Rating:  -
When the people from the another planet, when one of them (Peter O'Toole) lost the power of a sphere-like that controls the planet. An young woman named Linda Lee/Supergirl (Helen Slater) goes to earth to get back the power. But when an evil woman (Faye Dunaway) found the power of the Sphere-like, she becomes a ruler & wants to take over the world.
This film was a Box Office Flop, when it's comes out in the fall of 1984. But the film has become an Camp Classic, because it's doesn't take it seriously like the Orginal first-two Superman films. Helen Slater is bland but quite good and also cute in the title role. The screenplay is not successful as it should be but director:Jeannot Szwarc (Jaws 2, Somewhere in Time) keeps the pace moving of this campy film. Panavision. Grade:B+.
Rating:  -
There is a long (though presumbably not proud) tradition of highly trained English actors prostituting themselves in trashy American movies. Alan Rickman's role in "Galaxy Quest" parodies the practice even as it embodies it - a pretty neat trick. Laurence Olivier in "The Betsy" was once considered the standard-bearer in this field. Jeremy Irons in "Dungeons & Dragons" shows how far the state of the art has been advanced since then. But, to my mind, Peter O'Toole's appearance in "Supergirl" sets a record that will never be broken. It is truly one of the great spectacles of human self-abasement. If you have ever paid money to watch a carnival geek bite the head off a chicken (or would, given the opportunity), you owe it to yourself to see this movie.
And what better way to do so than with this limited 2-disc special edition! I suppose I shouldn't sneer; plenty of my favorite movies are unlikely to ever appear on a Top 100 list from the American Film Institute. But this really seems like one of the most demented conceptions for a consumer product that I've ever seen. "The director's cut", for God's sake? You mean it was actually an Eric Stroheim-caliber masterpiece before those vulgarians at the studio got their philistine hands on it?
I don't have anything against camp. Honestly. I think "Big Trouble in Little China" is one of the best comedies of the 80s and I'll fight anyone who says otherwise. (Well, maybe I'll just say something really sarcastic about him after he leaves.) But I have a fierce enmity against incompetent movies that, to save face, try to pretend that they're camp. It devalues the currency.
One scene in particular demonstrates the utter lack of entertainment value in this fiasco. Supergirl is confronting two evildoers - street "toughs" who look like they belong in a Michael Jackson video. One lecherously begins to lift up the hem of her skirt, to see what color her super-panties might be. (Admit it: if you're reading this, you've wondered yourself.) Supergirl slaps his hand away (not even with super-strength - no broken bones here) and primly chastises him to "Stop that!" It's as if, in the middle of "American Pie", Shannon Elizabeth put on a bulky sweater and recited a Catherine MacKinnon lecture on the objectification of women.
Rating: -
I was one of the many who first saw 'Supergirl' during it's theatrical release, and were stunned into disbelief by plotholes you could drive a TRUCK through, some really bargain basement FX, and acting that ranged from sleepwalking (O'Toole), to blandly sincere (Slater), to 'Mommy Dearest...The Sequel' (Dunaway). While the film wasn't QUITE as horrendous as 'Superman III' had been, it came close, and the critical and audience reaction soured the Salkinds on the entire 'Superman' franchise (they passed the torch to Golan/Globus, with Christopher Reeve taking on much of the production duties for 'Superman 4'.)
It is surprising, therefore, that the Special Edition 2-Disc DVD is amazingly good! Loaded with extras, it gives the viewer an enlightening glimpse at the behind-the-scenes work that creates a motion picture, from the casting (Slater was a charming, unpretentious girl of 19 when she won the role, and you can see her 'grow into' the part during the filming), to the tension on set (Jeannot Szwarc was not the easiest man to work with, and you can see him 'age' during the long shoot), to the marketing of the film (trying to revitalize a franchise that was already past its prime). 'Superman' expert Scott Bosco puts the film into perspective, noting its many flaws, but also acknowledging that there were good points, as well (there was a ballet-like quality to Slater's flying scenes, as well as her exuberance at having superpowers). Best of all is Szwarc's commentary...while he acknowledges that the film didn't turn out entirely as he had hoped, he was able to make it a more personal film than Richard Lester had, in his 'Superman' efforts.
The viewer is given two versions of the film to choose from; a slightly lengthened theatrical version, and a 'Director's Cut', with a lot of extra footage that never made it to the theatres.
While 'Supergirl' has never achieved more than a campy cult status, the Special Edition DVD 'set the bar high', and showed the industry what 'Special' meant. If you are a fan of DVDs that really give you your money's worth in extra features, this will be a very welcome addition to your collection!
Rating:  -
I am so grateful that someone thought to release this film in a director's cut. I have loved Supergirl since i was small. I had always seen it as a campy adventure film. Now with this director's cut I see for what it could've been. This should be re-released to every cineplex in that format so it can get the recognition it deserves but the DVD is a great start. I am an advocate for good comic book based movies and this should be up there with the likes of Superman, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and Blade. Helen Slater really made Kara believeable. Actually, all of the acting is pretty top notch. With the likes of Peter O' Toole, Faye Dunway, and Brenda Vaccaro this was more than a adventure film. The score is beyond words. It captures the power and vulnerabilty of Supergirl to a "T". The effects are outstanding especially considering this was made in the early 80's without Lucas or Speilberg's name on it. So let's get the record straight: before there was Lara Croft, even before Xena threw her first chakram there was a girl from Argo City named Kara and she was Super!! (pun intended)
Rating: -
Supergirl the Limited Edition DVD has proven itself (to me anyway), that it is possible to have an almost perfect Limited/Special Edition DVD, despite a campy storyline.
On this very special edition DVD created by Anchor Bay, there are 2 versions of Supergirl. The first vesion is a Digitally Mastered, THX quality of the International Version of the movie (Yes, the one not shown in US theatres). The second version is an unrealeased Director's Cut, which contains about 24 mins of never before seen footage of the movie. Both were spectacular (in terms of quality and sound) despite its weak storyline. Included in the DVDs are: a featurette on "The Making of" the movie, Trailers, TV spots, stills, poster galleries, star bios, and even an Audio commentary by the director, on the various scenes throughout the movie. Above all these goodies, there is even a 16 page full-color booklet on the various aspects of the movie (and a mini-poster)!
Its too bad that the movie was a flop when it was shown in the theatres back in 1984 (due to the weak plot, no doubt). Helen Slater was simply meant to play Supergirl (she's a natural). Her portrayal of Supergirl's innocence and beauty could be seen in the ballet scene; and the night flight scene over the Chicago Skyline was simply awesome! Together with the music by Jerry Goldsmith, it was a match made in heaven (or Hollywood anyway).
This DVD set, in my opinion, is much better produced (in terms of it's contents) than Superman : The Movie, Special Edition. More movie special editions should be made like this one. I hope the Indiana Jones, and Star Wars Trilogy (if and when it comes out in DVD) could be produced exactly like this one.
This Limited Edition set is limited to 50,000 copies (every copy is numbered). I would most certainly recommend this movie to anyone, if they are interested in seeing how (in my opinion) a special editon DVD should be made, and also, how vibrantly restored the movie was - the color is awesome. I can completely agree with what was written on the bonus booklet, "If you haven't seen SUPERGIRL on DVD, you haven't seen SUPERGIRL at all"
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