Post by hursty on Mar 29, 2009 16:27:25 GMT -5
I think this film should be on the pantheon of all-time greats. I get teary eyed when I think of the heart, soul, passion and endless acting genius that colluded wondrously to form this masterful fourth segment of the series.
Christoper Reeve delivers arguably the finest performance of his career, and his delivery of the line 'No pain, No gain' should have won him the oscar nom on its own. He brings us his sheer exuberance as a matter of routine and develops both Clark and Superman to levels not seen in all three previous films combined
Gene Hackman, who wisely sat out the poor third installment returns here to explosive effect. His righteous damnation of Superman's existance forces him to duel emotionally with mother nature itself. He didn't want to do it, but he did because he beleived that Superman was the disease of all mankind!! How dare he interfere with the nuclear arms race! The bastard!! Hackman almost betters his role as Popeye Doyle...but its certainly a second best role for the legend....and the most respectful incarnation of Luthor seen on the screen to date.
What Marc McClure did in this film was nothing short of spectacular. It must have been hard for him to appear in the first 3 films and do fuck all and generally act like an impish prick...but for him to come into this film, and have the decency to allow Damien McLawhorn to out-act him so easily is a testament to the sacrifices he's made throughout his career and indeed life.
And speaking of the bohemoth himself, Damien McLawhorn, a child actor of truly epic proportions...just...WOW! 'I just wish superman would have said yes'.....KAPOW!! That's delivery that messrs Gielgud and Olivier could only dream of. Whatever happened to this gifted young starlet?? He could've been a contender.
And if not for McLawhorn, the best breakthrough performance of 1987 would have easily gone to Jon Cryer. Apparently he's a comedian, but there was nothing funny about his performance 'You're just an experiment freako'...its scenes like this that makes your heart wrench and scream your frustrations that movies aren't what they used to be.
The eye candy is awesomely realized in the shape of the delectable Mariel Hemingway and the way she plays with Clark's red-raw emotions is searingly strong stuff for a PG rated film, and Sam Wannamaker is fabulous as her perverted father.
But special praise must be given to the villains of the hour, Clive Mantle and Mark Pillow who played Nuclear Men one and two respectively. I once dreamt of Nuclear Man 1, with that tiny metal pot covering his nuclear penis, coming towards me, dripping with sweat and hoping to screw me senseless, but then I was saved by Nuclear man two, who said 'I am the father now'...to this day I have never experianced a dreamscape like it and I'm wondering if anyone could share the same experiance. If Mantle was deft then Pillow was ebullient, and if Mantle was restrained then Pillow was simply controlled. Tis a pity that Mantle's largely bravura showing was hacked out of the picture, but for 22 years plus, Pillow and his supreme Pat Sharp effect mullet have been entertaining all walks of life. I love him deeply.
My head is overrun with superlatives when I try and recall my favourite moments from the film. Obviously 'Superman tells kid, drop dead' is one of them as is 'Mozarts back'...but I don't think cinematic history can boast to a better moment than Jeremy's peachy buttocks perched on the knee of Margot Kidder and Superman telling the world that he is to rid the world of nuclear weapons. I feel priveliged every time I see this and its a testament to the directorial prowess of Sidney J Furie that this scene is as magnificent as it is.
I'll say no more, as I need an emotional cry after sharing all that...but guys...please...share your views....
Christoper Reeve delivers arguably the finest performance of his career, and his delivery of the line 'No pain, No gain' should have won him the oscar nom on its own. He brings us his sheer exuberance as a matter of routine and develops both Clark and Superman to levels not seen in all three previous films combined
Gene Hackman, who wisely sat out the poor third installment returns here to explosive effect. His righteous damnation of Superman's existance forces him to duel emotionally with mother nature itself. He didn't want to do it, but he did because he beleived that Superman was the disease of all mankind!! How dare he interfere with the nuclear arms race! The bastard!! Hackman almost betters his role as Popeye Doyle...but its certainly a second best role for the legend....and the most respectful incarnation of Luthor seen on the screen to date.
What Marc McClure did in this film was nothing short of spectacular. It must have been hard for him to appear in the first 3 films and do fuck all and generally act like an impish prick...but for him to come into this film, and have the decency to allow Damien McLawhorn to out-act him so easily is a testament to the sacrifices he's made throughout his career and indeed life.
And speaking of the bohemoth himself, Damien McLawhorn, a child actor of truly epic proportions...just...WOW! 'I just wish superman would have said yes'.....KAPOW!! That's delivery that messrs Gielgud and Olivier could only dream of. Whatever happened to this gifted young starlet?? He could've been a contender.
And if not for McLawhorn, the best breakthrough performance of 1987 would have easily gone to Jon Cryer. Apparently he's a comedian, but there was nothing funny about his performance 'You're just an experiment freako'...its scenes like this that makes your heart wrench and scream your frustrations that movies aren't what they used to be.
The eye candy is awesomely realized in the shape of the delectable Mariel Hemingway and the way she plays with Clark's red-raw emotions is searingly strong stuff for a PG rated film, and Sam Wannamaker is fabulous as her perverted father.
But special praise must be given to the villains of the hour, Clive Mantle and Mark Pillow who played Nuclear Men one and two respectively. I once dreamt of Nuclear Man 1, with that tiny metal pot covering his nuclear penis, coming towards me, dripping with sweat and hoping to screw me senseless, but then I was saved by Nuclear man two, who said 'I am the father now'...to this day I have never experianced a dreamscape like it and I'm wondering if anyone could share the same experiance. If Mantle was deft then Pillow was ebullient, and if Mantle was restrained then Pillow was simply controlled. Tis a pity that Mantle's largely bravura showing was hacked out of the picture, but for 22 years plus, Pillow and his supreme Pat Sharp effect mullet have been entertaining all walks of life. I love him deeply.
My head is overrun with superlatives when I try and recall my favourite moments from the film. Obviously 'Superman tells kid, drop dead' is one of them as is 'Mozarts back'...but I don't think cinematic history can boast to a better moment than Jeremy's peachy buttocks perched on the knee of Margot Kidder and Superman telling the world that he is to rid the world of nuclear weapons. I feel priveliged every time I see this and its a testament to the directorial prowess of Sidney J Furie that this scene is as magnificent as it is.
I'll say no more, as I need an emotional cry after sharing all that...but guys...please...share your views....
