Booshman is re-doing his S2 fan cut in HD

[TylerDurden389]

For those interested, here's the thread. It's a little quiet there. Maybe some of you here who are on that board could put in some input over there. Or do it right here. Either works.

www.fanedit.org/forums/showthread.php?6126-Superman-II-by-Booshman.-New-edit-in-HD

Booshman and I have been going back and forth for a few days now discussing ideas. He really is a genius and an artist I must say. If anyone remembers my video I posted a while back about my idea for a new "Repowering" scene, he likes my idea and has already started testing it out. See for yourselves.

vimeo.com/32431097

The shot of him lying there facedown will have his costume slowly fade onto him. Similar to the effect when he jumps out the DP window in STM. The shot of Jor-el fading away (from the director's cut scene) is my idea of Jor-el's "final energy" dying off, as Supes is "reborn". Boosh isn't going to use that shot though, and willl probably use something from the "making of" footage when Brando is just sitting there with the velvet background. The shots of Supes from S3 in the cave will be rotoscoped so that he's in the proper location. The close-up of Supes face will be edited to remove the "evil" look. The gray hair, the stubble, the bloodshot eyes, and the dark red in the costume will all be fixed. The daytime flying shots (from the Clint Eastwood movie "Firefox") are only temporary, as they'll have to be either sunset, dusk, or night shots (for continuity).

However, what's most important are the "beats". Notice how I timed everything with the music? The close-up of Supes' face when the main fanfare plays. The sound when he crashes through the ceiling. The last shot of him flying over us when the last sound of the horns plays. The emotional impact of this scene not only works well for the film, but it's something both official version sorely lack. This, to me, is one of those "moments" that we should've had in S2.

[Jack Tripper]

that rough edit is pretty bad ass. keep us updated.

[matt]

Can you post the highlights. you have to me a member to read post.

[SamH9303]

nice!

Be good if you could use a live plate instead of a still, that would also require a bit of camera tracking but it would pay off for the finished result.

Looking forward to seeing it

[Rod]

love it!

[TylerDurden389]

Here's his latest rough draft. The pieces are starting to come together.

vimeo.com/32501165

Thanks for the comments guys. Yes, using a moving background frame would work best, but it would much more work. I'd like to mention it to him in the next email, but considering he's gonna have so much work to do already, I don't know if I wanna suggest this juuuuuust yet, ya know? lol. I'm amazed that he even liked my idea so much that he did this much work on it already. You have no idea how grateful I am to him for it.

[Knight]

Great work and ideas. Love it. Clever use of footage from S3,STM,flying through the roof of the FOS.

However,the fly by shot from FOS ends that transition perfectly. You dont need any other footage from other film at all. Nothing from 35 seconds. Zilch. End that scene as is.

I used to have the shot of Clark on the ground with the burned out crystals etc,cut to an exteria shot of the FOS then: Jor-El fades out (from DC of STM ) use the footage from STM,the very first time we see Superman in the FOS and the flyby.

-Just use the long distance shot before he flys through the roof,maybe?


Great work,keep us posted.

[TylerDurden389]

I respectfully disagree Donner. The whole reason I want the scene to go on longer is because I feel the entire sequence in general is one of those important Superman moments that we never got from either versions. Plus the audio transitions to finish the scene would be jarring if I were to cut it short. I've heard enough in the Donner Cut with music cues being altered in order for the music to work for a scene. I didn't like it there, so I'm not gonna go and do the same thing. But regardless, I'm glad you like the rest of it

[Knight]

I do,I love it.

Well,fair play,it's your work and I encourage editorial disagreements.

How do you feel about the use of a long shot of Superman in the FOS from STM before he bursts through the roof?

Saves a bit of work on the SIII Junk yard scene?

[TylerDurden389]

Nov 22, 2011 20:00:55 GMT -5 Knight said:

How do you feel about the use of a long shot of Superman in the FOS from STM before he bursts through the roof? Saves a bit of work on the SIII Junk yard scene?

Which shots are you talking about?

[TylerDurden389]

Boosh just did a test with your idea Donner. Here ya go. I personally prefer my way. The timing is now off. Also, him flying through the roof at such a slow speed looks silly. But this is his edit so he gets the final word.

vimeo.com/32551387

[Conor]

Yeah I say ask him to remove the close ups of Reeve. We don't need to see his face so many times over plus it takes us out of the experience when we say "Oh thats from the lake scene from SIII". The shots of him layinh down, getting up, breaking through the roof and flying at speed are sufficient and would have much more an impact. Ask him!!! pweeze!!

[crazy_asian_man]

I have to admit that Tyler was generous enough to share this idea with me awhile ago- and it sounded interesting then--- but to see it in rough form with Rough #3 was exciting. I agree that the music beats and the shots are great- I prefer Rough #3 to the subsequent versions so far.

Anxious to see the final run (especially as I know how much work it is going to be/is)!

[Knight]

The long distance shot I mean is from STM: The very first time we see Reeve stood as Superman in the FOS a few seconds before he takes off for the fly by.

You know the one I mean now?

[TylerDurden389]

Oh yeah, I know the one now. I've actually seen a fan edit where someone did that already. I can't remember which one though. I didn't like the idea of simply re-using footage, as I feel it's too easy. As for Conor's thoughts on too many close-ups, I like the close-up of his face and his eyes opening up right when the main "fanfare" kicks in because I liked the idea when it was done in "The Matrix" when Neo opens his eyes after being "re-powered" by exploding Smith. I've actually had this idea for a Dragonball Z edit as well, LONG before I even knew what fan edits were. Probably 10-12 years ago actually. So you can see now why this idea is very personal to me. They did this idea at the end of The Incredible Hulk when he's meditating and he opens his eyes and they're green and he smiles to the camera. I'm sure there's a name for this particular "trope", it's obviously not an original idea (so I can see why some of you don't like this idea) but regardless, I love it, and feel it works best in a Superman film.

As for the subsequent shots, the shot from 3 when he's carrying the lake, Boosh and I agree that this will be the last shot. It always was the last shot in this scene in all my cuts of S2, up until I saw the movie "Firefox", which is where I got all those flying shots from.

[Rod]

there is a new rough.
vimeo.com/32556437

i still think the rough 5 kicks more ass.

connor made a point about reeves close ups i tend to agree.

[TylerDurden389]

Rod, you beat me to it, lol. Glad to see this project is picking up steam.

[Knight]

Most of this scene consists of used footage,so a few seconds more wouldn't harm,thus removing the junkyard clip. That's just my thoughts though.


flying POV footage is a good idea,works well.

[TylerDurden389]

Thanks. I also felt that theatrical 2 missed flying shots like that. If it's possible, I'd love for booshman to give us a rotating camera flying shot like the one we got in S1 after he rescues Lois and catches the helicopter. Another type of flying shot that the sequels didn't have. Making an effect like that could easily be done today.

[Knight]

Yea,I see what you mean. (I don't mean to deter off topic here,but was there anything ever scripted/proposed to show Superman powering up,similar to Boosh's drafts?)


Keep the drafts coming in...

[TylerDurden389]

Scripted? Probably not. I've read the S2 script a few times, and the way it plays out in the DC is exactly how it was scripted. However, considering that same script ends with Superman turning back time, I no longer go to the script for "genuine" things/ideas. The reason Donner never returned was because of how he said in interviews how he'd not only do over most of S2 from scratch (which is why I personally don't bother backing up the whole "He filmed 80% of the film already" argument anymore) but also because he would've re-wrote a lot of things as well. NOT just a new ending.

I hate to bring him up again, but Selutron's attitude towards a proper S2 sequel is the best mind set. He basically said: Don't worry about which scenes were shot by who, which scenes were in the original script...etc. What IS important is TONE. Superman 2 needs, more than anything, to have the same TONE of the first film. So that it actually FEELS like a sequel to part 1. Love him or hate him, I believe Selutron got this idea right, and I agree with it 100%. The Donner Cut showed that Lester's scenes are necessary for the narrative and that we shouldn't worry about how much percent of the film is credited to which director. Simple as that.

And if I can quickly throw out another opinion, the Donner Cut showed me that when it came time to decide which Donner takes to use, Lester and his editors also got it right. However, this also applies to the RIC cut as well. Which may have been edited by a worker-editor at whichever channel company aired it first. Either way, if there's THREE different versions of a scene (theatrical, RIC, and DC), for me, for the most part, it's almost always the theatrical or RIC versions that got it right.

[Jimbo]

I hope to get started on my cut someday.

The movie doesn't really need much in terms of changes. A reconstruction of the ABC cut is the way to go, IMO. That's how most of us saw it growing up, and we were all satisfied. All I would change is getting rid of the slapstick and other stupid stuff "holy skunk sweat!" and using the Donner version of the Fortress confrontation (no finger powers and cellophane)

Even as time goes by, I'm starting to prefer mother-only for the Fortress scenes. The Brando repowering scene is really the only must-have.

[Knight]

Yea,I agree with the tone concept-sure. The serious tone of Lois figuring out Clark's secret before the waterfall jump is very different to the somewhat more relaxed, humorous version in the DP for example.

It's not about who shot what anymore,it's about how to use what we have. I loathe having to watch SII three times,LC,DC and RIC to see the film,fill in the blanks cos' each version has gold that the other doesn't.



(RIC ending act FOS,Lex.Villains,artic police,Lois and Supes kiss,balcony etc...)

(DC: ''there he goes again,up,up and away'')

Oh,I could happily sit with the DC as an 'alternate' had the blank bullets scene been shot properly...

LC de-powering is superior to the one in the Donner Cut,again tone,LC is more loving,understanding as opposed to the son rebelling against the father...

However I love Clark's ''There's no one to help them now,the people of the world,not since I... '' in the re-powering which brings us to the work here...

[atp]

So, when is the Selutron version coming out?

[Jimbo]

It will be included with the box set of Star Wars theatrical version Blu-rays and the restored cut of The Magnificent Ambersons.