When I think back on my first viewing of Superman in January 1979, I’m reminded of what a joyful and exhilarating experience that it was. To me, Superman was the first superhero film to actually take its main character seriously and not to exploit him or her for comic relief. The filmmakers created a universe where a man in blue tights and a red cape actually fits in and never once seems silly. And much of the credit for that can be attributed to the excellent portrayal of Clark Kent/Superman by the late Christopher Reeve. He brought this character to life and gave him a sense of feeling, depth and sincerity. And Margot Kidder is also true to the Lois Lane character, playing her as a strong-willed woman instead of the standard damsel-in-distress. A lot of the fun of the film is the interplay between these two characters. You just have to accept the fact that an top-notch reporter like Lois isn’t able to figure out that Clark is Superman. The special effects are great for the pre-CGI era in which they were produced and still hold up today. And as always, John Williams provides an excellent film score to accompany the movie. I still remember how cool it was in the darkened theater when the Superman march began to play and built up to the familiar theme just as the large Superman “S” blazed onto the screen. Simply an enjoyable film from end-to-end with a character who is imbued with all of the qualities we wish we could all have: a sense of goodness, fair play and, as always, the keeper of truth, justice and the American way!

Christopher Jensen