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FEATURED SUPERVIDEOS

19 YEARS AGO-
October 10, 2005.
Remembering Christopher Reeve.
VIDEO: The Insider Segment.

SUPER TRIVIA

SUPER TRIVIA- Falling Kryptonians disappear in the last frame.

YESTERYEARS NEWS TODAY!

Thursday, October 17, 2024

46 YEARS AGO TODAY-
SUPERMAN THE MOVIE-
Tuesday, October 17, 1978. M Stage, Pinewood Studios.
Less than two months before its scheduled theatrical release, the production is still at work filming sequences.
My vintage production records show that tentatively filmed this week were the baby Kal-El in the spaceship sequences.
Actors Elizabeth Sweetman and Matthew Hinton portray Kal-El in various stages of age as he makes his way to Earth.
M Stage had previously been the White House set, and later redressed to serve as Lois Lane’s penthouse.
PICTURED: Article from the time.

44 YEARS AGO TODAY-
SUPERMAN THE MOVIE-
Friday, October 17, 1980.
It’s 1980, the film is airing all month long on premium cable channels and is also available on home video, you’re going to need something spiffy to view it on. Head on down to your local Broadway Southwest and pick up one of these nifty 13″ or 19″ (WITH remote) RCA television sets for the low-looow price of $429, or what today would be over $1600.
PICTURED: Newspaper ad.

Wednesday, October 16, 2024

DISCLAIMER:
THE ARTICLES PRESENTED HERE ARE PRODUCTS OF THEIR TIME. THEY MAY DEPICT PREJUDICES FROM THE CAST, CREW AND PUBLISHER THAT WERE COMMONPLACE IN AMERICAN SOCIETY. WHILE THESE PREJUDICES DO NOT REPRESENT THIS WEBSITE’S VIEWS, THE TEXT IS BEING PRESENTED AS IT WAS ORIGINALLY PRINTED, BECAUSE TO DO OTHERWISE WOULD BE THE SAME AS CLAIMING THESE PREJUDICES NEVER EXISTED.
-Alex

46 YEARS AGO TODAY-
SUPERMAN THE MOVIE-
Monday, October 16, 1978.
The reviews for the SUPERMAN THE MOVIE trailer are in, and Reeve is too “fruity” to fly in a fairytale film.
PICTURED: Article from the time.

43 YEARS AGO TODAY-
SUPERMAN II-
Friday, October 16, 1981.
Time to visit the video store and pick out a movie.
PICTURED: Newspaper ad.

38 YEARS AGO TODAY-
SUPERMAN IV-
Thursday, October 16, 1986. Stage 6, Elstree Studios.
Mariel Hemingway has a promotional photo shoot as Lacy Warfield.
Note the Luthor’s penthouse backdrop and Gene Hackman’s name on the back of the
PICTURED: Various stills from the day.

38 YEARS AGO TODAY-
SUPERMAN IV-
Thursday, October 16, 1986. Stage 6, Elstree Studios.
Filming Nuclear Man 2’s first arrival at Luthor’s penthouse.
PICTURED: Various stills from the day.

29 YEARS AGO TODAY-
CHRISTOPHER REEVE-
Monday, October 16, 1995. Pierre Hotel, New York.
Christopher Reeve makes his first public appearance since his horse riding accident.
PICTURED: Article from the time.

Saturday, October 12, 2024

44 YEARS AGO TODAY-
SUPERMAN THE MOVIE-
Sunday, October 12, 1980.
The theatrical version premieres on the HBO premium cable channel.
PICTURED: HBO guide cover and summary, television guide ad.

Friday, October 11, 2024

44 YEARS AGO TODAY-
SUPERMAN THE MOVIE-
Saturday, October 11, 1980.
The theatrical version premieres on the Showtime premium cable channel.
PICTURED: Television guide ad.

Thursday, October 10, 2024

45 YEARS AGO TODAY-
SUPERMAN II-
Wednesday, October 10, 1979. 007 Stage, Pinewood Studios.
Director Richard Lester films the Fortress of Solitude dinner scenes.
A short bit filmed but deleted from the theatrical release has Superman baking a soufflé with his heat vision just prior to the dinner scene, it’s what you see them eating in the film, dessert. This sequence was added to the extended tv version. Although not included in the film in the bluray, DVD or 4K releases of the 117 minutes version of SUPERMAN II THE RICHARD DONNER CUT, the scene did appear within the film in the 122 minutes streaming version no longer available. It’s also available as a special feature in the post 2006 DVD, blurays and 4K releases deleted scenes section of the theatrical version of SUPERMAN II.
Another short scene filmed and featured only in the extended tv version (cut in the ABC airings in the U.S.) shows Lois walking into a secluded part of the Fortress just after the dinner and pulling out the nightgown from her purse that she is later seen wearing when Superman depowers.
Ironically, just two years earlier, director Richard Donner was filming the Fortress of Solitude exterior for SUPERMAN THE MOVIE and SUPERMAN II on the same set.
PICTURED: Various stills.

44 YEARS AGO TODAY-
SUPERMAN THE MOVIE-
Friday, October 10, 1980.
The film prepares for its HBO premiere on October 12.
PICTURED: Television guide ads.

Wednesday, October 9, 2024

43 YEARS AGO TODAY-
SUPERMAN THE MOVIE and SUPERMAN II-
Thursday, October 9, 1981.
Less than four months since its North American theatrical release, the theatrical version of SUPERMAN II is released on home video on VHS and Betamax formats.
This release would be the same print later seen in the red clamshell case.
SUPERMAN THE MOVIE is released for a third time on VHS and Betamax.
The previous VHS and Betamax big cardboard box releases of SUPERMAN THE MOVIE by WCI Home Video and Warner Home Video had been sped up and the end credits reduced to bring the original running time of 143 minutes down to 127 minutes in order to fit the film on one cassette due to video tape length limitations of the time, this release is that same 127 minute print but slightly altered, making this home video release of SUPERMAN THE MOVIE different from all other officially released versions of the film.
The release of SUPERMAN II on home video causes a stir in the video rental community, as Warner Bros. makes its video library for rental only to video stores.
Essentially, video stores would lease the tapes from Warner Home Video, and then rent them out to customers. After six months of rental, the video store would be allowed to purchase the used video cassettes at a discounted price. Many video stores refused to carry Warner titles, citing that if they rented a title from Warner for their store, an if that title didn’t rent out that week to customers, the video store would be out of money.
Basically, Warner Bros. wanted to treat video stores like movie theatres: you rent the films from them weekly, then you charge people to watch them.
At this point in history, the film was yet to open theatrically in India, Thailand, Colombia, Uruguay, Turkey and Peru.
For the only time in the history of the videocassettes released on home video in the U.S., the title on the labels of the videocassettes depict the film’s respective logo lettering (previous and later releases featured a basic text font).
PICTURED: Video store promotional poster, newspaper ads and articles, video covers and VHS and Betamax videocassettes.

Sunday, October 6, 2024

43 YEARS AGO TODAY-
SUPERMAN II-
Tuesday, October 6, 1981.
Less than four months since its U.S. theatrical release, the film prepares to make its home video debut in just under a week.
PICTURED: Newspaper ad.

Saturday, October 5, 2024

44 YEARS AGO TODAY-
SUPERMAN THE MOVIE-
Sunday, October 5, 1980.
The film makes its world television premiere airing on the ONTV and Prism cable networks.
Since the WCI Home Video release of the film at the time had been a sped up and edited from 143 to 127 minutes version of the film in order to fit it on one videocassette due to tape length limitations of the time, this airing also marks the home media premiere of the complete theatrical version.
PICTURED: Television guide ad.

Friday, October 4, 2024

44 YEARS AGO TODAY-
SUPERMAN THE MOVIE-
Saturday, October 4, 1980.
The film prepares for its cable television premiere.
PICTURED: Television guide ad.

Thursday, October 3, 2024

44 YEARS AGO TODAY-
CHRISTOPHER REEVE-
Friday, October 3, 1980.
SOMEWHERE IN TIME opens theatrically in the U.S. more than a year after completion.
PICTURED: Newspaper ads.
VIDEO: Theatrical trailer.

Wednesday, October 2, 2024

44 YEARS AGO TODAY-
SUPERMAN THE MOVIE-
Thursday, October 2, 1980.
The film prepares for its cable television premiere.
PICTURED: Magazine ad. (slightly different than the one posted yesterday)

38 YEARS AGO TODAY-
SUPERMAN IV-
Thursday, October 2, 1986. The Sir Frank Markham Comprehensive School, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, England
Day four of principal has the production filming the football game sequences for the intended, but theatrically deleted, finale of the film.
This sequence can be seen in widescreen with unfinished fx and temporary music on the post-2006 DVD, blu-ray and 4K releases in the deleted scenes section.
PICTURED: Various stills from the sequence and article from the time.

Tuesday, October 1, 2024

44 YEARS AGO TODAY-
SUPERMAN THE MOVIE-
Wednesday, October 1, 1980.
The film prepares for its cable television premiere.
PICTURED: Magazine ad.

38 YEARS AGO TODAY-
SUPERMAN IV-
Wednesday, October 1, 1986.
Day three of principal photography has the production filming portions of the tornado sequence.
This sequence was featured completed with music and special fx in the theatrical cut in various countries outside of the U.S., giving that version of the film a running time of 93 minutes.
The scene also appeared in the film in various home video releases outside of the U.S.
Post-2006 DVD, blu-ray and 4K home video releases contain the sequence in widescreen with temporary music and unfinished fx as a special feature in the deleted scenes section.
The Japanese widescreen laserdisc features the sequence within the film with finished fx and music, though oddly cropped to show less of the picture image compared to it as seen in the special features section of the DVDs, blu-rays and 4K releases.
The scene was included in the film with finished fx and music when it became available for television syndication from May 1990 to 2000.
Christopher Reeve’s daughter Alexandra Reeve plays Jenny, the little girl swept up by the tornado and rescued by Superman.
The farmhouse seen here is also the Kent farmhouse seen at the beginning of the film when Clark returns to Smallville, it was destroyed in a windstorm in May 1987.
PICTURED: Various stills from the sequence and trivia.

Monday, September 30, 2024

44 YEARS AGO TODAY-
SUPERMAN THE MOVIE-
Tuesday, September 30, 1980.
The film prepares for its cable television premiere in October.
PICTURED: Television guide ad.

38 YEARS AGO TODAY-
SUPERMAN IV-
Tuesday, September 30, 1986. Baldock, Hertfordshire, England.
Filming occurs on portions of the Kent farm sequences.
PICTURED: Stills from the sequence and article from the time.

Sunday, September 29, 2024

44 YEARS AGO TODAY-
SUPERMAN THE MOVIE-
Monday, September 29, 1980.
The film prepares for its cable television premiere in October.
PICTURED: Television guide ad.

38 YEARS AGO TODAY-
SUPERMAN IV-
Monday, September 29, 1986. Baldock, Hertfordshire, England.
Principal photography begins with the filming of Clark visiting the Kent’s grave and portions of the Kent farm barn interior.
The sequence of Clark at the Kent’s grave has never been seen publicly outside of the test screenings.
PICTURED: Stills from the sequence and articles from the time.

38 YEARS AGO TODAY-
SUPERMAN IV-
Monday, September 29, 1986.
The search for a Lacy Warfield continues.
PICTURED: Article from the time.

Saturday, September 28, 2024

46 YEARS AGO-
SUPERMAN THE MOVIE-
Thursday, September 28, 1978.
More than two months before the movie opens theatrically, newspapers nationwide in the U.S. spoil the ending.
PICTURED: Article from the time.

44 YEARS AGO-
SOMEWHERE IN TIME-
Sunday, September 28, 1980.
Christopher Reeve interviews.
PICTURED: Article from the time.

44 YEARS AGO-
SUPERMAN THE MOVIE-
Sunday, September 28, 1980.
The film prepares for its cable television premiere in October.
PICTURED: Television guide ad.

36 YEARS AGO-
CHRISTOPHER REEVE-
Wednesday, September 28, 1988.
Christopher Reve films portions of his segment for the upcoming ABC TV special THE WORLD’S GREATEST STUNTS.
PICTURED: Article from the time.

Friday, September 27, 2024

33 YEARS AGO-
SUPERMAN III-
Friday, September 27, 1991.
The extended TV version airs on KMSP.
PICTURED: Television guide ad.

Wednesday, September 25, 2024

44 YEARS AGO TODAY-
SUPERMAN THE MOVIE-
Thursday, September 25, 1980.
The theatrical version readies for its cable television premiere in October.
PICTURED: Television guide ad.

22 YEARS AGO TODAY!
CHRISTOPHER REEVE-
Wednesday, September 25, 2002.
Christopher Reeve celebrates his 50th birthday at a party thrown by friends Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta Jones, who also share the same birthday as Reeve.
PICTURED: Various stills from the evening.

Tuesday, September 24, 2024

38 YEARS AGO TODAY-
SUPERMAN THE MOVIE-
Wednesday, September 24, 1986.
The theatrical version airs on the Showtime premium cable channel.
PICTURED: Television guide summary.

Monday, September 23, 2024

16 YEARS AGO TODAY-
SUPERMAN THE MOVIE-
Tuesday, September 23, 2008.
PBS airs YOU MUST REMEMBER THIS: THE WARNER BROS. STORY, featuring cast and crew interviews from SUPERMAN THE MOVIE.
VIDEO: YOU MUST REMEMBER THIS- THE WARNER BROS STORY segment.

Sunday, September 22, 2024

43 YEARS AGO
CHRISTOPHER REEVE-
Tuesday, September 22, 1981.
Christopher Reeve charities for the stage.
PICTURED: Article from the time.

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