The Video (Overall) (Superman II: Richard Donner Cut))
The Video (Overall) (Superman III)
The Video (Superman IV)
HDR Effect (Superman)
HDR Effect (Superman II)
HDR Effect (Superman II: Richard Donner Cut)
HDR Effect (Superman III)
The Audio (Superman IV)
The Audio (Superman)
The Audio (Superman II)
The Audio (Superman II: Richard Donner Cut)
The Audio (Superman III)
The Audio (Superman IV)
The Supplements (Overall)
Overall
SUMMARY
Kryptonian Kal-El arrives on Earth as a child where is raised by the Kent's to grow up and become a superhero who fights for liberty and justice. These five-films track the Christopher Reeve era of Superman on the big screen.
Estimated reading time: 10 minutes
The Superman 1978-1987 Five-Film Collection comes with all four original Superman films starring Christopher Reeve as well as the Richard Donner Cut of Superman II.
The first film got the franchise off to a great start and tells the origins of the Man of Steel. Directed by Richard Donner, the film traces the departure of Kal-El from the doomed planet of Krypton, where his parents (Marlon Brando and Susannah York as Jor-El and Lara) send him away to Earth in a spaceship. Elderly couple the Kents (Glenn Ford and Phyllis Thaxter) find and raise him in Smallville as Clark Kent. Clark eventually moves to Metropolis, takes a job a crack reporter for The Daily Planet, teams up with reporter Lois Lane (Margot Kidder), and begins to appear as the crime-fighting, high-flying superhero Superman. He must battle the genius supervillain Lex Luthor (Gene Hackman).
Superman II began life filming simultaneously with Superman as another Richard Donner. Donner eventually had conflicts with the producers, and he was pushed out for Richard Lester (A Hard Day’s Night). In this second film, three super powered villains from Krypton are accidentally released from the Phantom Zone imprisonment. Led by psychopathic General Zod (Terence Stamp) the three begin to wreak havoc on Earth as Zod plans total domination.
In 2006, Richard Donner was allowed to return to Superman II and re-edit the film according to his original vision, the slightly shorter, more concise film is arguably the better and definitive version of the film. Footage of Marlon Brando as Jor-El was restored, and he appears in some pivotal scenes. There are more scenes involving subplots with Lois Lane (Margot Kidder), and the film has a less comedic complexion.
Superman III is where this franchise begins to go off the rails. Richard Pryor is brought onboard to play Gus Gorman (Richard Pryor), a hapless computer-programming expert who becomes the nemesis of Superman (Reeve). Pryor seems out of place and the comedy is taken to an annoying level.
Not even Superman III’s drop-off in quality and heightened focus on comedy could prepare one for the dismal, exceedingly silly Superman IV: The Quest for Peace.
Sidney J. Furie (Iron Eagle) took over director’s duties from Richard Lester and the entire production was assumed by Cannon Films, which gutted the production budget for the film. In this film Superman (Reeve again) enters the world of politics with a vow to destroy all the world’s nuclear weapons. Putting aside the point that Kal-El/Superman/Clark Kent is not supposed to get involved in Earth’s geopolitics, the film is a terrible entry. The over-the-top comedy and low budget make it unwatchable. Furie does not even keep track of the Superman suit. The suit! There are some scenes where Superman’s belt and the “S” on his chest and cape have white highlights or, in. the case of his belt, just white. There is one scene at least where the “S” on the cape is completely white with black line art, like they did not bother to complete it before filming. Such a shame.
Putting aside the lower quality of III and IV, this is still an outstanding set for the first two films, including the Donner Cut. Superman I and II helped to lay the groundwork for the superhero movie boom to come, beating Tim Burton’s Batman to the punch by a decade.
The Video
Warner Bros. does not provide detailed information on the provenance and restorations of these films. That said, Superman: The Movie, transferred in a 2.39:1 HEVC 2160p (4K UHD) Dolby Vision encodement comes as the only film in the collection with Dolby Vision. The image is spectacular, having a natural look to the grain, even as the filming techniques create a soft look to the film. The color spectrum thanks to Dolby Vision is also vibrant and full of more color gradients, such as the ice in Superman’s Fortress of Solitude, which shows many shades of blue, some pinks and yellows as well. There is one strange anomaly I never noticed before. Around the 40:42 mark a translucent square shape starts to drop down from the top-center part of the frame. This was confirmed by my friend and colleague Ralph Potts as well.
Superman II comes with a 2.39:1 HEVC 2160p (4K UHD) HDR10 encodement. The quality for this (and Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut) looks very similar to Superman and has the same sort of grain structure. The HDR10 only looks slightly less natural than the Dolby Vision as far as the nuance of specular highlights. It is equally as vibrant and colorful.
Superman III is a mixed bag. Also coming with a 2.39:1 HEVC 2160p (4K UHD) HDR10 encodement, the film’s opening looks quite out of focus because of the diffuse filter that is used. The image sharpens up after that but there are a few shots and faces throughout that still look a bit out of focus. That said, the transfer has nothing to untoward in the image.
Superman IV, the lowest budget production in the franchise, and also coming with a 2.39:1 HEVC 2160p (4K UHD) HDR10 encodement is ironically one of the best looking in the collection. The film grain is tight and organic, while detail is very crisp and there is strong depth-of-field. The HDR10 again gives color nuance, vibrancy, and ‘pop’ to the image.
The Audio
Each film in the Superman 1978-1987 Five-Film Collection comes with a Dolby Atmos audio mix. Superman: The Movie has the best sounding Atmos mix of the four films, with Superman: II, including the Donner Cut, come in a remarkably close second. The lows go far down into the room shaking frequencies and spread of sounds through the height/overhead and surround channels is well balanced with atmospherics, solid effects, and ambience. The remaining two films, following the drop in quality of content, do not pack as much of a punch and seem to be a little more conservative in the use of the speakers.
“Original Theatrical Mix” DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 surround is included on each 4K disc as well, but the original 5.1 mix for Superman: The Movie has been dropped from this release. It previously appeared on the stand-alone4K release.
The Supplements
The bonus features have all been previously released and appear on the included Blu-ray Discs. The audio commentary for each film is included on both the 4K and Blu-ray.
Superman: The Movie:
Bonus Features:
Audio Commentary by Ilya Salkind and Pierre Spengler
Blu-ray Bonus Features:
The Making of Superman: The Movie (SD; 00:51:50)
Superman and the Mole-Men (SD; 00:58:05)
Cartoons (SD; 00:19:27):
Super-Rabbit
Snafuperman
Stupor Duck
TV Spots & Trailers (SD; 00:04:25):
TV Spot
Teaser Trailer
Theatrical Trailer
Superman II:
Bonus Features:
Commentary by Pierre Spengler and Ilya Salkind
Blu-ray Bonus Features:
Commentary by Pierre Spengler and Ilya Salkind
The Making of Superman II (SD; 00:52:15)
Superman’s Souffle – Deleted Scene (SD; 00:00:40)
First Flight: The Fleischer Superman Series (SD; 00:12:55)
The Fleischer Studios Superman (SD; 01:19:29):
Superman
The Mechanical Monsters
Billion Dollar Limited
The Artic Giant
The Bulleteers
The Magnetic Telescope
Electric Earthquake
Volcano
Terror on the Midway
Theatrical Trailer (SD; 00:02:22)
Super Man II: The Richard Donner Cut:
Bonus Features:
Introduction by Richard Donner (1080p; 00:01:54)
Commentary by Richard Donner and Tom Mankiewicz
Blu-ray Bonus Features:
Introduction by Richard Donner (1080p; 00:01:54)
Commentary by Richard Donner and Tom Mankiewicz
Superman II: Restoring the Vision (SD; 00:13:20)
Deleted Scenes (SD; 00:08:44):
Lex and Ms. Teschmacher Head North
Lex and Ms. Teschmacher Head South
The Villains Enter the Fortress
He’s All Yours, Boys
Clark and Jimmy
Lex’s Getaway
Famous Studios Superman Cartoons (SD; 01:07:49):
Japoteurs
Showdown
Eleventh Hour
Destruction, Inc.
The Mummy Strikes
Jungle Drums
The Underground World
Secret Agent
Superman III:
Bonus Features:
Commentary by Ilya Salkind and Pierre Spengler
Blu-ray Bonus Features:
Commentary by Ilya Salkind and Pierre Spengler
The Making of Superman III (SD; 00:49:08)
Deleted Scenes (SD; 00:19:43):
Save My Baby!
To the Rescue
Making Up
Going to See the Boss
Hatching the Plan
The Con
Rooftop Ski Resort
Boss Wants This to Go
Superman Honored
Gus’ Speech
Hanging Up on Brad
Theatrical Trailer (SD; 00:03:11)
Superman IV:
Bonus Features:
Commentary by Mark Rosenthal
Blu-ray Bonus Features:
Commentary by Mark Rosenthal
Superman 50th Anniversary Special (SD; 000:48:10)
Deleted Scenes (SD; 00:31:02):
Clark’s Morning
Jeremy’s Letter
Superman’s Visit
Nuclear Man’s Prototype
Metropolis After Hours
Lex Ponders
Flying Sequence (Extended Scene)
Battle in Smallville
Battle in the U.S.S.R.
Nuclear Arms Race
Superman’s Sickness
Red Alert
By My Side
Clark and Lacy Say Goodbye
No Borders
Theatrical Trailer (SD; 00:01:26)
The Final Assessment
Fly up, up, and awayyyy, with the Christopher Reeve Superman films in strong 4K releases from Warner Bros. The set may not include any new bonus features, but the previously released features and digital copy are more than enough, especially for those who have never owned these films.
Superman 1978-1987 Five-Film Collection is out on 4K Ultra HD Combo May 9, 2023, from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment.
Notice of Compliance with FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION 16 CFR Part 255
In accordance with the Federal Trade Commission 16 CFR part 255 guidelines, this website hereby states that it receives free discs and other theatrical or home entertainment "screeners" and access to screening links from studios and/or PR firms, and is provided with consumer electronics devices on loan from hardware manufacturers and/or PR firms respectively for the purposes of evaluating the products and its content for editorial reviews. We receive no compensation from these companies for our opinions or for the writing of reviews or editorials. Permission is sometimes granted to companies to quote our work and editorial reviews free of charge. Our website may contain affiliate marketing links, which means we may get paid commission on sales of those products or the services we write about. Our editorial content is not influenced by advertisers or affiliate partnerships. This disclosure is provided in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR § 255.5: Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
Kryptonian Kal-El arrives on Earth as a child where is raised by the Kent's to grow up and become a superhero who fights for liberty and justice. These five-films track the Christopher Reeve era of Superman on the big screen.Superman 5-Film Collection (4K UHD Review)
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
Cookie
Duration
Description
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional
11 months
The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy
11 months
The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
{"id":"417","mode":"button","open_style":"in_modal","currency_code":"USD","currency_symbol":"$","currency_type":"decimal","blank_flag_url":"https:\/\/www.theaterbyte.com\/wordpress\/core\/modules\/efb9325b07\/\/assets\/images\/flags\/blank.gif","flag_sprite_url":"https:\/\/www.theaterbyte.com\/wordpress\/core\/modules\/efb9325b07\/\/assets\/images\/flags\/flags.png","default_amount":500,"top_media_type":"none","featured_image_url":false,"featured_embed":"","header_media":null,"file_download_attachment_data":null,"recurring_options_enabled":true,"recurring_options":{"never":{"selected":true,"after_output":"One time only"},"weekly":{"selected":false,"after_output":"Every week"},"monthly":{"selected":false,"after_output":"Every month"},"yearly":{"selected":false,"after_output":"Every year"}},"strings":{"current_user_email":"","current_user_name":"","link_text":"Contribute to the TheaterByte Tip Jar","complete_payment_button_error_text":"Check info and try again","payment_verb":"Pay","payment_request_label":"TheaterByte","form_has_an_error":"Please check and fix the errors above","general_server_error":"Something isn't working right at the moment. Please try again.","form_title":"TheaterByte","form_subtitle":"We are creating Blu-ray, 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray, Movie, and Home Theater electronics reviews.","currency_search_text":"Country or Currency here","other_payment_option":"Other payment option","manage_payments_button_text":"Manage your payments","thank_you_message":"Thank you for being a supporter!","payment_confirmation_title":"TheaterByte","receipt_title":"Your Receipt","print_receipt":"Print Receipt","email_receipt":"Email Receipt","email_receipt_sending":"Sending receipt...","email_receipt_success":"Email receipt successfully sent","email_receipt_failed":"Email receipt failed to send. Please try again.","receipt_payee":"Paid to","receipt_statement_descriptor":"This will show up on your statement as","receipt_date":"Date","receipt_transaction_id":"Transaction ID","receipt_transaction_amount":"Amount","refund_payer":"Refund from","login":"Log in to manage your payments","manage_payments":"Manage Payments","transactions_title":"Your Transactions","transaction_title":"Transaction Receipt","transaction_period":"Plan Period","arrangements_title":"Your Plans","arrangement_title":"Manage Plan","arrangement_details":"Plan Details","arrangement_id_title":"Plan ID","arrangement_payment_method_title":"Payment Method","arrangement_amount_title":"Plan Amount","arrangement_renewal_title":"Next renewal date","arrangement_action_cancel":"Cancel Plan","arrangement_action_cant_cancel":"Cancelling is currently not available.","arrangement_action_cancel_double":"Are you sure you'd like to cancel?","arrangement_cancelling":"Cancelling Plan...","arrangement_cancelled":"Plan Cancelled","arrangement_failed_to_cancel":"Failed to cancel plan","back_to_plans":"\u2190 Back to Plans","update_payment_method_verb":"Update","sca_auth_description":"Your have a pending renewal payment which requires authorization.","sca_auth_verb":"Authorize renewal payment","sca_authing_verb":"Authorizing payment","sca_authed_verb":"Payment successfully authorized!","sca_auth_failed":"Unable to authorize! Please try again.","login_button_text":"Log in","login_form_has_an_error":"Please check and fix the errors above","uppercase_search":"Search","lowercase_search":"search","uppercase_page":"Page","lowercase_page":"page","uppercase_items":"Items","lowercase_items":"items","uppercase_per":"Per","lowercase_per":"per","uppercase_of":"Of","lowercase_of":"of","back":"Back to plans","zip_code_placeholder":"Zip\/Postal Code","download_file_button_text":"Download File","input_field_instructions":{"tip_amount":{"placeholder_text":"How much would you like to tip?","initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"How much would you like to tip? Choose any currency."},"empty":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"How much would you like to tip? Choose any currency."},"invalid_curency":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Please choose a valid currency."}},"recurring":{"placeholder_text":"Recurring","initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"How often would you like to give this?"},"success":{"instruction_type":"success","instruction_message":"How often would you like to give this?"},"empty":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"How often would you like to give this?"}},"name":{"placeholder_text":"Name on Credit Card","initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Enter the name on your card."},"success":{"instruction_type":"success","instruction_message":"Enter the name on your card."},"empty":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Please enter the name on your card."}},"privacy_policy":{"terms_title":"Terms and conditions","terms_body":null,"terms_show_text":"View Terms","terms_hide_text":"Hide Terms","initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"I agree to the terms."},"unchecked":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Please agree to the terms."},"checked":{"instruction_type":"success","instruction_message":"I agree to the terms."}},"email":{"placeholder_text":"Your email address","initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Enter your email address"},"success":{"instruction_type":"success","instruction_message":"Enter your email address"},"blank":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Enter your email address"},"not_an_email_address":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Make sure you have entered a valid email address"}},"note_with_tip":{"placeholder_text":"Your note here...","initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Attach a note to your tip (optional)"},"empty":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Attach a note to your tip (optional)"},"not_empty_initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Attach a note to your tip (optional)"},"saving":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Saving note..."},"success":{"instruction_type":"success","instruction_message":"Note successfully saved!"},"error":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Unable to save note note at this time. Please try again."}},"email_for_login_code":{"placeholder_text":"Your email address","initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Enter your email to log in."},"success":{"instruction_type":"success","instruction_message":"Enter your email to log in."},"blank":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Enter your email to log in."},"empty":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Enter your email to log in."}},"login_code":{"initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Check your email and enter the login code."},"success":{"instruction_type":"success","instruction_message":"Check your email and enter the login code."},"blank":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Check your email and enter the login code."},"empty":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Check your email and enter the login code."}},"stripe_all_in_one":{"initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Enter your credit card details here."},"empty":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Enter your credit card details here."},"success":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Enter your credit card details here."},"invalid_number":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card number is not a valid credit card number."},"invalid_expiry_month":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's expiration month is invalid."},"invalid_expiry_year":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's expiration year is invalid."},"invalid_cvc":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's security code is invalid."},"incorrect_number":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card number is incorrect."},"incomplete_number":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card number is incomplete."},"incomplete_cvc":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's security code is incomplete."},"incomplete_expiry":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's expiration date is incomplete."},"incomplete_zip":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's zip code is incomplete."},"expired_card":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card has expired."},"incorrect_cvc":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's security code is incorrect."},"incorrect_zip":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's zip code failed validation."},"invalid_expiry_year_past":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's expiration year is in the past"},"card_declined":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card was declined."},"missing":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"There is no card on a customer that is being charged."},"processing_error":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"An error occurred while processing the card."},"invalid_request_error":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Unable to process this payment, please try again or use alternative method."},"invalid_sofort_country":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The billing country is not accepted by SOFORT. Please try another country."}}}},"fetched_oembed_html":false}