Superman II: The RKS Edition
by RKS
What is it about? This is a COMPLETELY re-built version of Superman II using the best elements from both movies with a whole new opening credit sequence and many, many changes and edits.
member ratings:
(2 votes, average: 9.00 out of 10, rated)
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tagline: You’ll believe a sequel can fly!
original film name: Superman II; The Richard Donner Cut
new film name : Superman II: The RKS Edition
film studio name : WB
edit crew name : RKS (Red Krypton Son)
Date Original Film Was Released : 2006
Date Edit Was Released : Feb 2008
Original Runtime : 115 mins
New Runtime : 136 mins
Amount of time Cut/Added : Added 25 mins, cut many minor things
Cuts removed/added/extended :
After the disappointing release of The Richard Donner Cut many fans have decided to make their own movie using elements from the original theatrical release as well as the Donner Cut.
Unlike many other fan cutters of this movie I have attempted to edit a movie that simply tells a logical and more exciting story that will appeal to a broader audience rather than being made for any one individuals taste. The original theatrical release was a bit too jokey (Richard Lester’s fondness for slapstick had far too much influence on the story) and Donner’s version was woefully incomplete due to him being fired from the original shoot.
This is a COMPLETELY re-built version of Superman II using the best elements from both movies with a whole new opening credit sequence and many, many changes and edits.
Here is a rundown of how this new version plays:
LC (Lester Cut) DC (Donner Cut)
Original Red WB logo
LC space into DC kryptonian trial
STM re-cap using DC credits (brando holds a green crystal instead!) Opening credits end with PZ floating in space & fade into DC earth zoom
DC daily planet up to Lois whistling at her ‘discovery’ (no jumping out the window etc.) we see the start of her suspecting Clark is Superman
DC lex in prison with LC “life plus 25″ dubbed in….coz its better!
LC daily planet up to “that’s why they call them terrorists”
New paris sequence part 1 showing the terrorists etc just to set the scene
LC Clark exiting daily planet to alleyway change (re-scored with music from STM)
New paris part 2, Lois climbing tower, Superman arrives a bit quicker now! Music plays all the way through.
LC lift into space with close up of Supes watching the lift fly off (taken from STM but substituted missile for lift)
DC villains release ending with LC villains flying to moon
LC/DC moon encounter with thorne/Williams music
LC intro to prison then DC lex’s escape plus Lex’s balloon flying over the wall
DC honeymoon haven intro then LC room interior minus vibrating bed
LC/DC mix for Lex to fortress and fortress interior. I have done many things to this scene but it ends more like the RIC (and there is no toilet flush) I have also included an extra scene trying to show some of ‘Zod’s insurrection’ as part of Jor-el’s tutorial
DC Lois/Clark (gorgeous, gorgeous!) but when Lois sees Clark without glasses we see a close up of her smirking (concluding somewhat her earlier suspicion of Clark is Superman.)
DC boy rescue minus “he’s jewish”
LC Lois and Clark (where were you?)
DC villains arrive (no Houston or strange surface talk) DC snake
LC lois jumps in water but trimmed dialogue so that she goes straight into her accusation speech, cut Clark dialogue screeching “oh god!”…twice, why?? He surely has switched into rescue mode, it would be his instinct, so why flap like a normal person would do?
LC lois and clark and YES….. the pink bear (sorry to all who it offends!) but it just works and its well acted
DC/LC police (no skunk sweat) music all the way through, I have tried to end this scene with a bit more of an ominous tone
DC flight to fortress with thorne music
LC east Houston re-cut to make the tone more menacing (no arm wrestling, no finger beams)
LC Supes and lois, shopping etc
DC TV guy but no “planet Houston” from Zod, an insert of the president watching this, we see ZOD on TV and TV guy mentioning that there are gunships on their way. (This shows that the whitehouse is aware there is danger here so they are going in guns blazing. Also some time has passed before the army arrive, they just don’t show up anymore.)
LC Supes & lois having dinner
DC TV guy cut with LC street battle, insert again of president watching on TV
DC helicopter battle, re-cut so that the gunships fire a couple more times and Ursa starts to walk forward at the right time. (Initially she is stood still, then a long shot shows her walking, then she is stood still again!!)
DC de-powering with LC close-ups of lois and closer chamber shots of Reeve, jor-el fades from view, ending with LC clark and lois
LC “I am general ZOD”re-cut for a more global TV audience feel, unfortunately no CGI!! Re-cut villains destroying Mt Rushmore & the Washington monument cut with LC lois & clark
DC attack on whitehouse
DC diner scene, fade to LC clark to fortress with exterior shot of the fortress glowing green slightly
DC re-powering, lighting changed to make it more like LC and reeve’s voice lowered so he doesn’t sound so ‘whiney’. Re-cut jor-el touching clarks shoulder we see a fading hand and a fading jor-el slowly disappearing into the background rather than ‘sliding off the screen’ like in the DC. No ‘jerky’ close-ups
LC lex at whitehouse with DC mixed in
LC daily planet intercut with DC villains trash the office (“use a door knob” back in)
Re-cut Superman returning to metropolis, with LC/DC mix
LC start of battle then DC “you are a fool” onwards.
Re-cut ZOD blowing up cars (he faces the right way ALL of the time now.) Zod begins to heat up the tanker THEN Superman sees it and flies in. Previously its like he guesses Zod is about to hit the tanker
DC ‘blowing away’ the streets of metropolis (minus the guy on rollerskates!)
DC villains return to daily planet plus LC “the three of us will crush the son of our jailor” and “lets take his favourite”
LC/DC villains flying to fortress
DC villains fly into fortress and villains/superman encounter
LC close-ups of de-powering cut with DC exterior of villains watching
DC picture with LC soundtrack for this sequence, LC close-up grabbing Zod’s belt, DC Superman lifting Zod etc, LC Lex figuring out what has happened, re-sequenced close-up of Ursa watching what is happening.
LC “too late luthor!” much more aggressive take as opposed to the smirky DC version
LC Lex “got a proposition” then arctic police sequence with ‘smallville strongboy’ cut out
DC destroy fortress and return to metropolis
LC zoom out from Lois’s apartment then LC daily planet
LC kiss memory wipe but used music from STM when Supes finds Lois dead, so this links the two movies in a subtle way, Supes is changing her life again!!
Fade out to a dawn sequence fading into a metropolis cityscape to show a transition of time
DC daily planet “north pole!” etc
LC diner and flag ending with MOVING FOUNTAINS!
LC fly over the earth (its longer AND better)
DC fly by then DC credits minus the Donner fur and cigarettes apology (noble sentiment but do me a favour, this is a Superman movie not an eco-friendly, animal rights film)
End title card against space background stating simply “Superman will return”
Static black warner logo
Fanedit details:
2.35:1 PAL Anamorphic.
Dolby Digital.
Scene Selection Menus
Cover art and disc picture template included.
Your intention for this fanedit: To create a more satisfying, coherant and (hopefully) enjoyable sequel to the original movie
Hardware and software information: Pinnacle Studio 9, Sony Vegas 7, DVD architect, Goldwave Sound editor.
Time needed for the edition: Far too many months to count!
persons involved: RKS (Red Krypton Son)
Images:
cover art by RKS (download here):
Disclaimer: You must own the original movie before acquiring any FanEdited movie. We here at FanEdit.org respect the company’s copyrights, and don’t want to infringe on any company’s rights. Thank you, FE!
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Wow.. My favourite edit of Superman II yet. After trying ADM and Booshman’s cut, I have finally found the version that sits right for me…. Great work RKS. I felt the other edits had problems with continuity and I had favourite scenes that were cut from them (Obviously my favourite scenes weren’t the same as theirs!) Anyway, I really enjoyed this cut, and found the additions worthwile (especially the more global feel to the world speech.. FANTASTIC! and pacing/timing of the Houston battle was greatly improved)… and moving fountains in the final White House scene!!! (Come on guys, cutting the fountain out in another edit doesn’t really count as a fix does it!!) Thanks for making this my official Superman II edit to show my kids!
Review by heavyg — July 12, 2008 @ 8:43 am
Just finished watching. Let me just say ahead of time that I have seen a few fan edits of S2 in their entirety, as well as many clips of edited scenes on youtube. There were quite a few things I liked about this fan cut. Showing the moon sequence right after the villains escape is good just for continuity’s sake. Zod’s “Insurrection” was a nice way to use some of the opening Lester footage. The way you played out the scenes during the villains in Idaho, while Supes and Lois are at the fortress, along with the president watching was great. I loved how you used the Reeve close-ups during the de-powering and ESPECIALLY reversing the shot so that Lester footage fits in with the Donner footage. Bonus for having Lois stare at Jor-el and his head fading out. Much better job of Jor-el fading away during the re-powering, along with taking out the “jerky” close-ups. Again, great job of reversing Donner footage so that it fits with the Lester scene/Donner footage when Supes arrives at the Planet (the Donner cut shot of him flying away). I also like the little things like using the Donner footage of Non taking the shot in the face from Perry, showing Supes flying down during the battle sequence (to hide the obvious backwards S on his shirt), and using the Lester sound with the Donner footage when Non falls in the FOS. Lastly, the timing of the music when Clark gives Lois the memory erase kiss at the end was cued PERFECTLY.
Next, the things I wasn’t so crazy about. The deepening of Reeve’s and Stamp’s voices, a little too deep I think. The cutting of the opening DP scene and still using the Niagra jump. It’s kinda hard to believe that Lois would put something like that on hold. Some of the Donner shots that were better in the LC (Luthor you poisonous snake!, Too true to be good, etc..) And believe it or not my biggest shock was cutting out ‘Blast off!!”. I love that line.
Overall though, your fan cut is one of the best. A lot of the clips I’ve seen online you’ve put your own spin on (like cutting the Eiffel Tower scene, using Lester footage of Lois during the Donner re-powering, etc..). I give it a 4 1/2 out of 5. Thank you for putting in the time and effort towards making one of the best fan cuts of S2.
Review by tylerdurden389 — July 24, 2008 @ 6:43 am
Just watched your cut – very original merging of both films.
I liked about 80% of the editorial choices you’ve made…great use of the insurrection footage. I loved the idea of making General Zod’s speech more global – however, the clips used pulled me right out of the film. Same goes with the clip of the earth from Superman Returns at the start of the film.
The pacing could be improved in a few spots (Paris, the metropolis battle, and the final showdown in the fortress). I’d cut down some of the brando footage, remove the bathroom joke at the fortress and the destruction of the fortress at the end.
If you could CG in both scenes with the fingerbeams (and replace them with heat vision), tighten up the edit in a few spots, this would be the perfect version of Superman II.
The only negatives I found were that the aspect ratio of the film changed between several of the clips and I really disliked the voice lowering.
Review by arcarese — August 18, 2008 @ 2:09 am
I am an extended edition buff and have a big collection of original ones and all the fanedits from here.
Many extended editions do not add anything to the movie, just add more useless scenes. I will rate the ones here.
Rating criteria: image quality, sound quality, 3x improvement, overall.
Image Quality: 9 of 10
Sound Quality: 9 of 10
Improvement: 8 of 10
Overall: 8 of 10
Review by col.hutty — July 30, 2009 @ 3:55 pm
I’ve not yet DL’d this, but looking at the description and the scenes that are included, it looks like all of the Superman II re-edits are making the same mistake Richard Lester made: They’re not asking “Does this make sense?”
Aside from Lester’s (and the Salkinds’) propensity for slapstick, the problems w/Superman II are many. The sheriff we all hated from Live & Let Die, the fact that the sheriff has a BRITISH son (“Please, suh, put my fahthuh down!…and no more gruel!”), the finger beams, and the super-kiss. I loved this movie as a kid, but I still recall sitting in the lunch room with my friends joking about how none of Superman’s and the villains’ new powers made sense. And also how the super-kiss was ridiculous.
So, OK, granted, turning the world around AGAIN was NOT much of a solution. Agreed. What I’m wondering is if there’s some way to re-edit it so that it ends with Lois KNOWING that Clark is Superman and letting that be that. Perhaps using footage from one of the other Superman movies, maybe we can give this pair of films a good ending. I’d like to see it end with the two of them just being OK with the situation of him being Superman and Lois knowing it. Period.
Review by Phlegmbot — October 5, 2010 @ 9:34 am