Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut
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| Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut | |
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| Directed by | Richard Donner Richard Lester (uncredited) |
| Produced by | Ilya Salkind Pierre Spengler Michael Thau (2006) |
| Written by | Comic Book: Jerry Siegel Joe Shuster Screenplay: Mario Puzo David Newman Leslie Newman Creative Consultant: Tom Mankiewicz |
| Starring | Christopher Reeve Margot Kidder Gene Hackman Terence Stamp Marlon Brando |
| Music by | John Williams (Superman) Ken Thorne (Superman II additional cues) |
| Cinematography | Geoffrey Unsworth (Donner footage) Robert Paynter (Lester footage) |
| Editing by | Stuart Baird (Most Donner Material) John Victor Smith (Lester footage) Michael Thau (Overall edit and also certain "new" scenes) |
| Distributed by | Warner Bros. |
| Release date(s) | November 28, 2006 |
| Running time | 116 min. |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $54,000,000 (Superman II) + (2006 Restoration) |
| Preceded by | Superman |
| Followed by | Superman III |
| IMDb profile | |
Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut is a 2006 film that is a re-edit of the 1980 film Superman II. It has been officially sanctioned by Warner Bros. and director Richard Donner, and stars Christopher Reeve, Margot Kidder, Gene Hackman, Terence Stamp and Marlon Brando. The cut was supervised by Donner, creative consultant Tom Mankiewicz who penned the screenplay for Superman and the 1977 shooting script for Superman II [1] on which the Donner cut is based, and Michael Thau, an editor who worked with Donner on the 2001 director's cut and restoration of Superman.
Unlike many "special edition" and “director’s cut” movies released over the years, Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut is essentially a completely new film. As much as half of the film contains never-before seen material filmed by Donner, including 15 minutes of restored Marlon Brando scenes as Superman's father Jor-El as well as numerous new Christopher Reeve and Margot Kidder scenes, although much of this "new" material appeared in earlier extended television cuts. There are also several newly-filmed shots with CGI enhancements. Richard Donner is credited as director of the film instead of Richard Lester — the original credited director of Superman II. More than half of Lester's footage filmed for Superman II has been removed from the film and replaced with Donner footage shot during the original principal photography from 1977–1978. Certain footage filmed by Richard Lester remains in sequences that were not shot by Donner due to the halt in production for this film.
The film was released on DVD, HD-DVD and Blu-ray Disc in November 2006.
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[edit] History
- See also: Superman II#Controversy and cult status
In 1977, director Richard Donner set about simultaneously filming an epic two-part adaptation of the Superman comic book series. With approximately 75% of Superman II made and after significantly going over budget and over schedule on both movies, filming on Superman II was suspended in October 1977 so that Donner could focus on completing the first film, Superman. Following the release of Superman in 1978, it was widely assumed that Donner would be re-called to complete the remaining 25% of the film. However, a number of events led to Donner’s eventual replacement as director of the movie. Most importantly, the producers (Alexander and Ilya Salkind) announced that Marlon Brando’s completed scenes for Superman II would be excised from the movie in order to prevent them having to pay the actor the reported 11.75%[2] of gross US box-office takings he was now demanding for his performance in the sequel. Donner publicly lambasted this decision, announcing that he would make the film his way or not at all. The April 1978 issue of the sci-fi magazine Starburst quotes Donner as saying
| “ | That means no games...They have to want me to do it. It has to be on my terms and I don't mean financially. I mean control. | ” |
Tensions had existed between the Salkinds and Richard Donner throughout the almost nineteen months of filming it had taken to complete Superman. In his fly-on-the-wall book The Making of Superman: The Movie which details the production, author David Michael Petrou described the situation:
| “ | Recriminations were being slung back and forth at a dizzying rate, and there was talk of legal action from both sides. Ilya [Salkind] and [Co-Producer] Pierre Spengler claimed that Dick's slow methodical pace - taking each shot from just about every possible angle, would bankrupt the production. Donner, on the other hand, accused the producers of trying to make major cutbacks that would threaten the success of the entire project. | ” |
The extended hiatus that followed the completion of Superman threatened to leave Superman II permanently unfinished or with many key personnel lost to other projects. At this time, the magazine Starburst reported that in order to complete the picture, Donner believed Superman II would require two months of first unit filming and several months of special effects work. The magazine also reported that Donner had the intention of re-calling Gene Hackman to expand his role in the sequel. Donner's contract, however, did not entitle him to a fee for the additional shooting. In 1981, Donner told Time Out
| “ | At the time I was even prepared to go back and do Part II and never ask for another goddamn penny or anything, just to finish it. | ” |
In the commentary track on the 2006 DVD release of the theatrical version of Superman II, co producer Pierre Spengler recounts that Donner was indeed invited to return to complete the film, but alleges that Donner demanded Spengler be removed from the production. In the same commentary, Ilya Salkind states the removal of Spengler was allegedly one of many demands made by Donner, whom he claimed also wanted final cut of the film and more control over the production, concessions the Salkinds weren't willing to give up. This is confirmed by an interview given by Donner in 1979 to the magazine Cinefantastique in which he stated:
| “ | I'd work with him [Spengler] again, but only on my terms. As long as he has nothing to say as the producer, and is just liaison between Mr. Salkind and his money, that's fine. As long as he doesn't interfere in any way, because I just won't go through that again. If they don't want it on those terms, then they've got to go out and find another director -- it sure as shit ain't going to be me. | ” |
The situation finally came to a head and on March 15, 1979: the Salkinds fired Donner and replaced him with UK-based director Richard Lester. In 1989, Donner told Starlog magazine,
| “ | ...the Salkinds, for whatever reason, chose not to bring me back. After I waited to hear for six or eight weeks, I got a telegram that said, 'Your services are no longer needed.' | ” |
[edit] A replacement director
Lester had served as mediator (or uncredited co-producer) between the Salkinds and Donner for a large part of the initial shoot. Suspicions abounded at the time that Lester was being primed for taking over the film, despite Donner’s determination to complete the project at all costs and Lester’s assurances to the contrary. Indeed, in the aforementioned book The Making of Superman: The Movie, author David Michael Petrou credits Richard Lester with a particularly notable decision earlier in the production:
| “ | Richard Lester, in his one major decision affecting the film, recommended that all efforts be concentrated on finishing Superman — Superman II could be re-activated later. Donner and the producers enthusiastically agreed. | ” |
Lester himself has never fully commented on his role in the controversial production of Superman II and has refused any involvement with the 2006 DVD re-releases, though in 1981 Time Out magazine quoted Lester as saying:
| “ | Donner had a terrible fight with the producers and he gave an interview to Variety, among other papers saying he wasn’t going to do Superman II unless there were considerable changes in the way the film was produced. Now, rightly or wrongly, they then said: "He’s not going to tell us how to produce a film" and they didn’t want to have any further dealings with him. | ” |
In 2000, in an interview with journalist Edward Gross, Lester added [3]:
| “ | By the time Superman II was supposed to happen, there was already litigation between Donner and the producers, so there was no way they were going to work together...He had set a list of demands like they would have to leave the picture if he was going to carry on. They then came to me and said, 'Would you do it?'. | ” |
Donner, who befriended Lester during the original shoot, felt particularly betrayed by Lester's assumption of the directorial reins. Donner biographer James Christie quotes the director as saying:
| “ | From the day it was announced that he was doing the movie and not me, I have never heard from Richard Lester. | ” |
Superman editor Stuart Baird told Christie the effect the sacking had on the director:
| “ | It really broke his heart...You’ve never seen a man throw himself into his work like that, and [then] get screwed as badly as he did. Here’s a man who worked around the clock, and that he didn’t fall apart was nothing short of a miracle. And then they [the Salkinds] shafted him because of money. | ” |
Donner's sacking and the manner in which it had taken place caused a near-mutiny amongst the main cast, who had all enjoyed a close relationship with the director. The April 1981 issue of Time Out magazine quotes Christopher Reeve as saying:
| “ | Donner had an impossible row with the producers over quality. On Superman I, he was the only one who kept things from being done in a shabby way, and kept our morale high and made everyone do our best. And then he was fired behind my back...I felt a tremendous resentment against the producers for being so devious...I think it's appalling when you cut out a major actor like Brando so you don’t have to pay him the gross...In my view the way Superman II was produced is the lowest you can go without actually cheating. | ” |
The situation was further complicated by the deaths of cinematographer Geoffrey Unsworth and production designer John Barry during the hiatus in filming. Tom Mankiewicz, a key Donner ally who had re-written both Superman scripts to comply with Donner’s directive to make the features more realistic and less camp, declined to return without Donner, as did editor Stuart Baird. Following the film's completion, composer John Williams also declined to write a score for the movie.
[edit] An alternate Superman II
In order for Richard Lester to earn a directorial credit on the film, Superman II had to contain at least 51% of his footage. This meant that large portions of the film were subsequently re-written and re-shot by Lester, with much of Donner’s filmed Superman II footage excised to oblivion.
Both Superman scripts were originally written by The Godfather writer Mario Puzo, and then re-written in 1976 by screenwriters David & Leslie Newman and Robert Benton, prior to Donner's hiring as director. When Donner came on board in January 1977, he insisted on bringing in screenwriter Tom Mankiewicz to re-write the script. Mankiewicz made numerous and considerable changes to both Superman I and Superman II, removing and altering major scenes, and completely re-writing much of the dialogue. It was this Mankiewicz script that was then filmed by Donner in 1977-8. Following Donner's (and Mankiewicz's) removal, writers David & Leslie Newman were re-hired by the producers to re-re-write the Superman II script, even though most of it had already been filmed. Ultimately, the Newmans did this by making Superman II as similar as possible to the 1976 script they had originally written before Mankiewicz and Donner came on board. Scenes that had been most altered by Mankiewicz in 1977 were subject to the greatest revisions. For example, in the original Newman draft, Superman II begins with terrorists seizing a building in New York. Mankiewicz's 1977 re-write removed this scene entirely. Then, the Newmans re-inserted the scene, albeit shifting the location to Paris. The same can be said for several crucial Newman / Benton scenes, including Lois's deliberate jump into a river near Niagara Falls (removed by Mankiewicz – reinserted by the Newmans); Clark revealing he is Superman by not burning his hand (re-written by Mankiewicz to have Lois trick Clark by firing a gun with a blank bullet at him – reinserted by the Newmans). A considerable amount of cut Newman / Benton dialogue was also reinserted by the Newmans, almost word-for-word into the re-re-revised Superman II script.
In the April 1981 issue of Time Out, Christopher Reeve expressed his reaction to the re-write:
| “ | I was...very apprehensive because suddenly there was this new script that I didn’t feel was anything near as good as what Donner had worked on for Part II. | ” |
In 2000, also commenting on the Superman II re-write, Richard Lester told Edward Gross[4]:
| “ | We tried to make sure that we wrote, with the Newmans, sequences where the actors could get their teeth into; something that had a little bit of reality about it...I think that Donner was emphasizing a kind of grandiose myth...There was a kind of David Lean-ish attempt in certain sequences, and enormous scale. There was an epic quality, which isn't in my nature, so my work really didn't embrace that...I don't think I could have done that sort of work. | ” |
It has been suggested that had Gene Hackman (who had completed all of his scenes for Superman II under Donner) returned for any further filming without the sacked director, almost all of Donner's Superman II footage would have been scrapped. As it was, only the Gene Hackman Donner footage – as well as Donner footage deemed too expensive to re-shoot – was destined to remain in the finished film.
| “ | ...some optical changes will have to be done in order to eliminate Jor-El from the existing shot, so as to make it one of Lara, the baby and the Green Crystal without a certain highly-paid actor in the FRAME. | ” |
- Note on the 1979 Superman II shooting script, dealing with how to eliminate Brando's Jor-El from the Superman reprise at the beginning of the film. Had Brando appeared in Superman II, the producers would have had to pay him many millions of dollars.
Lester’s main task in completing Superman II was to film cheaply and quickly, and to avoid further budget or scheduling overruns. According to many of the cast and crew, this entailed a noticeable drop in the quality of film-making. In June 2006, Lois Lane actress Margot Kidder told Hotdog Magazine:
| “ | There were two or three cameras at once (a process synonymous with filming sit-coms) and lighting that was quick (to set up)...it was just fast and loose, as opposed to the care and love that was in the first Superman. | ” |
Zod actor Terence Stamp appeared to agree, telling Famous Monsters of Filmland magazine in 1980:
| “ | Part Two lost something, as far as I was concerned...the film became a more ordinary experience...unlike the first part, which had been extraordinary. | ” |
Ultimately, the Newmans' purportedly-campier take on Superman, coupled with Lester’s more comically-oriented sense of direction, led to a Superman II that although a huge box office and critical success, was condemned by Donner as severely flawed. In 1989, Donner told Starlog magazine:
| “ | Let me put it this way...all the good parts of Superman II are mine. | ” |
To this day, it remains unclear precisely why such a monumental and extensive re-shoot and re-write took place, rather than hiring a director to simply shoot the unfinished 25% of the film. In June 2006, producer Ilya Salkind told Hotdog Magazine[5]:
| “ | There were things, frankly, that were shot by Dick (Donner) that we really didn't like that much...We used the best stuff he had. | ” |
However, in a Time Out interview in 1981, co-producer Pierre Spengler contradicted this view, stating:
| “ | ...there was nothing wrong artistically with much of the footage we cut. We would like to have used it. But it just turned out differently and we’re very happy with the way it turned out. | ” |
Lester has often been vilified by Superman purists who link his assumption of the directorial reins with a general downward spiral in the quality of the Christopher Reeve Superman films (Superman III was directed entirely by Lester). In a June 2006 interview with Hotdog Magazine, producer Ilya Salkind conceded that Lester did not share the same passion for the material as had his predecessor Richard Donner
| “ | Richard (Lester) was not so excited about comic books. The man was resistant, we almost had to convince him to do it. | ” |
[edit] The 1980 theatrical Superman II
The original Superman II was released in Europe and Australia on December 4, 1980 and June 19, 1981 in the United States. This version of Superman II combined Donner footage shot in 1977 with Lester footage shot in 1979. Approximately 30% of Lester’s Superman II is Richard Donner footage.
At the time, very few people were aware of just how much Richard Donner footage was in the Lester-credited film, or how much had been left on the cutting-room floor. During the film’s original release, both director Richard Lester and the Salkinds were reluctant to discuss the issue publicly. In 1980, the magazine Fantastic Films noted:
| “ | Warners, the Salkinds and most of the publicity department handling press releases for the film are at a loss (or are unwilling) to be precise about just what sequences from the original Donner direction remain in Superman II. | ” |
In 2000, journalist Edward Gross quoted Lester as vastly underestimating the amount of footage Donner had directed:
| “ | Dick shot a small portion of Superman II. We did a count, finally, of how much Dick had done of the second film, and I think it was something like 12%. | ” |
In May 2001, Richard Donner underlined his anger over the lack of acknowledgement his (Lester-used) footage had received. Referring to a (Donner-filmed) scene in which Clark Kent is beaten up by a bully in a fast-food diner, Donner told the website IGN:
| “ | There was an interview, and the director who finished the picture talked about how important that scene was to him as a filmmaker, and – believe it or not – I'm in that scene, and I wanted to say, ‘You son of a bitch, you didn't do that scene. Not only didn't you make that scene, I'm in it!’ It was in the parking lot, as the camera crosses up to the diner. I couldn't believe it. | ” |
A behind-the-scenes film released in 1980 called The Making of Superman II, also failed to acknowledge the contribution of Richard Donner, in several instances inter-cutting between on-set footage of Donner-directed material (for example, the sequence on the moon, or at the White House) with a to-camera interview of Richard Lester describing his approach to the film – inevitably creating the impression that Lester had directed the material.
In numerous scenes, the theatrical Superman II interweaves footage filmed years apart. Much of this interweaving was necessitated by Lex Luthor actor Gene Hackman’s refusal to return to film any further scenes with Lester. Thus, all Hackman footage in the film is Donner’s, although in certain scenes, a body double was used for wide shots re-filmed by Lester. In several instances, Lester re-staged Donner-filmed scenes, inserting certain newly-filmed shots into pre-existing material. This is most evident during a scene in which the super-villains burst into the Daily Planet. The scene was filmed in its entirety by Donner in 1977. The Perry White office set was then partly re-built under Lester in 1979, the actors placed in exactly the same positions, costumes, etc., and new material filmed and inserted into the final film.
| “ | (NOTE: All ANGLES are facing street windows, so as to
avoid rebuilding City Room offices behind glass partitions.) |
” |
- Note on the 1979 Superman II shooting script, dealing with how to avoid rebuilding the vast Daily Planet sets, built by production designer John Barry during Donner's original Superman / Superman II shoot.
[edit] Donner footage in Superman II
The following is a list of all major Donner footage in Superman II:
- Lex Luthor in prison, including the escape by balloon.
- The three super-villains land on the moon and kill the astronauts.
- Lex Luthor at the Fortress of Solitude (Although shots of Superman’s mother were filmed by Lester. The scene was originally to feature Brando as Jor-El).
- The three super-villains attack the White House and force the president to "KNEEL BEFORE ZOD!".
- A powerless Clark is beaten up by a bully in a fast-food diner.
- Lex Luthor visits the super-villains in the White House.
- The villains burst into the Daily Planet and chase after Superman (some close-ups are edited-in Lester footage)
- The villains return to the Planet and decide to go to Superman’s polar fortress (some close-ups are edited-in Lester footage)
- The second part of the final scene at the Fortress of Solitude, beginning with Luthor’s belated arrival (some close-ups are edited-in Lester footage)
- Clark returns to the diner and gets his revenge on the bully.
The rest of the film, including the opening scenes at the Eiffel Tower, the scenes at Niagara Falls, the scenes of the super-villains in Midwest America and the battle in Metropolis were all shot by Lester. Several television stations have broadcast extended cuts over the years. These have largely featured additional Donner material including footage of Superman destroying the Fortress of Solitude at the conclusion of the film, as well as extra scenes between Lois and Superman.
[edit] Superman II controversies and plot holes
- See also: Superman II#Controversy and cult status
Critics of Lester’s Superman II, including Donner, have stated that Lester’s penchant for comedy undermined the integrity of the film, especially when compared to Donner’s Superman. Examples of this trademark comedy are evident during scenes which feature Superman fighting the super-villains in Metropolis. The villains attack the citizens of Metropolis using super-breath. Several comedic sight gags follow, including the wind blowing off a man’s toupee, the ice cream being blown off of a cone and into someone's face, a man being blown over in a telephone booth and talking the whole time, a man with an umbrella being spun around as if dancing (parodying Singin' in the Rain), and a man on roller-skates rolling uncontrollably backwards across the pavement. Specifically, Donner has also criticized the scenes featuring the confrontation between the military and the super-villains in Idaho, telling Starlog magazine in 1989:
| “ | I hated the stuff they did with the villains in the small town. It looked like an Englishman's point-of-view of what America would look like, with the Army, the jeeps, the people...there was no sense of size to it. It lost its sense of importance. | ” |
Despite this, critics have noted that Superman II remains a remarkably coherent and entertaining film, and Lester’s direction of the love relationship between Lois Lane and Superman, was applauded by critics who stated that they had not seen this side of Richard Lester’s direction prior to this. In 1981, Christopher Reeve told Time Out magazine:
| “ | Part of the reason that Superman II is such a good movie is due to Lester’s enormous skill as a director. If it hadn’t been for that, and the major legacy left by Donner and his footage...it would have been a joke. | ” |
However, there was one gaping plot-hole that has dogged fans over the years. This concerns a mysterious cut between a scene featuring a powerless Clark finding a green crystal at the Fortress of Solitude, and Superman’s return to the Daily Planet to fight Zod and the other two super-villains. The question of just how Superman regained his powers proved a vital catalyst for Superman fans, who were aware that a major scene featuring Marlon Brando as Jor-El had been excised from the film, and not replaced with a convincing or coherent alternative.
Discussions about lost Donner footage have been raging for years, and with the advent of the internet, numerous letter-writing and other campaigns were instigated to persuade Warner Bros. to allow Richard Donner to create his version of Superman II. In 2005, a fan restored DVD known as Superman II: Restored International Cut[6] was released. It featured extended scenes shown in various television broadcasts over the years and helped bring much publicity to the cause when Warner Bros. threatened legal action over the bootleg release. You can read a review of the fan film here[7].
[edit] The Richard Donner Cut
When filming was suspended on Donner's Superman II in October 1977, the director had completed almost all of the major character-based sequences in the film. All scenes in the Daily Planet and most scenes set in the Fortress of Solitude were completed. All scenes featuring Marlon Brando, Ned Beatty, Jackie Cooper and Gene Hackman were also completed. What remained to be filmed was the villains' arrival on Earth, and their rampage through mid-west America as well as exteriors at Washington D.C. during which Zod announces his takeover of the Earth from the tip of the Washington Monument. Most of the battle scenes between Superman and the super-villains had yet to be shot, as well as both the interiors and exteriors at Niagara Falls. Several minor scenes including a love-struck Superman deliberately tilting over the Leaning Tower of Pisa (later adapted in Superman III) and a scene in which Superman warns off some English fox-hunters were also not filmed.
The new film features most of the completed never-before-seen scenes (some scenes have been deleted for narrative/dramatic reasons), which in many cases replace scenes re-filmed or altered by Richard Lester. These include the original opening of the film set in the offices of the Daily Planet. At the time of Warner Bros.' press announcement on commencement of the Donner recut of Superman II in January 2006, it was the only major part of the new version of the film to have been screened publicly. At the time of that first screening, the website Movieweb.com reported[8]
| “ | ...the lights were dimmed and we were treated to Donner's original opening of Superman II...Lois Lane is reading an article on Superman. She sees Clark Kent across the room, who is standing with his arms folded, and she realizes that the two look quite similar. After drawing a hat, glasses and a suit on Superman, she and Clark are summoned into Perry White's office and informed of an assignment they will work on together in Niagara Falls. Perry soon leaves the room and Lois begins dropping hints to Clark that she thinks he's Superman. Clark of course denies this and Lois, believing he is lying, throws herself out the window. As she is tumbling in the air, Clark makes his way down to the street below. Using his "wind blowing" powers he slows up Lois' descent, and then makes an awning drop (courtesy of his "laser-like" eye power) so that Lois' fall is eventually broken by a fruit stand. Even with a temporary score and titles like "Work Test" cut into this piece, it still very much captured the spirit of what a Richard Donner cut of Superman II might have in store. | ” |
In July 2006, a Warner Bros. press release underscored the overall filmic significance of the project.
| “ | Richard Donner has become the first director in history to be able to complete a film he left during production with nearly all his footage 'in the can.' Adding back a substantial amount of that unused footage, the director has seen his original vision restored and brought to fruition. | ” |
[edit] The Mankiewicz script / original Donner shoot
The following is a list detailing which parts of the original 1977 Superman II script were filmed by Donner. Where indicated, confirmed or differing scenes that appear in the Richard Donner Cut are also highlighted:
- Superman reprise. Superman hurls the nuclear missile from the end of the first film into space. Jor-El, excised from Lester’s reprise, restored. Lester's insert showing the three super-villains' arrest is deleted. Different shots and angles have been used to those in Superman. Filmed by Donner and Confirmed.
- The super-villains are freed from the Phantom Zone by the nuclear missile, and fly to the moon. Zod shouts "FREE!" A combination of Donner footage and new effects. Filmed by Donner and Confirmed.
- Credit sequence. Marlon Brando is given third billing, after Gene Hackman and Christopher Reeve, before the main title. Richard Donner is also credited as director for the first time and also “A Richard Donner Film” is credited. The music is credited to John Williams whose score from Superman is reused in some scenes Confirmed.
- Superman interferes with a fox hunt. Not Filmed by Donner. Confirmed as not in the cut
- Exterior Daily Planet. Superman swoops into a taxi, and emerges as Clark Kent (Scene later adapted for Superman III and Superman IV: The Quest for Peace). Not filmed by Donner. Confirmed as not in the cut.
- Interior Daily Planet. Major New footage Lois jumps out of the window to prove that Clark is Superman. This sequence was filmed by Donner, and features several new effects of Clark zooming through the Daily Planet and using his super-breath and heat vision to break Lois’ fall. Lester’s opening at the Daily Planet and Eiffel Tower deleted. Filmed by Donner. Confirmed.
- Luthor and Otis in prison. This Donner scene featured in Lester’s Superman II. Extended to include a scene in which Otis tries to pass on a rumor about a fellow inmate being a bed-wetter, only to pass it on to said inmate. Filmed by Donner. Confirmed.
- The super-villains land on the moon and attack the astronauts. This Donner scene featured in Lester’s Superman II. Footage of Houston control was never filmed by Donner, and Lester material is used in the Donner Cut (albeit heavily re-edited). Filmed by Donner. Confirmed
- Luthor’s escape from prison by balloon. This Donner footage featured in Lester’s Superman II but is expanded here to include more banter between Lex and Otis and Lex and Eve. Artic daytime background plates which featured in the Lester cut replaced with nightime city background plates. Filmed by Donner. Confirmed.
- Niagara Falls exteriors. Lester footage used. Not filmed by Donner. Confirmed.
- Niagara Falls interiors – the honeymoon couple arrive at the bungalow. A scripted scene in which Lois teases Clark to kiss her was never filmed by Donner. Heavily-truncated version of Lester's scene features in the Donner Cut, which cuts away just as Lois is about go through the door into the honeymoon suite. Not filmed by Donner. Confirmed.
- Luthor and Eve head north. Filmed by Donner. This scene is not in the cut, but is in a deleted scenes section on the DVD of the Donner Cut Confirmed as not in the cut.
- Luthor and Eve arrive at the Fortress of Solitude. Major new footage Lester’s footage of Superman’s mother and the Kryptonian elders has been removed from this Donner scene. Instead, Brando’s Jor-El now informs Luthor of the existence of the super-villains. This scene has been extended to feature new sequences of Luthor and Eve’s arrival at the fortress, with extended dialogue throughout the sequence. Filmed by Donner. Confirmed.
- Niagara Falls exteriors. Clark gets a hot dog. Superman rescues a small boy. Donner never filmed these scenes, so Lester’s footage (largely similar to original script) is used here. However, Lois’ later deliberate jump into the river (to prove that Clark is Superman) has been removed, as well as the scene where Clark returns with the hot dogs. (Lester footage). Not filmed by Donner. Confirmed.
- Exteriors. Luthor and Eve head back south in the Snowmobile, whilst Luthor plots and schemes. This scene is not in the film, but is featured in a deleted-scenes section on the DVD. Filmed by Donner. Confirmed as not in the cut.
- Niagara Falls bungalow interiors. Lois fires gun at Clark, who is forced to reveal his true identity just before Lois admits she used a blank. This scene was never filmed by Donner. However, the original Donner-directed Reeve and Kidder screen tests, which played out this scene, have been edited together and feature here (continuity error: Clark has different hair and glasses in these shots). Lester’s sequence featuring Clark burning his hand in the fireplace has been deleted. Not filmed by Donner. Confirmed.
- Fortress of Solitude interiors. Lois and Superman kiss for the first time. Not filmed by Donner. Similar Lester footage used here.
- A love-struck Superman does cartwheels in the air, and deliberately straightens out the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Not filmed by Donner. Not in the cut. (Scene later adapted for Superman III).
- Fortress of Solitude Interiors. Superman and Lois make a soufflé. (This scene was filmed by Lester, but deleted from the final cut of his Superman II and can be viewed in the deleted scenes section on the Lester Superman II DVD release). Not filmed by Donner. Confirmed as not in the cut.
- The villains arrive in Midwestern America, and meet the rangers. Donner never filmed this scene, thus Lester footage is used here. In Lester’s version, part of the dialogue intended for this scene was transferred to the army general in the small town. The Donner cut features heavily re-edited versions of the scene, removing Ursa's arm-wrestling gag from the Lester film, Non killing a boy, and Ursa's statement that the boy will never become a man. Not filmed by Donner. Confirmed.
- Fortress of Solitude interiors. Superman discusses his dual identity with Lois, and then they make love for the first time. Slightly similar Lester footage used here. Not filmed by Donner. Confirmed.
- The original script features Zod at the Washington monument proclaiming his takeover of the Earth. The dialogue is similar to that spoken by Zod in Lester’s version in the small town ("...your very lives will be given over to me..."). Additional scripted scenes also feature the destruction of the Kremlin, Eiffel Tower, and Mount Rushmore; as well as Tokyo, Japan coming under siege by the three super-villains. Not filmed by Donner. Confirmed as not in the cut.
- Washington monument destroyed. New CGI effects footage. The super-villains fly into Washington DC as the Washington monument crumbles. Footage of The President and his council watching these events on TV replaces Lester version in which Mount Rushmore is destroyed. Confirmed.
- Fortress of Solitude Interiors. Major new footage. Jor-El warns Superman of the dangers of falling in love. Superman gives up his powers and becomes a mortal. Lois appears in this scene wearing only Superman's shirt and socks. Of note, is that Lois is never seen in close-up in this scene. It remains unclear whether this was an editing choice, or whether the close-up was lost/destroyed or never filmed by Donner. Lester’s re-shoot of this scene is scrapped entirely. Filmed by Donner. Confirmed.
- The villains attack the White House and force the President to kneel before Zod. This Donner-filmed scene featured in Lester’s Superman II. The new cut features extended footage throughout. Filmed by Donner. Confirmed.
- Exteriors. Lois and Clark drive toward the diner. Donner Cut features a car on a snowy mountain road. Filmed by Donner. Confirmed.
- Clark is beaten up inside the diner by a truck driver named Rocky, and hears the President relinquish his powers to Zod. This Donner-filmed scene featured in Lester’s Superman II. Filmed by Donner. Confirmed.
- Luthor visits the villains inside the White House and offers them the son of Jor-El. This Donner-filmed scene featured in Lester’s Superman II. Filmed by Donner. Confirmed.
- Major new footage. A bruised Clark arrives at the Fortress of Solitude and screams for his father, after which he discovers the green crystal which he uses to reactivate the Fortress. Jor-El appears (both in his normal disembodied head form and in full corporial form), and 'dies' in order to restore his son’s powers. Filmed by Donner. Confirmed.
- Daily Planet interiors. Lois, Perry and Jimmy Olsen wait for Superman. The villains burst into the Daily Planet, and Superman finally appears. A new Donner scene in which Perry White paces around replaces a similar re-filmed Lester scene. Many of these Donner scenes featured in Lester’s Superman II, though certain shots were re-filmed by Lester. Filmed by Donner. Confirmed.
- Superman and the super-villains fight in Metropolis. Superman flees the city. Limited new Donner footage, plus new effects footage. Most of these scenes were never filmed by Donner. The new cut combines Lester footage (re-edited to remove slapstick sight-gags, although the backwards roller skater highlighted in the Lester version is still briefly visible in one shot), original Donner footage, and new special-effects sequences. Lester scenes featuring Lois leaning out of the office window with a rather insensitive female co-worker have been replaced with original Donner footage. Another added scene is Jimmy re-entering the office with Perry's coffee and Lex steals it out of his hand. Jimmy argues that the coffee was "the Chief's" and Lex counters calmly with "The Chief's got it." Partially filmed by Donner. Confirmed.
- The super-villains return to the Daily Planet. Luthor offers them Superman’s home address. These Donner scenes featured in Lester’s Superman II, though certain shots were re-filmed by Lester. The Lester shot where Ursa seizes Lois is omitted. Filmed by Donner. Confirmed.
- The villains head north with Lois and Luthor on their backs. Lester footage featuring Gene Hackman bodydouble features here. Not filmed by Donner. Confirmed.
- The group arrives at the Fortress of Solitude. The super-villains break through its defenses. Rare new footage This Donner footage has only ever been seen in rare extended television cuts. Filmed by Donner This scene is not in the Donner Cut, but is available to view in a deleted scenes section on the DVD. Confirmed as not in the cut.
- Superman tries to lure Zod into the "de-powering" chamber. The villains threaten to kill Lois. Major new footage. Lester sequences featuring Superman throwing a giant cellophane "S" at Non and playing a game of cat and mouse with the three super-villains has been scrapped. Filmed by Donner. Confirmed.
- Superman tricks the villains into losing their powers. Superman crushes Zod’s hand. Lester’s Superman II contained this Donner footage, though certain shots were Lester inserts (Lois Lane has noticeably different hair and make-up in the Lester re-shoots). Filmed by Donner. Confirmed.
- Luthor is taken away by the Arctic patrol, while trying to plead with Superman to not let them take him back to prison counting down the percentages he could offer him from 3-2-1. Superman shouts, "Blast off!" Rare new footage This Donner footage has only ever been seen in rare extended television cuts. Filmed by Donner. This scene is not in the Donner Cut, but is available to view in a deleted scenes section on the DVD. Filmed by Donner. Confirmed as not in the cut.
- Superman destroys the Fortress of Solitude. Rare new footage This Donner footage has only ever been seen in rare extended television cuts. Filmed by Donner. Confirmed.
- Outside the Fortress, Lois and Superman agree to end their relationship. Rare new footage This Donner footage has only ever been seen in rare extended television cuts, but will certainly be trimmed and re-edited. Filmed by Donner. Confirmed.
- Superman takes a weeping Lois home. In both the Donner and Lester cuts, ariel photography is used for this scene, with no specific shots of the coupl flying. Confirmed.
- Lois’s roof-terrace. Superman says a final goodbye to Lois. Rare new footage This Donner footage has only ever been seen in rare extended television cuts. Filmed by Donner. Confirmed. Only the end shot where Superman leaves the roof was shown in Lester's Superman II.
- Major new footage. Superman turns back time to avoid the devastation of the planet caused by the super-villains, and thus re-imprisons the villians in the Phantom Zone, repairs the destroyed Fortress of Solitude (not shown in film), and makes Lois forget Superman's secret identity. Part of this sequence was used as the ending for Donner's first Superman film but no replacement scene was written. Includes previously unseen footage of Jackie Cooper as Perry White brushing his teeth. Partially filmed by Donner. Confirmed.
- Daily Planet interiors. Major new footage Lois has a feeling she may have missed something important, and asks Clark to get her a pizza. Filmed by Donner. Confirmed.
- Daily Planet interiors. Clark bumps into Jimmy, then into a rude man, reminding him of unfinished business. Rare new footage This Donner footage has only ever been seen in rare extended television cuts. Filmed by Donner. This scene is not in the Donner Cut, but is available to view in a deleted scenes section on the DVD. Confirmed as not in the cut.
- Clark gets his revenge on the bully in the diner. This Donner-filmed scene featured in Lester’s Superman II. (The inclusion of this scene in the Donner Cut creates a continuity error as references are made to the previous encounter between Clark and the bully, even though Superman has turned back time.) Filmed by Donner. Confirmed.
- Superman repairs the damage done to the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Not filmed by Donner. Confirmed as not in the cut. (Scene later adapted for Superman III.)
[edit] Creating the Donner Cut
| “ | The fans pounded at Warner Brothers....emails and home video and the head of the studio, and so Warners finally...called me up and said ‘What do you think?’ and I said ‘Well, let’s see what we can find.’ | ” |
— Donner Cut editor/producer Michael Thau telling a reporter from IESB.net in July 2006 that the film had come about largely as a result of fan pressure.
The prospect of creating a Richard Donner Cut of Superman II' did not begin to gain momentum until the 2001 restoration of Superman for DVD. At this time, six tons of footage for Superman II was discovered in vaults in England, including much "lost" footage filmed by Richard Donner. Soon after, Donner was approached by Warner Bros, to do an extended version of Superman II, but remained reluctant to revisit the movie. In May 2001, he told the website IGN:
| “ | At the time, the studio wanted me to go back in and re-cut the film and add anything I wanted to add or do anything I wanted to do. Quite honestly, I was done with it. I was finished with it. I had such a bad experience with the Salkind family that I just didn't need it anymore. | ” |
Nonetheless, fans continued to campaign for the film. Ultimately, three websites were instrumental in creating the momentum that finally led to the creation of the Donner Cut. The first was Capedwonder.com, run by Superman collector Jim Bowers. In 2004, Bowers published numerous stills from "lost" scenes in Richard Donner’s Superman II, seemingly providing definitive proof that Donner had filmed far more footage than the Salkinds or Richard Lester had initially been prepared to concede. Secondly, the website Supermancinema.co.uk provided fans with detailed breakdowns of the theatrical Superman II, identifying Donner footage within the film, and also providing speculative lists of just how much lost Donner footage might actually exist. Finally, on 19th June 2004, the Planet of the Apes fansite TheForbidden-Zone.com organised hundreds of fans to email or write letters directly to Warner Bros. president Jim Cardwell, demanding that the studio allow Donner to release his version of Superman II. This effort was the first to elicit a positive response from the studio, with many of those who wrote receiving a letter stating:
| “ | Warner Home Video is supportive of an extended version of Superman II on DVD. However, there are complex legal issues that need to be resolved before the film can be re-released. Warner Home Video is presently addressing those issues. | ” |
Other than Donner’s reluctance to re-visit the project, these legal issues were ultimately the greatest obstacle towards creating a Donner Cut. The required footage was still owned by the Salkinds, and issues relating to the use of Brando’s filmed footage in Superman II remained unresolved. Issues relating to whether Richard Lester or Richard Donner would be credited as director of any new cut also remained to be addressed. It was not until legal negotiations surrounding the use of certain Brando footage in the film Superman Returns that the key issue of whether Brando’s filmed Superman II footage could be used was resolved. In November 2006, Donner Cut editor and producer Michael Thau told American Cinematographer magazine[9]:
| “ | Marlon Brando’s estate made a deal with Warner Bros. to license some of his footage for Superman Returns. This later led to the studio going back to his estate for our recut of Superman II. If that footage couldn’t be used, it wasn’t worth doing the project. | ” |
Work finally began on the project in late 2005, though without Richard Donner. At the Director’s Guild screening of the Donner Cut in November 2006, Michael Thau underlined Donner’s reluctance to involve himself in the project, telling the audience:
| “ | Dick (Donner) was doing (the film) 16 Blocks at the time and I was always trying to lure him in with, you know ‘Dick, here’s a piece of candy, come in to the cutting room.’ and he said ‘No, no, no...’ | ” |
Thus, mixed emotions invariably followed the initial announcement in January 2006 that a new Superman II was being worked on, primarily down to the news that Richard Donner was having little or nothing to do with the re-edit. In a January 2006 interview with the website IGN, he stated: [10]
| “ | They're doing it. I'm not doing it...I don't even want to see it until it comes out in the theater...I'm too far away from it now. | ” |
A month later, when asked about the new Superman II cut, Donner told the website Dark Horizons: [11]
| “ | I would never shoot like that now in a million years, I mean it was a different way, a different style, different interpretation. | ” |
Over the years, Donner has frequently proclaimed diametrically-opposing views with regards to the possibility of re-assembling his Superman II — often stating that he would like to do it, other times stating that he would not. In June 2006, restorationist Michael Thau finally confirmed that Donner had finally decided on a far closer involvement with the project, also bringing in writer Tom Mankiewicz to assist in its creation. In an interview with the magazine Movie Magic, he stated:
| “ | When I’d get a cut on a scene, I’d show it to Dick and he’d say, 'I don’t like that line; that reading’s not good,' and so on. With Dick it’s always, 'Make it move faster.' | ” |
In August 2006, Thau confirmed that the entire film, rather than simply featuring new material, would be re-cut from the original camera negatives (including the small number of Lester scenes remaining in the film). The Donner cut comprises 1977–78 pre-cut Donner Superman II negative edited at the time by Stuart Baird, 1980 Superman II theatrical negative cut by John Victor Smith, as well as numerous newly-cut elements edited together or re-edited by Michael Thau. In an interview with Now Playing magazine, Thau noted [12]:
| “ | A lot of scenes that had been already cut, that Richard Lester had interwoven new material in — and there was a lot of them — I unwove that material and recut those scenes, basically from scratch a lot of times. I also had to deal with negatives that had already been cut. And when I wanted to recut it, and Lester had already cut it in a different way, I'd have to unwind that. It was a complicated jigsaw puzzle sometimes, to put it back the way I envisioned Dick would want it cut. We only used the Lester footage when there was material when they had not been able to shoot, and to keep some continuity to the story. | ” |
In a June 2006 interview with the website Amazon.com, George Feltenstein, Senior Vice President of Warner Home Video's Catalog Marketing division, stated:
| “ | We have been getting for years and years and years letters begging us to release the Donner cut of Superman II, and this year we bit the bullet and we've created what is ostensibly a new film, although the footage is all footage that was shot years and years and years ago. But it was sitting in a lab and never assembled. And for those of us were very saddened and touched by the loss of Christopher Reeve — to see footage you've never seen of him before, and a whole different take on the Superman II story, is really thrilling. | ” |
[edit] Plot
The film opens with highlights of events from the first movie: Jor-El condemning three Kryptonian villains, General Zod, Non, and Ursa, to the Phantom Zone and sending his son, Kal-El, to Earth in a rocket ship, the launching of the two XK-101 missiles, Superman being trapped with Kryptonite by Lex Luthor and being rescued by Ms. Teschmacher, and Superman diverging the XK-101 missile programmed to hit Hackensack, New Jersey into outer space.
The Phantom Zone drifts through space towards Earth, and the XK-101 missile explodes near it, causing shock waves that destroy the Phantom Zone, freeing the three villains, who then head toward the Moon.
In the Daily Planet, editor-in-chief Perry White reads an article by Lois Lane about Superman thwarting Lex Luthor's attempts to level most of California. When Jimmy Olsen remarks to Lois Lane that Clark Kent has not been around to see Superman in action, Lois suspects that Clark is Superman and even teases him, when he arrives, that she knows his true identity. She even tries to prove it by jumping out of a window in his presence to call his bluff. But Clark simply races outside at instant speed and seeing Lois still falling, uses his super-breath and heat vision to slow her fall and open roof curtains to act as a trampoline. Lois bounces off them and lands in a fruit stand. By the time she looks up, Clark has already raced back up to the window and looks down, appearing not to have done anything at all.
General Zod, Non, and Ursa arrive on the Moon and kill all astronauts on a joint NASA-Soviet moon expedition. They note that they have become more powerful from how easily they have killed all of the moonwalkers, having acquired more powers from being closer to a yellow Sun. They decide to fly off to Earth, which they believe to be called 'Houston', upon overhearing radio transmissions between the moon mission and mission control in Houston, Texas.
In prison, Lex Luthor devises a plan with Otis to break out. When Otis reveals to Luthor that Superman always flies north to escape radar detection, Luthor decides to track him down using a 'black box' he has created that detects alpha waves. Luthor finally breaks out of jail with the help of Ms. Teschmacher using a hot air balloon, but leaves Otis behind as bait so he can escape. Using the black box device, he goes north to the Fortress of Solitude. Luthor, activating the Fortress control panel, then learns from hologram recordings of Jor-El about the three Kryptonian villains who have escaped. He decides that he will collaborate with the Kryptonian villains to defeat Superman and take over the world.
Meanwhile, Clark and Lois have arrived at Niagara Falls, Ontario to investigate a 'honeymoon racket' assigned to them by Perry White. Lois sees a boy falling over a railing and calls for help; Clark, outside of anyone’s sight, transforms into Superman to rescue him. Later, in their suite, Lois decides to try to prove again that Clark is Superman, suspecting that it is far too convenient that Clark disappears every time Superman appears. She points a gun at Clark and, despite his urges not to do it, fires a shot. She looks with amazement as Clark, who is unharmed, then removes his glasses and, giving Lois a stern look, says, "If you had been wrong, Clark Kent would have been killed." Lois, in a humorous twist, reveals that she has used a blank in her gun.
The three Kryptonian villains arrive on Earth in a small town in Idaho, where they declare their reign over the entire planet to the townspeople after using their powers to easily stop incoming military forces. They then fly to the White House and easily defeat the military defenses that are protecting the President of the United States. Afterwards, General Zod forces the President to kneel before him in submission by threatening everyone’s lives. The President kneels with despair, praying for Superman, wherever he is, to come to the rescue.
Meanwhile, Superman takes Lois to the Fortress of Solitude, where he confesses his love for her. They eventually retire to his bedchamber and make love. Kal-El then speaks to his father through hologram about his desire to give up his responsibilities as Superman so he can live a normal life with Lois. Jor-El criticizes Kal-El for his decision, but nonetheless offers him a choice. In order for him to relinquish being Superman, he must enter a crystal chamber and be exposed to harnessed rays from the Krypton red sun. He will, therefore, lose his powers permanently and no longer be invulnerable as he has been before. Despite his father’s pleas to reconsider, Kal-El, without hesitance, enters the chamber and undergoes the de-powering process, which culminates in the destruction of the crystal control panel.
When Clark and Lois later attend a diner to eat, Clark, now powerless, finds that he can’t even handle a bullying customer named Rocky, who easily beats him up. Clark's mood is worsened when he watches on the diner’s TV box the President announcing his surrender to General Zod. Suddenly, the President pleads for Superman, to which General Zod calls out a challenge for Superman to come fight him. Clark realizes that he has to return to the Fortress and find a way to have his powers restored.
Lex Luthor finally arrives at the White House and offers the three villains a way to find Superman, who he notes is the son of Jor-El, their imprisoner, in exchange for possession of 'beachfront property'. Luthor agrees to help the three villains and hopefully find a way to have Superman defeated.
Meanwhile, Clark arrives back at the Fortress, now a darkened sanctum, and calls out to his father for help. Dreading that there may be no hope left, he then notices the green crystal glowing among the remains of the destroyed control panel – the same crystal that has called out to him in the first movie. He uses the crystal to activate the panel, and once more, Jor-El emerges in hologram. He tells Kal-El about his terrible mistake and offers him one last resort to regain his powers – he will channel all of his remaining energy to his son, thereupon dying. Jor-El bids farewell and emerges in full body and spirit; upon touching Kal-El, he restores his son’s powers and dies by fading away. Kal-El emerges once again…as Superman.
The Kryptonian villains attack the Daily Planet and confront Perry White, Jimmy Olsen, and Lois Lane. Luthor advises them to take Lois as a hostage, informing them of her close relationship with Superman. Suddenly, Superman appears, taking up Zod’s challenge to fight. An epic and destructive battle ensues in Metropolis (much less slapstick than the Richard Lester version) between Superman and three villains of equal power and strength. Finally, Superman appears to be dead, and the people try to attack Zod, Non, and Ursa, who blow them back with super-breath. Superman emerges alive, but flies off, seemingly in defeat.
Luthor offers the villains the location of Superman’s home, the Fortress of Solitude, and together, they fly north, with Luthor and Lois. When the villains confront Superman, Zod threatens Lois' life to force his surrender. However, they also betray Luthor and plan to kill him as well. Luthor seemingly sides with Superman, who tells him about trying to trick the villains into entering the de-powering chamber, the same one he has used before to lose his powers. Luthor, however, double-crosses Superman and warns Zod of the trap. Zod decides to spare Luthor's life and agree to the terms of his demands. Luthor then informs them of how to activate the de-powering process and is ordered to activate it himself.
With Lois' life being threatened, Superman has no choice but to enter the de-powering chamber. After the de-powering process, Superman emerges with a look of weakness and hopelessness on his face. It appears he has lost his powers once and for all. Zod orders him to kneel and take his hand in submission. Much to everyone’s amazement, and Zod's painful surprise, Superman crushes his hand, picks him up, and throws him across the room. Zod falls down into the never-ending abyss below. Luthor then realizes that he has been double-crossed into tricking the villains, since Superman has switched the process so that the de-powering rays have been set loose in the Fortress, while Superman has been safe inside the chamber. Non leaps toward Superman, only to realize that he can't fly and fall into the abyss as well. Lois then lands a punch on Ursa, knocking her off her platform into the bottomless pit.
Superman and Lois, leaving Luthor stranded in the north pole, fly away from the Fortress, and Superman, using his heat vision, destroys it. He then turns back to Lois, who realizes and agrees that Superman must continue to serve humanity, conforming to his father's wishes. After Superman flies her home, Lois begins to break down in despair. Although life would never be the same, she heartbreakingly assures Superman that she can be trusted to keep his secret identity, which Superman acknowledges consolingly, and he flies off.
Superman, realizing that life with Lois can never be, decides to turn back time, flying around the Earth at tremendous speed and reversing events that have occurred throughout, such as the destruction and mayhem done to Metropolis during Superman's battle with the villains and the shattering of the Phantom Zone that releases the Kryptonian villains, as well as Lois' knowledge of his secret identity. The status quo is finally changed back to normal, although both Lois and Perry White seem to experience a sense of déjà vu.
Clark, now with his powers restored as Superman, returns to the diner and confronts Rocky, who is more than willing to pick a fight with him. Much to everyone's surprise, this strange, young man handles the bullying customer like a little child, eventually felling him across the counter and sending him crashing into the jukebox, knocking him unconscious. Clark then offers to pay the owners of the diner for the damage. With those around wondering how the stranger was able to beat the bully, Clark simply replies:
"Oh, I’ve been…working out."
Superman then flies away from and around the Earth, once again, as the defender of humanity.
[edit] World premiere
The world premiere of the new cut took place November 2, 2006, at the Directors Guild of America building in Hollywood and was attended by many of those associated with the film, including director Richard Donner and producer Ilya Salkind. After the screening, Richard Donner, Tom Mankiewicz, Margot Kidder and other cast members participated in a panel discussion. Reports on the screening can be read here[13], here[14], and here[15]. Video reports can be viewed here[16] and here[17]. Pictures of the premiere can be seen here[18].
On November 25, 2006, an exclusive screening benefit for Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut was held at the Fine Arts Theatre in Los Angeles, California. The proceeds of ticket sales went to the Christopher Reeve Foundation. A report on the screening can be read here[19].
[edit] Reaction
Critical reactions to the Donner Cut have been mixed, with inevitable comparisons to the theatrically released Superman II. Many critics responded negatively because of the use of a screen-test in the film (thus making the Donner Cut, in essence, not a true, complete film), the repetition of the time-reversal element used in Superman, and certain creative and technical aspects relating to structure, editing and music usage. Critics of the Donner Cut, including many fans, have largely pointed the finger of blame at editor Michael Thau, whose editing syle, they argue, is of a far lower creative standard than those scenes in the film edited by Stuart Baird (Moon sequence, White House sequences, Diner Sequences) or John Victor Smith (Unaltered Lester footage). Donner himself has also come in for criticism for an apparently uncompromising approach to Richard Lester's material, which in certain cases is heavily truncated in the new film. Disappointment over the Donner Cut has led numerous fans to attempt so-called 'fan-cuts' - edits that attempt to address many of the criticisms of both the Lester and Donner versions of Superman II. Many of these efforts have been posted on the internet, including on the Youtube.com website.
Other critics have responded more positively, mainly applauding the darker, more serious tone of the film.
Cast members Margot Kidder, Jack O'Halloran, and Sarah Douglas have openly stated that they believe The Richard Donner Cut is the superior Superman II. IMDB users rate the film 7.9/10, compared to 6.5/10 for the theatrical Superman II. Rotten Tomatoes gave the Donner Cut an aggregate rating of 83% compared to 84% for Lester's Superman II.
[edit] Donner Cut controversies
The Donner cut has come in for criticism for a number of reasons. Presented here are the most common issues.
- Technical and continuity errors:
-During the fight scenes, Reeve's line "I am not a coward, Zod." is accidentally sped up by several percent.
-During the final scene at the Daily Planet, an erroneous fragment of Clark's voice is heard as he offers to get Lois a pizza.
-The XK-101 rocket is mistakenly labelled XK-10
-As the rocket approaches the phantom Zone, in one shot it is flying straight, in the next it is spinning out of control.
-Stars become brighter as the tail of the XK-101 rocket flares up. In fact, they would become invisible.
-During the entire rocket sequence, planets and stars are mismatched and bear no relation to actual cosmic proportions. For example, Mars is presented as a moon-sized object from the point of view of near-lunar orbit - in fact it would only be visible as a bright star.
-Also during this sequence, stars streak behind the planet Earth in 'warp-speed' fashion, even though the Earth would not be capable of such a feat.
-The 'blank-bullets scene' (screen-test footage) presumably takes place at night. Nonetheless, it is sandwiched between two daytime scenes featuring the supervillains, that occur only minutes apart.
-As Clark shouts from the window of the Daily Planet at Lois, a clear body and voice double is used.
- Musical controversies:
-A primary criticism levelled against the Donner cut is that it repeatedly uses the same musical cue over and over again, thus undermining the melodic association between music and character/situation (see Leitmotif). The musical cue in question is a dramatic build up of music - the same cue is used when the villains escape from the phantom zone, when the villians attack the astronauts, after Superman has lost his powers, during the fight scenes between Superman and the villains and several other times.
-Another issue relates to poor music editing. During a scene in which General Zod appears suddenly and kicks Superman, a harsh music edit accompanies the picture edit.
-During the scene where Superman and Lois land in the Fortress of Solitude, the music edit abruptly splices the famous 'Lois theme'.
-During the escape from the Phantom Zone sequence, the music 'peaks' or climaxes before the scene has ended and then dissolves into another piece of music.
-During the opening seconds of the film, the music begins over a title that dedicates the film to Reeve, not over the actual beginning of the film itself.
-During both the opening and end credits, the famous Superman music is heavily and noticably edited.
- Editing controversies:
-During the opening scene at the Daily Planet, Daily Planet editor Perry White is never introduced in frontal close-up. The next time he appears, it is again only from behind, and also as a flash-cut (a fractured edit - one in which a shot lasts for only a very brief period of time). The third time he appears, he is again only seen from behind during a prolonged wide shot. The fourth time he is seen, and the first time he is seen in frontal close-up, it is again as a flash cut (fractured edit). (see [Editing techniques])
-A number of successive flash cuts accompany the explosion of the Phantom Zone - each shot of the explosion is roughly of the same length and size on screen, leading to a noticable jarring effect. The rules of editing dictate using as few edits as possible. (see[Editing techniques])
-As Lois falls from the skyskraper, the time taken for Clark to begin to slow her fall, would in fact have meant that Lois would have long since have been killed.
- Narrative Controversies:
-The Donner Cut ends with Superman committing an act of revenge, something seemingly very un-Superman-like.
-Lois sleeps with Superman before he has lost his powers, which seemingly undercuts the reasoning behind Superman relinquishing his powers.
-After Lois leaps out of the window, no mention is made of this act in the next two scenes between Lois and Clark.
- The so-called 'Villains rule the world' scene:
-Several hard-core fans have criticised the absence of a scripted scene in which the villains destroy the Eiffel Tower and the Kremlin. Prior to the Donner Cut's release, it was widely assumed that this scene would feature in the Donner Cut.
[edit] Reviews
- On September 29, 2006, Clint Morris from Moviehole.net released the first official review of Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut.[20]
- On November 3, 2006, a review of Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut was posted on bluetights.net by Justin.[21]
- On November 4, 2006, superherohype.com released a review of the cut.[22]
- On November 10, 2006, supermancinema.co.uk posted two scanned reviews from British magazine, DVD Review. The scanned pages of the magazine reviews can be seen here[23].
- On November 15, 2006, andyfilm.com, thedigitalbits.com, dvdempire.com, collider.com, and actionfigurecollectors.com released reviews of the film. They can be read here[24], here[25], here[26], here[27], and here[28].
- On November 16, 2006, ign.com, hddvd.highdefdigest.com, and comics2film.com released reviews of the film. They can be read here[29], here[30], and here[31].
- On November 17, 2006, dvdmg.com released a review of the film[32].
- On November 19, 2006 homemediaretailing.com, thecinemalaser.com, combustiblecelluloid.com released reviews of the film. They can be read here[33], here[34], and here[35].
- On November 20, 2006 dvdtown.com and fulvuedrive-in.com released reviews of the film. They can be read here[36] and here[37].
- On November 21, 2006 supermanhomepage.com released a spoiler-free review of the film[38].
- On November 23, 2006, tucsonweekly.com released a review of the film[39].
- On November 25, 2006 calenderlive.com, einsider.com, and hometheaterspot.com reviewed the film. They can be read here[40], here[41], and here[42].
- On November 26, 2006 flipsidemovies.com, comics2film.com, and on-film.net released reviews of the film. They can be read here[43], here[44], and here[45].
- On November 27, 2006 filmfreakcentral.net, dvdfile.com, digitallyobsessed.com, tailslate.net, and gamerz-edge.com released reviews of the film. They can be read here[46], here[47], here[48], here[49], and here[50].
- On November 28, 2006 comingsoon.net, the-trades.com, dvdverdict.com, ugo.com, hollywoodnorthreport.com, cinematical.com, and canmag.com released reviews of the film. They can be read here[51], here[52], here[53], here[54], here[55], here[56], and here[57].
- On November 29, 2006 movieweb.com, aintitcool.com, and avclub.com released reviews of the film. They can be read here[58], here[59], and here[60].
- On November 30, 2006 syfyportal.com, cinemablend.com, thefilmfrontier.com, dvdtalk.com, and thedvdlounge.com released reviews of the film. They can be read here[61], here[62], here[63], here[64], and here[65].
- On December 1, 2006 mania.com released a review of the film[66].
- On December 3, 2006 dvdfanatic.com released a review of the film[67].
- On December 4, 2006 moviefreak.com released a review of the film[68].
- On December 6, 2006, ohmynews.com released a review of the film[69].
- On December 7, 2006 reel.com released a review of the film[70].
- On December 8, 2006 filmjerk.com released a review of the film [71].
- On January 1, 2007 supermancinema.co.uk posted a few fans' reviews [72].
[edit] Trivia
- Body Doubles
- Margot Kidder: Lois falling from the window of the Daily Planet and bouncing off the awning, and typing on her typewriter during the time-reversal sequence.
- Christopher Reeve: Clark Kent looking out the window of the Daily Planet, several shots when Kal-El/Superman is inside the depowering chamber, and when he is repowered by Jor-El.
- Marlon Brando: Jor-El with his hand on Kal-El's shoulder.
- The green crystal Clark picks up in the Fortress of Solitude is a prop from Superman Returns. A shot of editor Michael Thau's hands was used for Clark picking up the green crystal.
- There is a new live-action shot of the White House before the super-villains attack, as well as several new live-action shots during the time-reversal sequence.
- This is the only Superman film to utilize the famous comic book line, "up, up, and away", although it is not Superman who says the line but Lois Lane, saddened at the thought that her relationship with him is over.
- According to the website Supermancinema.co.uk, the Donner cut breaks down thus: 75% is the original Donner shoot, 8% is newly filmed or CGI material, scenes from the first film and also the Niagara Falls Donner-filmed screen-test, and 17% is Lester footage edited to reflect Donner’s vision of the film, specifically removing many of Lester’s trademark sight-gags. About 50 percent of the film is brand-new to the audience.
- Christopher Reeve's first day of filming Superman and Superman II was April 5, 1977. His first scenes were for Superman II as Clark Kent in the Fortress of Solitude, with Marlon Brando as Jor-El.
- There are about 200 new special effects in the film, according to editor Michael Thau.
- It took 9 months to restore Richard Donner's Superman II footage.
- Margot Kidder and Terence Stamp were asked to reloop some of their scenes but declined.
- The footage of Zod kicking Superman into the torch of the Statue of Liberty, and Superman punching Non into the Empire State Building was shot by Richard Donner for a Superman II trailer.
- The time-reversal ending was the original intended ending for Superman II, but it was used for the first film to give it a more exciting conclusion. Richard Donner has stated that he and writer Tom Mankiewicz would have come up with an alternate ending for Superman II if given the opportunity.
[edit] DVD Special Features
- All new introduction by director Richard Donner (1 minute and 53 seconds) Confirmed by BBFC[73]
- Commentary by director Richard Donner and creative consultant Tom Mankiewicz
- New featurette Superman II: Restoring the Vision (13 mins. and 18 seconds) Confirmed by BBFC[74]
- 6 Deleted Scenes (8 minutes and 33 seconds) Confirmed by BBFC
- Lex and Miss Teschmacher head north
- Lex and Miss Teschmacher head south
- The villains try to enter fortress
- He's all yours, boys
- Clark and Jimmy
- Lex's getaway (video can be viewed here[75])
- Dolby Digital 5.1
- Subtitles: English, Français & Español (feature film only)
[edit] Trailer
On September 20, 2006, Warner Bros. released the official trailer for the Christopher Reeve Superman Collection DVD box set. (Includes footage of Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut.) [76]
On November 21, 2006, Warner Bros. released the trailer for the Ultimate Superman Collection DVD box set[77].
[edit] See also
- Star Trek: The Motion Picture - a film that similarly saw a revised "director's edition" version created decades after its original release.
[edit] External links
- Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut at the Internet Movie Database
- Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut at Rotten Tomatoes
- Video Interviews
- SupermanII.com
- Donner's Superman II
- Donner Cut Parody
- World Premiere Pictures
- Superman II Shooting Script
- Richard Donner Interview
- Richard Donner Interview #2
- DGA Screening Video Report
- 3 Scenes from Richard Donner's cut
- Superman II: Restored International Cut
- Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut Flyer
- Homemediaretailing.com - A Donner Party
- The complete Daily Planet opening scene
- Mania.com - Superman II: Making the Sequel
- Christopher Reeve Superman Collection Trailer
- Sarah Douglas Talks Superman II: The Donner Cut
- Ign.com - Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut Preview
- Now Playing Magazine: Donner's Superman II Cut Revealed
- James Christie / Hotdog - The Fight For Superman II; A tale of two Dicks
- Superman II writer Tom Mankiewicz interview on Newsarama by Daniel Robert Epstein
- Ugo.com - Superman II: The Donner Cut Visual Effects clip
- Youtube.com - Richard Donner's Superman II (Overview)
- Cnn.com - DVDetails: Superman II
| Films Directed by Richard Donner |
|---|
| X-15 • Salt and Pepper • Twinky • The Omen • Superman • Inside Moves • The Toy • The Goonies • Ladyhawke • Lethal Weapon • Scrooged • Lethal Weapon 2 • Radio Flyer • Lethal Weapon 3 • Maverick • Assassins • Conspiracy Theory • Lethal Weapon 4 • Timeline • 16 Blocks • Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut |
![[9]](http://www.capedwonder.com/newwebsite/images/DVD_art/CW-american-cinematographer-donner-cut.jpg){kind=link}
