Superman: Son of Jor-El by Jelio & L8wrtr

[L8wrtr]

Wow.. thank you ssj! No higher compliment can be received.

 

[ssj]

L8, thank you and

for creating this.

 

[L8wrtr]

L8, thank you and

for creating this.

Well, to give proper credit where credit is due, this edit doesn't exist without Jelio. This was his brain-child. In terms of its creation, it simply wouldn't exist without his rough draft which provided the key to eliminating the campy land-grab of STM and and overall structure which allowed the movie to be a truly epic hero's journey that Donner and Mankiewicz had at the heart of their story.

So whatever props you throw my way, double it for Jelio

 

[TV's Frink]

There's always room for Jelio.

 

[ssj]

no takers on the identity of the snarling dude in the photo?

 

[Neglify]

Biafra.

 

[g1orkatsos]

Biafra.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biafra

Biafra, officially the Republic of Biafra, was a secessionist state in south-eastern Nigeria that existed from 30 May 1967 to 15 January 1970, taking its name from the Bight of Biafra (the Atlantic bay to its south).[1] The inhabitants were mostly the Igbo people who led the secession due to economic, ethnic, cultural and religious tensions among the various peoples of Nigeria. The creation of the new country was among the causes of the Nigerian Civil War, also known as the Nigerian-Biafran War.

Uh?

 

[Neglify]

My plan worked perfectly.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jello_Biafra

 

[g1orkatsos]

 

[ssj]

the man from SF has the answer.

 

[valdora]

I know this is an old one but I just saw it so:

Very good work indeed. The best thing about this edit is the removal of Superman's out of nowhere Deus Ex Machina powers ie the kiss and or turning back time. This also adds consequences for Lois and Clarks relationship that doesn't just end with a magic wand making everything ok again. That said it is a bit of a sad ending for Lois, their story seeming a bit unresolved. But that can't be helped if you are gonna remove the things I mentioned above.

As far as Lex goes. I do agree that he comes off knowing everything for no reason, where as in the actual cuts he amassed that knowledge. Maybe in a future version you could get a really good voice actor to do a Gene Hackman impression over some footage for an explanation? Just an idea if you can do it. Also, how DOES Superman know who he is?

In conclusion I think while some of the character archs are broken by the merging of the two films I very much enjoyed it and think that is a worthwhile fan edit that fixes some big problems tone wise and with the verisimilitude of the films.

 

[Son of Suns]

I apologize for posting on such an old thread.

I've heard a lot about this edit, and I'm dying to watch it. Unfortunately, the DLC file on fanedit.info is broken and I can't find anywhere else to download it. I PM'd L8wrtr a few days ago and have yet to hear back. Could someone please PM me with some information on where I might find this fanedit?

I apologize if I'm violating any rules by asking for help finding this. If I am, I welcome any advice for how better to go about this.

Thanks so much!

 

[TV's Frink]

[MENTION=30502]Kiaru[/MENTION], your politeness is appreciated. Having said that, please read Using This Site. It's full of useful information that will get us all off on the right foot. This site has many rules in place to protect itself and its users. Should you ever need a reminder look no further: General Rules and Own the Source Rule. If you do not understand any of these rules send a private message to an admin for further details.

 

[Son of Suns]

Thank you for your assistance. I was not asking for links, merely asking for direction as to where to look. But after rereading those pages (I have read them before, it's just been a long time), it seems that a better place to ask would be the Trades and Requests forum. So again, thanks for pointing me in the right direction. I'll continue my search there.

 

[L8wrtr]

The lack of availability of this edit is currently being rectified. With luck, by this time next week.

 

[L8wrtr]

This edit is now back online.

 

[tangelo1023]

This is old, but I recently watched this and wanted to drop my thoughts. For years, I've felt like Superman (1978) was so close to being the perfect comic book movie. The first half and Reeve's performance are incredibly mythic. The camp really brings it down though. I always thought combining the beautiful Smallville sections with the more dramatic Superman II would be interesting. This edit does that and it's close to becoming my definitive Superman movie. By stripping most of the camp and focusing on the core character of Clark Kent, you're really able to create this character driven piece. The recurrent theme of Clark's humanity and destiny (presented to us in the form of Jor-El), coupled with the strong focus on the Lois relationship, makes this feel like one coherent movie. Importantly, it's never disrespectful to the source material. It's fun, but it's also mythic and powerful. That new ending scene is fantastic. I also liked the looming threat of Zod that was present throughout the movie. It's a really creative device that ties both movies together and adds momentum. 

As some have mentioned, the big problem that really signals that this is actually made up of 2 longer movies is the sudden appearance of Lex. It does feel out of place. The structure is also a bit weird. As I said, adding these recurring scenes of Zod and Co. was a good way to break up the plain structure of the first two-thirds. Some scenes feel like they should be closer together though. I think the part on the moon feels pretty awkward as is. We see Zod on the moon. We go back to the A-plot for 30 minutes or so. We come back and they're still on the moon. That feeling of momentum is lost. I would also personally add in some extra scenes in those first 2 hours. Since the camp and all subplots have been stripped out of the Superman I and Superman II Niagara scenes, the movie gains a lot of dignity. Unfortunately, it also loses a bit of the "super." We have this core plot about Lois and Clark with nothing else until Zod arrives on Earth. It's nice, but the singular focus is a bit monotonous and it feels a little like we're watching a compilation of Clark/Lois scenes instead of a fully fledged movie. I think adding in some fat (the cut scenes from Superman I) would round it out a bit. This will also give the impression that some time has passed. Currently, it feels like the whole movie takes place in a week.

Aside from those points, this is a fantastic edit. I'll definitely rewatch it you ever revisit it.

 

[L8wrtr]

This is old, but I recently watched this and wanted to drop my thoughts. For years, I've felt like Superman (1978) was so close to being the perfect comic book movie. The first half and Reeve's performance are incredibly mythic. The camp really brings it down though. I always thought combining the beautiful Smallville sections with the more dramatic Superman II would be interesting. This edit does that and it's close to becoming my definitive Superman movie. By stripping most of the camp and focusing on the core character of Clark Kent, you're really able to create this character driven piece. The recurrent theme of Clark's humanity and destiny (presented to us in the form of Jor-El), coupled with the strong focus on the Lois relationship, makes this feel like one coherent movie. Importantly, it's never disrespectful to the source material. It's fun, but it's also mythic and powerful. That new ending scene is fantastic. I also liked the looming threat of Zod that was present throughout the movie. It's a really creative device that ties both movies together and adds momentum. 

As some have mentioned, the big problem that really signals that this is actually made up of 2 longer movies is the sudden appearance of Lex. It does feel out of place. The structure is also a bit weird. As I said, adding these recurring scenes of Zod and Co. was a good way to break up the plain structure of the first two-thirds. Some scenes feel like they should be closer together though. I think the part on the moon feels pretty awkward as is. We see Zod on the moon. We go back to the A-plot for 30 minutes or so. We come back and they're still on the moon. That feeling of momentum is lost. I would also personally add in some extra scenes in those first 2 hours. Since the camp and all subplots have been stripped out of the Superman I and Superman II Niagara scenes, the movie gains a lot of dignity. Unfortunately, it also loses a bit of the "super." We have this core plot about Lois and Clark with nothing else until Zod arrives on Earth. It's nice, but the singular focus is a bit monotonous and it feels a little like we're watching a compilation of Clark/Lois scenes instead of a fully fledged movie. I think adding in some fat (the cut scenes from Superman I) would round it out a bit. This will also give the impression that some time has passed. Currently, it feels like the whole movie takes place in a week.

Aside from those points, this is a fantastic edit. I'll definitely rewatch it you ever revisit it.

Thanks Tangelo!

I have to say, I cannot disagree with any of your critiques. Limitations/constraints due to limited material are one of the inherent struggles of fanediting. In my defense I will say that when Jelio asked for an editing partner to help make his idea a reality, I had only one fanedit under my belt. I think had I had more completed projects under my belt I might have been able to address some of those issues (but clearly there is no getting around the mixed quality footage of Niagra Falls). I've long toyed with the idea of doing an update to this, particularly using a better source since only DVD's were available at the time, but having already re-edited 3 of my projects from SD into HD has really dulled any energy I have for it.. but never say never right? 

Anyhow, thank you for the kind words and thoughtful critiques. I'm glad that you enjoyed the edit. Up, up and away!