Question about The Complete Superman Collection
 

I want to finally pick this up, especially since it's only $29.99 this week at Target. I'm just afraid that as soon as I buy it that there will be a post about a new dvd set. Does anybody know if a new set is coming out? It would be nice if just this once I didn't get screwed from double dipping. Thanks.

The first movie is the only one with 5.1 and extras but it's a great set. I've heard rumors of a directors cut of Superman II though.

$30!?!?!?

Are you kidding me? Get it! Now!! Although 3 & 4 are lacking (I happen to enjoy them) it's worth the $30 for 1 & 2 and the cool box!

Is this store only? or Online? I already checked their site and the price is still $40.. Can you give me details on where to get it for $30? Thank you very much!

it's a Target B&M deal only.

they just did a MSRP price drop...Best buy has a everyday price of 40 now. Though it's a good bet with a new superman movie in early preproduction that a new set is somewhere in the not so distant future.

Only 1 and 2 is really worth it.

just get it now. If they do release another one around the time of the movie, just sell your on eBay before the news of the new set really comes out.

The next set will probably come out in 2006, so you have time to enjoy them. You should buy them now.

I have it on good authority that Superman 3 and Superman 4: The quest for peace make great coasters for your coffee table.

It was my impression that this would only happen over Richard Donner's dead body.

Would be great if the Richard Lester version was only a footnote to the Donner vision including Gene Hackman all through the film!!!!


DAMN YOU, SALKINDS! Cheap bastards.

Price is right. I say get it.

Rumors are all you'll ever hear. Donner himself has said the footage simply doesn't exist for him to do a director's cut true to his vision of 'Superman II'. [Assuming you meant him when you said "director's cut", since Lester has never said anything against the cut which was released.] He never shot a day on 'Superman II', all the footage in 'Superman II' which he shot was shot concurrently with 'Superman: The Movie', but when they started up again on part II, they took time during pre-production to re-work a lot of elements which they had already shot and create new ideas and sequences.

I think there probably exists somewhere a little bit more footage that Donner shot, but there's not enough to get a full cut released. He wanted to, but it isn't possible.

Donner's Cut of Superman II will never happen. Rumors will come and go, but the film does not exsist for him to do a new cut of the film.

The Donner S2 footage was shot at the same time as the first movie because that was the plan all along. He was supposed to shoot the 2 films concurrently, but due to production issues, they had to stop shooting scenes for part 2 and finish up the first one. Then when production resumed to finsish part 2, Donner was basically fired. Gene Hackman refused to come back over the situation. All scenes with him in S2 were filmed by Donner. A few more of Lex were fiilmed with body and voice doubles. Over at www.supermancinema.net, there is a breakdown of just how much Donner did shoot. Unfortunately, the site is down right now. He actually shot at least 70% of the film...at least I am convinced. Much of it has been seen on various TV cuts, etc. I own tapes of those. Yes, there is a lot of Donner footage out there. I think legal issues with Brando, the Salkinds, etc could prevent a Donner cut of S2, but not lack of footage. Maybe we will at least get a cleaned up, 5.1 release of the theatrical cut of S2 with all the extra footage as supplements or something. I would also give anything for the theatrical cut of Superman: The Movie. While the current disc is excellent, S:TM is the movie I watched more than any other growing up. I know it like the back of my hand. I do not think the extra scenes add anything to the film, and I do not like some of the remixed soundtrack either. Don't get me wrong, it sounds INCREDIBLE, just not right to my ears. ;) Still, I HIGHLY recommend picking up the current set at that price. Excellent deal. :)

I think it's interesting that you're clearly familiar with that site yet you (deliberately?) ignored the part where they ask Donner and he specifically answers "The footage doesn't exist for me to prepare the cut I intended."

Too bad it's down or I could get the exact quote, but that's the thrust of it.

Also that you say "at least 70%" when the actual site says "up to 70%". Donner himself says that he shot (up to) 70% of what he wanted to do, but they wound up using less of it. I believe his estimate is that Lester shot a little more than half of the released film.

R2 Danish disc. The cover's cool, too.

I did not deliberately leave it out and I surely was not trying to start an argument. If it came across as argumentative, then my apologies. Yes, Donner did say that. However, there has been discussion about some of the shots being re-created using CG, etc. Yes, it is all discussion amongst fanboys and all, I admit that. Also, I wonder if Donner knows for sure what footage still exists? Does he know what was kept for sure and what was not? I of course am sure he knows what footage he actually shot and all, but perhaps he is not familiar with what of the footage that he did shoot that still exists. I am also sure that there is footage Donner wanted shot for his cut that was never shot since he was not allowed to complete shooting. Also, from things I have read and seen, I believe he did shoot betweeen 70-80% of what he intended to shoot. In the theatrically-released cut though, I would agree that a little more than 50% of the footage is Lester footage. I think that was required for a director's credit....I might be wrong though. I too dout that a Donner re-cut will ever happen, but I think a lot of the footage still exists. My most realistic hope for the footage is supplements on an S2: SE someday.

And I have been meaning to order the Danish S2. The only problem is that from what I have read, it still uses the new soundtrack. But at least it does not have the added scenes. :) Any suggestions of a reliable site that I could import it to the U.S. from?? Thanks!

Well, yeah, that's part of my point too ... if he only shot at most 70% of what he wanted, and some of that footage may or may not exist, it seems like a vain hope that we'll ever see a Richard Donner cut.

More specifically, I believe that WB compiled all the footage they had before they asked him to prepare a new cut, but I'm not sure on that. I am sure that they asked him and he refused because the footage to do what he'd want doesn't exist.

That might be true, but I think some of the re-shooting stuff that Donner already shot also had to do with re-working footage they had to incorporate new, cheaper ideas. (Plus getting rid of Brando, of course.)

I can tell you what I did, but it's not all that helpful. I went into the forums at dvdcompare.net and found this Danish guy who runs a small used DVD store in Denmark, and asked if he had the theatrical cut of 'Superman' and/or the director's cut of 'Scream'. He had the 'Superman' straight away, but I waited a while to see if 'Scream' ever came in. Eventually, I just bought the 'Superman' disc from him. (He takes Paypal.) He shipped it without a case (my choice, shipping from Denmark is surprisingly expensive), but totally secure, and with the cover art and whatnot. Dude was named Hans, and a great guy, very easy to deal with, but, like I say, it's not quite like he has a website, and I don't know how steady his supply of the discs is.

Hope it helps.

For $30 you can NOT go wrong. Hell, the first disc alone is worth that much with such a good looking print and the documentaries.

Wow, I totally forgot about making this thread. Now, I come back and there are all these posts. Thanks for all the input guys. I'll probably pick it up tomorrow.