Reservoir

I've been making my way through this the last week. I wonder why Europe got the Donner Superman II cut in the Ultimate Collection but America didn't?

If anyone wants a Donner named poster for his Superman II film I've done one here

I think the biggest shock of that boxset was the Donner cut and his comments ignoring Lester. He was happy (and I assume Lester was) to use Lester's work yet he refused to name him and put him down to being 'the other man'. Rather sad, spiteful and unprofessional. I realise there may have been some tension between the two (there may not have been) but Donner is acting like a baby. If he wants to blame someone he should look at the Salkinds who fucked up big time on Superman II and III.

I found the Donner cut of Superman II unwatchable due to those scenes (screen tests) of Reeve and Kidder in the hotel with the gun. Reeve's hairstyle and body weight changed again and again. Those scenes should have been left in the vault. I found them so jarring that I've done my own cut of the film and removed another 30 seconds or so. I'd not normally touch a director's work but it's obvious Donner had very little to do with the re-edit on Superman II and the budget was so tight I'm not sure we have the best cut. I'm sure I read somewhere that Donner had been paid no extra money so we can see where Warner are coming from. Should the Donner cut have been released? I'll decide when I watch my version

Everything else I've looked at has been good and it's a real treat for fans of Superman. I don't normally bother with commentaries but the comments of Superman IV were very honest and poignant where we have the writer of the film strongly (and rightly) attacking the mess of the film. Having watched the deleted scenes it's obvious there was a good film in there somewhere but it was lost due to Cannon and Warner. Everyone blames Cannon/Golan-Globus but I'm sure Warner could of spent more once they'd essentially taken over the film. The finished article is a disaster which is sad.


End titles Superman II Donner cut

And what about the 9/11 widows, America's invasion of Iraq? Why don't they get a mention? Donner took the money but now has the lethal revisionism virus.

I forgive Dick Donner because I love what he did with Supeman: The Movie. And I know you care about your work.

Josh Z

I don't think donner was happy at all about using any of Lester's footage. The "Donner Cut" version of the movie retained as absolutely little of Lester's footage as it possibly could and still remain coherent.

It's my understanding that the reason Donner was fired was because Lester sued the Salkinds over profits from his Musketeers movies and they gave him the Superman job as a concession to settle the lawsuit. So, yes, I can definitely see Donner still holding a grudge.

Reservoir

In my excitement to do a Donner S2 poster I forgot to add Mr Brando. Fixed that here


If Donner wasn't happy about using Lester's work then he shouldn't of done so and we'd not have this bastard version with his name on. He doesn't have a problem with his name on the credits.

I've not heard about that Salkinds' Musketeers story and it may be true but it does sound a bit unlikely to me.

Rogue588

Umm, the Donner cut is disc six.

Actually, Donner was very involved with the re-edit of Superman II. If you watched the Crisis chapter on the "You Will Believe" documentary, you'd know that Donner was basically already paid for Supes II. And since the majority of Superman I & II were shot at the same time, the only thing that needed to be done was for Donner to come back, tack on an ending to wrap it up and that was that. Unfortunately, they fired Donner and went with Lester.

Oh, and i'm sure i'm not the only one eager to see if Donner's version should've been released based on your viewing of your "cut" of the film

And, how dare he not think the same way he did 26 years ago?!?! The BASTARD. What does he know about the dangers of cigarette smoking and second hand smoke? I'm sure Dana Reeve just developed lung cancer out of the blue.

But thanks for the Superman II poster.

Reservoir

I'm sorry you couldn't pick up on my subtle points.

That point is we may change our minds throughout life but to go back and revise work by adding new-age disclaimers is idiotic. And anyway, anyone with half a brain knew smoking was bad 25 years ago and that has nothing to do with product placement by the producers. The fact Donner has now put a disclaimer in the film about fur (I never noticed any) is also over the top. He sat through his interview with a 'no fur' badge/button on his cardigan which is fine as that's his opnion [now]. But it was not his opinion 25 years ago so to go back and try to revise it is wrong.

And I cut that from my version too incidentally.

Rogue588

Just be thankful he didn't replace any of the guns with walkie-talkies...

wigman15

did the region 2 boxset come with the comics?

thanks

tonyjg

yes !!


- though its the Region 4 one here !

Picked up at local B&M chain BigW for $A129.


Bit of trivia - I went to the World Premiere of SUPERMAN II back on the 27th November 1980 = held in Parramatta (Sydney) Australia !

(yes - I still have the ticket !!)

From imdb: in a very unusual move for an event film of this scale, Warner Bros. released the film in Europe at the end of 1980 and in the U. S. about seven months later, in the summer of 1981.

(Actually - this is incorrect - Australia had the film before Europe !!)

Reservoir

My Region 2 doesn't have any comics. A nice booklet but no comics.

All my covers are in English but I think the boxset is meant for several countries as some of the disc menus have 20+ languages!

Reservoir

Great story

I saw Superman II at the cinema and even then (as a young kid) I felt I was watching Superman 1½. It's sad we'll never get the real Donner Superman 2 but I think we're almost there.

Reservoir

Just watched Donner's SII and enjoyed it. It's a better watch than Lester's but I think Lester's is a fuller piece. I'm glad I removed the annoying scenes as they were depressing and showed the film as it really is: unfinished.

Still, I was interested to learn in the extras that a director need only shoot 51% of a film to have his name on it. I also had a thought whilst watching that I could combine Donner's work into 1 cut but I don't think I'll bother! I prefer to leave my memory of his first film fairly intact.

It was nice to see what seemed like much more of General Zod. Zod is interviewed (in his Earth body, Stamp) in the extras and he obviously loved/loves his character and it was wonderful to see him discuss it as I'd never seen a comment from him.

And Ilya Salkind's impression of Brando was spot on