REVIEW: Superman the Movie (live tweet transcript)

SupermanToday is Superman’s 75 birthday, if Facebook, Twitter, and news feeds are to be believed!

We needed to do something to commemorate that here at Strangers and Aliens. So, while we will talk about it tonight when we record (tangentially), here’s something a little more immediate.

Last night, I watched Superman the Movie. It’s been a few years since I watched it (last time i watched it was when Superman Returns was released on DVD). In preparation for Man of Steel, I plan to rewatch all the Superman movies (maybe including Supergirl). When I watched Superman last night, I started Tweeting about it . . . and kept Tweeting about it. So, here are my thoughts about Superman the Movie . . .

Ben Avery ‏@whisperingloon

Watching Superman the movie. I just have to. #supermanthemovie

Ben Avery ‏@whisperingloon

Christopher Reeve gets third billing! #supermanthemovie

Ben Avery ‏@whisperingloon

The opening credits are more exciting than some entire movies! #JohnWilliams #supermanthemovie

Ben Avery ‏@whisperingloon

Marlon Brando – best cue card reader in history! Can’t pronounce Krypton! 🙂 #supermanthemovie

Ben Avery ‏@whisperingloon

“Hey, let’s ignore Jor-El & let our entire world die, except the 3 criminals we sentenced to immortality.” #supermanthemovie

Ben Avery ‏@whisperingloon

“Ah! We’re trapped in a seventies rock album cover!” – General Zod #supermanthemovie

Ben & Bud ‏@RetconComic

RT @whisperingloon: “Ah! We’re trapped in a seventies rock album cover!” – General Zod #supermanthemovie

Bud Rogers ‏@Bud_Rogers

@whisperingloon I think I’m gonna have to steal that one.

Ben Avery ‏@whisperingloon

@Bud_Rogers I think we’re going to have to USE that one.

Ben Avery ‏@whisperingloon

I wonder how much this movie would hold up if it hadn’t been a part of my life since I was three. #supermanthemovie

Ben Avery ‏@whisperingloon

It’s different watching Jor-El send his son away as a father than it was watching it as a kid. #supermanthemovie

Ben Avery ‏@whisperingloon

Set design and tech effects on Krypton still look awesome. Wardrobe not so much. #supermanthemovie

Ben Avery ‏@whisperingloon

The explosion of Krypton — still terrifying. #supermanthemovie

Ben Avery ‏@whisperingloon

Three years of listening to Brando’s voice delivering all the knowledge of the 28 known galaxies. Kryptonian podcasting? #supermanthemovie

Ben Avery ‏@whisperingloon

Three year old Clark is a cutie! #supermanthemovie

Ben Avery ‏@whisperingloon

This is less a narrative and more a series of vignettes. #supermanthemovie

Ben Avery ‏@whisperingloon

Pa Kent is a man’s man. Perfect father for Kal-El. #supermanthemovie

Ben Avery ‏@whisperingloon

“You are here for a reason. I don’t know whose reason…whatever the reason is…but it’s not about touchdowns.” #supermanthemovie

Ben Avery ‏@whisperingloon

Jonathan Kent’s death scene: still tears me up. “All those things I can do. All those powers. I couldn’t even save him.” #supermanthemovie

Ben Avery ‏@whisperingloon

This movie is structured like a novel. Chapters/episodes. #supermanthemovie

Ben Avery ‏@whisperingloon

Huge tone changes. Cold, sterile Krypton: sci-fi movie. Warm, natural, earthy Smallville: nostalgic Americana. #supermanthemovie

Ben Avery ‏@whisperingloon

Cold, mysterious North Pole: Hero’s journey begins. Busy, bustling Metropolis: urban drama. #supermanthemovie

Ben Avery ‏@whisperingloon

Clark/Superman = perfectly written and acted. Christopher Reeve perfect as both. #supermanthemovie

Ben Avery ‏@whisperingloon

This movie is sooooo 1970s. #supermanthemovie

Ben Avery ‏@whisperingloon

I remember these Otis scenes being goofier. #supermanthemovie

Ben Avery ‏@whisperingloon

Ah, here comes the goofiness. “The greatest real estate swindle of all time.” #supermanthemovie

Ben Avery ‏@whisperingloon

Not sure how the physics of the helicopter accident work…don’t care…GREAT SCENE! #supermanthemovie

Ben Avery ‏@whisperingloon

The music, extras, Reeve, and Kidder sell that scene. “You’ve got me? Who’s got you?” An hour in before powers are used. #supermanthemovie

Ben Avery ‏@whisperingloon

The cat bungler scene: performed earnestly. Could’ve been Adam West Batman. Sort of was, I guess. #supermanthemovie

Ben Avery ‏@whisperingloon

Boat scene coming closer to Adam West Batman. Lots closer. #supermanthemovie

Ben Avery ‏@whisperingloon

And the cat in the tree with the punchline being a kid getting smacked by her mom. Cringe. #supermanthemovie

Ben Avery ‏@whisperingloon

Here we are. Superman saving the president. Out of Batman territory. #supermanthemovie

Ben Avery ‏@whisperingloon

Extra scene I don’t remember. Extended cut? Second conversation with Jor-El. #supermanthemovie

Ben Avery ‏@whisperingloon

So many images I remember from my collecting cards! #supermanthemovie

Ben Avery ‏@whisperingloon

“You really shouldn’t smoke, you know, Miss Lane.” “Don’t tell me. Lung cancer, right?” “Not yet, thankfully.” #supermanthemovie

Ben Avery ‏@whisperingloon

Hrm. You can’t tell color via x-ray, can you? #supermanthemovie

Ben Avery ‏@whisperingloon

“Can you read my mind? Do you know how much I hate this voice over narration?” #supermanthemovie

Ben Avery ‏@whisperingloon

If he COULD read your mind, your jr. high love poem might be a bit off putting. #supermanthemovie

Ben Avery ‏@whisperingloon

It COULD be worse. She wasn’t singing it. #supermanthemovie

Ben Avery ‏@whisperingloon

Luthor has a lot if magic knowledge in the bad guy scene. And some awesome wigs. Hackman’s performance overcomes. #supermanthemovie

Ben Avery ‏@whisperingloon

Does Luthor really think no one will put 2 and 2 together? He buys land, nuke goes off next to the land? #supermanthemovie

Ben Avery ‏@whisperingloon

Luthor has a great lair. #supermanthemovie

Ben Avery ‏@whisperingloon

Kryptonite! The confrontation scene, evil genius meets good powerhouse. Clever, subtle, two strong performances. #supermanthemovie

Ben Avery ‏@whisperingloon

Love that look on his face as Superman looks over his shoulder from space to see the other nuke go off. #supermanthemovie

Ben Avery ‏@whisperingloon

Now we’re in the superheroic section of the movie. Another tone shift. This is a collection of short stories. #supermanthemovie

Ben Avery ‏@whisperingloon

A collection of short stories that add up to an epic Hero’s journey. #supermanthemovie

Ben Avery ‏@whisperingloon

Lois Lane’s car getting swallowed into the earth was terrifying as a kid. Still disturbing as an adult. #supermanthemovie

Ben Avery ‏@whisperingloon

The conflict with Luthor is nothing compared to the emotion crisis and conflict. #supermanthemovie

Ben Avery ‏@whisperingloon

This movie builds up to an internal struggle between his fathers’ voices, his own emotions, and resposibility. #supermanthemovie

Ben Avery ‏@whisperingloon

The boy steps out from his fathers’ shadows (Jor-El and Jonathan both) and becomes the (super) man. #supermanthemovie

Ben Avery ‏@whisperingloon

As for turning he earth backward, I never thought he did that. I always assumed he was just traveling through time. #supermanthemovie

Ben Avery ‏@whisperingloon

He was just going back to a point in the before Lois died and saving her. His rage fueled him. #supermanthemovie

Ben Avery ‏@whisperingloon

Watching this movie now, it works best if this movie is its own thing. Full stop. At the end, he is a god. #supermanthemovie

Ben Avery ‏@whisperingloon

He is the full embodiment of his potential. This story is interesting because of his growth and emotional transformation. #supermanthemovie

Ben Avery ‏@whisperingloon

The sequels take away from the power of this story. The sequels hurt the impact of this as a standalone Superman story. #supermanthemovie

Ben Avery ‏@whisperingloon

Yup, still love this movie. #supermanthemovie

Ben Avery ‏@whisperingloon

SUPERMAN – seven word movie review: Awesome and awe-inspiring. A great Superman story.

Mike Poteet ‏@Bibliomike

@whisperingloon Wish I’d known you were live tweeting a commentary!

Ben Avery ‏@whisperingloon

@Bibliomike I didn’t plan to until I started watching. I think I’ll put up my tweets in a post on the @StrangeAndAlien blog. Easy content!


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One response to “REVIEW: Superman the Movie (live tweet transcript)”

  1. Michael Poteet Avatar

    Truth be told, whenever I read Superman comics out loud with my kids, I always pronounce Krypton the way Brando does. I love it. It distinguishes it from our element of the same name.

    Yes, I am serious.

    Anyway, loved reading your twitter-mentary!

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