Adam's Superman Movie Observations

[HOSNI]

his little girly high pitched voice...

[stargazer01]

Lois&Clark: was definitely some high class drama... ;D

[adam15]

I'm thinking about using this song from Metal Gear Solid 4 in my new cut for Superman II: the dramatic cut. Basically this SII cut is gonna be really sad and melancholy... it'll end with Lester's Clark screaming "Fatheeeeeeer!" Then I fade to black and this song plays over the credits www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOVkYAxHvkk What do you guys think?

[Jimbo]

A fellow Metal Gear gamer? Excellent. That's not a cliffhanger song though.

[adam15]

But that's the point... the film ends with Clark losing his powers and dying in the fortress in a vain attempt at trying to get them back! The song is meant to be a celebration of Superman's life before his tragic flaw (love) brought him down.

And yeah I'm a huge fan of MGS but I don't have a PS3 yet... maybe when I get my own place I'll get one but I'm content with MGS2 and MGS3 (subsistence--- 100x better because of the camera.) Yeah Konami games rule!

btw, if you want a REAL cliffhanger song that coulda been used during the credits of STM after Zod yells FREE!!?::: www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMBlq023IL8

[Jimbo]

MGS4 does not disappoint, especially if you're a fan. MGS3 is still my favorite.

The ending of STM? Disco version of "Can You Read My Mind" for sure.

[adam15]

I'd prolly agree with you about MGS3 being the best even though I haven't played 4.. can't beat the jungle setting! But I first played through the standard edition of the game and the camera really hurt the game knocked it down to an 8 in my book. Then I traded it for subsistence and it was like playing a whole new game ... definitly a 10/10!

But yeah... you know that Nelly song would work over ANY films end credits!

[adam15]

Because in SIV Supes was flaccid dim witted and had a fugly-ass rug on his head... no one could take him seriously ...THIS would have been the UN's proper reaction.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=82TzfWMWJJ0&NR=1


BTW, WTF is with Superman not representing any country? He is a 100% proud American in my book. Truth justice and the American Way! We all know the American way is the best way (there ARE other good ways but nothing beats the AMERICAN way!)!!!!

[adam15]

Michael Thau's catchphrase/song is

"Mr. Thau that's my name.... I do CGI villians all the same... but I can't edit for shit-tits SOOOOOOOOOOOOO... I'm just blah-blah-blah-Thau! I'm Mr. Thau that's my name that Name again is Mr. Thau!!!!!!! Thau-di-dah!

[adam15]

A while back... prolly even before the Donner Cut was announced I decided to do my own Donner cut.. only I only had the SII Theatrical DVD and STM 2001 DVD to work from.... plus I made the cut by recording bits and pieces from both discs onto a VHS.

Basically I had the discs playing though my PS2 and the PS2 was connected to my VCR and that was connected to the TV. I didn't have any new footage to work with and the quality sucked but I thought I made a decent picture.

The project started easily enough... I recorded the Brando trial sequence from STM and then used STM's credits and then recorded footage of Supes throwing the rocket in space and cut to the villians being released from the SII DVD. All this worked very well.


Now on to the picture! I opened the film immediatly with Luthor doing laundry... it was a nice seg-way from STM... no crappy Paris or OJ scene!

Also when Lex activates the crystal in the fortress I cut to that sillouette of Jor-El from the STM 2001 docs saying the "virtuous spirit" bit then it went back to Lara speaking. Cool to see both parents.
Then the film went on as usual only I used the blank bullets screen test from the docs-I WAS AHEAD OF THAU IN THAT REGARD! It was kinda wierd cause Lois was being played by another actress but I managed to recorded in the part where Margot Kidder actually fires the gun and when shes says Gotcha! I obviously didn't have the scene where Lois jumps out of the building... but I figured you didn't actually need to SEE that scene... as long as it was referenced in the screen test you got the idea.


Then when Supes and Lois went to the fortress I had them sleep together FIRST. After they do it I cut to the new Jor-EL scene from STM 2001 when he says "You enjoyed it" In my cut Jor-El was acknowledging that Supes enjoyed sex but that he should not feel vanity that he was great in the sack. Yes kinda a wierd scene but I had to have Superman and Jor-El interact at some point!

Then the picture goes on like the Lester cut exept that I cut down most all the East Houston stuff... the villains pretty much go straight to the White House. But when Clark finds the green crystal I cut to the bit in STM when Jor-El is first appearing and says "My son"

I also cut out a lot of the gags when the villians blow the crowd... I think the editing there was way better than what Thau did. Then when the Villains arrive at the fortress I cut out the fight and cut from "Better manners Zod" to Zod saying "SILENCE!" And then after that I basically cut from Superman dropping Lois off on the balcony to him getting revenge in the diner.

End Film.

So... I admit that the film was a lil rough and obviously it would have been better if I had more Donner footage to work with. But this baby is still near and dear to my heart: it was my first stab at video editing and I'm proud of it. I think I have the tape somewhere.... I know it sounds like it sucks and in ways it does yet I feel that this film does bring out the best in Donner's work. We all know all the new Donner stuff in the Donner Cut had issues. Well just thought I'd throw this out there... it really is a good cut... does anyone have any questions about it?

[crazy_asian_man]

Very cool!
It's funny--- I did something similiar (but not nearly as elaborate as yours) back in the day with two vcrs.

And....YES, personally, would have a lot of fun seeing this. Please do put it up, sir!

[adam15]

hah! I'm glad you found that amusing! Unfortunately, I think that the tape is gone... but I really did make this I really wish I could see it again!

What did you do for your poor-man's (don't-even-have-RIC-footage) SII Donner Cut?

[crazy_asian_man]

The poor-man's RIC that I made:

Funny is that in reading your attempt, it reminded me a lot of what I did, too.
Very similiar- it's been awhile, so I'll try to outline it from memory: this would be not necessarily the vcr to vcr (that's long out of memory), but the first stab on the computer sans RDC:

* Opening: STM trial (to replace Lester's)
* SII credits (LC)
* STM rocket chase
* Villains' release
* Paris opening (but boring parts whittled down)
* IRC (Concorde scene from ABC tv)
* Supes hurls elevator into space
* Luthor in prison
* Moon attack - with Nasa controller jokes cut down
* Luthor escapes from prison
* Honeymoon Haven
* Luthor & Teschmacher in balloon
* Niagara Rescue
* Luthor goes to FOS: I may or may not have tried to intercut Brando from STM, slowing down York's voice 50% to sound male--- (pretty laughable now that I think about it), and trying to sync Brando's lip movements. (again, pretty laughable attempt now that I think on it)
* Lois jumps into the water
* Villains land on the planet (no snake)
* Pink bear reveal
* Villains confront the two policemen; but Ursa uses her heat vision on them at the end (removed the levitation bit and a lot of the jokes)
* Lois and Supes fly to the FOS
* Villains trash the small town (removing a lot of the jokes)
* Lois/Supes talk about the green crystal/flower scene
* Villains continue to trash the town, without the reporter in the beginning bit
* Supes/Lara scene is 'converted' into a Jorel scene, using the same lame idea I used for the original Luthor/Lara scene
* Villains trash Rushmore/
* Supes/Lois sleep in a super-bed
* White house attack
* Diner scene
* FOS Repowering scene
* Lex in white house
* Daily Planet....with the beginning lopped off with Lois' reshoot by lester
* Metropolis battle--- whittled down to almost nothing by removing all the jokes
* Return to the Planet...lopping off the bit with Lois w/bad hair
* Insert the Entrance to the FOS scene from ABC-tv
* Cut the 'battle' at the FOS by Lester, but keep the confrontation at the FOS otherwise
* Arctic Police on ABC-tv
* Balcony scene on ABC-tv
* Memory kiss (shortened considerably)
* Diner rematch
* white house flag return
* Flyoff into space

Funny how even 'x' amount of years later, just looking at the list written, I realize how much work was put in, and how much the unfinished nature of the lost Donner SII STILL haunted me then, and haunts me now. *sigh* ;(

[adam15]

Sounds like a pretty neat attempt; but mine takes the cake because it was really just pieces from STM haphazardly recorded into the Donner SII bits to appear to be a new film.... gawd awful it was but bless my heart I did it!

Y'know about being haunted by the Donner SII? I don't think I am anymore. Before the new footage was restored (and before I had seen any RIC stuff)I was haunted because I could only see bits and pieces of Donner's film... I could only imagine the wealth of unseen material that would connect these peices. I couldn't grasp in what proper context I should be seeing these scenes. I often thought that the Donner scenes would have taken on a whole new meaning if I could see the intended context.

Now that we have most of Donner's film, the situation is reversed, we now have the whole thing except for bits and pieces here and there. (The only huge exception is the lack of the real blank bullets scene... it would have made all the difference I'm telling ya... it's absense is the curse of the Donner cut.)

But now I can watch all of Donner's SII stuff in chronological order and my mind can fill in the gaps. I can really see what Donner's SII would have been now because I can now see the whole with only small patches that require imagination. And it is easier to imagine what a scene would have been if you have the preceeding and proceeding material.

[adam15]

I have never seen the making of Superman II.

I do have the film but not the second disc (the SII is on the back of the STM disc; it's dual sided)

I was hoping I could watch it on youtube.... anywhere I could find it? I wanna see Lester try to claim credit for the diner sequence !!

Speaking of that; maybe he was only trying to take producer's credit on that scene?... whatevs..

[Jimbo]

Even still, I doubt he was the producer of the movie at that time. Didn't he come on and suggest that Superman II filming be halted?

He should take credit for the world being turned around. ;D

[adam15]

Apr 27, 2009 15:47:21 GMT -5 Jimbo said:

Even still, I doubt he was the producer of the movie at that time. Didn't he come on and suggest that Superman II filming be halted?

He should take credit for the world being turned around. ;D

But wasn't the scene where Clark gets beat up the very last SII scene to be shot with Donner? That would mean that Lester was a producer at that time.

Anyway is the Making of SII any good?

[crazy_asian_man]

Anyway is the Making of SII any good?

It's enjoyable.... though it's also funny that WB included it, with the newer documentary in the Ultimate Collection. Although Lester doesn't come out and say that he shot it all, since there's zero mention of Donner in it, and how it's cut--- it pretty much makes Lester look like the biggest liar in the world.

The newer documentary (Thankfully) is far more comprehensive (and honest), but Making of SII is fun to see regardless, especially since the truth of who shot what is documented enough times in the same collection as well.

[adam15]

I know that some people here don't think Superman needs his cape to be able to fly.... but maybe in the Reeve films he does!


Think about it.... in STM Superman had the line that he would wrap Lois in his cape to keep her warm; does this suggest that the cape has special powers?

Well that line was cut... but what about the scene in the Donner cut when Jor-EL explicitly says that the red, yellow and blue blankets were SPECIFICALLY MADE by Lara to ensure Kal-El's strength. This is proof positive that Superman gets his powers at least in part through his cape!


Even in SIV, Superman can't get the strength to fight Nuclear Man until Lois gives him back his cape!

Whatever side of the fence you are on... you gotta admit the Reeve films provide strong evidence that Superman cape is at least somewhat magical.

[Jimbo]

Apr 30, 2009 16:00:09 GMT -5 @adam15 said:

Even in SIV, Superman can't get the strength to fight Nuclear Man until Lois gives him back his cape!

The cape was just a reason for Lois to visit Clark. It's her words that inspired him to use the green crystal, and that restored him, not the cape.

In the very least, his cape (and the rest of his suit) is bulletproof when he's wearing it. Sweat-proof on the other hand.....

[ye5man]

I do wonder what he's waiting for with recharging himself with the green crystal while the World is on the brink of nuclear destruction

You'd think there'd be a real sense of urgency, with everyone launching all those nukes!

[Legsy]

Apr 30, 2009 17:16:31 GMT -5 Jimbo said:

In the very least, his cape (and the rest of his suit) is bulletproof when he's wearing it. Sweat-proof on the other hand.....

;D ;D ;D

[EvilSupes]

LOL! when I was little, I used to think if Superman lost his cape he couldn't fly too - which is why in SIV I also thought it was terrible he lost it!

ahahah the mind of a child ;D

[fggafagas]

It's definitely not the cape or the suit. If it were, then the three Phantom Zoners wouldn't have powers.

[ShogunLogan]

If I recall correctly, Superman had a cape just to show the dynamic of flying when drawn in the comics.