:: theLogBook.com DVD Reviews ::

The 2-disc special edition of Superman Returns is worthwhile, but the extras are a bit of a disappointment for those really interested in the creation of the movie and the thought processes of Bryan Singer and his writers and editors. There is no director’s commentary, nor are there any after-the-fact interviews, so no one has a chance to take a step back and tell stories of particular scenes or particular creative decisions.

There is a lengthy documentary called Requiem for Krypton, whose five parts total about three hours of behind-the-scenes footage during the preproduction and filming. The footage of the various flying rigs used to make the movie work was interesting, and Singer’s personality and filmmaking style become very clear. There is some discussion of the script itself, but that quickly goes by the wayside as sets are built and costumes designed. And plenty of sets were built – Singer was not shy about spending the money to put actual physical sets together, going so far as to plant his own corn field in Tamworth, Australia. (more…)

Whether media is electronic, print, or online it’s a window to a different era. Even that post on a blog is a miniature time machine, tapping into a past perhaps just a few minutes ago. Maybe more than most, works in the public domain capture the zeitgeist of their times more than works in which copyright has been kept up to date.

The classic Superman cartoons produced by Max and Dave Fleischer in the 1940s are a prime example. The brothers are most well known for dozens of Popeye cartoons and for creating Betty Boop. They pioneered rotoscoping, which was used to animate live action, a process that is still in wide use.

The Superman cartoons are much like any of the other Fleischer cartoons, but at an even higher level. (more…)

This DVD project is pretty clearly a celebration of director Richard Donner. The actors and crew members praise him constantly, and of course he gets the director’s commentary to discuss his vision and experiences not just on this film but on Superman II - which was being filmed simultaneously with the first film - as well. He and Creative Consultant Tom Mankiewicz recount some of the conflicts with producers Alexander and Ilya Salkind that resulted in Donner’s firing from the second movie, but they also make it clear that they enjoyed working together and working on the film. (more…)