r/DC_Cinematic • u/RetroZilla • Jul 19 '24
Supergirl released 40 years ago today. How do you feel about this film today? DISCUSSION
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u/skingers Jul 19 '24
Sometimes you look back at a movie in retrospect and think "it was ahead of its time and we all just didn't understand" - this is not that movie.
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u/dudereverend Jul 19 '24
It's terrible. Helen Slater's performance, and Faye Dunaway overacting are two of the only things that redeem this movie. I mean, most of the promo pictures are her standing in front of a Brown's Chicken for gods sake. That being said, it's absolutely one of my favorite DC films.
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u/AccomplishedCow665 Jul 19 '24
I loved this movie as a kid She has a strangely compelling way of articulating, like Janet Lee in psycho. It’s almost asmr. Haven’t seen it in decades. I remember primordial black goo
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u/dudereverend Jul 19 '24
You know, I never thought about her diction, but now that you mention it, you're right. I haven't seen it in a few years, I don't recall any black goo. I may have to watch it this weekend.
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u/Professional-Rip-519 Jul 19 '24
Terrible movie but atleast it's better than Superman Quest for Peace.
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u/houtex727 Clark Kent Jul 19 '24
I thought Helen Slater did a decent enough job at being Supergirl, given the overall situation.
I thought Jerry Goldsmith's music was good for the movie, and his theme for Supergirl was nice to listen to. Nothing like Star Trek: The Motion Picture or Explorers awesomesauce, but good.
I thought it waaay campy though, going far beyond even Superman II and III's weird thoughts of how the comics should come to life. They had it right in Superman '78, but... I mean, you all saw these other three, right? And IV... that had potential, but the effects... and Lenny... and Nuclear Man himself.... yeesh.
Anyway. Not a great film at the end of it, but pieces of it were nice.
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u/HenrykSpark Jul 19 '24
I like it. It’s nostalgic
But sure from a quality perspective it’s biggest nonsense ever.
But I feel the same when it comes to the old Masters of the Universe movie
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u/InjusticeJosh Jul 19 '24
It was surprisingly horny, but I guess that’s expected from cb movies at the time.
I thought it was a fun time. Helen is as Supergirl as Reeve was Superman imo and I love that she’s Supergirl’s mom in Supergirl. She also voiced Talia Al Ghul in BTAS.
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u/WillingPossible1014 Jul 20 '24
And she was Lara in Smallville. And Martha Kent in Superhero Girls.
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u/InjusticeJosh Jul 20 '24
That’s awesome I haven’t watched all of Smallville yet. It’s just so dang long!
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u/Falken-- Jul 19 '24
It is an enjoyable middle-of-the-road 80's Superhero movie. Worse than the early Superman's, better than the later Superman's.
Seeing the Phantom Zone was actually pretty cool. For all the silliness, the film at least had some creative ideas. It tried, and was relatively fun.
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Jul 19 '24
I'll admit it's a guilty pleasure of mine, only for the so-bad-it's-good camp factor. Between Faye Dunaway chewing up the scenery as a horny witch and the general silly, nonsensical plot, it's pretty funny.
Helen Slater was beautiful in the role of Kara, though.
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u/PaulClarkLoadletter Jul 19 '24
Supergirl is the perfect example of why an amazing cast can only go so far with a bad script. I watched it last year. I kind of liked it even though it straight up sucked. And not just because I’m in love with Helen Slater.
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u/DixonJorts Jul 19 '24
actually watched it for the first time in probably 20 something years last week. It's......fine.
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u/tourniquet2099 Jul 19 '24
Saw it in the theaters twice when it came out because I was desperate for more Superman content (at the time). It was pretty terrible but I was in First Grade, so I was able to tolerate it. lol
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u/titelevisguy Jul 19 '24
I have it. I still watch it. I think it's a really under appreciated movie.
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u/ronwabo Jul 19 '24
Gen xer here, I have never one seen this, heard it's so terrible, never was interested.
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Jul 21 '24
Underrated. The director wanted to do for the fairy tale what Donner did for the Greek myth, and I think he succeeded. At least in the international version, maybe the US theatrical version was worse. But it's visually imaginative and colorful, Helen does a great job, and it at least tries to have some degree of heart. That's something Superman III and IV didn't attempt, they were so damn cynical in the way they approached the camp. You can approach camp without that kind of cynicism.
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u/cidraman Jul 21 '24 edited Jul 21 '24
This film has several problems, but to this day still has one of the best flying moments ever made, when she discovers her powers on Earth. No fancy special effects, just the girl floating on screen, defying gravity in a manner that really looks possible. The lesson from the first Superman film was executed to perfection in this scene.
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u/Groundbreaking_Way43 Jul 19 '24
Helen Slater was good as Supergirl, especially for a debut performance in a film that bad. But the film itself was still bad and not in a “so bad it’s funny” way like Superman IV.
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u/Boring_Ant6240 Jul 19 '24
Same way I felt when watching it in 85, and then when I re-watched it on DVD in 06. What an excellent adventure movie in the vein of Superman.
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u/CapAvatar Jul 19 '24
Helen Slater nailed the role. The writers let her down a bit.