Superman II: The Final Cut & Superman II: Theatrical Cut Redux (Released)

At looooong last, my Superman II HD fan edit is ready for prime time! It’s taken me so long to complete this project, in fact, that I now have two different versions of the film. Each cut is presented in full 1080P HD with a DTS-HD Master Audio track on a BD-50 disk. Now on to the details.

Superman II: The Final Cut
This is essentially the Richard Donner cut, but with a bit of the Richard Lester footage added back in. I think Donner cut a bit too much of the Lester footage so I added back where it seemed appropriate. The beginning intro where the villains kill the Kryptonian guard is restored, segueing into the Donner cut revisitation of Jor-El passing judgment on them. A few snippets of slightly humorous scenes with the villains were restored such as Non trying to burn the snake, the first confrontations in East Houston, and of course, the Richard Lester memory kiss. There’s a few other minor rearrangements and additions here and there which I can detail in full at another time.

Superman II: Theatrical Cut Redux
While working on my original edit I realized the Richard Donner cut, although my preferred version of the film, had a few flaws that really nothing could be done about. One is the whole technical issue of having to use test footage for his big reveal to Lois, and another is the fact that Superman barely gets to do any heroics in it. He technically doesn’t show up until the Niagara Falls scene and then shows up in Metropolis to fight the villains near the end … and that’s about it. This version of the film has most of the original theatrical cut intro, the Paris scenes, the Lester versions of Lois jumping (into the river) and the pink bear reveal. Also, it maintains the more patriotic ending where Superman promises the president he’ll never let him down again.

Depending on whatever version you prefer, I think you’ll be pleased with my results. Also, on each disk I’ve included the original Donner and/or Lester versions of the scenes for comparison.

Technically, I could see about releasing these today. However, I’m not happy with the rudimentary menu for each version of the film I’ve created in MultiAVCHD and would like to also have created both disk art and Blu-Ray cover art. Unfortunately, I don’t have the skills to do so, so I’m putting out an open call for a partner on this project. Anyone who can do menus or create professional looking artwork for this who would be interested in helping get one fan’s definitive Superman II releases out to the fan community would be welcome to my initial project files. If any of you could even pass along the names of anyone who might be interested in teaming up with me, please pm me with any and all details.

I’m very eager to finally release this after all these years!

Sounds wonderful. I really like some of your choices in your edits. I always preferred the pink bear reveal as it was perfect, and... "if it aint broke don't fix it!" :-)

There are good and bad parts to both cuts, which is why I suppose it makes sense to take the strengths of each and utilise them accordingly.

I am definitely checking these out. I joined the fan edit community a few months after the release of The Donner Cut and can honestly say that I've seen *pretty much* every fan edit of Superman 2. However, this will be the first one I see in HD. Can't wait!!

Btw, has any color correction been done? I hate how the blu-rays suffer from the teal push that all the classics seem to be getting on blu these days. The Superman films are the worse offender of course since his costume is supposed to be blue lol.

I actually did do a bit of color correction on one shot. It's a bit beyond my capabilities, so I wasn't up to the task of color correcting the whole thing. All in all, it still looks pretty nice. The Lester cut footage is a bit newer so more natural grain is retained. The Richard Donner cut, not so much. Still haven't heard from anyone about a team-up so I'll be checking on Fanedit.org in a few days. If I still hear nothing I'll likely post my version at some point. Was considering MySpleen but not sure they want massive files? We're talking about 45 gigs a piece.

I've very excited about this. Mostly because I was just about to get started on such a project (and had seen no evidence of an HD Donner "redux" type edit yet on the net!)

And your Theatrical Cut sounds like just what I wanted! The "pink bear scene" just works better than the sessions that compose the bullet scene. I really like booshman's DVD. He cleaned up the bullet scene so that Clark's hair and glasses don't change every few seconds, and gave an option to branch to the bear scene instead.

But going one step further and including more of Paris is a great call. Yes, it's tangential to the plot, but it's a great part of the Lester cut. I wasn't going to do this, but I'd like to see how it works.

Questions:

Since you're using the Paris bomb, how are the villains freed? Presumably by that bomb and not the nukes? Is the Superman I recap not included then? And if it is, have you kept the very poor effect overlays from the Donner discs out?

Does Lois sleep with Clark or Superman? (ie, before or after depowering him)

Is "general, would you care to step outside?" reinstated? Great line.

And most importantly, is the time travel ending included? This little issue (and the official "Bullet" scene) is the main thing that keeps me from showing people the Donner cut. We've just watched Superman I (or recently), why on earth would we want to see the same ridiculous Deus Ex Machina ending?! Granted, if it wasn't supposed to be in the first movie, it makes sense that it would be in Donner's original vision for the second. But it *was* in the first and should *not* be reused!

Anyway, thanks for doing this! I'll check it out, regardless of your answers to the above! :)

A cut list for both versions would be nice, as opposed to vague "this theatrical version has a bit more Donner stuff" and "this Donner version has a bit more theatrical stuff" (not to mention a cutlist is easier to read than a paragraph).

Sorry for my attitude, the reason I'm so anal about it is cuz I made my own fan edit of Superman 2 around 4-6 years ago, and went through 7 drafts. My cut was mostly all the "best of" edit ideas from every edit made (at the time) all pooled together to make my own personal "definitive version" (I included Selutron's clips as well, though I did my own further edits to his scenes), as well my own edits that no one else has done (I used a lot of stuff from the tv edit that neither the theatrical or Donner cut have, though it's mostly audio overdubs since there were better line readings and music cues). So this vague description doesn't cut it for me, I need intricate details, lol.

As someone who has followed these edits for many years as well, and is obviously picky (see above), I understand your frustration, though not to the same degree as I've not attempted my own just yet.

He has another thread where he posted his list of edits, at least for the first version. I imagine some things have changed, though?

I'm done with doing any more detailed changes lists until these are ready for prime time. The Donner Cut is done and ready but I do have one little tweak I think I'm still going to attempt for the Lester version. Also, until I have disk art and blu-ray cover sleeve art I don't want to release it. Haven't had much luck finding a graphic designer to assist. Anyone can recommend anyone?

Finally found someone who can assist with creating a real Blu-Ray cover and disk art so this project is still inching forward.

Superman II: Theatrical Cut Redux, sounds a bit similar to  Superman II : The Richard Donner Cut Redux, don't you think?

Not that I have any rights to the Redux label, since it's been used on many projects, but I do think there is enough of a level of association where Superman 2 is concerned to cause confusion.

C'mon, now my whole project is RUINED! Lol. Can easily replace Redux with some other adjective. At the rate things are going, this is essentially going to be vaporware with the exception of the approximately 3 people who have seen it. Still haven't gotten around to having someone do disk and cover art. :(

Funcha said:

C'mon, now my whole project is RUINED! Lol. Can easily replace Redux with some other adjective. At the rate things are going, this is essentially going to be vaporware with the exception of the approximately 3 people who have seen it. Still haven't gotten around to having someone do disk and cover art. :(

 :(

Still very much looking forward to it. Hopefully you can recruit an artist. 

Any updates on this?

Booshman, after seeing what you've done, I'm putting my project completely on hold. You're going far beyond what I was capable of. I would strongly recommend you go lossless for the audio, if at all possible, though.

Bit confused. Did this project or an updated HD version of Booshman's edit ever come to fruition? 

I got the urge to revisit the Christopher Reeves Superman films recently and remembered that both commercial BDs of II are unsatisfying in different degrees. 

The Aluminum Falcon said:

Bit confused. Did this project or an updated HD version of Booshman's edit ever come to fruition? 

I got the urge to revisit the Christopher Reeves Superman films recently and remembered that both commercial BDs of II are unsatisfying in different degrees. 

 Booshman is still working in his HD remake of 2. He also worked on fixing up the color timing for the blu-rays for parts 3 and 4, so the HD edit of 2 has been sidetracked for a while now.

Funcha said:

Booshman, after seeing what you've done, I'm putting my project completely on hold. You're going far beyond what I was capable of. I would strongly recommend you go lossless for the audio, if at all possible, though.

 Hey, I only just saw this message today. Sorry to hear you're cancelling your project. Hope my edit will make it worth it in the end. As Tyler has stated,  I have just released a recolored edition of Superman IV, and have III on the way. After that I will be back to it. The audio, as for all of my HD edits will be DTS-HD MA. 

this is the superman 2 i'd like to see Selutron's Superman II here's link to youtube searches:

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=superman+2+selutron

jedimasterobiwan said:

this is the superman 2 i'd like to see Selutron's Superman II here's link to youtube searches:

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=superman+2+selutron

 A little late to the party Jedi. Selutron has been well known amongst both the Superman film fans and the fan editors around here since he first started posting those videos back in 2006 lol.

I have an unreleased fan edit of Superman 2 that I made that does use a lot of Selutron's clips. Though I did some revisions of my own to bridge certain clips together.

yeah but he just released his idea for the ending did you see that?

jedimasterobiwan said:

yeah but he just released his idea for the ending did you see that?

 Sure did.

TylerDurden389 said:

jedimasterobiwan said:

yeah but he just released his idea for the ending did you see that?

 Sure did.

 what are your thoughts on it?

Eh, another "get outta jail free card". Jor-el uses further magic powers to get Superman outta a jam. I can forgive it for him getting his super-powers back, but not to reverse time and do the very thing he warned his son against in the first film.

I've been using the "Lois knows his identity and is fine with it" ending that I came up with 5-8 years ago (and that other editors have begun using as well) as my "go-to" ending and haven't looked back since.

TylerDurden389 said:

Eh, another "get outta jail free card". Jor-el uses further magic powers to get Superman outta a jam. I can forgive it for him getting his super-powers back, but not to reverse time and do the very thing he warned his son against in the first film.

I've been using the "Lois knows his identity and is fine with it" ending that I came up with 5-8 years ago (and that other editors have begun using as well) as my "go-to" ending and haven't looked back since.

 so 3 and 4 don't exist to you ;)

Yes and no. I watch "Superman Redeemed" when I want my fix of evil Supes and Nuclear Man ;)