How do the Christopher Reeves "Superman" movies hold up to more modern comic book movies?

[Jayson1]

I had a "Superman" marathon not to long ago were I watched them all, starting with the first one and ending on "Batman vs Superman." I felt liked the first two hold up very well and that is even including the fact that Superman doesn't even really have a huge fight scene in the first one. To me the movie's understood the nostagic value of the character and embraced that. To me that is what most of the Marvel movies have done , just with better special effects because like the first Superman the villians of those films also tend to feel like they don't matter to the success of the films.

Jason

 

[The Nth Doctor]

I need to watch that series again, at least the first two, which I haven't seen in years. I haven't seen the second two since I was a kid, but based on everything I remember and what others say about them, I'm in no hurry to watch those two again.

 

[Jayson1]

I need to watch that series again, at least the first two, which I haven't seen in years. I haven't seen the second two since I was a kid, but based on everything I remember and what others say about them, I'm in no hurry to watch those two again.

The third film is awful. Richard Pryor is wasted and there is almost no Lois Lane and the bad guy is just some random business guy and his hot girlfriend and frumpy sister. The fourth is even dumber but I thought it was fun in a "Mystery Science Theater 3000" kind of way.

Jason

 

[Kai "the spy"]

Watched the first one on Good Friday, and yeah, it still holds up. But I grew up with this movie, and I can speak the lines with the characters, which I actually did on occasion.

I've given the DVD set with all four Reeve movies and SR to my nephew a few years ago for his eighth birthday, but his mom is a bit overprotective and didn't want to have him see them, which everyone else thought was ridiculous, but she's the mom. And I don't really know whether he (being eleven by now) has seen the movies, or even just one of them, by now. Maybe I should ask again.

 

[Tosk]

The first one is the only one I can honestly say is a great film. I feel like we haven't had a truly great Superman film since. Which makes me sad.

I loved Superman II as a kid, but I find it rough going these days. And while Superman III has some really dire crap, I really like the Clark related stuff. Reeve and O'Toole worked well together. Superman IV may as well not exist for me.

 

[LJones41]

Not that well, if I must be honest. Actually, I first saw the cracks in "Superman: The Movie" over a decade ago. I still like it - especially the second half. But thinking about the script has led me to see that the movie itself has a lot of cracks . . . more than I had originally thought.

As for the other three Reeve movies - I don't care for them that much.

 

[Smellmet]

I'm of the opinion that Superman: The Movie is right up there with the best superhero films ever made, maybe even the best. The epic feel, amazing score, perfect casting just all slot together so well for me. Only the silly spinning round earth scene spoils an otherwise outstanding movie. I think II is not far behind either, but you can see how it suffered with the firing of Richard Donner with it's uneven tone and some woeful effects. I think III gets a worse reputation than it deserves, all the Smallville stuff with Lana is pretty good, and I love the bit when Superman turns bad - the scrapyard scene is an absolute riot. It gets dragged down with all the dumb slapstick comedy though, but I can still watch III and get some enjoyment out of it. IV simply doesn't exist to me and is one of the worst films ever made.

 

[FPAlpha]

The action scenes of the new Superman movies are obviously better simply due to readily available CGI technology but the more important thing, the character of Clark/Superman was missed everytime which makes the Reeves Superman movies better (at least the first 2).

I am really sick of the moping, woe is me because i'm so powerful i have to be careful,, attitude that permeates the new Superman movies.. we get it, absolute power corrupts absolutely but they missed the point of Superman, i.e. he is aware of it but he is the total exception because he is not corrupted by it no matter what he encounters, he will always do the right and selfless thing.

May be boring for today's audience according to the producers but neither Singer nor the new directors/writers get it apparently which is why a 40 year old movie still kicks their ass.

 

[Smellmet]

I actually didn't mind Superman Returns, I really enjoyed the nostalgia factor with the classic music and 3D credits, but it was also it's undoing expecting audiences to swallow it being a 'is it, isn't it' sequel to Superman II. Still, it had some decent action scenes and I thought Brandon Routh made a decent enough fist of it. I thought Kate Bosworth was miscast though.

I thought Man of Steel was a very decent effort too, even though the action and destruction was overdone just a tad. Micheal Shannon, as expected put in a great performance as Zod, but I found Cavill to be a little bland. Still, it's an entertaining enough film with stunning production values, so it gets a pass from me.

Batman v Superman I thought was just a total mess of a movie. Didn't like it at all.

Back to the original topic, I guess I'm just a sucker for the first couple of Reeve films, probably due to my age (42). They held a very special place in my childhood, along with Star Wars and Star Trek which is too compelling for me to ignore.

 

[Mudd]

The Reeve Superman movies hang almost entirely on performance - mostly his. Only the first one is really successful as a film on its own terms, and it suffers from wild shifts in tone and pacing throughout.

Basically, the creative team couldn't figure out how seriously to treat a movie based on a comic book fantasy - the script and overall approach is always casting one eye back over its shoulder at the Adam West Batman series.

Burton's Batman and the first X-Men movie really set the stage for this current generation of super hero films.

 

[RomulanCommander]

The Reeve Superman movies hang almost entirely on performance - mostly his. Only the first one is really successful as a film on its own terms, and it suffers from wild shifts in tone and pacing throughout.

Basically, the creative team couldn't figure out how seriously to treat a movie based on a comic book fantasy - the script and overall approach is always casting one eye back over its shoulder at the Adam West Batman series.

Burton's Batman and the first X-Men movie really set the stage for this current generation of super hero films.

I agree.

Superman 1&2 are a little more serious, with probably the right amount of comic relief. Not nearly as campy as 1960s Batman or 1970s Wonder Woman. Probably more along the lines of six million dollar man where it is definitely fantasy and doesn't take itself too seriously, but isn't too realistic either, I suppose?

Superman 3 would have been in this category, except for 1) Richard Pryor 2) the stupid superman killing machine. It's more comical, closer to 1960s Batman camp.

S4 is just ridiculous and awful. Christopher Reeve looked embarrassed he was even doing the film in some scenes. You almost see him wince a couple times.

 

[MadeIndescribable]

The first two are classics, and always will be. The fact that last years Doctor Who Christmas special completely ripped off the first film shows how much of an influence it still is.

Personally I love Christopher Reeve's portrayal, spefically the fact that you can always tell that he plays Clark Kent as Superman playing Clark Kent; the shot in Lois' apartment where he takes off his glasses and straightens his posture is something that I don't think has been matched in any superhero film (at least that I've seen) since. And only Keaton's Bruce Wayne comes close. Linked to this is Reeve's specific choice to play Superman not as a "hero", but as a "friend", again something which modern films don't really live up to.

Like others have said though, III had some great moments and ideas, but wasn't a great film. As for IV, even Reeve (who helped write the film) essentially said "the less said about it the better" in his autobiography.

 

[Mudd]

They may be "classics" but that doesn't mean they're good.

 

[Smellmet]

the shot in Lois' apartment where he takes off his glasses and straightens his posture is something that I don't think has been matched in any superhero film

Love this scene. Sums up Reeves performance to a tee. Gets a great payoff in the sequel in the Niagra Falls hotel too. I remember being so excited when he finally revealed himself in II.

 

[Galileo7]

Reeves Superman(1978) and Superman II(1981) plus Routh's Superman Returns(2006) make a perfect trilogy. I think they hold up, but Reeves are of a different era long ago like Keaton's Batman(1989) compared to Affleck's Batman.

 

[FPAlpha]

Back to the original topic, I guess I'm just a sucker for the first couple of Reeve films, probably due to my age (42). They held a very special place in my childhood, along with Star Wars and Star Trek which is too compelling for me to ignore.

I'll turn 42 too this year and whenever i hear the theme song of the Reeve movies i get chills.. it is that iconic alongside the Star Wars and Indiana Jones themes (all 3 done by John Williams.. coincidence? )

The movies, especially the FX, look their age today but a good movie is a good movie and Superman '78 is a classic

 

[Lowdarzz]

I don't care if they hold up. I enjoy both I, II, though I've become more partial to the Donner cut of Superman II, and parts of III. They've got their problems but I've never been bored or felt I've wasted my time.

 

[Galileo7]

I'll turn 42 too this year and whenever i hear the theme song of the Reeve movies i get chills.. it is that iconic alongside the Star Wars and Indiana Jones themes (all 3 done by John Williams.. coincidence? )

The movies, especially the FX, look their age today but a good movie is a good movie and Superman '78 is a classic

Agree, especially the John Williams Superman score is still superior to the current Man Of Steel score.

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[Kor]

I love John Williams' music. His Superman theme is superior to any other Superman music in any medium ever, both before and since.

To me, Superman: The Movie was a noble attempt. The first part of the movie is grand and epic. However, when things shift to Metropolis, with the antics of Lex and his bumbling sidekick, there's just a little too much goofiness.

Kor

 

[F. King Daniel]

I don't think they really hold up, but I think they're amazing, innocent nostalgic fun.