Product Description

Actors: Christopher Reeve. Richard Pryor. Jackie Cooper. Robert Vaughn. Annette O'Toole. Christopher Reeves. Pamela Stephenson. Robert Vaughn. Margot Kidder. Gavan O'Herlihy Director: Richard Lester. Studio: Warner Home Video. Rated: NR. Runtime: 2 Hours 5 Minutes. Features: Color Enhancing its comic book action with broad comedy -- and lots of it -- Superman III gives Christopher Reeve's Man of Steel a delightful foil in Richard Pryor, whose energetic performance adds considerable oomph to this 1983 entry in the series. Pryor plays a skittish, wisecracking computer operator who inadvertently contributes to Superman's near defeat at the hands of archvillain Robert Vaughn. Annette O'Toole contributes additional spice as Clark Kent's old flame, Lana Lang, who sparks the mild-mannered reporter's fires while Margot Kidder's Lois Lane has a diminished role. Director Richard Lester sacrifices some of the series' mythic qualities in his single-minded pursuit of laughs, as evidenced by an opening-reel slapstick smorgasbord, in addition to Pryor's typical manic antics. Less dramatically intense than the first two installments, Superman III still offers plenty of superpowered action for fans and is clearly the fastest, funniest, and most family friendly film in the series. PRODUCTION AND TECHNICAL NOTES: Aspect Ratio: Cinemascope (2.35:1). Presentation: Wide Screen. Sound: stereo. Features: Interactive menus; Theatrical trailer; Scene access ; Languages: English & Français; Subtitles: English, Français, Español & Português. Language: English, Français. SubTitles: English, Français, Español, Portugais. Time: 2 Hours 5 Minutes

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #54018 in DVD
• 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
• 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

Not that bad: but not that memorable
I've watched bits and pieces of Superman III over the years since it first came on cable back in 1984. Finally I rented the disc yesterday and got a chance to judge it.

First it was great to see the film in a widescreen presentation with good sound. The picture looked great for a film made over 23 years ago (time goes by so fast these days).

As for the film itself, it's not the disaster that so many say. I can't imagine another actor at that time playing Superman other than Christopher Reeve. He was(and many say still is)the perfect embodiment of The Man of Steel. I also thought Annette O'Toole was perfectly cast as Lana Lang. It would've been interesting to see at that time if they decided to do another one to play on the rivalry between Lana and Lois for Clark/Superman's attention.

As for the minus: I have to agree that Richard Pryor's Gus Gorman and Robert Vaughn's Ross Webster weren't that really interesting villains. I know that Gene Hackman, Terrence Stamp, Sarah Douglas and Jack O'Halloran were a tough act to follow but Superman had so many other foes in is rouge gallery such as Brainiac, Toy Man and Bizzaro. It's too bad that two tremendous talents were wasted. Although Annie Ross was very fun to watch as Vaughn's sister Vera.

Also missing is the wonderful Margot Kidder. I know she and the Salkynds were at war over the firing of Richard Donner and Lois was only featured in the beginning and end of the films, but the producers had to know the chemisrty between Reeve and Kidder was extraordinary. Maybe if Lois had gone to Smallville with Clark, that would have made it much more interesting (not to take anything away from Annette as she was wonderful). Oh well.

On the whole: the film was entertaining but not as legendary and memorable as Superman and Superman II.

P.S.: I can't wait to see Superman Returns!

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.

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.