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Monday, March 26, 2007
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It's a Bird, It's a Plane, It's....
With concluding some of my thoughts on Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut, I guess it was the ending that was my biggest gripe. By the way I guess I have spoiled some of the story and plot of this film. If you don't want to know the ending, you may want to stop reading and go watch it real quick.
Ok. You back. Good. So...Superman II: TRDC ends the same as Superman: The Movie. Ok. Today this is very cheesy. So cheesy I was looking for the crackers. But, in its defense, this was the original ending for Superman II. See back in 1978 Superman I and II were filmed back to back and Superman I was going to end with a cliff hanger and boom a year later, Superman II would premier. Well, the Salkinds didn't want that nor did the studio. So the ending of Superman II was quickly worked to be the ending of Superman I. So, if Richard Donner was going to finish Superman II a new ending was going to be needed. Perhaps he liked his original ending and did it again. Turning back time works for Donner. Magic kisses work for Lester. Since the turning Earth and time back was done, I think I like the magic kiss better.
Now, Donner knew he was going to finish his cut. Yet, why couldn't he do some kind of Special Edition CGI thing and come up with a new ending? It's an interesting thought. He needed something other than Perry White’s toothpaste in reverse. I know, I know, it’s impossible to re-shoot an ending for a movie that is over 20 years old especially when actors are needed. But if Han can walk around Jabba in A New Hope SE, then anything is possible. I also wish he would have excluded any Lester footage. If there was nothing to fill the gap then use Screen Tests (like he used for the Niagara Falls sequence) or do story boards or anamatic type filler. I would rather see how this would have been a Donner film rather than a Donner/Lester collaboration.
So overall, was Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut that great of a movie? Not really. I think it could have been better but I think money was the key reason it didn’t live up to what I expected. Millions were already invested in doing the DVD but millions of more dollars would have been needed for CGI effects and other enhancements. To be honest, I think if Donner wanted to do his cut of Superman II, he should have presented Superman: The Movie and Superman II like he originally planned. The DVD box set would have the movies that way we originally saw them or even the Superman: The Movie the extended cut. But on an additional DVD or two, Donner should have done the Director’s Cut. Thus, Superman: The Movie would end with the cliff hanger (as planned in 1977) of the second missile exploding in space and freeing the Super Villains. Then, he could present Superman II in all its glory and then have the ending of spinning the world backwards. I would have loved this concept more.
[for more production info, you should watch the bonus discs of the Superman Ultimate DVD collection.]
Well, that’s my thoughts for now. I may return to discuss Superman in future posts.
That reminds me; nothing I post is reflected as said and done or a definitive conclusion of my thoughts. I am always thinking and discussing the things I like and I may want to share those thoughts again sometime. Perhaps I will change my mind or find new evidence to support other opinions and conclusions.
Thanks for reading and join me again soon for some other good topics. I think that may be the rejuvenated Battlestar Galactica and why did we need it?
Ok. You back. Good. So...Superman II: TRDC ends the same as Superman: The Movie. Ok. Today this is very cheesy. So cheesy I was looking for the crackers. But, in its defense, this was the original ending for Superman II. See back in 1978 Superman I and II were filmed back to back and Superman I was going to end with a cliff hanger and boom a year later, Superman II would premier. Well, the Salkinds didn't want that nor did the studio. So the ending of Superman II was quickly worked to be the ending of Superman I. So, if Richard Donner was going to finish Superman II a new ending was going to be needed. Perhaps he liked his original ending and did it again. Turning back time works for Donner. Magic kisses work for Lester. Since the turning Earth and time back was done, I think I like the magic kiss better.
Now, Donner knew he was going to finish his cut. Yet, why couldn't he do some kind of Special Edition CGI thing and come up with a new ending? It's an interesting thought. He needed something other than Perry White’s toothpaste in reverse. I know, I know, it’s impossible to re-shoot an ending for a movie that is over 20 years old especially when actors are needed. But if Han can walk around Jabba in A New Hope SE, then anything is possible. I also wish he would have excluded any Lester footage. If there was nothing to fill the gap then use Screen Tests (like he used for the Niagara Falls sequence) or do story boards or anamatic type filler. I would rather see how this would have been a Donner film rather than a Donner/Lester collaboration.
So overall, was Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut that great of a movie? Not really. I think it could have been better but I think money was the key reason it didn’t live up to what I expected. Millions were already invested in doing the DVD but millions of more dollars would have been needed for CGI effects and other enhancements. To be honest, I think if Donner wanted to do his cut of Superman II, he should have presented Superman: The Movie and Superman II like he originally planned. The DVD box set would have the movies that way we originally saw them or even the Superman: The Movie the extended cut. But on an additional DVD or two, Donner should have done the Director’s Cut. Thus, Superman: The Movie would end with the cliff hanger (as planned in 1977) of the second missile exploding in space and freeing the Super Villains. Then, he could present Superman II in all its glory and then have the ending of spinning the world backwards. I would have loved this concept more.
[for more production info, you should watch the bonus discs of the Superman Ultimate DVD collection.]
Well, that’s my thoughts for now. I may return to discuss Superman in future posts.
That reminds me; nothing I post is reflected as said and done or a definitive conclusion of my thoughts. I am always thinking and discussing the things I like and I may want to share those thoughts again sometime. Perhaps I will change my mind or find new evidence to support other opinions and conclusions.
Thanks for reading and join me again soon for some other good topics. I think that may be the rejuvenated Battlestar Galactica and why did we need it?
