Supermoan: Movie Moan's Ultimate Superman Retrospective Episode 5 - 'Superman IV: The Quest For Peace' (1987)
Fri, May 24, 2013 You can watch this week's show on Blip:
Or on Youtube:
"Excuse me gentlemen, before you help this man with a heart attack..."
Phil has finally had it with this character. We've seen Christopher Reeve's Clark Kent/Superman do some terrible things before but he takes it to the giddy limit in his final film outing; brain warping Lois Lane, playing both his personas off her and Mariel Hemmingway in a twisted double date, almost killing a gym teacher, allowing a subway train driver to die, and finally, of course, forcing the hand of the World Super Powers into kickstarting nuclear Armageddon.
But though we're finding it hard to love the character, we find it easy to love the film. So join Phil Gee, with Jamie Williams, Justin Korthof, and Randall Maynard as we lovingly guide you through the earnestness, the nostalgia, the Nuclear Men, the great story trying to get out, and those other-worldly special effects in, what is arguably, a better film than 'Superman III'
It's our greatest adventure......and it's for all of you.
Download the audio only MP3 version right here:
Reader Comments (9)
Once again, a pleasure to watch. To address the "III vs. IV" question you posed at the beginning, IV definitely has a better grasp of its tone and its ideas than III, but III does at least feel well-made from a technical perspective; I simply can’t get past how cheap/shoddy so much of IV looks. The movie is actually unpleasant to look at, and for that reason alone, I give the edge to III. Mind, I’d probably never choose of my own free will to watch either of them again, but in a “Sophie’s Choice” type scenario, I’d have to say I’d rather watch III. But IV’s heart is certainly in the right place, and I give it credit for being ambitious.
I’m anxiously awaiting Cavill’s take on the character, but Reeve will always be what first comes to my mind when I hear the word Superman.
To be fair Phil, the May Day parade of solider, tanks, and missiles through Red Square was an actual occurrence in the Soviet Union. It is a classic part of Soviet iconography.
@Brett Blake
I think you've nailed the reason I was conflicted. The look is a factor. Randall reminded me of it especially when he talked about the cinematography of III and how, even though what you're looking at is horrible, it technically looks good.
@DKDetective
I'm sure it is. I just think to do that in a world where Superman exists, and he's an arsehole, you're asking for trouble.
A couple of things:
Jon Cryer recently spoke of his experiences for Superman IV: http://www.avclub.com/articles/jon-cryer-on-charlie-sheens-work-ethic-and-correct,97494/3/
You were right to point out that Reeve was hands on for Superman IV. He did have a lot of input on the moon sequence but also in another video seems to suggest he did more on other scenes too:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDgoc7ZIuao
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZrS1giU6oQw
About labelling Clark/Superman as a dick in Superman IV here's another theory to consider: The biggest twist is that we all been fooled in thinking that Good Clark/Superman won the fight in Superman III when it was quite the opposite. We're watching a wolf in sheeps clothes in Superman IV. To quote Admiral Ackbar: IT'S A TRAP!!! ;-)
Big thumbs up for the inclusion of Paul Fishman's soundtrack although i missed "Revolution now" (which by the way reminds me a little of Peter Gabriel's "Big Time").
I too join you in celebrating Chris Reeve... he's gone for so many years but i really, really can't see anyone doing Superman or be Superman. Even if Cavill turns out to be a great Superman i don't feel he's MY superman.
RIP Chris and thank you for everything
http://i41.tinypic.com/4v6dl4.jpg
What can be said about Superman IV? It's Mr. Reeve's final outing as the Man of Steel, yet doesn't deserve to be, given the final product. Cannon had no business making this movie and should never have been sold the option. I still wish that at the 11th hour Donner and Mankiewicz could have convinced WB to work with them and buy the option back from Cannon. The Salkinds might have tried to stop it, but if they had been successful, IMAGINE the film we could have had! We might have even gotten a 5 and 6 to end the series! Ah, what could have been.
As always, I look forward to the next one!
@Springrose
Good God, you cracked it! It was the Drunk Bum Sluperman that won. If only Superman Returns followed on from IV. Then that movie would make some sense too.
Thank you for the Jon Cryer article. That was a good read.
@Kal-El Fan
I can't tell you how pleased I am with the next show. It's a double length episode and nowhere near finished yet but it'll be a good one.
>what is arguably, a better film than 'Superman III'
Whoa whoa whoa...I vehemently disagree. From the awful effects compared to III, to Chris Reeve being out of shape compared to III, to the feeling of "going back to the well" compared to III trying to do something different, to everything being sketched out rather than fully explored ... IV is clearly for me a far worse film than III. The only actually good sequence with a modicum of vitality is the Clark/Superman double date in the middle of the film. Everything else is either papered over (plot points), mailed in (the effects), lame retreads of previous accomplishments (Lenny being an especially lame facsimile of Otis) or just plane bad (Lois breathing in space, for crying out loud!!!)
Phil, the mp3 link is not working in either IE or Chrome.
The MP3 link should now be working. Sorry about the inconvenience folks.