If you are a frequent reader to this site then I’m sure you already know a little bit about the story of the failed Superman Lives film. It was to be a grandiose reboot of the Superman character done by the master of the strange Tim Burton. The Death of Superman Lives: What Happened? tells the tale of how the project began, how it got too bloated for Warner Bros, and its ultimate demise in the wake of studio shortfalls and fear. Oh, and there’s a stupid god damn spider that keeps showing up.
Jon Schnepp has put together a riveting documentary on the project that focuses very little on the he studio side of things and places the focus on the Superman character himself, and how this new evolution of the Superman mythos would have played out. We’ve all seen the terrible photo of Nicholas Cage, eyes only half open, in what we now know was a very, very early suit test. It has become the image that has encapsulated the entire project and everything that was wrong about it. But as someone who has now seen this documentary I can say that without a shadow of a doubt Nicholas Cage would have done something really special with The Man of Steel, and the vision that Tim Burton had not only would have been unique for Superman as a character, but truly special for Burton as a director. Along with Tim Burton we would have had a Superman that even with today’s depiction of the character, would have stood alone, much in the same way Burton’s original Batman still does today.
Throughout the film we get in depth interviews with a number of people intimately connected to the project. Schnepp asks the questions all of us as Superman fans have wanted to ask of these people for years and years. What happened, what went wrong, what was your vision, and why did things go up in smoke. From set designers and concept artists, to production people and the actual team behind the various suits that the movie would use, to long conversations with Tim Burton himself, this documentary lets us into a world many of us ever get to see. And while this is a story about the trials and tribulations of a failed superhero film, it’s also an amazing insight into the politics and people that can lead to a movies untimely end.
The biggest thing here for fans is the copious amounts of concept art that Schnepp has put together alongside the stories for many of them from the very people who were tasked with created them. On top of that we get our first look at many reels of Nicholas Cage in costume (many in fact) as the production team talks about the direction the character is taking and seeing the suit evolve around him. You come to really understand that both Burton and Cage have a deep love and passion for this project, and while Schnepp doesn’t ever talk to Nicholas Cage about the film (ultimately the biggest let down of this documentary) we come to find out that this project is something that still haunts Tim Burton to this day. Not because of the way it fell apart or the people invloved, but because even after all these years, after all his success with of projects, with the reinvention of Superman onscreen two times since, Superman Lives is still a film he wants to make, and one that I would pay good money to see.
If you are a fan of the Superman character then this is a story that you simply can not miss out on. Likewise, if you are an aspiring filmmaker or looking to work in the industry in any capacity The Death of Superman Lives: What Happened? is an amazing project that will open up your eyes to a world much different than you can even imagine. While the documentary may have trouble finding the right pace with its loose flow from time to time, it can’t be stated enough just how solid the final product is with its punch to the gut finish. I was one of the loudest people around laughing off seeing Nicholas Cage as Superman, but after this film, and the amazing test footage and photos that Schnepp gives us, I am left saddened that Superman Lives had to die in obscurity, with two mediocre Ghost Rider films as our on consolation seeing Nicholas Cage as a hero.
You can download The Death of Superman Lives: What Happened? from the films website here. This documentary comes highly recommended.
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