Superman (1978)
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A man of immense power must navigate his dual identity as a mild-mannered reporter while battling a villainous mastermind.
The story
The film depicts the origin of Superman, beginning with his infancy as Kal-El on the doomed planet Krypton. Sent to Earth, he is raised in the rural town of Smallville by the Kents. Growing up with unique physiology and superhuman abilities, he eventually moves to the city of Metropolis. There, he adopts the persona of Clark Kent, a mild-mannered reporter for the Daily Planet. While attempting to keep his true identity secret from his colleagues and his romantic interest, Lois Lane, he must confront the threat of the villainous Lex Luthor, who seeks to exploit his powers and endanger the world.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
On the planet Krypton, Jor-El sends his infant son Kal-El to Earth before the planet's destruction. Raised in Smallville by the Kents, the boy develops superhuman abilities. After his father's death, he travels to the Arctic to find his heritage and adopts the persona of Clark Kent, a reporter in Metropolis. He eventually reveals himself as the 'caped wonder' to save Lois Lane from a helicopter accident. Meanwhile, Lex Luthor discovers the existence of Kryptonite and plots to use it to destroy the western U.S. and claim land. After a confrontation where Luthor traps Superman and uses Kryptonite to weaken him, a series of events leads to a crisis where a missile threatens the coast. After a failed attempt to save Lois Lane from a resulting disaster, Superman ignores his father's warnings and travels back in time to prevent her death and the missile's detonation. He ultimately defeats Luthor and emerges as a hero.
- First release year
- 1978
- Runtime (minutes)
- 143
- Production countries
- United Kingdom; United States; Switzerland
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Richard Donner
- Writers
- Mario Puzo · screenplay; David Newman · screenplay; Leslie Newman · screenplay; Robert Benton · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Marlon Brando · Jor-El; Gene Hackman · Lex Luthor; Christopher Reeve · Clark Kent / Superman; Ned Beatty · Otis; Jackie Cooper · Perry White; Glenn Ford · Jonathan Kent; Trevor Howard · the First Elder; Margot Kidder · Lois Lane
- Genres
- superhero; science fiction; fantasy; action
- Themes
- hero's journey; identity; sacrifice; Christian symbolism
- Tone and mood
- serious; heroic; mythic
- Premise and plot tags
- origin story; superhero; time travel
- Source material / true-story basis
- DC Comics
- Franchise connections
- Superman
- Reception
- The film was a critical and financial success, praised for its special effects, score, and the lead performance. It was widely regarded as one of the top ten films of 1978.
- Awards and nominations
- Special Achievement Academy Award · Visual Effects · Won; Hugo Award · Best Dramatic Presentation · Won; Saturn Award · Best Science Fiction Film · Won; Grammy Award · Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media · Won; Academy Award · Best Film Editing · Nominated; Academy Award · Best Music (Original Score) · Nominated; Academy Award · Best Sound · Nominated; British Academy Film Award · Best Newcomer · Won
- Production trivia
- The film was the most expensive film made up to that point.; The production was intended to film both Superman and Superman II simultaneously.; The film was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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