SUPERMAN - THE MOVIE

US, 1978, 143 minutes (151 in 2001 restoration), Colour.
Christopher Reeve, Marlon Brando, Gene Hackman, Susannah York, Margot Kidder, Valerie Perrine, Glenn Ford, Phyllis Thaxter, Jeff East, Jackie Coogan, Mark Mc Clure, Ned Beatty, Trevor Howard, Maria Schell, Terence Stamp, Sarah Douglas, Harry Andrews.
Directed by Richard Donner.

Superman is highly entertaining, but what a mixture of styles - and responses often changing gear - a 50 minute prologue of the 2001 Star Encounters kind, with Marlon Brando declaiming current religious sci-fi themes, then - a homely American interlude for Superman's youth. Reprise Brando/Krypton and Superman is ready for enjoyably heroic action (Gene Hackman and Batmanesque villainy!) and comic-strip derring-do that finally owes much to disaster trends, plus Peter-Pan-like? interludes as Superman and Lois Lane (Christopher Reeve and Margot Kidder suiting the roles well) soar poetically o'er city and clouds. Portentous, adventurous, tongue-in-cheek Geoffrey Unsworth photography, John Williams' score, walk-on stars, spectacular effects.

1. A satisfying entertainment and spectacle? Audience expectations because of publicity, budget? A successful film?

2. Why the appeal of Superman and this kind of film in the late 70's? A thirties hero, the comic strip heroes and their attitudes towards good and evil, the background of science fiction, the religious implications of science fiction? The tongue-in-cheek partly satiric background? The positive approach to values, persons, heroism in the late seventies? How satisfactory is the film Superman as a saviour-figure for attitudes at this time?

3. The importance of the technical aspects of the film and. their contribution? The use of Panavision screen, the richness of colour? The musical score and its background of heroism and triumphalism? The skill of the editing and the pacing? The visual impact of the prologue, the credit sequence and the sense of outer space, the visualizing of Krypton, its destruction? The echoes of visual art, American art traditions? The satiric decor of Luthor's house and palace? The reliance on the disaster trend and the special effects of destruction? The technical effects for Krypton? delightful aspects of the technical achievement? Credibility?

4. Superman as comic strip hero? The popularity of comics? The directness of their presentation, the simplification into basics? Their effect? Comic strip heroes, heroics? Clear lines, identification? The contrast with the long Panavision cinema treatment of a comic strip hero? Similarities to the strips, changes? The effect of the amplification?

5. The interest in heroes at the end of the seventies? The change from anti-heroes? The disillusionment with cover-ups and the drive for honesty, the challenge of good and evil? How well did Superman fit into this atmosphere?

6. The appeal of science fiction, science fantasy? The presentation of a better world, a different world? Comparisons, comparing values? Warning?

7. The moralizing tone of the comic strips? Clear good and evil, clear evil? A picture of the world, the need for the hero to save it, to right wrongs, avenge the oppressed? The moralizing tone of the film - the Krypton sequences, Jor-el and his bequest to his son? Superman not to interfere with the running of the world? His mission to the world? Large scale heroic good, large scale diabolical evil to be confronted? How well did the initial moralizing tone pervade the film? Superman in action?

8. The introduction of the theme of 1938, old-fashioned films, comics, old issues? Nostalgia and memories of delight? The transition to The Daily Planet and then the planet Krypton? The visual sense of space, the passing through space and time? Krypton itself and its position in the universe, the visuals of the planet? The immediate impact of Marlon Brando as Jor-el? His tone, his declamations, his role as judge and prophet? His role in the court and the condemnation of the revolutionaries and their exile? His position with the authorities on the planet? His judgment and then his being disregarded with his warnings?

9. The overtones of God in style and language, God Father, the sending of his Son? The religious echoes of the sending of Christ, the religious echoes of the saving of Moses and the sending of Moses? The presentation of the Krypton court, the issues of revolution and the echoes of Lucifer and his revolution and his language? Struggles of power in Krypton? The court and their condemnation, the appearance of the faces, the villains being thrust down - to reappear again and challenge Jor-el's son?

10. Why did the judges disregard Jor-el's warning? 'Their ov7n arrogance and their destruction? Their command and his obedience? Krypton and the visuals of its destruction - and the special effects of its crystalline shape and the spectacle of its disaster?

11. Jor-el and his wife? The saving of the child? The building of the crib and its visual image of Christ's crib? Moses and the rescue? The heritage of learning that was given by his father and his going through space and learning and absorbing this? The union of father and son - the God-like overtones of this mutual presence?

12. The transition to 1938 and the change of atmosphere of the film? The contrast of the familiar earth and America with Krypton after its destruction? The Kents and their ordinariness, old-fashioned style, driving along? The meteor and its impact? The car and the accident? The finding of the child, the Kents' desire to keep it, the folksy attitude and language and then Superman lifting the car? The introduction of Superman to America? His growing up in the American style o the times? Ball games, elates, rock and roll? The importance of showing him having to work, the kicking of the ball, the running past the train and challenging his peers? His father rebuking him for showing off? The bond between father and son and then Mr Kent dying? His mother's grief, the funeral? The equivalent of Superman's hidden life and growing up before his public life? His decision in the night? The tableau of the farewell to his mother in the fields and the echoes of American art?

13. Superman's mission and learning his identity? The creation of the Krypton image in the Arctic? The ever presence of Jor-el despite his death? The many years of instructing his son and the collage of sound and sights for this instruction of 3uperman and getting him read it? A hidden life before an Epiphany? The Epiphany sequence with Superman dressed ready for his mission?

14. How did the film shift style for New York - the hustle and bustle of the Daily Planet, the seventies, New York and its crowds, the modern style and rush? The editor and his push, Lois and, her work - her articles about the rapist (and her mis-spellings), the photographer? The situation at the Daily Planet for Superman's disguise?

15. Audience response to Clark Kent and his disguise - awkwardness, the many comic sequences, Lois's reaction, the editor's favourable attitude? Lois and her reaction about the job? The antagonism between the two - the basis for her love for Superman?

16. The pacing of the film in New York - the spectacle of the helicopter incident, Superman's rescue and Clark's decision (and the humour about the unsuitable telephone booth?), capturing the thief walking up the wall, the robbers and bringing the boat to the city? Popular reaction, the police, the papers?

17. The bringing of Lois and Superman together after his rescuing her? The humour and tongue-in-cheek interview about Superman and his humanity and powers? The humour of the innuendo? The transition to Peter Pan style and their Superman flying over the city? The lyrical style of this section of the film - the song poem by Lois of Read my Mind? The pace, tone, romance, revealing of Lois's character?

18. The presentation of Luthor as a diabolical villain opposed to Superman, Yet his stupidity? Hi two assistants and his choice of such gullible people to help him? His palace style under New York the mock heroic and trashy style? The policeman and his being killed by the train? Wealth, the pool? Yet his shrewdness in understanding Kryptonite? How to destroy Superman? The theft, changing of the missile ranges and the humour and ease of himself and his assistants in their disguises? His over-confidence? His cleverness in summoning Superman and his arrogant villainy in trying to destroy him? The betrayal of his assistant? The final arrest and his being imprisoned? Gene Hackman's portrayal of this kind of villain - as a match for superman? His diabolical mind and plan for evil?

19. His stupid assistant and the comic Batman style of humour? his glamorous assistant, her help in the plans? Her rescuing Superman and failing in love with him - and all unreachable men? asking him to save her mother?

20. The counterpoint with Lois and. her investigations, the danger with her car, the strong sequence of her dying? rhe humour of Superman's stopping the world and flying around it and time over again? Lois's attitude towards Superman and not realizing he had saved her life? A happy ending for Lois and Superman?

21. The scheme of Luthor for the destruction of the San Andreas fault, the build-up of the rockets, their going off course? The disaster aspects of the earthquake of the fault, the train and Superman holding the bridge together, destruction on the Golden Gate, the destruction of the dam and the rescue of the photographer? The pace and audience identification with Superman and his super-human rescues? The need for such kind of heroism? The quality of this adventure?

22. The tidiness of the ending? The film as a work in itself - yet needing a sequel especially for the Krypton villains? For Lois and Superman? Superman's final wink to the audience and anticipation of a sequel? The overall effect of this kind of popular escapist entertainment with serious undertones?