Superman: The Complete Collection

[Phil92]

The closest Asda to me is a 2 minute drive. Will check tomorrow, but I doubt they'll be any left and, if so, they've probably gone back up to full price. Trust me to notice this now.

[DrWally]

Heads up as this is a very decent £17.99 at Play.com at the moment.

[Blu-Ray Winstone]

£17.99 on Play this week.

[Mick B]

Its nearly xmas and xmas wouldn't be xmas without a bit of Superman on the box.

Heres a little story.

Firstly taped the first 3 films off TV between 1983 and 1985.
Purchased all 4 films on VHS in 1988.
Purchased the widescreen version of STM in 1993.

Purchased 1 and 2 on DVD as a combi set in 2001.
This had the extended cut of STM in 5.1 and S2 in 2.0.

Imported a German copy of S3 in 2003 (also in 2.0).

Brought the boxset of all 4 films that came out around 2005.
This had the same 3 releases as before but included S4 but I found this cut was shorter than the VHS version (Tornado and Moscow scenes missing) and also only in 2.0.

Then in 2006 I brought the new boxset.
This had the Theatrical version and extended cut of STM in 5.1
It also had the Theatrical version and Donner cut of S2 in 5.1
Also the same old S3 and S4 in 2.0

Now I have purchased the Anthology on Blu-ray.
Guess what?

This has the Theatrical version and extended cut of STM in DTS HD MA 5.1
It also had the Theatrical version and Donner cut of S2 in DTS HD MA 5.1
It now has S3 in DTS HD MA 5.1
and S4 in DTS HD MA 2.0
lastly, Superman Returns in DTS HD MA 5.1

I just wonder how long after the re-boot and it's sequels we will get the following...

STM (Theatrical, Extended and International cut)
S2 (Theatrical, Donner and International cut)
S3 (Theatrical and International cut - taped off TV in 1985)
S4 (Theatrical, Extended and Restored 134 min version)
Superman Returns (Theatrical and extended)
Supergirl (Theatrical, Shortended and International cut)

I read somewhere that Dick Donner didn't like the 3 hour version of STM.
I am fairly sure the deleted scene of Non killing the kid in S2 goes against the "no-one dies whilst Superman is here" rule.
I also think some the slapstick cut from S3 was done so for good reason.

S4 is the interesting one. Did someone really destroy all the negatives on the orders of Cannon or will the Metro Disco scene turn up someday.
I would have still been nice to have the missing Tornado and Moscow scenes put back in along with Sups visiting Jeremy at School.
Nothing will make S4 look or feel like STM but in its current state, it is a let down to the franchise and should be properly restored. It was after all, Chris Reeve's last portrail of the Character and in this film he has been betrayed, betrayed, betrayed!

Anyway, the films all look very good on Blu-ray. Visible wires on the DVD of S2 and S3 have now been removed and colour timing has been changed as well. Some optical effects still look bad though. Look at Sups after the alley sequence in S2 or flying towards the lake in S3. Some of the effects in S4 are better!

The sound on S2, S3 and S4 is alot better but not great, not compared to that of the STM but I think that owes a lot to its 2000 restoration. It was a
shame that Warners didn't restore them all.

I have always loved these films, seen them all on the big screen and spent a few quid on VHS, DVD and now Blu-ray copies.

Lets hope that the next time I re-buy them, they feature the versions mentioned above!
I always hoped when Blu-ray came out that it would be used to showcase multiple versions of films like Bladerunner and Close Encounters without the need for massive boxes with multiple discs.

Even better would be indivual releases featuring everything each film has to offer including ALL deleted scenes, not just Souffle's.

[Alex_DeLarge]

Originally Posted by Mick B

Its nearly xmas and xmas wouldn't be xmas without a bit of Superman on the box.

Heres a little story.

Firstly taped the first 3 films off TV between 1983 and 1985.
Purchased all 4 films on VHS in 1988.
Purchased the widescreen version of STM in 1993.

Purchased 1 and 2 on DVD as a combi set in 2001.
This had the extended cut of STM in 5.1 and S2 in 2.0.

Imported a German copy of S3 in 2003 (also in 2.0).

Brought the boxset of all 4 films that came out around 2005.
This had the same 3 releases as before but included S4 but I found this cut was shorter than the VHS version (Tornado and Moscow scenes missing) and also only in 2.0.

Then in 2006 I brought the new boxset.
This had the Theatrical version and extended cut of STM in 5.1
It also had the Theatrical version and Donner cut of S2 in 5.1
Also the same old S3 and S4 in 2.0

Now I have purchased the Anthology on Blu-ray.
Guess what?

This has the Theatrical version and extended cut of STM in DTS HD MA 5.1
It also had the Theatrical version and Donner cut of S2 in DTS HD MA 5.1
It now has S3 in DTS HD MA 5.1
and S4 in DTS HD MA 2.0
lastly, Superman Returns in DTS HD MA 5.1

I just wonder how long after the re-boot and it's sequels we will get the following...

STM (Theatrical, Extended and International cut)
S2 (Theatrical, Donner and International cut)
S3 (Theatrical and International cut - taped off TV in 1985)
S4 (Theatrical, Extended and Restored 134 min version)
Superman Returns (Theatrical and extended)
Supergirl (Theatrical, Shortended and International cut)

I read somewhere that Dick Donner didn't like the 3 hour version of STM.
I am fairly sure the deleted scene of Non killing the kid in S2 goes against the "no-one dies whilst Superman is here" rule.
I also think some the slapstick cut from S3 was done so for good reason.

S4 is the interesting one. Did someone really destroy all the negatives on the orders of Cannon or will the Metro Disco scene turn up someday.
I would have still been nice to have the missing Tornado and Moscow scenes put back in along with Sups visiting Jeremy at School.
Nothing will make S4 look or feel like STM but in its current state, it is a let down to the franchise and should be properly restored. It was after all, Chris Reeve's last portrail of the Character and in this film he has been betrayed, betrayed, betrayed!

Anyway, the films all look very good on Blu-ray. Visible wires on the DVD of S2 and S3 have now been removed and colour timing has been changed as well. Some optical effects still look bad though. Look at Sups after the alley sequence in S2 or flying towards the lake in S3. Some of the effects in S4 are better!

The sound on S2, S3 and S4 is alot better but not great, not compared to that of the STM but I think that owes a lot to its 2000 restoration. It was a
shame that Warners didn't restore them all.

I have always loved these films, seen them all on the big screen and spent a few quid on VHS, DVD and now Blu-ray copies.

Lets hope that the next time I re-buy them, they feature the versions mentioned above!
I always hoped when Blu-ray came out that it would be used to showcase multiple versions of films like Bladerunner and Close Encounters without the need for massive boxes with multiple discs.

Even better would be indivual releases featuring everything each film has to offer including ALL deleted scenes, not just Souffle's.

How often do you practice boring people to death?

[Billz]

Originally Posted by Alex_DeLarge

How often do you practice boring people to death?

You shouldn't bully him for being over enthusiastic.

[Alex_DeLarge]

Originally Posted by Billz

You shouldn't bully him for being over enthusiastic.

Over enthusiastic you say???

[Billz]

Originally Posted by Alex_DeLarge

Over enthusiastic you say???

My sarcasm senses are tingling...

[Mick B]

Sorry if anyone got bored. Not my intention.

What I have documented here is how over a long period of time I ended up buying and re-buying the same old films over and over.

Lets just hope this is not going to continue.

Superman is not just the only franchise that traps you like this. Alien, Star Wars, Star Trek, Lethal Weapon and so on, all these have been issued and re-issued multiple times with different cuts for different reasons.

I must have been paid too much in the past to afford all these films, or I was too young to know better.

Now making a stance with Blu-ray and will be more careful with future purchases. The studio's will have to give me something special to double dip again!

[Gold Ranger]

is this Region Free?

[LordCrumb]

Originally Posted by Kinetic_Blue

is this Region Free?

Sometimes I wonder if people even use the Database..

https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/The-S.../#RegionCoding

[Weirded Wonder]

Originally Posted by Kinetic_Blue

is this Region Free?

Yes

[Gold Ranger]

Originally Posted by LordCrumb

Sometimes I wonder if people even use the Database..

https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/The-S.../#RegionCoding

i looked and didnt understand it completely. one person said yes, another said no.

Originally Posted by Beard Esquire

Yes

Thank you.

[chip75]

Originally Posted by Kinetic_Blue

i looked and didnt understand it completely. one person said yes, another said no.

It's just the 2nd tester didn't have an A machine to test it on (like the 1st one didn't have a C machine). Rule of thumb Warners titles are nearly 100% region Free. I think there were only a few early titles that were locked (and I may have my wires crossed with that).

Usually they're even the same discs with different labels, although trailers can be different.

[Gold Ranger]

Originally Posted by chip75

It's just the 2nd tester didn't have an A machine to test it on (like the 1st one didn't have a C machine). Rule of thumb Warners titles are nearly 100% region Free. I think there were only a few early titles that were locked (and I may have my wires crossed with that).

Usually they're even the same discs with different labels, although trailers can be different.

Thank you.

[Weirded Wonder]

Originally Posted by Kinetic_Blue

is this Region Free?

I own the UK set and everything plays perfectly on my US PS3.

[adamclark83]

I would like to know why WB didn't create new masters for Superman II: Richard Donner Cut and Superman Returns.

[Ben_UK]

Originally Posted by adamclark83

I would like to know why WB didn't create new masters for Superman II: Richard Donner Cut and Superman Returns.

They need to create a new cut of "Donner Cut" in my view. Parts of it were atrocious, i've seen fan cuts that are better assembled. A nice idea and the heart was in the right place, but the excecution was awful. The Brando footage was great though.

Anyway, I missed on the chance of getting this cheap, I saw it went down to about £17.99 on amazon before xmas but I had recently bought about 4-5 discs so I couldn't bring myself to buy that one as well. Am still looking for that golden sub-£20 price opportunity though.

[DetroitSquirreL]

Originally Posted by LordCrumb

Sometimes I wonder if people even use the Database..

https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/The-S.../#RegionCoding

I agree.....and I work so hard on that database to help you people

[Alex_DeLarge]

Now may be a good time to strike for those of you that are missing this. £22.97 from Amazon. The lowest its been for a while.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Superman...A3P5ROKL5A1OLE