SUPERMAN THE MOVIE 4K UHD Blu-ray Review (1978)
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- čas přidán 21. 08. 2024
- 4K UHD Blu-ray review of the 1978 Richard Donner classic superhero film 'Superman The Movie' starring Marlon Brando, Gene Hackman, Christopher Reeve, Margot Kidder and an all-star supporting cast. This release has met with some controversy due to the first 35 minutes or so being criticized as a poor video transfer. I look into that and hopefully will explain some of the complaints and possible misconceptions. Picture ratio is 2.40:1 and sound is Dolby Atmos although the default selection is Dolby Digital 5.1 so Atmos has to be selected within the Audio section of the menu. One other point to note is the Richard Donner commentary is on the Blu-ray disc and not the 4K disc which only has a Producer's commentary.
Euphoria Pictures channel mentioned in this video is worth subscribing to so please take a look at Keith's content - he has some amazing collectibles in additon to his unrivalled disc collection: / millerman9991
Cinema Retro magazine costs £19.95 per annum (3 issues per year at 4 month intervals) and is a high quality, glossy production packed with information about historic films, particularly from the 1960s and 1970s. Best of all is that it does not contain advertising apart from a page of notices at the back. There are subscription buttons on the home page: cinemaretro.co...!
I was about 10 years old when Superman the movie, Star Wars, Close Encounters of the third kind and Star Trek the motion picture came out, oh boy what a time!!!!
I've been thinking about that era quite a lot recently RB. The sheer number of great films in such a short space of time might be unsurpassed to this day.
John.
Oh boy, I second that! I was 10/11 and saw all these fantastic movies for the first time. I count myself as very lucky!
So was I. What a great childhood it was.
Great review! I love that you include the particulars and variations of how the movie was presented in theaters during its initial run -- with this entire hobby being about achieving parity with the theatrical experience, it's funny that so few outlets actually focus on that historical aspect. Your approach is unique in that regard. Superman is a special movie for me -- it was one of the first movies I ever saw theatrically (I was 4, so I don't remember TOO much). And I truly think that it still remains the best comic adaptation of all time -- it's sense of purity and reverence to the source are unmatched even if it's technical limits are glaringly apparent now. Christopher Reeve is STILL the definitive Kal-El (and probably always will be). And it's power to enthrall hasn't diminished in the slightest. My boys, 12 and 6, who've devoured everything the MCU has to offer were captivated ("Wow, this is cool Dad!). I'll be sure to take your advice on the picture adjustment the next time I watch.
Thank you Tom. It's pleasing to know that youngsters have been introduced to this iconic comic book adaptation and also love it. Quite a nice surprise given the popularity of quick movement, motion blurring, computer generated images in equivalent attempts at superhero films today.
John.
The 3 hour extended cut is my favorite version of Superman The Movie.
Never seen it mirvmn2. I tend to prefer the original versions of films but I'm sure one day I'll get to see that really long version of Superman.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 I can highly recommend the long version. I agree that very often the original versions are much better and superior. There is, however, a few cases where I prefer the extended cut and think it adds more interesting content.
The extended version is a better film.
One of the best things about having these classic movies in a time of good quality home cinema is I can introduce these films to my children and they can experience these movies in an engaging and memorable way.
That is a good point. Superman doesn't give the best impression during the first couple of reels but thereafter it's typical full frame, anamorphic 35mm of the period and better to look at than most movies shot on video today. John.
Found your channel recently. Really enjoy your content not just the usual standard review. Many thanks and look forward to your next upload
Thank you for taking the time to tell me Lee. Glad to have you with me.
John.
I concur.
Me three. Your delivery is not just very professional but also quite soothing! You've got incredible collection and an impressive depth of knowledge!
Hi could you get overhead speakers so I can have a 7.1.4 sound review many thanks love your channel. Its going to become a go to for move reviews.👍
Wonderful content. Watching this, it occurred to me how fortunate I was as a movie lover to have grown up in Los Angeles and was able to see many of the classics from the late 70s on (was 7-8 when Superman was originally released) in 70mm (when available). Took it for granted really and didn’t realize how special it was.
I too have managed to attend a lot of special screenings that are now largely consigned to the history books. I'm hoping the film industry will give 70mm a push to try to get patrons back to cinemas after this virus is dealt with. But I don't suppose anyone will think of it.
John.
another great video John, as a 6yr old seeing this in the cinema after seeing SW the previous yr this cemented my love of Cinema and 'the pictures' I actually forgot I own the 4k version of this n had to look within my collection as Id bought it a year ago n watched in awe at the PQ. This film is really a true great and Im so thankful its preserved on 4k even tho the new generation has been brought up with the more recent adaptations but for me this is THE SUPERMAN. Regards Carl.
It is the superhero film that started the whole plethora of superhero films that the kiddies enjoy today. The difference is the 1978 film was a work of art and has stood the test of time. Trevor at Double Bill Movies just told quite a few stories about Superman in his latest video so if you've not watched that already: czcams.com/video/IsgbVeg8okI/video.html
John.
Great review John. Long live Christopher Reeve! The best Superman ever! Unfortunately he departed this Earth way too early, his loving wife tragically following him shortly and his good friend Robin Williams is now also with them. So sad 😢
Heartbreaking. Christopher Reeve was made for the role of Superman.
John.
Another great one, thank you John. I’m very happy I recently discovered your channel! I love that you make these mini documentary’s out of you reviews 👌
And I'm glad you found me Den. It's nice to get such positive comments and you've made a lot of 'em already!!!
@@moviecollector5920 don't bother lol. Shocking gen Hackman singd up do it. Pay check gess
@@matthewdorrington4348 Yep - got to have been.
Concerning the opening Krypton sequences, the glowing costumes were made from front-projection material which, when lit, directs virtually all light back to its original source, i.e. it does not scatter, and hence the glow. The cameras had light-boxes attached to them to make the effect. The set was also smoked up quite a bit, which scatters light and softens the contrast. The result was a very bright foreground that saturated the negative. The rest of Superman (at Donner's direction) was shot without smoke with more straightforward lighting akin to the comic book origins of the character. All else being equal the Krypton parts of the negative would reveal the effects of fading sooner.
That makes a lot of sense Mike. I did scrutinize the first two reels on the disc and the faded nature did make it back to the first scenes on Earth so it does appear those first two reels had gone a little more than the rest of it. But I could be completely wrong about all of it of course. A great film whatever the truth and who really cares about any of it when it looks and sounds this good? John.
Another excellent review! I just showed Superman to my kids for the first time and although it didn't have the WOW factor it did for me back on the big screen in 78, they both really enjoyed it. I had that Williams score BLASTING.
I think you had to be there back in 1978 to appreciate how and why all these lesser superhero films are being made today. Perhaps your children will grow to appreciate Superman The Movie as the years go on and their knowledge of film increases helped by a film enthusiast father. Well done for showing them Bill. Next time turn it up even louder! John.
I appreciate your combining the technical perspective with the aethestic perspective. One release on which I'd be interested in hearing your take is the Lord of the Rings 4K releases. They've been somewhat controversial as some have claimed they went back to the original negatives, but many have said they're upscaled version from the 2K masters. My review of various screenshots make me believe the latter is true.
I'm actually talking to Keith at Euphoria Pictures to do something on the Lord of the Rings as he's a lot more enthusiastic about those films than I. What a collection he has so I'll mention this to him. I've only ever seen the first film but I did collect all the trailers on Super 8 which are rather special.
John.
Superman The Movie is being screened at the Royal Albert Hall on 16 July 2021 with a live orchestra playing the films’ score.
BLOODY HELL! Will you be going?
John.
Hello John yes. I just purchased my ticket last night. The idea of watching this film with a live orchestra playing the score is simply irresistible. Next year they are screening Return of The Jedi. Superman screening has been rescheduled 3 times due to the pandemic. I first got wind of it on the Caped Wonder Podcast in January that is dedicated to the Christopher Reeves films. If the pandemic eases the screening should go ahead. In the past the Royal Albert Hall has screened Jaws & The Godfather with a live orchestra. I do like the magazine you mentioned in this extremely good video. I’m a writer I may offer them some pieces.🎬
Your review covers everything on point and understanding in a way most reviewers don’t .
Thank you Steve. Very nice of you to say. I used to write reviews for Super 8 releases and to do those little gauge film reviews I really had to scrutinize the product so I suppose it's stayed with me into 4K and everything else.
John.
Hey I recently found your channel and I love it! Looking forward to seeing more uploads!
Thank you Caden. Glad to have you with me.
John.
December 28th 1978 at the New Utrecht theater in Brooklyn N.Y. The Opening credits came out of the screen. I felt like I could fly the skies of Brooklyn all the way home. R.I.P. Christopher Reeve & Margot Kidder. 😢
Lovely summing up Mac.
Another great review John. Always educational. I came across a wardrobe department original Superman costume in September 2016 at my local museum. The mannequin it was presented on didn't quite match Christopher Reeves physique, close up it did reveal some of the effort though that had gone into production. It was quite novel to be able to actually feel it's material too.
I think you'd look rather good in a Superman costume Mike. Something for the next TRDC national weekend perhaps?!?
I always thought Superman The Movie a good film but having watched it again via this 4K disc I now realize how exceptional and trend setting it really was. Some of the model shots don't stand up to well but overall the film makers did incredibly well and pushed the boundaries of what was possible.
John.
Thanks so much John for the shout out it really means a lot and another fantastic review. Theres nothing i could have possibly added to it. You said everything that needed to be said. So beautifully presented as usual. Thanks again John for the phone call the other night. It was a pleasure getting to know you. Until the next time we speak. Take it easy. Stay safe
So when is the movie room tour going up then Keith?!?!? And have you started work on a mammoth 'Lord of the Rings' retrospective yet? I think you're sitting on something that could be huge there.
Let's hope I can drive some traffic your way. You deserve it.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 well if things go alright it should b up tomorrow. Lord Of The Rings is definitely on my radar now. Just need to sit down and watch them in 4k. Thanks again John for sending some attention my way. Very kind of u
@@millerman9991 I think you need the most comprehensive home movie history of the Rings trilogy that's available on CZcams Keith. And I just happen to know someone who has the trailers to all three of the films on Super 8 who would be able to do some filming for you.
John.
Thanks for renewing my interest. I used to be a collector up until about 15 years ago, but lost interest. I'm back in the saddle thanks to you. My pocket book is already taking a beating! Keep up the good work.
Sorry Joe. I hope you won't be sending me the bill!
John.
Excellent review, you’ve prompted me to get my 35mm print onto the screen again and see how the colour has held up.
Tell me when Simon and I'm coming over!
John.
@@moviecollector5920 I’ll post some screenshots 🤞👍
@@simonnichollsfilm Excellent!
It's so fitting this wonder-filled film opens with a dedication to the maestro of cinematography, Geoffrey Unsworth which along with Polanski's "Tess" were his last films. It's important to remember his signature look was a slightly "soft lense" look which is why Liza Minelli loved working with him as he made her look so good in "Cabaret". Christopher Reeve will always be THE Superman for me and seeing it for the first time one of those cinematic high points in my life (I still have the ticket stub!). Thank you for this excellent review. Michael - South Africa.
I didn't see that Geoffrey Unsworth had shot Tess as well. I haven't seen that since its cinema outing but I loved it and can especially remember the Stone Henge scene at the end with the mist and the soft lens look, which is so like the opening of Superman The Movie in terms of technique.
It's good to know I'm not the only one that keeps the ticket stubs!
Hope all is still well down there in South Africa.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 Mr Unsworth did not live to finish "Tess" (indeed a beautiful film) but the photography was finished by Ghislain Cloquet (must admit do not know him) and shared the Oscar that year for "Tess".
@@thelookuplookdown I really must re-visit Tess. That young Nastassja Kinski was perfect for the role.
@@moviecollector5920 I dont think Nastassia Kinski ever looked more beautiful on film than in "Tess". The camera, at times, almost lovingly lingers on that extraordinary face. I have the BFI Blu Ray/DVD combo set. It's a 4K restoration and worth getting.
@@thelookuplookdown That's a done deal then. I think I fell in love with that girl up there on the screen when I saw that film.
Thanks John ! Good info as allways for us movie lovers ! Never have had Super 8 movies - but first vhs, then laser discs from USA, dvd, blu-ray and now finally 4 K UHD discs ! Quality has gone up significantly during the years and i hope, that physical media will hold on ( streaming some movies !) and i will keep on supporting some local stores, those very few here in Finland. But thanks a lot and keep up your reviews coming !
The thing is with Super 8 is that people today don't realize how special they were because even if it was just a short reel of a favourite film there was no other way to see it after the cinema screening until it was broadcast on television four or five years later. Super 8 gave some of us the chance to enjoy scenes from our favourite films on big screens in our homes. My brother and I would run our small library of films over and over again. We learned the script to the Alien 400ft reel off by heart and could recite it to each other. What a couple of nutters!
John.
Thanks for your reply! You have truly been obsessed with movies...! And that is great ! And now you have a lot to offer to us - great info & knowledge of various movie formats, filmstocks, aspect ratios, over all facts about various moviemakers, technicues of effects making and lots more ! So please keep the info coming - i like watch your movie reviews with much greater pleasure, than what tv currently offers.....!
All the best to you and your family & friends!
I LOVE the look of Superman in 4K! The HDR presents more detail in the bright highlights, which makes the Zoptic front-projection process flying shots look more real. In the previous 1080p, those shots look fake.
Yep, the 4K is a much better view because of the HDR. Shame they didn't apply HDR to standard Blu-ray really because other than that it's difficult to see a difference on our small home screens. We're gonna' need a bigger boat! Or rather, we need to compare a 4K against a Blu-ray on a big screen. So if we can resurrect the British Film Collectors Convention after this damned virus is consigned to the history books I hope we can do just that on the 24 foot 'Scope screen. Should be worth a look I think.
John.
Thanks John! Yes, due to cinematographer Geoffrey Unsworth's total use of fog filters giving the entire movie a soft, misty fantasy haze, there's very little if any difference in resolution between the 1080p and the 4K.
I recently watched the 3 films again in one night and Superman 1 is a far cut above the others. I used to hold 2 in such high regard, as the pinnacle, top 5 superhero films right up until Iron Man and friends appeared when it all changed. Watching it now its not quite as good as 1, its flaws really stand out. I enjoyed 2 as much as I did Superman 3, which I did enjoy this last watch despite its flaws. They both have flaws.
Superman 1 is the better of the three by far and pure movie magic, a joy to watch from beginning to end.
Very much agree Bon Jovi.
John.
Not uncommon on the Internet for people to complain about image quality of a physical media release; that have no knowledge of the film source nor how the movie was made.
Thank you for your insights.
Well said SAINT 65. I've had a former cinema projectionist tell me in Facebook today (in the British Film Collectors Convention group) that his whole projection team at the time thought the first two reels had printing faults. So it seems the same potential flaws were there right from the outset.
John.
Thanks so much for taking the time to produce your reviews! Such a different approach. And film history even though brief... is a delight to hear and watch. Hello from San Diego, California! Maybe we will see you at Comic-Con someday! Glad to be a new subscriber.
Thank you Trainop. I rather like San Diego. Haven't visited for a few years now but one day I will again.
John.
I have a request that you pick another black and white film, such as Criterion’s Roma for review. I am interested in your thoughts of filming in Alexa 65 digital 6K, and how the transfer to disc looks on a standard blu-ray with no HDR. The interesting thing is Roma was mastered in Technicolor. Can it hold up to HDR? I believe it does! It’s all in the artists final product... Lyle)
Found your channel a few days ago John and really enjoy your videos. Thank you for taking time to do these!
Thank you for taking the time to tell me Darren.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 my pleasure. I look forward to future videos!
Interesting how the UK release has the special edition cut included; the US release only has the theatrical cut. Wish the 4K would have included the original stereo audio like the blu-ray had. Only issue I personally have with this release.
Yes, it is a shame when a completely original version of a film is not included. But there were 70mm prints of this film so six track stereo would have been remarkably similar to what we have today.
John.
It is pretty darn great that it does include the 70mm mix. Which they thought was lost when the Thau cut was prepared and called an extended cut, officially endorsed by Donner.
Yep, pretty darn great says it all.
John.
Glad I found your channel. Been enjoying the reviews and your insight on things!
Thank you Ratchetxrc.
John.
I have a special spot for Superman 1-3 , especialy 1 and 2, One thing i can never forget is that score and the fortress scene when he first takes off in flight. I plan on ordereing the 4k collection on boxing day and can not wait to finally watch them in 4k. Thx John i love your reviews, you bring something much different then many channels, just a well informed heart felt view on my love for movies which for me were and are so important for us to escape . Thx so much for that.
I need to see Superman 3 again soon Mic so I will purchase the 4K disc at some point. I haven't seen it in so long but I very much enjoyed it at the cinema when it was first released. It seems like you and I had a similar excitement as youngsters when a visit to the cinema came along. I loved how the tabs would open and then how thrilling it was if the masking then also moved outwards to tell us we were just about to have our vision filled by a 'Scope film and how disappointing it was if the masking didn't more out (Aliens being probably the biggest disappointment I can remember in that regard). Film has given me so much enjoyment that it's easy to pass on my enthusiasm... not all the time as some films were a disappointment but not very often.
John.
Up on the tube! Is it a unboxing.. Is it a reaction.. It’s Movie Collector!
Jørn, that is your best one yet!
John.
If you select the Atmos track without having an Atmos system it will still give you a superior audio experience that will downscale just fine on a 5.1 setup. The standard 5.1 is much thinner and that's not surprising as it runs at a very shallow bit depth. Listen to your movies with the best option available. Your AV reciever will reward you for it.
I do often run the Atmos tracks through so thanks for that. Quite often I find that when available the original Dolby Stereo is best with Robocop being the best example of that so far. John.
Looks like I missed this video somehow. By far the most comprehensive review of this divisive release so far!
It seems to have been rather well received... so far!!! Its seems the original Superman is a surprisingly popular film which I didn't realize.
i haven’t seen this before tbh but they filmed superman in 2 here in Calgary.
i picked up Man Of Steel 4k and we’re going to watch tomorrow night. i heard it at least looks incredible, so there’s that.
I really didn't like Man of Steel the first time I watched it JB but kept hold of the Blu-ray (thankfully) and gave it a second spin recently in preparation for reviewing Batman v. Superman. I didn't find it half as bad and actually rather enjoyed it. Nothing comes up to the original 1978 though. That one was the blueprint for every comic book film we've seen since, including the 1989 Batman. John.
I just found your You Tube channel a few days ago. I really enjoy your videos, they are filled with great informative content, thanks!
Thank you Landon. Ad Astra in 4K review should be uploaded tomorrow providing all goes according to plan.
John.
Another fine ten minutes John. I expected to hear a lot more about 'grain', so perhaps I'll consider a 4K after all! Keep 'em coming!
We've had a lot of discussion about the opening two reels on here Ged. It seems that the diffusion filter used by Geoffrey Unsworth caused the rather poor look to the Krypton shots but the very first model shot when the camera pans across to the dome could be as grainy as it is because the original negative got lost right and a dupe had to be used for just that shot. Add the 40 years of colour fade to the first two reels and you'll know what to expect. The rest of it is excellent though.
John.
Great review John .I have just brought Superman the movie on 4k . Thanks for the Advice watching the movie . Seeing Superman as a kid was a beautiful experience in a cinema on new years day in 1979 . I watched so many times it's still gives me goosebumps. I agree with you John .it's John Williams one his best scores . I appreciate your videos so much .all the best
Many people think that over-exposed look of the first two reels is a somehow messed up cine to video transfer Jonny but I can't see how it has anything to do with that. It's possible the density grading of the newer 4K disc (I was told it was re-graded for the release of all four Superman films last year) will be slightly more successful but it's not possible to magically change how the film was originally shot. So take a look at it on your system and play about with the settings before you finally watch it all the way through.
John.
Second! Another amazing review, John!
I have never been a fan of Superman, but I remember catching the first two movies on TV and fairly enjoying them. I particularly like the hazy look of Richard Donner's picture.
I enjoyed it back in 1978 but I was a Spider-Man and Batman comics fan rather than Superman so it wasn't right up my alley. Watching it again now I think it's not far short of a masterpiece. Well, it set the tone for everything that's come after it hasn't it?
John.
Hi, great channel and a great review! I am a former theatre owner/operator/projectionist (1985-92) and your reviews bring back a lot of memories.
BTW, what 4K projector are you using?
I bet you have some stories to tell D. The video projector is an Optoma UHD550X. Super 8 in the Superman video is a modified Elmo GS1200 with HID lamp and the 35mm is a Ging Gan Shan Spectra90.
John.
I personally think the Film has never looked better with this 4K Remaster.
I also love the new Dolby Atmos Sound Mix. It was a treat for my ears through my wired Headphones.
I expect the 70mm blow-ups were somewhat better Cooper but we're not likely to ever see one of those again. Probably not done on early low fade stock so all turning a little pink by now. I bet the six track magnetic was better than the digital sound of today too. We've forgotten just how good magnetic sound was but I will never forget the 70mm blow up of Star Trek VI with the Klingon moon explosion at the start. I have never heard it as good as that sounded at The Empire from anything else.
John.
According to Roger Moore's autobiography, he witnessed Christopher Reeve walking through the canteen at Pinewood Studios in full Superman costume during the filming of the 1978 film, oblivious to the swooning female admirers he left in his wake. When he did the same thing dressed as Clark Kent, no one paid any attention.
Casting director Lynn Stalmaster was the first to suggest Reeve for the title role, but director Richard Donner felt he was too young and too skinny. Nevertheless, Reeve did an excellent screen test that blew the director and producers away. Once he had the part, he underwent a strict physical training session for months, going from 170 pounds to 212 in the period from pre-production to filming. To obtain the musculature to convincingly play Superman, Reeve underwent a bodybuilding regime supervised by David Prowse, the man who played Darth Vader in the original "Star Wars" trilogy.
The development of the best method to show Superman flying was a long period of experimentation. The methods attempted included simply catapulting a dummy into the air, a remote control model airplane painted as the character and simply animating the flying sequences. The producers settled for a combination of forward projection and specially designed zoom lenses that could create the illusion of movement by zooming in on Reeve while making the forward projection appear to recede. For scenes where Superman has to interact with other people or objects while in flight, Reeve and fellow actors were put in a variety of rigging equipment with careful lighting and photography to hide the equipment.
When I wear my Superman costume anywhere the same thing happens to me. Must try it in the staff canteen sometime though.
Thank you for all the information on the making of Superman. The first press report I was aware of back in 1978 was the 'Is it a bird, is it a plane? No, it's a Warner Bros. actor on strings!' so the film makers must have gone back and dealt with the visible wires if the press report from that preview was genuine. What they ended up with has proved to be a timeless masterpiece and an example on how to bring a comic book superhero to the big screen. Modern attempts are all going too far and losing the grounding in reality that this film managed to achieve. But it's a different market and today's movies have to appeal to today's children first and foremost.
John.
Christopher Reeve was/is my all-time hero - what an actor (the Lois scream is perfection...). Absolutely stunning - Gone With The Wind of superhero movies. A sweeping, epic masterpiece that puts todays super hero movies to shame.
It is the best Superman and no question about it. Makes you wonder why they bother these days... but I'd better shut up now! John.
Another great review, John. I understand it does take a while in between you posting a new video (understandable with the amount of information to put in) but, it is always worth the wait. I totally agree with you on the Superman picture 4K picture quality, it certainly does improve about 2 reels later. Keep up the great work. 👍
Thank you Gary. It's nice that so many people do seem to be appreciating these little film retrospectives and reviews.
John.
This is my top 5 all time favorite film. I remember watching Superman back in 1978.
It is a great film and I appreciate it more now - a lot more - than I did when it was new. I think it's improving with increasing age... just like me!
John.
I remember too.👍🏽
Memories huh.
@@stevenjohnson7442 👍
Earlier this week I sat down and watched the 4K disc on my LG OLED. Before viewing it as a whole I spent a half hour comparing the two English tracks and the Atmos is most certainly 100% the "new" mix where they through out the original sound effects and remixed completely from scratch, not even bothering to follow the original sound design. For me it is awful on herpes. I would go so far as to call it an abomination. Thank The Maker the default 5.1 track is from the original sound mix and does a wonderful job of bringing the film to life. Watching the entire film uninterrupted is a marvel and I do feel that the dreamlike look of the photography suits the character of Superman. I saw this in 1978 as 6 year old and also had the pleasure of experiencing one of the 35mm restoration prints back around the late 90's or early 2000's (I cannot recall the exact year). Superman is still the greatest comic book film ever made and likely cannot be topped.
I think we're in agreement as usual. But I may decide the Sam Raimi 'Spider-Man' tops it when I watch that again soon. I don't think the Tim Burton 'Batman' is as good but for the first hour I always thought that film was wonderful. Just goes off the boil a bit thereafter... but I may change my mind when I watch that again soon.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 I loved the Tim Burton Batman when it first came out (I believe I was 17), but the more I watched it the more I spotted the flaws. Burton was still learning how to handle a feature at that point and the result is a mixed bag that doesn't hold up decades later. That being said, there are sequences which always stand out as amazing.
SPIDER-MAN is a terrific film. I'd put it at #3 behind The Dark Knight. At this point I think there are far too many comic book movies being made and I growing bored with them. Too much of a good thing grows bland over time.
@@ItsTimePictures I felt Jack Nicholson's Joker got a bit overpowering during the second hour but I may prefer his performance all these years later. I have enjoyed Spider-Man since I was a youngster and with Sam Raimi's films being so like the comics I absolutely loved them. I couldn't believe it when they attempted a remake a few years after Spider-Man 3 and so I didn't see it. I have seen its sequel and its terrible. Not as bad as that 'Hulk' abomination in the 1990s but still awful. So I too had had enough of comic books on the big screen and I've stayed away since Spider-Man 3. But I'm about to dip my toe back in the water. I do have the Spider-Man Homecoming 4K and it's actually quite enjoyable but nothing like Toby Maguire in the titular role and too different from the comic to be a true success.
loving your channel, really informative and your love of film shines through , subscribed!
Thank you Dan. Glad to have you with me.
John.
The quality of your work is outstanding. Thank you for the fantastic CZcams channel.
Thank you Ian. I think the response I have enjoyed over the past few months has made all the time I put into these videos worthwhile. Great to talk to fellow film lovers. John.
I was a wee lad of 3 when Superman was released. What a childhood I had growing up with blockbusters like this.
I hope you managed to sneak into the cinema the following year to see Alien! John.
Recently found your channel. Thurally enjoying it. Keep it up. Cheers mate. Dave from oz
Thank you Dave from Oz.
John.
I heard an interview with Richard Donner where he said that the film was supposed to look different in each of it's sections, with one look for Krypton, another for Smallville and a different look the City.
Krypton was filmed to give it that sort of glow so it would look other worldly. The issue here is that the Krypton section appears to look slightly better on the Blu-ray which was done a number of years before the 4K and suggests the original negative has continued to fade during the intervening years. Many other reviewers thought something was wrong with the cine transfer for the 4K but I hope I've indicated that the transfer was not at fault.
John.
I’m just praying the next 4K release of Superman II is the theatrical cut or the Lester Cut. I don’t have anything against Richard Donner’s cut, but I am really worried with the idea of Donner’s Cut replacing the theatrical cut since Warner Bros. put out a box set of their superhero films including the Christopher Reeve Superman films and Tim Burton’s/Joel Schumacher’s Batman films and instead of having the theatrical cut of Superman II, they put in the Donner Cut. It’s important to also put out the theatrical version or Lester’s version for historical purposes since it was *his* cut that was the version of Superman II shown in theaters and it’s necessary to preserve film history than erase it. I don’t want the film to suffer the same fate as the theatrical versions of the Star Wars trilogy (1977 - 83) suffered when the Special Editions were first released.
Couldn't agree more. We're on the same page!
John.
I seen this movie three times on release,
Awe struck with Margot Kidder,
With Mr Reeves leaving us, a man indeed could fly.
I think that today we can truly see that this film was little short of a masterpiece. 1978 and they produced something as convincing as this... why can't they achieve the same heights today?
For me this is the best superhero film ever made and i think it still holds up today. Christopher Reeve was the perfect casting as Superman and in my opinion no other actor has come close in his portrayal of the character. This is definately on my to get list.
I agree with that except perhaps for Sam Raimi's Spider-Man films, I can't decide. Batman in 1989 is the only other comic book superhero film that came close - well, that's I've seen anyway because I've been avoiding them in the 2000s as they became such crap. Superman Returns was one that I saw and really enjoyed so I made the mistake of watching the next one called 'Man of Steel' and dear oh dear!!!
John.
@@moviecollector5920 yeah man of steel is terrible. Ive never been a fan of those marvel films to be honest, a couple of good ones here and there but not for me really. I thought the sam raimi spiderman films were pretty good too.
@@quatz1981 I think the X-Men films were around the same time as the Sam Raimi/Tobey Maguire Spider-Man films but it was after the third Spider-Man that things seem to have gone a little mad so I've kept away from them. I did see a couple of the more recent Spider-Man re-hashes but they're not really for me.
John.
Have you made a video showing you film collection? I'm just finding your channel now and, wow! Awesome m8! Are you the gentleman they did the news story on film collecting back in the 80s? Maybe the son? My uncle had a sound Super 8 projector when I was a kid and he would show us his collection of selected scenes films. I loved it! I've always had a fascination for all forms of media. Especially super 8! Incredible reviews. Well beyond the regular cookie cutter like disc reviews. Im definitely more interested in your films but you present level of knowledge that makes every bit of your content is fascinating, cheers from South Texas
I'm in England Erik so probably certainly not the person you saw on television in the 1980s. I was going to say that was Keith Wilton who is my 'boss' at the British Film Collectors Conventions because both his sons had home cinemas in the house too. I will do something bespoke on film as I said in response to your previous comment. Thank you for your support.
John.
Thanks for helping me make my decision
I hope you like it after all that.
John.
Glad you reviewed this one John one of my all time favourite movies since we last spoke I got a optomo uhd projector and. 100inch screen cannot wait to have a day off to watch this film on it as I never saw this at cinema
Wonderful news Shane. I can't wait to hear how you get on with Superman on the big screen. Get the popcorn ready... and I'll be over later!
John.
Thank you for the detailed review. Warner should not default the soundtrack to 5.1, because Dolby Atmos is an extension of Dolby TrueHD 7.1, so that those without an Atmos decoder will play back the TrueHD track automatically. And by the way, this is not the first time Warner's authoring engineers make this mistake.
Thank you Paulo. I think we have to bear in mind that most purchasers won't notice, won't care or in some circumstances will only want to see the latest sound system listed. I think one of us is going to have to invest in a 70mm projector, the necessary sound equipment and a 70mm print in order to see if as it really was. And hope the print hasn't faded of course!
John.
I think if memory serves, Donner said the Krypton stuff at the start had a slightly diffused look and the other scenes on earth were given a more naturalistic grounded tone. Nice review
A former projectionist from back then has confirmed this to me too russell22w so thank you. But on the 4K a couple of the early scenes set on earth suffer from a washed-out look which indicates negative colour fade to me. I may be wrong but it would explain why the Blu-ray (the scan for which must have been many years before) looks far better during these few scenes. Although I have to emphasize that the colour is superior throughout the 4K compared to the Blu-ray thanks to HDR.
John.
Christopher Reeve was the man of steel and Clark Kent... He played those 2 characters the way we envisioned it would be in real life! The Superman theme is Grand for a character of this stature the way it should be! Love it! Thank you John!
Thank you Gilbert. You must have watched and commented on every one of my videos now. Good man! John.
Thank you for your indepth content. Very knowledgeable.
I'd like to hear you talk about star wars episodes 4-6 in 4k
I'm afraid I can't watch those classic Star Wars films in anything but their original versions Dj. They just wind me up too much. I could however talk about the original versions full length on Super 8!!!
John.
@@moviecollector5920 I completely understand. But as for episode 5, I think it has the least noticable changes and doesn't really alter the viewing experience. Just my opinion
I adore this film... saw it in the theater for my Birthday on the same day I bought Elliot S Maggins 'Last Son of Krypton'. I saw it at a theater in San Luis Obispo. It is hands down one of my favorite films.. period. I have the Japanese WS CAV Laserdisc, the US CAV LD as well as several DVD and Blu-Ray versions. My favorite of them all would be the Donner Special Edition (restored TV) Blu-ray. It looks fantastic and has all the original audio FX.. After the LDs were released, every new format decided to monkey with the audio.. and I utterly despise all the changes/replacements. The Donner Restored Blu gave me back my childhood.
Which is why I was SO disappointed in the quality of this 4K release. Some shots are vibrant and almost magical in clarity, while others are so soft they are practically smeared & out of focus. Still other shots & whole scenes have such an amplified level of grain that it's distracting and yanks you right out of the moment. The 3 intermittent conditions and image quality make for a terribly unsatisfying experience, with my simply being glad I have the 4K for my collection, but will never bother with playing it again. :(
I had to really experiment with all the settings on my system to get the best out of this disc but it is possible there was some digital sharpening applied to it which exacerbated film grain. I've been suspecting that for a while now but it was most apparent on The Fifth Element because I had a 35mm print to check it against and the 4K is sharper than the 35mm and loses some of its natural look as a result. Superman was 1978 so it's quite likely the negative has faded somewhat since the last transfer which made it impossible to get the best out of the end product. It is worth playing around though because I improved the image somewhat when I was doing the review. John.
Great review. I have to pick up this 4K soon.
Thank you bears2248.
John.
It's the reason I haven't bought Jurassic park or trilogy in UHD/4K. On a higher end TV and player the CGI stands out to much!
Agree about some of the CGI in Jurassic Park. But the T-Rex sequence where it combines flawlessly with the giant model shots was worth the price of admission (or perhaps the cost of a disc) alone. I suppose it helped with that sequence being set at night.
John.
The sound on this really brought a smile to my face especially when the credits rolled. I found the colour on the scene where the lady is reprogramming the rocket really overblown but maybe that was the intention.
See what you think of the opening half an hour or so on the standard Blu-ray Danny because I think it looks more substantial which suggests the negative has faded a little since the Blu-ray master was struck. John.
@@moviecollector5920 Hi John , hope your well. I’ve never compared the Blu Ray I’ll get round to it maybe this week. I did not the scene when the lady is re programming the rocket , all that part seemed like the colour was over blown to me. They reckon leave your Contrast on its default setting for HDR and let the Tone Mapping do the rest, you’ll know more about all this than me John. But in general I found it a superb picture and sound was even better.
@@danboy77 I often find that HDR is too bright and whites out the image quality too much. That's why I turn it down and have shown the Panasonic option on a few of my videos. Not all players have that little HDR button on the remote but all Panasonic's have the facitlity to set HTD brightness in the setup of the player. I suspect all 4K players from all manufacturers come with something similar. John.
I thought I’d revisit this video after seeing Superman rereleased the other week at my local Vue. It was on a fairly large screen for the theatre size and the opening Krypton scenes had massively varying grain, to a point during some effects shots that it was grubby looking.
When young Cal-El is on Earth, it is like a different film with lovely warm colours.
It’s always a good and vibrant picture at Vue in Southport. I took my son to see the Mario Bros film the same week and, wow, it was dazzling but what a contrast between having no grain with Mario to lots of grain with Superman.
I’m really glad I went to see Superman theatrically for the first time since 1978 aged 5 at the long demolished Palace in Blackburn (bingo in the stalls, cinema in the circle upstairs!). Best regards, Dave
What you spotted there were optical composite shots. Multiple effects shots all composited together which means two of more elements all with their own film grain to add to the mix. Even if those shots were made using 65mm or VistaVision film there can sometimes be so many elements making up the finished composite that the deterioration in the image is obvious. I expect the Mario Bros. remake was shot on video and any effects shots were completed in a computer so there is no optical compositing involved. The opening two reels of Superman were shot in a particular way to differentiate it from the rest of the film and this fooled many 4K collecters into thinking there was something wrong with the cine transfer. I do suspect the original negative has suffered fade though because I thought those opening two reels might have looked better on the previous Blu-ray release. Maybe this time the cine transfer has been taken from the interpositive which might not have faded so badly.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 The worst shot was where the bodies are falling when Krypton is being destroyed. It was almost VHS quality! Can't complain though, was nice to see it at the cinema again. Vue are pretty good at re-releases and for £4.99 a seat, it's a bargain. Kind regards, Dave
@@loftlegacy That particular shot is probably loaded with opticals and therefore degenerated the quality substantially. Re-releases seem to be the best course of action for cinemas if they are going to remain open. The new Avatar film has done extremely well though so that will have brought in some relief and perhaps the new Mission Impossible film will do something similar. Alternatively, just stick genuine IMAX prints of INTERSTELLAR on and sell the house out for every show!
John.
The Apocalypse Now Final Cut 4k restoration (2019) is pretty remarkable
One I need to purchase. Thank you for the advice.
John.
Agree--Apocalypse Now is stunning, absolutely gorgeous.
I saw Superman The Movie when it came out in 1978, and despite all of the money supposedly spent on it, the quality of the special effects varied greatly, and I found much of it quite disappointing to look at. Compared to the superb visual work achieved on, Star Wars, Alien, and Close Encounters Of The Third Kind, just to name three examples; more than a few critics at the time remarked that the insane amount of money given just to Marlon Brando and Gene Hackman, meant that the filmmakers had to cut corners on a lot of the trick work, and I pretty much agree.
Apparently one pre-release press preview screening read:
"Is it a bird?
Is it a plane?
No, it's a Warner Brothers actor on strings!"
That may be urban myth but it possibly sums up the trouble they had in achieving the special effects which were done by the people who did Star Wars. Not the model effects, the on-set and studio effects crew.
John.
Ahh what a fantastic review, Thankyou. This film is special to me , probably my first ever cinematic experience as a child. I had no problems on my BenQ to be honest with brightness or contrast, it does have a soft focus effect running throughout but apparently that was intentional. Thanks again John
A bit worse now than when it was new but a former projectionist has told me today that the whole projection team in his chain of cinemas thought the first two reels suffered with some sort of printing flaw.
Good to hear from you again Danny. Glad you're getting good use out of your BenQ projector. It's great fun this hobby ain't it?!?
John.
Hi John
The Projector is probably the best audio/visual product I have ever bought, I have £3k Meridian speakers in my set up and even they do not compare in value for money compared to my Projector. I have a feeling I’ll be needing to change the lamp sooner rather than later 😂
I lucky to see this at the ABC cinema in Middlesbrough on first release. My younger brother was sick during the film ( too much chocolate and coke) apart from this mishap I was stunned by the film.
Well that all helped to make for a particularly memorable cinema visit then. A terrible shame for your younger brother as it probably spoiled the film for him when it should have been a big adventure that he'd always have fond memories of. Apparently the new release has had some work done to the 4K video master so the grading makes it look even better but I can't be sure of that as I haven't seen it. John.
From what I can assess the reason the grain is so heavy in the beginning is the layering of the effects and the multiple exposures in camera.
Same as Star Wars when Luke and Ben are driving to the bar. That wide leading into town that pans is extremely grainy from the multiple exposures it took to achieve the effects.
Exactly. They are optically composited effects shots. If I didn't say exactly that in the review it was remiss of me but I did have it in mind to say it. The same thing happens with superimposed titles as it is two or more film elements being multiplexed.
John.
Watching it on laserdisc at the moment 1st 30 minutes are hard to watch with the bright suits
It's a shame you don't get the option of the longer version on 4K. Maybe one day...
I recently watched a video about Superman II, and it is a crime what was done to Donner's version. Apart from script and directing style changes, Lester brought in a new DP who made no attempt to emulate the look Unsworth had achieved.
Superman 2 was still an excellent film in its own right. I haven't seen it for years though so I doubt it's stood the test of time as well as the original but it was a huge success at the time and that was what was important. As for a longer version of Superman, I rarely see a re-edited version of a film that does anything other than mess up the original. As an option on a DVD or a Blu-ray, it's fine, but so much work goes into these 4K discs it would be a shame to add something other than what was shown in cinemas. Add too much and the quality of the main film may have to be reduced to squeeze it on too. John.
Thank you John for the brilliant content you provide on all of your videos! I particularly enjoy the insight you provide about each of the movies from when they were released and the comparison between the different formats.
I started collecting movies on VHS as a teenager and continued since; now moving onto 4K. Having once worked (my favourite job) in a video rental store and studying film at college It’s been great to stumble across your channel and learn so much
I’d love to hear your insight on movies such as Jurassic Park, Back to the Future and Ghostbusters. I have them all on Blu Ray but would be curious on your take on them for the 4K format.
Thanks.
Stephen
Well guess who's got Jurassic Park full length on Super 8 Stephen? And I need to re-visit Back To The Future too so you've probably given me an excuse.
You've had a good movie history with your job at the video store and film college. I should have done that but I went into IT. As it turned out when my wife and I started independent documentary film making for release on disc the IT abilities were invaluable.
Ad Astra in 4K is the review I'm currently working on. We've had to watch it twice to fully comprehend it all and now we both think it's terrific and that's not how we felt after the first viewing.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 Looking forward to any future reviews you may do on them. That’s amazing you have that in your collection! Two movie franchises that have remained ever popular so would be interesting to see how they compare and have evolved on to the newest available format
I can see from your CZcams videos the production and quality of your editing definitely benefits from your background in IT 👍🏻
Eagerly anticipating your review of Ad Astra I am yet to watch it but I’m sure your review will encourage me to buy it myself. I was the same with the movie Inception .. a second viewing made all the difference!
Cheers.
Stephen
@@ssherwood46 Inception is another film I need to re-visit. I saw it when first released, thought "what the hell was that all about?" and promptly forgot about it. Something tells me I'll think differently next time around.
John.
Great review. You mentioned the aspect ratio is 2.40:1. On the packaging you show, it lists 1.85:1 for the 1080p, is that just an error on the packaging?
This review was a couple of years ago now so I can't remember the packaging mistake but it's not too unusual. The people who do these things aren't always going to be film enthusiasts so it's probably just another design job and errors do slip through the proof reading process occasionally. Superman The Movie would have looked a little odd as a 1.85:1 release in cinemas. Imagine the disappointment of going to see a big film and only the smaller screen was presented.
John.
Come across your channel the other day and love it. Like your history talk of the movies and yourself and of course your analysis of these disc's. I too love movies (and have been in a few!) And I too am I home cinema enthusiast. I have an Optoma hd51a and a pioneer 5.1 system. I haven't noticed if you listed it but what equipment are you using?
Keep up the good work!
Thank you Lee. It seems we're using similar equipment. An Optoma UHD550X and a Pioneer THX Ultra 5.1 that I've had for years powering a Kef THX set of speakers. I have put a home cinema tour video up so you may find that interesting if you haven't seen it yet.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 Hey John thanks for replying, just watched the vid of your set up. Jealous is not the word! I'd love to have an actual cine projector to watch and love your adjustable screen. My set up is in the living room I'm afraid but hope one day to get some kind of screen set up like yours.
@@leepauldavies6772 Thanks Lee. Hopefully you can see that the whole screen (i.e. a painted wall) and masking setup is surprisingly easy... once you know how!
John.
Excellent review. Thank you👍🏻
Thank you Mario.
John.
I saw this in Jan 1979 at the west end in London as most of the films i saw back then.brilliant film.
I think I saw it at a local ABC in Newbury, Berkshire but I really can't remember. I really enjoyed seeing it again all these years later - and it felt just like I was back in the cinema in the 1970s again... although the sound was probably a little better here. John.
Geoffrey Unsworth also added a diffusion filter to the camera lenses to give the whole movie a misty, foggy, glowing fantasy haze.
Thank you for clarifying that! Completely explains the unique look the first couple of reels got. More faded now than it was though by the look of the 4K.
John.
Excellent in dept review as always john!!!! Keep them coming 🦸🦸🦸🦸
Ad Astra in 4K arrived here this week Roy so if that's as good as hoped it may be that one next. 1917 was with the same order so perhaps that will be the one.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 1917 was unreal quality even when I streemd it.....I'm gonna pick up the 4k disc when the price drops....ment to be reference quality 😲😲😲
@@RoyMurphy1 Oh, I'm looking forward to it even more now Roy.
Fantastic and very interesting review.
Thank you Stephen. Fun making it actually even if it did take way too long as usual.
John.
Thanks again for this video, which I’ve revisited, and it beings back wonderful memories. This was the first film I saw at a cinema aged 4 back in 1978.
It was the Palace in Blackburn, now demolished, and the theatre had been split where the circle was the cinema with a floor installed to make the stalls below a bingo hall where my grandma used to have a flutter on a Friday.
I remember being a Christmas release the cinema was freezing and one of the ushers came in to make a load of lads sit down who were running around on the floor over the stalls, probably playing Superman.
I took my 4 year old son to the cinema the other month. It was a comfortable multiplex affair, but I wish it was back at the old Palace on Blackburn Boulevard.
It's memories like these that help to fashion our lives. I always got excited when I was taken to a cinema as a child and as soon as I was old enough, started going with my brother and occasionally friends. There didn't seem to be much else to do in the town we lived in through my teenage years so just about every film that came on saw me sat in the auditorium somewhere during a film's week long stay. There were a few I missed because they were X certificate and I was too young to fool the gals on the ticket desk, but overall i saw a lot of films and then spent much of the rest of my time watching Super 8 cut downs or dreaming about Super 8 films I couldn't afford.
Great comment and quite a memorable one as it would be unimaginable that a cinema would survive today if it wasn't heated properly. Maybe that's another reason why so many have gone.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 Thanks John. The Palace wasn't my local cinema, that was a Unit 4 which is now a religious centre, but it's nice the building is standing and in use.
It as a nightly and my dad recalls watching bands there and the cement train from Clitheroe came past and made the whole building shake.
It was a little multiplex quite ahead of it's time and it's very strange that I can remember actually seeing lots of films there in the late 70's and early 80's.
The only film I missed due to age I think was "Any Which Way you Can" which was a "AA" and I was only 8.
@@Northernlightshow I was old enough to see Any Which Way You Can and I thought it was great. Right turn Clyde!
I have a very good friend in Clitheroe but we're at opposite ends of the country so don't get together often. I didn't know it was an area known for cement. We learn something every day. John.
Wonderful critique and review of one of my all-time favourite superhero movies on 4K. It's one of the few movies that has stood the test of time for me. Liked and subscribed. Thanks for posting.
Thank you Rometiklan. I think the only other superhero films that stand with this are Superman 2 (although not quite as good) and the first two Sam Raimi Spider-Man films. Can't think of any others I particularly care for right now.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 Absolutely agree. Superman The Movie has heart, and a gravitas that I find today's movies a little lacking. While I like today's superhero movies for what they are, I don't return to them like I do for Superman. Huge fan of Raimi's Spider-man as well. There was a nice balance of live action and CGI...today's movies are quite a spectacle of special effects. Thanks!
Another terrific review. The two Richard Donner(ish)/Christopher Reeve films are really the only versions I've seen that quite know what to do with the fact that Superman is really quite silly in the modern world. Newer interpretation are embarrassed about how ridiculous his costume looks, try to make Clark Kent less of a dweeb. They don't get what Donner got, the flip side of verisimilitude: in a gritty world where the rest of the characters are realistic and cynical, Superman becomes cool by embracing his lameness. The film was released right after Watergate, and clearly has overtones of All The President's Men in its Daily Planet. Lois Lane is introduced as a cutthroat reporter of this era without an ounce of daintiness - "how many P's in rapist?" - who doesn't believe in institutions and isn't impressed by anything. What blows her mind about Superman is not that he's so powerful, but that he's so pure. This man could tear the world apart and rule it as a god, and he's embarrassed to talk about her underpants (although not to wear his on the outside of his tights.) Compare this to the more recent Man of Steel, where Superman is envisioned as a character who spends his whole life bubbling up with rage at not being able to hit anyone back, and then finally getting an outlet for his rage in the Kryptonian visitors. What Donner saw in the 70s was that audiences everywhere were sick of all the ugliness and cynicism and violence of the past decade, and they were growing a little fatigued with the self-serious postmodern films that had so brilliantly and necessarily swept Hollywood since in the late 60s. His Superman is so square, so unflappable, so little subject to the temptations and weaknesses that every human is ruled by, it just makes you happy to imagine someone like that could exist.
Thanks for the comments on the shift in brightness and the discrepancy in image for the first 30 minutes. I never knew about the death of the cameraman (would that be the director of photography or just the guy operating it?), but it just adds to the infamous chaos of development hell behind the scenes of this film. It's really a testament to Donner's vision and stubbornness that this series didn't start out as the corny nightmare it would eventually devolve into with The Quest For Peace. I have this UHD disc, but my projector is currently not set up, so I'm watching it on a cheap 50" 4K TV where it's hard to really appreciate the nuances of an image that to my eye seems like it's going to be fairly soft even in the most accurate representation.
I think the opening two reels of Superman are a little more washed out than they would have been 20 years ago but 20 years longer for the colours to fade could be the reason for that. After that opening though the situation improves but the consensus on here seems to be that the director and cameraman/DP Geoffrey Unsworth deliberately went for a muted, hazy look so perhaps the 4K scan captured it a little too well.
I did see Man of Steel but I can't remember anything from it other than I felt it was aimed at a younger audience and particularly those who like modern video games because the action was so fast that we couldn't really see what was going on. That Blu-ray went in the cupboard immediately after viewing and it's never seen the light of day again. I really liked the previous Superman Returns though so something went wrong in the intervening time between the two films. Maybe they should bring back Richard Donner!
John.
Complete restoration with new scenes heading to UK cinemas in April 2023. All reeve movies remastered and restored for 4k home release also.
Good news. Sad that I don't expect they'll strike new 35mm prints or 70mm blow-ups. John.
I have both Superman Special Edition and Superman Extended Version. I liked Extended Version released in 2017 including 3hrs deleted scenes. However, Donner did not like it; for me it is good to see his all shots in extended version.
I tend to regard extended versions and 'director's cut' re-releases of films as novelties that can be fun to watch once Gokhan. It's a way to make money out of an older film though and if it means there's more money available to make new films then it's a good thing. John.
I hate the new sound design done years ago. It insconsistantly goes from WAY over the top, to non existent. The original sound design was far superior. Scenes on Krypton and when Kalel's ship crashes, are good examples of how much better the original was. Thanks for the upload.
Perhaps try setting your decoder to Dolby ProLogic and it will replicate the original sound more closely.
@@moviecollector5920 It's a completely different sound design so unless they put it in there too (along with the new one) I'm not sure that would work. Ideally I would get the original sound design from a Laser Disk or something and re-render the new visuals myself with the old sound. I actually made my own Superman Trump video you might like for a laugh czcams.com/video/x6GdmYqt6wQ/video.html
Excellent review. Your observations are well informed and helpful.
Thanks Mike. I think a lot of people saw the opening two reels and thought something was wrong with the transfer or the grading but that's not the case. John.
Another great Review many thanks and for your information like Apocalypse Now the 70MM print of SUPERMAN had back then STEREO splitsurround effects greetings from Germany
That 70mm sound must have been a giant leap towards what we get today. And most people think surround sound is something new. 1953 Cinerama - seven track stereo is something most know nothing about and that wasn't the first. Must look into all that some more now you've kicked me off Jim.
John.
Excellent channel, love it. Keep on the good work, we need more guys like u. Just subscribed. Superman was indeed my favorite chilhood favorite sci-fi movie with it's incredible soundtrack.
It wasn't among my favourites at the time of release but I was so taken with it this time around that I have to say that it is now. Sheer movie magic... on a disc! Thank you for your kind words and support insanelook.
John.
I read somewhere that "Goldfinger" director, Guy Hamilton, was the original director for Superman. Was one of the first early casualties of this troubled production.
Yes. He couldn't direct when they had to move production to England so that was the end of that.
John.
I just stumbled upon this channel and I really love it. Great content and it’s super relaxing. Keep the uploads coming, I love what your doing!
Thank you for taking the time to let me know Israel. It's rather good encouragement. Ad Astra in 4K is what I'm currently working on. Another film I've had to watch twice to be sure of what I'm going to say. Great fun though and another classy, good looking production.
John.
Hi John, love watching the videos, recently subscribed! I'm just getting in to the 4k discsmyself and finding these points from you very helpful. I didn't notice what projector you are using for your 4k discs in your cinema tour video? All the best, Ash
Good to hear from you Ash. The video projector is an Optoma UHD550X and it is rather impressive for the £1500 investment three years ago.
John.
I prefer the extended blu ray. They colour corrected the costume to a nice deep blue rather than light blue. On the 4K the scenes with Superman in Luthor's lair look too dark and colours washed out to me.
The 4K does look more like the film prints though Stuart so that's what most people want. You also need to bear in mind that all home video systems are different too and how we set them up has much to do with it. It's possible yours needs to be darkened down to better present 4K discs. That's how both of my systems are configured which is more like how film looks. John.
Thanks for a great review :)
Thank you.
John.
I read somewhere that the opening shot of krypton has a lot of grain due to a destroyed final effect print of that scene so they cobbled together an early rush of the shot. Not sure if that's true but I have to admit the early krypton shot is a lower quality but overall I liked my 4k purchase :-)
That sounds about right delboy3k1 and would explain that really dodgy shot as the camera pans across the giant model to the dome because it was noticeably awful with excessively coarse grain.
John.
The "haziness" in the image quality in the first reels of SUPERMAN are entirely intentional contributions of celebrated cinematographer Geoffrey Unsworth. That slightly filtered haziness was his trademark, and worked to sell the unearthly quality of Krypton and the nostalgic 1950s milieu of Smallville.
Well said Chris. It doesn't look quite as good now with the added fade though.
John.
And Unsworth was experimenting with bouncing light off the actors playing Kryptonians' costumes, with highly reflective fabric that caused the costumes to glow.
Great in-depth reviews. Myself not impressed with the release as well, the glow, audio, color. As huge fan, I had high hopes for 4K release. Cover artwork is great though.
It's better than I thought first time around Chard and after looking at it in detail and watching all the extras I can see why it looks the way it does. After that first two reels it's just about perfect but by then we're looking for every possible fault.
John.
I love a great film like that. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you for saying so.
John.
Hi. This channel is fantastic I’ve only just come across it an your reviews are brilliant. Just one thing I will say about superman is try the Dolby Atmos track. The 5.1 is the original soundtrack mixed into 5.1 but the Atmos is completely new. Richard Donna re recorded the sounds which was for the Blu-ray DTS HD MA an has now been mixed into Atmos. I use it for demos at work an it’s fantastic. But a lot of people did complain about the Blu-ray because it wasn’t the original sounds that’s why you have two different options on the 4K. I would like to say again amazing channel an great reviews an looking forward to more.
Thank you. I don't have room for Dolby Atmos in here. Not to mention the £4K to 6K it would take to match what I have already. It does sound better than any domestic Atmos I've heard so far and most people would hear it as Atmos which is the shape of the room, the beams on the ceiling and the THX speakers and processing. Sound convincingly comes from speakers I have connected to separate systems that aren't actualy powered up by the THX Ultra amplifier!!!
John.
Outstanding! Thank you so much! :)
Thank you for saying so Charlene.
John.