At which point did you realize SR was great?

[crazy_asian_man]

When Singer was announced as director, I was thrilled.....BUT..... I was equally thrilled when it was announced that Irvin Kershner (Star Wars: Empire Strikes Back) was directing Robocop 2.... only to be horrified when the actual film came out.

Not to mention Sam Raimi being able to complete Spiderman 3--- and also similiarly horrified.... so... you just never really know until you see it and have your own opinion on it.

So...
Had a lot of nervous trepidation on seeing SR--- despite Singer's credit. What if I didn't like how Routh portrayed the character? Admiration for intents are one thing, actually enjoying the end product is another.

While I know I was beaming when I heard Jor-el/Brando's voice and the Donneresque credits with John Williams' music.... I STILL didn't know if I could trust how the film would go despite Singer's passion and talent...

Then, after the rather emotional scene with Routh/Clark and Martha, with Reeve's voice (essentially) coming out of Routh's mouth--- I felt a sigh of relief. I thought the character and sympathy for the character and who he was, was anchored--- and then the following scene at the Daily Planet, with Routh looking almost EXACTLY like an updated Reeve Clark Kent & the re-introductions (how do you do them well without feeling redundant/tired? And yet--- Singer did it with great humor)- to the Daily Planet staff felt familiar but with fresh energy all over again.

Anyhow--- although I was thrilled from the words "Bryan Singer is directing Superman"- I still wasn't totally trusting until that first scene with the characters. From that point on, I just was able to sit back, and let each scene unfold and be 'wowed' by how far they took the character personally, without changing the foundations of what the character was.

In any case, one thread inspired another. I'm sure this will inspire another one countering this one. Ah well. Good times.

[Legsy]

DA PLANE! DA PLANE!

[Jimbo]

I voted Donner-style credits, but in retrospect, I should have gone with Williams score in the opening.

I do have one problem with the main titles. In STM, the musical score peaked when "SUPERMAN" appeared on the screen.

In SR, the music peaks when we see the Superman emblem, and then the title of the movie comes after it kinda anticlimactically.

[stargazer01]

You beat me to it, CAM..

To me it was during the Daily Planet scene/intro characters. Especifically when Clark first arrived and went over Lois' desk and started reading her "Why the World Doesn't Need Superman" article. The moment that cute smile on his face disappeared I felt a lump in my throat. I knew then that this film would be deep and compelling. And it was/is. This film dared to explore the character more indepth and to take him to new emotional places. It gave the character more dimensions and made him more real, as if he existed in real life. And more importantly, it made me love him even more. A lot more.

[MAVERICK]

Well said Gazer

[The Phantom Menace]

You forgot a poll option: "I don't think SR is great, but soon will."

I'm with Gazer. Clark arriving at the Daily Planet is where the film begins to pick up steam.

[reevevsrouth]

don't think its great but it does have great moments, my favorites superman lifting the boat and after he saves the plane.

[EnriqueH]

I'd have to think about what to vote for, STM style credits or Williams music. Probably Williams music.

What would be worse in that scenario? Donner style credits with other music? Or other style credits with Williams music.

Ok, so I'm voting for Wlliams.

[Deleted]

It wasn't until the plane scene. I loved the opening but it wasn't new stuff, the theme doesn't make a great movie.

Everything up until the Daily Planet worried me, so I didn't like that stuff too much. I do now, I guess? Kinda?

The Daily Planet stuff I really dig now but at the time, it was more of a want to see Clark Kent in action.

But the plane scene gave me goosebumps.

[crazy_asian_man]

At this point- with the amount of people here who voted when they first experienced STM & the amount of people who voted for either the 'love/hate' SR polls--- it's interesting in just how much SR's direction split people who (presumably) loved the STM film from a very early age into two camps here on both sides of the SR fence.

If SR took the 'Raiders/lightweight fun' style, I think it might have been fun & I might have even enjoyed it as lightweight fare- but I'm certain I wouldn't have watched it as many times as I did in the theatre nor have bought all the memorabilia associated with it, if it didn't have the emotional weight that SR had in it.

With Lester, my anger towards his work is that ultimately Lester didn't care about the character or have any real respect towards the way Donner approached Supes--- with Singer, that guy has a lot (maybe too many) options for other works--- and it can't be said that he didn't care about the Donner films or the project--- giving up Xmen 3 did not sound like something he was thrilled to have to give up at the San Diego convention-

So..... anyhow, it's a moot point about SR ever getting a sequel, but I don't get SR haters' need to rub salt in the wounds of those who really loved SR or those who really loved seeing him in that role- over, and over, and over again....

I half-joke at Smallville, but Smallville seems destined to run 100 seasons---
With SR, there's a cliffhanger of sorts, with a director and cast that was wanting to give us the rest of that story, but may never get a chance to.

If nothing else, at least the polls show that the forum really does seem split in half here.... but contrary to those in the extremes who say otherwise-
#1: SR was not a box office failure at all- (otherwise a sequel would not have been greenlit for a time)-
But, it also wasn't as big a success ((in contrast to its reported budget)) as WB wanted either to make WB stick by it's decision forever.

Still- I suspect that if we had gotten a McG/Ratner/Abrams version, we'd ALL be in agreement over hating it for changing so much of the Superman legend that it was unrecognizable.

So it goes....

[zoom]

The plane scene was good, I'll give the movie that.

[atp]

Me too