07-29-2006, 12:07 AM
The Christopher Reeve Superman Collection had been rumored to come out near the theatrical release date of Superman Returns, but fans of the man of steel will have to wait until 28 November, when Warner Home Video will bring the huge set to market. First is a four-disc edition of Superman that includes the 1978 and 2001 extended cuts of the first film and two discs of bonuses). Next is a two-disc release of Richard Lester’s Superman II, and single-disc deluxe editions of Superman III, Superman IV: The Quest For Peace and Supergirl. Available separately – but almost twice as compelling a release – is Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut, the official release of Donner’s long-lost interpretation of Superman II, including the infamously missing Marlon Brando scenes as Jor-el (partially featured in Superman Returns).
Here are the specifics.
Superman
Disc One: Original 1978 theatrical version with soundtrack in Dolby Digital 5.1; Commentary by producer Pierre Spengler and executive producer Ilya Salkind; Theatrical trailers; TV spot; Languages: English & French; Subtitles in English, French & Spanish (feature film only)
Disc Two: 2000 expanded edition movie with commentary by director Richard Donner and creative consultant Tom Mankiewicz; Music-only audio track; Subtitles in English, French, Spanish & Portuguese
Disc Three: Three documentaries (Taking Flight: The Development of Superman, Making Superman: Filming the Legend, The Magic Behind the Cape); Restored scenes; Screen tests; Audio-only bonus of additional music cues
Disc Four: Vintage TV special The Making of Superman: The Movie; 1951 Movie Superman and the Mole-Men, starring George Reeves; Nine Fleischer Studios Superman cartoons mastered from superior vault elements (Oscar nominee Superman, The Mechanical Monsters, Billion Dollar Limited, The Arctic Giant, The Bulleteers, The Magnetic Telescope, Electric Earthquake, Volcano, Terror on the Midway)
Superman II
Disc One: Movie with commentary by executive producer Ilya Salkind and producer Pierre Spengler; Soundtrack in Dolby Digital 5.1; Theatrical trailer; Languages in English & French; Subtitles in English, French & Spanish (feature film only)
Disc Two: Vintage TV specials The Making of Superman II and Superman 50th Anniversary; New featurette First Flight: The Fleischer Superman Series; Eight Famous Studios Superman cartoons mastered from superior vault elements (Japoteurs, Showdown, Eleventh Hour, Destruction, Inc., The Mummy Strikes, Jungle Drums, The Underground World, Secret Agent)
Superman III
Commentary by executive producer Ilya Salkind and producer Pierre Spengler; Vintage TV special The Making of Superman III; Additional scenes; Theatrical trailer; Languages in English & French; Subtitles in English, French & Spanish (feature film only)
Superman IV: The Quest For Peace
Commentary by screenwriter Mark Rosenthal; Additional scenes; Theatrical trailer; Languages in English & French; Subtitles in English, French & Spanish (feature film only)
Supergirl
Commentary by Jeannot Szwarc and Scott Bosco; Theatrical trailer
The only bad news? It looks as though an ultimate Superman box set with all the above plus the Donner cut and perhaps a other bells and whistles that fans have been expecting has been put on the backburner. Perhaps we’ll see a bigger box next year. Until the, this set will have an SRP of $79.98 and the Superman II: Richard Donner Cut will have an SRP of $24.98.
Here are the specifics.
Superman
Disc One: Original 1978 theatrical version with soundtrack in Dolby Digital 5.1; Commentary by producer Pierre Spengler and executive producer Ilya Salkind; Theatrical trailers; TV spot; Languages: English & French; Subtitles in English, French & Spanish (feature film only)
Disc Two: 2000 expanded edition movie with commentary by director Richard Donner and creative consultant Tom Mankiewicz; Music-only audio track; Subtitles in English, French, Spanish & Portuguese
Disc Three: Three documentaries (Taking Flight: The Development of Superman, Making Superman: Filming the Legend, The Magic Behind the Cape); Restored scenes; Screen tests; Audio-only bonus of additional music cues
Disc Four: Vintage TV special The Making of Superman: The Movie; 1951 Movie Superman and the Mole-Men, starring George Reeves; Nine Fleischer Studios Superman cartoons mastered from superior vault elements (Oscar nominee Superman, The Mechanical Monsters, Billion Dollar Limited, The Arctic Giant, The Bulleteers, The Magnetic Telescope, Electric Earthquake, Volcano, Terror on the Midway)
Superman II
Disc One: Movie with commentary by executive producer Ilya Salkind and producer Pierre Spengler; Soundtrack in Dolby Digital 5.1; Theatrical trailer; Languages in English & French; Subtitles in English, French & Spanish (feature film only)
Disc Two: Vintage TV specials The Making of Superman II and Superman 50th Anniversary; New featurette First Flight: The Fleischer Superman Series; Eight Famous Studios Superman cartoons mastered from superior vault elements (Japoteurs, Showdown, Eleventh Hour, Destruction, Inc., The Mummy Strikes, Jungle Drums, The Underground World, Secret Agent)
Superman III
Commentary by executive producer Ilya Salkind and producer Pierre Spengler; Vintage TV special The Making of Superman III; Additional scenes; Theatrical trailer; Languages in English & French; Subtitles in English, French & Spanish (feature film only)
Superman IV: The Quest For Peace
Commentary by screenwriter Mark Rosenthal; Additional scenes; Theatrical trailer; Languages in English & French; Subtitles in English, French & Spanish (feature film only)
Supergirl
Commentary by Jeannot Szwarc and Scott Bosco; Theatrical trailer
The only bad news? It looks as though an ultimate Superman box set with all the above plus the Donner cut and perhaps a other bells and whistles that fans have been expecting has been put on the backburner. Perhaps we’ll see a bigger box next year. Until the, this set will have an SRP of $79.98 and the Superman II: Richard Donner Cut will have an SRP of $24.98.