3 Reasons to pick-up the original Superman films on 4K Ultra HD

With Writer/Director James Gunn (Guardians of The Galaxy Trilogy, The Suicide Squad) now appointed as the CEO of DC films, we finally have a clear path of what the DC universe will look like. Gunn has already been signed on to direct the first film in this new-look DCEU (DC Extended Universe) with this new direction, fans have been wanting to see the updated 4K transfers of some of the company’s best output. This being the Superman 1-4 releases from the 1970s and 1980s. These films are among some of the best superhero films put to the silver screen. Yes, they’re cheesy and some of the effects don’t hold-up, but they feel like they were taken directly from the pages of a comic book, which is what I ask for. With Warner Bros. turning 100 this year, fans have been treated with some glorious 4K UHD re-releases, with the Superman releases being their best yet. These new 4K UHD restorations are made from the original film prints, showcasing the stellar visuals along with updated sound and in the case of Superman 2, the beloved Richard Donner cut, the favored version of the film. To celebrate the release of the films on 4K Ultra HD, I will be breaking down why you need to pick these up. Let’s go!

It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s super man – the iconic performance from Christopher Reeve –

Christopher Reeve’s turn as the iconic superhero is one for the ages. His 4 movie turn as the iconic Clark Kent/Superman is one of the best superhero performances of all time. One would argue that we will never see a performance as fitting as Christopher Reeve’s iconic turn as Superman. Through time we have seen other actors don the classic cape, Brandon Routh and Henry Cavill being two of the more notable performances as the character, however, none have embodied Superman’s physicality, iconic look and tackled both parts Clark Kent and Superman quite as well as Christopher Reeve. Reeve’s father George Reeve has also had a turn as the character, in the classic Superman TV series, proving that he was in fact born to play the role. Whilst the quality of the films definitely did diminish with each entry, there is no denying the quality of Christopher Reeve’s turn as the character. He is always the best part, putting his best foot forward in all 4 turns as the iconic superhero. Part of the fun of going back and re-visiting these 4 films, is just to see how damn good and charismatic Reeve was as the titular hero.

Truth, justice, and the American way – The iconography and influence of Superman –

Superman is an icon of popular culture. You can show someone from anywhere across the globe and they will be able to identify the “S” on Superman’s chest or tell you what Superman’s secret identity is. The comic books were always popular, but it wasn’t until Richard Donner’s 1978 classic that Superman was cemented as a pop culture icon. A lot of this had to do with the fact he hadn’t been seen like this before. The tagline from that original film read “You will believe a man can fly”, and that was very true. Many people were astonished by the amazing effects (for the time) with the world wondering, how did they do it! The sequels upped the ante as well, continuing to top the enormous feats of the previous entries. John Williams' iconic score has also stood the test of time, becoming one of the most recognizable themes of any character in the history of cinema. As you’re reading this, I almost guarantee that you’re humming along to the theme. It's amazing, recognizable and so damn iconic. It adds to the whole mystique of Superman, elevating what could be seen as a run of the mill superhero film franchise, to be one of the most influential movie franchises in cinema history. It's that good! Superman is the most recognisable superhero of all time and these films played a huge part in why that is the case. 

They just don’t make them like they use to – the direction of the films –

When we think of superhero movies these days, we think of big, epic blockbusters. Gone are the days of the quaint, smaller superhero film, which is a damn shame. The charm of these earlier superhero flicks is the way they’re constructed. Richard Donner’s direction of the first two films, laid a solid platform for the franchise and the genre as a whole. You didn’t need to spend hundreds of millions of dollars, small sets, memorable characters, and a great villain is really all that was needed for the story to work. The film utilizes its great locations to give an authentic feel to metropolis. It never feels like a fictional city, but rather a lived in, real place. This is both a testament to the production designers and also the sure-handed direction. The continuity across the films also gives the story a structured and almost serialized format. Gene Hackman’s Lex Luthor feels like a real, billionaire living in a city. Hackman’s performances are sometimes hammy, but his motivations always feel warranted and authentic to his character. The construction of the film as a whole is a huge reason as to why these films are still loved today. Yes, the effects haven’t aged all too well, but the way the film is shot and constructed amounts for fun and memorable outings with Superman. I doubt any Superman film will ever live up to the quality of Superman and Superman II and even Superman III for that matter.

The Superman films are iconic for many reasons. They are a staple in popular culture and for good reason. The iconography of Superman’s cape is recognised throughout the world, by people from all walks of life. The fact that Warner Bros. have re-mastered these films in 4K Ultra HD shows just how much fans love these films. You can pick-up all 4 of these films on 4K UHD from Sanity’s online store here.

Christopher Pattison from Oz Movie Geek wrote this blog post for Sanity. See more from Chris here