Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut Redux

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Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut Redux
Faneditor Name:
Original Movie Title:
Franchise:
Fanedit Type:
Original Release Date:
1980/2006
Original Running Time:
PAL = 370; NTSC = 386
Fanedit Release Date:
Fanedit Running Time:
PAL 110; NTSC 115
Time Cut:
26
Time Added:
2-3
Brief Synopsis:
Perhaps the most exhaustive and complete reworking of Superman II to date. Combining footage from the original Lester cut, the 2006 “Donner Cut” and selected footage from Superman The Movie, along with extensive special effects corrections, this is the movie that Richard Donner never got to make, the movie you always wanted.
Intention:
To improve on my first edit of Superman II. To create a cut that I can watch instead of the Donner cut, and as an alternative to the Theatrical Cut. To tie in with STM more closely than either the DC or LC.
Release Information:
  • DVD
  • DVD
  • DVD
  • DVD
Special Features
Dual Layer – Motion menu’s, Trailer, Alternate ending, Deleted Scene, Alternate “Villains return to Daily Planet” scene, Seamless branching option (watch either blank bullets or pink bear scene), “I am General Zod” music video, Credits/ Disclaimer, Resources/ Also Available.

Single Layer – Motion menu’s, Trailer, “I am General Zod” music video, Credits/ Disclaimer, Resources/ Also Available.
Editing Details:
Over 50 new or digitally altered shots, A new ending, 2 restored deleted scenes, Thorne music cue’s and LC audio used where possible, Removal of modern footage/ bad effects from DC, Extensive recolouring throughout, Soundtrack rebuilt in some sections.
Cuts and Additions:

DC=Donner Cut, LC=Lester Cut, STM=Superman the Movie, DS=Deleted Scene

Black and white WB logo, New Reeve dedication (to match Unsworth dedication STM)
LC – space intro
DC – Zod trial and Phantom Zone (poorer effects shots of the PZ removed, explosion shot flipped back to correct way around)
STM – Lois dead/ SM turns back time (changed shots to show SM reversing his actions with XK-101 rocket, added extra “Forbidden” dialogue from STM theatrical cut)
DC – SM chases XK-101 and launches into space (new shot of SM throwing rocket added)
DC/LC – Villains released by XK-101 (DC poor star backdrops painted out, zoomed shot to remove planet)
STM/DC – Credits (Reeve receives top billing, Fan-editors credit added)
DC – Daily Planet intro (Lois goofy reaction cut, Lois jumping out of window cut, new newspaper close up added)
DC – Lex and Otis in prison (added “Life plus 25″ LC audio)
LC – Moon sequence (trimmed Mission Control humour, Zod vs cosmonaut as in DC)
DC – Lex escapes from prison (added LC wave to Otis, trimmed bickering in balloon)
LC – Niagara rescue (trimmed for plot continuity, removed crowd reactions by rebuilding score and sound effects)
DC – Lex approaches Fortress.
DC – Lex enters Fortress (climbing with Eve cut)
DC/LC — Lex activates control panel (Jor-El de-coloured, Villains are displayed in education crystal viewer, crystal viewer added to wide shot for continuity, NO full body Jor-El )
LC – Lex heads South (re-worked dialogue so that the 3 sets of alpha waves are just appearing, and not like Lex has seen them before but only just connected them to the villains)
LC – Lois jumps into the river (“You’re what I thought was SM” cut)
LC – Villains arrive (“a very strange surface” removed)
DC – Blank bullets (removed changing Reeve appearance, removed reference to DP jump)
LC – Cops encounter villains (“Holy skunk sweat” removed, Zod takes the gun of the cop a super speed (new effect added), end with cops reaction as in DC)
DC – Lovers fly North
LC – Non stands guard (75% audio completely rebuilt to remove Non’s grunts)
LC – Bar confrontation (Added Motorhead’s “Metropolis” to the jukebox, ends at “These humans are beginning to bore me”)
LC – SM shows Lois the crystal (removed Lois’ “Especially around dinner time”)
LC – SM gets dinner
DC – Newsbeat/ Army encounter 1
LC – SM & Lois have dinner (trimmed dialogue, “He is you, it’s kinda confusing” , “…go change into something more comfortable”)
DC/LC – Army encounter 2
DC/LC – De-powering scene (trimmed SM “After all I’ve done for them…” and twitchy gestures after “humanity”, Lois from LC used, DC Lois removed from wide shot, new chamber emerging shot, Clark changes to SM shot added to allow for Reeve close-ups during de-powering, ends with LC “just say you love me”)
LC – Zod faces General/ Mt Rushmore
LC – Whitehouse approach
DC – Whitehouse attack (bullet hits added, Wilhelm scream added)
LC – Zod speaks to the President
LC – Dons Diner (“He knew” added from DC)
DC – Lex makes deal with the villains (Thorne cue restored)
LC/DC – Re-powing scene (Removed CGI Jor-El crystal face, trimmed goofy Reeve & Jor-El dialogue, Jor-El fades away without side step, new shirt rip, new SM flies from Fortress shot)
DC/LC – Daily Planet attack (Thorne cue restored, Non crushes camera cut)
LC – Care to step outside (Lois reaction shot DC)
DC/LC – Stand-off/ Slab throw (cut “Let him prove it”/ high pitched Reeve)
DC/LC – Metropolis battle (Non’s grunts during chase cut, LC humour removed, Hackman voice double replaced, DC SM emerges from bus throw shot cut, New SM flies away shot)
DC – Villains return to DP (ambient sound added from LC)
DC/LC – Villains fly to the FOS (LC score, “Trust you are not wasting my time” added in)
DC/LC — Lex drop off (“parachutes” cut), Villains land (Lex painted out)
DC/LC – Fortress battle (Non attacked with heat vision, finger beams changed to heat vision, new Zod flies at SM shot)
DC/LC – SM beaten (Lex’s finger painted out for continuity, LC SM in chamber added)
DC/LC – SM triumphs (sweat patch removed)
DS – Arctic Police (removed Smallville reference, dirt removed, music cue added)
DC – SM/Lois Arctic talk (removed FOS destruction)
DC – Balcony farewell.
NEW ENDING
[spoiler:2vvuaeiy]DC – Get a pizza scene (trimmed referenced to not remembering events, zoomed shot of Clark for continuity)[/spoiler:2vvuaeiy]
DS – Jimmy/Clark/Bully (dirt removed, trimmed Clark entering closet)
LC – Return to the Diner
LC – Return flag to the Whitehouse (working fountain added)
DC – Flyby and credits
Many other smaller trims and extensions, re-timed shots, audio tweaks and flipped shots too numerous to mention.
Cover art by Booshman DL NTSC(DOWNLOAD HERE)
DL PAL(DOWNLOAD HERE)
SL NTSC(DOWNLOAD HERE)
SL PAL(DOWNLOAD HERE)

User reviews

19 reviews
 
74%
 
26%
5-7 stars
 
0%
3-5 stars
 
0%
1-3 stars
 
0%
Overall rating
 
9.2
Audio/Video Quality
 
9.2(13)
Audio Editing
 
9.5(12)
Visual Editing
 
9.3(13)
Narrative
 
9.0(12)
Enjoyment
 
9.2(19)
View all user reviews View most helpful
Overall rating
 
8.8
Audio/Video Quality
 
8.0
Audio Editing
 
9.0
Visual Editing
 
9.0
Narrative
 
9.0
Enjoyment
 
9.0
Excellent edit, loved the mashing between the Lester and Donner cut, it fixed nearly all the issues I had with the original films. Can't recommend it enough!

User Review

Format Watched?
Digital
D
Report this review Comments (0) | Was this review helpful? 0 0
Overall rating
 
8.0
Audio/Video Quality
 
8.0
Audio Editing
 
8.0
Visual Editing
 
8.0
Narrative
 
7.0
Enjoyment
 
9.0
Quality as good as can be expected, a couple of edits (audio and video) stood out a little but none majorly so.

A very accomplished edit, definitely an improvement on either of the two main official versions. However I am not entirely sure if mixing certain elements of the Lester and Donner cuts, mainly the story of Lois realising Clark is Superman, work too well. In the mentioned case, she seems to forget her initial discovery (between her doodling on the newspaper and the two of them chatting at Niagara Falls before the boys is rescued) and decides to test him with the blank bullets after he seemingly proved his lack of powers during the river scene.

As for improvements, the ending is probably the most visible, am frankly surprised that this was not considered in 2006! Turning back time in STM is iconic to me, but just felt lazy when done again in the Donner Cut, as if that is how Superman can always solve a problem whereas here it felt like the villains escape could be a consequence of that "fix".

Looking forward to seeing other Superman II edits, not the least Booshman's upcoming new cut!

User Review

Do you recommend this edit?
Yes
Format Watched?
Digital
P
Top 50 Reviewer 82 reviews
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(Updated: December 31, 2020)
Overall rating
 
9.6
Audio/Video Quality
 
9.0
Audio Editing
 
10.0
Visual Editing
 
10.0
Narrative
 
9.0
Enjoyment
 
10.0
This edit was extraordinary! Most of all, I love the ending. Frankly, it's a miracle that booshman was able to craft a satisfying ending to Superman II - through the use of editing no less! I also appreciate that the blank bullets scene is left in (to heck with continuity!) and how the rocket scene from the end of SM1 is use to connect to SM2's story in this edit. This edit, more than any other I've seen, really shows the possibilities of fan edits to improve and transform the existing material into something even greater. Thanks booshman - highly recommended!

User Review

Do you recommend this edit?
Yes
Format Watched?
DVD
D
Top 500 Reviewer 6 reviews
Report this review Comments (0) | Was this review helpful? 3 0
(Updated: February 05, 2019)
Overall rating
 
9.2
Audio/Video Quality
 
10.0
Audio Editing
 
10.0
Visual Editing
 
8.0
Narrative
 
10.0
Enjoyment
 
8.0
One of the all time classic Superman 2 edits, this is the best of both worlds, Lester and Donner's best moments mashed together to form a coherent and consistent take on the definitive superhero movie sequel. I had a nostalgic blast watching Reeves, Kidder, Hackman and Stamp all take charge in their respective moments to captivate the viewer. The edits are sound, the audio mixing strong, the visual mixing sometimes is a bit of a see-saw, but when they work, they work.

I love the alternative ending too, audio mixing aside it ought to have been inserted to give the edit a more unique flavor.

If you can track this down, give it a go. This is a blueprint for how to develop a passion for fanediting and it sets the standard for what your project should aspire to be more like. If you can top this, you've got it made.
Report this review Comments (0) | Was this review helpful? 1 0
Overall rating
 
9.6
Audio/Video Quality
 
9.0
Audio Editing
 
10.0
Visual Editing
 
9.0
Narrative
 
10.0
Enjoyment
 
10.0
i had this movie a long time ago, but my HDD crashed, but for a while i actually thought this was the original cut of the movie, i enjoyed it tremendously

User Review

Do you recommend this edit?
Yes
Format Watched?
DVD
C
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