Dear Richard Donner,
Your version of Superman II is awful. And much like Superman III & IV, your Lethal Weapon 3 & 4 are unwatchable too.
I was very upset when I listened to the commentary with Dick Donner and Tom Mankiewicz (RIP). They're both arrogant, selfish babies who spend their time trashing everything that Richard Lester did instead of being grateful that the film's still watchable 30 years later. Who are they to tell me that there are rules for Superman? (Mankiewicz says only Superman kisses Lois, not Clark. Duh! Why do you think he took his glasses off at the end of Superman II when kissing Lois? Idiot.)
For all of the accusing of Lester inserting humor, how do you explain when Donner does it also and worse? (Toilet flushing at the Fortress of Solitude, Jewish remarks at Niagara Falls, bedwetting pointing from Otis, Lois' Superman nightie). His Daily Planet opening looks clumsy compared to the exciting Paris opening. Niagara Falls is more ambiguous and better than Lois' blanks. If Supe and Lois can have sex, why give up his powers? The extra Marlon Brando stuff is redundant (except for Supe getting his powers back scene). Worse yet, just to not use Lester's affectionate ending, he slaps the unfinished part 1 ending back on as if we're expected to understand and side with him. Sorry Dick. Lester = 1, Donner = 0. Everything that Lester touched is an improvement on what's offered here.
In the future, whenever I'm in the mood to watch Superman II, I'll stick with the better constructed theatrical version. You know, the one without the chip on its shoulder.
Your version of Superman II is awful. And much like Superman III & IV, your Lethal Weapon 3 & 4 are unwatchable too.
I was very upset when I listened to the commentary with Dick Donner and Tom Mankiewicz (RIP). They're both arrogant, selfish babies who spend their time trashing everything that Richard Lester did instead of being grateful that the film's still watchable 30 years later. Who are they to tell me that there are rules for Superman? (Mankiewicz says only Superman kisses Lois, not Clark. Duh! Why do you think he took his glasses off at the end of Superman II when kissing Lois? Idiot.)
For all of the accusing of Lester inserting humor, how do you explain when Donner does it also and worse? (Toilet flushing at the Fortress of Solitude, Jewish remarks at Niagara Falls, bedwetting pointing from Otis, Lois' Superman nightie). His Daily Planet opening looks clumsy compared to the exciting Paris opening. Niagara Falls is more ambiguous and better than Lois' blanks. If Supe and Lois can have sex, why give up his powers? The extra Marlon Brando stuff is redundant (except for Supe getting his powers back scene). Worse yet, just to not use Lester's affectionate ending, he slaps the unfinished part 1 ending back on as if we're expected to understand and side with him. Sorry Dick. Lester = 1, Donner = 0. Everything that Lester touched is an improvement on what's offered here.
In the future, whenever I'm in the mood to watch Superman II, I'll stick with the better constructed theatrical version. You know, the one without the chip on its shoulder.
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