"It's a bird!...It's a plane!...It's SUPERMAN!" These stirring words roiled the blood of many a young boy during the fifties, including myself. We would yell those words repeatedly, driving our mothers crazy; running around the house with make-shift cloaks and clenched fists, thwarting evil at every beck and call! It would be years before we would get that feeling back, and it would be Richard Donner who would give it to us.
The original "SUPERMAN" TV-series was actually quite dismal. Our hero spent each half-hour posturing before the camera, as idiotic hoods try to get the best of him. At least once during every episode, "Supes" would crash through a styrofoam wall, and stand there, as a desperate thug, would throw his now empty revolver, at the Big Guy's chest! There were no super-villains, and apparently scriptwriters were in short supply. I remember the pilot as slightly more entertaining than the rest of the episodes. It was an hour long, and involved diminutive "Mole-Men".
Probably the greatest reason for the failure of "Super-Hero" programming, lies in the lack of decent special effects, and interesting, potentially threatening vilains. It would behoove Producers to stick to the source material, ie: Comic Books. Comic Book writers know how to create the dynamics necessary for an interesting character. Jerry Seigel & Joe Schuster had that knack.
Donner apparently recognized this when planning this fine film. His treatment of the "Big Guy" is honest, dignified and exciting. He stuck to the origins, and provided us with a visually, spectacular film. Christopher Reeve was perfect for the part, and has replaced George Reeves as my image of this hero.
A respectful nod was paid to the old TV series, when Donner cast Phyllis Thaxter as an extra. Time has been kind to Phyllis, at least at the time of the filming. My only complaint about the film, was the casting of Ned Beatty, (...a fine actor, by the way.), as the bumbling assistant to Gene Hackman's "Lex Luthor". A super-criminal mind such as Luthor, would never hire such a blithering idiot.
Overall, the film is a stupendous acheivement. I particularly liked the way Donner incorporated "General Zod" and company into the prelude. Of course, we now know he was considering expanding the film to incorporate, what would later be known as "SUPERMAN II". Which brings me to the sequels. The first sequel was in many ways superior to the original movie. The action was more pronounced, and the story-line put "Supes" into his proper perspective as a hero. Unfortunately, the film lacked the spark that was present during the first filming. "SUPERMAN III" was an insult. This potential blockbuster, was marred by bad casting, an inane, illogical plot, and a total lack of chemistry between the leads. Even the flat "SUPERMAN IV: A QUEST FOR PEACE", was superior to number three.
Perhaps the "SUPERMAN" series is played out. Particularly with Reeve now paralyzed. The rumor that Nicholas Cage might don the cape is unsettling, to say the least. Whereas, I am very fond of Mr. Cage's work, I will never see him as Christopher Reeve, aka: SUPERMAN!
SEE ALSO: "BATMAN/BATMAN RETURNS"
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