The Man of Steel is back to save Metropolis from the scheming Lex Luthor in Superman Returns, one of several Warner Home Video releases starring the last son of Krypton. Fans of the DC Comics superhero can also pick up the Christopher Reeve Superman Collection, Richard Donner’s long-awaited director’s cut of Superman II, Superman Ultimate Collector’s Edition and Superman: The Theatrical Serials Collection.
Directed by Bryan Singer (X-Men, X-2: X-Men United, The Usual Suspects), Superman Returns stars newcomer Brandon Routh as the title character, created for the comics pages by Jerry Seigel and Joe Shuster in 1939. In the film, the caped crusader returns to Earth after a mysterious absence of several years to find that the world he protected and the woman he loved have learned to get along without him. Meanwhile, old nemesis Lex Luthor (Kevin Spacey) is up to his old tricks and launches a scheme that will send our hero on an epic journey of redemption. The script was penned by the writing team of Dan Harris and Michael Dougherty, who also wrote X2: X-Men United and Singer’s upcoming Logan’s Run remake. Dougherty studied animation at N.Y.U under Oscar winner John Canemaker and worked as an animator on such shows as Blue’s Clues and Little Bill, in addition to making his own animated shorts.
The two-disc special edition of Superman Returns includes Requiem for Krypton: Making Superman Returns, a 3-hour documentary that includes the featurettes Secret Origins and First Issues: Crystallizing Superman, The Crystal Method: Designing Superman, An Affinity for Beachfront Property: Shooting Superman, The Joy of Lex: Menacing Superman, He’s Always Around: Wrapping Superman and Resurrecting Jor-El. There are also deleted scenes, and Easter egg and theatrical and video-game trailers, all for the list price of $34.98.
Superman Returns is a sequel to the movies made from the late 1970s to the mid 1980s. All four of those films are now available in one sight-disc set titled The Christopher Reeve Superman Collection. Retailing for $68.98, the set includes the four-disc collector’s edition of Superman: The Movie, The two-disc special edition of Superman II and the deluxe editions of Superman III and Superman IV: The Quest for Peace. Extra features include commentaries by the filmmakers, making-of documentaries, restored scenes, screen tests, vintage TV specials, nine Fleischer Studios Superman cartoons and eight Famous studios Superman cartoons mastered from superior vault elements, and the 1951 live-action movie Superman and the Mole-Men, starring George Reeves.
These four films and more can also be found on Superman Ultimate Collector’s Edition, a 14-disc set that lists for $99.98 and includes Richard Donner’s director’s cut of Superman II, Bryan Singer’s Superman Returns, a Superman Returns special features disc, Singer’s video journals on the making of Superman Returns and the new documentaries Look, Up Into The Sky! The Amazing Story Of Superman and You Will Believe: The Cinematic Saga Of Superman.
Last, but certainly not least, is Superman: The Theatrical Serials Collection, a four discer that contains all 30 of the live-action adventures that screened in theaters before the main feature from 1948 to 1950. Starring Kirk Alyin as the Man of Steel, these very fun shorts feature some cool cel animation effects that make them stand out from all the other live-action incarnations. Pick it up for the suggested retail price of $39.98 and read more about the set in the latest Editor’s Note on this site.
Leave a Reply