"It's too good to be true! He's 6'4", has black hair, blue eyes, doesn't smoke, doesn't drink and tells the truth!" Her line delivery of this was PERFECT!!
In Man of Steel,Zor-El wanted Superman to be the bridge between the Kryptonian race and the human race,his father told him this in the film.He said humanity would join him in the air,they'd fumble,but,one day....
This movie *did* state that the 'S' isn't for Superman, It's his families coat of arms, right? Thus explaining all the other members of the council having different symbols?
@@kerry-j4m All the incarnations of Superman have cross-pollinated with each other over the decades. Legend holds that Kryptonite was created for the 1940s radio show as a way to give Bud Collyer (Superman/Clark) a vacation. On the show, Superman was laid low for a few weeks at the mercy of crooks who imprisoned him with a chunk of Kryptonite. It fell to his best friends--Batman and Robin--to solve the mystery of Superman's disappearance and rescue him. The Superman show became the Batman show for a little while. Then, Bud Collyer returned from vacation. Batman saved Superman, returned to Gotham City and all was well. Then, kryptonite began to appear in the comics--and the mythology.
Christopher Reeve is phenomenal in this role. The scene where he takes off the glasses and considers telling Lois his identity is the perfect explanation of why the glasses work. You can see him transform from Clark Kent into Superman. His posture changes, he looks more confident, and his voice gets deeper. It's more than just the glasses, he's a different person. Aside from that, there's the psychology of it. Superman has all this power and doesn't wear a mask. People don't expect to see him in everyday mundane life. They probably just assume he's Superman all the time. When they look at Clark they don't even consider that he could be Superman. He hides in plain sight and Christopher Reeve's acting sells that. He's playing two different characters in his performance.
That scene was the first time I appreciated how much physicality actors put into their roles, not just voice and facial expressions. He totally sold it and transformed.
Believe it or not, the cristal was never a green color. In the Teather version of the movie,the cristal is Sky blue in color. But when the format of movie was changed to VHS somehow the color changed to a green. And it stayed that way even when the format of the movie was changed to DVD.
Also, the scene of the helicopter falling, and all the scenes of destructions & cars crashes on the San Francisco briged and the destruction of the Dam were all done with miniatures.
@@hectorlanzo8295 i hate to burst your bbubble, but that is not true. i have an original print of the movie that i painstakingly copied to digital. it is in fact green kryptonite. you might be refering to reeves costume. it was a more teal/ greenish hue.so it wouldnt cause issues with the blue screen . they lit it from the front with color correction to compensate. theres still a few scenes in the movie where it looks a little more teal ish, though
True, though they did put Spider-Man in a few made for tv movies. Some believe it was the success of those tv movies that finally encouraged a big screen Superman.
I love this movie, The effects may be dated nowadays, but it's still one of the best superhero movies. And it really captured what makes the Caped Crusader so beloved. Christopher Reeves is the definitive Superman in my opinion.
A big thumbs up not only for a great film but for watching it correctly, with a child's eyes. You didn't compare it to another film or anything from Disney. Neither of you complained that the special effects were dated. I saw this in a theater in 1978 and the idea of seeing Superman was thrilling and the film delivered, it never forgot that the source material was a comic. Kudos on your reactions. The sequal answers some of your questions. As a side note Superman's step father was the great actor Glen Ford who starred in so many great films. The woman on the train with the daughter is the original Lois Lane from the 1952-1958 TV show.
She actually was Lois Lane even before the TV show-she first portrayed the character in the 40s serials with Kirk Alyn. I grew up with a videostore that had ALL the old serials, so I rented the double VHS of them all the time. I actually like the Kirk Alyn stuff better than the George Reeves show since there were better villains (Lex Luthor and the Spiderlady)
some people might recognize Glenn Ford from "Gilda", the movie playing in "The Shawshank Redemption" 46 years later, for me, the most important line in this film was delivered by Marlon Brando: "...their capacity for good..." This movie was made at a time when the President was listening to the Club of Rome, and most science fiction movies were telling us that we sucked sh-t through a straw, and that was too good for us (Soylent Green, Planet of the Monkeymen, etc). This movie was nicely placed between Rocky and the Miracle on Ice. Personally, I think 2025 would be a much better year if more of us were acknowledging our capacity for good. After all, everybody loves this movie. Because Superman is _good_ , and we respond to that. Because we _can_ be good, if we choose to. Superman shows us the way.
This is how I see Superman. Christopher Reeve was pretty much the comic book come to life in this movie. I was 17 when this came out and immediately had a crush on Christopher Reeve. Before this we only had the old b&w tv show with George Reeves as Superman where it was glaringly obvious he was *not* flying. There was also no difference between his persona as Superman and Clark Kent which was why no one could believe that people didn't realize they were the same person. Christopher Reeve absolutely made it believable that no one realized it. The little girl on the train is Lois Lane and the woman playing her mother is the actress who played Lois Lane in the old tv show. The trick with making it believable is Christopher Reeve presenting 2 men with distinctly different personalities, mannerisms, posture and even the pitch and tone of voice between Clark and Superman is different.
I actually always liked the Kirk Alyn serials of the 40s over the George Reeves TV show of the 50s. But you are corret-they didn't even try to make him fly-it switched to a cartoon for his flying scenes
@@jordanparker5949 Jordan, in a way you are correct. Only the first couple seasons were B & W. But in a way, you are wrong since back then only about 8% of televisions in the US were colour TVs (and even less in Canada) so the people actually watching then saw it in B & W
While filming, Christopher Reeve walked into the studio cafeteria for lunch, in full Superman costume, hair etc. The eyes of every woman were glued onto him the entire time. Another time he walked into the cafeteria as Clark Kent. He was completely ignored.
I'm not saying this didn't happen, but I've heard the same story about Viggo Mortensen, Christian Bale, and like three other actors, it's such a trope. That being said I love that moment when Reeves takes the glasses off and stands up taller and you can see the transition from bumbling reporter to Superman.
John Williams' incredible and iconic score really elevates this movie to where it needed to be. My 11 year old self was completely blown away by this, and by Star Wars the previous year!
Superman 2 is a great sequel and will fulfil your questions & concerns. I saw this at the cinema when I was a child... it was amazing for its time. The scene where superman gets upset at Louis's death gives me goose bumps to this day. Christopher was made for this role... so sad what happened to him.
The ad slogan for the film was "You'll believe a man can fly." But the real feat of this film, and Reeve's portrayal, is "You'll believe Superman can disguise himself as Clark Kent."
@@gallendugall8913 What? Nonsense. Lieutenant Columbo is the world's greatest detective. Then Sherlock Holmes. Then Barnaby Jones. Thomas Magnum. And the very underappreciated Spenser!
People keep saying that about how people didn't noticed that Clark Kent was Superman, but there have been many famous people who have lost look alike contests when they went as themselves: Dolly Parton Robert Downy jr. Charles Chaplin Just to name a few.
This was the first time it was shown as a Kryptonian symbol. In the comics, from Superman's first appearance in 1938 up until his reboot in the 1980s, it was only meant to be an S.
15:46 A "dude ranch" is a tourist-focused cattle ranch (i.e. where the actual cattle business is second to tourists pretending to be cowboys). I believe the Billy Crystal film City Slickers (1991) takes place at one.
The thing with the glasses and stuff. It's not just the glasses, it's the whole act. Clark Kent is so clumsy and awkward and nerdy. Superman is strong, confident, composed. Also, Henry Cavill played Superman. He stood under a batman v superman billboard with his face on it in NYC, in a superman t-shirt and glasses. Not a single person realised it was him.
The time ending was for the sequel, but they were over time for this movie, and needed an ending. So, he moved the end of the second movie to end the first movie. You all should watch the second film. It’s tremendous and addresses a lot of loose ends in the first movie.
The tagline for this movie was "You will believe a man can fly." Over 40 years later, thanks largely to Christopher Reeve's amazing portrayal of Kal-El, I still believe.
None of today’s superhero movies would be possible without this film. Remember, no CGI. Christopher Reeve is the penultimate Superman. Story, writing and direction are all superb. Yes, watch Superman II. Fun sequel.
Does "OG" mean original? If so, there were 2 actors who portrayed Superman in live action before him-Kirk Alyn in the 40s, and George Reeves in the 50s (Actually Alyn, and Noel Neill (Lois Lane) had a cameo in this as the parents of the little girl (who was supposed to be Lois) who saw Clark running by the train)
Christopher Reeve was a real life Superman too. He was a good person. Also, the scene where he and Louis fly is one of the most beautiful moments in cinema for me to this day. The music and imagery can make a grown man cry. They didn’t have to take the source material as seriously as they did, but they went all in! This film is a piece of art!
I love that you are watching some older movies! I just watched your reactions to Wizard of Oz and as always, it was really fun to watch. I'm looking forward to this reaction as well.
Superman II is just as good as this one. My brother and I grew up watching this movie and saw it in theaters when it first came out. It was a huge deal and a huge movie with lines around the block, waiting to buy tickets. This movie was the first of it's kind, the first major superhero movie to hit theaters. And at the time, the special effects were considered great. Christopher Reeve will always be Superman to me. His acting and his portrayal of Clark Kent was genius. I just don't feel that any of the other actors later on have been able to capture Superman and Clark Kent in the same way that Reeve did. RIP to the great Christopher Reeve.
An actor the level of Ned Beatty takes a small part and makes it classic. Instant character establishment. Not only does he try to steal from a blind man, but he fails as well 🤣 "Otis... burg...?"
I am so glad I watched your reaction to Superman. I saw it in theaters when it came out, then tv, VHS, laser disk, dvd, blue ray as well as digital on streaming service. Watching you two, if I might be excused for saying, are an adorable couple, seeing your glee and sincere appreciation for this movie has taken me back in time. I felt like a 10 year old watching it in theater again with you two as fellow movie goers sharing the emotions of, before CGI, believing a man could fly. Thank you so much for letting me tag along in this very special journey for me at least. May you live long, happy and successful lives.
He's largely forgotten by you young whippersnappers, but Clark Kent's Earth father was played by Glenn Ford, who was a pretty big actor back in the day. And you talk about Brando being famous...so was Gene Hackman. He's absolutely a huge name in the history of cinema.
Jor-El warned his son to not interfere with history (time), as such great power can be seductive. With great power comes great responsibility. Kal-El may have averted being corrupted this time, but the next time may not be as good.
The key to understanding this movie is that when it was made, Superman as a character was more well-known from the 50s TV series than from the comics, and the movie is based mainly on the TV series continuity. I've seen articles from comics fandom that complain the movie makers seemed to have never even looked at a comic book, and that's pretty much right: they looked at the TV series instead. Though I love the comics, I don't actually consider this a flaw: the movie was serving what was at the time the larger fandom. On Superman breaking Jor-el's rule: he wasn't breaking a magical rule resulting in magical consequences, he was deciding which father he would follow: Jor-el or Jonathan Kent. By choosing Jonathan, he decided what sort of hero he'd be. (In the comics some years later, he would face this same choice and say "It may have been Krypton that gave me powers, but it was Earth that made me Superman.")
2:05 More on this: The producers getting Marlon Brando and Gene Hackman for this movie was the selling point for getting studio backing. Notice that they were the ones who were listed before the title; Christopher Reeve was an unknown Juilliard graduate with a few TV roles when this came out. 2:19 Richard Donner said in an interview that when he first saw the opening credits, the music was so perfect he practically heard the title “Superman” when it appeared. 22:46 I always say that this is the biggest giveaway that Superman is Clark Kent. They’re both huge nerds. 32:11 You didn’t show the actual transition from Clark to Superman, but you can see the whole change in his face, his body, his attitude. “That’s ACTING!” (And if you don’t get that reference, Google “SNL Master Thespian.”) 37:54 The tech in the foreground who does everything in this scene is John Ratzenberger, who’s been a character in just about every Pixar movie (notably Hamm in “Toy Story” and Mack in “Cars”), though you’re probably too young to know him as Cliff Clavin from “Cheers.”
That famous theme music? By the great John Williams who did Star Wars and so many others. My favorite is his score for the 1979 Dracula with Frank Langella. 🦇 ❤
@@bobbuethe1477 However, it was Marlon Brando's idea that each house crest be shown on the other scientists' suits, along with him. At that point, it was not simply, an "S" anymore. Then he ran off into the sunset, naked, happy and rich.
yes, but not the idea of each house having its separate symbol. the explanation later is now canon. i believe its definition 'expanded' through the years@@bobbuethe1477
i first saw this when i was 6 or 7 years old, and it wasn't until i was a teenager that i realized my fear of being buried alive comes from the scene with lois during the earthquake. so traumatizing.
something this movie got right that the new ones didn't was Johnathan Kent dying from a heart attack, something that Clark couldn't save him from to teach him that he couldn't save everyone
You are now watching the first of the legendary superhero movies. I saw this in the theater and it was amazing then. The movies tag line was "You will believe a man can fly". And we were amazed at how much it really looked like he was flying. So the emblem on his uniform isn't the Superman symbol...it's the family crest for the house of El. He is Jor-El and Superman's real name is Kal-El. The crystal created the Fortress of Solitude, his base and home away from home. So you definitely need to watch the next one, it's even better.
I love this comic called American Alien, where one of Clark’s friends says “you must never take your glasses off when you’re in ‘Clark mode!’” His response: “I do all the time. People say ‘hey, you look just like Superman!’”
Exactly. The context keeps them from jumping to the conclusion that he IS Superman. I have a friend who looks just like Chris Noth. But since everyone around my friend assumes there’s no way Chris Noth would just be working a desk job and hanging out with them, they will never jump to the conclusion that he’s really Chris Noth. Even if he is!
Next up, *the theatrical cut* of _Superman II,_ then _Superman Returns!_ The little girl on the train is supposed to be young Lois Lane - and her parents are played by Noel Neill (Lois Lane from the 1940s Superman movie and '50s TV series) and Kirk Alyn (Superman in the 1940s movie). Noel Neill came back again in _Superman Returns_ as someone else. A great movie about a dude ranch is _City Slickers,_ starring Billy Crystal (When Harry Met Sally...) and Helen Slater (Supergirl) with Daniel Stern (Home Alone).
I totally agree-make sure you see the theatrical cut, not the Donner version. It's the one I grew up on and saw in the movies in 1981 (I know the movie was released in '80-but I saw it in '81 in Canada)
to go a slightly philosophical route, some have suggested that Superman's disguise as Clark Kent is Superman's commentary on how he perceives humans. I am not sure I agree with that as opposed to the best disguise a person can have is an unassuming, clark-kent-esque mannerism. If you saw Clark Kent in person would you rreeaalllyyy believe him to be Superman? lol
superman is a great movie, i have almost seen all movies from the 70s and 80s, and even oldies, try the oldie FORBIDDEN PLANET with Leslie Nielsen, you wont be dissapointed and you will be surprised what they could achieve in that era
The "prison" was called the "Phantom Zone" it was another dimension where Krypton imprisoned its most evil criminals. Once in it, the person would not age and could not be hurt BUT also could not get out until he was released. And the different symbols worn in the council's robes were Family Totems, the S not representing (S)UPERMAN on Superman's costume but his family's name.
I noticed that the Mario Puzo name stuck out to you. He wrote The Godfather book and the screenplays for the movies, winning Oscars for the first 2 movies for adapted screenplay. He wrote the screenplay for the 1st 2 Superman movies
Wonderful reactions -- you are both so much fun together, obviously very kind, smart people, and I loved your reactions to one of my favorite films of all time. Superman II is honestly just as good, and much of it was filmed by Donner at the same time. I also love the humor of it as well, and especially think Christopher Reeve was so underappreciated for his acting skills here -- he's so physical and funny as Clark, and so believably heroic as Superman. Just a wonderful and iconic performance.
The 'little girl' on the train was a young Lois Lane. The two who were playing her parents, were Noel Neal, TV's Lois Lane from the 1950s TV show and Kirk Alyn, the original Superman actor form the chapter serials of the 1940s.
Yes! I grew up watching those serials. I wish someone would react to those, but I think they are so far from the common perview that it probably won't happen
30:53 The music playing in the background here is called "Can You Read My Mind?" and originally they wanted Margot Kidder (Lois) to sing it. But since, by her own admission, "cannot sing her way out of a paper bag", they kept it an instrumental and had her RECITE the lyrics...that's why it sounds lie she's reciting poetry.
A funny story about getting Gene Hackman (Lex Luthor) to shave off his mustache, which he was well known for up to that point. Richard Donner the director said, "I'll tell you what. If you shave off yours, I will shave off mine" and so he agreed. On the first day of shooting, Gene shows up with the mustache gone but he sees that Richard still has one, so he mentions it to him. Richard says, "Oh, right" and peals off his fake mustache...
In the clouds he heard the arguments of BOTH of his fathers: Jor-El and Jonathan. The "advanced civilization" Jor-El thought his forbidding his son would be sufficient. However, his earthly father had taught him to do what is right and Jonathan won out during that debate.
Glad you asked these questions. This film attempts to give a context to Superman's "S". On Krypton, each family has it's own identifying symbol, worn as an amulet. Jor El's symbol just happens to resemble what looks to us like the letter "S". The Krypton elders robes were made entirely of the same highly reflective material ordinarily used in narrow strips on firefighter's jackets. When a strong direct light is shone on it the camera reads it as being illuminated from within. On the set the fabric appeared simply as a dull gray. The little girl on the train is young Lois Lane. Her parents are played by Kirk Alyn, the first movie Superman in 1948 and Noel Neill, tv's Lois Lane in the '50s. By the way, though it's easy to miss, the glasses aren't the only difference. Superman combs his hair from left to right, Clark combs it from right to left.
The reason he's not recognised is because they don't know that it's a disguise. WE do, they don't. They don't know that throughout the day he dresses as a news reporter. They'd just see him as someone else altogether.
I was born in 1976 so this the Superman movie and actor I and my generation grew up with. Christopher Reeve in my opinion came to embody his portrayal of Superman through the resilience and toughness he showed following his tragic horse riding accident. Most people might have given up and given in to such horrific injuries and or setbacks but he fought to live as normal a life as he could for as long as he could becoming in a way a real life Superman providing hope and inspiration to many in similar situations as his.
My friends and I burst out of the theater, wearing our coats and shirts as capes after seeing this movie. The special effects for the time were amazing.
Hands down, this movie here has the best SUPERMAN ROAR ever in all SUPERMAN movies. We all know which part I'm talking bout. Yall keep up the GREAT WORK. I'm really glad yall gave this one a look. 💯🇺🇲😎
Clark wears his hair swept back and the to the right with a left side part; as Superman, his hair is still parted on the left, but it's not as slicked back and the swept back hair falls across his forehead forming the iconic S-curl. Reeve was the first one to switch the hair parts for Clark vs Superman, possibly because Reeve's own hair parted on the right. Cain's hair was worn loose and falling forward as Clark and swept back into a DA Pompadour as Superman, again, going with the actor's natural part. Routh's hair was parted on the right and falling over his forehead as Clark and swept back and to the left with a backwards S-curl as Superman. Cavill's Clark and Superman had right side parts with the hair swept back and left as Superman in MoS and BvS, but swept back and right with a left side part for Justice League (which is actually Cavill's natural part.) We don't know how Corenswet will wear his hair, but his natural part is on the left and his wave and curl already form an S-curl when his hair is rumpled, just like Cavill's for that matter. As to the glasses; Superman has un-naturally blue eyes and the glasses make them appear more gray. Holding one's jaw differently like Reeve does as Clark also changes his looks.
@jayharvey7043 is more or less correct. In Superman #330 (the December 1978 issue), it was revealed that the special plastic lenses in Clark Kent's glasses had a hypnotic property that causes people to not recognize Clark as Superman. But there was much ridicule and criticism over that idea, so it was never mentioned in the comics again.
i'm reminded of this comic from years ago. lex luthor once spent billions of dollars to create a super computer with only one purpose: find out superman's secret identity. after months of work and calculations, the computer eventually gave him the answer: clark kent. luthor promptly had the computer dismantled and destoryed. his reason: he refused to believe that a being as powerful and godlike as superman would ever debase himself by pretending to be a bumbling reporter from the country. its not just the glasses that fools people. its his whole personality.
And the actors who played her parents were Noel Neill and Kirk Alyn, who played Lois and Superman in the 1948 movie serial. (Noel played Lois again in the 1950s "Adventures of Superman" TV series.)
26:51 Fun Fact: Perry White (the boss) was born in 1922 and he was a featured member of the "Our Gang" ensemble (similar to "The Little Rascals") from 1929 to 1931
Jackie Cooper also holds the record for being the youngest actor ever (9 years old) to receive an Oscar nomination for Best Actor, for his role in 1931's "Skippy".
That's not this Superman. That's Post-Crisis Superman. Golden, Silver and Bronze Age Superman were all Superman is the real being and Clark is the disguise.
@@fiddiehacked Bill was talking about Golden, Silver and Bronze Age Superman seeing humanity as frail and weak, not Post-Crisis. Given Bill's age, he would not have likely been familiar with Post-Crisis Superman where Clark is the man and Superman is the disguise.
@@trhansen3244 I always liked the theatrical version of the movie. But, when I was a young child, ABC aired a version of Superman II which is mostly what we now call “The Donner Cut,” except it was even better than “TDC.” Because it was a complete movie, a complete melding of Richard Donner and Richard Lester. Extended scenes. You can see many of those cut scenes here on TH-cam, now. But, there’s not a complete version of that film available in the United States. I think they offer it on DVD in England as Superman II: The International Version. That is the best possible version of the film.
9:19 The woman in the grey suit is Noel Neill. The original Lois Lane from the Superman TV series from 1948. 34:09 that solider talking is Larry Hagman, JR Euing from the TV show "DALLAS", and Major Anthony Nelson from the TV show "I Dream of Jeannie."
Christopher Reeve was a Julliard-trained actor and came up with the physical and vocal differences between the two characters on his own. Being an actor first, he had to develop the Superman physique after being chosen for the role. He didn't want to wear any padding in his costume, so he gained over 20lbs before production started. Reeve also continued to bulk up through the first two sequels.
I immediately wanted to point this out when I watched, but you beat me to it! 😊 So many people joke about how NO ONE would fall for Clark/Superman simply because of his glasses, but it isn’t that in this movie! Christopher Reeve was such a great actor that he could have pulled off the switcheroo WITHOUT using the glasses at all!
Nick and Quynh (i hope that is spelled right) reacting to classic Superman? Yes please!!! Can't believe you in particular had never seen this before, oh Nick! Still, better late than never, right!?!😅 This movie really was groundbreaking for the time, and was responsible for a resurgence of interest in superhero films and shows in the late 70s and 80s. Will always have very fond memories of this movie and the first sequel. The other two...meh. 3 wasnt bad, just not quite the same, and 4 was a total hot mess and bit of a joke. At any rate, can't wait to watch this. Cheers!!!😁 Edit, in regards to your question about the different symbols on the Kryptonian clothes in the beginning: What we know as the Superman symbol isn't really that, or even an S. It is the Kryptonian symbol for "hope", and was used by the El family line as their crest, basically coat of arms. That is what all the different symbols represent, the crests of different prominent family lines. Hope that helps. Cheers again!!
31:40 This was a neat trick to pull off in 1978. Superman leaves, Lois gradually walks back inside, then Clark knocks on the door, all in one take. Wanna know how they did that?
If you check out part 2 checkout the Richard Donner cut, watch the theatrical version as well. The studio and Richard Donner parted ways and they brought in Richard Lester in to do part 2. And after 30 years of fans letting WB know they wanted to see Richard Donner’s original vision of part 2.
13:48 Jor-El's monologue is really inspiring. If you ever continue with the superman franchise in order up to the 2006 superman returns, you may hear those words again.
@@trhansen3244 Superman returns is a wonderful homage to these earlier superman movies. Man of steel didn't understand the essence of superman and therefore feels soulless.
![First Time Watching *Superman* (1978) After *Man of Steel* [Reaction]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/WwA_v5Nz2RE/mqdefault.jpg)
Not only was Christopher Reeve the best Superman, he was by far the best Clark Kent.
You nailed it. That's where Henry Cavil fell short. He wasn't a convincing Clark Kent at all.
Reeve's comic sense was invaluable to this. Something that films based on Batman, etc. never could.
Not sure about that. His Kent is a bit of a caricature.
I recently read that when he was Superman on the set all the woman would be ga-ga, but when he walked through as Clark Kent he got zero attention.
Christopher Reeve is still the only Clark Kent who make me even remotely believe he wasn't Superman. He was, and is, the best.
R.I.P Christopher Reeve. He will always be Superman to me.
He is the only Superman for me!
Reeve IS Superman. Definitive.
Agreed 👍
Superman II is definitely worth a watch. It's still one of my favorite comic-book movies to this day.
The action kicks up and it was my fav as a child.
ABSOLUTELY
Superman II. And Megamind if they haven't seen it yet. And also Deathtrap (1982) if anyone wants to see more of Christopher Reeve.
The Donner cut please?
@@rafaelrosario5331 The Donner Cut is nice but I always think it's worth watching the theatrical release first.
This is the film which started the big screen superhero film genre. Without Superman the Movie, there would be no DCEU or MCU.
"It's too good to be true! He's 6'4", has black hair, blue eyes, doesn't smoke, doesn't drink and tells the truth!" Her line delivery of this was PERFECT!!
"That's Clark, nice!" -Lois
Superman at his core is a symbol of hope. This film captures that beautifully.
That's why it's the ONLY CINEMATIC SUPERMAN.
In Man of Steel,Zor-El wanted Superman to be the bridge between the Kryptonian race and the human race,his father told him this in the film.He said humanity would join him in the air,they'd fumble,but,one day....
This movie *did* state that the 'S' isn't for Superman, It's his families coat of arms, right? Thus explaining all the other members of the council having different symbols?
@@JoeThornhill You are absolutely correct,amigo. And the Superman comics followed suit also by including this nice touch into the Superman mythos.
@@kerry-j4m All the incarnations of Superman have cross-pollinated with each other over the decades.
Legend holds that Kryptonite was created for the 1940s radio show as a way to give Bud Collyer (Superman/Clark) a vacation. On the show, Superman was laid low for a few weeks at the mercy of crooks who imprisoned him with a chunk of Kryptonite. It fell to his best friends--Batman and Robin--to solve the mystery of Superman's disappearance and rescue him. The Superman show became the Batman show for a little while.
Then, Bud Collyer returned from vacation. Batman saved Superman, returned to Gotham City and all was well.
Then, kryptonite began to appear in the comics--and the mythology.
Christopher Reeve is phenomenal in this role. The scene where he takes off the glasses and considers telling Lois his identity is the perfect explanation of why the glasses work. You can see him transform from Clark Kent into Superman. His posture changes, he looks more confident, and his voice gets deeper. It's more than just the glasses, he's a different person. Aside from that, there's the psychology of it. Superman has all this power and doesn't wear a mask. People don't expect to see him in everyday mundane life. They probably just assume he's Superman all the time. When they look at Clark they don't even consider that he could be Superman. He hides in plain sight and Christopher Reeve's acting sells that. He's playing two different characters in his performance.
That scene was the first time I appreciated how much physicality actors put into their roles, not just voice and facial expressions. He totally sold it and transformed.
Clark and Superman also part their hair on the opposite side of each other
Believe it or not, the cristal was never a green color. In the Teather version of the movie,the cristal is Sky blue in color. But when the format of movie was changed to VHS somehow the color changed to a green. And it stayed that way even when the format of the movie was changed to DVD.
Also, the scene of the helicopter falling, and all the scenes of destructions & cars crashes on the San Francisco briged and the destruction of the Dam were all done with miniatures.
@@hectorlanzo8295 i hate to burst your bbubble, but that is not true. i have an original print of the movie that i painstakingly copied to digital. it is in fact green kryptonite. you might be refering to reeves costume. it was a more teal/ greenish hue.so it wouldnt cause issues with the blue screen . they lit it from the front with color correction to compensate. theres still a few scenes in the movie where it looks a little more teal ish, though
Superman the movie was the first big budget superhero movie, at a time when NO ONE would put a superhero on the movie screen.
True, though they did put Spider-Man in a few made for tv movies. Some believe it was the success of those tv movies that finally encouraged a big screen Superman.
@@trhansen3244 And there's Batman (1966), to which very few people have reacted.
The first Superman movie was in 1948, Batman 1939, The Phantom 1943, And these were during WW2 when food and products were scarce
jessquinn6106 those were serials
@@deathmetal271 Still, they were movies.
“That’s me when I find a dog”. She’s a keeper.
😅😂
The difference between Clark and Superman is an absolute brilliant performance by Christopher Reeve.
I love this movie, The effects may be dated nowadays, but it's still one of the best superhero movies. And it really captured what makes the Caped Crusader so beloved. Christopher Reeves is the definitive Superman in my opinion.
The Caped Crusader is Batman
@@jlhanlon1980 Agreed.
@DanGamingFan2846 Smallville is one of my favorite TV shows and Christopher praised Tom’s portrayal of CK. ❤️❤️
@@wampa25 I think you are right. I think they called Superman the Big Blue Cheese.
@trhansen3244 Supernan has been called the Man of Steel, the Man of Tomorrow and the Last Son of Krypton
A big thumbs up not only for a great film but for watching it correctly, with a child's eyes. You didn't compare it to another film or anything from Disney. Neither of you complained that the special effects were dated. I saw this in a theater in 1978 and the idea of seeing Superman was thrilling and the film delivered, it never forgot that the source material was a comic. Kudos on your reactions. The sequal answers some of your questions. As a side note Superman's step father was the great actor Glen Ford who starred in so many great films. The woman on the train with the daughter is the original Lois Lane from the 1952-1958 TV show.
She actually was Lois Lane even before the TV show-she first portrayed the character in the 40s serials with Kirk Alyn. I grew up with a videostore that had ALL the old serials, so I rented the double VHS of them all the time. I actually like the Kirk Alyn stuff better than the George Reeves show since there were better villains (Lex Luthor and the Spiderlady)
some people might recognize Glenn Ford from "Gilda", the movie playing in "The Shawshank Redemption"
46 years later, for me, the most important line in this film was delivered by Marlon Brando:
"...their capacity for good..."
This movie was made at a time when the President was listening to the Club of Rome, and most science fiction movies were telling us that we sucked sh-t through a straw, and that was too good for us (Soylent Green, Planet of the Monkeymen, etc). This movie was nicely placed between Rocky and the Miracle on Ice.
Personally, I think 2025 would be a much better year if more of us were acknowledging our capacity for good.
After all, everybody loves this movie. Because Superman is _good_ , and we respond to that. Because we _can_ be good, if we choose to. Superman shows us the way.
This is how I see Superman. Christopher Reeve was pretty much the comic book come to life in this movie. I was 17 when this came out and immediately had a crush on Christopher Reeve.
Before this we only had the old b&w tv show with George Reeves as Superman where it was glaringly obvious he was *not* flying. There was also no difference between his persona as Superman and Clark Kent which was why no one could believe that people didn't realize they were the same person. Christopher Reeve absolutely made it believable that no one realized it.
The little girl on the train is Lois Lane and the woman playing her mother is the actress who played Lois Lane in the old tv show.
The trick with making it believable is Christopher Reeve presenting 2 men with distinctly different personalities, mannerisms, posture and even the pitch and tone of voice between Clark and Superman is different.
Exactly. Reeve used his posture and voice along with the clumsiness quite well to sell the fact that CK and Kal’el are two different people.
Not all of the George Reeves Superman was in black and white. Quite a bit in color.
@@jordanparker5949 yeah I forgot that it eventually went to color. Been a lot of years since I watched it.
I actually always liked the Kirk Alyn serials of the 40s over the George Reeves TV show of the 50s. But you are corret-they didn't even try to make him fly-it switched to a cartoon for his flying scenes
@@jordanparker5949 Jordan, in a way you are correct. Only the first couple seasons were B & W. But in a way, you are wrong since back then only about 8% of televisions in the US were colour TVs (and even less in Canada) so the people actually watching then saw it in B & W
While filming, Christopher Reeve walked into the studio cafeteria for lunch, in full Superman costume, hair etc. The eyes of every woman were glued onto him the entire time. Another time he walked into the cafeteria as Clark Kent. He was completely ignored.
Well, to be fair, maybe it was the red underroos. 😂
@@shirw Superman just does not look right without the red briefs.
And who witnessed all of this ?
I'm not saying this didn't happen, but I've heard the same story about Viggo Mortensen, Christian Bale, and like three other actors, it's such a trope. That being said I love that moment when Reeves takes the glasses off and stands up taller and you can see the transition from bumbling reporter to Superman.
@@stevejoshua9536 presumably the people who were there. You could probably look it up for specifics.
John Williams' incredible and iconic score really elevates this movie to where it needed to be. My 11 year old self was completely blown away by this, and by Star Wars the previous year!
Superman 2 is a great sequel and will fulfil your questions & concerns. I saw this at the cinema when I was a child... it was amazing for its time. The scene where superman gets upset at Louis's death gives me goose bumps to this day. Christopher was made for this role... so sad what happened to him.
I saw the last 3 Christopher Reeve movies in the theatre too! I actually never got the hate for III, although IV is a tough one to praise
The ad slogan for the film was "You'll believe a man can fly." But the real feat of this film, and Reeve's portrayal, is "You'll believe Superman can disguise himself as Clark Kent."
Explains why Batman is that world's greatest detective - everyone else is oblivious!
@@gallendugall8913 What? Nonsense. Lieutenant Columbo is the world's greatest detective. Then Sherlock Holmes. Then Barnaby Jones. Thomas Magnum. And the very underappreciated Spenser!
People keep saying that about how people didn't noticed that Clark Kent was Superman, but there have been many famous people who have lost look alike contests when they went as themselves:
Dolly Parton
Robert Downy jr.
Charles Chaplin
Just to name a few.
That scene in Lois' apartment is extraordinary acting.
@@trhansen3244sorry bud, rules are rules
Worlds greatest Detective is one of many Titles for The Batman
The Superman symbol isn't an S, It's his family crest. On Krypton we see everyone wearing their own family crest.
retcon
@@Lethgar_Smith It was a Kryptonian symbol all the way back in the Silver Age, but this movie was the first time it was shown as a Family Crest.
@@Lethgar_Smith New to comics?
@@Lethgar_Smith This movie is the retcon.
This was the first time it was shown as a Kryptonian symbol. In the comics, from Superman's first appearance in 1938 up until his reboot in the 1980s, it was only meant to be an S.
15:46 A "dude ranch" is a tourist-focused cattle ranch (i.e. where the actual cattle business is second to tourists pretending to be cowboys). I believe the Billy Crystal film City Slickers (1991) takes place at one.
Very popular in the 70's. I visited one w/ my family as a child. It has since died down, but there are still some out there.
The thing with the glasses and stuff. It's not just the glasses, it's the whole act. Clark Kent is so clumsy and awkward and nerdy. Superman is strong, confident, composed.
Also, Henry Cavill played Superman. He stood under a batman v superman billboard with his face on it in NYC, in a superman t-shirt and glasses. Not a single person realised it was him.
And I always notice how hardly anyone looks Clark in the face more than briefly. Mostly from the persona he puts on to be uninteresting to them.
Cavill DID NOT play Superman, he played Bizarro/Ultraman, learn the difference.
@@radicalreactions1633 Last I checked it was Superman
A phone booth to change clothes - a glass walled box in public. SMH
@@ShuffleUpandDeal32that character was NOT Superman
The time ending was for the sequel, but they were over time for this movie, and needed an ending. So, he moved the end of the second movie to end the first movie. You all should watch the second film. It’s tremendous and addresses a lot of loose ends in the first movie.
The tagline for this movie was "You will believe a man can fly." Over 40 years later, thanks largely to Christopher Reeve's amazing portrayal of Kal-El, I still believe.
The power house of John Williams and The London Symphony Orchestra.
Christopher Reeve was also good in Somewhere In Time (sad but good movie)
Yes
He didn't change like magic, he just did it so fast we didn't see it ..
None of today’s superhero movies would be possible without this film. Remember, no CGI. Christopher Reeve is the penultimate Superman. Story, writing and direction are all superb. Yes, watch Superman II. Fun sequel.
I'm curious, if Christopher Reeve is in second place for you, who's your top Superman?
@@winedarkemperorThat's what I was going to say. Who's the ultimate Superman then?
@@winedarkemperor Showing my ignorance of the definition. Sorry.
I hate most CGI, especially the films like the lame "300." They're just cartoons for "adults?" on the cheap.
George Reeves is the ultimate Superman.
I saw this in the theater when it premiered. Christopher Reeves is the OG. He made us believe that a man could fly.
Reeve
Does "OG" mean original? If so, there were 2 actors who portrayed Superman in live action before him-Kirk Alyn in the 40s, and George Reeves in the 50s (Actually Alyn, and Noel Neill (Lois Lane) had a cameo in this as the parents of the little girl (who was supposed to be Lois) who saw Clark running by the train)
@@SJHFoto OG meaning he was the best.
Christopher Reeve was a real life Superman too. He was a good person. Also, the scene where he and Louis fly is one of the most beautiful moments in cinema for me to this day. The music and imagery can make a grown man cry. They didn’t have to take the source material as seriously as they did, but they went all in! This film is a piece of art!
I love that you are watching some older movies! I just watched your reactions to Wizard of Oz and as always, it was really fun to watch. I'm looking forward to this reaction as well.
Yeah we really enjoy checking out older movies, the vibe/ pace is different in a special way. Hope you enjoy!
Superman II is just as good as this one. My brother and I grew up watching this movie and saw it in theaters when it first came out. It was a huge deal and a huge movie with lines around the block, waiting to buy tickets. This movie was the first of it's kind, the first major superhero movie to hit theaters. And at the time, the special effects were considered great. Christopher Reeve will always be Superman to me. His acting and his portrayal of Clark Kent was genius. I just don't feel that any of the other actors later on have been able to capture Superman and Clark Kent in the same way that Reeve did. RIP to the great Christopher Reeve.
An actor the level of Ned Beatty takes a small part and makes it classic. Instant character establishment. Not only does he try to steal from a blind man, but he fails as well 🤣 "Otis... burg...?"
This film is filled with Oscar caliber performances. Beatty, Hackman, Ford and of course Christopher Reeve.
@@trhansen3244 "Little 'souvenir' from the 'old home town?'"
Ned Beatty was amazing. Comedy, drama, leading man, villain, supporting cast - I'm amazed he never picked up an Oscar, Emmy, or Tony!
@@fiddiehacked "Network." 😳 Amazing.
Sadly, he died fairly recently
Superman's first appearance always involves a plane/heli/spaceship and Lois is always the one that names him.
I am so glad I watched your reaction to Superman. I saw it in theaters when it came out, then tv, VHS, laser disk, dvd, blue ray as well as digital on streaming service. Watching you two, if I might be excused for saying, are an adorable couple, seeing your glee and sincere appreciation for this movie has taken me back in time. I felt like a 10 year old watching it in theater again with you two as fellow movie goers sharing the emotions of, before CGI, believing a man could fly. Thank you so much for letting me tag along in this very special journey for me at least. May you live long, happy and successful lives.
Thank you so much! This is such a nice comment, and we wish you nothing but the best :)
I consider Superman 2 one of the best sequels in exitence, so check that out when you get a chance.
I love when Perry White says “You got bags of humility.” 😂😂😅
Humility is Joe Biden 's one fault.
You two looked like you had so much fun watching this!
That’s the charm of this groundbreaking classic.
He's largely forgotten by you young whippersnappers, but Clark Kent's Earth father was played by Glenn Ford, who was a pretty big actor back in the day. And you talk about Brando being famous...so was Gene Hackman. He's absolutely a huge name in the history of cinema.
Glenn Ford was in so many amazing films, but if I had to choose one favourite of his it would definitely be 1946's "Gilda".
Jor-El warned his son to not interfere with history (time), as such great power can be seductive. With great power comes great responsibility. Kal-El may have averted being corrupted this time, but the next time may not be as good.
This is really a 2 part movie. You need to watch Superman 2.
"You've got me...Who's got you?" One of my favorite lines in movie history.
The key to understanding this movie is that when it was made, Superman as a character was more well-known from the 50s TV series than from the comics, and the movie is based mainly on the TV series continuity. I've seen articles from comics fandom that complain the movie makers seemed to have never even looked at a comic book, and that's pretty much right: they looked at the TV series instead. Though I love the comics, I don't actually consider this a flaw: the movie was serving what was at the time the larger fandom.
On Superman breaking Jor-el's rule: he wasn't breaking a magical rule resulting in magical consequences, he was deciding which father he would follow: Jor-el or Jonathan Kent. By choosing Jonathan, he decided what sort of hero he'd be. (In the comics some years later, he would face this same choice and say "It may have been Krypton that gave me powers, but it was Earth that made me Superman.")
The 50s series was awesome.
Yeah, you should see the sequel. It is a great continuation of the story and maybe they wrap up the Zod stuff from the beginning of this one.
“Priorities, lady!!” 😂 Funny, but she is proving she is selfish, too, by giving him the kiss before even taking the kryptonite chain off.
Yeah she’s with Lex for a reason.
Taking not giving a kiss
This is my favorite movie of all time. Glad it still holds up for the younger folks!
31:00 No Superman wasn't reading her mind. That was just her inner dialogue.
It's actually the lyrics to the song being played in the background. Can You Read My Mind (1979) by Maureen McGovern.
The mother of the girl on the train was Lois Lane from the original Superman series....
Don't forget Jimmy too!
And the little girl is present day Lois👍
The girl’s father was played by Kirk Allyn, who played Superman in a couple of movies in the 40s and 50s.
2:05 More on this: The producers getting Marlon Brando and Gene Hackman for this movie was the selling point for getting studio backing. Notice that they were the ones who were listed before the title; Christopher Reeve was an unknown Juilliard graduate with a few TV roles when this came out.
2:19 Richard Donner said in an interview that when he first saw the opening credits, the music was so perfect he practically heard the title “Superman” when it appeared.
22:46 I always say that this is the biggest giveaway that Superman is Clark Kent. They’re both huge nerds.
32:11 You didn’t show the actual transition from Clark to Superman, but you can see the whole change in his face, his body, his attitude. “That’s ACTING!” (And if you don’t get that reference, Google “SNL Master Thespian.”)
37:54 The tech in the foreground who does everything in this scene is John Ratzenberger, who’s been a character in just about every Pixar movie (notably Hamm in “Toy Story” and Mack in “Cars”), though you’re probably too young to know him as Cliff Clavin from “Cheers.”
When he changed time, he decided who's son he really is. He chose his earth father.
One of my favorites, always loved Christopher Reeve's performance. ❤
This movie has a tremendous script, one of my favorite scripts.
Thank Tom Mankeweicz for bringing humor to Superman the Movie.
I was 9 when this came out. It was perfect!!
That famous theme music? By the great John Williams who did Star Wars and so many others. My favorite is his score for the 1979 Dracula with Frank Langella. 🦇 ❤
Yes, he was on a roll. I always go and forth between Williams and Goldsmith as my favorite film composer.
FYI, each symbol represented a different family "House" Superman's stood for "Hope"
The idea that it means "hope" was first introduced in 2003, in "Superman: Birthright" by Mark Waid.
@@bobbuethe1477 However, it was Marlon Brando's idea that each house crest be shown on the other scientists' suits, along with him. At that point, it was not simply, an "S" anymore. Then he ran off into the sunset, naked, happy and rich.
@@vilefly That's true. It was several years later when that idea finally made it into the comics.
yes, but not the idea of each house having its separate symbol. the explanation later is now canon. i believe its definition 'expanded' through the years@@bobbuethe1477
i first saw this when i was 6 or 7 years old, and it wasn't until i was a teenager that i realized my fear of being buried alive comes from the scene with lois during the earthquake. so traumatizing.
something this movie got right that the new ones didn't was Johnathan Kent dying from a heart attack, something that Clark couldn't save him from to teach him that he couldn't save everyone
You are now watching the first of the legendary superhero movies. I saw this in the theater and it was amazing then. The movies tag line was "You will believe a man can fly". And we were amazed at how much it really looked like he was flying. So the emblem on his uniform isn't the Superman symbol...it's the family crest for the house of El. He is Jor-El and Superman's real name is Kal-El. The crystal created the Fortress of Solitude, his base and home away from home. So you definitely need to watch the next one, it's even better.
was always in love with Chris Reeve. Brilliant actor & this is a classic film. Chris is sadly missed 😢💔
The woman on the train with the kid that he runs by played Lois Lane on the original B&W TV Superman series .
Not just that, the man on the train, Lois' father was played by Kirk Alyn, the first Superman to ever be on screen.
I love this comic called American Alien, where one of Clark’s friends says “you must never take your glasses off when you’re in ‘Clark mode!’”
His response: “I do all the time. People say ‘hey, you look just like Superman!’”
Exactly. The context keeps them from jumping to the conclusion that he IS Superman. I have a friend who looks just like Chris Noth. But since everyone around my friend assumes there’s no way Chris Noth would just be working a desk job and hanging out with them, they will never jump to the conclusion that he’s really Chris Noth. Even if he is!
Those villains at the beginning of the movie show up in the sequel SUPERMAN 2.
This is the Superman i had a crush on.
Next up, *the theatrical cut* of _Superman II,_ then _Superman Returns!_
The little girl on the train is supposed to be young Lois Lane - and her parents are played by Noel Neill (Lois Lane from the 1940s Superman movie and '50s TV series) and Kirk Alyn (Superman in the 1940s movie). Noel Neill came back again in _Superman Returns_ as someone else.
A great movie about a dude ranch is _City Slickers,_ starring Billy Crystal (When Harry Met Sally...) and Helen Slater (Supergirl) with Daniel Stern (Home Alone).
Glad to see you included Superman Returns. It's so underrated.
I totally agree-make sure you see the theatrical cut, not the Donner version. It's the one I grew up on and saw in the movies in 1981 (I know the movie was released in '80-but I saw it in '81 in Canada)
When young Clark was racing with the train, that little girl who was watching him through binoculars was a very young Lois Lane.
And her grandmother sitting next to her was Lois Lane from the 1950s series.
to go a slightly philosophical route, some have suggested that Superman's disguise as Clark Kent is Superman's commentary on how he perceives humans.
I am not sure I agree with that as opposed to the best disguise a person can have is an unassuming, clark-kent-esque mannerism. If you saw Clark Kent in person would you rreeaalllyyy believe him to be Superman? lol
superman is a great movie, i have almost seen all movies from the 70s and 80s, and even oldies, try the oldie FORBIDDEN PLANET with Leslie Nielsen, you wont be dissapointed and you will be surprised what they could achieve in that era
The "prison" was called the "Phantom Zone" it was another dimension where Krypton imprisoned its most evil criminals. Once in it, the person would not age and could not be hurt BUT also could not get out until he was released. And the different symbols worn in the council's robes were Family Totems, the S not representing (S)UPERMAN on Superman's costume but his family's name.
I noticed that the Mario Puzo name stuck out to you. He wrote The Godfather book and the screenplays for the movies, winning Oscars for the first 2 movies for adapted screenplay. He wrote the screenplay for the 1st 2 Superman movies
Wonderful reactions -- you are both so much fun together, obviously very kind, smart people, and I loved your reactions to one of my favorite films of all time. Superman II is honestly just as good, and much of it was filmed by Donner at the same time. I also love the humor of it as well, and especially think Christopher Reeve was so underappreciated for his acting skills here -- he's so physical and funny as Clark, and so believably heroic as Superman. Just a wonderful and iconic performance.
The 'little girl' on the train was a young Lois Lane. The two who were playing her parents, were Noel Neal, TV's Lois Lane from the 1950s TV show and Kirk Alyn, the original Superman actor form the chapter serials of the 1940s.
Yes! I grew up watching those serials. I wish someone would react to those, but I think they are so far from the common perview that it probably won't happen
30:53 The music playing in the background here is called "Can You Read My Mind?" and originally they wanted Margot Kidder (Lois) to sing it. But since, by her own admission, "cannot sing her way out of a paper bag", they kept it an instrumental and had her RECITE the lyrics...that's why it sounds lie she's reciting poetry.
A funny story about getting Gene Hackman (Lex Luthor) to shave off his mustache, which he was well known for up to that point. Richard Donner the director said, "I'll tell you what. If you shave off yours, I will shave off mine" and so he agreed. On the first day of shooting, Gene shows up with the mustache gone but he sees that Richard still has one, so he mentions it to him. Richard says, "Oh, right" and peals off his fake mustache...
5:09 Fun Fact: Baby, Kal-El was actually played by a baby girl.
In the clouds he heard the arguments of BOTH of his fathers: Jor-El and Jonathan. The "advanced civilization" Jor-El thought his forbidding his son would be sufficient. However, his earthly father had taught him to do what is right and Jonathan won out during that debate.
Glad you asked these questions. This film attempts to give a context to Superman's "S". On Krypton, each family has it's own identifying symbol, worn as an amulet. Jor El's symbol just happens to resemble what looks to us like the letter "S". The Krypton elders robes were made entirely of the same highly reflective material ordinarily used in narrow strips on firefighter's jackets. When a strong direct light is shone on it the camera reads it as being illuminated from within. On the set the fabric appeared simply as a dull gray. The little girl on the train is young Lois Lane. Her parents are played by Kirk Alyn, the first movie Superman in 1948 and Noel Neill, tv's Lois Lane in the '50s. By the way, though it's easy to miss, the glasses aren't the only difference. Superman combs his hair from left to right, Clark combs it from right to left.
The reason he's not recognised is because they don't know that it's a disguise. WE do, they don't. They don't know that throughout the day he dresses as a news reporter. They'd just see him as someone else altogether.
We all assume the disguise wouldn't work, because we all over-estimate peoples' face recognition skills.
"They'd just see him as someone else." (Airplane! joke)
I was born in 1976 so this the Superman movie and actor I and my generation grew up with. Christopher Reeve in my opinion came to embody his portrayal of Superman through the resilience and toughness he showed following his tragic horse riding accident. Most people might have given up and given in to such horrific injuries and or setbacks but he fought to live as normal a life as he could for as long as he could becoming in a way a real life Superman providing hope and inspiration to many in similar situations as his.
This here is the definitive Superman movie made 47 years ago and it is real, no CGI!
My friends and I burst out of the theater, wearing our coats and shirts as capes after seeing this movie. The special effects for the time were amazing.
Hands down, this movie here has the best SUPERMAN ROAR ever in all SUPERMAN movies. We all know which part I'm talking bout. Yall keep up the GREAT WORK. I'm really glad yall gave this one a look. 💯🇺🇲😎
Yeah, that scene where he cries out after losing Lois Lane is chilling. Very good acting by Reeve.
@brendag5263 Right on ma'am that'll be the scene💯😎 if you got the surround sound all the bells and whistles crank it up on that scene.
The chemistry between Margot Kidder and Christopher Reeve is sublime. The music is so good its like another character in the film.
Clark's glasses are made from a material that distorts the way people see him, also the part in his hair is on the opposite side as Superman.
nice try :D
@@icoborg I think the comics were all over the place about why Clark and Superman weren't linked, so this is just as reasonable as any other theory.
Clark wears his hair swept back and the to the right with a left side part; as Superman, his hair is still parted on the left, but it's not as slicked back and the swept back hair falls across his forehead forming the iconic S-curl. Reeve was the first one to switch the hair parts for Clark vs Superman, possibly because Reeve's own hair parted on the right. Cain's hair was worn loose and falling forward as Clark and swept back into a DA Pompadour as Superman, again, going with the actor's natural part. Routh's hair was parted on the right and falling over his forehead as Clark and swept back and to the left with a backwards S-curl as Superman. Cavill's Clark and Superman had right side parts with the hair swept back and left as Superman in MoS and BvS, but swept back and right with a left side part for Justice League (which is actually Cavill's natural part.) We don't know how Corenswet will wear his hair, but his natural part is on the left and his wave and curl already form an S-curl when his hair is rumpled, just like Cavill's for that matter.
As to the glasses; Superman has un-naturally blue eyes and the glasses make them appear more gray. Holding one's jaw differently like Reeve does as Clark also changes his looks.
@jayharvey7043 is more or less correct. In Superman #330 (the December 1978 issue), it was revealed that the special plastic lenses in Clark Kent's glasses had a hypnotic property that causes people to not recognize Clark as Superman. But there was much ridicule and criticism over that idea, so it was never mentioned in the comics again.
@bobbuethe1477 thanks for the info
i'm reminded of this comic from years ago. lex luthor once spent billions of dollars to create a super computer with only one purpose: find out superman's secret identity. after months of work and calculations, the computer eventually gave him the answer: clark kent. luthor promptly had the computer dismantled and destoryed. his reason: he refused to believe that a being as powerful and godlike as superman would ever debase himself by pretending to be a bumbling reporter from the country.
its not just the glasses that fools people. its his whole personality.
That “little girl” who sees Clark running beside the train you wouldn’t believe who that was- that was Lois Lane. Yes the Lois lane.
And the actors who played her parents were Noel Neill and Kirk Alyn, who played Lois and Superman in the 1948 movie serial. (Noel played Lois again in the 1950s "Adventures of Superman" TV series.)
26:51 Fun Fact: Perry White (the boss) was born in 1922 and he was a featured member of the "Our Gang" ensemble (similar to "The Little Rascals") from 1929 to 1931
Jackie Cooper also holds the record for being the youngest actor ever (9 years old) to receive an Oscar nomination for Best Actor, for his role in 1931's "Skippy".
Another fun fact is that another member from the Little Rascals played Jimmy Olsen in the 40s serials (which was the first live action Superman)
"Superman is what I can do. Clark is who I am."
Have you seen Pulp Fiction??
That's not this Superman. That's Post-Crisis Superman. Golden, Silver and Bronze Age Superman were all Superman is the real being and Clark is the disguise.
@@fiddiehacked Bill was talking about Golden, Silver and Bronze Age Superman seeing humanity as frail and weak, not Post-Crisis. Given Bill's age, he would not have likely been familiar with Post-Crisis Superman where Clark is the man and Superman is the disguise.
That line was from Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman starring Dean Cain, another excellent Superman.
Blessed to be born in 1968 and experience this in theatres when I was 10ish. Still remember, will never forget.
He is not lying to her when he says “A friend.”
At the same time he dropped some hints he wanted to be more than just friends. Pretty deceptive on his part.
Thank you for reacting to the original Superman! This has been my favorite movie since childhood. Great reaction.
The two versions of the first sequel are named Superman II and Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut.
I love the Donner Cut. Even as a kid I did not like the theatrical version.
@@trhansen3244 I always liked the theatrical version of the movie. But, when I was a young child, ABC aired a version of Superman II which is mostly what we now call “The Donner Cut,” except it was even better than “TDC.” Because it was a complete movie, a complete melding of Richard Donner and Richard Lester. Extended scenes. You can see many of those cut scenes here on TH-cam, now. But, there’s not a complete version of that film available in the United States. I think they offer it on DVD in England as Superman II: The International Version. That is the best possible version of the film.
@@trhansen3244 The Donner cut ending sucked. It ruined the experience.
@@Phatooine I bet you are a MAGA Trump Orange Hitler supporter!
9:19 The woman in the grey suit is Noel Neill. The original Lois Lane from the Superman TV series from 1948. 34:09 that solider talking is Larry Hagman, JR Euing from the TV show "DALLAS", and Major Anthony Nelson from the TV show "I Dream of Jeannie."
Christopher Reeve was a Julliard-trained actor and came up with the physical and vocal differences between the two characters on his own. Being an actor first, he had to develop the Superman physique after being chosen for the role. He didn't want to wear any padding in his costume, so he gained over 20lbs before production started. Reeve also continued to bulk up through the first two sequels.
I immediately wanted to point this out when I watched, but you beat me to it! 😊 So many people joke about how NO ONE would fall for Clark/Superman simply because of his glasses, but it isn’t that in this movie! Christopher Reeve was such a great actor that he could have pulled off the switcheroo WITHOUT using the glasses at all!
He gained THIRTY POUNDS, and the character isn't two characters, it's TWO PERSONAS IN ONE.
Also, fun fact: The Ultimate hero( Superman (Chris Reeve) was assisted in the gym by the Ultimate villain ( Darth Vader (David Prowse).
The lady on the train with the little girl was the person who played L. Lane in the superman TV show
Nick and Quynh (i hope that is spelled right) reacting to classic Superman? Yes please!!! Can't believe you in particular had never seen this before, oh Nick! Still, better late than never, right!?!😅
This movie really was groundbreaking for the time, and was responsible for a resurgence of interest in superhero films and shows in the late 70s and 80s. Will always have very fond memories of this movie and the first sequel. The other two...meh. 3 wasnt bad, just not quite the same, and 4 was a total hot mess and bit of a joke. At any rate, can't wait to watch this. Cheers!!!😁
Edit, in regards to your question about the different symbols on the Kryptonian clothes in the beginning: What we know as the Superman symbol isn't really that, or even an S. It is the Kryptonian symbol for "hope", and was used by the El family line as their crest, basically coat of arms. That is what all the different symbols represent, the crests of different prominent family lines. Hope that helps. Cheers again!!
Thank you for explaining! And yes you spelled correctly :)
Another, Epic John Williams score.❤
Yes, there is more for the second one. ❤❤❤
31:40 This was a neat trick to pull off in 1978. Superman leaves, Lois gradually walks back inside, then Clark knocks on the door, all in one take. Wanna know how they did that?
Lex Luthor is Gene Hackman, the blind man in Young Frankenstein
No
If you check out part 2 checkout the Richard Donner cut, watch the theatrical version as well. The studio and Richard Donner parted ways and they brought in Richard Lester in to do part 2. And after 30 years of fans letting WB know they wanted to see Richard Donner’s original vision of part 2.
13:48 Jor-El's monologue is really inspiring. If you ever continue with the superman franchise in order up to the 2006 superman returns, you may hear those words again.
Superman Returns is one of my favorite superhero films. Much better than Man of Steel.
@@trhansen3244 Superman returns is a wonderful homage to these earlier superman movies. Man of steel didn't understand the essence of superman and therefore feels soulless.
@@Nimzzeee A perfect word to describe Man of Steel. Yes, it was soulless.
The Philadelphia Story (1940) is a fun, classic comedy. Jimmy Stewart, Cary Grant and Katherine Hepburn. 3 of the biggest stars of their day