Superman (1978) Was *SUPER* FUN! - First Time Watching - Movie Reaction/Review

[@joecortes7142]

Christopher Reeve will always remain the best superman. No one else will ever compare. RIP

[@nathancruz9172]

Exactly

[@Jim-Mc]

He was so good the comic book version changed to be more like him. Pre 78 Superman wasn't as personally developed or consciously idealistic. This made him more than just a matinee hero that punched robbers.

[@RonnieG]

I think you meant Clark. Clark Kent.

[@brandonflorida1092]

Because you're so familiar with George Reeves' work in "The Adventures of Superman?"

[@James-z2c7g]

Christopher Reeve saved this movie from its many flaws. He plays Clark and superman with such different personalities that he somehow makes us believe that a pair of glasses can actually work as a disguise. Amazing!

[@shainewhite2781]

RIP, Christopher Reeve. Superman RIP, Richard Donner. Director RIP, Margot Kidder. Lois Lane RIP, Marlon Brando. Jor-El RIP, Ned Beatty. Otis Berg RIP, Susannah York. Lara El RIP Glenn Ford. Jonathan Kent RIP, Phyllis Thaxter. Martha Kent. RIP, Jackie Cooper, Perry White. RIP, Tom Manckiwiez, Screenwriter. RIP, Mario Puzo, Screenwriter. RIP, Geoffrey Unsworth, Cinematographer RIP, John Barry, Production Design. They all made us believe a man can fly.

[@Embur12]

Christopher Reeve died way to early. The horse riding accident was so tragic...

[@Alexandrashepiro]

You Forgot Jackie Cooper as Perry White!

[@nathancruz9172]

@@Embur12exactly

[@goldenager59]

An impressive - and rather depressing - roster you've compiled. And Gene Hackman? God bless him, he's _still_ with us at the great age of 93 (as of last October, I believe). ALTHOUGH - personally, I shall always wonder why they weren't able to secure the services of Telly Savalas as Lex Luthor (the man had an innately menacing aura that could have made Hackman's interpretation look like a mere snake-oil-peddling sleazeball - _and_ he was already very popular as TV's cop *Kojak,* who just happened also to be, like Luthor, a chrome-dome). 😊

[@Alexandrashepiro]

@@goldenager59 got to meet Gene when I was 6 in seattle when hje waas filming a movie in early 80's! All I knew gene from was Superman..so when i saw him..i kept saying omg..its lex luthor. Gene eventually turned around and came over..smiled and said.."hey kid..shh..dont want the big guy "Superman" finding me..shhh"...he Signed a piece of paper for me..

[@maryrichardson1318]

A nice young man that I worked with asked me out on a first date and took me to the theater to see this movie on December 28, 1978. We have been married for over 44 years. He is and will always be my Superman.

[@MicahMann]

As a kid in the 70’s this movie was so so special. It was the 1st superhero motion picture. Nothing to this scale had ever been done. Warms my heart.

[@Lethgar_Smith]

Well, there was the 1966 Batman movie

[@markpaterson2053]

@@Lethgar_Smith Ha ha, good for laughs, I love that movie

[@silikon2]

It's true, this was spectacular beyond reason. The tag line was "you'll believe a man can fly". That's the ridiculous thing about The Matrix: Reloaded. A movie 20 years older is more convincing than those silly and obvious cartoons of cgi "Keanu" flying.

[@Muck006]

There were TV series for Spiderman, Manimal, the Flash and so on ... which had longer pilot movies.

[@silikon2]

@@Muck006 The Incredible Hulk tv show predates Superman The Movie as well and imho holds up extremely well. But OP was talking about major scale movies not tv. There were movies made for Batman, Doctor Who, etc but they were cheap sorts of things.

[@StCerberusEngel]

The tagline for this movie was "You Will Believe a Man Can Fly." It's been over 40 years since its release, and thanks in large part to the outstanding performance of Christopher Reeve, I still believe.

[@Muck006]

Flying is easy, just miss the ground while falling.

[@stonebaxter]

@@Muck006 Thank you, Douglas.

[@sfkeepay]

Reeve went all in on the flying, hoisted as high as 150 ft. in his flying harness to achieve the effect. To this day, nobody looks as convincing.

[@bookwoman53]

Reeve said that he had experience hang gliding.

[@sfkeepay]

@@bookwoman53 , I’d never heard that before…he put those experiences to good use.

[@michaeldexter2544]

@@bookwoman53 And he was a licensed pilot. Those experiences may help explain why he made flying look so natural and graceful.

[@squashmallow2006]

20:30 "He's so nice." And that's what makes him Superman. Not his powers, but his character. He's just an all-around sweetheart.

[@donaldseale2700]

Something I never thought about as a kid but notice now about that scene, is that he is sending half of the salary he gets from a top top newspaper of a Major city to his mother who lives in a small country town. With the cost of living being so much lower, she now gets to live her retirement years in luxury.

[@davidgradwell8830]

@@donaldseale2700 He also has the ability to squeeze a huge chunk of coal to the point that it would transform into a diamond! He could also precisely cut it into multiple diamonds with his strength, supervision, and heat vision. That's a handy backup to help Ma out if necessary.

[@squashmallow2006]

​@@donaldseale2700She could. But the Kents almost always lived modest lives. They'd likely give a lot of it to charity.

[@Muck006]

@@donaldseale2700 Spider-Man doesnt even get paid enough to support himself in the city ... let alone support Aunt May to not lose the house.

[@donaldseale2700]

@@Muck006 That's because he's a freelancer getting paid by one of the cheapest people alive.

[@andreaschmall5560]

Christopher Reeves told a story on one of the late night TV shows not long after the film was released about how his bike was stolen while he was sitting in a NYC restaurant and he was watching it happen as he looked out the window. He took off after the guy through NYC traffic and caught up with him and knocked the guy onto the hood of a parked car. The guy looked up and immediately recognized him and said "Oh no! It's Superman!" Can you imagine how freaked out the guy was...lol

[@BeauSinger]

People always get the scene of him reversing time wrong, he doesn’t spin the earth the other way he literally goes so fast he breaks time and space and reverses time then slows down to move forward again to a certain time. It just appears as though the earth is moving backwards to us.

[@derrickhewitt6171]

The reason for Superman's mouthing of "Lois" is for the gravity of the situation. The audience knew she was dead(even though they didn't want to believe it) and Superman realized he forgot about her too late. It was really a jarring shot.

[@thetomgibson]

Prior to this movie, I grew up with reruns of the Adventures of Superman from the 50s, so seeing realistic flying was very cool as a ten-year-old.

[@toodlescae]

Same but I was 16.

[@tjhorsegirl]

The parents of little Lois on the train were Noel Neil, the original Lois Lane and Kirk Alyan, the very first live action Superman.

[@tljscrewjob6397]

My favorite bit has to be when he turns into Superman when Lois is in another room, and then when she comes back he immediately turns back into Clark. What great acting!

[@jameswoods4793]

Excellent acting. The man was brilliant

[@derekramsaroup3883]

Clark Kent literally becomes Superman at that moment,with not a special effect in sight ...

[@kenpaden]

Christopher Reeve was an extraordinary person. He was in a horse back riding accident in 1995, that left him paralyzed the rest of his life. He continued to act and used his celebrity status to be an activist for disabled people with spinal injuries. He truly was superman on and off screen.

[@dunbardunelm3924]

Stem cell research was really important to him.

[@Alexandrashepiro]

MY Superman!! This is the Superman GEN X Grew up 0n! This was our FIRST official Superhero movie! Christopher Reeve made Superman HIS own! Same with Margot Kidder, Marlon Brando, Ned Beatty, Glen Ford, Jackie Cooper as Lois, Jor-El, Otis, Pa kent, Perry White..Etc Etc I fly in my Dreams a lot due of this movie!

[@ponokunishima1]

It’s not Kryptonite, it’s just a crystal that powers everything. Kryptonite were bits and pieces of his planet that exploded.

[@danielyoung1846]

The military guy who wanted to give Miss Tesmacher mouth-to-mouth was Larry Hagman, who later in 1978 would start playing JR Ewing on Dallas.

[@stacyhanlon3640]

Kryptonite is called kryptonite because it's pieces of Krypton and it's radioactive. Not only can it harm him and make him sick it, can kill him. That green thing in the beginning was just a crystal, it's kind of misleading, but it still a crystal, whereas kryptonite is actually just a meteorite from Krypton.

[@bobbuethe1477]

That's right. Kryptonite was created by fusion when the planet exploded. It didn't exist before that moment.

[@mikejankowski6321]

They did the audience a disservice (or maybe it was a red herring) to make the master crystal green instead of something else. Every fan knew what green Kryptonite did, as compared for instance to red.

[@davidgradwell8830]

@@mikejankowski6321 When you look closely at the explosion of Krypton, you can see green and red Kryptonite flying out into space in the aftermath. Foreshadowing.

[@mikejankowski6321]

@@davidgradwell8830 YES! I always loved that they did that, staying true to canon even in the little details.

[@davidgradwell8830]

@@mikejankowski6321 To take it a little further, Superman III needed (among a lot of other things) a better script. Under a better writer, Superman III would have made a great Red Kryptonite story. Either that or the evil double of Superman could have been another classic canonical character--forgive my alliteration!--Bizarro!

[@alissageorge5679]

Superman II is my favorite of the Superman Movies with Christopher Reeve.

[@jeremiahrose4681]

Both cuts? The Donner cut was odd for sure, after growing up with the theatrical release.

[@alissageorge5679]

@@jeremiahrose4681 I’m pretty sure it is the theatrical cut ? But not even sure about that. Lol. It was always on TV. We didn’t own it in vhs…damn I’m old.

[@JayStar-yj9pu]

Wrath of Khan changed the "Vengeance" arc for ALL films!!

[@mikejankowski6321]

@@JayStar-yj9pu Kneel before Khan?

[@JayStar-yj9pu]

@@mikejankowski6321 personally, I'm not that kinda fanboy! 😱🤣

[@kennwashi4093]

Superman 1 & 2 was meant to be one big movie but was split in two parts due to budget, creative differences, and time constraints.

[@thunderstruck5484]

Saw at the theater, Christopher will always be Superman to me, Classic! Thanks guys

[@cog4life]

20:03 Christopher Reeves will always be Superman to me ❤

[@richardvinsen2385]

He’ll always be Christopher Reeve. Not Reeves.

[@silikon2]

He really did nail it. I guess we should give ample credit to casting too ;)

[@cog4life]

@@richardvinsen2385 Always love the hall monitors. 😊

[@richardvinsen2385]

@@cog4life I always love people who say someone is their favorite actor then misspell their name.

[@cog4life]

@@richardvinsen2385 well, see I knew that already, even before you said that. It’s ok. Some folks can’t resist. ✌🏼

[@bunnygrill]

This movie is actually what introduced the family crests. The comics adopted it afterwards.

[@JPMM316]

Here’s a fun fact: in the scene where young Clark is racing the train,the lady they cut to sitting next to the little girl is actress Noel Neill who was the first live action Lois Lane in the 1940s Superman movie serials. In 1953 she again played Lois this time on the Adventures of Superman television series with George Reeves as Superman. I always loved that cameo in the movie.

[@michaeldexter2544]

And the man who played young Lois' father was Kirk Alyn, who played Superman in the 1948 movie serials.

[@TimeVextorX]

I met both at The Superman Convention in Cleveland in 1986 I shook Noel Neill's hand she's a very nice lady I almost shook Kirk Alyn's hand and get an autograph but I had to leave also I wanted to buy the big Valerie Perrine poster as Miss Teschmacher in that green swimsuit.

[@dfa3366]

John Williams did the score and Superman opening is one of his best.

[@seansersmylie]

When you only had 4 tv channels and VCR's cost a fortune, you had the Christmas movies. You couldn't see blockbuster films otherwise. As a kid, Superman, Star Wars and Indiana Jones were Crimbo afternoon films!

[@JayStar-yj9pu]

Don't forget Jaws and Star Trek

[@beatmet2355]

We had Superman on VHS right after this movie came out, along with Star Wars. And they were definitely expensive!

[@JayStar-yj9pu]

These guys have no idea about back when all we had for our worldly connection was newspapers, magazines and a few news stations. I read the TV guide, funny papers and Reader's Digest by age 11

[@merchillio]

This Luthor is my favourite Luthor, ruthless but full of zingers, and so annoyed with his minions

[@gregorygant4242]

Yep, Gene Hackman killed it as Lex Luthor my favorite villain in all the Superman movies. His intelligence, brutal evil and zinger one liners are something else.

[@slchance8839]

100% Something i caiught this time around is the dead psychopathic quiet look in his eyes when Lex corrects Superman: "Planning the deaths of innocent lives? No. CAUSING the deaths of innocent lives." No smile. No jokes. Dead eyes. He said that line as if he was saying "Add french fries not onions to my order." Same thing when he had to tell Mrs Tushbaucher that her mother has to die by just "pointing to his watch and shaking his head 'no'"

[@merchillio]

@@slchance8839 that watch look is so… detached. Not even a sorry.

[@Whitebrowpriest]

The man who plays the head of the Daily Planet newspaper is legendary actor, Jackie Cooper. He was one of the original Little Rascals from back in the day.

[@emmacrawford11]

Wow I didn't know that WOW 😮😮😮

[@wolfkniteX]

Here's 2 interesting facts about Marlon Brando with regards to this film. 1) He agreed to the role of Jor-El only if he could wear the Superman Symbol. At the time, the symbol was just an S that stood for Superman, but the writers decided to accept Brando's terms and allow him to wear the symbol and INTRODUCE the idea that the symbol wasn't simply an S but the Kryptonian symbol for hope as well as the coat of arms for the House of El. This film was the first to. 2) Marlon Brando was an amazing actor in his life but was notorious for not bothering to remember his lines, either just winging it or having his lines on a board off screen that he could look to while he was filming. This is also the case in this movie where he's actually reading his line off the baby Kal-El's diaper while he's Jor-El is saying goodbye to his son before putting him in the pod.

[@cyndigirl418]

I fell in love with Christopher Reeve when I first watched this movie as a young girl! He'll forever be my favorite Superman! ❤❤❤❤❤

[@FrankJReynolds]

This movie actually created the idea that the crystal from Krypton created the Fortress, and then that idea was retconned back into the comics. Before this movie, in the comics, the Fortress was just this "man cave" Superman built for himself in the Arctic; it had no direct connection to Krypton. This movie created the connection.

[@shallowgal462]

The officer giving mouth to mouth was "the master" from _I Dream of Jeannie._

[@chrisgrove7829]

Got to love this franchise because it was just the right amount of tongue in cheek mixed with seriousness going on:)

[@dionkelly8420]

No, that football Clark kicked isn't coming back down. It likely left Earth and was floating around in space somewhere.

[@vincentsaia6545]

When Clark jumps out the window he checks to make sure everyone in the room has their backs to him looking at the TV. FYI: Superman keeps his Clark Kent clothes in secret pouch in his cape.

[@vincentsaia6545]

Christopher Reeve was cast after a two-year search. He was an accomplished stage actor who did NOT grow up reading comic books and was, therefore, able to portray the character with objectively.

[@Jim-Mc]

Yep and honestly before him the comic book version of Superman wasn't that great. All the best books have been influenced by his portrayal.

[@toodlescae]

Aww. You skipped over one of the best pieces of acting on film when Christopher Reeve flips back and forth between Clark and Superman in Lois' apartment. He's the only one to make it believable that no one realizes they're the same person. Just a shift in posture, vocal tone and glasses and he's 2 different people. I saw it when it came out and I was 16. Back then it was amazing to us. We had never seen a believable flying man before. It was also supposed to pretty much be a live action comic book.

[@Wolvorine]

I was really hoping, out of all the bits, that they'd include that moment and their reaction to it. It's singular and perfect.

[@patticrichton1135]

Yes, I was upset when they didn't show that scene as well, AND that they didn't include the moment when Lois actually GAVE him his name when she said "What a super man" and then she thought and said "SUPERMAN" and that is how he came to be known as "Superman" He didn't really have a name for what he had become, and that is why he signed the note "A friend."

[@wrench_in_the_works]

“I’m sorry, that wasn’t your underwear…🤣🤣🤣 I’m dead!!! 🤣🤣🤣

[@Panzer4F2]

Remember that Clark is an alien pretending to be Clark. Kill Bill 2 has a great explanation. Be glad that it was the Kents that found him as a child.

[@StCerberusEngel]

Bill's take on Superman is the take of a villain. Superman was raised by the Kents. While he was born Kal-el, and his power comes naturally to him, his true identity is Clark. He doesn't put on the act because he looks down on humanity. He does it to fade into the background. It frees him to be the real Clark while he dons the suit. Superman and Clark Kent are one and the same. The mild-mannered reporter is his costume.

[@N0-1_H3r3]

At the time this movie was made, the more modern idea of "Clark is the person, Superman is a public persona he adopts" was about twenty years away. In terms of interpretations of the character, this movie is basically the gold standard, and the fact that it presents Clark as an act that Superman puts on is, IMO, its main weakness.

[@ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΑ-ε1ω]

No he isn't he is Clark Kent There are two Clark Kents The Persona Clark Kent To hide Superman And the Clark Kent His friends and family knows Just like Batman Brucie Wayne Bruce Wayne

[@Fast_Eddy_Magic]

All that's green is not kryptonite.

[@mikejankowski6321]

Good news for Scotty!

[@jasonsypsa7074]

Ego drives a super villain to reveal his plan

[@bobbuethe1477]

True, but revealing his plan was also how Luthor tricked Superman into opening the lead box with the kryptonite.

[@mikejankowski6321]

Particularly Bond villains. I especially liked Goldfinger's presentation.

[@davidgradwell8830]

@@mikejankowski6321 There was an old SNL sketch where James Bond arrives in the villain's lair too early. The villain is annoyed and frustrated at Bond--and can't threaten him properly--because the shark tank is still empty and sharkless (they were due to arrive next week!) The alligator pit is likewise waiting for the alligator delivery, while the deadly super laser is still being assembled, and the minions are still wearing their street clothes because their 100 jumpsuits haven't been delivered yet and half of them are away being trained in a weeklong minion-training seminar...

[@CoolEnginesChristytrekkie]

Was going to say this. The Ego of it thinking that their plan is so full proof it can't be stopped so why not tell you the diabolical plan

[@vincentsaia6545]

This is one of my all-time favorite movies. I saw it as a kid when it first came out.

[@ImmortalRimas]

The Green Crystal in Superman’s Spaceship is not Kryptonite it just so happens to look that way, it’s the central control crystal & data memory for the spaceship Kal-El arrives in, it contains the Fortress of Solitude and contains Jor-El's knowledge & wisdom. Although it would’ve been less confusing for the audience if the filmmakers had made it something like blue instead as Kryptonite is any irradiated debris of the planet Krypton

[@betsyduane3461]

Antarctica is south.

[@maestro80smusic93]

Imagine seeing this in a movie theater at age six. I was in heaven. The helicopter rescue scene is still hands down my favorite superhero movie scene. The build-up, the music, the "S" reveal, then Superman appears out of the revolving door.... just perfect!... also, the tv series Smallville had an alternate universe episode where Clark was found by the Luthor family...

[@dennislopez1272]

I was the same age when I saw it in the theatre's. It was an awesome experience for us kids who loved superheroes and comic books. Smallville was an excellent show.

[@gregjarnigan3515]

'We're all on the same team,' means we ALL have the capacity to do good.

[@maceomaceo11]

If this movie had disappointed in any way when it came out, super hero movies would have been dead in Hollywood forever. There were questions about a comic book character being given a budget and cast of the highest caliber. Comics were seen strictly for 5-10 year olds, not a mass auduence. If this failed, Batman '89 is never happening. Without the Burton Batman's, Marvel doesn't get to attempt big budget movies. Superman is a landmark motion picture that changed the industry.

[@tomchris60]

You're right about Superman's landmark status. But I think even after its blockbuster success, Hollywood failed to understand the potential of the comic book genre. Warner Bros didn't open the flood gates for other DC characters and Batman was in development he'll for nearly a decade. But you're right, it all started here.

[@maceomaceo11]

@tomchris60 from a dead start, a decade seems about right to get a major production completed start to finish.

[@ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΑ-ε1ω]

Same thing if Superman failed Financially in 1938 Batman was created because Superman was Successful And so was the rest of the DC Universe

[@maceomaceo11]

@user-gj9uq3kb7y Yep. Superman is king of comics, that can't be disputed.

[@gregorywilcox5949]

ANOTHER GREAT MUSIC SCORE BY JOHN WILLAMS

[@johnw8578]

I loved seeing this in the theater as a kid!

[@cog4life]

I’ve got you! Who’s got you??😂😅the most memorable line!

[@KalElCanFly]

I was born 4 years after the release of this movie but from the moment I first saw this movie I have looked up to Superman's character and moral code my entire life. This is a great movie and one I wish I could forget just so I could experience for the first time again. My wife and I regularly go to Metropolis, IL for the Superman celebration, we have some videos on our channel of the celebration.

[@dunbardunelm3924]

I felt the same way after watching Pay It Forward 🥰☺️♥️

[@Demigord]

I mean, when you're going to the north pole, "north" is pretty precise

[@larrybee]

Christopher Reeves will always be the Best Superman!!!!! Please please follow this up with the second one!!! It’s so good with him and Zod and other two. I think you will enjoy it A Lot.

[@emmacrawford11]

You got that right

[@rac1061]

This is one of my absolute favorite reactions from you guys. This movie is just part of my DNA from watching it so many times as a kid, and seeing you guys enjoy it was a blast.

[@jeremiahrose4681]

Here's the question does Reeve play Clark or Superman better? That's hard to answered because he does them both amazingly. Other actors play one or the other well, not both.

[@timstackii]

Flying around the earth to reverse time does make a sort of sense. As you approach the speed of light, time for you slows down, so assuming you were able to exceed the speed of light time would then reverse. The earth doesnt start spinning the opposite direction, we just see it that way from Superman's perspective as he flys backwards in time.

[@mark-nm4tc]

I saw this three times in the cinema hen it came out, always knew it would be a classic and here we are 46 years later. Still looks really good and Chris Reeve with Margot Kidder, beautiful casting.

[@jeremyscott3645]

He reversed time back far enough to fix everything and then went to Lois, that’s all. I saw this film in the theater when I was 3 and when he was thrown into the pool with the kryptonite, I guess I started crying and couldn’t stop and didn’t until I saw him fly out of the water and break through the roof. YOU GUYS MADE MY DAY BY WATCHING THIS, thank you so much! I pretended I was Superman from 3 years old to about 5th grade. Anyway, good night guys and thanks again!

[@DoktorStrangelove]

At age eight, in 1978 or ‘79, that opening title sequence was ASTONISHING. I was absolutely hype after that, and the movie delivered.

[@gregorygant4242]

You are a 1970 man ? Me too I was born in 1970. Join the club !

[@in8hope617]

Welcome to my youth! (Just graduated from high school before this came out) :)

[@josephmassaro]

I have to admit, you guys are much more fun than a lot of other first time watchers. You're not Riff tracks, but it's entertaining.

[@gunmetal2890]

Great reaction guys... I was a kid in the 80's watching this for the first time, it was amazing to watch on the big screen and the goofy bits weren't so goofy back then... more the norm, but I can understand this movie has aged a lot, that said it will always be a classic... especially Christopher Reeves character... this movie was made for him... or he was made for this movie... either way works... RIP. Cheers!

[@homebuyercoaches4044]

Humping, basement dwelling cousins wasn’t a line I woke up thinking I needed to hear today. But a classic one for your channel. Thanks guys!

[@jeremiahrose4681]

My wife is a huge Superman fan, and she loves Christopher Reeve. He is bar far the best Superman, even in the cheesy bad movies he was good, III and IV was awful, but not Christopher.

[@hildajensen6263]

Other actors have done Superman well. But Christopher Reeve is what they are all measured against.

[@emmacrawford11]

Agree 💯💯💯

[@HHCLS]

I was 8 years old when my brother took me to see this in 1978. Before this I only had reruns of the George Reeves Superman TV show. Needless to say, this movie was life-changing for me as a kid. I loved watching you guys enjoy it. Great reaction.

[@ScientificallyStupid]

Only Christopher Reeve could say the lines Superman says and not sound like a total dork. He will always be Superman to me.

[@rabbitandcrow]

The idea that the character would be utterly sincere without some sardonic undertone to it was really revolutionary in how it was approached. It was the 1970s - cynicism was the order of the day.

[@cog4life]

37:27 Ned Beatty is such a dufus in this movie😂 Gene Hackman is a great Lex

[@nathancruz9172]

Yes, he was.

[@mikejankowski6321]

And John Williams captured him in music so beautifully.

[@mikejankowski6321]

Lex was so casually evil it was delicious. Hackman was GREAT!

[@CoolEnginesChristytrekkie]

@@mikejankowski6321 my two favorites who played Lex, Hackman and Rosenbaum

[@ITPalGame]

The Earth wasn't going backwards. Time was.

[@bobbuethe1477]

Yes! Earth spinning backwards was just how it looked from Superman's point of view as he went back. I like to imagine that going back in time allowed him to stop both missiles. But that doesn't explain why Jimmy complained about being left behind at the dam.

[@derworfnet]

I always thought this is similar to how the Crew of the Enterprise went back in time in _Star Trek IV_ by doing a slingshot around the Sun at high warp

[@conquerorganicchemistry5949]

christopher reeves was my generation's superman and a hero to us all. and when he got paralyzed from falling off a horse, it broke all of our hearts. rest in peace christopher.

[@majkus]

The Kents find Kal-El and his spaceship. "They're so calm!" Lois is in a life-threatening helicopter accident and panics: "You gotta calm down." "I'm going north…" "Oh! He went to Antarctica!" You guys are amazing.

[@patticrichton1135]

clearly never had geography in school since they don't know that Antarctica is SOUTH.

[@greenpeasuit]

Lois inner monologue: "can you read my mind blah blah blah bad poetry blah blah" Clark inner monologue: PINK!!

[@MLJ7956]

Great reaction guys to this superhero classic... There are actually 3 versions of Supeman: The Movie (1978)... *The theatrical version at 143 minutes (this was the version that most audiences worldwide have seen. It is always very good & entertaining to watch even to this day). *The Director's Cut Special Edition at 151 minutes (in 2001 director Richard Donner added 8 minutes back into the film that were cut from the theatrical version - due to the rushed nature of the '78 version, just to get the movie into the theaters for the release deadline at that time, there were some scenes that he always wanted to keep in the movie but were removed just to get the movie done and out. This cut is director Richard Donner's preferred definitive version of his Superman movie). *(The Assembly Cut)/1982 ABC TV Salkind Cut at 188 minuets. (This is the version with every deleted scene and extened sequences all added back in and it ran for 2 consecutive nights on ABC). I have all 3 version on Blu-Ray in my home movie collection. The ABC version is too long in my opinion. (it made sense for the network to air the longer version at the time - for the commerical/ad revenue. The longer a movie is, the more commercials they can show & make money off of) and a lot of scenes just weren't necessary for the film and do tend to drag on & on (and seeing them in full made sense why they were cut and/or trimmed in the first place). It is interesting to watch (at least once) to see what was removed and/or changed but other than that, the Theatrical & Richard Donner's Director Cut are the better versions of Superman, again in my opinion....However, I personally prefer Richard Donner's Director's Cut slightly over the Theatrical Cut (those extra 8 minutes really enhance the film even more for me. That is the version I often watch at home). I hope you plan to do Supeman II (1981) next....Remember the 3 Kryptonians (General Zod, Ursa & Non) at the beginning of Supeman: The Movie (1978). They showed you them for a reason. *wink* ;-)

[@LukeLovesRose]

This is the best Superman and the best Superman theme. I love how brilliantly awkward Christopher Reeve plays Clark Kent. He lets people slam doors into him. He's actually wearing thick glasses, making it hard to recognize his eyes. And I love his nasaily voice. You can totally see how and why no one in the movie ever suspects Clark to be Superman. When Reeve is playing Superman, he is totally sincere and honest. You totally believe Reeves when he says that he stands for truth, justice and the American way. He's as cool as a cucumber and totally bada** when he needs to be. There is no reason not to believe and trust in this Superman. Reeves isn't snapping necks or destroying whole citizens without regard for public safety.

[@melvsdlp9293]

The girl in the train was actually young Lois Lane

[@Fast_Eddy_Magic]

When he said he was going north, he wasn't kidding. "North where?" All the way. 😂

[@Aggiebrettman]

This is the only Superman movie I watch.

[@James-z2c7g]

Christopher Reeve saved this movie from its many flaws. He plays Clark and superman with such different personalities that he somehow makes us believe that a pair of glasses can actually work as a disguise. Amazing!

[@TheBigbrizzle]

As a kid this was absolutely mind blowing to watch. Mesmerizing.

[@johankaewberg8162]

Best Luthor ever! (And he refused the bald look)

[@TheOneTrueChris]

Y'all mentioned how fortunate it was that Clark/Kal-El ended up with decent people to raise him. It reminded me that there was a pretty cool "what if" comic book series in the early 90s (I think) that imagined Kal-El landing and being adopted by the Wayne family instead of the Kents. So, Superman's abilities with Batman's motivations! I recommend it, if you can find it.

[@williambanks2223]

The story of one crystal creating the Fortress of Solitude was etchings after this movie. Originally, he dug the Fortress out of a mountain. He created a giant key only he could lift and placed it as a guide marker for pilots flying over the pole. He used to hang out inside the Fortress but just kept it outside later. He then left the marker and made a normal key made of dwarf star material. Now only people as strong as him could lift it.

[@vincentsaia6545]

It was Brando's idea to have the Superman "S" be the El family crest.

[@mikejankowski6321]

My understanding is that in addition to his spectacular salary and short shooting schedule, the self-important guy insisted that he wear the famous "S" or he would not do the part. I got the impression that the family crest was somebody else's idea to justify capitulation.

[@vincentsaia6545]

@@mikejankowski6321 Not sure, but I think I remember director Richard Donner saying it was Brando's idea. Also, all who worked on with him on the movie said he was very pleasant and professional. I know Donner said after working with Brando that he thought he was "underpaid."

[@ebaker1968]

The opening credits of this film were the first time in decades that Siegel and Shuster, the actual creators of Superman, got written credit for creating him. DC Comics screwed them out of their rights and it took years of legal battles, and the help of comic book icon Neil Adams, to finally get their names back on Superman properties.

[@robertkramer2271]

The reason this film works so well is basically because it's a pure comic book. No message, no agenda, just pure adventure and fun. Don't overthink it. Just enjoy the ride.

[@brainofjtd]

No message or agenda? You mean besides toppling the bloodthirsty real estate tycoon for causing intentional damage to give him a greater value to his assets? Something we are actively dealing with today with private equity firms? You would literally have to actively not pay attention to the plot to miss this kind of shit lol

[@martinishot]

Maybe it's why the fourth Superman really went to crap.Besides the fact that the budget was chopped.. The agenda even had superman addressing the united nations.

[@davidmarsden192]

I think it was a major mistake during the production of this film to make the Power Crystal Jor-El gives the baby Kal-El green in colour. Everyone confuses it with Kryptonite. The Power Crystal should have been blue, red or yellow. "Kryptonite" is radioactive pieces of the planet as a result of the sun exploding, as Lex later explains in the movie.

[@vincentsaia6545]

This is the best version. The longer versions have scenes that are not only superfluous but downright silly.

[@ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΑ-ε1ω]

I disagree I love the 3hour version

[@klass_1221]

This was my first movie as a young kid to watch in a theater. Well, I did watch Star Wars. But I was too young to remember that. Superman '78 is the reason I love movies. This is the granddaddy of the superhero movies genre. That theme music! Still the best. Ty, John Williams. GOAT 🎶

[@timroebuck3458]

When this movie came out in 1978, the upbeat message was needed. America was going through a period of runaway inflation, unemployment, and weak, ineffective leaders, so our morale was pretty low. Something like this was needed.

[@willarms5510]

It was a weird choice to make the crystal that Jor-El sends green -- since we all recognize green as the 'bad' kind of Kryptonite (it weakens or weakens to the point of death in different stories). But technically Krypton(ite) is a kind of meteorite that was once a part of planet krypton and traveled to earth. So the crystal that Jor-El sends is technically just an 'ordinary' (ie incredibly advanced) Kryptonian Crystal, where as once the planet explodes, all of that debris became deadly Kryptonite due to radiation from the planets destruction or something like that.

[@dcmslife3772]

My nephew was in the graduating class with Will Reeve, Christopher Reeve's son, and I was at their graduation from Middlebury College.

[@Tinker_LV426]

That's another one that hurts to think about after he lost his mom. I think I saw him on TV not too long ago and he is working in her foundation for cancer research.

[@alicestevens8291]

It is though. The only metric it's ever held to now is it isn't edgy. I think it's cool that they used to make films that emphasized on just being a fun time for the audience and little else and they did that well with this one. Sometimes I need that wholesome kind of fun.

[@maybeso68]

I remember seeing this at the cinema as a kid. It was the first time I'd ever heard surround-sound. It blew my mind.

[@inarar5334]

You saw Superman Returns, the ill-fated attempt to pick the story back up from this series with a new cast.

[@ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΑ-ε1ω]

Personally I love Superman returns

[@inarar5334]

@@ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΑ-ε1ω I also enjoy it for what it was, too. But it was definitely ill fated, it didn't go over all that well.

[@Lee-Darin]

It would have been better with different writers and more action

[@oliviastratton2169]

Yeah, there were good intentions behind "Superman Returns". But making him a deadbeat Dad was not the way. Also, it made Kryptonite way less powerful, which kind of ruins it.

[@ProWrestlingWeekly]

Both Superman and Superman II were filmed at the same time. The production was rushed to make a finish for the first movie to get a release in 1978 for the 40th anniversary of the comic, and it ended up with a late 1978 release. I’ll simply say that plans changed, just so I don’t spoil things if you choose to watch either the theatrical Superman II movie or the Richard Donner Cut. Richard Donner directed Superman: The Movie, and had a dispute with the producers. They brought in another director for Superman II, and he had to shoot at least 51% of the footage (75% was already shot with the co-filming of the two movies with Donner). Glad you enjoyed this, this was one of my favorite movies growing up. I was saddened when Chris Reeve died. Fun fact: Reeve was good friends with Robin Williams from when they attended Julliard together.

[@pattern2481]

Director's cut as a scene of him making his way from the hole he cut in the sidewalk to Lex's lair. Lex has the tunnel rigged with defenses, and he watches Superman on a monitor to see what he does. It's a really cool scene.

[@miller-joel]

12:34 In case you didn't catch it, this is Christopher Reeve's voice. He dubbed Jeff East's lines.

[@rabbitandcrow]

This also came out at the end of the 70s which was a very cynical time. People were really ready for an unashamedly heroic movie.

[@Hugh-S]

"That wasn't your underwear" I haven't laughed that hard in a long ass time lmao.

[@SijoArtLapham6381]

The crystal wasn't kryptonite. Kryptonite is fragments of the planet itself which was irradiated when the planet exploded.

[@ITPalGame]

36:11 that military officer is the actor who played the military officer on the 1960s TV series sitcom, "I Dream of Jeannie" 🧞

[@darkwingdunk2804]

He was also J.R Ewing on Dallas tv show…