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Christopher Reeve attended the Julian School of Drama, where his acting coach was John Houseman. One [...]
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Carrie Fisher, fresh off the success of Guerre stellari (1977), was considered for Lois Lane.
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Edward Asner, Martin Balsam, Walter Matthau, Jason Robards, Jr., Lawrence Tierney, and Eli Wallach w [...]
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Peter Boyle auditioned for the part of Otis, Lex Luthor's bumbling accomplice.
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(at around 1h 19 mins) While briefing his reporters, Perry says he wants Superman's name to go toget [...]
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Throughout the seventies and early eighties, Lex Luthor was portrayed as wearing a Super Villian cos [...]
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At the time the movie was made, the Lex Luthor in the comics was not as well developed a character a [...]
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The final shot of the film, where Superman flies into space as the sun rises behind the Earth, echoe [...]
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In the original script Lex Luther had 2 henchmen which were cut to one.
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Burt Reynolds was a candidate to play Superman, but was deemed too recognizable, and not temperament [...]
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On his first day on the set, Marlon Brando suggested to Richard Donner that the cameras roll during [...]
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Now Playing Podcast reviewed Superman. This film received three "recommends".
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At one point it was planned that the film would end with a giant hologram of Superman flying out int [...]
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Caroline Munro was offered the role of Ursa, but turned it down to play Naomi in La spia che mi amav [...]
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Jackie Cooper was a regular in the Our Gang growing up, and was one of the few child stars who survi [...]
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Christopher Reeve was picked from over two hundred actors who auditioned for the role of Clark Kent [...]
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Larry Hagman was only supposed to be on-set for three days. However, because of the unpredictable we [...]
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Director Richard Donner, casting director Lynn Stalmaster and star Ned Beatty all passed away in 202 [...]
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Marlon Brando's salary made him the highest-paid movie star in the world at the time.
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Apparently, Jor-El promise to the Council for not leaving Krypton is a nonsense. Since that he knows [...]
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The film was selected in 2017 for preservation in the National Film Registry by the Library of Congr [...]
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Robert Redford, Clint Eastwood and James Caan were all offered the movie's title role. All three tur [...]
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It was Marlon Brando's idea to have Jor-El wear the same "S" symbol on his clothes that Kal-El would [...]
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The characters of Non and Eve Teschmacher were not featured in the comics at the time of production [...]
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Christopher Reeve (Superman), Margot Kidder (Lois Lane), Jackie Cooper (Perry White) and Marc McClur [...]
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Richard Lester agreed to work on this film because the Salkinds still owed him money for working on [...]
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Richard Donner was originally planning to direct La maledizione di Damien (1978) when he was hired t [...]
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Richard Donner had a single word printed in big letters on signs sent to every creative department i [...]
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(at around 1h 30 mins) The black and white photograph of a mustachioed man seen on the table in the [...]
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Upon viewing the footage of Krypton, Warner Bros. decided to distribute not only in the U.S., but al [...]
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Composer John Williams used the same orchestra that he used for his themes for the first six "Star W [...]
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Phyllis Thaxter was Ilya Salkind's mother-in-law.
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(at around 1h 20 mins) [expanded version] As Superman nears the end of his training, Jor El warns hi [...]
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This was the first movie to make use of the new Dolby stereo 70mm split stereo surrounds.
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The movie was filming in New York City on the night of the 1977 blackout. The New York Daily News wa [...]
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(at around 1h 50 mins) A young John Ratzenberger (Cliff Clavin from Cin cin (1982)) can be seen as a [...]
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The Superman "S" logo that Marlon Brando wears on his white cloak looks the same as the one used for [...]
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The filmmakers made it a priority to shoot all of Marlon Brando and Gene Hackman's scenes first, as [...]
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At one point, Mark Robson was in talks to direct.
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(at around 1h 26 mins) During the interview scene, Lois and Superman both mention the title characte [...]
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(at around 1h 30 mins) During the scene in which Superman and Lois go flying together and then Super [...]
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Christopher Reeve attended a Special Olympics fund-raiser held at Arnold Schwarzenegger's house for [...]
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The film cast includes two Oscar winners: Gene Hackman and Marlon Brando; and six Oscar nominees: Ne [...]
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The original Superman costume was going to be a much darker blue, but this became transparent with t [...]
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Superman creators Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster were both delighted with the results of this movie.
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Marlon Brando was paid $3,7 million for his 10 minutes on screen and refused to learn his lines when [...]
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Although not seen in the theatrical release, a scene in which the Council of Elders dispatches a hel [...]
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The movie's original ending had Superman saving California, restructuring the San Andreas fault, and [...]
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(at around 28 mins) To achieve the shot of young Clark Kent kicking a football into orbit, an air ca [...]
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The Newmans/Benton revised screenplay that Richard Donner inherited (and quickly re-wrote) included [...]
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Arnold Schwarzenegger campaigned for the lead role, but was never offered it. He was convinced that [...]
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Larry Hagman: (at around 1h 35 mins) The Major, after Miss Teschmacher's car "accident", when Lex Lu [...]
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Jon Voight was lined up to play Superman for a while, but was let go, because producers felt he was [...]
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William Friedkin and Sam Peckinpah were offered the chance to direct this film. Friedkin turned down [...]
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At one point Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward were offered the roles of Jor El and Lara, but the Brit [...]
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To obtain the "glowing" effect of the clothing on Krypton, the wardrobe department spent weeks sewin [...]
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According with Jor-El (when he talks to his son in the Fortress of Solitude), Superman is eighteen y [...]
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The model of the Golden Gate Bridge stood seventy feet long, and twenty feet wide.
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Marlon Brando was paid $3.7 million, plus a percentage of the gross, for twelve days of shooting. Th [...]
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This film's credits sequence cost more than most movies made, up to that point.
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Marlon Brando sued the Salkinds and Warner Bros. for $50 million, because he felt cheated out of the [...]
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Christopher Lee had to turn down the role of General Zod. He had just moved to Hollywood as a tax ex [...]
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(at around 11 mins) The first time Mike Johansen heard the word "genocide" when he saw the movie in [...]
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The Salkind brothers went through an exhaustive list of potential directors, only for most to drop o [...]
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Pre-production began in Rome with most attention being spent on unsuccessful experiments to make Sup [...]
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Superman's romance with Lois leads him to contradict Jor-El's orders to avoid altering human history [...]
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Vic Armstrong's wife Wendy Leech was Margot Kidder's stunt double.
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George Kennedy, Jack Nicholson, and Gene Wilder were considered for the role of Lex Luthor. Nicholso [...]
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After Christopher Reeve criticized Marlon Brando in the press about his performance in Superman, dir [...]
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Christopher Reeve appeared on Muppet Show (1976) as himself in 1980, right about the time Superman I [...]
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Initially, Gene Hackman refused to cut off his mustache to play Lex Luthor. In early one-sheets of t [...]
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The entire prologue to Adventures of Superman (1952) is used in the movie: "Faster than a speeding b [...]
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Unknown at the time, John Travolta auditioned for the role of Clark Kent/Superman. The Salkinds howe [...]
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Luthor's diabolical master plan in the movie involves destroying the west coast of the USA by trigge [...]
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It has been alleged that Trevor Howard did not want to act in the film, largely because of his loath [...]
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George MacDonald Fraser was later hired to do some work on the script, but he says he did little.
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(at around 1h 45 mins) The filmmakers included several Superman in-jokes (the phone booth gag, for i [...]
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In its initial run, the film topped the box-office charts for thirteen consecutive weeks.
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This is the first of of two films in which Christopher Reeve plays a character who travels back in t [...]
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John Williams borrowed elements from Erich Wolfgang Korngold's theme song for Delitti senza castigo [...]
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Luthor's collection of wigs was perhaps inspired by Dr. Mabuse's similar collection in Fritz Lang's [...]
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The green remote-control Dodge can be seen again all fixed up in the sequel.
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(at around 1h 45 mins) Luthor draws Superman out in the movie by speaking to him on a frequency only [...]
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The role of Superman was also offered to Patrick Wayne.
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Steve McQueen was considered for the lead role. He was ultimately rejected for being out of shape.
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Harrison Ford auditioned for the role of Clark Kent/Superman.
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This film surpassed Il gigante (1956) to become the highest-grossing film in Warner Bros. history, u [...]
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The main plot and all the iconography around Superman can be re-interpreted as an updated version of [...]
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Although at a point Jor-El specific order to Superman do not interfere with human history is reasona [...]
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(at around 57 mins) When Otis is being followed through Grand Central Station, a porter announces a [...]
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In January 1977, a former actor from Beverly Hills, Don Voyne, was the dentist to Skye Aubrey, the w [...]
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The film was released in the year of Superman's 40th anniversary.
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This was John Stuart's final film before this death on October 17, 1979 at the age of 81.
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The only comic book/superhero film to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Music, Original Sc [...]
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George Lucas turned down the chance to direct, in favor of Guerre stellari (1977).
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The movie inspired The Kinks' 1979 song "(Wish I Could Fly Like) Superman".
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Jack Klugman was the first choice to play Perry White, but he turned it down at the last minute. Edd [...]
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The Smallville scenes were visually influenced by the films of John Ford and the paintings of Norman [...]
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Christopher Reeve was an unknown actor at the time. The credits and nearly every trailer for this fi [...]
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In October 2017, decades after the Extended Television Cut last aired - a version with a running tim [...]
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Although he later relented and found the role "fun", Gene Hackman admitted in Wogan: Episode #6.130 [...]
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Gene Hackman was actually playing the piano while singing.
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Marlon Brando hoped to use some of his salary for a proposed 13-part Radici (1977)-style miniseries [...]
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According to Margot Kidder in interviews there was much discussion by the producers about Superman's [...]
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Much has been made already about how the star of the movie, Christopher Reeve, appears third in the [...]
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(at around 1h 45 mins) To access Luthor's hidden lair, Superman first has to drill through the stree [...]
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Krypton's sun (named Rao in the comics, but unnamed in the film) is a red supergiant. Although red s [...]
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Richard Donner has cited the paintings of Norman Rockwell as an influence on the film's visuals. The [...]
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The costumes worn by Jor-El and others on the planet Krypton were covered with front projection mate [...]
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Ironically Lex Luthor, AKA Gene Hackman's brother Richard, saved young Superman, AKA Jeff East, from [...]
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The closing titles credit five different second unit directors. According to Richard Donner, at one [...]
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Sylvia Kristel was considered for the role of Ursa.
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Aaron Smolinski, who played the infant Kal-El, would later appear uncredited in Superman III (1983) [...]
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(at around 1h 55 mins) The song "Give a Little Bit" - sung by Supertramp - plays on the radio as Loi [...]
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(at around 42 mins) After the creation of the Fortress of Solitude in North Pole, Superman spends tw [...]
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According to Roger Moore's autobiography, he witnessed Christopher Reeve walking through the canteen [...]
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The main love theme by John Williams is thought to have been inspired by Richard Strauss' Tod und Ve [...]
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The holographic projection of Jor-El's face recalls the eponymous character's illusory appearance in [...]
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The producers wanted Joan Crawford for the role of Ma Kent. Unfortunately, Crawford was too ill to t [...]
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New York City doubled for Metropolis, while the New York Daily News Building served as the location [...]
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Several scenes were shot for the movie, but were not used in the theatrical version. Among them are: [...]
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Jason Robards was offered the role of Perry White, but even the presence of Marlon Brando and Gene H [...]
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This was the second highest grossing film of 1978, behind Grease - Brillantina (1978).
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Superman never says "Up Up and Away" in this version; or "This is a job for Superman!" Actually that [...]
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The film was originally scheduled to be released in June 1978, the fortieth anniversary of Action Co [...]
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Lois Lane's parents were played by Kirk Allen, who was Superman in the Superman serials 1948 & 50 an [...]
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Dedicated "with love and respect" to the memory of Director of Photography Geoffrey Unsworth, who ha [...]
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As the production budget and shooting schedule escalated, Richard Donner found the Salkinds constant [...]
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According to the DVD commentary by Richard Donner, Goldie Hawn was the first choice for the role of [...]
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The real building that stood in for The Daily Planet in Metropolis, The News Building, 220 E 42nd St [...]
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Jerry Goldsmith, who scored Il presagio (1976), was originally set to score the film. Portions of Go [...]
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Susannah York, who played Lara in Superman, was annoyed with the script; particularly the scene wher [...]
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This film had the biggest budget from Warner Bros. at the time of its release.
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Richard Donner used Holly Palance as a stand in before they hired Phyllis Thaxter. Donner also used [...]
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Cary Elwes worked as a production assistant whose job it was to bring Marlon Brando out of his trail [...]
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Because of the nature of bluescreens in 1978, the Superman costume had to be turquoise for several f [...]
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Casting director Lynn Stalmaster was the first to suggest Christopher Reeve for the title role, but [...]
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Christopher Reeve and Ned Beatty starred in the Superman franchise together; later, in 1988, they'd [...]
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Superman is descended from the House of El. In Hebrew, 'El' means 'god' and is derived from a root w [...]
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Professional wrestler and model Brooke Adams went by the names Brooke Tessmacher or Miss Tessmacher [...]
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(at around 24 mins) When Jonathan Kent is changing the truck tire, young Kal-El's hugging Martha Ken [...]
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In the early 1970s, literary agent David Obst suggested to Stan Lee and Carmine Infantino, the then- [...]
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Jeff East tore several thigh muscles when performing the stunt of racing alongside the train.
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Lynda Carter (AKA Wonder Woman) said in an interview recently when they were two up and coming actor [...]
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When the young Clark Kent races the train, he is said to be eighteen years old, while Lois Lane, who [...]
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Shirley MacLaine, Liza Minnelli, Christina Raines, Barbra Streisand and Natalie Wood were considered [...]
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Included among the American Film Institute's 2005 list of 250 movies nominated for AFI's 100 Years o [...]
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Along with Marlon Brando, Mario Puzo also sued the Salkinds for non-payment of fees.
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The end titles sequence is more than seven minutes long, a record at the time of the film's release [...]
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Jennifer Jason Leigh was considered for the role of Lois Lane, but producers turned her down, becaus [...]
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Italian censorship visa # 73017 delivered on 2 February 1979.
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The comments both Richard Donner and Christopher Reeve made about Brando not working very hard on th [...]
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Charlton Heston was considered for the role of Jor-El.
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After spending twelve years training in the Fortress, Clark heads to Metropolis, where he lands a jo [...]
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Originally there were going to be 4 Phantom Zone villains, including a mischievous scamp named "Jack [...]
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Jeff East, who plays the young Clark Kent, had his voice dubbed by Christopher Reeve, although he kn [...]
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At the time of its release, this was the sixth highest-grossing film of all time.
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At one point, shooting slowed down to the point where only thirty seconds of film were being shot in [...]
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Burt Reynolds was a candidate to play Superman, but was deemed too recognizable, and not temperament [...]
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The film of the black-and-white sequence that opens the movie is shown in reverse. The sequence was [...]
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Richard Donner first asked Jerry Goldsmith to do the score, and he agreed. However, a schedule confl [...]
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After the success of Rocky (1976), Sylvester Stallone lobbied hard to play Clark Kent a.k.a. Superma [...]
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Ilya Salkind entertained the idea of casting Muhammed Ali as Superman.
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The development of the best method to show Superman flying was a long period of experimentation. The [...]
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Though he appears in this film, famed film critic Rex Reed panned L'uomo d'acciaio (2013): "Here is [...]
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Martha Kent would be Phyllis Thaxter's last film role before she retired from acting.
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The film was planned in three years, and shot in two. At the height of filming, over one thousand fu [...]
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Francis Ford Coppola, John Guillermin, Robert Aldrich, and Norman Jewison were approached to direct, [...]
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During the Air Force One sequence, a stunt player was injured after he fell from one of the wings.
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Brando was paid $4 million for 10 minutes of screen time.
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Kirk Alyn: (at around 28 mins) Lois Lane's father. Alyn played Superman in Superman (1948) and Atom [...]
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During screentests for the role of Superman, the role of Lois Lane was played by Holly Palance.
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The Salkinds moved from one Richard to the next in this franchise. Richard Donner directed part 1, a [...]
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Patrick Wayne was offered the role of Superman, but because of his father's (John Wayne) cancer, he [...]
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Leading British director Guy Hamilton (known for being at the helm of several classic Bond films) wa [...]
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The novelization for Piramide di paura (1985) says a character was a superman to Holmes; this may be [...]
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Principal photography began in March 1977, and ended in October the following year.
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Gene Hackman was initially reluctant to take the part of Lex Luthor, as he felt it would have damage [...]
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To maintain on-screen continuity, Christopher Reeve dubbed all of Jeff East's dialogue as young Clar [...]
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In Mario Puzo's script, Clark Kent was a television reporter. Also, Jax-Ur appeared as one of Zod's [...]
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Yugoslav front projection specialist Zoran Perisic invented a new special effects system called the [...]
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"Faster than a speeding bullet!" (when Clark catches the projectile fired towards Lois' back). "More [...]
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Although common place in Superhero film and television today, Christopher Reeve was the first actor [...]
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Success of the film largely inspired DC Comics to revamp Superman during the mid 1980's. Many elemen [...]
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(at around 1h 35 mins) When speaking to Otis and Miss Teschmacher, Luthor makes an allusion to Lev T [...]
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Steven Spielberg was offered the chance to direct this film. Producers balked at the salary he asked [...]
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Ned Beatty and Christopher Reeve were in the movie Salvate il Gray Lady (1978).
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At the time of the film's production and original release, Phyllis Thaxter (Martha Kent) was the Mot [...]
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Mario Puzo's scripts proved to be too epic and too expensive, so the team of David Newman and Robert [...]
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Lee Quigley who played Superman as a baby, died in 1991 from inhaling solvents at the age of fourtee [...]
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Paul Newman was offered the choice of playing Superman, Lex Luthor, or Jor-El for the fee of $4 mill [...]
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The villains at the marina were all stunt performers from Il tenente Kojak (1973).
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The distinctive look of the Fortress of Solitude as it rises from the snow evokes Caspar David Fried [...]
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Lyrics were written for the song "Can You Read My Mind," but that version was eventually discarded.
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Christopher Reeve based his portrayal of Clark, Kent on Cary Grant's character in Bringing up Baby,
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There were no novelizations or (ironically) comic book adaptations released for either Superman (197 [...]
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Superman has the same hairstyle as his biological father, Jor-El.
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The look of the spaceship that carries Kal-El to Earth was designed to resemble a star in reference [...]
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When they meet at Lois Lane's penthouse, Lois asks Superman how fast he can fly. He responds that he [...]
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The Writer's Guild of America gave screenplay credit to Mario Puzo, David Newman, Leslie Newman, and [...]
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Christopher Reeve was paid just $250,000 for this film and Superman II (1980).
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James Brolin, Lyle Waggoner, and Perry King all auditioned for the part of Superman. Around that sam [...]
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Caitlyn Jenner (then Bruce Jenner) turned down the role of Clark Kent to appear in the Village Peopl [...]
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(at around 28 mins) According to Jeff East, who played young Clark Kent, during the shot in which yo [...]
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Four of the cast members from the film made appearances in Smallville (2001), the CW's update of Sup [...]
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Co-screenwriters Robert Benton and David Newman had written the book for the 1966 Broadway musical " [...]
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Legend has it that Nick Nolte was offered the part of Superman, but said he'd only take it if they a [...]
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Margot Kidder appeared in a March 17, 1979 episode of Il Saturday Night Live (1975) (Il Saturday Nig [...]
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Noel Neill: (at around 28 mins) Lois Lane's mother. Neill played Lois Lane in Superman (1948), Atom [...]
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Christopher Reeve proved to be an even greater asset than anticipated after being cast. Reeve flew g [...]
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(at around 29 mins) The Bill Haley song "Rock Around the Clock" is heard on a car radio just before [...]
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First film collaboration between Warner Bros. and DC Comics, since the two companies had come under [...]
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John Williams' Smallville theme echoes the music of American composer Aaron Copland. It also strongl [...]
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In an interview with David Letterman, Christopher Reeve criticized Marlon Brando for his performance [...]
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The helicopter scene was intended to be shot on the top of the then Pan Am building, until a real-li [...]
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(at around 29 mins) A man riding a motorcycle dragging a bag of dirt was used to make the effect of [...]
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In an early draft of the script, one of Lex Luthor's personality quirks is that he likes to chew on [...]
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The adult Superman is of course portrayed by Christopher Reeve. According to DC, the Superman in the [...]
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(at around 1h 50 mins) The communities shown on Otis' slide of Lex's new West Coast are, in order fr [...]
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Marlon Brando reputedly suggested that his cameo role as Jor-El be done by him in voice-over only, w [...]
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The search for an actor to play Superman began in 1975 and ended with a press announcement on Februa [...]
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Popeye the Sailor was one of the early influences on Superman; as were Hercules, Achilles and Samson [...]
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Originally, the helicopter scene was simply going to have Superman save Lois from falling. Later, Ri [...]
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Richard Donner had tensions with the Salkinds and Pierre Spengler concerning the escalating producti [...]
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In a documentary on the making of the film, Richard Donner recalled how he had written down the firs [...]
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Jeff East, who played Clark Kent as a teenager, auditioned to play him as an adult. He also audition [...]
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Margot Kidder said that she had never read comic books, and was largely unfamiliar with Superman. Ki [...]
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There are eighteen camera operators credited on this film, not counting any of the special effects ( [...]
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To obtain the musculature to convincingly play Superman, Christopher Reeve underwent a bodybuilding [...]
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Jeff East, who played young teenaged Clark in the middle section of the movie, was not happy when Ri [...]
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Christopher Reeve (Superman) does not appear on screen until 48 minutes into the film. However, his [...]
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Richard Donner: (at around 1h 22 mins) [expanded version] the skeptical man who talks to Clark Kent [...]
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Clark journeys north and constructs the Fortress of Solitude. Superman has had a number of similar h [...]
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Much of the footage for what would become Superman II (1980) was written and shot simultaneously wit [...]
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Jeff East who played young Clark at the beginning of the movie had to wear both a wig and a fake nos [...]
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The film is included on Roger Ebert's "Great Movies" list.
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Both Brad Wilson, Clark's bully and nemesis for Lana's affections, and Lana Lang, as well as Martha [...]
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Included among the American Film Institute's 2004 list of 400 movies nominated for the top 100 Ameri [...]
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For his portrayal of Clark Kent, Christopher Reeve based the performance on Cary Grant's character i [...]
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Stella Stevens campaigned for the role that eventually went to Valerie Perrine. She didn't even get [...]
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The model of Air Force One that Superman rescues is based on the SAM 27000, a Boeing VC-137C that en [...]
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Clark Kent and Superman's hair part on opposite sides.
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The theatrical release included an extended conversation between the pilots of Air Force One before [...]
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When Superman saves Lois Lane from a helicopter crash atop The Daily Planet building, an actual New [...]
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Gene Hackman flatly refused to shave his head or wear a "bald cap" to play Lex Luthor. To get around [...]
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Supergirl was originally going to be a love interest for Superman. In the original treatments for Su [...]
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Richard Donner spent virtually a year working on the 2001 DVD release, reinstating some footage, and [...]
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(at around 1h 12 mins) The large, red number 9 on the sidewalk, that Superman lands in front of whil [...]
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(at around 16 mins) Marlon Brando refused to memorize most of his lines in advance. In the scene whe [...]
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Christopher Reeve had brown hair that was somewhat wavy and curly, as can be seen in other movies he [...]
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(at around 14 mins) The first baby who played Kal-El, in the flight sequence of the escape capsule, [...]
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Dustin Hoffman turned down the part of Lex Luthor.
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The original concept for the flying sequence with Superman and Lois was for them to fly around the w [...]
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A scene in which Jor-El explains to Superman why he must keep his secret identity was added for the [...]
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Alberta in Canada stood in for Kansas as the wheat crop there had already been harvested. This was t [...]
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In the opening credits' sequence, only the four first credits ("Alexander Salkind Presents", "Marlon [...]
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Charles Bronson was deemed "too earthy" to play Superman.
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Christopher Reeve's wardrobe was handmade by Russian women staying at a local Holiday Inn, while the [...]
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The boat used in the film was commandeered by the police to rescue a would be suicide victim from th [...]
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Richard Donner was disgusted that production designer John Barry and cinematographer Geoffrey Unswor [...]
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The sequence with the helicopter falling off the Daily Planet roof took 6 months to film using 5 fil [...]
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Jeff Corey played Lex Luthor in the film's screentests. He had previously played Luke Benson in Supe [...]
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Christopher Walken was considered for the lead role, but he was thought to be wrong for the part.
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(at around 1h 15 mins) When Lois Lane interviews Superman on the balcony, Superman replies, "I never [...]
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Richard Lester, Peter Yates, John Guillermin, and Ronald Neame were considered to direct.
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A scene showing Superman rescuing a girl scout group from an earthquake was deleted,
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In the extended cut of this film, the opening title uses the end credits recording of the March them [...]
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Marlon Brando and Christopher Reeve died within three months of each other; Brando on July 1, 2004 a [...]
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Jessica Lange turned down the roles of Lois Lane and Eve Teschmacher.
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This was Trevor Howard's third collaboration with Marlon Brando, the others being Gli ammutinati del [...]
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Despite being billed before Margot Kidder, Phyllis Thaxter, and Terence Stamp, Glenn Ford only has a [...]
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Rohan McCullough, Carinthia West, Dana Gillespie, and Marilù Tolo all screentested for the role o [...]
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There are some behind-the-scenes connections between this film and Guerre stellari (1977): The Krypt [...]
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The Kansas scenes were shot near Calgary, Alberta, because their growing season was ahead, and the w [...]
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At a point of the movie Lex Luthor mocks Otis claiming that the number 200 depicts both very well af [...]
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Ironically, Darth Vader helped train Superman to be in top physical condition to appear in the movie [...]
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Filming was originally meant to last 7-8 months but, due to all sorts of technical difficulties, it [...]
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Christopher Reeve worked out so much during the making of this film that the traveling matte shots t [...]
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Marlon Brando had it in his contract to complete all of his scenes in twelve days.
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Luthor's real estate scam recalls the scheme executed by Noah Cross in Roman Polanski's Chinatown (1 [...]
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Mario Puzo was hired as the initial writer to give the script additional credibility.
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Brandon Routh and Christopher Reeve were 26 years old when their first Superman films were released.
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In the original script, Lex Luthor had another henchman in addition to Otis, named Albert. This char [...]
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(at around 1h 12 mins) In the scenes where the burglar is scaling the office building and falling of [...]
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The original Lois Lane from the 1978 Superman, Margot Kidder, criticized the portrayal of her charac [...]
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Margot Kidder was originally supposed to sing the song "Can You Read My Mind" for the flying sequenc [...]
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The only one of the original Superman films starring Christopher Reeve to be either nominated for, o [...]
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John Williams' 'The March of the Villains' was influenced by the works of Russian composer Sergei Pr [...]
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The highest grossing Warner Bros. movie of the 1970s. The next decade, the highest grossing movie fo [...]
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In contrast to the modern Lex Luthor, the Golden Age version sported a full head of hair during his [...]
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Lex Luthor's subterranean hideout is visually modeled on Grand Central Terminal in Midtown Manhattan [...]
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Among the more unusual people actively lobbying for the role of Superman was Neil Diamond.
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On two occasions, Perry White mentions that he has been in the newspaper business for 40 years. This [...]
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Richard Donner had effectively shot 75% of Superman II (1980) when he was fired by the Salkinds.
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Among the actresses who screen tested for the role of Lois Lane were: Anne Archer, Lesley Ann Warren [...]
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Non's name is never mentioned, even when Jor-El is reading the charges. However, it is said aloud in [...]
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(at around 26 mins) When Superman crashes to Earth, his first feat of strength is lifting a truck ov [...]
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William Goldman was approached to write the screenplay, as was Leigh Brackett. Ilya Salkind hired Al [...]
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Numerous actors were considered for the part of Superman a.k.a. Clark Kent, including: Muhammad Ali, [...]
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A lot of the Superman (1948) cast and crew had parts in this movie, including Superman (Kirk Alyn as [...]
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Nicholas Breton has claimed to have portrayed Superman as an infant in the capsule scene. He was bor [...]
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It took three to four hours every day to apply the make-up on Jeff East to make him resemble Christo [...]
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Robert Redford was the Salkinds' original choice for the lead role. He was offered a large sum, but [...]
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The word "Superman" is not heard until 1 hour and 33 minutes into the film.
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Superman breaks the fourth wall and smiles at the audience in the last shot of this movie. This is t [...]
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