I love Hackman in this movie. His comic timing is incredible. People forget how much of a landmark movie this was. The tag line was, ‘You’ll believe a man can fly’ so they set themselves up with a really high bar. Fortunately they delivered and the movie is spectacular. What makes it really special though, is the character performances. They’re pitch perfect. Christopher Reeve has never and will never, be topped in the lead, but the entire cast is outstanding. It reads like a who’s who of great talent with powerhouses like Brando, Hackman, Ford, Howard, Beattie, York, Stamp adding their credentials and giving weight to, what could have been dismissed as a ‘comic book’ movie. It’s so much more than that. Throw in the perfect blend of comedic and dramatic moments and the immortal John Williams score and you’ve got a truly special event. It’s up there in my top five movies of all time and without doubt my favourite ‘superhero’ movie and yes, that includes all the recent Marvel and DC offerings. This film beats them all. Why? Because it has real heart and emotion at its core. Never bettered and probably never will be.
I love how Lex essentially extenuates Superman's confidence by making him think that THEY have thrown everything at him. Superman was flexxing here and got outsmarted. This is the scene that really underlines Luthor is no joke.
They should’ve included this scene in the theatrical release. It establishes just how seemingly invulnerable Superman, which is important since we next see how Kryptonite weakens him.
This is such a visually strong film. The colours at 0.06 across the composition when he lands on the side walk are brilliant. Geoffrey Unsworth the director of photography was responsible for this. A very underrated talent.
This sequence should have never been cut from the theatrical version, 3 things that strengthens this sequence. 1. Whilst Lex theorised Superman would be impervious to his traps, he still had a morbid curiosity to test them, to see if Superman really could survive them. 2. Leading Superman into a false sense of security... 3. Enforces the scene a little later on with showing how deadly and how much Kryptonite affects him.
Unfortunately, movie theaters were getting annoyed with Hollywood movies being too long. The Godfather movies for example. And theater owners wanted to have several showings of popular films. They couldn't do that with films that were 3 hours long.
Always wanted to know the timeline of how the final version of this sequence was executed. In the screenplay, it made sense that this sequence followed Superman‘s first night and further clarifies that Luthor needs Kryptonite to defeat him. Was this sequence initially shot for that and they had to hastily reconfigure in order to keep it in the movie but then ultimately decided to just lose it all together? You see a lot of money poured into the sequence and it probably didn’t please the Salkinds to see it go to the waste side.
Funny you should mention the Terminator. They're actually does exist a comic book crossover between Superman and the Terminator. It came out in 1999. It's a highly recommended read; the best version of Terminator 3 you'll ever see.
Lex knew full well that machine guns, flame throwers and liquid nitrogen would be ineffective against Superman. These conventional weapons were just there so Superman wouldn't suspect that Lex had an ace-in-the-hole; Kryptonite hidden in a lead box!
Lex used em to toy with Superman yea but those weapons clearly weren't built for him but _anyone else_ who came close to finding his hideout, like the cop who followed Otis thru the train tunnel. He had all those traps set up b4 Superman 1st appeared in Metropolis
I always thought Luthor was using the fake gas poisoning, weapons and explaining his plan to keep Superman busy until the nukes were too far apart for him to deal with both.
N G They did world wide poll, Superman the movie 1978 and its sequel Superman II were voted greater representations of the Superman character!!! sorry buddy, and I happen to agree, Man of steel sucked balls
Lol, agreed. Superman gave Otis the; *"I just came out of; Bullets, Fire and Ice do you really think you have have a snowball's chance in hell against me"* Look? Lmao, it was too much.
When I was a kid, seeing this for the 1st time in the theaters, I was just so blown away when Superman becomes a human drill, boring his way through the sidewalk, into the underground chamber below. This was, after all, before the age of CGI, and this scene was executed brilliantly. I had previously recalled reading a Superman comic that had a panel like this in it. To see that panel, come to life on the screen, was astonishing, and still is. Leave it to say, I've been a huge fan of Superman, and Christopher Reeve, ever since. Thanks for posting. p.s. It still baffles me as to why they didn't include Luthor's "traps" in the original theatrical release. Such a fantastic scene, displaying Superman's invulnerability. Even Richard Donner, in the commentary, seemed perplexed as to why this was edited out of the original finished version???
The point of Lex Luthor obtaining kryptonite, was that he knew nothing else would kill Superman. What would be the point of going through all this effort when he already knew it would fail?
Daniel Dickson; In answer to your question. Lex Luthor not only possesses a genius IQ, but he also demonstrates a high degree of personal vanity. Putting Superman through all those "traps", if anything, was to also prove to both Miss Teschmacher, and Otis, that it would, indeed, take the rare rock known as Kryptonite to finally put an end to Superman. This display only reinforced Lex's theory, proving to the others just who was the "superior" man. Not only that, but it sure looked so damned cool. Didn't it?
I always loved lex's girl, she was always rooting for superman behind lex's back which is really cute. She's actually a kind person, she didnt deserve that doosh lord lex. She deserves a better man.
I liked her character. I always thought Lex was going to do something bad to her after her betrayal helping Superman. She literally saved millions by her actions.
nah, i read somewhere that it was already established that Superman was practically invulnerable, they thought it was not worth the extra runtime to put in the obvious, I liked it, it's fun to "See" Superman in action, not just "imagine"...
Movie studios were also notorious for putting pressure on directors to trim their films down to 2 hours. It wasn’t because audiences were impatient though. It was so that theaters could show more films during the day.
@@coolcat6303 I agree - 120 mins (2 hours) was something the studios kept pushing for theatrical release; the release on VHS was also 2 hours. The Sound of Music and Titanic are 3 hours (Titanic is 3 hours 30) and in my view is a bit uncomfortable to watch it through completely without going to the gents or something but 2 hours seemed to be considered an optimum time.
Glad they released the super version of Superman on blu-ray. I had watched the two-part movie when it first aired, way back in 1982. And looked for it every year since on VHS, then DVD. A classic that never gets old.
I remember the first movie I was ever taken to when I was a child. My grandmother informed me right before the kindergarten break for Xmas that she was taking me to see SUPERMAN: THE MOVIE!! This scene and several others were included in the version I watched with her smiling at my amazement the entire time. Thank You, Gramny!! ❤❤❤
I’m 35 years old I have two big kids I tried watching this with them they said, wow this is corny daddy, man of steel is better, I never felt so old. But imagine as a little Mexican American kid and your dad comes home with a VHS tape this was pure magic to my eyes
I would have simply told them "MAN OF STEEL" sucked! Sure, that's blunt and harsh to begin with but is also absolutely true. They didn't also think Jesse Eisenberg was a "better Lex Luthor" than Gene Hackman, did they?
Superman: "Is that how a warped brain like yours gets its kicks? By planning the deaths of innocent people?" Luthor: "No. By causing the deaths of innocent people."
‘You’ll believe a man can fly’ is the very best definition of this Superman. With camera works and simple visual/wires tricks, it is still the most "natural" way to set a man flying: no cgi/sonic booms air condensing or vapor trails give the smooth movements of this Superman taking off or landing, with grace and fluidity (ok... the actual flying is clearly a rotoscoped, disjointed 2d behind a Christopher Reeves acting, but the landings and taking offs are unmatched up to this day)
For a 1978 movie the effects are amazing I don’t know how they did that fire scene without cgi, the effects in this movie honestly put some modern blockbusters to shame
I agree completely with everyone who says that this great little sequence belonged in the film (it was one of the few times that we got to see Superman's invulnerability in action, as opposed to his great strength). But this film's greatest asset wasn't special effects of any kind; it was Christopher Reeve's charisma and acting ability. He really made you warm up to Superman as a CHARACTER, not just as a mountain of muscle with a handsome face. The only other actor who ever did that with this role was Dean Cain, and even he didn't do it on Reeve's level. And on top of all that, Reeve in real life was a highly intelligent man, with a big heart and a developed social conscience. What a tragic loss for the world.
@@606danco Maybe you should ask yourself why you're so quick to dismiss the worth of another human being just because of their profession. (A profession which, when done properly, is an extremely demanding one. If you doubt that, give it a try sometime.) Christopher Reeve was worth a hundred of the tenth-raters we have in public life (not, admittedly, that that's saying much.) A civilized approach to acting was set forth in George Bernard Shaw's play "In Good King Charles' Golden Days", where Sir Isaac Newton -- possibly the greatest scientist of all time -- meets the actress Neil Gwynne. When Nell expresses awe at Newton's intellect, Newton replies "But, Miss Gwynne, your own mental powers must be formidable. After all, you memorize and recite long parts from memory in the theater every night. I couldn't do that."
@@tadimaggio Yeah, both Chris and Dean are great as Supes, but Chris takes the cake! I didn't see "Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman" until I was in high school in the early 2010s via the defunct TV channel the Hub, but this movie and "Superman 2" were huge parts of my childhood! Seeing Superman fly towards the camera & smile at the end just makes you happy. The one huge problem with this movie is the whole reversing time thing that Superman does during the climax! If that and Lois's death had been removed from the movie, it would be so much better for it!
You can really tell how the movie benefited from editing. The original and special editions both cut immediately to the missile launch after Lex says "No, by causing the death of innocent people", whereas here, there's a long pause with Lex winking at Otis before the cut.
Because they already had enough action. And we knew that this stuff wouldn't hurt him. When you film, you film scenes that sometimes when you then get to the editing, slow down the pace and realize they aren't necessary.
@@sha11235 I totally disagree, it showed Supermans strength and durability on screen and I am a professional film editor. This should be in the theatrical.
I remember the network premiere of this with these scenes like it was yesterday. ABC aired it over two nights, then later, reran it in one night. It was awesome how my parents let me stay up past midnight on the second airing, too. Great family movie.
My attorney will be in touch with you about the damage to the door. I can't stop laughin. It gets me every time. I feel like that's how I would be towards Superman bustin down my door.
Nobody seems to understand anymore that Superman's true weakness is his humanity. The suffering of innocent people and his love for Lois Lane are his greatest weakness. Kryptonite physically hurts him but people in danger hurts him on a deeper level, which comes between his father's philosophy "it is forbidden to interfere with human history"
I can swear that, right before he freezes Superman, Luthor says "Do yourself a FLAVOR, Superman." Every time I watch this sequence, I keep expecting Our Hero to respond "Rocky Road or mint chocolate chip?"
What fun nonsense! Lol! Christopher Reeve was so good in that boy Scout part that somehow he was hillarious. Gene Hackman . . LOL!! Because of him I grew up wanting to own Australia too!
Ethereal Abyss the sound fx in the special edition for this scene sounds way better, it seems that they kept the 70s chopped down layers of the sound FX in the 3 hour long version
Never seen this before. Reminds me of Batman hitting supes with all that junk in BvS. Everything is such a toy to a man of steel. They really should've left this in. It really adds to how unsettling it is for Luthor to be calm when he's face to face with a guy who just did all this.
It was good that none of the citizens of Metropolis who saw Superman spin his way down to Lex Luthor‘s underground didn‘t decide to go down that hole and follow Superman to see where he‘s going or they would‘ve gotten hurt by those traps.
This footage was later put back into the film by Director Richard Donner himself for his Director’s Cut. It’s interesting seeing the scene with the original audio mix.
Lexs lair is such a cool place. No villain hideout of a today movie looks such comfortable and full of luxury. And thats even more special when you recognize that It's an old Subway Station.
Michael Bay i always wondered why he would even have a lawyer. Figured he would rep himself...then i realized, when he says attorney, he actually means secretary to do his bitch legal work because he's above that shit. 🤣
This scene makes it a great comic book movie. The way he turns around him self to dig the ground, Luthor's weapons... Very similar to the things in the comic book.
0:21 This scene borders on perfection in how realistic it is. Today, they don't want to do something like that, because it's more work. However, they do not please the public that pays the cinema ticket.
"it's open, come in" & "Otis take the gentleman's cape" always get me. 😂😂😂
Shabba dabba me too. Always love “It’s open come in”
"My attorney will be in touch with you about the damage to the door."
It's obvious Lex never heard that Jim Croche song
@ Quite Literally!
I don’t think he wants me to, Mister LU-thor.
I love Hackman in this movie. His comic timing is incredible. People forget how much of a landmark movie this was. The tag line was, ‘You’ll believe a man can fly’ so they set themselves up with a really high bar. Fortunately they delivered and the movie is spectacular. What makes it really special though, is the character performances. They’re pitch perfect. Christopher Reeve has never and will never, be topped in the lead, but the entire cast is outstanding. It reads like a who’s who of great talent with powerhouses like Brando, Hackman, Ford, Howard, Beattie, York, Stamp adding their credentials and giving weight to, what could have been dismissed as a ‘comic book’ movie. It’s so much more than that. Throw in the perfect blend of comedic and dramatic moments and the immortal John Williams score and you’ve got a truly special event. It’s up there in my top five movies of all time and without doubt my favourite ‘superhero’ movie and yes, that includes all the recent Marvel and DC offerings. This film beats them all. Why? Because it has real heart and emotion at its core. Never bettered and probably never will be.
Me too.
👏👏
What I like about Gene Hackman is how he can switch between funny comic relief and Ice Cold Evil Mass Murdering Psychopath.
That scene where he drills through the floor holds up surprisingly well
This movie was state of the art
"It's open, come in." That line always cracks me up.
Facts hands down no one will never touch Christopher Reeve as Supermen Legend for life
But I want actors to at least come close.
Sorry to break it to you but Cavil surpassed him
@@CL-Lynn He has in your eyes, but not mine. I hope he has the opportunity to.
Cavil isn't remotely close to Christopher Reeve.
@@kaldemvor Cavill is way better. He has a lot of charm just like how it was meant to be in the comics.
Warner Bros: Cutting the best scenes out of their movies since 1978.
And I thought it only began with Justice League.
Nope!
Cutting? This scene was in the movie.
Clada Max-El this scene was not in the movie edition. There’s a special edition.
cut for time great scene
I love how Lex essentially extenuates Superman's confidence by making him think that THEY have thrown everything at him. Superman was flexxing here and got outsmarted. This is the scene that really underlines Luthor is no joke.
Yes!😅
They should’ve included this scene in the theatrical release. It establishes just how seemingly invulnerable Superman, which is important since we next see how Kryptonite weakens him.
Which is why I'm glad I first saw this movie via special edition.
Thought I’d never seen that before
I agree. I think Superman should have floated the 'test'.
It was in the thearical release.
@BigNoseDoggie did Superman know kryptonite was his only weakness?or caught off guard
I always like the look Superman gives Otis as in, "Try to take my cape."
You don't tug on Superman's cape!
Ned Beatty was hilarious and classic in this, with his reactions, also! lol
This extra footage puts that look into perspective now.
"Uh...I don't think he wants me to, Mr. Luthor."
He looked at him like: “Don’t fucking touch me.”
This is such a visually strong film. The colours at 0.06 across the composition when he lands on the side walk are brilliant. Geoffrey Unsworth the director of photography was responsible for this. A very underrated talent.
Agreed
1977
This sequence should have never been cut from the theatrical version, 3 things that strengthens this sequence.
1. Whilst Lex theorised Superman would be impervious to his traps, he still had a morbid curiosity to test them, to see if Superman really could survive them.
2. Leading Superman into a false sense of security...
3. Enforces the scene a little later on with showing how deadly and how much Kryptonite affects him.
I had the exact same theory, Aaron.
Unfortunately, movie theaters were getting annoyed with Hollywood movies being too long.
The Godfather movies for example.
And theater owners wanted to have several showings of popular films. They couldn't do that with films that were 3 hours long.
Always wanted to know the timeline of how the final version of this sequence was executed. In the screenplay, it made sense that this sequence followed Superman‘s first night and further clarifies that Luthor needs Kryptonite to defeat him. Was this sequence initially shot for that and they had to hastily reconfigure in order to keep it in the movie but then ultimately decided to just lose it all together? You see a lot of money poured into the sequence and it probably didn’t please the Salkinds to see it go to the waste side.
It was in the original theatrical showing.
4. its an amazing display of visual effects that still holds up today.
It's a damn shame that this scene was cut out of the original theatrical version I saw in the movies waaaaaay back in 1978. Thank God for Blu-ray.
I love how casual he is while walking through bullets and fire. Thats some Terminator levels of badass!
I like that he's so unphased that he almost looks bored.
Funny you should mention the Terminator.
They're actually does exist a comic book crossover between Superman and the Terminator. It came out in 1999. It's a highly recommended read; the best version of Terminator 3 you'll ever see.
1977
Its not bad ass...its Good head. [*superman taps his temple]
It a good build up to the Kryptonite reveal. He is invulnerable to all that but one little Rock drops him.
Lex knew full well that machine guns, flame throwers and liquid nitrogen would be ineffective against Superman. These conventional weapons were just there so Superman wouldn't suspect that Lex had an ace-in-the-hole; Kryptonite hidden in a lead box!
Lex used em to toy with Superman yea but those weapons clearly weren't built for him but _anyone else_ who came close to finding his hideout, like the cop who followed Otis thru the train tunnel. He had all those traps set up b4 Superman 1st appeared in Metropolis
@@joeg6478 That and as a science wiz himself he wanted to see the full extent of Supes invulnerability first hand.
Could have just use lead bullets
I always thought Luthor was using the fake gas poisoning, weapons and explaining his plan to keep Superman busy until the nukes were too far apart for him to deal with both.
You diseased maniac. Did you really think you could hide it from me by encasing it in lead?
This movie is a masterpiece.
Absolutely
Exactly !!
I've already watched the movie
Kings Dominion
Far superior to man of steel
N G
They did world wide poll, Superman the movie 1978 and its sequel Superman II were voted greater representations of the Superman character!!! sorry buddy, and I happen to agree, Man of steel sucked balls
3:39 I just love the look “Dont even think about it” Kal gives Otis.
Lol, agreed. Superman gave Otis the; *"I just came out of; Bullets, Fire and Ice do you really think you have have a snowball's chance in hell against me"* Look? Lmao, it was too much.
Somewhere Batman is going, "he's learning...."
1977
When I was a kid, seeing this for the 1st time in the theaters, I was just so blown away
when Superman becomes a human drill, boring his way through the sidewalk, into
the underground chamber below. This was, after all, before the age of CGI, and this
scene was executed brilliantly. I had previously recalled reading a Superman comic
that had a panel like this in it. To see that panel, come to life on the screen, was
astonishing, and still is. Leave it to say, I've been a huge fan of Superman, and Christopher
Reeve, ever since. Thanks for posting.
p.s. It still baffles me as to why they didn't include Luthor's "traps" in the original
theatrical release. Such a fantastic scene, displaying Superman's invulnerability.
Even Richard Donner, in the commentary, seemed perplexed as to why this was
edited out of the original finished version???
The point of Lex Luthor obtaining kryptonite, was that he knew nothing else would kill Superman. What would be the point of going through all this effort when he already knew it would fail?
It was cut most likely for pacing, just like the majority of whatever else was cut for theatrical version.
Daniel Dickson; In answer to your question. Lex Luthor not
only possesses a genius IQ, but he also demonstrates a
high degree of personal vanity. Putting Superman through
all those "traps", if anything, was to also prove to both Miss
Teschmacher, and Otis, that it would, indeed, take the rare rock
known as Kryptonite to finally put an end to Superman. This
display only reinforced Lex's theory, proving to the others just
who was the "superior" man. Not only that, but it sure looked
so damned cool. Didn't it?
Lucky bastard
1977
The video should have been titled “Lex Luthor wastes Superman’s time”
The official name for this scene is “The Gauntlet.” Courtesy of the 2001 DVD release.
I always loved lex's girl, she was always rooting for superman behind lex's back which is really cute. She's actually a kind person, she didnt deserve that doosh lord lex. She deserves a better man.
" why is it I can't get it on with the good guys" so cute. She saved him.
@@reuvengershon6625 she saved everyone, she’s the real hero of the movie.
@@jrag1000 True! Starting with her Mum. Women's movements should be proud.
I liked her character. I always thought Lex was going to do something bad to her after her betrayal helping Superman. She literally saved millions by her actions.
@@kingovharts y’know...yer actually right-she kinda IS the Real Hero(ine) of The Movie...
I agree with all of you. I don't understand why would they cut this scene out, when is the best one. Not bad for 1978.
Probably the guns
nah, i read somewhere that it was already established that Superman was practically invulnerable, they thought it was not worth the extra runtime to put in the obvious, I liked it, it's fun to "See" Superman in action, not just "imagine"...
Movie studios were also notorious for putting pressure on directors to trim their films down to 2 hours. It wasn’t because audiences were impatient though. It was so that theaters could show more films during the day.
I was surprised
@@coolcat6303 I agree - 120 mins (2 hours) was something the studios kept pushing for theatrical release; the release on VHS was also 2 hours. The Sound of Music and Titanic are 3 hours (Titanic is 3 hours 30) and in my view is a bit uncomfortable to watch it through completely without going to the gents or something but 2 hours seemed to be considered an optimum time.
Glad they released the super version of Superman on blu-ray. I had watched the two-part movie when it first aired, way back in 1982. And looked for it every year since on VHS, then DVD. A classic that never gets old.
I remember the first movie I was ever taken to when I was a child. My grandmother informed me right before the kindergarten break for Xmas that she was taking me to see SUPERMAN: THE MOVIE!! This scene and several others were included in the version I watched with her smiling at my amazement the entire time. Thank You, Gramny!! ❤❤❤
I’m 35 years old I have two big kids I tried watching this with them they said, wow this is corny daddy, man of steel is better, I never felt so old. But imagine as a little Mexican American kid and your dad comes home with a VHS tape this was pure magic to my eyes
I'm 42 so I totally get it dude. It was a simpler time.
The best time to show this movie to kids of today is when they are about 5. They'll be blown away by it.
I would have simply told them "MAN OF STEEL" sucked! Sure, that's blunt and harsh to begin with but is also absolutely true.
They didn't also think Jesse Eisenberg was a "better Lex Luthor" than Gene Hackman, did they?
@@MrSpyderjack seriously that stupid giggle/laugh that he does
Time goes forward. The kids didn't live in our time.
These practical effects look so much better than modern CGI.
No they don't. Let's not overexaggerate.
@@anirudhmenon4234 They do. They're MUCH more convincing.
yep
Specially the fire effect was done perfectly.
no that's false lol
Most of these effects still look fantastic!
It legitimately looks like he’s standing in fire
Thank god for the Donner Cut!😀😀😃😃
One of the best movies ever made, a masterpiece, rest in peace Christopher Reeve, the best Superman.
Lex Luthor: Otis take the gentleman’s cape
Superman: 3:38 don’t you dare touch me!
It was at this point that Christopher Reeve actually became the comic book Superman that I used to idolize.
*Reeve
@@billnumber3324
That's what I wrote.
@@larpsim Then how come your comment's edited?
@@_the_rizzler
Because I'm an editor. 🙄
@@larpsim I- huh?
"it´s open, come in" 😅 3:18 L Luthor has his moments.
AndersonNeo12 Apparently that line was ad libbed by Hackman as well, making it even better
The actor who played Otis is actually smart - he played a detective cop on the episodes of some television show though, can't remember the title
Cristopher revee ha sido
El mejor actor que ha tenido
Hollywood en todos los tiempos😄😍😘♥️
Gene Hackman brought the perfect charisma to Lex Luthor.
Superman: "Is that how a warped brain like yours gets its kicks? By planning the deaths of innocent people?"
Luthor: "No. By causing the deaths of innocent people."
Golden line!
Superman : mmm you got me anyway how is it going Lex
Lex: you know just doing some criminal activities thats all
Alec Powers It’s crazy I’ve seen this movie so many times and I just noticed that he gives Otis a wink after that line.
@@AT-sd9qq I believe that line is spoken in a different room in the official version of the movie, and Lex delivers it more chillingly there.
‘You’ll believe a man can fly’ is the very best definition of this Superman.
With camera works and simple visual/wires tricks, it is still the most "natural" way to set a man flying: no cgi/sonic booms air condensing or vapor trails give the smooth movements of this Superman taking off or landing, with grace and fluidity (ok... the actual flying is clearly a rotoscoped, disjointed 2d behind a Christopher Reeves acting, but the landings and taking offs are unmatched up to this day)
I love this movie . 40 year's later Hollywood still has not made a better Movie version of Superman 😀👍
Come on...Man of Steel :|
I enjoyed man of steel. But you just can't beat Christopher Reeves.
@@charileaton2375 nonsense
Actually I think Superman 2 surpassed Superman 1 just a little.
@@amoose43 mos on par with superman 3
Miss Tessmacher body was banging, man!
Yeah I'd bang it too
Valerie Perrine - she's 75 now, retired and suffering from Parkinsons.
daboys1215 So I wouldn’t have to pump as hard
@@ralphdougherty1844 hahahaha nice!
Thanks. ☹
Christopher Reeve, the one and only Superman
the dorky superman for five year olds
@@Cazz8203 L
Best Superman ever: Henry Cavill, period
Reeve is the last great live-action Superman. Anyone else after is a waste of time.
p.s. I love this scene.
The best ever to wear the cape
I saw Superman movie in the summer of 1978 in Canada. That scene was in the movie. Best Superman ever. Game over for all the other Superman movies.
Ms Tesmacher was painfully hot... one of my all time crushes.
She looks like she'd love to swallow a super load of Superman's baby batter.
@Albert Trotter Definatly beats any green anti ageing facial masks out there. 😄😄
I thought she was a good looking sexy lady too..she really had a soft personality..
@Ringo Garvin what's it like being mentally challenged?
@@teamexpress851 "Baby batter", eh? Nice term.
that costume is unbeatable... no matter how sophisticate and cool they try.
For a 1978 movie the effects are amazing I don’t know how they did that fire scene without cgi, the effects in this movie honestly put some modern blockbusters to shame
I agree completely with everyone who says that this great little sequence belonged in the film (it was one of the few times that we got to see Superman's invulnerability in action, as opposed to his great strength). But this film's greatest asset wasn't special effects of any kind; it was Christopher Reeve's charisma and acting ability. He really made you warm up to Superman as a CHARACTER, not just as a mountain of muscle with a handsome face. The only other actor who ever did that with this role was Dean Cain, and even he didn't do it on Reeve's level. And on top of all that, Reeve in real life was a highly intelligent man, with a big heart and a developed social conscience. What a tragic loss for the world.
And was also best friends with Robin Williams.
Just a actor thats all
@@606danco Maybe you should ask yourself why you're so quick to dismiss the worth of another human being just because of their profession. (A profession which, when done properly, is an extremely demanding one. If you doubt that, give it a try sometime.) Christopher Reeve was worth a hundred of the tenth-raters we have in public life (not, admittedly, that that's saying much.) A civilized approach to acting was set forth in George Bernard Shaw's play "In Good King Charles' Golden Days", where Sir Isaac Newton -- possibly the greatest scientist of all time -- meets the actress Neil Gwynne. When Nell expresses awe at Newton's intellect, Newton replies "But, Miss Gwynne, your own mental powers must be formidable. After all, you memorize and recite long parts from memory in the theater every night. I couldn't do that."
@@tadimaggio Yeah, both Chris and Dean are great as Supes, but Chris takes the cake! I didn't see "Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman" until I was in high school in the early 2010s via the defunct TV channel the Hub, but this movie and "Superman 2" were huge parts of my childhood! Seeing Superman fly towards the camera & smile at the end just makes you happy. The one huge problem with this movie is the whole reversing time thing that Superman does during the climax! If that and Lois's death had been removed from the movie, it would be so much better for it!
Gene's still alive and kicking at 90, what a guy!
Christopher Reeve you are truly the best actor and the best Superman your legacy will continue may you rest in peace this movie is my childhood
You can really tell how the movie benefited from editing. The original and special editions both cut immediately to the missile launch after Lex says "No, by causing the death of innocent people", whereas here, there's a long pause with Lex winking at Otis before the cut.
Not just this scene alone but the entire scene between lex luthor and Superman in the this movie was absolutely brilliant
For years I thought I was crazy about this scene. I remembered it vividly from my childhood but never saw it again until now
Same here. It was added to the TV broadcast. Should have kept it in the theatrical release. One of my favorite scenes
Its unbelievable that this was cut. It defies all logic and commen sense. Its the best scene of the film.
Thank You Richard Donner! RIP 🎥
1:15 Kal-El looks abit angry! Great acting back then, wonderful! 🙌🥰☀️🌍
This scene is brilliant, WHY WAS THIS CUT?? Stupid WB!
Because they already had enough action. And we knew that this stuff wouldn't hurt him. When you film, you film scenes that sometimes when you then get to the editing, slow down the pace and realize they aren't necessary.
@@sha11235 the point of this scene is to lower Superman’s guard so that he would not expect Luthor to have Kryptonite as an ace in the hole
@@sha11235 I totally disagree, it showed Supermans strength and durability on screen and I am a professional film editor. This should be in the theatrical.
1977
One of the best scenes of Superman demonstrating his power. Should never have been removed from the theatrical cut
This still looks awesome!
Cuteness, dimples. lol This set the benchmark for all comic book super hero movies after. Reeves you will be missed! My Superman.
Man I love this scene, I wish that it was in the Theatrical version and that WB did not cut this
Me Too
Romello Malone SFX were astonishing.
Romello Malone scene should’ve been left in
This Would Be Revisited in The Current Supergirl TV Series as Well.
he tells them to stand back and they still look closer foolish humans
"It's open, come in." Perfect ad-lib from Gene Hackman. 😄
Everyone gangsta until Superman turns into a fucking drill.
Superman: (stares)
Otis: "I don't think he wants me to, Mr. Luthor."
:D
Lex: “Wow don’t you do yourself a flavour a freeze”
Lex Luthor was dropping puns before Mr Freeze did.
"Why don't you do yourself a FLAVOR and freeze." I'm sure I'm not hearing things and that is what Lex said.
I remember the network premiere of this with these scenes like it was yesterday. ABC aired it over two nights, then later, reran it in one night. It was awesome how my parents let me stay up past midnight on the second airing, too. Great family movie.
I remember that! The first night ended at the saving Lois in the helicopter scene.
1977
Christopher Reeve was the best.RIP.
My attorney will be in touch with you about the damage to the door.
I can't stop laughin. It gets me every time. I feel like that's how I would be towards Superman bustin down my door.
Nobody seems to understand anymore that Superman's true weakness is his humanity. The suffering of innocent people and his love for Lois Lane are his greatest weakness. Kryptonite physically hurts him but people in danger hurts him on a deeper level, which comes between his father's philosophy "it is forbidden to interfere with human history"
See how good Superman's costume can look when it doesn't look like it was made from a dirty basketball?
I can swear that, right before he freezes Superman, Luthor says "Do yourself a FLAVOR, Superman." Every time I watch this sequence, I keep expecting Our Hero to respond "Rocky Road or mint chocolate chip?"
" pause... "I dont he wants me too" lol, love that- great scene, best superman- period
The best superman ever.
No CGI and it looks wonderful back then the movies were so siding as well
Absolutely OUTSTANDING...
Sometimes the Deleted scenes are way better then the original movie releases 😂😂😂
Yo! The sound effects and muzzle flashes, plus the sparks coming off his chest! They look as good or better than anything that's come out since.
That poor lamp has been having a bad week.
What fun nonsense! Lol!
Christopher Reeve was so good in that boy Scout part that somehow he was hillarious.
Gene Hackman . . LOL!! Because of him I grew up wanting to own Australia too!
The one and only Superman.
Superman 1978 is still a masterpiece.
YES! Finally, I've been looking for this awesome scene but could never find it, thanks bro
Ethereal Abyss the sound fx in the special edition for this scene sounds way better, it seems that they kept the 70s chopped down layers of the sound FX in the 3 hour long version
Ethereal Abyss I
MannyDogs Gaming you mean the 2001 remix?
this scene is similar to the one in BvS when he was meeting Batman before the fight
No CGI and it still looks great!
I've been a Superman fan since my childhood in the 80's, but I only saw this footage TODAY!!!!
Love that line..."no..by causing the deaths of innocent people"
He’s definitely coming, Mr. Luthor.
Never seen this before. Reminds me of Batman hitting supes with all that junk in BvS. Everything is such a toy to a man of steel. They really should've left this in. It really adds to how unsettling it is for Luthor to be calm when he's face to face with a guy who just did all this.
It's open come in.......🤣🤣🤣🤣 Gene Hackman its a hell of an actor
:10 - I always thought that "stand back, folks/spin underground" was the coolest thing.
Love it! Going thru there, he was like "really? C'mon maaan!" 🤣🤣
Nice suit 👍
Considering the lack of technology with VFX and prob budget... they did a great job! And... yes I was in luv with Miss Teschmacher!!!!
It was good that none of the citizens of Metropolis who saw Superman spin his way down to Lex Luthor‘s underground didn‘t decide to go down that hole and follow Superman to see where he‘s going or they would‘ve gotten hurt by those traps.
The greatest criminal mind of our time!
Let's hear it for LEX LUTHOR!!! 👏👏
3:38 Super death stare 💀
Christopher Reeve and Gene Hackman serve as the "gold standard" for Clark Kent/Superman and Lex Luthor..
Carajo... ese aterrizaje de Superman en la ciudad es espectacular el mejorrrr
This is the superman (as a little boy running around the house arms forward with a blanket tied around his neck) that I loved!
This footage was later put back into the film by Director Richard Donner himself for his Director’s Cut. It’s interesting seeing the scene with the original audio mix.
Lexs lair is such a cool place. No villain hideout of a today movie looks such comfortable and full of luxury. And thats even more special when you recognize that It's an old Subway Station.
Wonder if his lawyer ever got in contact with Supes about that door?
Michael Bay i always wondered why he would even have a lawyer. Figured he would rep himself...then i realized, when he says attorney, he actually means secretary to do his bitch legal work because he's above that shit. 🤣
Michael Bay Where would a lawyer find Supes to serve papers?
@@murderymofo2102 he was kidding.
Great special effects.
A snippet of Superman walking through the fire was used in Superman 2 when he was losing his powers.
This scene makes it a great comic book movie. The way he turns around him self to dig the ground, Luthor's weapons... Very similar to the things in the comic book.
They should’ve included this in the theatrical cut to establish that Lex Luthor is a proficient engineer with exceptional technological prowess
0:21 This scene borders on perfection in how realistic it is. Today, they don't want to do something like that, because it's more work. However, they do not please the public that pays the cinema ticket.
3:53 "No...by *causing* the death of innocent people."
One of the greatest retorts ever