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How do the Christopher Reeves "Superman" movies hold up to more modern comic book movies?

Some of the lyricism, especially the way it leans on long stretches of lush scoring where not much action is going on (like the Fortress of Solitude segment) are reminiscent of Star Trek: The Motion Picture.
Well, Superman came first, before TMP, so, true or not, that doesn't even make sense, unless you say it the other way around.
 
Well, Superman came first, before TMP, so, true or not, that doesn't even make sense, unless you say it the other way around.

I'm only using the term "reminiscent" to mean one reminds me of the other, not that one movie deliberately copied the other. It makes sense as I'm commenting on the style of filmmaking of that era. The fact the films are a year or so apart is inconsequential. Films from the same era tend to share common traits.

If you want to go there, though, the blockbuster era that was kicked off by Star Wars was, however, sort of a revivalism of the sort of "event movie" filmmaking of the 50s and early 60s. Audiences (at least the parents) were old enough to remember seeing movies like Lawrence of Arabia. To today's audiences, everything about Superman is equally dated.

At the time, audiences were more willing to zone out to a long stretch of music. Today such scenes are characterized as "ass numbing".
 
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I'm only using the term "reminiscent" to mean one reminds me of the other, not that one movie deliberately copied the other. It makes sense as I'm commenting on the style of filmmaking of that era. The fact the films are a year or so apart is inconsequential. Films from the same era tend to share common traits.
Fair enough.
 
What if it's a stupid reason?

I'm so very sorry that Jonathan Kent didn't have a lawyer present with him during this emotional exchange with his son to construct a perfectly foolproof statement that will take into account all the possible caveats. He really should have known better. :rolleyes:
 
I think the first one still holds up great. The second one, less so. The 3rd one was Richard Pryor the movie and the 4th one is better off forgotten.
 
I'm only using the term "reminiscent" to mean one reminds me of the other, not that one movie deliberately copied the other. It makes sense as I'm commenting on the style of filmmaking of that era. The fact the films are a year or so apart is inconsequential. Films from the same era tend to share common traits.

If you want to go there, though, the blockbuster era that was kicked off by Star Wars was, however, sort of a revivalism of the sort of "event movie" filmmaking of the 50s and early 60s. Audiences (at least the parents) were old enough to remember seeing movies like Lawrence of Arabia. To today's audiences, everything about Superman is equally dated.

At the time, audiences were more willing to zone out to a long stretch of music. Today such scenes are characterized as "ass numbing".

Well not quite everything, the score to Superman: The Movie is a classic. It remains to be seen if the MoS score holds up as well when it is nearing forty years old.

But one can enjoy movies many eras. I think the oldest movie in my DVD/BR collection is 1954
 
The film falls apart in the 2nd halve IMO with the biggest culprit being the turning the planet backwards to reverse time UTTER NONSENSE.

He doesn't reverse the earth's spin, that's just the visual representation of Superman flying backwards through time. Maybe just as silly (excluding a silver age inspiration), but not as catastrophic as reversing earth's spin would be.
 
I'm so very sorry that Jonathan Kent didn't have a lawyer present with him during this emotional exchange with his son to construct a perfectly foolproof statement that will take into account all the possible caveats. He really should have known better. :rolleyes:
:rommie: This isn't some off-the-cuff remark, it's a subject he must have thought about daily for over a decade. If it never occurred to him that just maybe his adopted son's choices are more important than those of his biological parents, who, being aliens, could have sent him off for any reason imaginable, that's on him, not the viewers.

Superman: The Movie's pacing is a reflection of the times.
One could say the same for the Bayformers movies - they reflect a hectic, attention-deficit-plagued age. Doesn't argue for their quality, does it? Meanwhile, Animal House came out the same year as Superman, with a much faster pace and leaner 109-minute runtime. Was it not also a reflection of the times?

It was meant to have a David Lean like epic sweep to it.
Funny, I must have missed Lawrence of Arabia's multiple scenes of slapstick comedy, with a tuba scoring an oaf's bumbling around, and its schmaltzy spoken-word pop song romantic interlude. The problem with Superman: The Movie isn't necessarily that certain sequences aim for stateliness; it's that those that do are surrounded by useless sequel setup, sequences straight out of wildly disparate genres, a cheat of a climax, and a total failure of a romantic heroine.

Some of the lyricism, especially the way it leans on long stretches of lush scoring where not much action is going on (like the Fortress of Solitude segment) are reminiscent of Star Trek: The Motion Picture.
Also a bad movie, but at least a tonally consistent one. ;)

Then, there's the Pauline Kael reference--this the same woman who said of the original Star Wars.
I don't doubt that Kael and I would disagree on my most cherished movies; I don't even agree with all of her Superman review. But I agree with the points I quoted. I can't help but notice that no one name-checked Kidder in this thread before I did, or has done so since; nor has the name "Otis" been mentioned at all. It's almost as if there's a selective blindness, dare I say, nostalgia, in play...
 
What's wrong with Kidder and Otis? Kidder was a great Lois Lane. She was tough when she needed to tough yet emotionally vunerable to actually buy into Superman's Boyscout charm and actually admire it instead of looking down on him as a naive idiot.

Otis was a funny sidekick/henchmen. He didn't have a lot of dept but in this kind of movie that is okay because he is there to play the idiot to Lex Luther's egocentric charm and fake sophistication. If the movie was more about him then you might want to dig deeper into the character but then that would hurt the chemistry between him Lex because it would make them, almost equals.

Jason
 
I don't doubt that Kael and I would disagree on my most cherished movies; I don't even agree with all of her Superman review. But I agree with the points I quoted.

Her fantasy bias colors her review, with her criticisms largely unfounded.

I can't help but notice that no one name-checked Kidder in this thread before I did, or has done so since; nor has the name "Otis" been mentioned at all. It's almost as if there's a selective blindness, dare I say, nostalgia, in play...

Not at all--Kidder was a fantastic Lois Lane--the best ever, as she was aggressive, intelligent and not afraid to take it to anyone--a perfect 70s style reporter who had color most of the post Donner Lois actresses failed to build on--or create something of their own.

Otis? He's the Kat Dennings of the 70s/80s - a comic relief bumbler in a superhero film. The only difference is that Otis did not destroy the rhythm of the film, while Dennings...
 
What's wrong with Kidder and Otis? Kidder was a great Lois Lane. She was tough when she needed to tough yet emotionally vunerable to actually buy into Superman's Boyscout charm and actually admire it instead of looking down on him as a naive idiot.
Kidder's Lois is, as I've said, short on charisma dull as rocks. Say what you like about Bosworth's Lois, I can remember some good moments of hers, like sneaking onto Lex's boat, covertly sending that fax, and generally giving him attitude. I can't remember a single interesting and non-stupid thing Kidder's Lois says or does. And, though good looks aren't always crucial to a compelling romantic interest, a fantasy-fable romantic heroine of this kind of movie should usually be unusually attractive, and that's all I'll say about that.

Otis was a funny sidekick/henchmen.
You must be referring to some novel and counter-intuitive definition of that word? Not only is he painfully unfunny, his even more painful stupidity diminishes Lex by association. A great villain like Magneto in X-Men has at least one great henchman in Mystique (and at least Toad and Sabretooth can fight). '78 Hackman has Otis (cue bumbling tuba motif).
 
Kidder's Lois is, as I've said, short on charisma dull as rocks. Say what you like about Bosworth's Lois, I can remember some good moments of hers, like sneaking onto Lex's boat, covertly sending that fax, and generally giving him attitude. I can't remember a single interesting and non-stupid thing Kidder's Lois says or does. And, though good looks aren't always crucial to a compelling romantic interest, a fantasy-fable romantic heroine of this kind of movie should usually be unusually attractive, and that's all I'll say about that.

You must be referring to some novel and counter-intuitive definition of that word? Not only is he painfully unfunny, his even more painful stupidity diminishes Lex by association. A great villain like Magneto in X-Men has at least one great henchman in Mystique (and at least Toad and Sabretooth can fight). '78 Hackman has Otis (cue bumbling tuba motif).

I thought Kidder had great chemistry with the cast. The scene were Superman takes her for a flight is one of the best romance moments in comic book movie history only beaten by the upside down Spider man kiss in "Spider man." It doesn't matter if the flying looks kind of fake. The characters sale the moment. As for her looks I thought she looked okay. I don't see why Lois has to be a super hot babe. Nothing wrong just looking like a regular normal human.

As for Otis I don't think it matters if he can't fight. This isn't the kind of movie were your sidekick needs to be able to do those things. Also being stupid also plays into the idea that Lex is someone who likes to surround himself with people who makes him feel superior. Otis enhances the idea of just how big of a ego he has.

Jason
 
Well not quite everything, the score to Superman: The Movie is a classic. It remains to be seen if the MoS score holds up as well when it is nearing forty years old.

I honestly can't remember any of the (orchestral) music from any of DC's new cinematic universe.
 
I honestly can't remember any of the (orchestral) music from any of DC's new cinematic universe.

My point exactly.

Go back previously and you have the Burton films Batman theme. Not syaing some of the music used in films made today isn't great but I don't think we are getting that many iconic themes. But only time will tell.
 
The Burton films Danny Elfman and Shirley Walker Batman Animated series work still remains as the other modern iconic DC superhero theme style after the John Williams "Superman" theme. Though this is probably because it held on as a theme for over ten years until the end of Justice League Unlimited.

Yet the old 1960s Batman theme still carries on from time to time. By a Neal Hefti.
 
Otis? He's the Kat Dennings of the 70s/80s - a comic relief bumbler in a superhero film. The only difference is that Otis did not destroy the rhythm of the film, while Dennings...

... is the best part of Thor: The Dark World and one of the best parts of Thor.

Sorry, I just adore Kat Dennings. :adore:
 
The Burton films Danny Elfman and Shirley Walker Batman Animated series work still remains as the other modern iconic DC superhero theme style after the John Williams "Superman" theme. Though this is probably because it held on as a theme for over ten years until the end of Justice League Unlimited.

Yet the old 1960s Batman theme still carries on from time to time. By a Neal Hefti.
Hell, they still included major elements of the 1960ies batman theme here:
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^^^
And IMO it may be from the Lego Batman movie, but it's probably the best batman theme done to date.
 
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