“He’s a little fragile, but he’s gonna grow up to be big and strong… just like his dad.” Introduction Considering Superman Returns halted any further sequels to the original vision of the Superman series, it is a fair assumption that [...]

“You know what I can do with a single strand of Superman’s hair?” Introduction Cannon Films. The infamous production company that managed to squeeze out too-many Chuck Norris films and, somewhat randomly, an Academy Award winning film in The Assault, took [...]

“Never underestimate the power of computers.” Introduction The Salkinds seem to be key to all the problems surrounding the original series of Superman. It was the Salkinds who pressured Richard Donner during production of Superman and it was Alexander and Ilya [...]

“What sort of fragile life-form is this…?” Introduction Considering Marlon Brando’s voice is used a considerable amount in Superman Returns, you imagine his presence would be integral to the original four films. In reality, this original theatrical cut, he was purposefully ignored [...]

“I want the name of this flying whatchamacallit to go with the Daily Planet like bacon and eggs” Introduction In the current climate, it is always interesting to think back to a time when comic-book films did not exist. To [...]

“This is the way the world ends, not with a bang, with a whimper.” Introduction It is strange how some films introduce themselves to you. A Star is Born, I knew nothing about until I saw a brief clip on [...]

“Don’t forget, a great impression of simplicity can only be achieved by great agony of body and spirit” Introduction I originally watched this film to ‘inform’ me of the Powell and Pressburger influence on Shutter Island. The influence is clear [...]

“I don’t like the way this script of ours has turned out. It’s turning into a seedy little drama” Introduction David Mamet and Aaron Sorkin surely watched this film hundreds of times before beginning their own careers. Indeed, Sorkin paid [...]

“He conquered fear, and he conquered hate, / He turned dark night into day, / He made his blazing saddle / A torch to light the way… “ Introduction Blazing Saddles is regularly highlighted as a film amongst the very [...]

“It must be the most marvelous supper. We may not eat it, but it must be marvelous.” Introduction This is paddling into the Lubitsch territory. Master filmmaker Billy Wilder co-wrote some late-Lubitsch pictures, and turned to him for inspiration on [...]