It's amazing to think that a genuinely great superhero movie existed as far back as 1978, but that's precisely what happened with Richard Donner's original - and best - Superman entry. The intention here, then, was to steer Superman clear of the overtly campy and cheesy shows that had mounted his on screen legacy thus far, crafting a more seriously-inclined - but fun, nonetheless - motion picture experience. Christopher Reeve, the perfect candidate, was cast in the role of Clark Kent, whilst Gene Hackman took on bad guy duties as Lex Luthor. There is so much to love about Superman: The Movie, it's difficult to know where to start. How about with the brilliant and immortal theme song by John Williams? Or Margot Kidder as Lois Lane, who is responsible for that now infamous line ("You've got me? Who's got you?") The special effects are a little dated now, but nowhere near as much as you'd expect from a movie shot in the '70s; so many things that tend to associate with the superhero movie genre were originally minded here. And let's not forget that brief turn from Marlon Brando, who imbued the picture with a sense of gravitas from scene one.
Sam Hill is an ardent cinephile and has been writing about film professionally since 2008. He harbours a particular fondness for western and sci-fi movies.
