SUPERMAN (1978) Reaction | First Time Watching
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- čas přidán 29. 06. 2024
- My first time watching SUPERMAN (1978)! What an amazing cast.
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UNEDITED Watchalong: / superman-1978-82165679
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0:00 Reaction
35:35 Discussion
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I'm a die-hard Marvel fan, but I grew up with Christopher Reeves showing me what it takes to be a hero. This movie will forever be legend.
Superman is the DC superhero 🦸🏻♂️
Over forty years later, this is still the template that every Superman has to stack up against. Christopher Reeve defined both Clark and Supes in a way that every version, be it the movies, video games, animated show and even the comics take such inspiration from his version of The Man of Steel.
smallville had a better clark kent honestly. and there is an argument that cavill's superman compares favorably. nobody besides reeves has ever made me believe that the people in his life wouldn't recognize they are the same person though.
@@Xehanort10 Zack Snyder masturbates to thoughts of Frank Miller.
No, Clark in the comics was not a bumbling fool & Superman wasn't smiling all over the place either. You "Reeve only" fans are weird asf, there are many versions of the character & not one is definitive
@@Xehanort10 Do you hate Kingdom Come Superman as well? lmao I've seen all the Superman movies watched the TV shows & read the comics the only thing I am is a Superman fan, I'm not a Chris Reeve meat rider like you & others who constantly bash other versions of the character
@@yowasup1001 I like and respect all the Supermen we've had, whether it's Christopher Reeve, Tom Welling, Dean Cain, Henry Cavill, or Tyler Hoechlin
The scene where he finds Lois dead and explodes in grief and rage was so well done by Reeve it still gives me chills when I see it. Brilliant acting
Same. That scream gets me in the chest every time.
Absolutely the same
As a kid I had to close my eyes during that scene because it’s so damn shocking. But of course that’s the idea of the scene.
@@josealmeida2842 My son was the same when i showed him. I think he was about 8yrs old.
I still think they should use that moment as some sort of starting point for a multiverse in the entire DC, the anger and rage caused by this orginal and best superman causes everything
Christopher Reeve, I have been in a wheelchair, all my life, you made believe a man can fly and even do more when he cannot walk. Thank you. 💙👊🙏
Christopher Reeve was Superman, not just in a fictional sense. People often think having powers make the hero. Superman is more than that. He's meant to inspire humanity to be better than what they are.
I was 16 when this film was released in 1978. I was in the opening night audience. It was indescribably magical!!! 👏👏👏
Thats fantastic.
I heard people were clapping and cheering at the scene in the fortress of solitude when they first reveal him in the suit and the music swells, and he flies by the camera. It must have been pure movie magic
@@CodyTalton It absolutely was magic!! 👏👏👏👏
@@tomstanziola1982 i have no doubt!! I wish I could have been there. The amazing thing about it is, the magic still holds strong, all these years later. No matter how many times I watch it, I always want to cheer when the iconic moments happen!
@@CodyTalton The audience went CRAZY, especially when he caught the helicopter!! I don't think there was anyone sitting in their seat at that moment!! 👏👏👏👏
Johnathan's fate is so important to set the tone of even though he is super, he is still just a man. It sets up the fact that he wants to save everyone, and even someone so powerful can't.
That's why the tornado scene in Man of steel was the worst idea ever put in a superhero movie
@@hagnerplaylistswill never understand what they were cooking😭
@@hagnerplaylists Yes, the difference between the impact of a meaningful death versus a meaningless one, like in Man of Steel.
I am so glad you finally saw this movie. It’s not just one of the greatest comic book movies ever made. It’s one of the greatest movies ever made. You can see where the DCEU went wrong with Superman just by watching this movie. Christopher Reeve truly embodied the character better than any actor. Just listen to how he speaks in an earnest and non-pretentious way, especially the line where he says he’s “a friend”, which kills me every single time. And to this day, there has been no superhero movie with a music score as epic as this film. John Williams is simply the best, and so is this movie 😊
It’s definitely a super silver-age, super cartoony take on Superman, but honestly they play it so earnestly and with so much heart that it’s still so *objectively* the best.
It works because the villain is "really dangerous" (more so than a group of people robbing a bank) while not being completely over the top "nothing can ever be more scary" THANOS is for the MCU.
Some said that the Silver Age Superman was the most powerful of all the Supermen. Any truth to this?
It works on a similar level to the Adam West Batman. Yeah, the material is often campy, exaggerated and a bit silly, but as long as the characters, and especially the hero, play it completely straight and in earnest, it just *works* and maintains that charm.
@axel4196 No,objectively the modern superman has been more powerful for a while now,and he's a composite version of himself now,so he's all of the main versions of the character in one.
He's called rebirth superman.
@@thelonesurvivor3955 Interesting... Thanks for clearing that up. There's been so many incarnations of Superman over the years that it's hard to keep track of them.
Doesn't get much better than John Williams writing the music score. Don't worry about crying. It shows you have a good heart and that's a beautiful thing.
Its an absolute classic. Gene Hackman & Ned Betty are an underrated 'comedy duo'. Their scenes with Valerie Perrine are so good.
Their villain level is perfect writing too, because it is "really threatening" while not being "ultimate level threat" (Thanos for example leaves no room for sequels to be more threatening, because there are numbers which ultimately dont matter anymore "two universes being destroyed" is as threatening as "one universe being in danger" ... which is a major reason why the MCU is failing now) and thus there is room for sequels to become more threatening.
Yea valerie is now sick with parkinsons
Mmmmm Valerie Perrine
I always loved how lex's plan in this one is "I am going to buy and own the entire state of California." A simpler time of movie villain schemes
"Science used to move in broad strokes. But nowadays, it's just 'molecule, molecule molecule'!" -- The Tick vs The Decency Squad
John Williams music will always bring a smile and tear to my eyes from Superman, Star Wars, Jaws, E.T., Jurassic Park and Indiana Jones to name a few. I'd say Star Wars is his best work with the Original Trilogy to the Prequals and the Sequels they all have their own sound and identity but it's still John Williams. For Batman I'd say Danny Elfman's music for Batman 89 and Returns is as iconic as John Williams Superman music along with Danny Elman's Spider-Man soundtrack. Batman Animated Series intro music is the Batman 89 theme so you already know how amazing that sounds. And this not forget Shirley Walker who does the music for both Batman Animated Series and Superman Animated Series which is amazing.
I do recommend the Superman 78 comics they follow off from Superman 2 but skip over the others just pretending they never happened. Then you have Superman Returns which is a canonical sequel to these films just with a different cast. And finally Man of Steel which is the start of the DCEU a shared universe like the MCU. I personally don't really mind Superman 3 but I've never seen the other sequals besides Superman Returns.
two of the greatest movie composers of all time. add menken for the entire Holy Trinity
John Williams also did the music score for Home Alone 1 & 2.
No offense to Hans Zimmer but John Williams Score is THE DEFINITIVE SCORE.
elfman also did the intro for the 1990 flash tv series and was bad a**
btw, john williams did the NBC nightly news theme and the olympic theme as well on top of all those movies.
he did midway, Harry Potter, as well
I am one of the lucky many who saw Superman when it originally came out in the movie theaters in 1978. I was 9 years old. I was the right age at the right time to see this movie. It was indeed magical.
Saw it with my then best friend (same age as me). The one thing we shared was our love for the movies. We were both fanatics about the movies. We talked, read, ate, drank, and slept the movies. And we went to the movies together once a week, every week for a lot of years from the 1970s-1980s. When we weren't going to the movies, we were watching more movies on his tv at his apartment.
My friend always chose the movie we would go see. I didn't mind. I loved the movie theater going experience in itself.
There was no particular reason my friend chose Superman to see that week. We tried to see every brand new movie that came out as best we could regardless of the genre (my friend loved horror, I preferred comedy) the plot and storyline, who starred in it, or critics reviews. And Superman just happened to be one of the new movies that just came out.
We liked Superman so much, after seeing it for the first time, we stayed in the theater to see it again.
Going to the movies every week with my best friend in the 1970s-1980s is among my most fondest, happiest memories of not only my childhood, but also of my entire life.
It’s sounds like you and your best friend had some SUPER experiences together! Thank you for sharing 😊
Superman in 1978 in the theater as a 9 year old was beyond amazing.
This film essentially created the genre of what we now call "the superhero film." It's also probably why so many films begin with the origin of the character. The 1989 Batman film was clearly responding to this film--embracing some aspects of it even while it rejected others.
Different heroes, different origin stories. I loved both the 1989 Batman and also the Dark Knight takes on Batman's origins. They do things differently due to being products of different eras, but both Michael Keaton and Christopher Nolan nailed their portrayals of Batman. Adam West holds a spot in my heart as well, as Adam West's take was a love letter to the Silver Age portrayals of Batman.
The scene where he is overwhelmed with grief and rage…it’s perfect. The raw emotion hits you right in the heart and if you’ve ever experienced loss, it feels so unifying relatable. Comic movies done well teach us how to be better and I’m here for all of it.
"Who - are you?"
"A friend."
That's it: that's Superman and this is my favorite version
Also, Superman III and IV are not very good, and I think the definitive version of II is generally considered to be the Richard Donner Cut
I’ve talked to death in your comments about how much Superman means to me, and this movie is still the definitive Cinematic Version of the character. Scenes make me tear up just because it’s simply Superman stripped from the Comic Book page and put on film, The cast make this movie so great and Christopher Reeve just IS Superman. Also Margot Kidder is incredible
Hello Meg. This is my first time commenting on your channel ☺️ I just wanted to say I’m very happy that you enjoyed this film since it was a childhood favourite of mine. I get so excited when I see people react to Superman content because not many people do so. So far you’re the only one who watches the animated series. I’m happy Superman is getting some love in the world :) Fun Fact: The scene where you see teenage Clark running faster than a train and see a girl look through the window with her binoculars, sitting next to her are her parents and the actor who plays her father is Kirk Alan who played Clark/Superman in the 40s. 😁 My apologies for the long comment I got so excited to see you watch more Superman content. 😊
And the mother played Lois Lane in the TV show with George Reeve
@@salsanchez4177 I actually did not know that and now that I do that scene is so much better thx for that knowledge
20:34 The movie's tagline was "You will believe a man can fly." We did.
This superman theme by John Williams will forever be burned into my mind. At my local Six Flags, Great America, they have a Superman ride and this song plays on repeat while standing in line
In this universe there's actually 6 films!
Superman: The Movie
Superman II
Superman III
Supergirl(Spin-off film)
Superman IV: The Quest for Peace
Superman Returns
There's two versions of Superman II, the theatrical release and The Richard Donnar Cut. I'd highly recommend watching the Donner Cut over the theatrical release, it's got different scenes and a completely different ending. It's an all-around better film.
Superman Returns came out in 2006. While it is a continuation of the Reeve Superman, it ignores Part 3 and 4. It's basically an alternate timeline, but still worth watching. Brandon Routh does a great job at filling Christopher Reeve's boots as Superman
The comic Superman 78 as well which follows off from Superman 2 and from my time reading seems to just skip over Superman 3 and Superman IV pretending they never happened. Set before Superman Returns so that's no doubt still canon. Same case with the Batman 89 comics they follow off from Batman Returns with the cast and depiction of Gotham from those films instead of the Joel Schumacher movies.
Absolutely unparalleled classic.
Loved your reactions to this superb movie, Meg.
There are actually two versions of Superman 2.
A theatrical release Superman 2 and a Richard Donner Director's Cut of Superman 2.
Director Richard Donner was actually making Superman and Superman 2 at the same time, but the money men in the background got nervous and forced Donner to complete Superman The Movie first.
Then they fired Donner and brought in a new director to finish Superman 2.
A few years ago, Donner was able to assemble the surviving footage he filmed for Superman 2 and release his version of Superman 2.
Both versions of Superman 2 are great, but the Donner Cut is, in my opinion, the best.
Superman 3 is the equivalent to a celebrity special, as it features comedian Richard Pryor teaming up with Superman to defeat a new set of villains.
donner cut also makes superman returns make a lot more sense as it was written as a direct sequel to donner's ii
The Donner cut is jarring if you don't know the story behind it. Definitely worth a watch but I'd say watch both.
One thing I'd like to point out is that this movie was the final film to be photographed by Sir Geoffrey Unsworth, B. S. C., who also shot 2001: a Space Odyssey (1968) for Stanley Kubrick. The technical details on the shooting of this movie would fill a book. But my favorite story about the making of Superman was around the fact that Margot Kidder was very self conscious about her age and looks, so Unsworth responded by demanding complete silence on set while he was adjusting her lighting, the normally quiet Sir Geoffrey commanding "QUIET! I'm lighting the LADY!" Kidder later said she'd never felt as beautiful in her entire life than when she was working with Unsworth.
The best superhero/TV theme ever! Set the standard for superhero movies for years to come. Christopher Nolan & Kevin Feige have even said that this movie inspired them in regards to their comic book movies.
Something that's not brought up a lot, this is a tough song for an orchestra to nail, lots of details in the theme.
Too close to Star Wars IMO ... and "not flexible enough". The music itself is good, but it is "a fanfare".
You have no idea how exciting that scene was where Superman saves Lois from the helicopter crash back in 1979. We Superman fans have been waiting for decades for a Superman movie and then when it comes it takes half the movie for Superman to make his debut. So when he tears open the front of his shirt revealing the Superman crest the movie audience was chomping at the bit by now. Highly satisfying.
Superman Returns is meant to be a sequel to the first two Christopher reeve movies, it just ignores the events of superman 3 and 4. Unfortunately, none of the original cast were able to reprise their roles because it was made in 2006, but Brandon routh does a pretty good job as a modern interpretation of reeve's superman. Kevin spacey also plays lex luthor in it and he is like the gene hackman lex but darker. Luthor in that movie still makes jokes and is a narcissist, but is way more consumed with killing superman and getting revenge for being sent to prison at the end of this movie
Kevin Spacey really is the perfect Luthor for that time.
Too bad about the pedophile stuff.
it wasnt made in 2006
@@flexydex8754 oh yeah, like 2004 to 2005 but it came out in '06
Unfortunately Routh put no stats in charisma. Reeve charisma is maxed out
If you do plan to watch the sequel. You should preferably watch the Richard Donner cut of Superman 2 (original director of 1 but was let go more than half way thru 2’s production). The other films are not as good. Superman Returns (2006) is a direct legacy sequel to 1 & 2.
I used to feel that way, but the Donner Cut just feels too incomplete and unpolished...like watching a string of deleted scenes cut together.
It didn't help when Donner stepped in at the end of the editing process (after saying he did not want to be involved) and had Michael Thau remove more of the Richard Lester scenes that preserved continuity. "Superman II" needs a recut with an ego-free approach.
@@KittyBoom360 , both the opening and the ending alone disagree with you. They were intended to be rewritten after the ending of "II" was retooled into the ending of the first movie. But the Donner Cut follows a shooting script that was never updated. With a bit more budget and more creativity in its editing (i.e. the Selutron proposal to WB) it could have been a polished sequel. As it is, the Donner Cut is an incomplete follow-up to a version of "Superman" that doesn't exist.
The Big Blue Boy Scout played by Christopher Reeve will always be the defacto Superman. He encompasses everything that Superman is meant to be, strong, gentle, intelligent, honest, kind and wholly incorruptible. He brings hope where there is none.
Everything he does is measured and thoughtful, even down to his taking off and landing, while the likes of Cavil and so on cause craters on landing and sonic booms on take off, Reeve's Superman didn't need to do that, he moves gently, carefully and with grace.
That is what I think makes Reeve's Superman so good, every detail was thought about, every action, movement, word and smile was meant to portray that character in a particular light, then there's the difference between Clark and Superman, it's enormous, from voice to posture, and he did it all so well.
I was 8 going on 9 in 1978, when I saw Superman: The Movie in the theatre for the first time. It's an experience I'll never forget. During the opening credits, we cheered at every name. During the closing credits, most of us stayed in our seats. This was decades before post-credits scenes. We just didn't want the experience to end. So we were there when towards the end we saw "Coming Next Summer: Superman II" and we cheered again.
I love that whenever he flies away from someone he always says bye or goodnight, such a polite boy
"This had to be so exciting to watch at the time."
As a 7 or 8 year-old, yes, it blew my mind. The school took us to watching, don't recall why, but they took us and I was amazed. Before this Superman movie there was the Superfriends Saturday Morning cartoon that was on the air and there was the '50s Superman TV series that we also watched, but seeing Superman live and in color and with great effects for the time, it was a blast. Movies like this were made for me, I was the right age to appreciate it.
OMG !!! I forgot about Super-Friends. Those were the days... I loved it all. Filmation's Batman cartoon with Adam West !!! That was also so good.
I was 5 years old but I remember. I love cinema because of this film
I absolutely remember seeing this in the theater. The crowd cheered when he opened his shirt to show the iconic S. People cried when Superman screamed over Lois’ body. It was a profound experience.
You HAVE to watch the Superman and Lois series running currently. There's multiple seasons, and it's all about Clark and Lois being parents. One of the best Superman and Clark portrayals ever.
As a child, this movie was mind bending. When the big S whooshes on screen at the opening credits... oh man. When he first flies and when he catches the bullet and when he drills through the street.
Years later i see almost a different movie. It's about an immigrant showing gratitude to his new home (much like the comic creators Seigel and Shuster) and about how it is possible to be a good guy in the modern world. Filmed a lot here in the UK, so loads of English actors to be seen but writer Tom Mankiewicz wanted to show some good old fashioned mid-western values. And like Rocky, it's a love story.
The writer said if the love story works everything else will work. The director wanted to make the flying look as real as it could be.. there was no CGI in those days of course. Every trick in the book was used blue screen, back projection, people on wires, dolls on wires, false perspectives.
There were HUGE disruptions in the making (or rather completion) of Superman II and as a result it wasn't as good. It's still fun and worth a watch but not as good as this one.
Great reaction as always. That 70’s goofy charm is either poison or perfection for viewers; glad you liked it. :)
Great reaction, Meg. You were right on to everything that made this movie so special. RIP Christopher. His fate was so sad, but his Clark/Supe double act has never been matched. John Williams's timeless score, Margot Kidder, Marlon Brando, Gene Hackman, Jackie Cooper, Glenn Ford - what a cast! They all played their part in making this an absolute classic.
i've seen arguments for some actors doing a better superman, i personally think welling had a better kent due to his having more time to make the role his own. but noone besides reeves has ever come close to making me believe the people in his life wouldn't realize his identity. it was an acting miracle what reeves pulled off.
@@johnpaullogan1365 As a child I would hear my older brother say to me 'why doesn't she know it's him?' I would always say that he doesn't even sound the same it's a brilliant disguise. I think that's why they showed us the difference in Lois' apartment. When he's Clark he's hunched so he looks shorter and he's clumsy and doesn't understand violence. My Brother would shut up. It's a kids (any age) movie it worked on me back then... and now.
Curious fact, in the episode of Superman The Animated Series when the kents find the baby kal-el martha wanted to call him christopher in reference to christopher reeve the protagonist of superman the movie
I saw it in theaters. It's the first time i heard an audience clap and cheer at a movie.
There are 2 versions of Superman 2. Director Richard Donner fought with the producers on the tone of the movies... he wanted to honor the character, take it more seriously, the producers, the Salkinds, wanted more "Batman TV series" humor. They shot 1 and 2 back to back but fired Donner halfway through 2 and replaced him with another director that added more jokes. So theres the Theatrical cut... and the "Donner Cut" (which is kind of a combination of the theatrical with some deleted scenes from Donner's version). Part 3 is ..weird.. basically a Richars Pryor movie with Superman shoehorned in. Not great. Part 4 was done by Cheapie movie outfit Canon films... and Reeve only did it to get funding for a passion project he wanted to direct called Street Smart. It's pretty bad, but fun to watch ironically.
I have a soft spot for Superman 3, I really enjoyed it tbh. The only reason to watch 4 is to make fun of it
I like the theatrical version of the film much better than I do the donner cut, I think it is the best to see for a 1st time watch also since the donner cut is unfinished and can be confusing and choppy.
Cannon films took 17 million dollars from Superman 4's budget to make Masters of The Universe.
Richard Pryor and Margot Kidder were dating at the time.
I Prefer the Donner cut
What a GREAT reaction! I have seen many, and yours may be the very best. This movie really resonated with you, and it showed throughout. It is one of my favorite movies, and Superman was my favorite superhero since I was a kid. Had the comics, the toys, watched the reruns of the 1950s TV show, etc. When this film came out, it elevated film making in its own way and struck me very deeply.
The best word for this is "wholesome". Both for Superman and Clark as people, and also for this story. Just watching this I got to cry even before the Cheerios. Christopher Reeve is in my opinion THE definitive portrayer of both Superman and Clark, and he really showed us how to make them different people. It was so much more than just the glasses. Plus the writing and cinematography were outstanding. Every actor was perfect. What more could you ask for in entertainment?
I assure you that you will love the next film - I think it is even better. Thanks for including so many important scenes and bits of dialogue.
Really enjoyed your reaction as well as your enthusiasm for this great film. I saw this in 1978 when I was 18 (yeah I'm old) and it blew us away. I remember thinking oh I hope this is good because it could have so easily been silly, but it was great.
Yeah, Superman is my favorite superhero! And I'm not afraid to admit it! Anyone who says Superman is "lame", or "boring", or too much of a "boy scout", doesn't get Superman, and what makes him great. And this movie will always be the gold standard of Superman portrayals. Christopher Reeve was a freaking revelation in this part, and every subsequent Superman after this will always be compared to him.
Clark Kent is a character that everyone should look up to. He's not even real, but if we could all live up to even a fraction of his empathy and strength, our world would be a much better place!
I was 10 years old when this was released in theaters. It was mind blowing fun!
This was the first superhero movie I saw as a kid. I was eight years old and remember seeing it in the theater, and it was the coolest thing.
16:17 Mark! This is a scene where the "Wonder Woman" movie paid homage to this one when she saved her Steve Trevor! 👏
Christopher Reeve came from an academic environment and did not read comic books growing up. That enabled him to approach the role with an objectivity he might not have had had he been familiar with the character growing up.
He was also Juilliard trained (roomed with Robinson Williams) and had the full range of skills including singing and dancing on top of acting.
"Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster"
Indeed, the ultimate superhero (so to speak) was created by a couple of artist with jewish and immigrant backgrounds, during one of the most difficult times in the history of the Unites States and the world (the Great Depression, it's interesting the film points that fact, while making the events of the film happen in the present tense).
Their story after creating Superman, although, is not that sweet: when they signed the contracts to get Superman mass produced, they didn't read all the small letters and they signed a deal that kicked them out of many royalties associated with the character and, later on, when they tried to regain control over their creation, they were fired by the company (and DC Comics, on top of that, removed their credit from the publication).
When this film was produced, it came to national attention that Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster lived (basically) in poverty and very bad health (Joe Shuster, the artist behind the first designs and panels, was mostly blind, at the time). To prevent problems for the film and the comic sales, DC Comics and the producers struck a new deal with Siegel and Shuster: they would get a lifetime payment, with health benefits, and the return of their "by..." line in the comics... if they legally accepted they would never sue to get back the rights of the characters ever again.
Their case, though, became one of the first that cemented modern rights for creators over their works.
"All the symbolism behind Superman"
This is an interesting topic in itself, that would take ages to fully address. But some interesting elements to keep in mind:
-The original comics were not that heavy on social commentary; the interesting thing is that the story, even in its original form, unwillingly gives elements of deep social commentary: immigration, the meaning of capitalism, the meaning of being a hero/american, the responsability of power, religious themes... the social commentary is there (although it wasn't used or interpreted, back in the day; and it provides some rich narrative elements as narrative evolves years later).
-Most of the current interpretations behind the elements of Superman's background became canon during the 1970's and 1980's, when comics could overcome censorship and tackle more serious themes (because they were seen as "made for kids", and kids shouldn't be bothered with grown up stuff; later reboots add some pretty messed up elements to the kryptonian overall downfall).
-To an extent, Superman also reflects the relationship between the audience and what it means to be "american". The line that Superman fights for "truth, justice and the american way" comes directly from the comics and it's one of Superman's motto's: he fights for the american values, because he believes they are right. But, as decades have passed, and some of the "american goodness" has faded or blurred for different reasons, the character reflects some of those conflicting elements with that relationship (or the opposite way; he became the symbol that it was "good and american" to hate specific targets: Superman was used for some pretty heavy anti-japanese propaganda, back in the day).
-Some of the conflict, for modern audiences, about the character is that he might be "too good" or "too american"´for today's context; although some writers and storylines address this and offer quite good in universe explanations as to why Superman, as an ideal, is still relevant and can still exist in the complicated world we currently live in (although it wouldn't be free of controversy or challenges to overcome): if you ever get to the animated film "Superman vs. The Elite", you will get a taste of that.
And that's it; nice reaction and see you in the next one.
Donner and company didn’t forget that the key word in comic books is comic. Lois’ rooftop interview with Superman is hilarious and they play it light and just right. That is some apartment for a reporter
9:02 Mark! Meg, hi! 🖖 That girl is Lois Lane, so now you see the age difference between her and Clark! Her mother is played by one of the actresses who have previously "Lois Lane"! This movie has cameos by a few actors and actresses from previous movies or television series. 🎉
19:51 I did. In 1978. _Star Wars_ the year before. What a time to be a child.
For the sequels you gotta buckle in cuz this'll get confusing.
There's superman 2, 3 and 4 as you'd expect, (though most folks dont enjoy 3 and 4)
Then there's the donner cut of superman 2 since there behind the scenes issues that caused another director to finish the movie, years later the unused footage that original director made was then repurposed to make a directors cut which most consider to be the better version of superman 2.
Then there's superman returns which has a whole new cast since it was made in 2006 but is still canon to this universe (though they did retcon superman 3 and 4 since again they were bad movies)
one of the greatest one camera shots ever. Superman flies away after the interview and seconds later Clark is knockin on her door then the voice and stance change between Clark and superman.
Gene Hackman shaved his head especially for this scene. That's dedication to your craft.
If you need a definition for "movie magic" that isn't star wars... it's this movie. Just magic, everyone and everything involved.
I don’t think I’ve seen anyone so completely understand the lore and meaning of Superman so quickly. I lost count of how many times I said “yep, you got it” at your observations.
AH that means a lot 😭 thank you.
Now I'm waiting so eagerly to watch "Man of steel" with you
The most insightful reaction yet. I was wowed how you saw the symbolism in the movie to the spiritual, unconditional love & devotion. Good for you!
I saw Superman in theatres in 1978. I reacted and felt the same ways you did! I was blown away and saw it repeatedly in the theatre. I bought the soundtrack and played it on stereo everyday. The soundtracks for both Star Wars and Superman were playing everyday while I did my homework. I was taking piano lessons and I learned to play the soundtracks on the piano, annoying my neighbours.
I did not know Christopher Reeves before the film, but I am a big fan of Glenn Ford and grew up watching him as the hero in many films. I never imagined him appearing in a superhero film. His appearance as Superman’s dad Jonathan Kent was brief, but I loved him on this film. To this day I cry at his funeral scene in this film.
I was 10 years old when my mum took me to watch this in the cinema and to this day, Christopher Reeve's portrayal remains the standard of decency to which I aspire and constantly fall short of. This film is pure magic. Flawed and campy, but full of heart.
I knew you were gonna like this one! Margot Kidder as Lois and Christopher Reeve as Clark are casting that still blow my mind. They are perfect.
This is the first modern superhero movie the one that started it all :) . Superman is my favorite superhero of all time and Christopher Reeve Rip is the gold standard of playing Superman no one else ever come close. You should also see the squeal theatrical version only.
This will always be loved - a film so old now and yet its technical brilliance for its time was a movie and cinematic milestone in the effects industry and even now you can tell the heart that was put into achieving those effects. Combined with acting and score even unmatched by some of todays offerings in this genre, Superman the very first will never age and always be fondly remembered!
Marlon Brando delivered that touching speech to the baby while reading his lines that were taped to the baby's diaper. Even at his laziest, Brando could still do some good acting.
Back when Superman was first shown. Yes Christopher Reeve became the definitive Superman. Margot Kidder also became the one and only Lois Lane. Nobody ever mentions Miss Tesmacher, was the only one who made it possible to those in danger. Even if she wanted her mother saved first. Then she steals a kiss from Superman. Women clapped at that scene. The female audience fell in love Christopher Reeve.
"Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut" is my vote, I mean, if there is a poll. The theatrical release had to have over 50% reshot to get the director's name changed, and so it ended up being a very different movie.
I saw Star Wars in 77 and I believed that Droids, Space Ships and Lightsabers were real. 1 Year later I saw Superman in theaters and I believed a man could fly. Everyday after school while walking home I would look up into the sky imagining myself flying like Superman. As I got older I gravitated to darker, edgier heroes like Batman and Superman became lame. Then the Death of Superman happened in comics and The Animated Series started which reminded me why I loved Superman. To me, The Animated series is a modern updated version of the Reeves Movies.
I liked Henry Cavill, but I thought his Superman was too dark. Clark is Salt of the Earth kind of hero. He is a symbol of our better selves. What we should strive to be. I'm excited for James Gunn's Superman Movie. It sounds like a return to a brighter, more optimistic, idealistic and hopeful Superman.
1:33 the great thing about that score is that, even without words, you can tell the music says "SUPERMAN!"
I was living in London as a 8 year old and we went to the largest theater in London opening weekend to see this movie, this was the first movie I saw that people clapped and cheered through the whole movie and at the end they gave it a standing ovation, to this day this is my favorite movie.
Hi Meg. When you talked about the sense of otherness you feel due to your background and upbringing and how that helps you relate to Superman, it made me think of one of my favorite Superman stories, namely Superman and the Legion of Superheroes.
It’s a great story and one of the main themes of the story is the feeling of otherness that Clark, some of his friends and even the villains feel due to being what they are. I really think you’d dig it.
I was 13 years old when this movie was released. Seeing this in the theater as a kid was epic. This was a time before VHS. The only way to see a movie was in the theater. I had to go over and over again to see it. The same with Star Wars. This was a great era to grow up in.
The character is entirely caprured in a single moment during his date with Lois. He interrupts Lois' light rambling and the delivery is flawless: "Lois. I never lie."
There are few stories where Kal-El's ship landed in different places. My Favourite is Elseworlds Superman: Speeding Bullets' where ship lands in Wayne's Manor and Martha and Thomas Wayne decide that they don't need another kid so they named Kal-El - Bruce and later he becomes Batman and so on... (many Elseworlds stories are interesting).
"All those things I can do... all those powers, and I couldn't even save him!" Clark's first real lesson in humility!! Even I have limits!!!
So glad that you loved this movie. It’s one of my favorite films, period!
Other comments have probably pointed this out, but there are two versions of Superman II. They are the theatrical cut and the Richard Donner Cut. I prefer the former, but the latter is more “directly” tied to this film. Either way, I would recommend both.
I would also highly recommend Batman from 1989. Like this film, it was very much a movie of its time. If that doesn’t bother you, I think you would really enjoy it. Michael Keaton is my favorite live-action Batman.
Still loving your DC journey. Can’t wait for the next installment!
Well, I certainly hope this little incident hasn't put you off of flying, miss. Statistically speaking, of course, it's still the safest way to travel.
This movie is so influential that even the MCU's Captain America/Steve Rogers was heavily inspired by this Superman.
I saw this one in the theater at age 8 and I can't truly describe the energy in that movie theater that day. When they finally reveal Superman in his suit and he flies towards the camera and turns and whizzes by, the crowd was on their feet cheering. When he also first flies and saves Lois and the helicopter, people were freaking out in the theater. To this day, I have never felt electricity like that at the movies... and this was after seeing Star Wars the year before, which blew everyone's mind! People were so unbelievably jazzed! This is sort of the original superhero movie. Yes, there was a Batman 1966 movie with Adam West, but that was just a big TV episode. This movie set the template for what a superhero movie can, and should, be going forward decades now. I still get chills when I watch this movie. My first... and still my favorite superhero movie... and STILL has the best musical score. :-) Superman 1978 has unmatchable charm.
Metropolis is supposed to be New York during the day, while Gotham is supposed to be New York at night.
Great tagline for the movie - "You will believe a man can fly." The dialog in Kill Bill 2, where Bill explains how Superman is unique as a super hero, is thought-provoking. Kal-El is Superman's real self, while the nerdy and clumsy Clark is his "alter ego". It's the reverse of most super heroes. When Supe wakes up in the morning, he's Superman. He puts on his Clark Kent "costume" to live in the world.
I disagree with Bill (and, I suppose, Tarantino). Even though I am a child of the '70s, I have a post-Crisis (after 1985) take on Superman. Farmboy Clark is the real person. He grew up as a human, raised by humans, with human morality and ideals. "Superman" and Reporter Clark are the two sides of Farmboy Clark, the former for public superhero-ing and the latter to pay the bills, have a semblance of a private life, and protect his loved ones from discovery. Pre-Crisis Superman was a Kryptonian who also loved Earth. Post-Crisis Superman saw himself as a Terran who also loved Krypton.
YES!!! You have unlocked my childhood! The best Superman ever, hands down! 🤗🙂😍
This is my favourite movie of all time. It has been ever since I saw it as a child in the late 80s. I've watched quite a few reaction videos on it recently but yours is by far my favorite I've seen so far.
I'm glad I'm not the only person who can't make it through the first 2 acts of the movie without being moved to tears. Its such a perfect telling of the Superman story. Christopher Reeve was the absolute perfect casting for both Clark and Superman. Oh and also I think this is the legendary John Williams' greatest ever score! A total cinematic masterpiece.
Thank you for sharing with us!
The (red and) BLUEPRINT!
And Reeve is still my fave Superman for just the whole iconic package but damn, I love Tyler Hoechlin in Superman & Lois as well (SuperDad is just one of my fave things ever).
(also Tom Welling as Smallville's Clark and Tim Daly/George Newbern as DCAU Supes are on my faves list too). :)
tom welling has the best kent due to the amount of time he had to learn what the role needed. cavill's superman is not bad but is very different and his kent is awful. i really wish routh had gotten a better script than what he got because he had a lot of potential. his performance in cw's crisis on infinite earths is probably the best superman and kent performance i have scene by anyone but christopher
@@johnpaullogan1365 yes I forgot to mention Routh here but I did mention him in another of my comments here when listing all the Superman sequels. :) Crisis Routh is great.
49K Views + Mine! 😎 2.6K Thumbs Up + Mine! 👍 You're welcome, and thanks! 😊
Notes: Hmm. It may now be too late to inform you of this. Ahem. In 1984, actress Helen Slater starred as "Supergirl"! Christopher appears as "Superman" in a poster on Lucy Lane's dormitory wall. That was the only time and way that Kara got to see her famous cousin! That is until last years movie "The Flash" and we finally get to see them together! ❤
I’ve watched this movie off and on my whole life, and I always get chills when Superman speeds upward with Lois and catches the falling helicopter.
According to Kevin Feige, before they start preproduction for any new MCU project, the department heads all screen this movie. They view this film as the template for the superhero genre.
I saw this in theaters the day after Christmas 1978. I was 8 years old, and it is still one of my favorite childhood memories. It 🤯my mind. To this day it is still my all time favorite film of all time.
I thought Clark Kent was played by a different actor. I know I was a kid, but Chris was that good. He had me fooled.
To this day still the best superhero reveal in any comic book movie.
Its like watching it for the first time all over again. Never thought i could experience that magic again. Thank you 🙏
6:17 the funny thing is, Brainiac’s not traditionally part of Supe’s origin. That was a new twist on the story specific to the cartoon.
The story is the showrunners nearly talked themselves out of it because “everyone knows Brainiac’s not part of Superman’s origin” before they then realized “…wait… *nobody* knows that.”
This Superman was supreme when it hit cinemas in 1978. Glad you loved it.❤
Lois being bad at spelling is my favourite running gag across all Superman media.
They really saw autocorrect and said Lois doesn't care - she'll rather spell wrong and have Clark correct her than let a machine crush her spirit of stubbornness
Your insight about Superman representing American immigrants is spot on as his creators Jerry Siegel, Joe Shuster, and even Captain America co-creator Jack Kirby are the sons of Jewish immigrants who wanted to be part of this great country and wished they could be upfront and accepted about their heritage. In fact Jerry’s father was murdered while being robbed closing his store one night. But the family claimed he died of a heart attack as to once again, not draw attention to their Heritage. So in many ways Superman represents Jerry if he had been able to save his father. After the Premiere, Seigel and Shuster presented the director with a life sized bronze statue of Superman and said: This is yours now!
i literally grew up with this movie i have seen it easily 100 times or more and it remains to this day my all time fav movie Superman is the best of all time. and no one will ever capture his persona better then Chris Reeve did
I noticed this video and I found it interesting seeing members of the new generation see this film. When I think about this movie, I think it reflects a work of genius putting in John Williams score and the directing and cast for the film with Christopher Reeve, Gene Hackman, Margot Kidder. There wasn't a lot of superhero movies back in the days so this one came in and managed to capture the awesomeness of everything Superman or a real Superman would be. As a kid I loved all 4 Superman movies and those who attacked Superman 3 and 4 I just thought where haters, but then I grew up given my fanfare with Christopher Reeves I understood what critics where saying although 3 was fair and not that bad as I remember the battle between evil Superman and real Superman, well 4 a Quest for peace made me sad because it ended the franchise for a while.
But overall the overall who point is that some things about the past generations may it be film or games or even music, sometimes happen to be way better then what we have in modern era. Keep in mind this movie came out in 1978 which was 44 years ago. I admit there was some films dating before this film which where the black and white Superman films, which seem dated given limitations of technology but still worthy of honorable mention, but Superman 1978 set the gold standard for greatness. What I really liked about this movie in particular compared to the modern film is that it didn't have the excessive CGI special effects gloss that we see splashed around. Even the colors and suit of Superman have a very original design that reflected what we saw in the comic books. In the same way why I liked Michael Keaton Batman 1989 and Batman Returns, for the sense of realism, epic music and soundtracks, well Batman Forever had mixed reactions from fans, and Batman and Robin was laughable to most fans.
In regards to this movie you will notice how realistic everything seems, like when Lex Luther actually kills a cop on the train station or when Louis dies after the earthquake or his adopted dad dies in the movie when he is a young Superman. This movie had elements of realistic real world relatable human tragedies and emotions, and managed at the same time capture the imagination and creativity which made you believe that a Superman was real and a man could really fly. When I think and see how the older generation talks about their experiences from some things of the past the new generation would be very envious and jealous because some things and events in our lifetimes are experiences and phenomenon. I kind of feel bad for the modern generation and kids today with the modern take of most films. While I give nod to Superman Returns while a good movie, and Man of Steel being very good, the Superman 1 and 2 had a real high bar on awesome super hero quality. Superman 3 and 4 where controversial while 4 may been a sad note which Christopher Reeves didn't deserve as a send off, there is still some things about some past films which are a lot better then some made today. It is not to say there have not been exceptional superhero movies in the last 20 years, as I really liked Wonderwoman, The Hulk, Spiderman 1, 2, 3 and I thought the Dark Knight was very good along with the Black Panther. But overall in terms of originality and design with epic score and music, I think modern directors and fans who see this movie and compare to the films we have today will see things that I hope they do better for future films.
I always found videos of members of the new generation experiencing awesome things from past generations really interesting and seeing old members of the past generation seeing this being shared with the new generation, I just find it interesting after so many years past. It is like growing up in different times when people used to watch movies back in video tapes and VHS machines. Back in the days they didn't have DVD's and Blueray's or digital televisions. There was no such thing as flat TV's as Televisions looked like large boxes and had antennas on them and you had to sometimes move your hands to pick up the signals on television sets. A lot of things have changed from the late 1970's, 1980's to 1990's. I would say movies became more modern in the 2000's with CGI and special effects and that continued with 2010's and 2020's in the last 20 years the tones became more flashy, CGI and more radically different designs in comparison to the comic books as we seen with the Man of Steel and Dark Knight compared to Superman 1978 and Batman 1989. I also highly recommend watching Batman 1989 as another superhero masterpiece and in my opinion the best Batman movie. Michael Keaton was the real Batman and Christopher Reeves the real Superman. The overall important lesson here as a fan is that I hope future film makers and fans appreciate is the high quality of decent story, epic scores, and really intriguing characters that you can get invested in their world.
The first 2 Superman movies, the original Star Wars trilogy and the Indiana Jones trilogy were the foundation of my fascination with movies. Superman is so fun and charming that I can't see how anyone could not be entertained by them.
Fun fact: the Director interrupted John Williams when he first heard the orchestra play the theme. Listen carefully. You can hear the music sing the word Superman, when the title card appears.
Such a Beautiful Reaction 🥰 Having Met Christopher Reeve and Knowing What He Wanted to Express as His Version of Superman, Your Reaction Would Have Made Him Smile as Much as You Made Me Smile 👍🙂🇦🇺 What a Beautiful and Genuine Reaction
"You can't solve society's problems with a gun" XD I love how we vouch for Superman partly because, despite Clark Kent being an act, Clark also still feels like so much of him. It's like we're excited whenever Clark gets his confidence. Even Superman is a softie in this film, and it's ultra-endearing. And in Superman 2 etc.
First time watching your reactions. This literally moved me. Your enthusiasm is infectious and I'm looking forward to perusing the rest of your videos. Keep up the good work.
*When people say they feel different from everyone else, I quote Veronica Sawyer's mom:*
_When [people] complain that they want to be treated like human beings, it's usually because they ARE being treated like human beings._