Superman: The Movie 4K UHD (1978)

[WBMakeVMarsMovieNOW]

FWIW, I'm not a super hero comic book guy at all (and, automatically, I am also neither camp Marvel nor camp D.C. or whatever, not that it looks like too many of the Marvel is all and D.C. sucks universally or vice-versa here as there are in many another forum), not my scene at all. I just come at it from a general movie lover side of things. If that explains anything.

[Agent Kay]

This page is yours now

[Croweyes1121]

Originally Posted by Agent Kay

Could be worse, could have Tom Welling in it

Don’t be dissing on my man Welling. I just met him this past weekend and I’m still excited about it.

[Geoff D]

Dude! You're standing in front of Erin Gray! That's a paddlin'.

[Croweyes1121]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

Dude! You're standing in front of Erin Gray! That's a paddlin'.

Lol, if it makes you feel better, she wasn’t there just then. But I did meet her, too. And Routh. And two of the Stranger Things kids. It was a good weekend.

[Agent Kay]

I met David Warner last weekend and he signed my ST6 laserdisc, so I win!

[Croweyes1121]

Originally Posted by Agent Kay

I met David Warner last weekend and he signed my ST6 laserdisc, so I win!

I raise you Michael Rosenbaum, Aaron Ashmore, Walter Koenig, Evangeline Lilly and Jason Isaacs. :P

[StingingVelvet]

Originally Posted by Croweyes1121

Personally, I’ve never understood the endless love for Batman Returns. I loved the original, but find Returns so utterly Burton-indulgent that it kills the film. Don’t get me wrong, I love the mood of it, and honestly would’ve loved to have seen a third Burton Batman film...but as for Returns as a movie? Batman is honestly barely in the film. It’s ALL about the villains. And the climax is a gigantic dud (this huge penguin plot with the rockets, and all that happens is Alfred remotely jams the signal - Batman does nothing). He doesn’t really do anything with Selena, either, aside from tearing his mask off. I don’t know. It’s a strange film. And it’s interssting. But it’s nowhere near my top comic films of all time.

It helps to care way more about film and seeing an awesome new Burton movie than caring about comic books.

[Agent Kay]

Originally Posted by Croweyes1121

I raise you Michael Rosenbaum, Aaron Ashmore, Walter Koenig, Evangeline Lilly and Jason Isaacs. :P

Lilly, maybe.
But Warner was in Tron!

[Croweyes1121]

Originally Posted by StingingVelvet

It helps to care way more about film and seeing an awesome new Burton movie than caring about comic books.

The only thing that really annoyed me as a comic fan was Batman’s lack of presence and action (to stop the villains) in the film. But I think that’s an actual problem with Returns as a film outside of comic books as well. The bizarre tone was just so much Burton and, in turn, so little of what I loved about the original Batman that I just couldn’t help but find it a disappointing sequel. What I love about the movie, ironically, ARE the film-only elements. The look of it is incredible. If you’re only watching it as a Burton flick, it has that feel. Watching it as the next film after Batman ‘89, it’s just freaking weird. Still, I admit that there’s something intoxicatingly beautiful about the production, and I still watch it every few years - even if, as a whole, I find it a failed experiment.

[StingingVelvet]

Originally Posted by Croweyes1121

The only thing that really annoyed me as a comic fan was Batman’s lack of presence and action (to stop the villains) in the film. But I think that’s an actual problem with Returns as a film outside of comic books as well. The bizarre tone was just so much Burton and, in turn, so little of what I loved about the original Batman that I just couldn’t help but find it a disappointing sequel. What I love about the movie, ironically, ARE the film-only elements. The look of it is incredible. If you’re only watching it as a Burton flick, it has that feel. Watching it as the next film after Batman ‘89, it’s just freaking weird. Still, I admit that there’s something intoxicatingly beautiful about the production, and I still watch it every few years - even if, as a whole, I find it a failed experiment.

Fair enough. I've just always said I love it as a Tim Burton movie first and foremost. I think Batman is cool in it, but you're right that he's not the lead really. He wasn't in Batman '89 either to be honest.

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by Agent Kay

I met David Warner last weekend and he signed my ST6 laserdisc, so I win!

He's still alive? Good show.

I got my SW trilogy laserdisc cover signed by Carrie Fisher so suck on that, fools! Considering how long her lunch break was that day (it was in Milton Keynes a long, long time ago) I'm lucky she came back for more signing at all.

[Croweyes1121]

Originally Posted by StingingVelvet

Fair enough. I've just always said I love it as a Tim Burton movie first and foremost. I think Batman is cool in it, but you're right that he's not the lead really. He wasn't in Batman '89 either to be honest.

True enough. But I think, unlike Returns, in ‘89, the reason for that wasn’t so much a result of a lack of emphasis on Keaton as it was the sheer scene-chewing genius of Nicholson. When you think about it, it’s kind of a minor miracle that TDK doesn’t suffer quite as much with this issue as ‘89 did, considering how marvelous Ledger wound up being (though it arguably still has it to some degree).

[dallywhitty]

Originally Posted by Croweyes1121

Personally, I’ve never understood the endless love for Batman Returns. I loved the original, but find Returns so utterly Burton-indulgent that it kills the film.

That's what I love about it. It's a beautifully twisted and melancholy masterpiece, one of the rare instances of an auteur being given free reign over a mainstream comic book film.

Originally Posted by Croweyes1121

When you think about it, it’s kind of a minor miracle that TDK doesn’t suffer quite as much with this issue as ‘89 did, considering how marvelous Ledger wound up being (though it arguably still has it to some degree).

Doesn't it? Christian Bale was overshadowed by pretty much everyone in the film. He was boring as ****.

[captainsolo]

Originally Posted by dallywhitty

The top ten comic book films are as follows:

01. Batman Returns
02. Batman Returns
03. Batman Returns
04. Batman Returns
05. Batman Returns
06. Batman Returns
07. Batman Returns
08. Batman Returns
09. Batman Returns
10. Batman Returns

This is the gospel according to dallywhitty. You're welcome.

I like the direction this takes!! If only it could get a proper 4K release that presents it the way it was intended with truly deep blacks and color depth that was reflected in the 35mm print run-much akin to '89 Returns was brightened for home video and has remained in outdated masters that still have that effect. Finally seeing a print a few years ago was mindblowing. The main Gotham set finally stopped looking like a set.

As for Returns it has an adult, emotional context generally gone from other films in the genre and benefits greatly from being after Edward Scissorhands in that Burton had more clout, less interference, more confidence and had played with more meaningful character relationships onscreen. It's not a perfect vision of the comics or the character but neither is '89 or to be perfectly honest any comic book film when you really get to the nitty gritty. I adore the classic that is '89, but Returns is the superior film and one not afraid to take risks and be a sexually charged, brooding, dark, nasty mess of a Gothic noir haunted fairytale for adults. It is Burton's unquestionable career defining masterpiece.
I do consider myself a pretty hardcore Batman fan and do prefer a more grounded tone, but can absolutely enjoy other iterations if done well. Batman does not kill, but I adore the killings in the Burtonverse because they are inherent to the vision of that particular story.

And without question Returns has the best moment in any superhero/comic live action film: the ending. Pure classical genius and it absolutely gets me every single damn time. Keaton standing dumbstruck and scarred in multiple ways in the bleak snowy alleyway as Elfman's score goes Herrmann-esque for a fleeting moment after hinting the Catwoman theme and then going into the somber repeat of the main Batman theme for the end credits...and then Siouxsie and the Banshees...that moment of the confused and emotionally wrecked Bruce is the pinnacle of onscreen comics for me.

If including animation then Returns and Phantasm are locked in an eternal struggle for dominance.

1. Batman Returns-Mask of the Phantasm tie
3. Batman '89
4. Superman the Movie
5. Flash Gordon
6. Batman Forever (Which would have been better had the studio not wrecked it, and the original premise as a Returns followup was not only better but was the backbone of the film the studio ripped out.)
7. The Shadow
8. The Rocketeer

I would also argue for the inclusion of the Fleischer Supermans, both versions of Mark of Zorro, and though it is not perfect I still adore The Phantom.

[fighthefutureofhd]

Originally Posted by WBMakeVMarsMovieNOW

what? Averngers Ultron was just one big CGI fight and plenty on that list were insincere and somewhat empty

WW and Superman gotta be up at the top and actually I can't even comment, this seems random to me hah sorry

Most all on my list was the exact opposite of insincere and empty. Look the scene in X-Men with Erik and his parents in the concentration camp for a great example. Superman the movie is pretty good, I'll give ya. However, most are right about Wonder Woman. As great as it is it's still not one of the greatest comic book movies made in the last 20 years.

Originally Posted by Agent Kay

I met David Warner last weekend and he signed my ST6 laserdisc, so I win!

Originally Posted by Croweyes1121

I raise you Michael Rosenbaum, Aaron Ashmore, Walter Koenig, Evangeline Lilly and Jason Isaacs. :P

Originally Posted by Geoff D

He's still alive? Good show.

I got my SW trilogy laserdisc cover signed by Carrie Fisher so suck on that, fools! Considering how long her lunch break was that day (it was in Milton Keynes a long, long time ago) I'm lucky she came back for more signing at all.

Big deal! I once got an autograph from Mark Pillow. Take that!!!

[Agent Kay]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

He's still alive? Good show.

I got my SW trilogy laserdisc cover signed by Carrie Fisher so suck on that, fools! Considering how long her lunch break was that day (it was in Milton Keynes a long, long time ago) I'm lucky she came back for more signing at all.

Yep, and he was *****ing he was not in star wars or game of thrones yet

[Croweyes1121]

Originally Posted by fighthefutureofhd

Big deal! I once got an autograph from Mark Pillow. Take that!!!

Mic drop. lol

[StingingVelvet]

Originally Posted by Croweyes1121

True enough. But I think, unlike Returns, in ‘89, the reason for that wasn’t so much a result of a lack of emphasis on Keaton as it was the sheer scene-chewing genius of Nicholson. When you think about it, it’s kind of a minor miracle that TDK doesn’t suffer quite as much with this issue as ‘89 did, considering how marvelous Ledger wound up being (though it arguably still has it to some degree).

I guess I just enjoyed Shreck and Penguin more than you did. I liked Selina Kyle a lot too, though Catwoman was a little iffy.

[mar3o]

Originally Posted by IndyMLVC

Yes. Because that Photoshop abomination is better than any of the original artwork...

I didn't mention anything about the original artwork.

I said I like it and it's a lot better than the floating heads and photoshop cutouts we could have gotten. Of course the original poster art is almost always preferable, unless it's particularly bad.