Superman III Review

Superman III


Release Date: 26th December 1983 - Australia


Production Companies
Warner Bros. Pictures
Dovemead Films
Cantharus Productions


Genre: Action

Rating: PG

Runtime: 120 minutes


Budget: $39,000,000

Box Office Gross: $70,656,090 (Worldwide)

Plot Summary
A financial baron named
Ross Webster discovers
the hidden talents of a 
mischievous computer
programmer, Gus Gorman. 

Ross decides to exploit his

skills to achieve economic

control. But it didn't stop 
Superman from interfering

with his schemes, which

led to his decision to

destroy him.

 
Webster orders Gorman to

use the satellite to locate

Kryptonite, the fatal

weakness of the Man of

Steel. However, a missing,

unknown element in the

Kryptonite, which Gorman

replaces it with tar, has an 

unintended side effect

when presented to

Superman, turning him

into an evil manifestation

of his former self. The

battle of Clark vs. Superman

begins as tar-laced

Kryptonite pits man

against himself. 

Cast
Christopher Reeve - Clark
Kent/Superman
Richard Pryor - Gus Gorman
Annette O'Toole - Lana Lang
Robert Vaughn - Ross Webster
Margot Kidder - Lois Lane
Jackie Cooper - Perry White
Marc McClure - Jimmy Olson
Annie Ross - Vera Webster
Pamela Stephenson - Lorelei
Ambrosia
Gavan O'Herihy - Brad Wilson
Nancy Roberts - Unemployment Clerk
Graham Stark - Blind Man

Henry Woolf - Penguin Man
Gordon Rollings - Man in Cap

Peter Wear - Bank Robber

Justin Case - Mime 

Bob Todd - Dignified Gent

Terry Camilleri - Delivery Man
Stefan Kalipha - Data School Instructor
Helen Norton - Miss Henderson

Lou Hirsch - Fred

Bill Reimbold - Wages Man
Shane Rimmer - State Policeman
Al Matthews - Fire Chief
Barry Dennen - Dr. McClean
Robert Henderson - Mr. Simpson
Paul Kaethler - Ricky
R.J. Bell - Mr. Stokis
Pamela Mandell - Mrs. Stokis

Peter Whitman - Man At Cash Point
Ronnie Brody - Husband
Sandra Dickinson - Wife
Phillip Gilbert - Newsreader
Pat Starr - White-Coated Scientist
Gordon Signer - Mayor
John Bluthal - Pisa Vendor

George Chisholm - Street Sweeper
David Fielder - Olympic Runner
Robert Beatty - Tanker Captain
Christopher Malcolm - 1st Miner
Larry Lamb - 2nd Miner

Crew
Director - Richard Lester
Creators "Superman" - Jerry Siegel and
Joe Shuster
Screenplay - David & Leslie Newman 

Associate Producer - Robert Simmonds
Executive Producers - Alexander (Uncredited)

& Ilya Salkind
Producer - Pierre Spengler
Casting Directors - Jane Feinberg,
Mike Fenton and Debbie McWilliams
Production Designer - Peter Murton
Art Directors - Terry & Brian Ackland Snow
and Bert Davey
Set Decorator - Peter Young
Costume Designer - Evangeline Harrison

Makeup - Paul Engelen and

Stuart Freeborn 

Director of Photography - Robert Paynter

Director of Photography: Process Unit -

John Harris 

Camera Operator: Process Unit - John Palmer 

Production Manager: USA, Process Backgrounds -

Chris Coles

1st Assistant Director - Dusty Symonds

Assistant Directors - Christopher Newman

and Keith Young
Flying and Second Unit Director - David Lane
Stunt Coordinator - Paul Weston

Helicopter Pilot: Process Backgrounds - Marc Wolff
Director of Special Effects and Miniatures -
Colin Chilvers

Flying Effects Technician - Robert Harman
Supervisor of Optical & Visual Effects - Roy Field
Visual Effects Supervisor - Peter Donen
(Uncredited)

Director of Photography: Model Unit - Harry Oakes

Art Director: Model Unit - Charles Bishop
Additional Model Effects - Derek Meddings
(Uncredited)
Additional Model Photography - Paul Wilson
(Uncredited)
Front Projection Consultant - Zoran Perisic

Editor - John Victor-Smith

Associate Editor - Peter Hollywood

Dubbing Editors - Don Sharpe,

Archie Ludski, Paul Smith and

Rocky Phelan

Re-Recording Mixers - Gerry Humphreys

and Robin O'Donoghue 

Sound Mixer - Roy Charman
Composer: Original Songs - Giorgio Moroder
Original Superman Themes - John Williams
Music - Ken Thorne

Music Editor - Bob Hathaway


Review
After finishing Superman II by Richard Donner, which hit the theatres in 1980, his so-called replacement director, Richard Lester, was approached by the Salkinds to make another film for the series. For sure, SUPERMAN III could have been a flop, but its comical nature made it a below-average movie. Adding Richard Pryor as a co-star with Christopher Reeve only made things worse.

The other actor, Robert Vaughn, portrays a villain far sillier and poorer than Gene Hackman's Lex Luthor. The highlight of this movie is when Superman turns bad as his alternate persona, Clark Kent, must face him. Some great moments include the funnier parts, like Superman ruining the Tower of Pisa. 

SUPERMAN III nearly convinced everyone that it was a huge disappointment. It is almost as bad as Superman IV. This film requires a strong storyline, character development, and a compelling villain. I must delay this review marathon permanently because I am focusing on seeing the new X-Men movie, The Wolverine. I'll get to write a review of this feature someday and return to finalise the Superman marathon.

Star rating: (2/5) Bad Movie

 

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