Movies Insider has put together a behind-the-scenes video showing the advancements in the way flying scenes in movies and television have been created over the years. The 8 minute video contains plenty of Superman references, starting with the 1950s “Adventures of Superman” TV series, 1978’s “Superman: The Movie,” and through to 2003’s “Man of Steel”.
One of the biggest challenges for Hollywood’s stunt performers is creating flight that is both safe and believable. Since George Reeves portrayed Superman in the 1950s, movies and TV shows have used an endless variety of wires, pans, and other rigs to lift actors up high. The best tools depend on the type of flying on-screen. A huge breakthrough came in 1978’s “Superman” when a visual effects artist discovered a way to operate the camera so that Christopher Reeve would appear to be flying even when he was lying flat. Today, many of those same wire and camera tricks are still used. However, digital doubles can make even the most dangerous flying tricks possible, while flying moves can be programmed in advance into a robotic arm, as seen in “Black Widow.” Elizabeth Olsen’s stunt double, CC Ice, told us about the many ways both Marvel’s “Avengers: Infinity War” and “WandaVision” made Wanda Maximoff fly.
It’s nice that George got a little credit in this vid. Jack Larson always said he thought George’s take offs and landings looked VERY convincing. I agree and I think was a solution well ahead of that period of time.