Blast from the Past: Revisiting Superman (1978)
Star-studded but too square and flat to be really entertaining, Superman features Christopher Reeve in the titular role in an effort to tell an intriguing origin story.
Directed by Richard Donner, the film credits four scribes–Mario Puzo, David Newman, Leslie Newman, and Robert Benton–which might be the cause for lacking any distinct identity.
Though they have no scenes together, three major stars–Marlon Brando, Glenn Ford, and Gene Hackman–decorate the picture, which does not really benefit from their stature as actors, considering the text they are given.
In addition to Reeve, and the aforementioned stars, the film also features Jeff East, Margot Kidder, Glenn Ford, Phyllis Thaxter, Jackie Cooper, Trevor Howard, Marc McClure, Terence Stamp, Valerie Perrine, Ned Beatty, Jack O’Halloran, Maria Schell, and Sarah Douglas.
It depicts Superman’s infancy as Kal-El of Krypton, son of Jor-El (Brando), and his youthful years in the rural town of Smallville.
Disguised as reporter Clark Kent, he adopts a mild-mannered disposition in Metropolis and begins a romance with Lois Lane (Kidder), while battling the villainous Lex Luthor (Hackman).
Ilya Salkind had the idea of a Superman film in 1973 and, after a difficult process with DC Comics, the Salkinds decided to buy the rights to the character.
Several directors, most notably Guy Hamilton, and screenwriters were associated with the project before Donner was hired to direct.
Tom Mankiewicz was drafted in to rewrite the script and was given a creative consultant credit.
For financial reasons, Superman and its sequel Superman II (1980) were shot simultaneously, with principal photography beginning in March 1977 and ending in October 1978.
However, tensions arose between Donner and the producers led to a stop of shooting the sequel, of which 75 percent had already been completed, and finish the first film.
It has the notoriety of being the most expensive picture made up to that point, with a budget of $55 million.
Superman premiered at The Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, on December 10, 1978, and was released in the US on December 15.
Greeted with mixed reviews, Superman was a financial success, with worldwide box office amounting to $300 million; it was the year’s second-highest-grossing release.
Movie Franchise
This 1978 superhero film, based on the DC Comics superhero “Superman,” is the first of four installments in the Superman series starring Reeve as Superman.
Oscar Context
Superman was nominated for Best Film Editing, Best Music (Original Score), and Best Sound Oscars, and received Special Achievement Academy Award for Visual Effects.
Its use of special effects and science fiction/fantasy storytelling was considered innovative at the time.
Superman presaged the mainstream popularity of Hollywood’s superhero film franchises, which would remerge in 1989 with the release of Tim Burton’s groundbreaking Batman.
Critical Status
In 2017, Superman was selected for preservation by the Library of Congress’s National Film Registry.
