8mm Forum: Making Superman (Warner - 3x400ft) even more super!

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Posted by Jean-Marc Toussaint (Member # 270) on July 28, 2006, 06:59 PM:

Last year, I bought the 3x400ft version at the BFCC and was pleasantly surprised to discover that the colours were holding very well. I spliced all three parts on a big reel and put the one-parter on the "sell or trade later" shelf.

Then I remembered that the BFCC dealer, and some of this forum members, had told me that there was a scene at the end of the one-parter that could be added at the end of the 3 reels combo. So the 400 ft version was transfered back to the shelf where the super-reel was now stored.

Months passed...

A few days ago, my wife and I watched the 3 parter and realized how much more enjoyable it was than the more recent franchise instalment. I fired up the Goko, finally decided to splice that final scene back and had a closer look at the one-reeler...

I went into shock! You can not only take the entire epilogue at the prison (uncut) from the 400ft to create a better ending to the 3x400ft but you can also pick-up shots and scenes to make the whole cut-down nearly 5 minutes longer!

Although I'm still working on rerecording the sound, here's how you can edit the whole thing, reel by reel:

Reel#1:
- Right after the credits, you may add 8 seconds from the one parter ("F1P") of flying over Krypton before going back to the trial scene of the three parter ("3P").
- Before little Kal-el is tucked in his space shuttle (3P), 20 seconds of dialogue between Brando/Jor-el and his wife F1P can be added.
- Another 12 seconds of Brando setting the crystals around the baby F1P can also be added here.
- After super-baby has crashed on Earth, dialogues about what to do with the baby between the Kents (while Mr Kent is changing his spare tyre) are different, therefore you may add 20 seconds F1P of dialogues just before the jack breaks and super-baby saves his newly found dad.
- We then jump to Clark's high school years. The only extension here is the train scene. You may take an additionnal 15 seconds F1P (more interaction between young Clark and the little girl aboard the train + longer scene end)

Reel#2
- 11 seconds of Lois showing his desk to Clark at the Daily Planet F1P can be added to the "I give him the city beat" scene of the 3P.
- 25 seconds (yes, 25 seconds) F1P can be added to the "newspaper" scene in which Lex explains his plan to Otis and the lovely Miss Teschmacher.
- Finally, ten seconds F1P of the Planet's chopper landing can be used in intro to the whole helicopter accident scene of the 3P.

Reel#3
- Let's start by adding 11 seconds F1P to the "Can you read my mind" scene, when Lois and Supe are flying towards Lady Liberty.
- Then, you may have the beginning and the end of the same action by adding 10 seconds F1P of Superman drilling through the sidewalk (just before he lands underground in the 3P - when Otis says "I think he's coming, Mr Luthor").
- For those of you really good with splices, you may add one single shot of Superman asking where the gas bomb is. It is otherwise heard in v.o. on 3P, so I left it that way.
- However, you may extend the "California will be destroyed" dialogue with 10 seconds F1P (Bye-bye California, hello New West Coast).
- When the Man of Steel chases the missiles, you may add 3 seconds F1P before he catches up, where we see him flying over a farmer repainting his fence.
- A couple of shots can be added to the beginning of the Golden Gate Bridge scene (asphalt cracking, cars braking...)
- Then we can "complete" the power plant disaster scene by adding the final 11 seconds of said scene F1P to the 3P scene, in which we see Superman pulling the big switches and equiring if people are OK.
- Then, add another 25 seconds (woohoo!) F1P with Superman fixing the railroad track just before a train arrives.
- Finally, after Lois, Jimmy and Superman are reunited and Superman says that "he's got something he must do", you may add the final 1 minute and 15 seconds (yeeha!) of the epilogue (Luthor and Otis are taken to prison by Superman, then our hero flies into the sunset of Earth's orbit.

Cue John Williams's music. Ta-tada tata tadada! [Big Grin]

Posted by Andrew Wilson (Member # 538) on July 29, 2006, 07:10 AM:

Sounds even better now
jean-marc.though you would
need the paticnce of a saint.Andy.

Posted by Jean-Marc Toussaint (Member # 270) on July 29, 2006, 07:35 AM:

Andy: Hey, otherwise it wouldn't be a hobby, would it? [Big Grin]

Posted by Andrew Wilson (Member # 538) on July 29, 2006, 07:53 AM:

Good point Jean-Marc..its still the greatest hobby of them
all.Andy.

Posted by James N. Savage 3 (Member # 83) on July 29, 2006, 11:44 AM:

Jean-Marc, I hate to do this to you (I probably should'nt tell you this, but....

There are also about 50 seconds worth of extra footage in the 200 foot digest that is'nt in the 400 footer (I'm not sure if its in the 1200 footer, since I've not seen it yet).

-Clark throws green capsule and Fortress of Solitude forms from ground- he becomes Superman for the first time and flies off.

-Extra car crashes on bridge.

-Superman flying underground around firey rock and pushes ground up(more content than 400 foot version).

Good Luck! [Wink]

Nick.

Posted by Jan Bister (Member # 332) on July 29, 2006, 01:56 PM:

Well, thanks for this thread, been a good read... and very reassuring in showing me that others are even more obsessed than myself. [Big Grin]

Out of curiosity, those of you who do re-record films on a (more or less) regular basis, what do you use for the job, other than GS-1200s and the occasional Goko RM-8008?

Posted by Mal Brake (Member # 14) on July 29, 2006, 04:27 PM:

I did most of what J-M describes when I bought the 3x4ooft new in 1981. My friend and myself spent hours doing this, using two HD 1200's and a lot of patience.
The young lady who later became my wife wasn't very happy with us, and to this day she hates the film.
Unfortunately, the print and sound varies quite noticably between the two prints but it does make a more satisfying film.
Mal

Posted by Jean-Marc Toussaint (Member # 270) on July 29, 2006, 07:17 PM:

Nick:

quote:
-Clark throws green capsule and Fortress of Solitude forms from ground- he becomes Superman for the first time and flies off.

-Extra car crashes on bridge.

-Superman flying underground around firey rock and pushes ground up(more content than 400 foot version).

The formation of the Fortress of Solitude and Superman learning who he is... The longer bridge scene with most of the school bus accident... The magma push-ups... These sequences seem to be in the 3x400ft. But I'll definitely try to get the 200ft version to check.

Doctor Bister, my set up is shown here.

Mal, luckily my wife works as writer and a film journalist so she enjoys our little home screenings.

Posted by Rob Young. (Member # 131) on August 11, 2006, 04:06 AM:

Fantastic, Jean-Marc, I never realised there was so much more in the 400ft version, I always thought it was just the end prison sequence. Thanks for that excellent list [Smile]

If only I had a week spare I'd be reaching for my Wurker splicer and my Goko editor right now...

Posted by Greg Marshall (Member # 1268) on June 29, 2010, 07:21 PM:

Jean-Marc, was just reading your review. Thanks for all this info. I acquired a 3x400 a few weeks ago, so will now need to hunt down a decent copy of the 1x400 to do a little surgery with.

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