Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut

UPC: 012569868519

Studio: Warner Home Video

MPAA Rating: PG   Contains:[Violence, Adult Situations, Excellent For Children]

Summary: Reconstructed using archival film and sound elements long thought to be extinct, this special cut of Superman II pieces together unseen footage shot by Richard Donner in order to present the most comprehensive version of what was to be the original cut of the blockbuster sequel. As initially planned, the first two films were to be filmed back-to-back using the same sets and actors to save on production costs. However, with a budget escalating out of control and Warner Bros. breathing down the producers' necks, the decision was made to drop any further filming on the sequel in order to finish the first movie and usher it into theaters. Of course, the first Superman was a wild success, so then it was just a matter of ramping up production again, though this time, Donner was not asked back. Instead, producers went with Richard Lester, who had served them well with his Three Musketeers films. Decisions were made to drop most of the key scenes that were already in the can, including all of the footage featuring Marlon Brando as Jor-El, the Man of Steel's father. After completion, the sequel found much success in theatrical and home-video box-office returns, though that didn't stop die-hard fans from speculating what Donner's cut would have looked like. Once the Internet was spawned, Warner Bros. saw interest grow more and more for this alternate version, even prompting the company to send cease and desist letters to individuals who had posted a re-edit of the film using deleted footage taken from an alternate TV version from the U.K. With the release of Superman Returns, the company saw this as a chance to finally deliver what people had wanted for years and enlisted Michael Thau to oversee the restoration process. Under the tutelage of Donner's notes, scripts, storyboards, and the director himself, the new version was delivered to home audiences in 2006, thereby not only giving people a look into what could have been, but giving a director an unprecedented chance to realize a vision long thought lost in the annals of movie history. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, Rovi

Category: Science Fiction

Features: Introduction by director Richard Donner
Commentary by director Richard Donner and creative consultant Tom Mankiewicz
New featurette - SupermanII: Restoring the Vision
Deleted scenes

Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut

Format: DVD

Release Date: 11/28/2006

Audio: DD2 Dolby Digital Stereo, DD5.1 Dolby Digital 5.1

Runtime: 116 Minutes

Sides: 1

Number of Discs: 1

Language(s) English

Subtitles: English,French,Spanish

Region: USA & territories, Canada

Chapters: Disc #1 -- Superman II
1. Intergalactic Travelers [5:13]
2. Collision Course [3:12]
3. Credits [3:31]
4. Lois Draws a Conclusion [2:58]
5. Leap of Faith [2:20]
6. Luthor Does Laundry [2:39]
7. Unidentified Flying Villains [5:08]
8. Balloon Bustout [4:43]
9. Fortress of Solitude/Intruders [3:17]
10. Lex's Inside Information [4:51]
11. Niagara Rescue [3:07]
12. "You Are Superman" [5:25]
13. Trip North [1:48]
14. Crude Noisemaker [1:33]
15. Everything's Clear [:57]
16. Something More Interesting [3:03]
17. Selfish Pursuits [6:23]
18. White House Visitors [3:30]
19. Diner Humiliation [3:30]
20. "I Have to Go Back" [1:44]
21. Oval Office Negotiation [3:15]
22. Green Crystal [2:05]
23. Remember Me, My Son [:50]
24. Daily Planet Visitors [2:59]
25. Battle of Titans [2:58]
26. Big Wind in Metropolis [7:02]
27. Northern Pursuit [3:39]
28. Molecular Rearrangement [3:49]
29. Don't Ever Forget [5:12]
30. Another Spin [4:03]
31. Pizza Run [1:33]
32. Diner Return Match [2:30]
33. End Credits [2:06]

Jeremy Wheeler

For years, people have wondered what Richard Donner would have done differently with Superman II, held by most to be one of cinema's most beloved sequels. And how about Richard Lester, a man who has been accoladed and equally jeered since the film's release, with cinephiles never quite knowing just how much of the film was his or not. How would history see him when the dust cleared? Well, after a painstaking remastering and assembly job, the Donner Cut is finally here -- and it's simply magic. Not only does it impress technically, with long-lost film elements preening with an unexpected shine, but it flows so organically that there is no doubt that the true heir to the Superman film legacy has been found. One cannot dismiss the impact of Marlon Brando's reinstated scenes, for they do more than just act as a bridge to the first film -- they bring an emotional weight that now seems criminal to have been cut. On the other end of the character spectrum, Clark and Lois have benefited greatly from the restored footage. Back is the long-rumored window jump sequence, as well as a key Niagara Falls scene that -- despite them having to use old screen-test footage -- fleshes out their personas and the eventual reveal of the Superman identity so much more than what was eventually used. Additionally, much of the little bits of goofy stuff Lester put in is now gone, most specifically with the trio of villains, who've been given back their menace, with none of the baby noises or eye rolls that once plagued them. The director's dubious choices of silly superpowers have also been nixed, with the mystical kiss and disappearing/reappearing gags left on the cutting-room floor. Thankfully, though it's graver in its emotions and is indeed more intense, the movie is still a joy to watch -- and even more so now that the running time has been shaved off. Now, the Donner Cut is nowhere near perfect -- a few plot points are left wide open, while they also had to recycle the ending from the first film (though the way it's edited is handled in an entirely neat and visceral way). Surely nothing can take away the joy that has permeated people's minds when dealing with Lester's cut, but this version really does give it a run for its money and supplies endless food for thought on what might have happened if Donner was never cruelly cut from the franchise. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, Rovi

Cast and Crew: Richard Donner  Director 
Mario Puzo  Screenwriter 
Ilya Salkind  Executive Producer 
Pierre Spengler  Producer 
John Williams  Composer (Music Score) 
Leslie Newman  Screenwriter 
David Newman  Screenwriter 
Michael Thau  Producer 
Christopher Reeve  Actor 
Gene Hackman  Actor 
Margot Kidder  Actor 
Marlon Brando  Actor 
Ned Beatty  Actor 
Jackie Cooper  Actor 
Terence Stamp  Actor 
Sarah Douglas  Actor 
Jack O'Halloran  Actor 
Valerie Perrine  Actor 
Clifton James  Actor 
Marc McClure  Actor 
E.G. Marshall  Actor 

Country: UK,USA