Superman 1

[Lucky Rathen]

I watched the 1978 film last night for the first time since I was a kid, and perhaps I am just spectacularly dense, but the ending makes no sense. The earthquake happens. Lois Lane gets trapped in her car and crushed to death. Superman finds her body, and grieving he flies into space and turns the world backwards on it's axis, effectively turning back time to before the earthquake happened. In fact you see the effects of the earthquake in reverse, like Lois's car jumping out of the big ravine, the ground closing up again and the dam rebuilding itself.

So howcome when Supes flies back down to Earth, Lois and Jimmy both remember the Earthquake happening? Lois remember the gas station blowing up, and Jimmy says "you picked me up and dropped me in the middle of nowhere in the middle of an earthquake" - but as time was reversed he should have ended up back on the dam and had no memory of Superman being there. And as the time went back to before the missile hit the fault line, when he turned back time the missile should have been back in the sky again. Plus, if he was standing chatting up Lois Lane, there would have to be another Superman stopping the missile that was going to New Jersey.

It makes no sense.

[shaun]

it's superman though, he can do anything he wants.

Well, let's just say that turning the world on it's axis to alter time is not an exact science.

I also like the way you're questioning this aspect of the story but are perfectly happy to accept the concept of the man of steel....


I watched this over the summer when I was going through a really bad time. The bit where he takes Lois flying made me cry uncontrollably. I have no idea why.

[Bigsby]

While we're at it, if Biff takes the DeLorean back to 1955 from 2015 in Back to the Future 2 to give his old self the book of sports results, thus changing the future, how come he is able to take the DeLorean back to the OLD future, ie the one where he stole the car from? I think we should be told.

[GavH]

well if we're goin to pick faults-why doesnt the kid see the big fuck off bullet wound in bruce willis in the sixth sense if he sees every other ghost the way they really are.shouldnt he be scared of him like he is with every other ghost.and how the hell did he end up having an appointment with the kid anyway.did his mum phone up rent-a-ghost pyschiatrists?...

oh yeah i remember.its a fictional film!

[Jan Deal]

Originally Posted by Bigsby

While we're at it, if Biff takes the DeLorean back to 1955 from 2015 in Back to the Future 2 to give his old self the book of sports results, thus changing the future, how come he is able to take the DeLorean back to the OLD future, ie the one where he stole the car from? I think we should be told.

You've just destroyed my enjoyment of the Back to the Future trilogy...

[Bigsby]

Originally Posted by Jan Deal

You've just destroyed my enjoyment of the Back to the Future trilogy...

My work here is done.

[Lucky Rathen]

Well I watched Superman 2 last night, and must say I found it to be superiour in almost every way. Better baddies, better action and it's all go from the outset instead of the long story of Superman's inception which drags on a bit.

That said, the bit when he throws the big cellophane S over the baddies is totally rubbish. And howcome he can suddenly teleport? I've never known Superman to teleport. And at one point there are 4 Supermans, 3 of which are holograms. So can he also project holographic images of himself? This is news to me. I'm watching Superman 3 tonight, tune in tomorrow to hear me moan about it!

EDIT oh and also he blanks Lois' memory by kissing her, again, another Superman power that I think the directors might have taken a little bit of creative licence with.

[Bigsby]

Originally Posted by Elwood Cobra Kai

Well I watched Superman 2 last night, and must say I found it to be superiour in almost every way. Better baddies, better action and it's all go from the outset instead of the long story of Superman's inception which drags on a bit.

That said, the bit when he throws the big cellophane S over the baddies is totally rubbish. And howcome he can suddenly teleport? I've never known Superman to teleport. And at one point there are 4 Supermans, 3 of which are holograms. So can he also project holographic images of himself? This is news to me. I'm watching Superman 3 tonight, tune in tomorrow to hear me moan about it!

EDIT oh and also he blanks Lois' memory by kissing her, again, another Superman power that I think the directors might have taken a little bit of creative licence with.

There was a degree of controversy over Superman 2, Richard Donner was taken off the film. You can get a "Richard Donner" cut on DVD now which cobbles together some of his original footage but I don't know if it clears up your cellaphane/teleporting concerns as I've never seen it.