SUPERMAN RETURNS (DVD/WS-2.40/ENG-FR-LAT SP-SUB) DVD

Superman Returns
The Man of Steel returns to the big screen with this continuation of the icon's film legacy that picks up after the events of the first two Christopher Reeve films. Some time has passed since the events of Superman II and the world has gotten used to life without Superman (Brandon Routh) ever since his puzzling disappearance years earlier. Upon his return, he finds a Metropolis that doesn't need him anymore, while Lois Lane (Kate Bosworth) has moved on with another young suitor Richard White (James Marsden) in the meantime. As the hero begins to tackle the fact that life on Earth has continued without him, he is forced to face his old arch-nemesis Lex Luthor (Kevin Spacey) and restore the life that was once his. Directed by Bryan Singer from a script by the writing team of X-Men 2, Superman Returns marks a return to the screen for the man in tights, whose production history has seen many failed attempts including a famous near-miss from Tim Burton and Kevin Smith with Nicolas Cage in the lead role, along with another from director McG and writer J.J. Abrams (Lost). Singer eventually won the prestigious gig when he pitched the idea to not tackle the origin story again, but continue with director Richard Donner's original vision. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, All Movie Guide

Cast Brandon Routh as Superman/Clark Kent Kate Bosworth as Lois Lane James Marsden as Richard White Frank Langella as Perry White Eva Marie Saint as Martha Kent Parker Posey as Kitty Kowalski Kal Penn as Stanford Sam Huntington as Jimmy Olsen Kevin Spacey as Lex Luthor Marlon Brando as Jor-El Tristan Lake Leabu as Jason White David Fabrizio as Brutus Ian Roberts as Riley Vincent Stone as Grant Jack Larson as Bo The Bartender Noel Neill as Gertrude Vanderworth James Karen as Ben Hubbard Stephan Bender as 15 Year Old Clark Peta Wilson as Bobbie-Faye Jeff Truman as Gil Barbara Angell as Polly Ian Bliss as Shuttle Commander Ansuya Nathan as Shuttle Pilot Richard Branson as Shuttle Engineer Warwick Young as 777 Co-Pilot Bradd Buckley as 777 Navigator Bill Young as Mission Control Flight Director Thomas W. Stewart as Mission Control Officer Patricia Howson as Museum Guard Mirren Lee as Vanderworth Relative Stephen Ostrow as Vanderworth Relative Hank Roberts as Vanderworth Relative Karina Bracken as Hospital Ward Nurse Raelee Hill as Hospital Nurse Lee James as Doctor Michael Duggan as Doctor Keegan Joyce as Boy With Camera Frederique Fouche as French News Anchor Julian Pulvermacher as German Anchor ReBecca Barratt as German Reporter Penelope Heath as Sydney Reporter Ted Maynard as News Anchor Ed Wightman as News Anchor Prue Lewarne as News Anchor Paul Shedlowich as News Anchor Barry Quin as News Anchor Francine Bell as News Anchor Genevieve Davis as Reporter At Deli Robert Meyer Burnett as Cape Canaveral Reporter Terrell Dixon as Hospital Policeman Kevin Fisher as Security Guard John Lucantonio as Security Guard Robert Flanagan as Bank Gunner Phillip Henry as Police Sharp Shooter Henry Browne as Taxi Driver Darin Rossi as Home Plate Umpire

Crew John Pryce-Jones - Art Director David S. Lazan - Art Director Damien Drew - Art Director Larry Hubbs - Art Director Catherine Perez-Mansill - Art Director Charlie Revai - Art Director Hugh Bateup - Supervising Art Director Roger Mussenden - Casting Ann Robinson - Casting Stephen Jones - Co-producer Louise Mingenbach - Costume Designer Jeffrey Wetzel - First Assistant Director Bryan Singer - Director Paul Prenderville - Second Unit Director Toby Pease - Second Unit Director Darin John Rivetti - Second Unit Director Jamie Crooks - Second Unit Director Michael Fink - Second Unit Director Charles Rotherham - Second Unit Director Eddie Thorne - Second Unit Director Colin Fletcher - Second Unit Director Stephen P. Dunn - Second Unit Director Angella McPherson - Second Unit Director Marlene Arvan - Second Unit Director Dan Bradley - Second Unit Director Mark Trapenberg - Second Unit Director Brian Smrz - Second Unit Director John Ottman - Editor Elliot Graham - Editor William Fay - Executive Producer Scott Mednick - Executive Producer Chris Lee - Executive Producer Thomas Tull - Executive Producer Shane Thomas - Hair Styles Nikki Gooley - Hair Styles Ken Kristensen - Location Manager Carl Wood - Location Manager Caleb Duffy - Location Manager John Ottman - Composer (Music Score) John Williams - Songwriter Tami Lane - Makeup Lynne O'Brien - Makeup Georgia Lockhard-Adams - Makeup Tracey Lee Reeby - Makeup Dalia Fernandez - Makeup Gregory C. Funk - Makeup Simon Harding - Camera Operator Guy H. Dyas - Production Designer Newton Thomas Sigel - Cinematographer Jennifer Cornwell - Production Manager Jon Peters - Producer Gilbert Adler - Producer Bryan Singer - Producer Ed Cotton - Set Designer J. Andre Chaintrevil - Set Designer Andrew Powell - Set Designer Robert Johnson - Set Designer Josh Lusby - Set Designer Victor Martinez - Set Designer Michael Turner - Set Designer Michael Lantieri - Special Effects David Brighton - Special Effects Corina Rosca - Special Effects Marlene Efrem - Special Effects Billy Aziz - Special Effects Arran Gordon - Special Effects David Pride - Special Effects Aaron Cox - Special Effects Catherine Hart - Special Effects Rob Heggie - Special Effects Gareth Wingrove - Special Effects Ray Ferguson - Special Effects Alan Young - Special Effects Rodney Burke - Special Effects Willie D. Burton - Sound Mixer David B. Chornow - Sound Mixer Chris Alderton - Sound Mixer Erik Aadahl - Sound/Sound Designer Paul "Salty" Brincat - Sound/Sound Designer Glenn Suter - Stunts Coordinator R.A. Rondell - Stunts Coordinator Neil Corbould - Special Effects Supervisor David Young - Special Effects Supervisor Michael Malone - Unit Production Manager Dan Harris - Screen Story Michael Dougherty - Screen Story Bryan Singer - Screen Story Dan Harris - Screenwriter Michael Dougherty - Screenwriter Lawrence Karman - Second Unit Camera Todd Henry - Second Unit Camera Todd McMullen - Second Unit Camera Ross Emery - Second Unit Camera Calum McFarlane - Second Unit Camera Mark Stetson - Visual Effects Supervisor Hans Bjerno - Aerial Photography Johnstone Paul - Gaffer Don Bixby - Gaffer Dhana R. Gilbert - Production Coordinator Meredith Humbracht - Production Coordinator Nicholas Copping - Production Coordinator Virginia Murray - Production Coordinator Betty Chin - Production Coordinator Hannah Knowlton - Properties Master Andrew M. Siegel - Properties Master Scott Maginnis - Properties Master Gregg Rudloff - Re-Recording Mixer Dave Campbell - Re-Recording Mixer John Reitz - Re-Recording Mixer Kristin Voumard - Script Supervisor Simon Harding - Steadicam Operator Craig Berkey - Supervising Sound Editor Joyce Cox - Visual Effects Producer Shaun Conway - Chief Lighting Technician Jeff Zucker - Chief Lighting Technician Kim Santantonio - Key Hairstylist Nikki Gooley - Key Make-up Kevin Plummer - Production Accountant Richard Hoover - Visual Effects Frantic Films - Visual Effects Framestore - Visual Effects Sony Pictures Imageworks - Visual Effects Rhythm & Hues Studios - Visual Effects Jon Thum - Visual Effects Barbara Munch Cameron - Set Decorator Brian Dusting - Set Decorator Shannon Leigh Olds - Visual Effects Editor Jeff Beattle - Visual Effects Editor Joe Shuster - Character Design Jerry Siegel - Character Design Kyle Cooper - Title Design Paul Sullivan - Assistant Director Johnny Pacialeo - Assistant Director

Superman Returns
Does the world really need a Superman? Bryan Singer tackles this intriguing question with grand and sincere strokes in Superman Returns, a mega-budget kick-start to a dormant franchise that represented some of the best and worst that big-screen superhero films have had to offer. Here, the director whole-heartedly tries to honor Richard Donner's original vision of the DC Comics hero while lending new emotional complexity to the world of this adopted alien savior. The result is an ambitious picture full of fervent emotion and nobility, yet missing the charming spark and energy that its predecessors had in spades. Of the things that work is the surprisingly wonderful new Man of Steel, Brandon Routh, who embodies the role in an uncanny performance that adds the right amount of depth for the direction that Singer and his young writing team laid out for the picture. As his nemesis Lex Luthor, Kevin Spacey has a ball delivering his own dry take on Gene Hackman's humorous antics that turns exceedingly more and more evil as the film progresses. Most notable is the supporting cast, starting with Sam Huntington, whose Jimmy Olsen nearly steals every scene he pops up in, as well as James Marsden as a human hero of high proportions who easily dwarfs all of his work in the X-Men series. Special mention goes out to Parker Posey, who would have made an incredible Lois Lane herself, which leads to the one contentious casting issue -- Kate Bosworth. Her fresh-faced 23-year-old visage would be more troubling if not for her lackluster portrayal that's filled not with spunk, but a cold frigidness that prevents her from having fun with the role, never mind embodying a nurturing, motherly model for her cute little five-year old tyke (who ends up being a pushover despite his questionable inclusion). If anything, it's the story that dictates much of the character's detriments. By playing up the scorned romance and alienation, the filmmakers lose the sense of whimsy inherent in their beloved film series. Plus, no matter how thrilling the action or sumptuous the look of the picture, Superman Returns falls dead flat in its finale and epilogue, giving added weight to the undue two-and-a-half-hour running time. Add in the Christ-like imagery plus the heavy, late dramatics and viewers are stuck with a false artificiality that uses John Williams' returning rousing score to accentuate what is essentially a downbeat ending for a superhero picture. The world does indeed need a Superman, as Singer has proven -- now it's time to let him soar and do what he does best. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, All Movie Guide
 

Guy H. Dyas: Art Directors Guild, Best Art Direction in a Fantasy Film (nominated) Jon Thum: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie, Best Visual Effects (nominated) Mark Stetson: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie, Best Visual Effects (nominated) Mark Stetson: British Academy of Film and Television, Best Visual Effects (nominated) Neil Corbould: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie, Best Visual Effects (nominated) Richard Hoover: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie, Best Visual Effects (nominated)

Phoenix Film Critics Association, Best Visual Effects (winner)

General Specifications: Language Options: English, Spanish Subtitle Options: English, French, Spanish Sound Processing: DD5.1: Dolby Digital w/ sub-woofer channel Additional Features: MPAA Rating: PG13 DVD Discs Included: 1 DVD Sides: 1 DVD DVD Region Code: 1 Content Length: 154 min   DVD Chapters: Disc #1 -- Superman Returns [WS] 1. Prologue and Credits [5:02] 2. Gertrude's Beneficiary [2:29] 3. Back on Earth [3:12] 4. Fortress Intruders [5:45] 5. Younger Days [3:14] 6. All That's Left [1:42] 7. The Daily Planet [3:53] 8. Seed Needing Water [2:02] 9. Power Outage [3:44] 10. Midair Emergency [3:57] 11. Jumbled Jet [3:40] 12. Soft Landing [3:05] 13. Richard and the Munchkin [4:54] 14. What's So Hard? [2:36] 15. Outside Looking In [4:24] 16. Bouncing Bullets [2:57] 17. A Rescue and a Theft [4:26] 18. Yesterday's News [5:25] 19. Tell and Show [5:08] 20. Taking Lois Up [5:23] 21. Dire Discovery [:07] 22. All Aboard [2:20] 23. Mind Over Muscle [3:16] 24. Two Launches [5:53] 25. Jason's Gift [4:05] 26. Undersea Disturbance [2:50] 27. Metropolis Mayhem [4:20] 28. Rising and Sinking Ship [4:21] 29. Give Me Your Hand [4:56] 30. Returning the Favor [2:23] 31. So Long Superman [4:23] 32. Out of the Depths [2:18] 33. I Have to Go Back [3:20] 34. Loss of Precious Cargo [2:42] 35. Fallen Hero [3:05] 36. Where Else Would I Be? [3:58] 37. I Wanted to Tell You [4:05] 38. Atoll for Three [3:51] 39. Not Alone [:51] 40. I'm Always Around [3:36] 41. End Credits [2:24]