SUPERMAN: THE MOVIE is in my personal top 5 comic book/superhero films of all time. It and BATMAN (1989) are, without a doubt, the 2 most influential comic book/superhero movies in the history of the genre.
Yes, the greatness of SUPERMAN: THE MOVIE is due to the late Christopher Reeve’s portrayal of The Man of Steel. But, it’s also due to the man who cast CR and directed the movie: Richard Donner.
That film made a HUGE impact on me as a kid and made me want my beloved fave, Batman, to get the same cinematic treatment.
Without SUPERMAN: THE MOVIE, there’s no BATMAN ’89, and arguably, the comic book movie genre as we know it today. (Hell, by default, there would be no BOF.)
Via DEADLINE, BOF has learned that the great Richard Donner has passed at the age of 91. That’s a HELL of a run.
My 13-year-old self thanks Mr. Donner (and Mr. Reeve, of course) for bringing my second favorite comic book superhero to life on the big screen.
So does my 55-year-old self.
Yes, I do believe a man can fly. – Bill “Jett” Ramey
(Thanks to BOF’s Eric Holzmann for the heads up.)
