MovieChat Forums > Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987) Discussion > Who saw this in cinemas back in 87?

Who saw this in cinemas back in 87?

posted 11 years ago by bozo_500
47 replies | jump to latest

Who saw this back in the day? What are your memories - the anticipation of seeing it in the weeks/days before, the actually seeing it and how much a big deal was it where you were back then, the crowds, audience etc and after coming out of the cinema what were your thoughts and in the days/weeks that followed..

TQFP was a VERY big deal to me back in 87 - there hadnt been a new superman in AGES (as a kid time passes much slower so 4 years felt more like 10 years) there was no internet and i didnt have any money to buy magazines like Starlog so the first i knew of a superman IV was when i walked past the Cannon cinema (UK) and saw this poster in those plastic cases outside (note the superior crystal font:)
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8154/7678329200_bfa4d8747c_b.jpg

as a huge huge fan of the series having seen II (my first time in a cinema) and III (& STM on tv only) i couldnt believe it..I had no idea they were making another let alone it being due out soon (i remembered Reeve having stated several times hed never do another after III in articles and tv interviews) . It just didnt make any sense!! how could i not know about this!?....

Initially I excitedly thought it was showing right there and then and was preparing to go in and see it but realised there was a 'Coming Soon' banner under the poster. I think I had to go in the cinema and ask when it was coming out and was told it was about a couple of months away and being really disappointed it was so long (think I remember being really annoyed thinking it was stupid to show the poster so long in advance).. So the wait was agony ..like waiting for xmas only wanting it more and when it eventually came out i saw it 4 times at the cinema (the most times id been to see any superman movie! each of the rest bar STM just saw once..maybe saw III twice I dunno) and thought it was amazing - the best one of all 4!

it was exciting, new, fresh, it was non stop action packed (even more than II - to which it felt like a true sequel)- it had a powerful scary supervillain (like the 3 villains but as one), there were fights in space (a first!) and on the moon (nice call back to II), superman got his ass kicked loses his powers and nearly dies (again similar to II), Lex was back and we got to see the fortress again (first time since II), the new Nuclear Man music was awesome..

i knew something was up with the FX as they seemed to reuse the same shot of a turquoise coloured superman flying toward the camera (crazy fact - SIV had the same budget as 'Aliens' the year before!)but it didnt affect my enjoyment one bit - neither did the whole Milton Keynes setting or the massive cuts - i had no idea about all that.

i had no idea it was reviled and was a flop (i mean i knew it wasnt as big a hit as star wars but i mustve thought it'll have been at least as big as the previous ones) i bought all the stuff - the Starlog poster magazine, the DC comic (which both confused me as there was a whole other Nuclear Man!)
http://www.supermaniv.com/Superman_IV_Merchandise/Superman_IV_Poster_Magazine/Superman_IV_Poster_Magazine_COVER.html
http://www.supermaniv.com/Superman_IV_Comic_Adaptation_Spanish/Superman_IV_Comic_Adaptation_English/Superman_IV_Comic_Adaptation_English_COVER.html
(seeing those on display in the window of the comic store I would go to was such a thrill)

I searched for a novel (as I had the SIII one) but couldn't find one. Years later I found it in a 2nd hand bookstore:
http://supermaniv.com/S4_Novelization/Superman_IV_Novel_COVER.html

i remember being quite disappointed there were no action figures

So back then in my mind it went best to worst - IV, II, III and lastly STM which i didnt like much as I thought it was abit long, the Krypton and Smallville bits were quite talky/boring to a kid as was the whole Supes and Lois romance, Lex was like an Adam West Batman villain, there wasn’t that much action aside from it turning into a 70s disaster movie, no supervillains and there wasnt any fighting! (But now I obviously appreciate it for the classic it is)

the question i was asking myself after IV was would Superman V (due in a couple of years with an all new cast joining Reeve according to the newspapers) be even more enjoyable than IV?!

it was a question id have to wait 20 years to be answered (just like superman promised at the end of TQFP)....and the answer was a resounding NO!! 

[–] Doom 11 years ago

I remember really really wanting to like it... but just couldn't.

------

Wait a minute... who am I here?

[–] 11 years ago

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[–] engle_james 11 years ago

I was probably 15 or 16 at the time, and I was fairly excited about it. Part 3 had kind of dampened my enthusiasm, but I was excited when I heard that Lois and Lex were returning. I thought the opening credits were decent, but once that shot came of Christopher Reeve flying in the sky with all the realism of Captain Marvel in the Shazam! series, I knew the movie was in trouble. When some friends asked me about it, I told them it was pretty bad.

I just watched this again, for the first time listening to the commentary by writer Mark Rosenthal, and I was amazed that he blamed the entire movie's faults on the budget. Yes, the effects were horrible, but even good f/x couldn't save this poorly written mess. I did enjoy having Mariel Hemingway on board as potential competition for Lois Lane, but this was definitely a sad ending.

[–] Soupful 10 years ago

^ This @Doom,

I had read and followed in all STARLOG/Fantastic Films ect of Supe 4 from 1985 into late 1987 of "Superman IV"s pre-production into actual production and post of unbtil release.

It bombed very badly from late July/early August 87 in US/UK/CAN but we didnt get it in Sydney, Australia until boxing day December 26th, 1987.

The articles and reviews were scathing, harsh and unforgiving of editing/SPFX/story/short run time length ect proved 'true' and accurate however I hoped wasnt as bad. Was indeed poor and I was embarrassed because I insisted myself & partner, my sister and hers and group of mutual friends go along and see opening day. We were all major dissapointed and let down.

I did like the "NO NUKES" theme and message of peace during Regan/SDSI 'Star wars' missle defense program cold-war propoganda era and that of Superman and school kid Jeremy asking for intervention, Daily Planet hostile-sleasy Corporate takeover of Editor Perry White's beloved Daily Planet and Lois/Superman's relationship maturing from lovers to trusted friends and allies but that'sit! THE the rest of it all just sucked big time even Gene Hackman's return as Lex Luthor with 'fool' nephew Lenny.

"Nothing is as it seems, nothing is just one thing and nothing is ever just over there"

[–] bozo_500 10 years ago

We were all major dissapointed and let down.

I guess to long term superman fans Superman IV was the equivalent to Brazils 7-1 defeat!

[–] freezedawg98 11 years ago

I saw this movie at the Metrocenter Cinema 4 in August 1987 in Jackson, MS. I thought it was great at the time, but then again I was 11 years old in the summer of 1987. It really wasn't that big of a deal to most people I knew. By 1987, most kids I knew had quit watching the Superman films. I think the quality of Superman III and Supergirl being well below Superman I and II had dampened interest by 1987 as well. Jaws IV had suffered the same fate, by the way.

If Cannon had made enough money to make Superman V, it would have been made on the cheap like Superman IV and would have probably been worse. I will say that I have fond memories of Superman IV due to Christopher Reeve's performance. He gave a great effort in a film with horrible editing and substandard special effects.

[–] Gustav_Fiers 11 years ago

It's the first Superman movie I ever saw in the cinema. It's a wonder I stayed a Superman fan afterward. Even as a kid I thought the production values looked terrible.

[–] geobomber 11 years ago

I saw this movie back in 87 on my birthday with either my dad or my best friend. I can't remember. Either way it was one of my favourite movies as a child along with rocky 4.

[–] bozo_500 11 years ago

Thanks good to hear..same for me (see above post)

[–] 11 years ago

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[–] bondukkevin 11 years ago

Saw this while on holiday in UK. Thought was great at the time. Some parts are good but let down by budget.

It was either this or Police Academy 4.

[–] bozo_500 11 years ago

you made the right choice

[–] sparkvark111 11 years ago

I saw this at the theater once. I should have known how bad it was going to be, especially after I heard Cannon was going to be a part of this. After the Salkind's fired Richard Donner, it was all downhill from there.

"Great minds discuss ideas. Average minds discuss events. Small minds discuss people."

[–] rggkjg1 10 years ago

the disappointment I felt leaving the theater on opening day for man of steel had to have no doubt been the same exact feeling many felt after seeing superman 3 and 4 in the theater. I know now what many went through since introductory and repeat disappointment vhs/dvd viewings doesn't even compare to the level of disappointment as seeing a let down for the first time in the theater in it's original theatrical run.

[–] 10 years ago

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[–] 10 years ago

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[–] NinjaFOXForce 10 years ago

I saw it with my dad at a theater in San Diego, I remember there was a music video for Madonn'a "Who's that Girl" played before the movie. I heard laughter from the audience in the theater but I had no idea as to what, I was 5 at the time

The War has only begun, will you defend your destiny?

[–] bozo_500 10 years ago

high on Pepsi and skittles heh

[–] NinjaFOXForce 10 years ago

Hahaha it was actually nachos and a sprite lol

The War has only begun, will you defend your destiny?

[–] bozo_500 9 years ago

the other day I paid a visit to the cinema where I saw it back in 87. its gone now replaced with a high fashion clothes shop. I walked about trying to picture where I was I saw the posters in plastic at the entrance, where youd buy the tickets, popcorn etc and then where I may have sat to watch Superman IV..

felt abit like Clark going back to the farm...

[–] freezedawg98 9 years ago

The theater I saw Superman IV in was demolished about 15 years ago.

[–] bozo_500 9 years ago

I want to go to Milton Keynes sometime and take a look around where SIV was filmed . itd be fun

[–] malditoduende18 9 years ago

The theater that I first saw this movie at was the Huntridge theater in Las Vegas Nv. It still stands there but it is no longer a theater. However there was a huge superman iv mural on the side of it and it took them over 2 years to take it down. I wish I had a picture of that mural.

[–] malditoduende18 9 years ago

I totally agree with you. I saw this movie opening date and then some more times. It was the first Superman movie that I saw on the big screen! I was obsessed. I even brought my Superman super powers figure and my superman cape with me to the theater. I bought the comic shortly after I saw the film and like you I was also confused. My favorite Superman film due to the sentimental value. The only thing I remember not liking about it back then was Superman's hair, he was missing the iconic spit curl. But hey at 4 years old many things were impressive to me.This move and Masters of the Universe will always hold a special place in my heart. Thank you for sharing your experience.

[–] bozo_500 9 years ago

I totally agree with you. I saw this movie opening date and then some more times. It was the first Superman movie that I saw on the big screen! I was obsessed. I even brought my Superman super powers figure and my superman cape with me to the theater. I bought the comic shortly after I saw the film and like you I was also confused. My favorite Superman film due to the sentimental value. The only thing I remember not liking about it back then was Superman's hair, he was missing the iconic spit curl. But hey at 4 years old many things were impressive to me.This move and Masters of the Universe will always hold a special place in my heart. Thank you for sharing your experience.

great stuff my friend. very similar to my experience. yes I had the SuperPowers figure too but didn't take it with me. yes you right about the hair. in fact before I saw the film I remember seeing the promo image of Superman holding Lacy in space http://www.chrisreevehomepage.com/images/magazines/mag4a.jpg (which was everywhere) and staring at it a while thinking something was abit off but not quite sure what (obviously not the fact he was flying a human into space! lol) and then I realised 'no curl!'

btw here the 'Who saw MOTU in 87' thread 
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093507/board/flat/229234698