Because I'm Not Ignorant: BLACK CHRISTMAS (1974)

Black Christmas

1974

Director: Bob Clark

Starring: Olivia Hussey, Margot Kidder, Keir Dullea, John Saxon

Rated: R

Agnes, It's Billy, don't tell what we did!

What are we doing here?  Going back 4 years?  Yes.  This film should be given some respects.  While I think Halloween is the film responsible for "getting it down" or "nailing it" or whatnot, Black Christmas could indeed count as the first real slasher film.  It does and doesn't fit the whole mold.  But at the same time, this really is a fantastic little thriller, that if you haven't seen it, I think you should go back and give it a shot.  The film features some inventive kills and humor that actually gets you laughing out loud pretty good.

SUPERMAN: The Retrospective-Part VIII: SUPERMAN II: THE RICHARD DONNER CUT (2006)

Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut
2006
Director: Richard Donner
Starring: Christopher Reeve, Gene Hackman, Marlon Brando, Margot Kidder, Terrence Stamp
Rated: PG

Look at me Kal-El... the Kryptonian prophecy will at last be fulfilled... the son becomes the father... the father becomes the son... farewell forever... Kal-El... remember me my son... 
                    ~Jor-El

The most positive thing I can say about Superman Returns is that it gave us this.  Released coinciding with the home video release of Superman Returns, finally came the legendary Donner cut of Superman II.  During production of Superman Returns Warner Bros was able to purchase rights to Marlon Brando's footage in Superman II, making this possible.

Superman: The Retrospective-Part V: Superman IV: The Quest For Peace (1987)

Superman IV: The Quest For Peace

1987

Director: Sidney J. Furie

Starring: Christopher Reeve, Gene Hackman, Margot Kidder, Mariel Hemingway, Jon Cryer, Marc McClure, Jackie Cooper, Mark Pillow

Rated: PG

The Dude of Steel! Boy are you gonna get it!

                        ~Lenny

With the Salkinds removed from the equation, as rights were transferred to Canon Films, it was a much easier task to get everyone back for Superman IV.  Christopher Reeve, who claimed he was hanging up the cape after III, was allowed to help create the story.  With him fully on board other players like Hackman and Kidder (in full capacity this time) were easy to coax back.  I’m guessing they wanted to wash away memories of III or possibly too many cooks in the kitchen with Superman’s love interests being the reason Lana Lang is nowhere to be found.

SUPERMAN:The Retrospective-PartIII:SUPERMAN III (1983)

Superman III
1983
Director: Richard Lester
Starring: Christopher Reeve, Richard Pryor, Annette O'Toole, Marc McClure, Robert Vaughn, Pamela Stephenson
Rated: PG

Never underestimate the power of computers
           ~Ross Webster


To start off, this shouldn't be called Superman III.  A more appropriate title would be Gus Gorman with tag line "You Will Believe A Computer Can Do Anything".  This is a Richard Pryor movie with special guest, Superman.  Pryor easily clocks in the most screen time and the plot really revolves around every move he makes.  He's not even the main villain or some sort of hero.  At best I can see, he's the bumbling henchman of the criminal mastermind.  So, if we ever wanted a movie told from that angle, here you have it.  It's a Superman movie, but Superman is pretty much shoehorned in and only swoops in to save the day.

SUPERMAN:The Restrospective-Part II:SUPERMAN II (1980)

Superman II 
1980

Director: Richard Lester

Starring: Christopher Reeve, Gene Hackman, Terrence Stamp, Margot Kidder, Sarah Douglas, Jackie Cooper, Jack O’Halloran

Rated: PG

So this is planet Houston.

            ~General Zod

Before we get started- I WILL indeed be covering the Richard Donner cut of Superman II.  It won’t be discussed until later, as I’m doing everything in release order.  Today, we are solely focusing on the Richard Lester interpretation and officially released and official cannon Superman II.

SUPERMAN: The Retrospective - Part I: SUPERMAN (1978)

Superman
1978
Director: Richard Donner
Starring: Marlon Brando, Gene Hackman, Christopher Reeve, Margot Kidder, Ned Beatty
Rated: PG

They can be a great people, Kal-El, they wish to be.  They only lack the light to show the way.
                        ~Jor-El


With a quote like that, you just kind of know the greatness and legend that comes with Superman.  A movie that kept the big, epic movie fantasy precedent of going to the theater alive after Star Wars the year prior.  Superman is a movie with some historic production troubles that are a fascinating point of research for any film fan and can be almost as entertaining as the film itself.  I'm not here to give you a detailed rundown of it all, but I highly recommend taking the time to watch a documentary or read about it.