The only thing Lester really got right was the end with Superman flying with the American Flag back to the White House. Everything else is Donner.
The only thing Lester really got right was the end with Superman flying with the American Flag back to the White House. Everything else is Donner.
I interpreted the ending to be if Donner completely had his way, he would've left the ending for the first movie to be a cliffhanger, and then the ending for the second to be the turning-back-time. Therefore, the Donner Cut was truer to the original plan for the movies than it was a sequel to the first movie.
Last edited by DochaDocha; 08-04-2014 at 01:03 PM. Reason: typos
Oh yeah it was. The conclusion to Superman 1 had originally been slated for Superman 2 if I recall rightly.
But the whole 'reversing time' scenario being brought forward a movie did mean that, when we finally did get to see the Donner cut, it was repetitive.
Makes me wonder though - had Donner stayed on to complete 2, how would have it have ended??
Duh doy.
I'm still waiting for someone to do an animated version of a completed Donner script (new ending). Style of choice left up to the artist - LEGO, Fleisher-style, Reeves-stylisticaly, S:AS-style, Superfriends style, action figure stop-motion, whatever...someone's going to do it eventually.
Well I've had time to watch Superman TM, Superman II (theatrical), Superman II (Donner) and the fan edit Superman II (Frank Reynolds cut). I say the fan edit of the film is best companion to Donner's first Superman film. It plays like the Donner version, which included scenes with Zod and the fight in Metropolis shot by Lester. But instead of using the Donner version of Superman II, of Supes spinning the world back again, the Reynolds' version uses Lester's ending of the magic kiss. As a 2 part epic, I think the fan edit works best.
Now only if I can find the fan edit of Star Wars Episode I.
I still wanna know how a de-powered Clark Kent walked to the Arctic in a light, spring jacket without freezing to death---or how he walked there at all actually. This has bothered me for decades. Even my 10 year old self thought that was pretty lame writing. Was that in the Donner cut too? I did not see that.
That scene always takes me out of the movie. Couldn't Clark at least afford a nice warm Parka on his reporters Salary?
My fave version of II is a fanmade version called SUPERMAN II: THE DONNER CUT REDUX... it takes the best elements of both Lestsr and Donner cuts, cuts the crappy stuff and actually comes up with a much different ending than either version that's actually more satisfying than either of the previous cuts.
Sadly...it still has him hiking to the artic in that light jacket...but other than that, it's perfect (or as close to it as possible with all the inherent issues of what was shot)
I found the ending to the REDUX cut. Meh, i don't like the cutting of these scenes. There isn't enough dialogue to justify why Supes leaves the Daily Planet, transforms and latter flies the flag.
http://vimeo.com/27581291
IMO the best fan edit of Superman II is this one.
http://vimeo.com/62976330
It plays like the Donner cut of the movie BUT it subs in the Lester ending with the Magic Kiss. Which works a hell of a lot better than Supes turning back time...AGAIN.
I wish Donner hadn't used that ending for his cut of the film, but he was stuck on the notion that Lois should only ever kiss Superman, and Clark not dressed as Superman was just Clark.
The "turning back time" thing was supposed to be the ending for the second film, not the first, if I recall correctly. The something happened, maybe studio pressure IDK, and Donner put it in the first film. I prefer the Donner Cut, it just works better imo. But it's not as good as it could have been simply because Donner never got to finish it completely.
Actually thats an alternate ending to the redux cut. It omits the scene where he goes to get even with the bully Rocky, which falls between the leaving the planet scene and the flag scene.
I was referring more to the idea of lois still remembering and it being a secret they now share. Works better than either original ending to that plotline.
Yeah, special features/commentary on the Donner Cut state that WB/producers wanted a more dramatic ending. Superman TM was originally supposed to end with Superman throwing the rockets into space and Zod, Ursa and Non escaping. Superman TM was supposed to end on that cliff hanger, and Superman II was originally going to end with Supes turning back time. I just wish Donner had amended his cut of Superman II to reflect the changes that had to be made to his first film. Donner objected to the Lester ending of the film (the magic kiss) because he believes only Superman should kiss Lois and not Clark. Although you could argue that by Clark taking off his glasses to kiss Lois, it was indeed Superman who delivered the kiss; since Lois and Superman have the relationship and not Lois and Clark. That's why I like the Frank Reynolds cut of the film. It's the Donner version (which itself has many Lester scenes) but with the Lester ending, in place of turning the world back a second time in two movies.
Donner Cut.
The original, I like the Paris rescue and it's a funny movie.
The original I guess.
The Donner cut had some interesting additions, and no effin cellophane 'S'- but it had the dumb ending that I hate more than anything. Total cop out, just like the first film.