Superman II" has become a study of what can go right and wrong during a film production, and like the Donner Cut it is not, and never will be, a perfect film. Still, in all fairness to Donner, some of Lester's footage is actually quite good and has held up fairly well over time.
Now we have the "Superman II" Special Edition, issued as Discs 5 and 7 in the Ultimate Collector's Edition and individually as a 2-disc set. I wish I could say that Warner pulled out all the stops in giving much care and consideration to "Superman II", but after looking at this film I have my doubts.
First off, the film itself is presented on Disc 5 in anamorphic widescreen format and your choice of English Dolby Digital 5.1 or 2.0 sound, or French 2.0 mono sound with optional English, Spanish, or French subtitles. This is a fairly decent step up from the previous DVD release, which offered the film only in 2.0. The sound balance is much better this time, though there's still one thing that bothers me: even in 5.1, the sound is still tinny at times. This is not Warner's fault, which did the best job it could in reproducing the sound in 5.1 from the original source material. The problem is the source material itself. Except for the extended TV broadcasts, "Superman II" has always sounded tinny, particularly in the music. This is because of the usage of one of two prints for every home video release from the initial VHS tapes of the 1980's to today. (The other version, with slightly different end credits and a richer sound to the music, especially in the main title credits, remains unreleased in any home video format beyond the extended TV broadcasts. I know this for a fact because when I saw the film in 1981, I remember this version being shown in my local theater - the key is the Howard R. Schuster and Zoptic logo title cards, which were not in the initial release but were in later releases; neither of these title cards are in the end credits in the extended versions.) A film like "Superman" is supposed to sound broad and bombastic, not tinny and almost rinky-dink. The Donner Cut got the sound right, with a richer, fuller remixed sound all the way through.
The visual print, however, is another story. It's still the same source print for the 2001 DVD release, and the visuals look almost horrible at times. There's quite a bit of color bleed-out in many places, particularly in the opening prologue and main title credits, and at times the film looks almost hazy. Add to it the fact that the visual scabs are all over the place - from the poor airbrushing of Brando out of the borrowed STM shot in the prologue, to the wires clearly evident not only throughout a good portion of the Lester footage but also in the Donner clips as well! (Check out the scene of the Russian cosmonaut just before Zod pulls him away, and you'll clearly see the wires in the film print.) So much for verisimilitude, if you ask me. In this day and age, when so many films from the past get top-notch digital restoration treatment, there's clearly been no love given to the theatrical cut of "Superman II". Warner should know better than this.
Also on Disc 5 we have a new audio commentary with Salkind and Spengler. Like their commentary on the first "Superman" film, and in juxtaposition with the Donner-Tom Mankiewicz commentary on the Donner Cut, Salkind and Spengler discuss their views on Donner's dismissal; Lester's completion of the film; the replacement of John Williams (who refused to score II without Donner there) with Ken Thorne (who at the Salkinds' request restructured all of Williams' themes for II); the many production problems and logistics in completing the film; and the reverse release scheduling of the film for the foreign markets first and the U.S. market last. Some of the thoughts Salkind and Spengler offer in this commentary are fairly valid and spot-on with established documentation; however, other comments sound nothing more like spin, basically boiling down to a "we said, he said" argument over Donner's firing, which is contrary to the facts. At times I couldn't help but laugh at their spin stories and wanted to say, "Get your facts right!" Granted, with the passage of time people's memories do become hazy, and we sometimes forget some things, and that's a given, but when a film the caliber of "Superman II" has this much documentation, sometimes it's best to get every fact straight, which is what Salkind and Spengler should have done in the first place.
In addition, on Disc 5 we have the film's second theatrical trailer, recycled from the previous DVD and laserdisc releases, presented in widescreen format and Dolby 2.0 sound. Why the first teaser trailer, which remains unreleased on DVD, was not included is beyond me (go to CapedWonder.com to view that teaser trailer and other trailers not included on the DVD releases). Furthermore, we are given one lone deleted scene from the Lester footage, an almost sexually suggestive scene of Superman and Lois talking about it being his first time... cooking a souffle'! This scene, one of many included in the extended TV broadcasts, is presented here in anamorphic widescreen format and Dolby 2.0 sound, sourced from a widescreen print of the extended version (I wonder why the extended Salkind cuts have yet to appear on DVD?) and complete with visual effects and music. At least it looks and sounds good on DVD. I only wish more Lester outtakes were included on this DVD (though another outtake is included elsewhere in the Ultimate Collector's Edition) - then again, having one outtake (or two) may be enough; all you have to do is compare this DVD and the Donner Cut to your VHS copies of the extended TV broadcasts, and you'll see just how many campy and unnecessary outtakes there are! Sometimes less is enough, and in some cases it's more than enough.
Moving onto Disc 7 we have the vintage TV documentary "The Making of Superman II", which originally aired in 1983 and was hosted by Christopher Reeve and narrated by Ernie Anderson. This program, presented in full frame format and Dolby 2.0 sound, focuses primarily on Lester's direction for the film, the staging of a number of visual effects and stunts, and interviews with the cast and crew, though there are some production clips from the Donner era included - like the final film Donner was never mentioned by name in the documentary, obviously, to keep any production problems hidden from the viewers, though serious film fans know better. As good as the documentary is content-wise, there is one very glaring problem with it: the documentary's transfer is sourced from NTSC into PAL and slowed down to compensate for the PAL speed increase (go to http://www.supermancinema.co.uk/daily_planet/dvd2006/2006_disc_issues_qa.asp for more detailed explanations). The final result looks and sounds slower and blurrier than normal. That's not good, and Warner should definitely know better than that. It's also unfortunate that while corrected pressings of the original "Superman" cut with the corrected 1978 sound mix and the Deluxe Version of "Superman III" (which I'll discuss next time) were issued, there are no plans to reissue the "Superman II" DVD with a corrected NTSC transfer of the documentary. Why isn't everything run by QA prior to release?
Also on Disc 7 is another TV special, "Superman's 50th Anniversary: A Celebration of the Man of Steel", produced by Lorne Michaels of "Saturday Night Live" fame. This strange piece, hosted by Dana Carvey and featuring clips from different incarnations of the franchise and a plethora of comedians, plays up Superman's 50th birthday in 1988 mostly for laughs, though there are some truly sincere segments with Reeve, Jack Larson (remembering George Reeves' work on "The Adventures of Superman"), and writer/artist John Byrne (who spearheaded the revamp of the Superman comics line in 1986).
But the real treasure of this set is the final eight segments of the animated Superman series produced in 1942-43. By this time Famous Studios had taken over the production reigns from Max and Dave Fleischer, but they nonetheless handled these cartoons with lots of action and excitement, with some segments featuring Superman battling the Nazis and Japanese during World War II. Pulled from mint 35-millimeter prints, these transfers look and sound absoultely sparkling for 65-year-old cartoons! Now this is a treat indeed! We even get a 13-minute feature entitled "First Flight: The Fleischer Superman Series", which features interviews with film and comic historians and the late Richard Fleischer on the creation of these segments. You get to see some of the extremely rare production sketches for the series, explanations for the film noir-like visual flair for the segments (inspired by "Citizen Kane"), and a few clips of even more rare animation from cinema's early days. Simply put, short of a HD or Blu-Ray release, this is the best these cartoons have ever looked!
If I have a few concerns with this DVD release, it's that I would have wanted to see more outtakes from Lester's production, as well as Lester's involvement on the DVD in a commentary or interview format (as it turns out, Lester was invited to contribute to the new DVD releases, though why he didn't participate is a mystery) and any other publicity materials or production footage for the film. Still, this is a fairly nice complement to the "Superman" Special Edition and the Donner Cut just for the animated segments and commentaries alone, as well as for comparing both versions of II, and like the Donner Cut it makes for a good study of problematic filmmaking at its best and worst.
While both versions of II are included together in the Ultimate Collector's Edition and overseas in a complete 3-disc set, for some reason they were issued separately in the U.S., and I think this had to do with marketing. Like Warner's dual versions of the "Exorcist" prequel from Renny Harlin (the released theatrical version) and Paul Schraeder (his original cut), both versions of "Superman II" were issued individually in the U.S. for home viewing and analysis. Is this the last word on the film(s)? For that matter, which version is considerably better? Pick your poison wisely before going to the debates!
Next time I'll look at Disc 8 of the set, "Superman III", where the problems just keep on rolling. See you next time!
Friday, June 1, 2007
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!
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!
Saturday, May 26, 2007
Superman Ultimate Collector's Edition - Part 1
This is the first in a series of installments of what is perhaps one of the best DVD collections to come out at the end of last year. And with its re-release this coming Tuesday, May 29, I'm surprised that I've only seen one web site - The Digital Bits - give it a fairly detailed commentary. While Bill Hunt looked at a number of the segments in the set, others got the short shrift. And other web sites only analyzed a couple of the separate DVD releases that entail the 14-disc collection. What I hope to do is give a really detailed breakdown and analysis of everything in the entire set, including those discs that got the short shrift.
There are very few times in my life and years of reviewing different publications, DVD releases, and products where I just come out and give my bottom-line thought right at the start. This is one of those times. Listen up, boys and girls, because I will say this only once: Warner Home Video has done a most spectacular job with its 14-disc release of the "Superman" Ultimate Collector's Edition DVD set! Christmas definitely arrived early for me in my home! There have been only three other titles and/or collections where I've seen such an impressive and staggering array of film and content in a single presentation - Fox's "Alien" Quadrilogy (along with the 20th anniversary single-disc release of the original "Alien"), New Line's "Lord of the Rings" extended trilogy (along with the two-disc theatrical sets), and Warner's equally massive and impressive 10-disc Ultimate "Matrix" Collection (which just hit stores in HD-DVD earlier this week) and its individual releases. After all of this, could the ante be upped any further? At first I didn't think so - color me fooled. I have to hand it to Warner, they know how to deliver the goods when it comes to their compilations, taking its rightful place alongside Fox and New Line as a studio that continually seeks to provide top-of-the-line products for its consumers. With this latest compilation of one of the most loved (if not at times unfairly criticized) franchises, Warner has provided "Superman" fans with a true treasure trove sure to satisfy any fano fthe Man of Steel or its most notable and recognizable portayer, the late Christopher Reeve.
Right away I should tell you that all the "Superman" films in this collection - as well as the documentary "Look! Up in the Sky - The Amazing Story of Superman" - are individually available, while the first four films are also compiled together in the eight-disc Christopher Reeve "Superman" Collection. Dollar-wise, when you start adding up all of the releases, you're actually investing more money for fewer discs. Of course, there is the argument of wanting only specific titles - the four-disc "Superman" Special Edition, the two-disc "Superman II" Special Edition, and the Richard Donner Cut of "Superman II" - and that's an argument I can respect. But by breaking down the cost of each film in the entire 14-disc set, you wind up paying less and getting more in the 14-disc set. As someone who likes to look for good bargains overall and get some added perks thrown in, I had my eye on this set from the word go. (My wife will disagree with me, though!)
In my next installment I will analyze the four-disc "Superman" SE. Until then, have a safe and wonderful Memorial Day holiday! See you next time!
There are very few times in my life and years of reviewing different publications, DVD releases, and products where I just come out and give my bottom-line thought right at the start. This is one of those times. Listen up, boys and girls, because I will say this only once: Warner Home Video has done a most spectacular job with its 14-disc release of the "Superman" Ultimate Collector's Edition DVD set! Christmas definitely arrived early for me in my home! There have been only three other titles and/or collections where I've seen such an impressive and staggering array of film and content in a single presentation - Fox's "Alien" Quadrilogy (along with the 20th anniversary single-disc release of the original "Alien"), New Line's "Lord of the Rings" extended trilogy (along with the two-disc theatrical sets), and Warner's equally massive and impressive 10-disc Ultimate "Matrix" Collection (which just hit stores in HD-DVD earlier this week) and its individual releases. After all of this, could the ante be upped any further? At first I didn't think so - color me fooled. I have to hand it to Warner, they know how to deliver the goods when it comes to their compilations, taking its rightful place alongside Fox and New Line as a studio that continually seeks to provide top-of-the-line products for its consumers. With this latest compilation of one of the most loved (if not at times unfairly criticized) franchises, Warner has provided "Superman" fans with a true treasure trove sure to satisfy any fano fthe Man of Steel or its most notable and recognizable portayer, the late Christopher Reeve.
Right away I should tell you that all the "Superman" films in this collection - as well as the documentary "Look! Up in the Sky - The Amazing Story of Superman" - are individually available, while the first four films are also compiled together in the eight-disc Christopher Reeve "Superman" Collection. Dollar-wise, when you start adding up all of the releases, you're actually investing more money for fewer discs. Of course, there is the argument of wanting only specific titles - the four-disc "Superman" Special Edition, the two-disc "Superman II" Special Edition, and the Richard Donner Cut of "Superman II" - and that's an argument I can respect. But by breaking down the cost of each film in the entire 14-disc set, you wind up paying less and getting more in the 14-disc set. As someone who likes to look for good bargains overall and get some added perks thrown in, I had my eye on this set from the word go. (My wife will disagree with me, though!)
In my next installment I will analyze the four-disc "Superman" SE. Until then, have a safe and wonderful Memorial Day holiday! See you next time!
Friday, May 25, 2007
It was 30 years ago today...
Where were you on May 25, 1977?
It's hard to believe that it's the 30th anniversary of the release of the original "Star Wars". Back in the day before CGI, before DVD, before Padawans and midichlorians and a misguided kid named Anakin, before there was even an "Episode IV: A New Hope" subtitle stuck at the beginning, there was simply "Star Wars".
I remember seeing it a short time after the film's release in that summer of 1977. My parents took me, an eager wide-eyed 10-year-old, to the old Deville Cinema (the last of the great single-screen theaters in Jackson, MS) to see it some time after it came out. Granted, I didn't see it on opening day, but we eventually went to see it. For some reason all I remember was falling asleep during the film. The next time I saw it, it was part of Rob Summerlin's 11th birthday.
For so many people my age, that was the iconic film of the 1970's. Granted, it was one of the iconic films of my youth, but not the iconic film - that honor wouldn't fall until a year and a half later with the release of the first "Superman" film at the end of 1978.
So much has happened since then... war, death, love, growing up, moving off, marriage, becoming a dad... and through it all "Star Wars" has remained with us. I always thought of myself in those days being like Luke, the idealistic kid looking for something bigger than what and where he was. And wouldn't you know it... for the Luke in me, there was a Leia... Kelly Catt, who looked a whole lot like Carrie Fisher, the resemblance was at the time uncanny.
Of course, that was 30 years ago. And I had to grow up and put away a lot of childish things, including, of course, "Star Wars". But while a lot of people my age remember where they were 30 years ago when the film first came out - even Kevin Max of DCTalk mentioning his first taste of musical inspiration with the original "Star Wars" double album - for some reason lately I've been thinking about Kelly and what might have... could have... should have been, but wasn't meant to be.
For that brief time I found myself wanting to be that hero, saving the day, falling in love with a beautiful girl, making a difference. Just like Luke Skywalker.
It's funny how life can be cruel sometimes, you know? But then again, had everything gone as I had hoped, my life would have been most definitely different.
I should have gone to see Kelly when she was in the hospital, lying there with a broken leg, to wish her a speedy recovery, but like a damn fool I couldn't. I was forbidden to. I should have. And I should have gone to see her in later years when she got sick, but I didn't.
Is it wrong to say that you miss someone close from your youth, who meant a lot to you? Even though you're married to a woman you love, could you miss someone that you loved from way back then? Granted, I don't want to sound like a Jay Gatsby here, looking to recapture and win the one true lost love of my life at the expense of my own soul, but sometimes you just need to get things off your chest and get rid of that regret once and for all, you know?
Sorry if this seems much more personal and sentimental, but sometimes you just gotta share what's on your heart. And that's what this day, this film in particular, reminds me of.
Kelly, if you somehow get a chance to read this, please e-mail me and let me know how you're doing. I'd really enjoy hearing from you.
It's hard to believe that it's the 30th anniversary of the release of the original "Star Wars". Back in the day before CGI, before DVD, before Padawans and midichlorians and a misguided kid named Anakin, before there was even an "Episode IV: A New Hope" subtitle stuck at the beginning, there was simply "Star Wars".
I remember seeing it a short time after the film's release in that summer of 1977. My parents took me, an eager wide-eyed 10-year-old, to the old Deville Cinema (the last of the great single-screen theaters in Jackson, MS) to see it some time after it came out. Granted, I didn't see it on opening day, but we eventually went to see it. For some reason all I remember was falling asleep during the film. The next time I saw it, it was part of Rob Summerlin's 11th birthday.
For so many people my age, that was the iconic film of the 1970's. Granted, it was one of the iconic films of my youth, but not the iconic film - that honor wouldn't fall until a year and a half later with the release of the first "Superman" film at the end of 1978.
So much has happened since then... war, death, love, growing up, moving off, marriage, becoming a dad... and through it all "Star Wars" has remained with us. I always thought of myself in those days being like Luke, the idealistic kid looking for something bigger than what and where he was. And wouldn't you know it... for the Luke in me, there was a Leia... Kelly Catt, who looked a whole lot like Carrie Fisher, the resemblance was at the time uncanny.
Of course, that was 30 years ago. And I had to grow up and put away a lot of childish things, including, of course, "Star Wars". But while a lot of people my age remember where they were 30 years ago when the film first came out - even Kevin Max of DCTalk mentioning his first taste of musical inspiration with the original "Star Wars" double album - for some reason lately I've been thinking about Kelly and what might have... could have... should have been, but wasn't meant to be.
For that brief time I found myself wanting to be that hero, saving the day, falling in love with a beautiful girl, making a difference. Just like Luke Skywalker.
It's funny how life can be cruel sometimes, you know? But then again, had everything gone as I had hoped, my life would have been most definitely different.
I should have gone to see Kelly when she was in the hospital, lying there with a broken leg, to wish her a speedy recovery, but like a damn fool I couldn't. I was forbidden to. I should have. And I should have gone to see her in later years when she got sick, but I didn't.
Is it wrong to say that you miss someone close from your youth, who meant a lot to you? Even though you're married to a woman you love, could you miss someone that you loved from way back then? Granted, I don't want to sound like a Jay Gatsby here, looking to recapture and win the one true lost love of my life at the expense of my own soul, but sometimes you just need to get things off your chest and get rid of that regret once and for all, you know?
Sorry if this seems much more personal and sentimental, but sometimes you just gotta share what's on your heart. And that's what this day, this film in particular, reminds me of.
Kelly, if you somehow get a chance to read this, please e-mail me and let me know how you're doing. I'd really enjoy hearing from you.
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
The Passion of the Christ - Definitive Edition
Basically in cinema there are three kinds of movies. One is the basic, ordinary kind of movie done in cookie-cutter fashion, churned out for the masses, and there are lots of movies. Then there are films, big in size and scope, epic in nature, or serious in storytelling, and there are quite a number of films. Then there are experiences. This is the category of filmmaking that leaves you simply stunned beyond belief because of its uncompromising nature and the deep effect it leaves in your heart. It could be small scale in budget and scope, or it could be so big that it causes a huge stir of controversy. "The Passion of the Christ" is a film that can only be described as an experience.
It seemed at the time like the last person who could conceive a large-scale, serious retelling of the final hours leading up to Jesus' crucifixion would be, of all people, Mel Gibson. Here was the star of such well-known Hollywood vehicles like the "Lethal Weapon" series, "Maverick", "Conspiracy Theory", and the 1990 adaptation of "Hamlet" who began to make a name for himself as an accomplished director with "The Man Without a Face" and his 1995 Oscar-winning epic "Braveheart". And yet he had the idea in mind all along since before "Braveheart". What took so long was the idea of doing it right.
For centuries the portrayal of Jesus' crucifixion has always appeared neat and tidy, from visual paintings to the majority of film productions over the last 50 years. But Jesus' crucifixion, and the hours leading up to it, was anything but neat and tidy, and Gibson was determined to portray it as the Bible accurately described it. As singer-songwriter Todd Agnew states, "Sometimes I doubt we'd recognize Him." And this is the central problem a number of people have had with "The Passion of the Christ". "Passion", in the ancient Hebrew, translates as "suffering", and anyone who was crucified, including Jesus, suffered for hours from blood loss, the pain of having nails driven into their hands and feet, the tearing of flesh, near paralysis, scourging, dehydration, losing consciousness, public mocking, and in most cases the breaking of bones, all of which led to death. In most of these cases a crucifixion was a deserving punishment for a crime, but in Jesus' case He had willingly chosen that path so that He might bridge the gap between Earth and Heaven, taking on all of humanity's sin and punishment so that He would be the prophesied fulfillment of redemption. And still to this day there are those people who doubt and ask, "Why would anyone willingly give up his own life like that?"
Against all odds Gibson spent $25 million of his own money to bring "The Passion of the Christ" to life, which in Hollywood's mindset is certain career and financial suicide, and no major studio would even consider touching or funding his project at all. He and co-writer Benedict Fitzgerald, and co-producers Bruce Davey and Stephen McEveety, were determined to bring to the screen an unflinching yet brutally honest portrayal of how far Jesus went to be humanity's redemption. And with only two significantly recognizable faces in the Hollywood community in lead roles - Jim Caviezel ("Frequency") as Jesus and Monica Bellucci ("The Matrix Reloaded") as Mary Magdalene - Gibson was determined to give the film an equally honest international flavor, casting many European actors in key roles, lending the film an authenticity that most other films of similar caliber sometimes lacked. And just as much as Gibson wanted the right story and look for his cast, he was equally determined to give it the right setting, filming entirely in Italy. To top it off, GIbson would give "The Passion of the Christ" an extra added impetus that nothing else before or since had done: he would film it entirely in Latin, Hebrew, and ancient Aramaic, the actual languages people spoke in Jesus' time. In the Hollywood mindset, that's a lot going against it... but God had bigger plans for this project.
Newmarket Films, an independent film studio, released "The Passion of the Christ" on Ash Wednesday, February 2004, amid overwhelming anticipation and box-office success from filmgoers and the Christian community, and harsh and obvious attack from critics because of its graphic brutality. Like Jesus Himself, Gibson bore the brunt of the attack because of the amount of bloodshed in the film, which had never been so blatant in any previous onscreen portrayal of the life of Jesus. This, then, is the next problem. If Hollywood is so unconcerned and unrelenting about pushing the envelope further and further with its continued reliance upon language, graphic sex, and violence to sell its movies en masse, why then could it not accept "The Passion of the Christ" for its honest portrayal of what happened two millennia prior? Because of the compromises made at the hands of Hollywood filmmakers of potentially offending viewers, which over the decades had become more and more desensitized at the ever-increasing language, sex, and body count in one movie and TV series after another. They thought that the public wouldn't accept anything less than something neat and tidy and reverent in any film or TV portrayal of Jesus. Could a violent, independently produced $25 million foreign-language film be a success? Rubbish, they thought. They were wrong.
Gibson, however, got it right because he stayed honest to the Bible. Of course, he took a few liberties for dramatic effect, including a scene of the Devil further tempting and taunting Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane, a lighter scene of Jesus and Mary (Maia Morgenstern) talking some time before He began His three-year mission, and a quick moment of Mary embracing a young Jesus, lending the film a level of speculation of what might have also happened before and during those final hours leading up to Jesus' crucifixion. But those moments are not as important as getting the core story right, which is what Gibson did. And just as important is the fact that Jesus actually endured that suffering for all of us.
This brings me to the main point of why "The Passion of the Christ" speaks to all of us - it is brutally honest because of our own inner nature of always wanting to do what is right but failing at times. It is brutally honest because like the Bible, here is a story of the one perfect man, fully God and fully man, who took it upon Himself to bear all of the scorn and hate and shame so we wouldn't have to bear it and suffer and die in such a similar manner. It convicts us inside our hearts to get our own act together, to know that we are forgiven of our sins, and to share that message with everyone around us, "He did this for me; He can do it for you, too." Some people reject that message, and some people have rejected "The Passion of the Christ", and they continue to do so to this day. But let me just end this part of my commentary on the film by saying that this is the first time that after the end of a two-hour film that I have ever felt that things were just getting started, simply because of that brief final moment that says it all.
Fox (which ironically was one of the major studios who rejected the film for initial consideration for distribution, yet owns the home video rights to Newmarket Films) previously released "The Passion of the Christ" in August 2004 as a bare-bones single-disc release of just the film. A couple of years later that same bare-bones release had been reissued on DVD from Warner Home Video and Equinox Films. For most of that time I had held off in getting the bare-bones release simply because I knew that a film of this caliber deserved a full and comprehensive DVD treatment. Earlier this year Fox Home Video, in conjunction with its new Fox Faith line, reissued "The Passion of the Christ" in a deluxe two-disc Definitive Edition that came out of nowhere yet truly lives up to that title.
As with the preivous DVD releases, the original 126-minute theatrical release is presented in a crisp-looking anamorphic widescreen transfer that brilliantly reproduces the film in its original 2.40:1 aspect ratio. The colors are rich and vibrant, balancing perfectly in conjunction with the stark black and white photography that permeates and fulfills the atmospheric look of the film. This is because Gibson and director of photography Caleb Deschanel (who shot "The Patriot" and "The Right Stuff") were determined to give the film an authentic look and feel that echoed the classical paintings from centuries past. Sonically, the film is an audio marvel, as it is reproduced in Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound in the Latin, Aramaic, and Hebrew languages conveyed in the film. From that ominous lightning bolt at the start of the film when the Icon Productions logo appears on the screen, all the way through the film, the sound is wonderfully balanced throughout. And you have a choice of watching it with optional English or Spanish subtitles or with optional English closed captioning. My wife had difficulty keeping up with the film because of the subtitles, which I have to admit is a common problem for any foreign language film. If you want a real challenge, try watching it without any subtitles, because just the imagery alone will tell the whole story for you.
In addition, the film is presented with five - yes, five! - different audio commentaries on the DVD. The first audio commentary I must make mention of is one I have not seen utilized all that often on home video releases, and that's the optional commentary for the visually impaired. This is a great running descriptive commentary of the action in the film that is a real boon for those with visual impairments. More studios should take advantage of this feature. Next up are a pair of audio commentaries - one with Gibson, Deschanel, and film editor John Wright; and the other with McEveety, Ted Rae, and Keith Vanderlaan - that focus on the production aspects of bringing "The Passion of the Christ" to life. All of the participants involved share their thoughts of working on this film and giving it the right authenticity and feel to its appearance. We then have a most interesting audio commentary with Gibson, Father William J. Fulco, Gerry Matatics, and Father John Bartunek that focuses on the theological aspects of the film. This is especially intriguing to me personally because it centers on Gibson's desires to get everything scripturally accurate for the film, and while some discrepancies do appear throughout the film, all of the theologians agree that Gibson's portrayal of Jesus is spot on with the Bible. Finally we have a running audio commentary with composer John Debney on the creation of the film's atmospheric musical score. Debney is also an engaging listen who relates his desire to create an accurate sound and feel for the film's various settings and the portrayal of its characters. I've only sampled each of these commentaries, to be honest, but you've got to simply listen to each one to get the fullest feel that's presented here on this DVD.
In addition, there is a sixth commentary included on the disc, and that is the optional text commentary. This is presented in "Pop-Up Video" style and runs throughout the original theatrical version of the film, giving viewers further additional information into the Scriptures, as well as production aspects. Anyone who is familiar with the text commentaries on other DVDs, such as the different "Star Trek" series and films, the "Spider-Man" films, and the "Gladiator" extended edition, should be familiar by now with this feature. This text commentary, however, applies only to the original theatrical cut.
This brings me to the final bonus feature on Disc 1 of this release, and that is the 121-minute unrated "Passion Recut", which was released to theaters in the spring of 2005. This is an interesting addition, since most feature films that are re-released to theaters or issued on DVD are usually extended longer versions with additional footage, but this is one film that ran six minutes shorter than its original release. This version was prepared with the intention of silencing those critics who had originally decried the film for its seemingly excessive violence and bloodshed, yet still wanted Gibson to maintain the integrity of the film's central core and make it more family-friendly. Like the original theatrical cut, "Passion Recut" is presented in its original 2.40:1 aspect ratio in anamorphic widescreen, 5.1 sound, and optional subtitles, closed captioning, and commentary for the visually impaired. None of the other previously mentioned commentaries are accessible through "Passion Recut". While this is a first in my book, seeing a shorter edited re-release accompanying the longer original cut, it's an interesting feature nonetheless.
Moving onto Disc 2, we have a wide selection of additional bonus features that round out the entire experience. All of these extra features have been divided into three main sections: Filmmaking, The Legacy, and Galleries. First off, in the Filmmaking section, we have the feature-length documentary "By His Wounds We are Healed: The Making of 'The Passion of the Christ'", which runs approximately 100 minutes in length. In this comprehensive documentary we have new interviews with Gibson, Caviezel, Deschanel, Debney, and various cast and production crewmembers discussing their thoughts and reflections on making a project that was uncompromised by Hollywood production standards. Gibson's presence is highly evident all over the new commentaries, interview segments, and production video shot on location in Italy, as he completely immersed himself into wanting this project done right. No amount of detail went unnoticed, from the script's development to the photography, visual and sound effects, makeup, and music; from the artistic inspirations for the film to the lighter moments that transpired on the set (given Gibson's penchant for practical joking and humor); to the deeper emotional suffering Caviezel experienced in immersing himself into the part; and finally to the guerrilla marketing campaign in churches prior to the film's release. This insightful documentary can be viewed in a "play all" form or through each of the 21 individual chapters. It's one of those rare documentaries that will leave you simply stunned and all the more appreciative of a true creative vision.
From there we have a "Below the Line" panel discussion, running 14 minutes in length, and featuring several members of the production crew talking about bringing "The Passion of the Christ" to life. It's an insightful commentary that looks at how they sought to honor Gibson's vision and bring it to the screen.
The third and final part of the Filmmaking section focuses on two deleted scenes cut from the film that run four and a half minutes in length and occur just before and during Jesus' walk on the Via Dolorosa. The second, "Don't Cry", focuses on Jesus' encounter with some of the women who according to the Gospels wept for Him. The first, however, simply entitled "Pilate", is the more intriguing of the two cut scenes, as it features Pontius Pilate declaring to the crowd that Jesus' blood would be on his hands. Upon viewing this scene, it becomes clear that Gibson made the wise artistic decision to remove this scene from the film and move Pilate's line to the crowd, thereby sticking to the account recorded in the Book of Matthew.
The next section on the DVD, The Legacy, is a collection of five featurettes running over an hour in length that look at the different inspirations for Gibson and company to make the film. The first featurette, "Through the Ages" (12:00), features interviews with scholars and art critics on the historical artistic portrayal of Jesus and the crucifixion over the centures. The second featurette, "Paths of a Journey" (9:30), narrated by Salome Jens, takes a look at the actual Via Dolorosa and the 13 Stations of the Cross as held by Catholic and Episcopalian beliefs. The third featurette, "On Language" (13:00), analyses the usage of the Latin, Hebrew, and Aramaic languages and their place in history and the film's development. Next is "Crucifixion: Punishment in the Ancient World" (17:00), the longest of the featurettes, which eximes the brutality of crucifixion over the centuries, how many like Jesus had been crucified for any crime in particular, and how Simon Peter had asked to be crucified upside down. Finally there is "Anno Domini" (10:00), also narrated by Jens, which is a look at what happened to those closest to Jesus in the years following His death, burial, and resurrection.
From there we move to the final section, Galleries, which is mainly a collection of different still galleries pertaining to production artwork and paintings, Biblical references, descriptions of the different actors and their characters, and on-set photographs shot during production. Another gallery is comprised of two theatrical trailers and two TV spots for the film, while the final gallery is a detailed listing of DVD production credits.
I really cannot think of anything else that could be included in this DVD set. Other DVD releases have focused on Diane Sawyer's 60-minute interview with Gibson for ABC News, as well as a look at the impact of the film on viewer's lives. Probably the only thing that is left is the 60-minute documentary that aired on the PAX Network at the time of the film's release, but once you've seen "By His Wounds" on this DVD, you've really got all the meat there is. I also remember seeing a number of locally produced TV spots incorporating footage from the film into various churches' promotions for the film and attendance at services, which would have made for a nice montage of how different churches got into the act of promoting the film - the local church I attended at the time of the film's release had at least three such spots. Finally, there is a trailer for this DVD, which was not included on this release but oddly was included on the Fox Faith DVD release of "One Night With the King" in cross-promoting the film and touted as part of a trailer gallery, but that's another argument for another time.
Bottom line, the Definitive Edition of "The Passion of the Christ" is just that - definitive. Simply put, you can't get much more thorough than this content-wise, and it doesn't get any better than this film-wise. I for one am glad that I held out for this release that's packed to the brim. And this is one experience that definitely deserves repeated viewing and sharing with those around you. Kudos to Fox Home Video and Fox Faith for a DVD release that is a must-add to any serious DVD collection!
See you next time!
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