Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut Review

Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut


Release Date: 28th November 2006 - USA


Production Companies
Warner Bros. Pictures


Genre: Sci-Fi/Action

Rating: PG

Runtime: 115 minutes


Plot Summary
After being inadvertently released from imprisonment in the Phantom Zone, three super-powered criminals from the Planet Krypton begin their conquest of Earth. Meanwhile, Superman shows a more

romantic side to Lois Lane

as she uncovers his true

identity. Determined to destroy Superman, Lex Luthor escapes from prison and joins forces with the three criminals.


Cast
Christopher Reeve - Clark
Kent/Kal El/Superman
Margot Kidder - Lois Lane
Terence Stamp - General Zod
Gene Hackman - Lex Luthor
Marlon Brando - Jor-El
Sarah Douglas - Ursa
Jack O'Halloran - Non
Jackie Cooper - Perry White
Marc McClure - Jimmy Olsen
E.G. Marshall - The President
Valerie Perrine - Eve Teschmacher
Ned Beatty - Otis
Clifton James - Sheriff
John Ratzenberger - Controller #1
Shane Rimmer - Controller #2
John Morton - Nate
Jim Dowdall - Boris
Angus McInnes - Prison Warden
Don Fellows - General
Pepper Martin - Rocky
Tony Sibbald - Presidential Imposter
Tommy Duggan - Diner Owner
Pamela Mandell - Waitress

Richard LeParmentier - Reporter
Hadley Kay - Jason

Richard Donner - Man Walking Past Diner

(Cameo) (Uncredited)

Crew
Directors - Richard Donner and
Richard Lester (Uncredited)
Superman Creators - Jerry Siegel and
Joe Shuster
Screenplay - Mario Puzo and
David & Leslie Newman

Continuity - Elaine Schreyeck,

Pamela Davis and Doris Martin
Executive Producers - Alexander (Uncredited)

& Ilya Salkind

Producer - Pierre Spengler

Producer/Film Editor - Michael Thau

(2006 Reconstruction)

Co-Producers - Derek Hoffman and

Cece Neber Labao (2006 Reconstruction)

Creative Consultant/Screenplay
(Uncredited) - Tom Mankiewicz
Astronautical Consultant - Harry Lange
Casting Director - Lynn Stalmaster

English Casting - Debbie McWilliams
Production Designer - John Barry
Additional Production Design - Peter Murton
Supervising Art Director - Maurice Fowler
Art Directors - Norman Reynolds,
Ernest Archer, Charles Bishop and

Terry Ackland-Snow

Set Decorators - Peter Howitt and
Peter Young
Costume Designers - Yvonne Blake
and Sue Yelland
Supervisor of Makeup & Special Visuals -
Stuart Freeborn
Cinematographer - Geoffrey Unsworth
Additional Photographer - Robert Paytner

Camera Operators - Freddie Cooper,

David Garfath, Ginger Gemmel, John Harris,

Peter MacDonald, John Morgan and

Chic Waterson

Assistant Directors - Dusty Symonds,

Gareth Tandy, Chris Newman, Terry Madden,

Roy Button, Paul Storey and Raoul Girard
Second Unit Directors - David Tomblin
and Robert Lynn
Stunt Coordinators - Vic Armstrong,
Alf Joint and Paul Weston
Visual Effects Supervisor - Anthony 'Max' Irvins
(2006 Reconstruction)
Director of Special Effects - Colin Chilvers

Flying Effects - Robert Harman

Supervisor of Optical & Visual Effects - Roy Field
Supervisor of Mattes & Composites - Les Bowie
Director of Miniature Effects & Additional
Flying Sequences - Derek Meddings
Director of Photography: Miniature Unit -

Paul Wilson
Special Effects Director: Flying Unit -

Zoran Perisic

Director of Photography: Flying Unit -

Denys N. Coop

Optical & Special Effects Editor - Peter Watson

Matte Artist & Illustrator - Ivor Beddoes

Film Editors - Stuart Baird and
John Victor-Smith

Assistant Editors - Peter Holt, Bob Mullen,

Colin Wilson, Russ Woolnough and

Karen Rasch (2006 Reconstruction)

Supervising Sound Editor - Kelly Cabral

(2006 Reconstruction)

Sound Designer - Cameron Frankley

(2006 Reconstruction)

Re-Recording Mixers - Greg Watkins

and Tim LeBlanc (2006 Reconstruction)
Music - John Williams
Additional Music - Ken Thorne

Music Editors - Robert Hathaway

and Jay Duerr (2006 Reconstruction)


Review

As a kid, I watched SUPERMAN II before seeing the first instalment. What I was unaware of was that shooting for both films was taking place simultaneously. Both happened to be directed by Richard Donner. In the middle of its shooting, SUPERMAN II resulted from a troubled production and a turbulent old year, which saw a fight between the director and the producers, the Salkinds. The disagreement stemmed from the question of whose style to choose. Unfortunately, after Superman premiered to great acclaim, Donner left the sequel incomplete and was replaced by Richard Lester, who finished the remainder of SUPERMAN II. He re-filmed much of it but added new scenes such as comedy, which is unnecessary for the movie, which came out two years later. Fortunately, years later, I finally saw Donner's intended version, known as the Richard Donner Cut, that became available for free online. This version contained extra footage, which profoundly improved the quality of the second instalment. Donner's cut is far superior to Lester's attempt because it is what Donner had envisioned.

Donner's vision included lost scenes that featured Marlon Brando as Superman's dad, and it builds up the father/son relationship that we didn't see in the theatrical version.

I didn't know what to conclude about the Donner Cut of SUPERMAN II. Then again, the new ending was never new and a bit desperate. It is the only great director's cut anyone will ever see.

Star rating: (4/5) Good Movie

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