Superman Returns Deleted Scene Now Online

[Captaindemotion]

I was almost tempted not to post this, as few movies seem to be as divisive as Bryan Singer's relaunch of the franchise. Every thread seems to deteriorate into 'Superman was a stalker!' 'Bryan Singer is gay!' or the hilarious 'Babe Routh.' But fuck it, haters can go and shite.

Fans of the movie will remember that Singer deleted a scene from the start of the movie, where Kal-El visited the remains of Krypton. His trip was referenced when he met with his mother but not shown (a $10m edit, ouch). Singer felt it slowed the movie down too much.

The clip is now online, as it will appear on a special edition Blu-Ray compilation. It's certainly slow, but I think it's beautiful and deserves mention in a thread of its own (I was tempted to put it in the Man of Steel thread but don't think that was appropriate). His ship is reminiscent of the one he travelled to Earth on in Superman The Movie and Krpton also echoes the depiction of the planet in that movie. Also, the scene neatly sets up the Kryptonite island that Lex creates later in the movie.

Have a look here, see what you think but please, let's avoid the same old arguments. SR haters, you got your way, there's no sequel, there's a new take, be satisfied with that please.

http://www.chud.com/61065/its-a-bird-its-a-plane-its-a-naked-dude-in-superman-returns/

 

[Jetfire]

I only had the regular DVD so I hadn't seen that before. I think it was pretty good. I kinda wish it had been in the movie. I personally think Singer had alot of good ideas for SR but the thing that gets the most flak is the Luthor real estate plot...which if switched to Luthor unearthing Doomsday could have fit with the blackout stuff and instead of throwing the mini-Krypton into space...all that plus the near death scenes could have been replaced with a mega smackdown with Superman & Doomsday and then near death stuff. Minor changes could have made SR a better movie...there was already some great moments there.

 

[davejames]

Big fan of the movie, but I think Singer was right to leave it out. It's a really slow way to start the movie, and it would have lost much of the audience immediately-- especially with all the weird crystal stuff going on, and it not being made very clear where he is or what exactly is happening to him.

It also begs the question, why the heck would Superman go on a long-ass journey to the radioactive remnants of Krypton... and not make sure to shield his ship with lead first??

 

[Admiral_Young]

Clark was emotionally influenced by his decision to go back in the first place so it's reasonable to assume that emotion clouded his judgement and he simply forgot to activate or program shielding capability.

I love this scene. I loved it in the novelization and in the script when I first read it. I still may get a Blu-Ray player yet. I could see a general audience getting lost by this scene but not fans of the previous "Superman" films. Or those with even casual knowledge of the character. .

 

[Captaindemotion]

As someone who loved Brandon Routh's performance and was disappointed that we won't get to see him reprise the role, it was nice to see this scene. It's like the nearest we'll get to seeing him play Superman again.

 

[Yminale]

I think this scene would have worked as a flashback with the Superman commenting on what he experienced. I think it would have been a great way to clue in the audience that Superman's personality has changed from his experience at Krypton.

Maybe he finally realized that he was an alien and could no longer accept the illusion that he was human.

 

[Admiral_Young]

Yeah that's a great suggestion. Instead of using it at the start of the movie as originally intended it could have been reedited and used in the scene in the Kent home when Clark is telling Martha what happened. Or even on the rooftop scene with Lois where she asks him where he went.

 

[davejames]

If I remember right, wasn't this scene supposed to be preceeded by another storybook-style opening like in the first movie? It's a shame Singer didn't stick with that idea, and then just seque from that into the awesome title sequence.

Seems like it would have been a MUCH more elegant and powerful opening than either this or the boring text he ultimately used.

 

[Admiral_Young]

Yeah the kid who played Jason White (Tristian something) recorded the same opening monologue that the kid read for the opening of "Superman: The Movie". They showed him recording the lines in the behind the scenes documentary on the DVD. It would have opened the movie.

 

[Capt_Pickirk]

That's a pretty cool scene. I like it.

 

[CorporalClegg]

Wow. That's kind of awesome.

I got a total Robert Wise vibe from it.

It is a great little piece of filmmaking, but I agree it's not the best way to start a modern action flick.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

It's interesting separate from the film, and I'm glad we get to see it, but I can understand why it was cut. It doesn't really fit into the movie.

The shot establishing him sweating from kryptonite exposure would have tied into the scene on the island, but it still isn't necessary.

 

[Agenda]

It doesn't make any sense. He's in his little Christmas tree ornament ship, so shouldn't he be protected by the radiation? And notice how he feels weak in this scene, yet later on in the scene where he lands on the island, he doesn't feel weak until he gets clobbered?

 

[Gaith]

^ He must have read the script!

It also begs the question, why the heck would Superman go on a long-ass journey to the radioactive remnants of Krypton... and not make sure to shield his ship with lead first??

Well, to be fair, he is called "Stoopidman" throughout the movie.

... Wait, what?


As for the scene, it was rightly cut, and shouldn't have made it to the filming stage: it tells us nothing we don't later learn, and seeing Clark in the spaceship /S/ suit steps on the later big reveal of him in the actual Supes suit. It also makes him look dumb, and reminds us that he rashly up and left Earth for no good reason, leaving it not only unprotected against interplanetary threats but also other chaos. Suppose that, during his absence, religious fanatics decided to fly planes into skyscrapers?

 

[Agenda]

And remember how in Superman 1 he gets all weak with the Kryptonite amulet. I mean, he gets thrown into a swimming pool and can't get out. How pathetic can you get? And yet in the new movie, he's able to lift an entire island even after being shanked by a shard of Kryptonite.

 

[Agenda]

Superman vs. Hulk

 

[davejames]

And remember how in Superman 1 he gets all weak with the Kryptonite amulet. I mean, he gets thrown into a swimming pool and can't get out. How pathetic can you get? And yet in the new movie, he's able to lift an entire island even after being shanked by a shard of Kryptonite.

Ha ha, hadn't really considered that. Maybe it was some "extra-strength" Kryptonite Luthor was using in the first movie.

 

[Set Harth]

seeing Clark in the spaceship /S/ suit steps on the later big reveal of him in the actual Supes suit.

We see the spaceship suit in the film when he returns to Earth.

he rashly up and left Earth for no good reason, leaving it not only unprotected against interplanetary threats but also other chaos.

There was a good reason. If he had found other Kryptonians, that could have been a net positive in the long run.

 

[Dream]

And remember how in Superman 1 he gets all weak with the Kryptonite amulet. I mean, he gets thrown into a swimming pool and can't get out. How pathetic can you get?

In Superman II he actually fought three Kryptonians... and won! In Supeman Returns, he just lifted heavy stuff. Lame!

 

[Admiral_Young]

Superman was using all of his will power that he had left to move the Kryptonite chunk to the point of sheer exhaustion and near death (at least for him). The prolonged exposure to the Kryptonite laced rock essentially nearly killed him. I believe this was Singer and his writers paying obvious homage to "The Death of Superman" story line. This is why he charged up in the sun beforehand cause he knew he'd be zapped quickly.