Superman

[Ben]

I also found this anti-Singer/Routh site BUT *WARNING*!!!! for some profanity and mature content... The site can be a bit "much", so feel free to delete!

Actually, I deleted it due to very <I>immature</I> content. Even though it was "dedicated" to Chris and Dana Reeve, and I'm not the biggest Singer/Routh fan, there's stuff in there that is just plain cruel and that the Reeves' would never condone.

Too far over the egde and attacking easy targets too obviously. Where's the wit?

[ShyViolet]

Sorry about that. I had some qualms after I put it up.

Especially since this is a family site.

Also, even with SR I still sort of like Bryan and respect his talent.

[ShyViolet]

And, really, I couldn't take Kevin Spacey seriously as a bald villain after we'd already seen the same bald villain look in a straight comedy:

Forget Dr. Evil. I think Spacey was just doing this guy again:

[GeorgeC]

http://www.thedigitalbits.com/#mytwocents

"We've got some news to catch you up on, but first a couple of quick notes. We'll be back later today with a DVD review or two, including a look at Warner's 14-disc Superman: Ultimate Collector's Edition box set, which streets tomorrow. It's a pretty great set... BUT there's a couple of major issues with it. First, the 1978 Superman theatrical edition DOESN'T have the original 1978 audio - it's got an edited down version of the irritating remixed audio from 2000, complete with all the awful new sound effects. Also, in at least some sets, the Superman III disc included is mistakenly the previous movie-only version, NOT the new Deluxe Edition that's supposed to be in the set. We're waiting to hear back from Warner as to how they're going to handle the situation, and we'll let you know."




Let me get this straight... The set''s being released TOMORROW, and WB STILL managed to screw this up after supposedly having things prepped for months???

This really doesn't affect me other than Superman the Movie NOT having the original audio track (I've got it on LD), but I'd be ticked if I were getting the boxed set and specifically wanted a new version of Superman III. Somebody at WB or the pressing plant really, really screwed up and is going to lose their job over this!

[Dacey]

Well, if I get the set for Christmas (it's expensive, but I'm asking for it anyway) and the version of III I have is the same as the old one, can't I just send to back to WB for a "Replacement"? It seems like this is a problem they can solve.

[Ben]

Arrrgghhhh!

This turned up at my importer last week and I came close to picking it up, only for him to email me and say that quite a few copies were damaged in shipment.

Then the replacements he got in on Thursday contained the wrong Superman IIIs!

According to him, everyone is "waiting for updates", and they're either going to send out replacements or try and solve this pronto on the sets shipping out now.


As for '78 audio, that's pooh but at least like George I have my original LD. It's bad quality control though, and a tough break for WB who get it all right so much of the time but seem to slip up on these huge releases.

[Ben]

UPDATE from The Bits:

"Here's the deal - we've just spoken with Warner Home Video. They ARE going to be issuing corrected discs for both Disc One of the Superman: The Movie - Four-Disc Special Edition (also Disc One of the Superman: Ultimate Collector's Edition 14-disc set) AND Disc Eight of the Superman: Ultimate Collector's Edition. Disc One will feature the CORRECT original 2.0 audio track for Superman: The Movie and Disc Eight will feature the new Superman III: Deluxe Edition. ALL of the other discs streeting tomorrow are correct. The mistakes in the Superman: The Movie - Four-Disc Special Edition and the Superman: Ultimate Collector's Edition were apparently just honest authoring/replication errors - not deliberate decisions - and Warner is already in the process of correcting them. NO recall of existing sets is planned at the moment, but we'll have an 800 number shortly that you can call and arrange to have the corrected discs sent to you via mail. The official statement from Warner will follow shortly, so be sure to check back in a little while."

Looks like I'll wait a bit longer...

[GeorgeC]

Ben,

WB has screwed up so much on its box sets that it's ridiculous.

Yes, it's great they're addressing and PROMISE to make good on the defective sets BUT if their quality control had been good IN THE FIRST PLACE they wouldn't be needing to do this damage control!

I've got the original Tom & Jerry Spotlight Collection. Still no replacement disc for the edited shorts on that set. Yeah, WB tackled Volume Two of Tom & Jerry, but what about Volume One?

There's also the issues with some of the discs in the Golden Collections of Looney Tunes.

*********************************

UPDATE: Might have rethink my position on the fourteen disc set.

(Yeah, I'm eating crow. So what of it? )

In addition to the Fleischer Superman shorts AND a making of feature on these adventure shorts, there's the "Snafuperman short, the Super-Rabbit and Stupor Duck" on the fourteenth disc of the set.

True, I already have the long out-of-print Private SNAFU disc by Bosko Video, but Super-Rabbit alone is worth getting!

[Dacey]

That 14-disc set just looks like a sweet package. Especially if it includes the correct discs.

Plus, I liked SR, so all the better for me.

[GeorgeC]

Ben,

I ultimately just stuck with the Superman movies that I LIKE.

All together, I bought Superman the Movie, Superman II (theatrical cut), Superman II: The Donner Cut, and The Superman Serials.

I just can't justify getting a set where I know I don't like half the movies or could care less about some of the features. As much as I like some extras on the DVDs, I have little use for most of the blathering by directors and stuff like director's diaries that requires more time than I have in this life!

I saw an edited version of the Superman documentary on A & E (Arts & Entertainment cable channel in the United States) and it's one of the few documentaries I've seen recently that I had little use for... and this is coming from a guy who IS a major superhero fan! That's how bored I was by the thing. And I watch documentaries on cable all the time!

I knew I WANTED the best copies of the Fleischer shorts I could get my hands on and it was happy circumstance that WB decided to stick the shorts as extras on the Superman I and II (theatrical cut) sets. The Donner cut was a no-brainer since this is one Hollywood myth that proved to be true and I can't stop from looking at a potential trainwreck more than anybody else!

(Honestly, folks, most people that have seen the Donner Cut seem to like it better than the theatrical version of Superman II. Of course, the special effects still stink, but they've been bad since 1978 in the series! Even Superman Returns has more than its fair share of special effects gone wrong including a robotic director!

(What made the first two Superman movies special was NOT the effects work but the chemistry between cast members and the humanity Christopher Reeve brought to a character that most people felt was glacial. That's the real legacy of these films...)

[Ben]

Yes, best to go with what you like.

I happen to like all the Reeves though, and have an interest in seeing the Returns documentary (though not the film again) so it makes more sense for me to buy the big box.

But I can't right now until they are fixed!!! Waaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh!!

[GeorgeC]

It's already been announced that new Superman tin sets are shipping within the next 2-3 weeks.

Most stores in the US have sold out of the box, a couple have PULLED the boxes off the shelves to avoid customer complaints. EVERYBODY, including Amazon USA, is waiting for the new prints.

Amazon.com WON'T ship the sets to overseas customers UNTIL the corrected tins with the new SKU's are in-stock.

All of this has been reported on The Digital within the past few days.


Since I've only gotten the Superman disc set with the flawed first DVD, that's the only I have to get a replacement for via mail. WB still owes me replacements for flawed discs on the Tom & Jerry first set AND LT Golden Collection 2, though...

[EricMontreal26]

You can't make a great film out of Superman Returns, PERIOD. There was no way to edit a film where just about every major element is horribly off-kilter.

First off, unlike about 90% of the people who are fans of superheroes, I NEVER cared for the choice of Bryan Singer as director. He clearly has NOT read the source material (re: comic books) for these characters and has only a vague understanding of them.
!

Quality of the actual film aside, this didn't bug me. Donner wasn't too well versed on Superman when he directed and I can think of many time when great films have been made from great source material with the director not an established fan of the original.

E

[ShyViolet]

He doesn't have to be a "hard-core fan" but he does have to have a certain basic respect for the character mythos.

Donner may not have been all that knowledgable of Supes before he directed the film, but he retained the basic, core elements that made people love the character.

But I admit that Singer did a great job with X-Men without having really having much background in them. I think if he really wanted to, he could have made Superman Returns into a timeless, classic film.

That's why it's so disappointing.

[Ben]

The potential.


The waste.