Superman 2 - The Richard Donner Cut

[image45]

In the middle of June this year christoph404 started a thread about Directors who have been fired and so consequently receive no credit even though some of their work remains. With this in mind I thought I would ask if anyone has seen the new DVD release of Superman 2 that features the Original 1980 Theatrical Version of the film that Richard Lester is credited as directing as well as a version using material originally shot by Richard Donner while making Superman the movie.

Does anyone have an views here at all?

[ChristineCB]

I have forgotten about this! I'll snag it next time around and watch it. I'm pretty familiar with S-2 and I should be able to pick up the differences. After enjoying the "original" PAYBACK Mel Gibson film, recently released on DVD, I remember thinking I wanted to see S-2 to see how different it was. PAYBACK's differences didn't subtract (or add) to the quality of the film - but it made it fairly distinct.

[Aaryk Noctivagus]

I've seen the Richard Donner 'Superman II'... and I weep for the movie that might have been. (My tears tempered somewhat by the fact I don't like 'Superman' as a character all that much).

[image45]

Originally Posted by Aaryk Noctivagus I've seen the Richard Donner 'Superman II'... and I weep for the movie that might have been. (My tears tempered somewhat by the fact I don't like 'Superman' as a character all that much).

Well yes you could also say what the movie might have been like if he had been able to do Superman III like he believed he would have done once he had completed the second film.

[rskershaw]

The baddies are REALLY evil in the Donner cut!

[image45]

Originally Posted by rskershaw The baddies are REALLY evil in the Donner cut!

Yes they did seem to have that extra meanus to them

I often feel like editing the bits from the Lester film I like with the bits from the Donner cut mixed with the deleted scenes to have the

IMAGE45 Ultimate cut, with possible Blue Ray release

[kelp]

Come back "Kirk Alyn" and "George Reeves" all is forgiven. Beautiful B/W (or grey and grey) originals. Mmmmmmm, don't you just love em. Maybe it's my age?

[image45]

Originally Posted by kelp Come back "Kirk Alyn" and "George Reeves" all is forgiven. Beautiful B/W (or grey and grey) originals. Mmmmmmm, don't you just love em. Maybe it's my age?

No its like 'Sherlock Holmes' certain eras capture different peoples hearts better

[Aaryk Noctivagus]

Originally Posted by image45 Well yes you could also say what the movie might have been like if he had been able to do Superman III like he believed he would have done once he had completed the second film.

Since we don't have a Richard Donner cut of 'Superman III' to give a hint as to what might have been, I really do not see how I could have any thoughts as to what that movie might have been since I have no hint as to Donner's direction or vision for that movie. The Richard Donner cut of 'Superman II' gives us more than a hint as to what was intended.

[D Cairns]

Lester was quite frank that he wasn't particularly a comic book fan or fantasy film enthusiast, and I think it shows particularly in scenes where his SUPERMEN abandon logic, invent new powers for no reason, etc. I do like the brand of humour he brought to the series: the titles of SUPERMAN III are my favourite part of any Supes film, though it's a pretty shonky movie otherwise.
I don't like many of Donner's films -- though his Twilight Zone episode with Shatner is fine (he was fired from that too). Seeing new clips from his cut of II was nice though, because they were shot by Unsworth and have a really nice feel, and it was good to see young Reeves again.
Ironically, Donner is now known as a very fast director, whereas he was fired for taking too long (with the result that SUPERMAN overran it's budget by three times the original amoung planned).

[ChristineCB]

I like this Donner cut of SUPERMAN 2, but more than the original? No, probably not. Neither are great films, but they're fine for 'what they are'. Sort of like the recent Dir-Cut of PAYBACK, each offers enough differences to be useful to a fan or collector. Now... which one will TV show next time?

[Aaryk Noctivagus]

Originally Posted by D Cairns I don't like many of Donner's films...

How about 'The Omen'?

[D Cairns]

THE OMEN is OK apart from the romantic stills montage, a directorial "flourish" that's really rather naff. And really it's hammy nonsense, but nothing wrong with that -- we cheer when the devil kills people in spectacular ways...
The children's party where the nanny kills herself is very good, and then I realised the sound design was making me think of another film: it's the scene in JAWS where Scheider's nervously sitting on the beach, and sudden loud children's laughs break through: it felt almost identical. Very good work.

[christoph404]

Originally Posted by D Cairns THE OMEN is OK apart from the romantic stills montage, a directorial "flourish" that's really rather naff. And really it's hammy nonsense, but nothing wrong with that -- we cheer when the devil kills people in spectacular ways... The children's party where the nanny kills herself is very good, and then I realised the sound design was making me think of another film: it's the scene in JAWS where Scheider's nervously sitting on the beach, and sudden loud children's laughs break through: it felt almost identical. Very good work.

I think that foreboding tension punctuated by children laughing has been nicked from a Hitchcock film but I can't think which one, either "The Birds" or "Strangers on a Train" ? could be totally off the mark on that but when I heard it on Jaws I immediatly thought that.

[image45]

Originally Posted by Aaryk Noctivagus Since we don't have a Richard Donner cut of 'Superman III' to give a hint as to what might have been, I really do not see how I could have any thoughts as to what that movie might have been since I have no hint as to Donner's direction or vision for that movie. The Richard Donner cut of 'Superman II' gives us more than a hint as to what was intended.

The best you can have to Richard Donners thoughts on what would have been his Superman III is from listening to his Commentary on the 'Superman 2 - Donner Cut DVD. He talks so quickly about were things were meant to go, were they would have gone you have a job to keep up sometimes. You can see he had a deep love for the first film he made and today is still pained with not been able to finish the second film in the way he planned too!