[DavidML3]

I searched and didnt see any threads discussing the review of this movie. Can I ask one question. Why was this the way it was "Intended to be seen"? This Donner Cut is putrid.


There were numerous scenes that were out there in left field and the dialog and acting were horrible even for Gene Hackman. This one scene is what left my brain hurting.

Warning: Spoiler! (Click to show) Spoiler  
Warning: Spoiler! (Click to show) At the end when Superman rewinds the time, please tell me why did he go back to the diner? If time was back the way it was before all that nonsense in this movie then the diner would have never happened thus, no one would have known who clark was when he stepped in the door



and
Warning: Spoiler! (Click to show) Spoiler  
Warning: Spoiler! (Click to show) The way Lois found out Clark was Superman with the gun was retarded. The other cut when he fell in the fire was much more smooth flowing and the dialog matched. Even in that scene in the Donner Cut, Reeves had two hairsyles going on. One was a bushy look the other was the slick superman combover. What was that about?



also
Warning: Spoiler! (Click to show) Spoiler  
Warning: Spoiler! (Click to show) If Superman rewound time, to the point that the 3 criminals were back in the mirror wouldnt mean he would have rewound time past superman 1 past the time when he launched the nuclear missle into outer space which in this version of the movie was the missle that let the 3 criminals out their jail? If so what in the world? That made no sense and there are too many things wrong with that plot that I cant get into. My head hurts again

 

[Paulidan]

Superman I and II were concieved to be filmed at the same time. 75% of the second film was already in the can when the producers decided to just focus on the first one and get that finished as they were running over budget and were going to miss the summer release date. The decision was also made at that time to use the 'turning back time' device as the climax in the first film (it had originally been concieved to be used only as the climax in the second movie).

After the first movie was released, the producers fired Donner, with whom they'd had a fractious relationship, and they gave the directing duties to Richard Lester who had previously been the go-between for Donner and the Producers. Lester re-did much of the film so that he could have the sole directing credit.


Had Donner been allowed to stay on and finish II at the time, they would have undoubtedly re-written the ending. The "Donner Cut" is really just trying to make the best of the available material now, and is not representative of the film that could have been made if situations had ben different.


Aside from the Brando material, which I think is gold, there is a lot of Donner footage in the DC that I dislike as much as anything that Lester incorporated. I don't think the DC stands as a satisfying movie on its own, but it is a fascinating document for people like me who have always wondered what might have been.

 

[STEELERSRULE]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Paulidan /forum/post/0


After the first movie was released, the producers fired Donner, with whom they'd had a fractious relationship, and they gave the directing duties to Richard Lester who had previously been the go-between for Donner and the Producers. Lester re-did much of the film so that he could have the sole directing credit.

Also, the producers wanted ALL of the Brando material CUT from the film so that they did not have to pay him. This is why his mother is portrayed in the film, and he is nowhere to be found.


The Salkind's(C'Suckers inserted here) really F'D over Richard Donner and Marlon Brando badly. So did Lester, for that matter. They KNEW(especially Lester) they were doing something really wrong, but it did not matter to them.

 

[petergaryr]

Despite the problems in the Donner version (I have both), I wouldn't part with either. To me it is fascinating to have the "same" movie be so "different". No Niagra Falls, no Eiffel Tower, but WITH Brando, etc. Even though some of the Reeve footage had sound issues, it was great seeing him so much in his prime.

 

[thehun]

I preffered the "Donner Cut" so I will never purchase the Lester version again.

 

[Cyrano]

I, also, preferred the Donner version. Although I agree with some of DavidML3's concerns.

Warning: Spoiler! (Click to show) Spoiler  
Warning: Spoiler! (Click to show) I didn't think it was very admirable or interesting to have Clark Kent return to the Diner Bully and beat him up now that he had super strength again. It would have been better had he faced him as an ordinary man. Superman as Bully is a bad idea.

And DavidML3's point about time being changed after the Earth "rewind" is true. I would NOT have done the rewind. Lois' character seemed to lose a few points in IQ after the rewind along with her memory of who Superman really is. It would have been better if she could have become a silent, intelligent friend of Clark/Superman.

The movie felt more real and adult to me before the "rewind". The "rewind" was a plot device cheat to me.


I am aware of the original intents of Donner and the Superman 1 and 2 endings that he was working toward. I think 2 could live better w/o the last five minutes or so.


JMO

 

[Matt_Stevens]

We will never see a real true Donner cut because he never finished filming it. This was as good as we could get, though not really. The very small budget given to them for the DVD release hurt things. The additional FX work was shoddy and they could not afford to have John Williams do a music score, so the music is all tracked from the first film.

 

[SeattleAl]

Did Supes
Warning: Spoiler! (Click to show) Spoiler  
Warning: Spoiler! (Click to show) destroy the FOS
in the original ending of Superman II?


If so, how could
Warning: Spoiler! (Click to show) Spoiler  
Warning: Spoiler! (Click to show) he and Luthor return there
in Superman Returns?

 

[STEELERSRULE]



Quote:
Originally Posted by SeattleAl /forum/post/0


Did Supes
Warning: Spoiler! (Click to show) Spoiler  
Warning: Spoiler! (Click to show) destroy the FOS
in the original ending of Superman II?


If so, how could
Warning: Spoiler! (Click to show) Spoiler  
Warning: Spoiler! (Click to show) he and Luthor return there
in Superman Returns?

No, he did not.


Superman Returns follows what happened in the version that was shown in theaters, since this is the one that people remember seeing.


The Richard Donner cut DVD was just to show fans what MIGHT have been had he been allowed to finish both films, and what he had in store.


The ending in the Donner cut, as it is on the DVD, would not be that way. He would have come up with something else, since it was used in the first film.


Or maybe he(Donner) KNEW he was about to be canned, so he used the ending meant for the second film, for the ending of the first film. But I have no idea.


I felt that the ending of the film that was released to the public(outside of that SUPER KISS that was supposed to erase Lois Lane's memory, which was stupid IMHO) with him flying the American flag to the White House was good.


And Superman going back to deal with the bully was just fine with me. The guy was a jerk, and that should happen to jerks.


Remember, "Don't tug on Superman's cape."

 

[IAM4UK]

I never liked the idea of turning back time, even as used in S:TM. But I appreciate the first two Superman movies in general.

 

[Matt_Stevens]



Quote:
Originally Posted by STEELERSRULE /forum/post/0


Or maybe he(Donner) KNEW he was about to be canned, so he used the ending meant for the second film, for the ending of the first film. But I have no idea.

That is NOT it. They put the ending for 2 onto 1 because they figured it would work very well and it did. Donner had no idea he was going to be fired. No one did. It came as a shock to everyone involved.