Product Description

Superman matches wits with an evil mastermind and a computer genius who discovers the one substance which can harm the man of steel.
Item Type: DVD Movie
Item Rating: PG
Street Date: 02/08/05
Wide Screen: yes
Director Cut: no
Special Edition: no
Language: ENGLISH
Foreign Film: noSubtitles: no
Dubbed: no
Full Frame: no
Re-Release: no
Packaging: Sleeve

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #79746 in DVD
• Brand: WEA
• Released on: 2001-05-01
• Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
• ESRB Rating: Teen
• Formats: Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: English, French
• Subtitled in: English, Spanish, French, Portuguese
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: 1.20 pounds
• Running time: 125 minutes

Amazon.com
Here was a case in which the progenitors of this successful comic-book adaptation figured they had to go in a new direction--and chose the wrong one. For starters, they recruited comedian Richard Pryor, who was the kiss of death for almost every movie he was in except his own concert films. He plays a computer specialist who is hired by a criminal mastermind (Robert Vaughan) to help him take on Superman by exposing him to a new form of Kryptonite: red Kryptonite, which always had unpredictable effects in the comic books. In this film, it splits Superman in two, dividing his good self from his dark side. The special effects had gone about as far as they could, and this movie strains to hold an audience's interest for its full running length. --Marshall Fine

Customer Reviews

Today, Coffee...Tomorrow, OIL! A Good Movie? NEVER!
Conceived as a vehicle for comedian Richard Pryor, Superman III is the least successful of the series. Despite a somewhat prescient storyline dealing with the use of computers to manipulate the economy, the script has no depth and very little entertainment value. Margot Kidder's Lois Lane has been reduced to a brief walk-on part, and the rest of the cast appears to be merely going through the motions. Even Christopher Reeve, who was reportedly very angry about the producers treatment of Kidder, is lacking his usual charm.

The visual effects are not on the same level as in the previous two movies: models blatantly look miniature, most of the flying sequences look two-dimensional, and there are numerous instances of visible wires... In short, there is none of the epic-scope that marked the first film and most of the second. ...the final confrontation between Superman and the supercomputer is flat out boring--looking as if it has been lifted from a cheap 1950s science-fiction movie. Lester's Metropolis scenes lack the razzmatazz of Richard Donner's scenes in Superman I.

The picture quality on the DVD is good but not outstanding. The sound is flat and lacks dynamic range.

This is not `Superman III'
This is not `Superman III'
This is NOT `Superman III'. If you watch this DVD expecting to see `Superman III' you will be very disappointed. This is not the `Superman III' which played in theatres or was released on VHS.

The DVD is about 30 minutes short. Several scenes have been shortened or deleted altogether without explanation. Nowhere on the DVD does it mention that this is a new "shortened" version of the film.

What's wrong: Most of the missing footage is of the inner circle of the Webster villains.

For example the scene where Vera and Lorelei shack hands angrily is missing, leaving us to wonder why they are standing there is pain

The scene where Ross Webster threatens Gus Gorman with prison is shortened to only the two meeting. Leaving a huge plot hole as to why they are meeting. In the actual scene Ross introduces Gus to Lorelei as his "aerobic astrologist". Lorelei shows how she has bought the toy penguin which caught fire in an earlier scene. As Lorelei plays with the penguin Ross threatens Gus with prison is he does not destroy Columbia.

Gus's description of Superman saving Columbia is also shortened.

The Websters working out in the gym is also shortened.

Most of the edits consist of single lines. For example when Vera tells Gus to stop the oil pumps, Ross says, "Tell him the part about the pumps. I know the you love the part about the pumps." Missing!

When Gus shows his sketches Lorelei comments they are the plans to a computer. After getting odd stares she cover this up with, "A hairdryer?"

There are many other scenes as well. While the film does not rise or fall on these scenes my point is that it's very annoying that the DVD makers would simply edit out these lines thinking the audience wouldn't notice.

This is not `Superman III'.

While most DVDs boast containing bonus footage some DVDs have now started editing out footage for a shorter running time. Yet there is no mention on the `Superman III' cover box that this is any type of alternate version.

Stunningly Bad!!!!!!!!
I went back and rented all of the Superman movies after they came out on DVD. The first two Superman movies were entertaining. This one is incredibly dumb!

It clearly shows that Richard Donner (the director of the first feature) was definitely the sole talent behind the success of Superman. In the documentaries featured in the DVD of the first feature, Donner emphasized the word "verismilitude" as the main focus of the Superman movies. This was what made the first Superman so entertaining. Donner was fired after the first one's release and not given credit for directing II, but he filmed much of it and clearly set the tone for how II was to be done. This gave Richard Lester a very easy path to work on.

Superman III is the first feature without any of Donner's services, and the result is a complete disaster. Gone is Donner's verismilitude and what's left is lame attempts at dumb humor scene after scene. What is Richard Pryor doing in a Superman movie anyway? All of the actors looked embarrasing in their roles. Christopher Reeve looks especially bored. Maybe he saw what a turkey he was in, or maybe he was just tired of the role.

This clearly killed the series.