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September 15, 2008: "Superman: The Movie" and "Superman II" BFI Screening Experience

By Dawn Jones (aka djintheuk)

For as long as I've been a Superman fan I've always wanted to see Superman on the big screen. I'm a fan that discovered Superman through TV airings of the Christopher Reeve movies, and later saving my pocket money to buy them on VHS to watch over and over again at my leisure. Of course, I knew these were made for a cinema screen I just hadn't gotten the chance the first time around. I wasn't even born at the time that Superman: The Movie was released in cinemas. In 2006, Bryan Singer gave me my first cinematic experience of watching the Man of Steel on a big screen. And I loved it (you can read my report here on this website). As I watched the credits role in space I thought, this must be the same excitement felt by audiences back in 1978. And since then, I've still had a great desire to see the movie that made me a fan of the comic book character in the first place on the big screen. Forward to 2008, and thanks to a film season of comic book movies presented by the British Film Institute (bfi) not only have I been able to see Superman: The Movie, but also Superman II on the big screen. I didn't want to forget these experiences, so below then is a report of my thoughts I wrote shortly after watching.

Monday July 21, 2008: Superman: The Movie (Director's Cut) 8:15pm
National Film Theatre 1

I arrived at the NFT having just left The Dark Knight red carpet premiere where I'd gone just to catch the atmosphere. And the atmosphere was great. The movie had already broken US box office records the previous weekend, and the fans were clearly excited to see the movie open here in the UK. But I had other reasons to be excited, I knew later that day I'd finally get to see the movie I'd been waiting ages to see on a big screen, Superman: The Movie. Because of this I must've looked odd to other Superman fans arriving at NFT for the Superman screening as I had a Batman T-shirt on! That said, Superman was represented by my Superman Tag (and if you haven't got one, buy one now!).

The first thing that pleased me was that the screening was in the biggest theatre, and had completely sold out. The lights went down and the first thing that made the hairs stand on the back of my neck was the Williams score during the credits. The sound quality sure sounds a lot better than the thousands of times I'd listened on my stereo TV in the lounge. By the time the credits finished and the camera pans to Krypton I had the silliest grin on my face. So far so good. (I often get worried than when my expectations are high they won't be met). The next bit that impressed me was due to the bigger screen. The Krypton dome opening to reveal the Phantom Zone is visually much much bigger and feels so much more epic than it has watching on TV. Also fun was hearing the rest of the audiences reactions to various scenes. That was a new experience for me. I've only ever been watching with family and friends at home before now, not 200+ people. This was probably the most fun part of the whole experience. Where are all you fans that went to the screening hiding?! I don't meet Superman fans that often!

One of the first reactions was of laughter to the Kent's discovery of the spaceship and to the young Clark lifting the truck above his head. When Clark Kent tells Martha he has to leave to go north the camera shots panning over the the fields along with the Williams score is just beautiful. I've always liked the framing of this scene but again on a bigger screen it's all the more epic. One scene I knew I was looking forward to was the first shot of Superman in the Fortress of Solitude flying towards the camera. My dad has fondly described his own memories of seeing that when it was first released in cinemas and remembering that the wait to see a man fly seemed like forever but was totally worth it. I cheered when this scene came on but in all honesty was on my own with that scene reaction - I guess we're all spoilt by digital effects these days.

Moving onto Metropolis, and the audience really started to enjoy the movie. The Daily Planet scenes were a big hit. Lots of laughter to, "Of course not Lois, I mean why would anyone want to make a total stranger look like a fool?" Otis and Lex got a lot of laughter which pleased me because I've always laughed at them too. Glad I'm not the only one that finds them funny! One thing that surprised me, the helicopter rescue scene - often described as a favorite moment by fans is Lois' "You've got me? Whose got you?!" But this line that I thought might generate a lot of laughter didn't (except from me!). But what did get a big laugh was Clark's pause at the telephone box when looking for somewhere to change. The other rescue scenes that got a fantastic audience reaction was the office worker who dismisses seeing Superman stand on the window outside to catch the falling burglar, "Nah!" and the cat rescue, "Haven't I told you to stop telling lies!" Immediately following this though was another visual that I thought looked so much more stunning on the big screen and that's the 360 degree flying scene. It's never been a moment I've singled out on watching the VHS but on the big screen I wanted to rewind that and watch it again - its a special effect that's 30 years old but it still looks great! Another flying shot that looks better on the big screen was after the burglar is sent to the police station, "Officer, Mooney. They say confessions good for the soul. I'd listen to this man. Take him away." On a smaller screen because its a longer distance shot the detail is not picked up as clearly as it was on this cinema screen. Wow!

I should point out that for every screening the bfi have leaflets available for the audience with excerpts of articles about the movie in question. The leaflet for Superman: The Movie reprinted an article from James Harwood, Variety, 13 December 1978 in which he wrote: "Margot Kidder plays perfectly off both his [Clark/Superman] personalities and her initial double-entendre interview with Superman is wickedly coy, dancing round the obvious question any red-blooded girl might ask herself about such a magnificent prospect." Much of the audience must've had this in mind because the reactions to the balcony interview was again one of much laughter, myself included.

As Lex's plan unfolds and we get the California earthquake, I was so pleased that so much of the effects still did not seem dated. If any did, it was long distance flying shots. But, Superman escaping Lex's lair crashing through the ceiling was impressive, as was the whole of the chasing rockets scene. The close up shots still display great imagination - I don't think I've ever appreciated how many of the take off shots for Superman are different each time. I've always loved the one towards the end when Jimmy interrupts Superman and Lois, and he flies up through the clouds. Fantastic. We British are generally quite reserved - a cliche perhaps - but one with some truth in it - so when Superman flies round the world signaling the end of the movie and the end credits start, to hear the British audience throw out that reserved attitude and whoop and cheer at what they've just watched is a great achievement. Thirty years on, and I witnessed a lot of love for that movie in the cinema that day. I went home on a complete high, even going the wrong way on the underground still taking in the whole experience. Donner and co. should be proud of themselves.

Don't believe my descriptions of the audience's reactions? Thanks to someone who recorded the audience's reactions that evening and matched to the footage, you can watch and listen for yourself via YouTube.

Saturday 16 August, 2008: Superman II 1.00pm
National Film Theatre 2

But it didn't stop there. One month later, the bfi screened Superman II. So again with much excitement I went to the bfi Southbank to see it for the first time on a cinema screen. Arriving at the theatre I picked up the leaflet and the first thing I spotted was that the Superman Homepage itself had been credited and quoted as part of the chosen articles to explain the history of the film. Nice going! You can read the quote in this PDF file.

This screening took place in one of the smaller theaters and was part of the bfi's "Movie Magic - Films for younger audiences". This screening was at the weekend during the afternoon and at a kid-friendly time and as a result there were children in the audience which I spotted few of in the Superman: The Movie screening. This pleased me greatly that a new generation of kids I hoped would enjoy what they were about to watch as much as I do and maybe, just maybe become a new Superman fan. I had a lot of fun when I wasn't too busy watching the movie myself I did observe a young girl in the row in front of me who I would guess was around aged 9 or 10. She had clearly already seen the movie but was excited to be watching it with her dad on the big screen and the two of them together would enjoy quoting Otis and Lex, "Ooh that little black box in our cell!" and "It's a ladder, you dummy!" seemed to delight the two of them. That was very sweet.

The first big audience laugh would be to Clark Kent's reaction to terrorists at the Eiffel Tower, "But Mr. White... that's that's terrible!" "That's why they call them terrorists Clark." And there was a similar reaction to Lois, "But that could blow up the whole of Paris!" In hindsight I'm not actually sure why this is funny but I think it's down to Kidder's performance of the line. Superman saving the Eiffel Tower lift with the line "I believe this is your floor" got laughs. Personally I've never been sure whether to laugh or cringe but I was glad others liked it!

This being the big screen I noticed things particularly in the background that I've not seen before. For observant fans I expect none of my observations are new to you but I thought I'd still share my reactions with you. I've heard fans say there is an unexplained photo of Bill Cosby on the wall in the Daily Planet. And yep you're right there is! It's very obvious on the big screen and somewhat distracting. Has that ever been explained? I've always thought the honeymoon suite is one the most awful hotel rooms ever seen in a movie - and on the big screen it's still awful! I noticed even more detail like hideous horses on the lamp posts of the lamps on the desks by the bed. The dialogue of that scene got some great audience reaction. I've always laughed at the bellboy's sarcastic comment of, "Is this your first time? Together, anyway?" but the audience I was with reacted more to Lois' sarcastic response to Clark's "Look Lois, flames of love, kinda romantic?" "In July?" Also loved was Clark's reaction to the water bed, "Gosh! It's alive!"

Outside in the Niagara Falls scenes, the Panasonic sponsorship was clearer on the big screen in that it stood out as something I'd not really noticed prior. So too was the strange misspelling of hamburger at the hot dog stall. It appeared to say 'Hamburg' (of course the two end letters could have been hidden by something on the stall - I can't remember). Still in Niagara falls and the careless mother not watching her son play with the barriers to the falls saying, "Oh yeah hon, that's nice" generated a kind of embarrassed laughter from the crowd. The girl I mentioned earlier in the row in front of me - after Superman saves the kid from falling in the falls, "Again, again." "I'm sorry, only one ride per customer." - she absolutely loved that line by Superman and I couldn't help feel like a kid myself at that.

I should mention that this screening was a different experience in many ways to Superman: The Movie because it was an original UK Superman II cinema release print. (Superman: The Movie was the 2001 DVD cut not the theatrical print from 1978). It meant the audience saw the old BBFC Movie Certificate rating which was kind of retro-cool and it came complete with some sound crackles but I only noticed this in some of the Fortress of Solitude scenes. This is important to remember for my next observation which I still cannot get over. For reasons I cannot fathom the BBFC must've chose to cut to a line by Lex Luthor - an obvious cut - the sound and picture jumps to this cinema print. The line in question takes place at the Fortress of Solitude where Lex and Miss Teschmacher are seeing what they can discover from the crystals. Lex cuts off a recital of the poem 'Trees':

Miss Teschmacher: I like tree's
Lex Luthor: So does your average cocker-spaniel.

What the heck?!?! For some reason the BBFC must've decided to cut out the word "cocker" Were we really that prude back then? Given the context of the dialogue I find the decision to cut this word totally absurd. Especially given some of the other language - albeit mild - later on in the movie. More on that later.

Back in Niagara Falls, Lois' failure at revealing Clark Kent as Superman and her, "You're who I thought was Superman? This is really embarrassing", got laughs from the audience. And one thing I noticed more watching the cinema print was the use of the love theme motif music for the glasses reveal in the hotel room.

Then of course there is the three super villains! "So this is planet Houston" was a much loved line as was the policeman's line, "From the look of them I bet you ten dollars they're from Los Angeles." Consider the cut of Lex's dialogue I mentioned, how then that the line said to General Zod by the police officer, "Jesus H. Christ!" is not cut out for being just as potentially offensive to someone? Bizarre. Something else I'd never really observed when watching only on a TV screen is what Zod is doing during Ursa's arm wrestle in the bar they visit in Houston. On the cinema screen I could see he was observing a plate of eaten food which is not so easy to see in the background on TV viewings. Another music score I noticed more at the cinema was the use of the Otis motif as Lex waves his hanker-chief in the White House to the three villains. I don't know if it's the quality of sound at the cinema but it stuck out as something new when it's always been there! A line that I expected to get a reaction from the audience generated a massive laugh from two fans at the back of the theatre. That line being when the President surrenders to Zod, "Oh God." "It's Zod."

Cinematically some of the long distance flying shots did look dated (actually what really dates the movie is the size of the walkie talkie's used by the French police! It always makes me giggle). But the flying in between buildings and around pillars in the Fortress of Solitude look just as impressive as modern movie effects. My favourite scenes on the big screen were the same as the one's I've watched hundred of times at home. The almost-revealed identity when Lois removes Clark's glasses to clean them at Niagara Falls, Superman's return, "General, would you care to step outside?", the scenes at the diner, "Oh I've been ...er, working out", also loved by the audience I was watching with. At the end of the movie I found myself reflecting on how much of an impact these two movies have had on my life and a strange sense of relief that my own expectations were not disappointed by the actual experience of viewing these movies on the cinema screen.

Unfortunately there is no audience recording available for Superman II. I wish I'd thought of doing so, but you'll just have to take my word for it. This screening wasn't fully sold out but it still pleased me to see it 85% full, and a wide age range in the audience watching from 10 years to 50+ years of age. I got talking to the guy who sat next to me who told me that in the 80s for Superman's 50th birthday the Warner Bros. cinema in Leceister Square (now the Vue Cinema) screened all four Reeve movies back to back and that was the last time he'd seen the film on the big screen. I was a tiny bit envious but mostly I was grateful for this screening the bfi had given for me to get a cinematic experience of the movies I'd grown up loving. Whilst Superman is celebrating his 70th year, the bfi is celebrating its 75th birthday and asking 'If you had to choose one film to share with future generations, what would it be?' I know mine would be a certain movie from 1978 that made me believe a man can fly. I'll add my vote now.

Thanks for reading!

Dawn (djintheuk) Jones