Superman – People Talking

Classic Twofer – ‘Superman Ⅲ’ & ‘Superman Ⅳ: The Quest for Peace’ – Back to Kansas (or Hertfordshire, as it may be)

I have to admit, I may be judging these films with rose-colored glasses on account of they’re the first movies I’ve seen theatrically in over three months.

Although, if they’d bored me, or outright disappointed me, I think I would have known it, and I can’t say either one did.

To the celluloid!

Directed by Richard Lester
Written by David & Leslie Newman
Cast: Christopher Reeve, Richard Pryor, Jackie Cooper, Marc McClure, Annette O’Toole, Annie Ross, Pamela Stephenson, Robert Vaughn, Margot Kidder, Gavan O’Herlihy, Stefan Kalipha, Shane Rimmer, Al Matthews, Robert Henderson, Paul Kaethler, R.J. Bell, Pamela Mandell, Robert Beatty
Soundtrack: Ken Thorne

As much crap as I give Richard Lester for his cut of Superman II (you know, the worse one), because his vision for the film is like a virus eating away at Richard Donner’s verisimilitude, I have to say, given a chance to make a Superman movie from start-to-finish, Lester does a pretty good job with Superman III.

Whereas Donner’s Superman strives for something more timeless and epic, Lester’s Superman III feels ripped straight from the pages of the comic books, and that’s okay.

One of the criticisms of modern Superman films is that we don’t see enough of Superman doing Superman things, namely saving people, but that’s definitely not a failing of Superman III. The first act alone features one of the great set-pieces in the whole franchise, when Clark Kent and Jimmy Olsen’s bus ride to Smallville gets interrupted by a chemical plant fire, and it’s up to Superman to save the day. Is it entirely realistic? Hardly. Does it matter? Not in the least. It’s exciting, and thanks to the practical effects, there’s a real sense of danger.

Speaking of Smallville though, one of the story threads involves Clark returning to his hometown for his high school reunion, where he reunites with former head cheerleader Lana Lang (played by the positively lovely Annette O’Toole). Now a single mom and one of the few members of their graduating class stuck in their old hometown, she’s nevertheless still the apple of Clark’s nerdy eye. If nothing else it makes for a nice change-up to the Lois Lane romance of the previous two films, but I actually really enjoy how Lester handles their meet cute. It’s a stylistic touch that feels unique for a Superman film.

Of course, I’d be remiss if I didn’t talk about the biggest star opposite Christopher Reeve, that being Richard Pryor. It feels like a bit of stunt-casting, but honestly, given the tone of the film, I think his character fits in fine (he’s not nearly as much of an albatross as some of the 90s Batman movie villains). I also find it interesting that his introduction, which is the cold open of the film, takes us down to the “street level” of Metropolis in a way most superhero films don’t do (or try to but bungle it).

One aspect of the film that may be more influential than we know (which is to say I can’t prove it) is Robert Vaughn’s character of Ross Webster, a corrupt business magnate. Not until John Byrne’s The Man of Steel limited comic book series in 1986 did the character of Lex Luthor become a similar tycoon, so I can’t help but wonder if the villain of Superman III had some effect on that decision.

To circle back to the director though, Lester giveth and Lester taketh away. The major weakness of the film is the level of camp that Donner rightfully rejected during his tenure, and which Lester plays up to unforgivable degrees at times, perhaps best summed up by putting the main titles over a Rube Goldberg slapstick sequence rather than out in space as usual. Interesting as the scene may be unto itself, it does the movie no favors.

At the end of the day though, the biggest strength of the film, as you might expect, is Christopher Reeve as Superman, and it’s nice to see him explore some new territory with the character in the second act (concluding with the famous junkyard fight).

It’s clearly not the best Superman movie, but honestly, I think Superman III is better (or at least more cohesive) than the theatrical version of Superman II. It’s certainly worth seeing for fans of the character, but it has a decent amount of appeal for general audiences, too (though there is one scene that’s rather horrifying, especially if you don’t know it’s coming, so be forewarned).

Rating: ★★★½ (out of five)

Directed by Sidney J. Furie
Written by Christopher Reeve (story), Lawrence Konner & Mark Rosenthal (story & screenplay)
Cast: Christopher Reeve, Gene Hackman, Jackie Cooper, Marc McClure, Jon Cryer, Sam Wanamaker, Mark Pillow, Mariel Hemingway, Margot Kidder, Damian McLawhorn, William Hootkins, Jim Broadbent, Stanley Lebor, Don Fellows, Robert Beatty, John Hollis, Eugene Lipinski, Susannah York
Soundtrack: Alexander Courage

Superman IV: The Quest for Peace is often regarded as one of the worst movies ever made, and I am here to call B.S. on that notion, because it’s not even the worst Cannon film I’ve ever seen (in fact, I’d put it among the more watchable entries in Golan-Globus’s output).

No, I won’t even call Superman IV a bad movie, because it’s ultimately a sadly incomplete film. It could have gone down with Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home and Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol as one of the great Fours in movie history, but Cannon just wouldn’t give it the budget it deserved. To put it in perspective, the first two films cost over $100 million altogether, Superman III was made for $39 million, and even 1984’s Supergirl got $35 million, but somehow Superman IV was expected to subsist on a budget less than half that ($17 million).

This budgetary failing is largely bared out where a film like this should shine, in the action and effects, but those with a keen eye for filmmaking can spot the paucity in plenty of other areas; not to mention there’s basically no transition into the third act.

Surprisingly though, one area of strength for the movie is the musical score. Much like Ken Thorne’s music for II and III, Alexander Courage’s score (yes, the guy who wrote the original Star Trek theme) is largely ported from John Williams’ original Superman music, but, for one thing, it just sounds better than the scores from the previous two entries, and, secondly, I think Courage is more successful than Thorne in venturing off into his own territory.

Sadly though, no one but the financiers could truly save this movie. Yes, it has it’s own failings, like Superman putting the Great Wall back together with…Repair-Vision? But, honestly, I think the intended screenplay is actually pretty tight, and we do get to see all of our favorite Daily Planeteers one last time, along with Gene Hackman as Lex Luthor, and that’s not nothing.

And of course, Christopher Reeve is still Superman, which is definitely something, once again showing off his true superpower: his desire for good.

Rating: ★★★☆☆

P.S.
Shout-out to the crew at the Mahoning Drive-In in Lehighton, PA. They put on a great show.

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P.P.S.
Though I’ve been on a writing hiatus, I got to jump on the Cooler Than Ecto podcast and talk Pierce Brosnan’s tenure as James Bond. It was a lot of fun recording and I hope to be on again sometime.

Check it out here:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/pierce-bronsnan-007-series-retro-review/id1309133613?i=1000477572780

Movie Review – ‘Justice League’ – Avert Your Eyes

Directed by Zack Snyder
Written by Chris Terrio (story and screenplay), Joss Whedon (screenplay), and Zack Snyder (story)
Cast: Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Gal Gadot, Ezra Miller, Jason Momoa, Ray Fisher, Jeremy Irons, Diane Lane, Connie Nielsen, J.K. Simmons, Ciarán Hinds (voice), Amber Heard, Joe Morton, Lisa Loven Kongsli, Kobna Holdbrook-Smith, Doutzen Kroes, Brooke Ence, Ann Ogbomo, Samantha Jo, Holt McCallany, Marc McClure
Soundtrack: Danny Elfman

Alternate title for this piece (or the movie): Why Can’t We Be [Super]friends?

I really shouldn’t even dignify this movie with anything resembling a full-length review, so I’ll try not to.

At no point in time did I ever have high hopes for this film, and in its wake I definitely don’t have high hopes for the DCEU as a whole.

Justice League is as big of a mess as Rogue One (if not more so). The only difference for me personally is that I don’t have nearly as much emotional attachment to the property, so I’m not nearly as angry or disappointed, but I still have to call a turd a turd.

The biggest problem with Justice League is that it is approximately 4,657 movies in one (hyperbole intended).

It’s almost as if these characters should have starred in their own films before appearing all together.

You know? Maybe build it up a little bit?

Why DC didn’t bite the bullet on this and instead attempted to microwave everything in order to “catch up” to Marvel is entirely beyond me. I mean, despite being pilloried by the critics at nearly every turn, these movies are still somehow doing good business, couldn’t they have put in the effort to make them good, too?

Back to the subject at hand (though this is a franchise-wide issue), Justice League, in addition to having a myriad of elements (especially tones) that don’t quite fit together, has so many visuals that are just plain ugly to look at that I could hardly believe my eyes. I may not be a film-making expert, but I do know that this was a two-hour movie that cost $300 million. It should not look as bad as it does, and yet it does.

Now, I’ll admit, there were a few tiny bits and pieces here and there that I did find enjoyable about Justice League, but mostly I was either bored, or trying not to be sick. Even if you’re somehow a DCEU completionist, this movie still isn’t worth your money to see theatrically.

It’s a mess. An ugly, boring mess.

What more do I need to say?

Rating: ★★☆☆☆

P.S.
There are multiple stingers, because D.C. is now in full Marvel mode (they wish).

P.P.S.
Naturally, and as usual, thanks to Alamo Drafthouse for the cool glassware (which is better than the movie).

Classic Movie Review – ‘Superman’ – The Light to Show The Way

Original Release Date: December 15, 1978
Directed by Richard Donner
Creative Consultant: Tom Mankiewicz
Written by Mario Puzo (story and screenplay), David & Leslie Newman (screenplay), and Robert Benton (screenplay), based on the character “Superman” created by Jerry Siegel & Joe Shuster
Cast: Marlon Brando, Gene Hackman, Christopher Reeve, Ned Beatty, Jackie Cooper, Glenn Ford, Trevor Howard, Margot Kidder, Jack O’Halloran, Valerie Perrine, Maria Schell, Terence Stamp, Phyllis Thaxter, Susannah York, Jeff East, Marc McClure, Sarah Douglas, Harry Andrews, John Hollis, Rex Reed, Steve Kahan, Ray Hassett, Randy Jurgensen, Michael Ensign, Larry Hagman, John Ratzenberger, Shane Rimmer
Soundtrack: John Williams

Of all the movies I went to see theatrically in 2016, none got me more excited than this one.

There are people out there who will try to convince you that 1978’s Superman is overrated, or that it doesn’t hold up, or even that it’s flat-out bad.

Don’t believe them, because this film is still the Gold Standard for superhero motion pictures.

What the non-believers don’t take into account is that this movie had no template. There was no other comparable film to use as a reference point, and, by-and-large, when the filmmakers wanted to do something new, they had to straight-up invent whatever technology it took to do so (e.g. the flying sequences). These were the days when special effects were still special, and to watch money burn on screen usually meant something actually burning and/or blowing up. Frankly, even now there are still a few things that I see and can’t figure out how they were done, which is a true testament to the level of craftsmanship.

No, Superman is not entirely perfect (most movies aren’t). It’s a bit clunky at times, it’s got some plot holes (heaven forbid!), and the ending doesn’t make any logical sense (kind of sounds like The Dark Knight Rises), but it’s big, adventurous, fun, exciting, and charming. Some call it corny; I call it earnest.

And, let’s not mince words here: Christopher Reeve IS Superman.

Although, it’s not like he’s the only one who’s impeccably cast, because just about everybody is great in this. Yes, Reeve, Margot Kidder, and Gene Hackman are your core, but even people who barely get five minutes of screen time, like Glenn Ford, give you so much in their performances.

And did I mention how BIG this movie is? Honestly, the scale is like Star Wars and James Bond combined, which makes sense given that production designer John Barry and second unit director John Glen had the same roles on A New Hope and The Spy Who Loved Me, respectively (not to mention plenty of other cast and crew overlaps). The set of Lex Luthor’s lair alone is award-worthy (yet, somehow, the production design was not even nominated; come on, man).

Of course, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention John Williams’ score, which…it’s perfect. There’s nothing else I can say.

Most of all, I have to give credit to director Richard Donner (who somehow is not nearly as recognized as many of his contemporaries) for holding everything together. Superman was one of the largest productions ever taken on (three countries on two continents), with an all-star cast, and unbelievable hype from name-recognition alone, yet somehow he pulled it off. It’s truly a shame he was not allowed to finish the sequel at the time (though he got some of his own back with the 2006 home release of his cut).

Even beyond being a fantastic film, Superman actually added to the mythos of the D.C. Universe, namely the the ‘S’ on the chest being an El family symbol, and the Kryptonian crystalline technology. On the flip side, it’s s shame that the character of Lex Luthor hadn’t yet transitioned from criminal mastermind to corrupt business magnate, but as John Byrne’s ‘The Man of Steel’ wouldn’t come around until 1986, I can hardly hold this against the movie; it’s merely a thought.

Truly though, Superman is an emotionally-charged visual spectacle for the ages. It’ll make you laugh, cry, swoon, and cheer.

Again, it’s not perfect, but I give it five stars for effort. I can’t recommend it highly enough as an all-time great film, a cultural touchstone, and a lasting example of movie magic.

I count myself blessed for having been able to see it on 35mm.

Rating: ★★★★★

Movie Review – ‘Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice’ – Who’s in charge here?

Directed by Zack Snyder
Written by Chris Terrio & David S. Goyer, based on characters created by Bob Kane & Bill Finger (Batman) and Jerry Siegel & Joe Shuster (Superman)
Cast: Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Jesse Eisenberg, Diane Lane, Laurence Fishburne, Jeremy Irons, Holly Hunter, Gal Gadot, Scoot McNairy
Soundtrack: Junkie XL and Hans Zimmer

Look, I get it. Comic book movies are a tough business.

You have to adapt an infinite medium into a finite medium; you have to make a movie that will stand on its own even if people haven’t read the source material while also making something that fans of the source material will appreciate; and, on top of all that, you need to make a movie that will make enough money to triple the tremendous costs so that it’s not considered a failure, but you don’t want to make it too simple-minded so that it’s also considered a failure.

Whoa.

All that said, I’ve feared, especially when compared to its Marvel counterpart, that the DC Extended Universe has been doomed from the start, having been largely placed in the hands of Zack Snyder. That’s not to say ol’ Zack is incapable of making good movies; 300 and Watchmen stand as evidence in his favor. Man of Steel, however, is good for about 70 minutes of its runtime, while the other hour is just too much for my senses.

Dawn of Justice is, in many ways, more of the same, except it’s not a tale of two halves like Man of Steel (or Captain America: The First Avenger, for that matter). Here, the schizophrenia has a bit of a ping pong feel, bouncing back and forth between questionable decisions and sequences that actually work pretty well. From a plot standpoint, the movie takes a while to get where it’s really going, but once it gets there, it’s pretty good, so, overall, it balances out to some solid entertainment.

Per my guiding principles, I’ll do my best not to spoil anything (although the trailers have basically given everything away at this point) while getting into what worked and what didn’t.

Remember when everybody freaked out over Ben Affleck playing Batman, and how he was going to ruin the movie? I maintained from Day One that he’d be fine, and if the movie had problems, he wouldn’t be one.

And I was right.

I have to hand it to him, given what he was asked to do, I thought he handled the essentially dual roles of Bruce Wayne and Batman with aplomb. He might not go down as the best of either, but given the history of the character on screen, he acquitted himself well.

Regrettably, I was also right about the most grating aspect of the movie: Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor.

Now, do I have a certain bias against Jesse Eisenberg? Yes. He generally gets on my nerves, but that doesn’t mean I hate everything he’s ever done, Surely some of my agita has to do with the way the Luthor character was written, but, man, him in that role was a tough pill to swallow, and I do mean to the bitter end.

What else did I hate? For one thing, there’s this thread of Bruce Wayne having crazy dreams that is baffling to watch and doesn’t really add anything. There are references to the future that I felt were way too explicit; a little subtlety would have been nice in that regard. And, did we really need to see Thomas and Martha Wayne get gunned down again? (Mercifully, this happens during the opening credits, so at least they get it out of the way as quickly as possible.)

What else worked? I’m not entirely sure, but I think there was a creative decision to make Gotham and Metropolis very geographically close, almost like Manhattan and Jersey City; I think I’m on board with that. Also, Jeremy Irons as Alfred was great; the character had a certain sassiness that I really enjoyed.

Ultimately, the movie is an excuse for one particular centerpiece, and that centerpiece is satisfying, even if the reason for it is a bit hackneyed.

Unfortunately, I’m not so sure the movie works entirely as a movie, which every movie should, no matter the source material, or if it’s the third sequel; every movie should work as its own experience. I’m afraid that if people don’t know much about Batman or Superman, they’ll be a bit lost watching Dawn of Justice, and they’ll have the same experience I had when I saw X-Men: Days of Future Past (tl;dr, I didn’t give a crap). Perhaps it coalesces just enough to avoid this problem, but I don’t know; I’ve always been kind of a DC Comics guy, so it’s hard for me to tell.

As I said before though, Dawn of Justice averages out to some solid entertainment, and it did throw in some surprises I wasn’t expecting, which is more that I can say about some other movies.

Rating: ★★★☆☆

P.S.
Naturally, and as usual, Alamo outdid themselves with the specials. Between my friend and I, we sampled everything but the pizza.