Superman: The Movie Movie Review

The DC Comics legend comes alive in this slightly overblown but still very entertaining $55 million saga. The film follows Superman's life from his infancy on the doomed planet Krypton to his adult career as Earth's Man of Steel. Gene Hackman and Ned Beatty pair marvelously as super criminal Lex Luthor and his bumbling sidekick. Marlon Brando is suitably imposing as Superman's Kryptonian father, and Margot Kidder makes a fine Lois Lane. Award-winning special effects and a script that doesn't take itself too seriously make this good fun. It was followed by three progressively less interesting sequels.

1978 (PG) 144m/C Christopher Reeve, Margot Kidder, Marlon Brando, Gene Hackman, Glenn Ford, Susannah York, Ned Beatty, Valerie Perrine, Jackie Cooper, Marc McClure, Trevor Howard, Sarah Douglas, Terence Stamp, Jack O'Halloran, Phyllis Thaxter; D: Richard Donner; W: Leslie Newman, Mario Puzo, Robert Benton, David Newman; C: Geoffrey Unsworth; M: John Williams. Hugos ‘79: Dramatic Presentation; Academy Awards ‘78: Best Visual Effects; National Board of Review Awards ‘78: 10 Best Films of the Year; Nominations: Academy Awards ‘78: Best Film Editing, Best Sound, Best Original Score. VHS, Beta, LV WAR