majorjoe23

Since it's still pretty much a rumor at this point, I don't think you're going to get an answer that is anything more than speculation.

My speculation? This DVD will mow my lawn and pay for my kids' college tuition, as well as including both cuts.

Kube

Re: Supes powers in Superman 4. I remember being somewhat "shocked" by the eye glancing trick. Seemed like they had clearly established his powers in previous movies. Although, for some reason I bought the finger pointing power that General Zog (I think it was him) had in Supes 2.

I know 4 is considered the worst of the 4...but I think they really tried to go back to the basics and for some reason...it just didn't completely gel....budget cuts and cutting large portions of the film out are probably reason enough though.

DocLathropBrown

Does anyone else have a bad feeling that either A) The Donner cut of SII will be done without him and stink because of it, or B) We will not get a Donner cut and the Donner footage will just be extra features?

Frankly, I don't expect WB to put the time or money into a Donner cut.

Numes

Donner didn't even finish all of his scenes from Superman II, so I think it would be difficult to do an official "Donner Cut". So your analysis could be right, I don't think it will necessarily stink, though.

I would rather have the scenes as an extra feature than have someone hack it together.

DocLathropBrown

The whole Donner cut thing came about because Margo Kidder supposedly said in an interview that there was enough Donner footage stashed away to make a whole cut.

DieselsDen

Margot Kidder is pretty outspoken about Richard Donner and is fiercely loyal to him. However, it's been pretty well-documented (again, I refer people to the SUPERMAN CINEMA site as well as David Michael Petrou's THE MAKING OF SUPERMAN book) that Donner did not complete all his SUPERMAN II footage, so there is really no way we would get a complete cut.

The best I am hoping for is all of Donner's scene in a supplementary section. But what are the odds? I was hoping the BACK TO THE FUTURE discs would have Eric Stoltz's footage, but of course, that never happened.

Cameron

yah, but the stoltz footage was only missing becuase he felt that BTTF was a major career killer for him. He wouldn't negotiate anything reasonable. Donner seems to have always wanted this to be out there...he has been working well on the new movie, and I think everyone involved wants to see Christopher Reeves Fly again in any way possible.

Numes

I'm not an expert on the legalities at all, but I figure Donner does not need to give permission for his scenes that he shot to be put on a DVD. I thought they had inserted some of his scenes into 1 or 2 of the broadcast versions of Superman II (Where is that web page again?)?

DieselsDen

Approximately one-third of SUPERMAN II is his footage. Some of his scenes were re-shot by Lester; some Donner-scenes were scrubbed entirely; some scenes were re-written by David and Leslie Newman when Lester assumed control.

I assume that Warner Bros owns all the SUPERMAN films. But if the Salkinds are involved, then I have no idea. Also, didn't the Salkinds sue Warner when the DVDs first came out a couple years ago?

All this legal BS (and I'm a lawyer myself) just goes to show why it will be a miracle if we see the Donner SUPERMAN 2 footage.

Kal-El

Superman Homepage is reporting that Dreamwatch Magazine has an article discussing Donner working on an SE of Superman II.

all around if it's true.

Numes

Here's the page that I was thinking about that goes into detail about the ABC broadcast from 1983:
Link

The lawsuit a few years ago, I believe, had to do with the inclusion of the screen tests of the other actors/actresses on the Superman DVD. At least that's what I remember.

There are a lot of new updates on the original linked page (go to post #1) or go here. I think the last person pointed this out too.

If Donner IS involved, that would be pretty amazing. The fact that he was so involved in the commentary and special features of the original DVD release, makes me think that it could happen.

Liquid Death

www.comicbookresources.com reported that Donner was hired to assemble the Superman II SE:

According to the Superman Homepage, director Richard Donner (who was removed from the film after having already directed most scenes) has now been hired to work on a Special Edition DVD of 'Superman II.

dishpan

http://supermanhomepage.com/images/n...atch-S2dvd.jpg

Skoobooz

Interesting that they mention the first Superman. Could it be a generalization, or is he going to do more to it?

DieselsDen

This recent information is great news, indeed, but I remain skeptical until there's a formal announcement of some sort from the WB.

Unless they're planning something special for HD-DVD, this may be the last chance to see any of Donner's (and Brando's) SUPERMAN II in one form or another. After 25 years, it's about time...

Kant

Just re saw superman 1 and 2 roday and thought about something. Why is it that the look of the films is so hazy? It is almost like therer is vasline on the lense like Hitchock sometimes did in his films--Anybody else noticed this?
I looked at IMDB but it doesn't say anything special about the cameras or the filters used.
and btw I really hope we get the new footage to superman 2 included in a new cut! Now warner we have waited this long so do it right.

OldBoy

how come the first sentence says to restore I & II, but the last sentence says only a II DVD will be produced?

Cameron

Since the first movie already has a special edition dvd...even though it is a flipper

Qui Gon Jim

I don't really need to see an alternate cut of S2, I would be happy just to have the option of watching the footage as a deleted scene.

RocShemp

I caught that too. Would be interesting since the "turning back the world" scene was originally meant to be the ending of Superman II (with no Super-bad-breath-kiss in sight) and Superman was supposed to end with a cliffhanger in which the final nuke somehow blows up while SUperman is flying it away. He gets blasted from the sky, no one knows what became of him, and Zod and his crew get freed by the shochwave of the exploding nuke.

Cameron

a bump since the topic is at hand...

Duh Vuh Duh

Any details on the new SE's yet?

I got the box set a while back and I still haven't opened it, should I just sell it and wait for the SE's? Do you think the new SE's will be worth it?

Numes

If you want the screen tests on Superman I, I would NOT sell your original box. I believe there was a lawsuit because they included some of the screen tests for actors/actresses who did not give their permission to have them on the DVD. It seems pretty unlikely that this would be included in the new set.

OldBoy

how is it at hand? where is the new news?

Duh Vuh Duh

Just saw this info. Sounds good to me and looks like even a Donner version of II.

http://www.supermanhomepage.com/movi...iew-salkind-SE