There are few who would argue that the late Christopher Reeve was the greatest Superman to ever grace the screen. And though I am a fan of most of the actors that came before, I would have to cast my vote his way as well. Reeve was an actor who came literally out of nowhere and personified the superhero on screen, and became a true life hero later on in life after an accident that would have broken most men's spirits. I was a teenager when I first saw "Superman", and I was so blown away by the movie that I stayed in my seat and watched it three more times that day. Each time, I would wait for composer John William's crescendo of horns that signaled Superman's first camera 'fly by' in his Fortress of Solitude. Those few notes became my favorite piece of music from the entire score and to this day give me goose bumps when I hear them.

When "Superman II" came out, I was a little older, but no less mesmerized. I thought the movie was almost as good as the original, but even then I felt there were a few choppy sequences and a few effects that were used that didn't fit within the framework of the film. For example, during the scene where Superman gives up his powers for Lois, the effects within the chamber showing him being peeled like a grape and splitting into two just didn’t work… especially when compared to the ending sequence where he turns the tables on the villains.

At the time I knew nothing of the problems that went on behind the scenes during the making of "Superman II." I only knew that it had been directed by Richard Lester. I didn't find out until years later that Richard Donner had actually filmed most of the movie, but was fired towards the end of the shoot. Lester had been brought in to do re-shoots and the movie that was released was more his vision than Donner's. Once I learned I hoped that one day there would be a chance to see the movie that donner had intended to make, but in the world of Hollywood, that never happens.

Time passed and we were subjected to the beginning of the studio's damnation of the Superman character with the release of "Superman III", which was created with the intention of being a Richard Pryor comedy. Somehow the suits forgot the movie was about Superman. Then the final insult came with "Superman IV: The Quest for Peace", where Christopher Reeve had to battle a He-Man reject and very poorly shot special effects. For all intents and purposes, the franchise was dead. Most fans still act as though the 3rd and 4th movies were never made, and as much as I admired Christopher Reeve, I still won’t watch them again.

Flash forward to 2006, where DVD mania is still riding high around the world and we are learning that the opportunities to see nearly everything ever produced are becoming more and more of a reality. In fact, this month Warner's is releasing all manner of Superman related materials in conjunction with the release of director Bryan Singer's failed attempt to revive the franchise, "Superman Returns". Amongst these DVDs is the long sought after cut of Richard Donner's version of "Superman II." Through an introduction to the movie by Donner, I learned that he had shot a ton of footage that had been lost over the years. Much of it was re-discovered and he was allowed to re-cut the film to come as close to his original vision as was possible.

The day it arrived, I immediately made plans to watch it. In probably the fastest turnaround from receiving a disc to putting it in my player, my wife and I watched it that night. I think I must first mention that the immense amount of new scenes that were added to replace those taken out do make "Superman II" a better film that it was in its original incarnation. The storyline is completely the same, but the flow of the film is much smoother. I have only one complaint about Donner's choice in the film and that was in the way he opted to make Lois forget he was Superman, as opposed to the original. The 'Super-Hypnotism' was a really cheesy, but forgivable way to handle it. What Donner does (and I won’t give away too obvious of a spoiler here) was no more than a retread of what had already been done.

Those new to the franchise need to be warned that much of the film as it is presented here uses really old footage that had not gone through the proper processes at the time, so there are some special effects sequences that don't look quite as good as they should. There is also a scene that involves Clark and Lois in a hotel room. Some of it was shot during a screen test while other sections are from filming that took place much later. So the scene switches from two shots (with both actors) to close-ups and it is EXTREMELY noticeable that Reeve's hair goes from long, to short, to long, to short all with the blink of the camera. Keep in mind this is not a complaint at all, I can forgive it because I understand the circumstances by which this version was put together. But I'm sure the more average of viewers, who lack the understanding if what they are watching, will be less forgiving. Their loss.

Along with this terrific new cut of the film, the DVD includes commentary from Donner and creative consultant Tom Mankiewicz, which is full of some awesome anecdotes. Some of which I'm sure Donner had been barred form talking about for years. There are also a handful of deleted scenes that were not used and a featurette on the making of this new cut of the film.

As I'm sure is the case with most Superman fans, I am more than thrilled to see this version of "Superman II" become available. It allows me to enjoy more of what Christopher Reeve brought to the role and further reminds me of the courage and determination he showed as a human being later in life. Christopher Reeve made me believe a man could fly.

Directed by: Richard Donner
Starring: Christopher Reeve, Margot Kidder, Gene Hackman, Marlon Brando, Jackie Cooper, Sarah Douglas, Terrence Stamp, Valerie Perrine, Jack O'Halloran, Marc McClure, E.G. Marshall
Extras: Introduction by Richard Donner, Commentary by Richard Donner and Creative Consultant Tom Mankiewicz, Superman II: Restoring the Vision, Deleted Scenes
Specifications: Widescreen, Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound
Studio: Warner Brothers
Release Date: 11/28/2006
Region 1
MPAA Rating: NR
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We'll give Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut an A.