10 Reasons Why Richard Donner's Superman Is Still Awesome

10. John Williams

From the instant Superman starts, John Williams' score immediately captures the imagination. Though Williams had already created quintessential scores for Jaws and Star Wars, one could argue that his music for Superman is the best work of his entire career.

Of course, the Superman theme itself is instantly recognisable and still the music most associated with the character. The Max Fleischer cartoons, Superman: The Animated Series and Man of Steel all had solid themes, but nothing quite matches the heroic majesty of Williams' work.

But the rest of the score is just as memorable. Right after the opening credits, the forboding theme of Krypton captures the grandeur of the movie in a few simple notes.

Lex Luthor's theme is incredibly goofy but memorable and extremely fitting for this film's interpretation of the character, and Can You Read My Mind? is a beautifully romantic piece that accentuates a lynchpin scene of the movie; thank the gods they didn't use the version with Margot Kidder singing over it.