Superman II Q&A

Superman II Q&A. Subscribe: bit.ly/subscribetotheBFI.
As part of a Terence Stamp Season at BFI Southbank in May 2013, actors Terence Stamp and Sarah Douglas discuss the making of Superman II, and introduce a rare screening of Richard Donner's cut of the film. For more BFI event videos visit www.bfi.org.uk.
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[@threea1061]

During the interview Terrence was thinking "these humans are beginning to bore me."

[@andreathompson-bg4hl]

😂

[@bastidface]

This is great! Terrance Stamp and Sarah Douglas gave amazing performances in the first two Superman films.

Superman II is THE best superman movie, even better than the new ones.

[@MassGainingGuy]

I agree %100

[@Fredders88]

Are there any better superhero films? X-men 1?

[@ajs41]

It's difficult to choose between the first two, but I'd probably agree that II is better.

[@integrity101]

Richard Donner cut is amazing.

[@integrity101]

@ I just watched them. 4.5 hours flies by.

[@spreadthelove77]

Sarah is and was absolutely gorgeous and Terences voice is just captivating.

[@CARETAKER89able]

Terence and Sarah, were the Best thing in Superman 2!!

[@MikeMJPMUNCH]

"Kneel before Zod you git!"

[@lastmanoftomorrow2840]

Brings back memories when movies meant something

[@adamw116]

I met Margot Kidder, my next goal is to meet Sarah Douglas after seeing these interviews she seems like a classy,hip, intelligent, broad whose aging with such grace! Terence Stamp should be Knighted, he's in a class with Anthony Hopkins and Malcolm McDowell!

[@bratton79]

After the interview was over Terrence Stamp leaned over to Sarah Douglas and said, "We have no more use for this one. Kill him!

[@pattas2005]

lol

[@lastmanoftomorrow2840]

Lol classic scene don’t forget oh my god no zod

[@algallego]

@@lastmanoftomorrow2840 I think Richard Lester was responsible for camping it up too much, especially during the superbreath wind destruction scenes with Zod, Ursa, and Non. It was much to campy and corny, nearly slapstick, with the guy continuing to speak on the phone while all the destruction was occurring!

[@hehhehhuhhuh7014]

@@algallego I'm sorry but I totally disagree. I saw the movie in the theater when it first came out. The whole theater was greatly entertained by that whole scene as well as the rest of the movie. During that scene, the audience is not only laughing at the slapstick, but anxiously wondering what happened to Superman.

[@RPMCanes]

@@algallego It would have been soooooo much better had Richard Donner been able to complete it.

[@josephd.2725]

Zod's voice is so terrifying.

[@mohamedalismacktalk382]

I would say that the original superman movie and its sequel are the best representation of superman I have ever seen The characters are amazingly well written and although the action is not as intense as man of steel but the characters and the acting more than makes up for that

[@robhansen6553]

I feel bad for Richard Lester because for the longest time I loved Superman 2 (his version), but when I saw the Donner cut I simply love what they were going for. You can really see how he wanted to tie it all together like the rockets freeing the 3 villains, etc. I love both versions though.

[@sandal_thong8631]

I can't see _Superman: The Movie_ ending on a cliffhanger where Lois didn't die and Superman didn't turn back time, and still performing as well as it did. _Superman II_ would still have needed some rewrites, so you don't have Lester's new made-up powers, or Lois's bad attempts to out Clark, (instead try to cut Clark in his sleep), and them parting with Lois on her balcony instead of hysteric at the Daily Planet where he kisses her memories goodbye, or turns back time for her feelings. Moscow and Tokyo were supposed to burn in the script, which gives a better reason to turn back time, but it only works to end the first movie, but is still iffy on altering the rotation of the Earth (which I see as a metaphor) to do it.

[@carmenpineda2197]

Terrence Stamp as General Zod waz the best performance as a villain

[@nopcshere6097]

His performance as Zod was very hard to match.

[@colliric]

Richard Donners' cut is a great film. Brandos' scenes were brilliant.

[@dtz1000]

I heard it was good, then I watched it and was disappointed. It's not that good.

[@hubbaman9885]

Brando was heavily reliant on cue cards, demanding, and was too expensive on his demands for salary on allot of the parts he was offered. Frankly, I thought he was terrible actor. His portrayal of Gor-El wasms good, but only good enough as long as the cue cards were available. Some "actor" who couldn't remember his lines.

[@mattk5020]

@@dtz1000 it's a classic

[@mattk5020]

@@hubbaman9885 Terrible actor??, Your a fool as he's one of the best.

[@jimgeorge3273]

@@mattk5020 I agree with the other guy. Brando has always been overrated. Great in the godfather but that's it. He was good here. But he was not worth putting up with. He had a way over estamation of himself and of his skills. People can't Brando for his name. Not for his skill. Again, except for the god father.

[@Moviefan2k4]

I love Terry's story about Jack; it gets me every time.

[@TANKTREAD]

General Zod is my favorite Superman character and "Superman II" is my favorite entry in the series(I remember seeing it in theaters when I was 7 years old). Love the Ken Thorne composed and conducted score(with original material composed by John Williams).

[@PaulMichaels2010]

Oh these two are such delights. Love them.

[@ajs41]

It's great that they're both still around 40 years after the film.

[@pcfaulkner]

how dare there be an advert while zod is speaking

[@MassGainingGuy]

"We have all of this without you, you cannot bargain with what you dont have."

[@TheBillABCTV]

I have "The Superman" Blu Ray set 1978 - 2006, it contains the Donner Cut.

[@RanaRandom]

GRATS

[@cliffordshafran9250]

Very revealing interviews. The whole cast was unhappy that Donner was fired from filming Superman II. And this was right after the first one was such a worldwide smash hit. This broken up continuity hurt the movie series, especially III and IV. So Donner went overbudget and may've been a bit or a horse's ass. That doesn't come close to excusing firing him, and it probably cost the Salklands countless more millions in the end.

[@synthonaplinth5980]

In Donner's defense, he claims that they never showed him the budget despite him asking many times. Hard to stay under budget when you don't know how much it is.

[@sandal_thong8631]

I heard that he spoke out of school on how bad it was working for the Salkinds and that he didn't want to work with their on-set producer who was their friend and penny-pincher. Donner's absence hurt Superman II in this way: Lester made up new super-powers to film: Zod giving the national guard the finger, the battle in the Fortress of Solitude, and the kiss-your-memories-goodbye scene; also the blowing of New Yorkers wasn't in the script and was played for laughs. Cutting Brando's scenes because they didn't want to pay him made it less epic and more silly. HIs absence really hurt Superman III being turned into a Richard Pryor movie for laughs, and Superman IV being unwatchable (I saw it in the theater). I thought the movie between them: _Supergirl_ was alright and would have loved to see them team-up in a different Superman IV, fighting Brainiac to free Kandor, the bottled city, for instance.

[@Nnemicvids]

I met her last week, such an amazing woman

[@41walmart]

they look great and supervillians

[@michaelrose7013]

Terence legend😂😂😂

[@darkhall8227]

terrance stamp great actor

[@liveuntetheredmusepodcast4832]

They all did a great job as a Kryptonian! The best Superman movie's there will ever be! Many people didn't care for part 4, but I'm still glad we got a part 4!

[@mainstreetsaint36]

There's a kernel of a great story but it is too naive, and knee-capped by a very low budget.

[@tur74d56]

Sarah lives near me !

[@Paul-bd4dm]

Just brilliant 😁

[@derekramsaroup3883]

"Kneel before Zod,you git !" 😂 I might start using that ...

[@speargraphy6301]

Zod and Ursa 😍😍😍😍

[@sean2015]

_By the looks of 'em, I'll bet ten dollars they're from Los An-ge-lees_

[@cloverfield911]

Ironically they are both from the UK!!..LOL!

[@carmenpineda2197]

Hey, you hippies! Get your butts of the road!

[@RollingOrmond]

People of Planet Houston! Worship us or suffer the ultimate price! (I saw Superman II in Brasilia in '81 - Zod with Portuguese subtitles was amazing).

[@SeanHenderson]

Bloody brilliant Tarrant stamp quoting the eagles take it easy

[@markmckeown87]

The interviewer could get a bit more life in him, but the interview itself was very good!

[@ferabra8939]

Swami in 1976. Ten years later he was playing a big shot in Wall Street. Good actor.

[@danieldalton6544]

Love it. Great stories. Any added perspectives and substantive info on the making of Superman I & II is wonderful. One of the greatest sins in cinema history is that Donner wasn't the one to finish II after completing 75% of it and with him delivering I as the critical and box office success and true classic it was, remains, and ALWAYS will be. The Salkinds and Spengler are probably the most hated producers, after Harvey Weinstein, of the last 45-50 years. That's their much deserved legacy.

[@vannhelsin2434]

I remember having my first crush on a woman after watching her in superman,

[@sandal_thong8631]

They changed the part of her having an insane hatred of men, including the male children of Krypton to having an unknown hatred and even the children of Krypton not being safe from her.

[@jasonfarr9252]

I had know idea about the story behind Richard Donner and I had know idea another cut even existed!!

[@wingitprod]

Well look at them. How joyous 😊

[@cliffjumper81]

I win. I always win. Is there no one on this planet to even challenge me?

[@carmenpineda2197]

A lot of great quotable lines in this movie

[@ninfilms]

I still like the Lester cut. It the shame he got caught in the middle of the problems between Donner and the Salkinds.

[@stndrds79]

John Ninnis haha yea me too

[@jimmy2k4o]

Lester cut would make a fine marvel movie.

[@integrity101]

Donner cut is far superior imo.

[@jimmy2k4o]

Integrity101 that’s what I meant. I prefer D.C.

[@edwardwright7042]

The two scenes I like in the movie when General Zod said to Gene Hackman as Lex Luthor he said it to him in this calm voice you promised me the son of Jerrell. And another part in the movie when non the villain that didn't talk he got ready to destroy something and General Zod said in his calm voice no!

[@Dinvadbhatmarathi98]

The best line was in a calm manner Terence says to gene "Why do you say this when you know I can kill you "?

[@stndrds79]

Omg!! 😍😍 love this movie how could I never seen this before !!!!!

[@brandnewday1058]

He was fabulous in Priscilla queen of the ....he was a break through performance and he has some other gems he was in...love Terrance Stamp

[@PC-lu3zf]

Great movie

[@ytubeanon]

IMDB Trivia: "U.S.-born Richard Lester, an American expatriate living in England, claimed *he'd never heard of Superman before he was hired to replace Richard Donner.* He said that comic books weren't allowed in his house when he was child."

[@sandal_thong8631]

Yep, sounds like just the guy to put the "comic" to a comic book movie. We signed Richard Pryor for III, who can we get to be funny in IV?

[@carmenpineda2197]

Your master of all you survey So I was yesterday...and the day before!

[@sandal_thong8631]

Made them seem foolish. They should have had a plan they were putting together to build robots or something to keep an eye on everyone or something.

[@gatogordo1970]

Great shout out for the late Doug (Troy) Mc Clure.....thanks Ms Sarah.

[@mkaplan1383]

It's Chancellor Valorum!!

[@adamw116]

Douglas should be on Downtown Abbey at this point with her talent and grace!

[@garrettbays6942]

"Jack! You bastard! I'm ready, and I'm waiting! 😆

[@habubauza]

Wow. Thanks for posting this.

[@gameboytj4041]

Tarence had some balls to stand up to someone big like jack lol 😂😂😂😂

[@lamueldagon7618]

Jack O'Halloran was a boxer

[@bianchi1885]

So cool to see Terrence Stamp slouching at the start of the interview. He oozes badass. KNEEL BEFORE ZOD!

[@BryceLovesTech]

Kneel before Zod

[@TheBillABCTV]

And also in the Donner cut which I like the best.

[@Mrpublicimagelimited]

Kneel before Zod.

[@Mrd9960]

Wow that's General Zod, damn he's really aged, he looks totally different than he did in the Superman films, not saying he looks bad just very different, if the average person walked by him on the street, most people wouldn't recognize him as Zod.

[@paulshepherd1348]

Donny Mckinnon well it has been 40 years ago! I know it doesn't seem that long ago does it? Those movies are 40 years old this year! And to me...they ate still the best two superhero movies made, great dialogue that fans still quite today and great acting, and above all those movies had heart.

[@walteraprichard6456]

He plays in alot of movies nowadays. I liked him also in the movie "Yes Man" with Jim Carrey.

[@nopcshere6097]

He was also in 'Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children', as the grandfather. A very different role than his one as General Zod!

[@thelandlordsdaughter]

Was there :-)

[@drstorm]

I was obsessed with Ursa as a kid growing up. I think a lot of it had to do with "the voice". I didn't find out until only a few years ago that Annie Ross - the woman who played "Vera" in Superman 3, was the one who dubbed Sarah's voice for her. I mean absolutely no disrespect to Sarah's performance, but if you listen to the original soundtrack using Sarah's voice, it is unfortunately not "threatening" enough, and I can kind of see why they chose to dub her voice. Of course, I'm sure this didn't make Sarah particularly happy when when she went to the premiere, and all of the sudden, someone else's voice is coming out of her mouth, lol.

[@1980Triumph]

Wow, I never knew that but I can totally hear it now that you said it.

[@drstorm]

1980Triumph Yeah, I was very surprised myself! It doesn't make me like the character any less. It works well, and the voice synching is pretty seamless. Had I not ever heard that little bit of information, I would have just gone blindly on thinking it was her own voice.

[@1980Triumph]

***** I never had any clue, you can tell certain voices were overdubbed but Ursa was clearly the best.

[@drstorm]

1980Triumph Oh agree! :)

[@rajithmaligaspe]

Whoa really? I can see what you're talking about but why would they do that? I mean with Jeff East it was totally understandable, and they re-dubbed his entire performance to be consistent with Chris Reeve's, but why would they dub some of Ursa's lines? Obviously Richard Donner wouldn't have brought her on the project if she wasn't the total package. Those bastards.

[@shannonmcstormy5021]

Yo....you're the movie dudes.....so Sound Editing shouldn't be an issue. But I could barely hear Terence Stamp, causing me to watch the video with my hand on the volume....up and down. Otherwise, it was a brilliant talk. I thought that Terence Stamp was a cornerstone of those films, though honestly, Sarah Douglas' performances were similarly brilliant (along with Chris of course).

[@ThonColinFilms]

Interesting that Terrence has no idea how to hold or use a mic, as he’s only ever been a film actor! 💜

[@sandal_thong8631]

Was also having trouble hearing what he was saying.

[@marcellagladden9812]

Terence stamp

[@sandal_thong8631]

He refers to reshoots at the end. I'm guessing it's because there are rules to get director's credit that you have to shoot a certain % of the movie? If Donner had died, the cast would have been sad, and would have gone on, but not angry. And maybe they wouldn't have reshot scenes if it was assumed Donner would get director's credit?

[@vassa1972]

Cool

[@tinamichellefan]

She would made a good evil Lynne.

[@MrOranj]

KNEEEEL BEFORE ZOD!

[@noneofyoubusiness4895]

So Zod finally outlived Kal-el ...

[@MrCountrycuz]

And he quotes the gap band? What an Englishman!

[@marcellagladden9812]

I like the part terence stamp was in Superman And he was cute

[@ninfilms]

It would be interesting if anybody interviewed Richard Lester just to have his take on taking over Superman II and making III. He just seemed to have bad press from fans and certain critics.

[@tur74d56]

John Ninnis yes he was interviewed a few years ago and you could tell he didn’t want any questions about superman but happy to talk about other films

[@wallybaldemor8523]

Where is the big guy?

[@sjoannebrown9305]

I dint think Terence was still alive

[@andreathompson-bg4hl]

Dammit now i can't say it? Can i at least kneel?

[@emiliocueto8390]

Falto el otro villano el grandote no dijo no pio en la pelicula ??

[@enjoyyoursleep1]

The effect of the change in directors on superman 2 shows, and I think it's a let down to the second film. I can feel the loss of Richard Donner's energy in the performances of all the cast in Superman 2. You can feel the emptiness.

[@raybon7939]

She was to me more of a professional actress said in an interview that she just went home to her London apartment after there daily shoots. Where as the crew spent months together in there off personal time. That's how I would of prob been too.

[@dfa3366]

The Planet Houston.

[@chiefscheider]

A very strange surface

[@renemcintyre3653]

Did you hold hands?

[@bilkomax]

Is the Donner Cut widely available ?

[@X2Magneto]

It is on Amazon. Very good for something that isn't actually 'complete'.

[@wendaclarrines8249]

It's on DVD. The best part is the Brando footage because it explains everything that the original didn't. Overall though, it's nowhere near as good as the classic original.

[@sandal_thong8631]

@@wendaclarrines8249 Well considering I first saw the TV/International Cut, I'm not sure I like the "classic original."

[@lewisgreen2957]

He’s a smoothie isn’t he😅typical Plaistow boy😊

[@nickgivent3157]

"think, Conan. Think"

[@marcellagladden9812]

I think he still cute

[@JStarStar00]

They found Zod in an ashram in Poona. How fitting.

[@danfors1333]

0:14 OMG She murdered elderly people.

[@pattas2005]

Haha!! Awesome comment

[@leafyutube]

Where's Non?

[@carmenpineda2197]

Yeah, it would be nice to hear him actually speak

[@edwardbliss8931]

When I first saw this at the theater, a couple in front me were laughing like idiots throughout the movie. As a 10 year old kid I couldn't understand why. 40 years later I got the joke...some of the dialogue is corny as hell

[@sandal_thong8631]

If Donner had finished it, some of that dialog would still be in the movie.

[@STEJTHEGREATEST]

IF NON WAS THERE, I BET THEY'D HOLD EVERYONE THERE HOSTAGE, AND DEMAND TO MEET OUR PLANETARY AUTHORITIES!!!!!!!1

[@StukInBuf]

I dunno; she still looks beautiful.

[@ninfilms]

Lester is probably more influential filmmaker than Donner. You watch films like A hard days night and Help. Without them we wouldn't have MTV.

[@joncarroll2040]

Without Donner we wouldn't have the MCU, the Burton and Nolan Batman movies, the Arrowverse, or the DCAU. They're equally influential.

[@Justdisco2]

Sarah Douglas, mama mia,

[@duncanhutchinson8103]

I met her recently and she signed the slick of my Superman 2 dvd

[@JamesSmith-qy3eu]

Was that interviewer in a bad mood? He look's really serious.

[@MrCountrycuz]

This man was ma anaand seelas boy toy.

[@raybon7939]

It must be a difficult life to be an actor. Auditions traveling around. Trying to get parts Being a nobody then all of the sudden hitting it big turning it on turning it off. doing failing projects. Must be tough

[@BIadesMan]

Superman 2 greatest superman film,then 1, then 3.4 can disappear for all I care.

[@hehhehhuhhuh7014]

Blades Man: I thought 4 was pretty good, but not nearly as good as 1 and 2. I thought that 3 was really off putting. Even Christopher Reeve didn't like it.

[@GodConsciousness]

I admit it: I would have crucified ANYONE just to be there!

[@davidmiranda3788]

Not God....ZOD!!!!

[@mikeryan6637]

Stamp was always a bore.

[@capnjackgallows3204]

No he's not. He's more interesting than a boring twat like you.

[@stndrds79]

Omg Terence stamp is sooooo boring story teller 🙄🙄🙄🙄

[@philevans6935]

stndrds79 No he's not he's a fucking legend and a great story teller show some respect!!!

[@jimmy2k4o]

Phil Evans sarcasm bro