The Ultimate Superman Collection -- A Review

There is no doubt that Superman is one of America’s most mythic and enduring creations and it is only right that Warner Bros. gives the legendary comic book character a fitting DVD release with ‘Superman: Ultimate Collector’s Edition’. Never before has such a comprehensive collection of Superman material been assembled for fans of the character and this 14 disc DVD set is perhaps the most impressive home video release of this year.

Included in the set are the following feature length ‘Superman’ films:

• Superman: The Movie – Four Disc Collector’s Edition (Click for the review!)
• Superman II – Two Disc Special Edition (Click for the review!)
• Superman II – The Richard Donner Cut (Click for the review!)
• Superman III – Deluxe Edition (Click for the review!)
• Superman IV: The Quest for Peace – Deluxe Edition (Click for the review!)
• Superman Returns – Two Disc Special Edition (Click for the review!)

Exclusive Special Features:

If the extensive, laundry list of special features contained within these six, compiled ‘Superman’ films are not enough to fulfill your super appetite, there is an extensive amount of bonus content provided uniquely with this set.

Look Up In the Sky! The Amazing Story of Superman –

Provided on this special documentary, aired on television to commemorate the release of Bryan Singer’s ‘Superman Returns’, ‘Look Up In the Sky’ provides every detail one could ever want to know about the history of Superman, from the comics, to the merchandise, to the television shows and of course the big, blue boy scout’s cinematic adventures. This documentary, narrated by the soft spoken voice of Kevin Spacey, covers the bumpy road, filled with ups and downs, Superman has encountered to earning his respective place at the forefront of American popular culture, proving the character’s ability to survive and endure.

You Will Believe: The Cinematic Saga of Superman –

One of the most momentous moments for the Superman mythos was the character’s jump to movies in the late 1970s. Reigniting the character’s popularity like never before ‘You Will Believe’ chronicles the turbulent process of bringing the Christopher Reeve ‘Superman’ films to the big screen. Covered in the documentary is the daunting task director Richard Donner tackled, attempting to film both ‘Superman: The Movie’ and ‘Superman II’ simultaneously, and the production problems this presented for the cast and crew. The film also focuses on how the talent behind the films reacted to the subsequent firing of Donner by producers Ilya and Alexander Salkind, and his eventual replacement by Richard Lester. Most interesting about this focus is how the technicians and artists attempted to expand upon the work that Donner’s crew had orchestrated in the first one and a half ‘Superman’ pictures. The documentary also focuses on the disastrous third and fourth installments to the franchise, their original intentions and how if Donner had still been in charge, where the series would have been.

Also included on this disc are a wealth of other exclusive special features including an analysis of the mythology behind the character of Superman, a tribute to actor Christopher Reeve and the never aired pilot for the late fifties children’s program ‘Super Pup’. Conceived as a replacement for the youth of America after television Superman star George Reeve’s suicide, the program placed midgets in dog costumes and recycled the sets from the Reeve’s program. In another feature within the Ultimate Edition, director Bryan Singer referred to, ‘Super Pup’ as bad television, but its inclusion is still an interesting addition to the set, if for nothing other than curiosity’s sake.

Bryan Singer’s Video Journals

Originally shot for use on the official ‘Superman Returns’ production website Bluetights.net, Bryan Singer allowed the DVD crew to film exclusive video diaries chronicling the process of making the ambitious comic book adaptation. While quite similar to the previously released ‘King Kong Production Diaries’, Singer’s video journals explore in detail many of the visual effects and technical aspects behind ‘Superman Returns’, not available anywhere else. Plus as an added bonus for fans, Singer shows his DVD crew’s take on the ‘Superman’ director’s trip to the ‘King Kong’ set, which is also mirrored in director Peter Jackson’s ‘Kong’ diaries, so that Jackson could get some shuteye while Singer took over production for the day.

Overall:

With six feature length ‘Superman’ films and a plethora of bonus features and exclusive content, the ‘Superman: Ultimate Collector’s Edition’ is an absolute no-brainer for the Man of Steel in your household. The set provides everything you could ever want to know about Superman and the slick packaging will surely make any DVD collector swoon. There is no other way to say this, the ‘Superman: Ultimate Collector’s Edition’ is a super set.

– Joe Russo
Movie Pulse

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