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| Superman II - The Richard Donner Cut [HD DVD] | ![Superman II - The Richard Donner Cut [HD DVD]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51Xj2lMe7FL._SL160_.jpg)
 enlarge | Directors: Richard Donner, Richard Lester
Actors: Gene Hackman, Christopher Reeve, Marlon Brando, Ned Beatty, Jackie Cooper
Studio: Warner Home Video
Category: DVD
Buy New: $30.00
Buy New from $30.00
Avg. Customer Rating:  (224 reviews)
Sales Rank: 38821
Format: Ac-3, Closed-captioned, Color, Director's Cut, Dolby, Subtitled, Widescreen
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Subtitled), French (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled)
Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Media: HD DVD
Running Time: 116 minutes
Number Of Items: 1
Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 3
Dimensions (in): 7.1 x 5.4 x 0.6
MPN: 81012
UPC: 012569810129
EAN: 0012569810129
ASIN: B000I2JKE2
Release Date: November 28, 2006
Theatrical Release Date: November 28, 2006
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Description
In the year of Superman Returns, Superman II starring Christopher Reeve also returns - with a totally different beginning and resolution. With Jor-El (Marlon Brando in recently discovered footage) in key scenes that amplify Superman lore and deepen the profound relationship between father and son. With different Lois Lane (Margot Kidder) schemes to unmask Clark Kent as Superman. With...well, with so many changes, large and small, that this Superman II is an eye-opening alternate experience. Director Richard Donner began shooting his vision of Superman II while concurrently filming Superman The Movie. Now, for the first time, his never-before-seen vision is here. And it's a must for every Superman fan, an important addition to the legend of the Man of Steel.
Amazon.com essential video
The Richard Donner cut of Superman II is an infamous legend come to life. Director Donner shot most of the sequel at the same time as his first blockbuster film, but somewhere along the line, the producers and studio lost confidence and brought in Richard Lester (The Three Musketeers) to rework the film, and receive sole credit. For years fans speculated on how different the final film was from Donner's original until an underground copy appeared showing a fully formed feature. In an unprecedented move, Warner Brothers officially embraces this alternate version. For those who have not been part of the rumor mill, know that Donner shot all the footage with Lex Luthor (Gene Hackman). You can find blow-by-blow descriptions of what is new/changed elsewhere, but most of the changes deal with Christopher Reeve and Margot Kidder as the comic-book couple. Donner's cut provides alternate scenes for how Lois tests her hunch that Clark is Superman, the moment he reveals his identity, and how Lois unlearns that truth. Thing is, Lester's reshots are stronger, adding weight to the romance between the two, lifting the picture's stature. Lester also added the dandy Eiffel Tower opening. Donner's chief additions are in the Fortress of Solitude, where Marlon Brando returns to teach (Susannah York, as Superman's mom, appears in the Lester cut). The producers cut Brando's footage so they wouldn't have to pay him millions. The Brando/Reeve scenes continue the father/son dynamic of the first film. There is a great lesson in editing--Lester's less is better than Donner's more--when you compare how Kent turns back into Superman after losing his powers. The Donner cut is completely formed but does use some rehearsal footage, new effects, and some pieces shot by Lester. The history of cinema has many of these stories of movies reshot, hijacked, and changed from the original version, but here the underdog wins and Donner gets his chance to change history, even adding a note in the end credits about the use of fur and smoking as regrettable choices of the time. Director Donner and creative consultant Tom Mankiewicz have a jolly good time revisiting their past on the commentary track. You get a clearer picture of who shot what, but the two have nothing good to say about Lester's edition. Donner doesn't go much into why he was dropped, just a difference of opinion and the need not to pay Brando. He also explains why the deja vu ending of this edition was used in the first movie and a new ending would have been thought up for part 2. A quick featurette looks at how Michael Thau and a small crew reconstructed the film and compares several scenes from both versions. Also added are additional scenes shot by Donner but not used, most with Hackman. --Doug Thomas
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| Customer Reviews: Read 219 more reviews...
 A glimpse of what might have been November 17, 2008
Yes, it does have the appearence of being cobbled together at times -- using a screen test to fill in a scene -- but all in all it works and better than the final product from Richard Lester -- which is, really, 80% of what Richard Donner shot in the first damn place. Because some things need to be filled out, some of the Lester footage is used but even so, you get a look at the vision Richard Donner intended. Alternate shots on Krypton for the three super villains, footage with Marlon Brando that was removed when the Salkinds were sued by him for monies due. One of the a-bombs from the first film thrown by Supes into space release them from the Phantom Zone (in very interesting fashion) as oppposed to the Eiffel Tower sequence in the Lester version. All in all, though a real rough cut, a satisfying way to view what really are two films that should have dove-tailed together all those years ago. As with the first film, Chris Reeve (the best actor who ever played the part) makes it work. Some slightly different prison footage with Gene Hackman and Ned Beatty and the destruction of the Fortress of Solitude. All in all, highly recommended. Whenever I watch SUPERMAN II anymore it is this version, not the one that landed on the movie screens back in 1981.
 Donner's Superman II October 24, 2008
I'll keep this short because this movie has been out for over 2 years now on DVD. I was really excited to hear that the Warner's decided to finally release this urban legend that we all heard about. Being a huge Superman fan, I was excited to finally see the footage with Brando. Although that footage was interesting, the movie for me, just didn't work. Chris Reeve, and Margot Kidder did a fine job in their respective roles, but the movie was campy at best and I thought the whole point of making a superhero movie back in the day was to show "what if Superman was real" in a real life situation. Turning back time twice was downright retarded and then at the very end of Donner's version on Supes II where he goes back to the diner, made no sense whatsoever. Turning it back once was bad, but twice?!? I still admit when I was 6 years old and my Dad took me and my sister to see the first film in the theater, when Superman let out that scream, it scared the Bejesus out of me. Even to this day I have a hard time watching that because Superman is such a good "person", who would make him that angry to let that kind of a cry out? Obviously Luthor.
Iyla Salkind was quoted saying that Lester's version was better. He was right. Donner is a great director and he tried to keep it light, and more geared towards the 1980's family. In that respect, he did a good job. I would have to agree that after seeing both versions, I like Lester's version better. Nonetheless, its good that we're able to see both versions now when Superman is needed now more than ever.
Just my two cents.
RICHARD DONNER ROCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! September 20, 2008
The script, the acting, Marlon Brando...all combined- cannot even touch the Superman II that was released in America back in the early 80's. After seeing this version of the film, I want a refund for seeing the other one. You can't even commpare the two. It's like comparing an Academy Award Winning Film to Sesame Street. The CEO of Warner Bros. should have been put in jail or fired for releasing that crap and making us pay money to see it.
 Horrible, Just Horrible September 8, 2008
1 out of 3 found this review helpful
I bought this DVD because it says "Donner Cut", which means remade by original director that was fired by the studios and after viewing this dvd, rightly so. Ok, first Superman movie #1 is awesome, but I'm not sure whether it's old age or he just lost it, but this cut is horrible, just horrible. I almost didn't recognize the first Superman movie I watched as a kid (I saw Superman #1 later) Gone is the spectacular Eiffel Tower scene and in its place a poorly done prologue of the first movie?! That was ghastly. Gone is the famous Lois falling off Niagra Falls scene and in its place, a shotty screen test involving Lois and a pistol? Yikes! Actually there were so many action shots gone, a lot of Brando shots included which even though is Brando, does not really add to the story at all and is quite boring because it's just a halogram of his head! Gone is the kiss that Clark gave Lois so she forgets everything and in its place is something we see in first movie, but just presents plot holes galore it this movie. Lastly, gone is the satisfying ending with Superman bringing back the roof of the White House. What the... Anyway, avoid this at all costs whether you have seen or not seen the original Superman II.
At Least It's Different September 3, 2008
Having seen the Richard Donner cut of Superman II, I seem to like the original Richard Lester cut better because it's more fun to watch, even with the silliness such as the Phantom Zone villains being able to project force beams from their fingers and Superman throwing a Saran Wrap "S" shield at one of the villains during his fight in the Fortress of Solitude. Some fans of both movies have made their own fan cuts using both versions of Superman II to show what should have appeared in the actual theatrical release, which is probably the best way to go for seeing this movie.
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