Superman: The Movie released in 4k with a new transfer and audio mix will be reason enough for most fans of the film to upgrade. The lack of a complete set may leave others waiting until then.
“A box-office smash, an Academy Award-winner and a fan favorite since it flew into theaters, Superman: The Movie assembles a cast and creative contingent as only a big movie can. At its heart (and for three sequels) is Christopher Reeve’s intelligent, affectionate portrayal of a most human Man of Steel. Reeve, Marlon Brando (Jor-El), Gene Hackman (Lex Luthor) and Margot Kidder (Lois Lane) give performances that fuel the film’s aura of legend. Watching Superman isn’t just like being a kid again. It’s better.”
The film opens on Krypton as Jor-El sentences General Zod and his followers to banishment, and pleads with the rest of his fellow council on the imminent danger as he believes their planet is about to explode. Not able to convince them, he prepares to send his only son to Earth and escape the fate of Krypton. As the ship crashes to Earth, Jonathan (Jackie Cooper) and Martha Kent (Phyllis Thaxter) are driving by when they see the impact and a young child inside the crater. Quickly figuring out he’s special, they take him home to raise as their own. Young Clark Kent (Jeff East) has a hard time fitting in with the kids his own age. Not able to be himself or use his powers, Clark has to restrain himself in everything he does. Then, when he has to helplessly watch his father die of a heart attack, Clark leaves home and sets out to find answers about himself. Using a crystal to unlock the Fortress of Solitude, Clark spends 12 years in a type of hibernation while Jor-El teaches him about the universe and his role in it.
Now a fully grown Superman and instantly adorned with a cape and suit, Clark flies toward civilization to take his place, getting a job at The Daily Planet where he meets Lois Lane and quickly falls head over heels for her. When a helicopter accident almost takes the life of Lois, Clark reveals Superman to the world, saving countless people overnight and quickly becoming a worldwide sensation. The introduction of Superman is bad timing for Lex Luthor, who is about to pull off one of the greatest crimes of all time in his words. Now, his plans have taken Superman into consideration, figuring out his weakness and giving him a life or death decision that will affect the lives of millions.
One of the first mainstream superhero films, Superman: The Movie demonstrated that comic book characters could indeed be successful in film. With a stellar cast including Marlon Brando, Gene Hackman, Ned Beatty, and of course Christopher Reeve and Margot Kidder, the introduction of Superman into the world of cinema was a stunning success and paved the way for subsequent comic book films. Christopher Reeve’s portrayal of Superman, in my opinion, has definitely been the best. He has a very strong presence with looks that beam compassion and humanity, something vital for the character. When people scoff at the fact that glasses were the only thing hiding his identity, I have to disagree, since the bumbling, nervous, and socially awkward Clark Kent we see in this film hides his identity more than anything. Superman: The Movie, just as the character, has a lot of heart at its core, allowing the harsh realities of our world take a back seat as we watch this hero save lives who stands for truth, justice, and the American way.
As much as the original film changed the playing field for comic book characters, this is a far cry from the superhero films we know today. The origin story of the character severely lacks in this film, not really focusing on Clark’s growth or self-discovery, but only showing a few sequences of Clark wanting to compete with classmates but can’t. Additionally, there is only one short moment of Jonathan Kent imparting very humanizing knowledge to his son telling him he’s here for a reason. With his adopted father as one of the main reasons of Clark being the man he is, this felt way too short to define such a vital character trait. With the film clocking in at almost two and a half hours already, it’s understandable to let the origin story lack, but perhaps focusing on some different aspects of Superman’s origins would have made for a more fluid introduction. His actual transformation into Superman was a bit strange as well. Admittedly, I haven’t read the comics, but have seen about every incarnation film/tv wise of the character, but basically going into a cocoon for twelve years and coming out already dressed in the tights and cape always seemed like a bit of a stretch. They were too anxious to get to the meat of the story and lost sight of introducing the character properly.
These writing issues also apply to much of the film, one major one being Clark’s relationship with Lois. Their introduction to each other was much too fast, as well as Superman’s attraction to her. All we are really shown is a workaholic who can’t spell and doesn’t seem to care about much else. The fact that Superman is shown to be almost infatuated with her right off the bat is odd to say the least, which also makes his reaction to Lois’ fate at the end of the film even more strange. Lex Luthor, Superman’s greatest arch nemesis, although played well by Gene Hackman, doesn’t flesh out much of any relationship between the two. Forget the fact that Lex figured out Superman’s weakness by PURE DEDUCTION, but their interactions seemed forced. I also won’t go into the flying around the Earth fast enough to go back in time, but struggles to fly fast enough to catch the missile.
Regardless, these writing issues pale in comparison to the entertainment value of the film, what it did for comic book films, and one of the better Superman characters we’ve been given on film. Superman: The Movie still manages to entertain even after 40 years!
Video
Superman: The Movie is presented in 2160p 4k Ultra High Definition Widescreen 2.4:1 featuring HDR and Dolby Vision. For a 40 year old film, the 4k transfer of this looks really good. The Dolby Vision offers some amazing colors, providing those brilliant brights and deep darks. Grain is maintained at a reasonable level, although there are a few special effect sequences where it is a bit excessive, which is exacerbated by the clarity of the picture. The only issue I had with this transfer is the majority of the film has a softness to it that is fairly noticeable.
The Blu-Ray included is presented in 1080p High Definition Widescreen 2.4:1.
Audio
The audio is presented in a new Dolby Atmos mix and is by far the best thing about this disc. Great balance between the surrounds, with lots of action coming from them and not drowning out the center channel. The John Williams score sounds fantastic on this mix, and in my opinion one of the best Superman scores, if not all superhero scores of all time.
Special Features
A few extras on the Blu-Ray disc, complete with commentary on both. Here’s what you’re going to see:
- Commentary by Producer Pierre Spengler and Executive Producer Ilya Salkind
- The Making of Superman: The Movie 1978 TV Special
- Superman and the Mole-Men
- Cartoons
- TV Spots & Trailers
Superman: The Movie, regardless of its flaws, captured the wonder and imagination of the public and proved that comic book characters can be translated into film. This 4k set has some great features, especially the new audio mix, and given the right price this is a must-buy for fans of the film. I’m not sure why Warner Bros. didn’t put out all four in a set, but here’s hoping the success of this one will lead to the others being released in this new format as well.
