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Movies / On DVD / Superman: The Movie
Superman: The Movie

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Superman: The Movie (1978)

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Reviews Counted:46

Fresh:43

Rotten:3

Average Rating:8/10

Consensus: Superman deftly blends humor and gravitas, taking advantage of the perfectly cast Christopher Reeve to craft a loving, nostalgic tribute to an American pop culture icon.

Runtime: 2 hrs 31 mins

Genre: Science-Fiction/Fantasy

Synopsis: The Superman myth is well told, from his birth on the doomed planet Krypton to his childhood in a small Kansas town and beyond, in Richard Donner's blockbuster. After he comes of age, young Clark... The Superman myth is well told, from his birth on the doomed planet Krypton to his childhood in a small Kansas town and beyond, in Richard Donner's blockbuster. After he comes of age, young Clark Kent, as his Earth parents have named him, learns the truth of his alien birth on a voyage of discovery to the Arctic. It is there that he learns--through a link to his long-dead birth parents--of his superhuman abilities and his responsibility to preserve and protect "truth, justice and the American Way." Once he adjusts to life in the big city, Metropolis, he discovers that hiding his superpowers as mild-mannered reporter Clark Kent (Christopher Reeve) isn't easy as he flirts with hard-nosed Lois Lane (Margot Kidder) and battles supervillain Lex Luthor (Gene Hackman). The film's all-star cast includes Jackie Cooper, Marlon Brando, Ned Beatty, Glenn Ford, Terence Stamp, and Valerie Perrine, among others, all camping it up wonderfully. [More]

Starring: Christopher Reeve, Margot Kidder, Marlon Brando, Glenn Ford

Starring: Christopher Reeve, Margot Kidder, Marlon Brando, Glenn Ford, Terence Stamp, Gene Hackman, Ned Beatty, Jackie Cooper, Valerie Perrine, Trevor Howard, Susannah York, Phyllis Thaxter, Marc McClure, Jeff East, Larry Hagman, Phil Brown

Director: Richard Donner

Director: Richard Donner
Producer: Pierre Spengler
Screenwriter: Mario Puzo, David Newman, Leslie Newman, Robert Benton
Composer: John Williams

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Release:

Feb 12, 2003

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Reviews for Superman: The Movie

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1 - 20 (sorted by source)
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Excellent telling of the Superman myth.

comment Comment
08/11/03
Fred Topel
Fred Topel
About.com

This movie is big, exciting and funny.

Full Review Source: Apollo Guide | comment Comment
04/29/01
Brian Webster
Brian Webster
Apollo Guide

No review available.

comment Comment
12/15/04
Philip Martin
Philip Martin
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Combines cheeky attitude with wowwy effects and genuine thrills.

Full Review Source: Austin Chronicle | comment Comment
01/01/00
Marjorie Baumgarten
Marjorie Baumgarten
Austin Chronicle

Remains a defining high point of Hollywood's tumultuous relationship with superheroes.

Full Review Source: BBC | comment Comment
10/09/01
Danny Graydon
Danny Graydon
BBC

The film is best when it takes itself seriously, worst when it takes the easy way out in giggly camp -- as it does, finally and fatally, when Lex Luthor enters the action.

Full Review Source: Chicago Reader | comment 5 Comments
04/17/07
Dave Kehr
Dave Kehr
Chicago Reader
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Superman is a pure delight...

Full Review Source: Chicago Sun-Times | comment Comment
10/23/04
Roger Ebert
Roger Ebert
Chicago Sun-Times
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Vem envelhecendo bem justamente por compreender que, mais do que respeitar o espectador (e respeita), é fundamental respeitar seu próprio universo.

Full Review Source: Cinema em Cena | comment Comment
07/11/06
Pablo Villaca
Pablo Villaca
Cinema em Cena

No review available.

comment Comment
04/10/05
Jules Brenner
Jules Brenner
Cinema Signals

A classic tribute to an American pop-culture icon… the first great comic-book movie and a nostalgic ode to the ideals of a more innocent time… John Williams’ swashbuckling score completes the grand experience.

Full Review Source: Decent Films Guide | comment Comment
09/12/03
Steven D. Greydanus
Steven D. Greydanus
Decent Films Guide

The film ranks among the greatest crowd pleasers in cinema history, an achievement it will surely hold for a long time.

Full Review Source: DVD Review | comment Comment
07/10/07
Felix Gonzalez Jr.
Felix Gonzalez Jr.
DVD Review

In Christopher Reeve, the casting department found someone with just the right charisma to pull it off.

Full Review Source: DVDTown.com | comment Comment
11/22/06
John J. Puccio
John J. Puccio
DVDTown.com

Still stands as one of the finest Superhero Movies ever made ... and I suspect it always will.

comment Comment
04/03/05
Scott Weinberg
Scott Weinberg
eFilmCritic.com

The person we will remember the most is Christopher Reeve as Superman, and this is the way he should be remembered . . . You will still believe a man can fly.

Full Review Source: eFilmCritic.com | comment Comment
03/20/03
Brian Mckay
Brian Mckay
eFilmCritic.com

[It] remains the single best superhero movie ever made.

Full Review Source: eFilmCritic.com | comment 1 Comment
06/18/05
David Cornelius
David Cornelius
eFilmCritic.com

No review available.

comment Comment
06/19/05
Emanuel Levy
Emanuel Levy
EmanuelLevy.Com

No review available.

comment Comment
03/11/05
Nicolas Lacroix
Nicolas Lacroix
EnPrimeur.ca

Though Superman has aged more gracefully than many '70s sci-fi films, the film's drawn-out first act may make viewers long for the more modern wham-blam style of comic-book movies.

Full Review Source: eye WEEKLY | comment Comment
06/06/01
Catharine Tunnacliffe
Catharine Tunnacliffe
eye WEEKLY

No review available.

comment 1 Comment
09/24/04
Jake Euker
Jake Euker
F5 (Wichita, KS)

No review available.

comment Comment
10/06/05
Chuck O'Leary
Chuck O'Leary
Fantastica Daily
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by source)
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Latest News for Superman: The Movie

August 14, 2009: Siegels Win Greater Share of Superman Copyright Opens in new window
Jerome Siegel's heirs continued chipping away at DC at Time Warner's share of the Superman copyright this week, winning another court ruling that further complicates the Man of... More...

July 09, 2009: Warners Wins Favorable Ruling in Superman Case Opens in new window
Warner Bros. has prevailed in its portion of the lawsuit brought against it and DC Comics by the heirs of "Superman" creator Jerome Siegel -- but the clock is still running out... More...

February 04, 2009: Exclusive: Inside Pinewood/Shepperton - A Photo Tour
Every year, the BAFTA film awards present a trophy for Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema. Introduced in 1978, the award recognises an organisation or a person's career... More...

September 07, 2008: Further Reading: Superman's Musical Moment in It's a Bird... It's a Plane...
The 1975 TV special It's a Bird It's a Plane It's Superman is so seldom-seen it tends to get written off by people who only judge from ropey clips in documentaries which bulk... More...

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