When you are 8 years old sitting in a movie theatre watching one of you favorite characters on the screen, you have no idea how much turmoil goes into putting that action on film. Richard Donner directed Superman the Movie and simultaneously his version of its sequel. However, following the release of Superman, Donner was fired and a new director for Superman 2, Richard Lester, was hired. The funny thing is nearly 80% of what was seen in theatres in 1981 is what Donner had filmed. So 25 years later, Donner released his version of Superman 2 from the rolls of film shot while making Superman the Movie.
Richard Lester’s version is a good film. However, it does have many problems. In the Fortress of Solitude battle scene with the three Kryptonian villains, the Man of Steel is given powers that he never had before and were cheesy powers to begin with. From his “S” shield on his costume he pulls out a cellophane shield which he hurls at the evil doers.
Also during the Fortress battle, Superman and General Zod participate in a game of hide and seek. They apparently were endowed with the powere to magically appear and disappear anywhere within the fortress. Or maybe it was a trick ice crystals within the fortress. But that was meaningless as well.
Richard Donner’s version had no such new powers for Superman. However, it also has ONE BIG FLAW!!!! The same thing that plagued the climax of Superman the Movie. I will not spoil for the uninitiated.
Personally, I prefer Donner’s version. Both are flawed, but Donner’s version also has a brilliant scene with Superman and his father Jor-El (Marlon Brando) at the Fortress. Both do include the diner scenes which are some of my favorite scenes from the movie.
Richard Lester’s version also lead to the ultimate demise of the Christopher Reeve starring movies. The final two films of the series took a horrendously comedic tone. Richard Pryor was added to the cast of Superman III as a comedic foil. Superman IV was just an awful mess which spelled the end of the Last Son of Krypton on the big screen for 20 years .
