Superman: The Movie 4K UHD (1978)

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by BNex99

I really like the way the suits look on the UHD. They still seem suitably bright, and they no longer seem to be competing with the actors' faces.

But to be fair, that could be a matter of personal taste.

That's the thing though, to me their faces look REALLY subdued as well compared to the previous Blu-ray versions, like the brightness is wiping out the colour except it's not very bright at all so it's the worst of both worlds: no colour or brightness. I didn't think that their faces were competing with the suits in SDR, if anything the effect adds a bit of extra bounce and it's one of those times where I never thought - even in my enlightened HDR state - "gee, I really wanna see every last crease and fold on those suits" because the effect just wasn't intended to do that. That the HDR highlight detail on the suits is being resolved even in a 100-nit SDR conversion cap says it all. Taste certainly comes into it as well, I just don't like what they've done with that scene.

[BNex99]

Originally Posted by Matt89

Wow thanks for the detailed response.

Okay so only 1 out of the 4 films is a total stinker? I might bite, then. I was worried about them maybe re-releasing the whole set in UHD if I get this lol but I feel like Warner has no interest in doing 4k UHDs for parts 3 and 4.

Interesting about Superman II, I'm dying to check it out now. I have a thing for movies with troubled production histories/alternate cuts so I think I'll really enjoy that.

Yeah I think I'll get this. And if I order it before noon it'll get here today with Prime.

I'll let you know what I think of the films hah.

~Matt

If you can find the Anthology set for a good price, I'd say it's worth it. The bonus disc has a pair of terrific feature-length documentaries ("Look! Up In The Sky" and "You Will Believe," the latter of which delves fairly deeply into the production troubles on the second film).

And if you enjoy the campiness of Cannon films, you might get a kick out of Superman IV. It's very much "Cannon bad," and the deleted scenes on the BD are a sight to behold. (The dropped "first Nuclear Man" scenes are jaw-droppingly awful, even more so than what actually stayed in the film.)

But I also have to appreciate, in the middle of all this, Christopher Reeve's continued commitment to the role. Also, the score by Alexander Courage has some interesting variations on John Williams's familiar themes.

Your mileage may vary, but the Superman sequels are kind of fascinating in retrospect, as they were essentially the first attempt at a big-budget superhero movie franchise. If nothing else, there's value in that.

[TheZeppo]

Mine was waiting for me on the doorstep when I got home from work today.

Can't wait to watch tonight and experience it all over again for the first time in 4K!

[KubrickKurasawa]

It seems to me that only 90's movies and up look 100% correct in HDR.

Thanks for all the input guys. If anyone else wants to comment on the HDR great if not it's cool.

[Ernest Rister]

I haven't seen Bridge on the River Kwai or 2001 yet, or the Spielberg titles. A man must leave *something* for his wife to put under the tree at Christmas.

[madfloyd]

I am very confused by the look of this movie. I have never seen it before and was shocked at how bad it looks, especially in HDR.

My impression is that it has been smeared with vasoline. Washed out and blurry.

I quickly compared the blu-ray and while it confirms that the UHD has more detail I find the 1080p more natural in terms of color.

Did they use a filter on the whole movie to get some desired effect?

[birdztudio]

I don’t think it was that bad but yeah I think it was really hazy...

[Croweyes1121]

First, a disclaimer. I am an unabashed Superman fanboy (see my avatar). Second disclaimer: this is my most anticipated 4K UHD title since the format launched. A few things about this disc (I need to bullet point my thoughts or they will go on forever):

1. This disc is absolutely, unquestionably flat-out STUNNINGLY GORGEOUS. And it’s my firm belief that your appreciation for it will correlate directly to how intimately familiar you are with this movie. Anyone who has watched S:TM countless times over the years on various releases, and has bought each of them with a “take my money!” reckless abandon will be absolutely FLOORED by this presentation.

2. I STRONGLY disagree about the Krypton sequences. I don’t know if it comes down to a display or setting difference, but to my eyes, the white suits were EXTREMELY bright. Wonderfully, organically so even. I never imagined these scenes could look this beautiful. I have ZERO complaints. Note: I did watch this in Dolby Vision.

3. This disc is an absolute revelation with regard to the diffused look of the cinematography. The film is still soft focused, as it should be, but the *incredibly* increased detail goes a loooong way.

4. Color. Oh. My. God. This is one of those transfers where you just don’t realize how utterly wrong prior releases have looked until you see it. The suit is just jaw-droppingly beautiful. The magenta push of the reds and the light mustard yellow is gone. Replacing those is a deep, lush, full red and golden yellows. SO PERFECT. Finally. If I have any small gripe it’s that Reeve’s face might veer a tad on the yellowish side now...but more likely than not, that’s only because I’ve been watching this movie with overly pinkish skin tones for decades.

5. Grain is handled SO well. Just sublime. From the first shots of Krypton this is immediately evident.

6. The 5.1 audio is more subdued than I had expected, but it’s FANTASTIC to finally have a faithful sound mix that fills the room properly. If I have a complaint, I was a tad underwhelmed by the low end, but once the San Andreas stuff starts, look out.

I cannot possibly imagine any huge Superman fan being remotely disappointed with this release. I was grinning ear to ear just flipping through it and absolutely cannot wait to watch the whole thing.

[ROSS.T.G.]

Definitely watching this tomorrow.

[5x10]

My wife found it at target, she’s buying it tonight, I’ll watch tonight
Take the one I get from amazon and take it back to target
Couldn’t wait one more day

[PowellPressburger]

Curious is this a shrinkwrapped slip like the Matrix releases from WB ?

[ROSS.T.G.]

Originally Posted by PowellPressburger

Curious is this a shrinkwrapped slip like the Matrix releases from WB ?

Nope

[Croweyes1121]

Originally Posted by PowellPressburger

Curious is this a shrinkwrapped slip like the Matrix releases from WB ?

My slip from Amazon was outside of the shrink wrap.

[madfloyd]

Originally Posted by Croweyes1121

First, a disclaimer. I am an unabashed Superman fanboy (see my avatar). Second disclaimer: this is my most anticipated 4K UHD title since the format launched. A few things about this disc (I need to bullet point my thoughts or they will go on forever):

< snip >

I cannot possibly imagine any huge Superman fan being remotely disappointed with this release. I was grinning ear to ear just flipping through it and absolutely cannot wait to watch the whole thing.

Wow. Well, considering how much of a fan you are - and how much the UHD means to you, I'm thrilled for you. I had never seen the movie (or if I did it was decades ago and don't remember it) and was pretty sure I would find the movie a bit hokey, but I did think it would look very film like and that it would be a fun treat for the eyes (I just love the look of film).

I might have to view it on my OLED (which is not currently setup with a player) because it may be one of those discs that just doesn't do well on projection. Unlike a few other problematic discs that are dark, this one is very bright. It's like turning the brightness up to 100 - where it washes out the picture - only in this case the colors stay somewhat saturated. It's just 'milky' looking to the point that I find it unwatchable - or rather I will not watch it (as I said I don't care about the plot).

I'd really like to know how it was filmed because it's very soft - like 8mm soft. I could throw a blurray from just about any movie from the 50's and it would look much superior.

Anyways, thanks for posting your view as it's helpful - and congrats on being thrilled with it (that's how I felt about Braveheart UHD). Sometimes it's all relative...

[Jay Mammoth]

Target for the win. They were the only one to have this in store here.

[Croweyes1121]

Originally Posted by madfloyd

It's just 'milky' looking.

That’s the style of the cinematography, not a defect.

Originally Posted by madfloyd

I'd really like to know how it was filmed because it's very soft - like 8mm soft.

Most of the film has a soft light look, by design. But the level of minute detail utterly removes any comparison to 8mm - or 16mm - film.

Originally Posted by madfloyd

I could throw a blurray from just about any movie from the 50's and it would look much superior.

Yeah no.

Originally Posted by madfloyd

Sometimes it's all relative...

Quite.

[TheSweetieMan]

Death.

Taxes.

Warner Bros not stocking my local Best Buys, Walmarts, or Targets with yet another catalog release.

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by madfloyd

Wow. Well, considering how much of a fan you are - and how much the UHD means to you, I'm thrilled for you. I had never seen the movie (or if I did it was decades ago and don't remember it) and was pretty sure I would find the movie a bit hokey, but I did think it would look very film like and that it would be a fun treat for the eyes (I just love the look of film).

I might have to view it on my OLED (which is not currently setup with a player) because it may be one of those discs that just doesn't do well on projection. Unlike a few other problematic discs that are dark, this one is very bright. It's like turning the brightness up to 100 - where it washes out the picture - only in this case the colors stay somewhat saturated. It's just 'milky' looking to the point that I find it unwatchable - or rather I will not watch it (as I said I don't care about the plot).

I'd really like to know how it was filmed because it's very soft - like 8mm soft. I could throw a blurray from just about any movie from the 50's and it would look much superior.

Anyways, thanks for posting your view as it's helpful - and congrats on being thrilled with it (that's how I felt about Braveheart UHD). Sometimes it's all relative...

The film's cinematographer, British industry veteran Geoffrey Unsworth, had a liking for using a lot of diffusion, that is to say, a filter or piece of material (often ladies' stockings) placed over the lens that softens the image and causes a gentle halation (or bleed, to use a cruder term) of light around light sources, like a soft halo. Combine that with the usage of anamorphic lenses that squeeze a wider image into the taller, almost square 35mm film frame, lenses which at that time had their own issues with softness and distortion, and you've got a recipe for a film that will never, ever, EVER be the most objectively good-looking piece of eye candy you'll ever see, no matter how many K's or HDR's are thrown at it.

BTW I totally called this reaction a month ago, I didn't know it'd be you specifically but you've stepped up to the plate regardless.

Originally Posted by Geoff D

Geoff Unsworth's heavily diffused style won't win many fans from people who are looking to have their eyeballs ravaged by 4K (fast forward a few months to "was this shot in 4K? It looks really grainy and soft") but this has the potential to look ball-achingly gorgeous in a film-like sense in 4K. The current BD presentations are rather tired old transfers from IP materials so if this is worked on from the camera original, oh mai.

[Croweyes1121]

The fact that a comparison was even made between how this movie resolves on UHD and how Braveheart looks on the format should tell you all you need to know, Geoff.

[Geoff D]

Well, I don't rate the UHD of Braveheart either!

I think floyd's point is that sometimes we don't get given eye-candy but we love it all the same for what it does look like. Now that he's hopefully got a better understanding of where Supes 4K is coming from then we can put the outrage away and move on.