MovieChat Forums > Superman (1978) Discussion > Funny how this movie seemed like it was ...

Funny how this movie seemed like it was GREAT when it was made

posted 9 years ago by charlesadams1
46 replies | jump to latest

But now if you watch it you realize how lame the story was. Yes, the actors look great and the special effects aren't terrible given the limited things they could pull off back then and the music was superb.

However, then you get to the part where Supes flies around and around the Earth to "turn back time"...sheesh...

Not only wouldn't that affect time in any way, he would be terrorizing the entire planet, altering the magnetic field, melt the polar ice caps likely with all the friction caused, probably cause massive tidal waves, earthquakes and untold numbers of deaths, all to try and save Lois Lane.

[–] manchof1 8 years ago

This movie didn't hold up well over time and to me was merely okay. The first half of the movie could have been cut down.

[–] frankzappayay 8 years ago

I disagree, I think this film is a masterpiece, and it is like an origin story and the main film all in one.

[–] vicky_lc2001 (1907) 7 years ago

The first half cut? Like Krypton, Jorel Smallville, and the intro of Superman?

[–] BigScreenDom 8 years ago

this was a classic film on every level and will stand the test of time. now go wack off to Henry you lame fan boy

[–] manchof1 8 years ago

Brandon Routh was a better Superman than Christopher Reeve and Henry Cavill.

[–] geekbelief 8 years ago

This would make sense, and I wish it were true, but the fact that he re-spins the Earth after spinning it backwards means that it's just what it appears to be: the Earth, moved back a day out of synch with the universe. Would've really messed up the lunar calendar too.

[–] tbickle84 8 years ago

thank you geekbelief.

These people are in such ridiculous denial over a terrible plot device that makes absolutely zero sense. It's something you'd see in a bugs bunny cartoon.

[–] geekbelief 8 years ago

It doesn't bother me as much as some, to be honest. The real battle at the end of the movie is when Superman decides his own values, even if it is under terrible pressure.

[–] HellboundHero 8 years ago

Maybe these people simply aren't so hung up over the scientific accuracy of a time travel scene in a superhero movie as you are. Time travel most likely isn't possible, so flying around the Earth and reversing its rotation would work just as well as sticking plutonium in a Delorean and accelerating to 88 mph.

[–] vicky_lc2001 (1907) 7 years ago

I'm surprised you know who Bugs Bunny is.

[–] Costumer (1822) 7 years ago

This is straight out of the comics. When Superman wished to travel through time he would fly in a circle clockwise to go to the future and counter-clockwise to go into the past.

Why so many think he's moving the earth just astounds me. He doesn't touch it. He flies around it, going back in time. Which is why you see scenes on earth of things moving backwards.

[–] aaronyovanovits 8 years ago

Still awesome to me and way better than the new ones.

[–] vicky_lc2001 (1907) 7 years ago

I wasn't born when this came out and grew up watching it on TV and I still love it today.

[–] [deleted] 7 years ago

The first half of the movie was a masterpiece.

It fell apart and devolved into a bunch of silliness and comedy right when the setting moved to Metropolis.

[–] HellboundHero (9) 6 years ago

Realistic science and physics were almost nonexistent in comics in the 70s, and yes I'm including Marvel. Saying Marvel is realistic is like saying Star Trek is more realistic than Star Wars, all the while every other episode features an alien who has the same powers as a god or a witch.

[–] [deleted] 6 years ago

Agreed.

[–] avortac4 (3744) 4 years ago

Yeah, it almost seems as if they focused mostly on the abilities, like flying, and making it believable, and creating a believable world, and casting, funding, etc. and they managed to create a lot of deep, thick, wonderful, magical atmosphere in the process.

However, when you think about it, Superman doesn't do too many 'Supermanlike' things, there are no epic fights against some supervillains, there are no giant robots or energy beams, etc.

When you look at the comics or the 1990s cartoon show for what COULD have been, this movie and its thin storyline falls a bit short. After we've shown that yes, Clark is Superman, and Superman can do all kinds of things, the movie sort of fizzles out to a ridiculous time travel-ending.

The story of this movie, the plot, the core, what actually happens.. is not very interesting, nothing too 'epic' really happens. Lex with a couple of missiles? Saving cats from trees? Come on.

Look at what Lex can do in the comics, and the devious plots he has had against Superman - they're imaginative, cerebral and action-oriented, there's a lot of material to use, but they didn't use any of it in this movie.

I love parts of this movie and Christopher's charisma and performance, and of course the magical, cosmic John Williams score. But I have to be honest here, this is not exactly The Matrix, when it comes to storyline or action.