I remember being let down by Superman III when I was a kid. The inclusion of Richard Pryor was a head scratcher, and his scenes seem to belong in a completely different movie. I wondered why they didn't use Brainiac if they were going with a computerized villain. The real disappointment was the special effects, which looked pretty cheap compared to the first two films - it didn't help that I had just seen Return of the Jedi the same weekend. Still, the movie is not a complete loss. I quite like Annette O'Toole's turn as Lana Lang and the rekindled romance with Clark. The Superman goes evil segment was well done too, especially the great Superman/Clark battle in the scrap yard. Better effects, Less Gus Gorman and Brainiac for the villain could have made this a third big success for the franchise.
Maybe I am mis-remembering, but didn't the budget get smaller with III and IV? I think Gene Hackman was not happy playing Lex Luthor as far as re-shoots went. I'm surprised that considering Superman's rogues gallery, Luthor is so over-exposed... Who was The Big Bad behind Pryor? was that Robert Vaughn, or am I thinking of Supergirl?
ReplyDeleteThat was Robert Vaughn. The "big bad" in Supergirl was Faye Dunaway.
ReplyDeleteDoc should be angry at Superman for stealing his Fortress of Solitude idea.
ReplyDeleteI hope they get to compare Fortresses of Solitude. And also sobriquets. "Man of Steel is a better nickname than Man of Bronze." "No way!"
ReplyDeleteI've always thought that Robert Vaughn was playing a thinly-disguised Morgan Edge. And, with regard to the suddenly sentient computer? Yes, it would've made more sense to have that be the result of being taken over by Brainiac. Even if only as a renegade computer program developed by Luthor for SUPERMAN IV (after being test-fired, so to speak, in the third installment).
ReplyDeleteThat being said, I have to confess that I liked SUPERMAN III a whole lot better than the sequel that followed it. Especially the subtle homage to George Reeve's classic appearance on an episode of I LOVE LUCY!
Re: today's cover? Outstanding!!! I'm surprised nobody ever thought to suggest this to you, earlier. And the thought balloon is an even nicer touch. Makes me wonder if Doc Savage might just be trying to stop a hostile take-over of the Internet by Brainiac. I mean, with the "Flashpoint" story arc having ret-conned the DCU (yet, again!), I think it can be safely assumed that there was never any such entity as "Brainiac 2.0" who was narrowly defeated and--for a time--made Metropolis the high-tech capital of the East Coast.
Cary Comic said...
ReplyDelete"I mean, with the "Flashpoint" story arc having ret-conned the DCU (yet, again!), I think it can be safely assumed that there was never any such entity as "Brainiac 2.0" who was narrowly defeated and--for a time--made Metropolis the high-tech capital of the East Coast."
We just don't know: The 'Superman Reborn' storyline (about halfway between 'Rebirth' and today) ret-conned the DCU again, apparently bringing a lot of past history back into continuity (and "finally" doing away with Flashpoint's 'Superheroes only began 5 years ago' aspect), but we haven't been given a definitive list of what's in & what's out...
@Simreeve: just so long as Metropolis is 100% free of Brainy-tech.
ReplyDeleteYou beat Keith "Kez" Wilson to the Superman - "Doc" Savage crossover!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.docfantasycovers.com/
Ron Ely portrayed Doctor Doctor Clark Savage Junior on the Silver Screen in 1975. I remember that the flying venom spirit green snakes gave me the willies.
ReplyDeleteSobriquets are hard to swallow I prefer sorbet.
ReplyDeleteI've got one! Doc savage teams up with........Night Nurse (Marvel Explore Your Universe)! in an operation on Ralph Snart (NOW Comics).
ReplyDeleteIs Ralph any relation to Len and Lisa Snart?
ReplyDeleteAnonymous He's a bizarre surreal mis adventurer/adventurer. More Surreal than Squalor (First Comics). On this site he could be a relative of Golden Glider & Captain Cold/Cold.
ReplyDeleteHear that, Ross? Start doing that genealogical homework. ;-)
ReplyDeleteSuperman 3 was the first movie I pretended "never happened" after I saw it on television. Little did I know there would be a LONG LINE of other movies I would pretend never happened (Superman 4, Supergirl, all the Star Wars pre-quels, Green Lantern, etc. etc.) Sigh!!
ReplyDeleteI always just pretended that Superman 3 & 4 were the Marvel Universe's version of a Superman movie!
ReplyDeleteI pretend that the Dark Knight trilogy is the only DC Movie Series other than most of the animated features that is. I also pretend that ROTJ never happened, I hate that movie.
ReplyDeleteBut, it did, Kelly. It did!
ReplyDeleteMy name is Kellymatthew (As Advertised) or: Mr. B, Bro B., Brother B, MR K.B.
ReplyDelete"I am not the robot you're looking for."
ReplyDelete;-)
@Anonymous: now, now! No need for excessive Force.
ReplyDelete;-)
as bad as III was,it looked like Oscar winner compared to the dreaded "Quest For Peace",possibly the worst superhero movie ever made....
ReplyDeleteActually, QFP was an Oscar-winner compared to the Halle Berry version of CATWOMAN!
ReplyDeleteCatwoman w/ Halle Berry was a fantastic use of time compared to any romantic movie.
ReplyDeleteCorrection: fantastic _waste_ of time (and money)!
ReplyDelete@Anonymous: Not to mention, a bigger waste of Halle Berry and Benjamin Bratt's talents.
ReplyDelete"Superman III" was a disappointent for me as well. It just didn't feel anything like a "Superman" storyline other than "evil" Superman.
ReplyDeleteBetter Superman vs Evil Doppleganger than both of Luthor's Nuclear Men put together.
ReplyDeleteSince Ron Ely played both Doc Savage AND a retired Golden Age Superman (in the Superboy two-parter "Road to Hell", why not do a crossover?
ReplyDelete