Superman 2: The Richard Donner Cut has an extended version?

[Alexandros]

Originally Posted by DMRI2006

Donner Cut works as a 2-hour deleted scene for me. I like the Brando bits but it doesn't function as a coherent dramatic work, and while some fans don't want to admit it, some of Lester's scenes -- especially the Paris sequence -- are superior to what Donner envisioned.

I'll always put it in to see what might have been, and I'm grateful to have it, but the theatrical Lester version is much, much more satisfying if I'm sitting down to watch Superman II.

Especially the part where Superman says "General would you care to step outside" was more satisfying than "General haven't you heard of Freedom of the press"

Ever heard of "Freedom of The Press" ? - YouTube

General ,Would You Care To Step Outside?! - YouTube

[Phobics]

Originally Posted by Bolty

100% true. I remember him mentioning he didn't like that scene in the commentary.

I am a believer that there is a third better cut of Superman II that would combine the Donner Cut with more from the Lester cut.
But Non killing that kid doesn't belong in any cut of the movie-- it's dumb.

I'd bet that it was maybe part of the Donner rough cut -- where they were deciding what should be in or out and after seeing the rough cut Donner said, "cut this and this and this."
Perhaps when they gave the cut to Vudu they gave them the wrong original rough cut version.

I disagree because it shows a different idea of morals so to speak. Somehow a group bent on killing or ruling that doesn't kill or hurt women and children lacks realism. Dinnors ignorance isn't representative of realistic threats.

[Falaskan]

If the extended edition does away with him spinning the earth back in time again, it would be perfect.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[J999]

Originally Posted by Phobics

I disagree because it shows a different idea of morals so to speak. Somehow a group bent on killing or ruling that doesn't kill or hurt women and children lacks realism. Dinnors ignorance isn't representative of realistic threats.

I can see why some people have a problem with it, but I don't mind it. Killing a kid is pretty vicious for this kind of movie but, these are the bad guys. They should be a threat. And Ursa's reaction fits with STM. "Her unreasoning hatred of all mankind has threatened even the children of the planet Krypton".

[FrankGrimes1970]

Here's what I noticed.

No DC Comics logo at the beginning.
When Lex is at the Fortress we get extra Lex/Jor-El dialogue (the same things Lara says in the Lester cut: "No possibility of parole?", "We though long and hard about that question.", "I asked the right question.", "The Phantom Zone might be cracked by a nuclear explosion in space (while Eve turns to leave). I wish you had not asked that.", "I didn't ask anything.", "I do not know what would happen if they were to escape."). Plus the toilet flush is heard earlier, scream has been added, Lex says "she found it." before turning to leave.
ALL the East Houston scenes from the theatrical cut have been reinstated but with the finger beam missing, the Donner cut flamethrower fx, and the Army general's voice dub from the theatrical reinstated. This also includes Non killing the boy (whose voice has a different dub from the TV version).
The souffle scene added.
The Army general's line about answering to the President is the dub from the theatrical, not the re-dub from the Donner cut.

Even the end credits were a different. Smaller gaps between some credits, "Furs by Frank Cooney" removed as well as a few other credit omissions, various additional credits for the 2006 restoration, in the "special thanks" section, there are extra names and no mention is made of the Marlon Brando trust. There is an added credit for "priceless enthusiasm and support", extra location credits, and the blurb about "more awareness about fur and the dangers of tobacco use since the 70's", signed by Donner, has been shortened to "no real fur was used" and "the producers do not promote tobacco use".

It really is a bit of a head scratcher why all these changes. Extra scenes can be inserted pretty simply nowadays via computer, but to change the credits seems a little odd.
I didn't notice any more extra scenes after that, so for fun I time stamped the beginning of the scene where the Washington Monument is knocked over. 0:55:05 in the Blu-ray version, 1:01:34 in the Vudu version. There's your 6.5 minute difference.

[Takeshi666]

Originally Posted by Bolty

My preferred cut would have put in the Paris section and delete the fall

The problem with the Donner cut is that it exists in a world where the first movie doesn't fluidly lead into the second. The reason it ends with the time travel plot is because it's intended to follow a movie that doesn't.

But yeah, Donner refusing to use any Lester footage does make some of the scenes really awkward - and it's just kind of petty when you consider some of the footage would've easily matched his original vision, he just chose not to use it out of personal resentment. It's technically still his version, but it's not the version he originally intended to make.

[FrankGrimes1970]

Originally Posted by Bolty

Yep, it sounds more and more like they were from a earlier version of the Donner Cut and when he watched it he requested those scenes be taken out. Somehow those got sent to Vudu -- by accident I assume.

I'm curious though as to why the extra Lex/Jor-El dialogue from the vudu version isn't in the blu-ray version. Why take those lines out after the fx were already completed? Maybe if enough people make enough noise, WB might release it on disc. I know Donner didn't like the East Houston scenes but I think they improve the movie by showing more Zod and Co. evilness. It's not like Lester's other campy material was reinstated too. There were even differences in the end credits!

This vudu version has pretty much ruined the blu-ray version, cause why would I want to watch the blu-ray if vudu version is longer. Just like the 188-minute version of Superman ruined the theatrical and 2000 versions for the same reason.

[UniSol GR77]

Originally Posted by Takeshi666

The problem with the Donner cut is that it exists in a world where the first movie doesn't fluidly lead into the second. The reason it ends with the time travel plot is because it's intended to follow a movie that doesn't.

Incorrect. The time travel plot was originally intended as the end of Superman II and not as the end of Superman I.

[IndyMLVC]

Originally Posted by UniSol GR77

Incorrect. The time travel plot was originally intended as the end of Superman II and not as the end of Superman I.

That's exactly what the OP is saying.

[Martoto]

Originally Posted by Phobics

I disagree because it shows a different idea of morals so to speak. Somehow a group bent on killing or ruling that doesn't kill or hurt women and children lacks realism. Dinnors ignorance isn't representative of realistic threats.

Donner wasn't ignorant of a relalistic threat. Neither was he ignorant of the pathetically comedic way that the threat was realised on screen. Like a gag from the Benny Hill show.

[DeafYakuza]

Does someone know when will Superman 2 - Extended Cut release on Blu-ray? Next year or 2020??? Or it was not annouced yet?

[DR Herbert West]

Originally Posted by DeafYakuza

Does someone know when will Superman 2 - Extended Cut release on Blu-ray? Next year or 2020??? Or it was not annouced yet?

Nothing has been announced.

[drush9999]

The Extended Superman was a big success, so I assume it's on the radar.

[DeafYakuza]

Alright, thanks!


Yes, it was succes. At least Warner should give us a small info that they are planing for extended cut of part 2 after succes of the first.

[DR Herbert West]

Originally Posted by drush9999

The Extended Superman was a big success, so I assume it's on the radar.

Let's hope!

[HeavyHitter]

Originally Posted by DMRI2006

Donner Cut works as a 2-hour deleted scene for me. I like the Brando bits but it doesn't function as a coherent dramatic work, and while some fans don't want to admit it, some of Lester's scenes -- especially the Paris sequence -- are superior to what Donner envisioned.

I'll always put it in to see what might have been, and I'm grateful to have it, but the theatrical Lester version is much, much more satisfying if I'm sitting down to watch Superman II.

I'm probably one of the very few who actually prefers the theatrical version of I and II when it's all said and done. One of the reasons being (while there are others) is while I appreciate the Donner Cut of II (and still watch it time to time) as well as the extended version of I, the Brando scenes only weaken Superman to me after the Fortress of Solitude is created. It makes him look a little whiny, emotionally weaker, pleading, and too dependent on the father. He looks more independent and having to think on his own in the the theatrical versions and appears as a stronger character which is more fitting to what I think of Superman. Talking to his mother in the theatrical version of II was brief enough and not such a theme as Donner's overall approach with the father. With that said, again, I do appreciate seeing those Brando scenes from the Donner Cut, but it would all have to be re-edited for my ultimate preference.

[BNex99]

Originally Posted by HeavyHitter

I'm probably one of the very few who actually prefers the theatrical version of I and II when it's all said and done. One of the reasons being (while there are others) is while I appreciate the Donner Cut of II (and still watch it time to time) as well as the extended version of I, the Brando scenes only weaken Superman to me after the Fortress of Solitude is created. It makes him look a little whiny, emotionally weaker, pleading, and too dependent on the father. He looks more independent and having to think on his own in the the theatrical versions and appears as a stronger character which is more fitting to what I think of Superman. Talking to his mother in the theatrical version of II was brief enough and not such a theme as Donner's overall approach with the father. With that said, again, I do appreciate seeing those Brando scenes from the Donner Cut, but it would all have to be re-edited for my ultimate preference.

This is what I keep coming back to. Had Donner been able to finish shooting his version back then, I think Stuart Baird would have fine-cut it into something special. One thing I've learned from the various versions of these films over the years is how exceptionally well-edited the first one's theatrical cut is. It's nearly two-and-a-half hours long, but it moves pretty quickly and efficiently (relative to other movies of the time).

The never-made version of Superman II would very likely also have had a full, new score by John Williams, who was in the middle of a very prolific period and probably would have contributed a couple of brand new themes to go along with those from the first film.

As they stand, I also prefer the theatrical cuts of I & II to any of the other versions, but I still appreciate having the Donner Cut as an approximation of the original intention.

[TylerDurden389]

I'm looking forward to a possible release of the tv edit of S2 not just to have *my* definitive version of the film (or at least, as close as to 'definitive' as I can imagine without fan editing) but also just to see how many other fan editors dust off their old PCs and give their edits another go. I swear I really hate to derail the thread but whenever the topic of this movie comes up, it just grinds my gears that something like 20-30 people (yes, I've seen a lot of fan edits, not even including my own) were able to a better job without any money than whoever put that mangled mess together called "The Donner Cut". Even that recent 'extended' version that kept a bit more of the theatrical scenes in does a better job.

I even asked one editor in particular how long it took him to edit out Reeve's sweat-stain in *that* shot and he said it took him only 8 hours. And yet WB themselves couldn't even do that (instead opting for a wider angle of the same take and guessing no-one would notice).

[FrankGrimes1970]

So now there are 4 versions of Superman II:

The theatrical cut,
The TV cut,
The Richard Donner cut,
And the Vudu version of the Donner cut, or VD cut (which has extra Donner scenes not in any other version, slight re-editing/rearranging of a few scenes, some Lester scenes from both theatrical and tv versions reinstated that had been removed from Donner cut, different vocal dub for the boy and the Army general, and changes made to the closing credits. I even noticed that when Non killed the boy, the music was different than what was used in the tv version, and I think music was added to the beginning of the scene where Clark talks to Jor-El before depowering.).

Yes, I realize the sophomore humor in calling it the VD cut, it was intentional for a little humor.

[Clark Kent]

Originally Posted by Alexandros

Especially the part where Superman says "General would you care to step outside" was more satisfying than "General haven't you heard of Freedom of the press"

Ever heard of "Freedom of The Press" ? - YouTube

General ,Would You Care To Step Outside?! - YouTube

This scene difference alone is why I can never support the Donner cut as anything but a curiosity. Lester's scene works so much better.