First of all, I'd like to say that Warner Brothers really dropped the ball on this one. A couple years back, the studio re-released The Exorcist to more than moderate business. With Superman, they tried a limited run in Texas, but apparently the numbers weren't that great, so the rest of the country had to suffer. What a joke!

I can remember going to see Superman back in the late 70's and being completely blown away. You have to remember that this was about a year after Star Wars was unleashed upon the world, and most other pictures were being dwarfed by the George Lucas epic's success. I cannot stress enough how much I love this film. For me, it is easily the best of all superhero pictures.

Although I tainted the experience by watching the special edition dvd first (I had no idea the film would open in my area), it hardly mattered. Seeing Superman on the big screen again was pure magic.

Tracing the origins of the famed superhero, Superman is a spectacular fantasy that follows the life of this icon from his infant days on the doomed planet Krypton, to his new home Earth in which he finds he has unlimited powers.

In this new special edition, we get a digitally remastered print that looks and sounds positively spectacular. Also included, are extra scenes that really make this film going experience all the more exciting.

What's most interesting about director Richard Donner and screenwriter Mario Puzo's take on this material is that it has so much character. This makes Superman much more than a standard comic book picture. It also helps that the film makers have laced the picture with terrific humor.

Superman is also punctuated by great performances including Marlon Brando, Gene Hackman, Margot Kidder, and Ned Beatty. It was also the launching pad for a virtual unknown named Christopher Reeve. He gives a much more skilled performance here than he's given credit for. I also cherish Glen Ford's quietly sweet turn as Clark Kent's father on Earth.

There is so much about this picture to recommend. The opening credit sequence, the spectacular special effects, John Williams' brilliant score, etc. The list just goes on and on. Superman is breathtaking entertainment. The type of picture that is made for the summer movie season. Not only is this grand, commercial film making. It's great film making period.

Although Superman was made over twenty year ago, it is easily one of the best movie experiences of 2001. Far superior to heavyweights Pearl Harbor and Jurassic Park 3. If this new print opens anywhere near your home town, do yourself a favor and check it out. See what the summer blockbuster is really about. Superman is an absolute treasure.