Superman (1978)

Director:

Richard Donner

Writers:

Jerry Siegel (creator: Superman) &
Joe Shuster (creator: Superman) ...

Release Date:

15 December 1978 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

You'll Believe a Man Can Fly!

Plot:

An alien orphan is sent from his dying planet to Earth, where he grows up to become his adoptive home's first and greatest super-hero.

Plot Keywords:

Planet | Superman | Reporter | Newspaper | Mission

Awards:

Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 10 wins & 14 nominations

Cast

Marlon Brando	...	Jor-El
Gene Hackman	...	Lex Luthor
Christopher Reeve	...	Superman / Clark Kent
Ned Beatty	...	Otis
Jackie Cooper	...	Perry White
Glenn Ford	...	Jonathan Kent
Trevor Howard	...	1st Elder
Margot Kidder	...	Lois Lane
Jack O'Halloran	...	Non
Valerie Perrine	...	Eve Teschmacher
Maria Schell	...	Vond-Ah
Terence Stamp	...	General Zod
Phyllis Thaxter	...	Martha Kent
Susannah York	...	Lara
Jeff East	...	Young Clark Kent

Also Known As:

Superman - Le film (Canada: French title)
Superman: The Movie

MPAA:

Rated PG for peril, some mild sensuality and language.

Runtime:

143 min | USA:127 min (1980 video release) | USA:151 min (2000 restoration)

Country:

Canada | UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) | Dolby (35 mm prints) | Mono

Certification:

Iceland:L | USA:PG-13 (2001 expanded edition) | South Korea:All | Brazil:Livre | New Zealand:PG | Portugal:M/12 | Argentina:Atp | Australia:PG | Canada:PG | Chile:TE | Finland:K-12 | France:U | Norway:11 | Norway:12 (1978) | Peru:PT | Singapore:PG | Sweden:11 | UK:PG | USA:PG | West Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Albert R. Broccoli 007 Stage, Pinewood Studios, Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Company:

Alexander Salkind

Trivia:

Jeff East tore several thigh muscles when performing the stunt of racing alongside the train.

Goofs:

Continuity: On the DVD, there is a scene not in previous releases where Superman is talking to Jor-El at the fortress. His hair is much longer in that scene than in the rest of the movie. It is the same length as in the screen tests.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Jor-El: This is no fantasy - no careless product of wild imagination. No, my friends. These indictments that I have brought to you today, specific charges herein against the individuals. Their acts of treason, their ultimate aim of sedition. These... are matters of undeniable fact. I ask you now to pronounce judgement on those accused.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Chris Rock: Bigger & Blacker (1999) (TV)

Soundtrack:

CAN YOU READ MY MIND

Christopher Reeve Will Be Missed

I thought I would pay tribute to one of Christopher's Reeve's best role ever; and that role is Superman. As many comic book fans follow, the film tells the story of Clark Kent who was born on Krypton and was transported into Earth after the planet exploded and loses his real family. As a new family finds him in the field going home, the couple take Clark as their own son and raise him. What the couple know about Clark is that he has a gift to do things twice as fast than any other ordinary human being; but as time goes by, Clark loses his father of a stroke and decides to take a life of his own as he works for the Metropoltian Newspaper, he meets Lois Lane (Margot Kidder) and he has a crush on her, even saving the woman from being killed. Just like any comic book movie, there is always a villain; with Gene Hackman as Lex Luthor in a campy role along with Ned Beatty as Otis, the sycophant with no sense, these two plan to destroy the world with nuclear weapons. Christopher Reeve doesn't get into the Superman Costume until 45 minutes into the film in which he saves Lois in one scene, busts bad guys and becomes and icon to the public. Superman is the finest comic book movie, and I only wish Christopher Reeve's family the best.