Superman: The Movie 4K UHD (1978)

[Geoff D]

I know you put that qualifier there, I was checking it for myself

[doover]

If this is the theatrical version, why does it contain the extended love theme during the end credits from the Donner edition; that was extended to accommodate the SE credits? This is on both the Atmos and the 5.1 soundtracks.

[FilmFreakosaurus]

Originally Posted by doover

If this is the theatrical version, why does it contain the extended love theme during the end credits from the Donner edition; that was extended to accommodate the SE credits? This is on both the Atmos and the 5.1 soundtracks.

The Atmos mix and derivative tracks are supposedly based off the Donner Extended Cut restored audio files for Michael Tau's previous 5.1 mix attempt. They were the last ones approved by Donner.

[KC-Technerd]

Originally Posted by doover

If this is the theatrical version, why does it contain the extended love theme during the end credits from the Donner edition; that was extended to accommodate the SE credits? This is on both the Atmos and the 5.1 soundtracks.

I just went back and compared to be sure about this. The love theme is only extended about 7 seconds to accommodate the SE credits. The first 7 seconds of the SE credits replace the 'NEXT YEAR "SUPERMAN II"' of the theatrical cut. The original theatrical version of the love theme fades out about 5 seconds after the screen goes black after this. The extended love theme and the SE credits continue for another 7 seconds.

On the Atmos track (4k disc) the music does continue for about 12 seconds after the screen has faded to black. This is the Thau mix with the extended love theme.

On the DD 5.1 track (4k disc), the music only continues for about 5 seconds after the screen has faded to black. This is the original theatrical version.

Listen carefully to the difference in the music between this and the Atmos track starting at the beginning of the "DISTRIBUTED BY WARNER BROS." title. (The first 10 of the 15 seconds of preceding music repeats at this point only on the extended version/Thau/Atmos track. Another key difference is that there are no plucked strings after the screen goes black following 'NEXT YEAR "SUPERMAN II"' on the DD 5.1 track with original theatrical love theme, just fade out.)

I also compared this with the Extended Cut which has the theatrical version of the love theme, and replaces the 'NEXT YEAR "SUPERMAN II"' with a black screen. The theatrical version Blu-ray Disc also exhibits the Thau extended love theme on the DTS-HD MA 5.1 track, and the original theatrical version love theme on the DTS-HD MA 2.0 track.

[eddievanhalen]

It's a shame the original 5.1 track done for 70 mm screenings didn't get a proper lossless track at 24 bit, for me this track sounds outstanding. They put too many languaje audio tracks on the disc and that may be the reason why.

[KC-Technerd]

Originally Posted by eddievanhalen

It's a shame the original 5.1 track done for 70 mm screenings didn't get a proper lossless track at 24 bit, for me this track sounds outstanding.

I wish they would have also included it on the theatrical cut Blu-ray.

[chip75]

Originally Posted by pino

Most people think it's Richard Donner, but I'm pretty sure it's Peter MacDonald; the camera operator.

Originally Posted by Geoff D

Yeah, I was gonna say (after looking at the image chip provided) that it doesn't look like Donner to me. No glasses for one thing.

That's what I thought as well, Donner even says its him during the commentary. I always though there were two people in the reflection the camera operator and Donner, but I could only catch one.

[Deciazulado]

They're Clark Donner (with glasses) and SuperDonner

[Martoto]

Originally Posted by chip75

That's what I thought as well, Donner even says its him during the commentary. I always though there were two people in the reflection the camera operator and Donner, but I could only catch one.

Typical Donner. Trying to take credit for everything.

[neveser]

This is down to $22.99 on Amazon.

[Stockslivevan]

Originally Posted by motorheadache95

Honestly, I was a little annoyed that they fixed some of the wires and the visible space-curtains in the Blu-Ray transfer, so if they went back and did a 4K transfer without the alterations I'd totally buy it. I want my Superman IV in all it's laughably bad-production glory, dammit!

Kidding aside, SUPERMAN IV originally did have some of those gaffes like visible wires and curtains scrubbed/airbrushed out in the original prints. When the 2000 DVD transfers were made somebody at WB was being very neglectful and forgot to scrub them out. This also happened with II and III. The Reeve sequels were treated pretty poorly on DVD compared to Donner's extended DVD, which was the only film remastered and with actual special features. The only way WB could have gotten more lazy with that 2000 film set is if they had simply used the old Laserdisc transfers for the sequels. Even when they later did the 2006 set they still used the same goofed up 2000 DVD transfers for III and IV.

I suppose all the Reeve films have a pretty spotty history on home video.

[guachi]

Originally Posted by neveser

This is down to $22.99 on Amazon.

And Best Buy. If you can find it in the store. I've found two copies of 2001, which couldn't actually be sold to me, and zero copies of Superman at two different Best Buys.

[tyrok]

Originally Posted by guachi

And Best Buy. If you can find it in the store. I've found two copies of 2001, which couldn't actually be sold to me, and zero copies of Superman at two different Best Buys.

Stores have it now. It's on a new Aquaman endcap.

Not their fault Warner made them change the date on 2001 even though a few stores got stock.

[captainsolo]

Originally Posted by Stockslivevan

Kidding aside, SUPERMAN IV originally did have some of those gaffes like visible wires and curtains scrubbed/airbrushed out in the original prints. When the 2000 DVD transfers were made somebody at WB was being very neglectful and forgot to scrub them out. This also happened with II and III. The Reeve sequels were treated pretty poorly on DVD compared to Donner's extended DVD, which was the only film remastered and with actual special features. The only way WB could have gotten more lazy with that 2000 film set is if they had simply used the old Laserdisc transfers for the sequels. Even when they later did the 2006 set they still used the same goofed up 2000 DVD transfers for III and IV.

I suppose all the Reeve films have a pretty spotty history on home video.

Actually I'm pretty sure the first DVDs for II and III use the remastered letterboxed later Laserdisc releases which are quite rare. I've compared them and they seem roughly identical. IV likely used an old master since it was released letterboxed in Japan previously by WB. At this time WB was on the whole doing nothing but recycling LD masters for their catalog DVDs.

[Geoff D]

Apropos of nothing I had a good look through the SE Blu-ray (when looking for that Donner cameo) and boy it's really starting to show its age, it's no wonder some people said that they preferred the transfer from the TV cut Blu-ray. The SE looks really smeary and soft, even on the more recent AVC encode, and not soft in a "it was shot like that!!" way but in a "damn, they've 'managed' that quite a bit" way.

[motorheadache95]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

Apropos of nothing I had a good look through the SE Blu-ray (when looking for that Donner cameo) and boy it's really starting to show its age, it's no wonder some people said that they preferred the transfer from the TV cut Blu-ray. The SE looks really smeary and soft, even on the more recent AVC encode, and not soft in a "it was shot like that!!" way but in a "damn, they've 'managed' that quite a bit" way.

Well considering it was mastered for a DVD release 18 years ago now, I guess that's not too much of a surprise. Honestly, I just watched that same Blu-Ray recently, and I thought it looked pretty good myself, but I don't have the 4K release and I imagine the comparison would make the PQ issues stand out more.

[Stockslivevan]

Originally Posted by captainsolo

Actually I'm pretty sure the first DVDs for II and III use the remastered letterboxed later Laserdisc releases which are quite rare. I've compared them and they seem roughly identical. IV likely used an old master since it was released letterboxed in Japan previously by WB. At this time WB was on the whole doing nothing but recycling LD masters for their catalog DVDs.

Then they were better sources than what I was imagining to be lazy: Just using the 4x3 non-anamorphic letterbox editions. The worst WB DVD title I ever saw that used an LD transfer was OUTLAND. A very muddly looking picture plagued with aliasing. So bad that the fullscreen side of the disc was more presentable, just barely.

The oddest WB catalog was the original LETHAL WEAPON box set. While films I, III, and IV were in anamorphic widescreen, II was the odd duck only being presented in 4x3 letterbox.

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by motorheadache95

Well considering it was mastered for a DVD release 18 years ago now, I guess that's not too much of a surprise. Honestly, I just watched that same Blu-Ray recently, and I thought it looked pretty good myself, but I don't have the 4K release and I imagine the comparison would make the PQ issues stand out more.

Not so much in comparison, I'm not the biggest fan of the 4K disc anyway and haven't seen the SE Blu in quite a while, in itself it looks very tired.

[fighthefutureofhd]

I thought they did a fairly standout job on the 4K presentation. Mind you, it's not Sony Bad Boys good, but it's still a really solid title. Way better than the Blu-ray.

[Geoff D]

They did an okay job but not a great one IMO, the source material really needed to be spruced up a bit more for 4K and I don't much like the colour grading, it lacks contrast and skin tones are a touch too pale and yellowy. I'll still take it over the aforementioned SE Blu-ray which looks much too processed, and the awesome 70mm audio goes a long way to redeeming it, but it still feels like a missed opportunity.

I doubt we'll see this on 4K disc but I'd love it if they'd put together the SE cut in 4K inclusive of all the redone opticals and improved dupes (that Luther's lair section looks really shitty in the theatrical 4K) that were part of the 'C' roll that Michael Thau created as part of the 2001 restoration.