SUPERMAN IV: You’ll Believe a Fan Can Cry

REEL RETRO CINEMA: “You like this kind of thing?”

UPDATED 7/24/21: Superman IV came out 34 years ago! Perfect time to re-present this piece from 2018’s SUPERMAN WEEK. Dig it. — Dan

It’s SUPERMAN WEEK! We’re celebrating Action Comics #1000 — and the 80th anniversary of the Man of Steel. For the complete index of features and tributes — many by some of the top creators in comics — click here.

For SUPERMAN WEEK, we’ve celebrated the best of the Man of Steel. We’ve had tributes from more than 13 of the top artists in comics, including Dan Jurgens, Jerry OrdwayMike Allred and Dave Gibbons. Thanks to a battery of guest columnists, we’ve looked at why Superman still inspires us after 80 years, saluted creators like Curt Swan and looked ahead to the much-anticipated run by Brian Michael Bendis.

What’s obvious is that after eight decades, from the Depression to today, through good times and bad, Superman not only endures, he soars. He can survive anything.

Even a really, really, really crappy movie.

As a coda to SUPERMAN WEEK, we bring you Superman Movie Minute co-host Rob Kelly’s latest REEL RETRO CINEMA column, in which he hilariously eviscerates what is in all likelihood the very lowest point in the life of the Man of Steel.

Because a hero is nothing without adversity. Especially when you’re talking about film critics.

By ROB KELLY

“No, don’t do it—the people!”

That’s of course a line from Superman II, delivered by the Man of Steel just as the three Phantom Zone villains are about to toss a bus full of innocent bystanders at him. But it also could have—should have—been delivered by some Warner Bros. executive upon seeing the first cut of Superman IV: The Quest For Peace: “Shouldn’t someone think of the innocent moviegoers we’re foisting this movie upon?”

Anyone who visits this site even casually has assuredly already seen Superman IV and probably knows the pathetic backstory of its production. While Superman III had been a financial success, critically it was lambasted and the hoped-for spin-off Supergirl franchise failed to materialize. The Superman movie series had been presumably laid to rest, mostly since star Christopher Reeve had understandably tired of the role and wanted to move on to other projects (if you haven’t seen him in 1982’s Deathtrap, do so).

But, to use a term original Superman screenwriter Mario Puzo coined for another one of his movies, Reeve was made an offer he couldn’t refuse when it came to making another installment: He could write the story, thereby giving him more creative control of the final product. Combined with a promise that the studio would financially back a film he desperately wanted to make called Street Smart (a hard-hitting drama about a journalist covering the drug epidemic), Reeve agreed to suit up one more time.

Unfortunately, by the time Quest for Peace was put into production, the Salkinds—who produced the first three films—had sold the rights to infamous low-budget titans Golan-Globus. (Why Warner Bros.—which owns DC Comics and therefore Superman—didn’t simply buy the rights back is a riddle worthy of Edward Nigma). So while all the parts were present—Reeve, Margot Kidder, Marc McClure, Jackie Cooper, even Gene Hackman—they found themselves stranded in the cheapest, cruddy-looking Superman production ever put to film.

There is so much wrong with Superman IV: The Quest for Peace it’s hard to know where to begin, or stop. Right of the bat, Superman’s goal—to rid the world of nuclear weapons—is a poor premise for a movie. Like the crew of the Enterprise searching for God in Star Trek V: The Final Frontier, audiences know going in that the heroes are not going to accomplish their mission, so what’s the point of this journey in the first place? But maybe, maybe, if Superman: The Movie director Richard Donner and screenwriter Tom Mankiewicz (who were both asked to return and smartly refused) had been the ones tackling this tale, they could have made it work.

But even that’s a stretch, given how cheap a production this is. The green-screen work is atrocious. When Superman rescues Lois on a runaway subway train, they are clearly not in any American city known to man. When the Man of Steel visits the United Nations, it looks like it’s in an abandoned industrial park, not on New York City’s East River. Hell, you can even hear an echo when Reeve and Kidder recite their dialogue in the scene at his apartment, the kind of sound recording you get on porno films. Golan-Globus wouldn’t even spring to fix the main titles, so the Superman logo is weirdly stretched out, a result of superimposing the title on squeezed anamorphic film without first squeezing the title to match.

But perhaps all the money in the world wouldn’t have helped with this screenplay (which Reeve did not actually write). At one point Clark drops himself and Lois off his balcony, revealing himself to be Superman, then taking her on a cross-country flight. They return and he plants another Super-Kiss on her, so she forgets everything of the last few minutes–a fine example of what the internet has come to refer to as Super-Dickery.

The main bad guy, Nuclear Man, is embarrassing. Apparently the filmmakers realized too late that the actor they cast, Mark Pillow (whose sole film credit this is), was so bad that they cut all his dialogue, so he is reduced to screaming and grunting a lot. I’m trying to imagine what, if any, conversations he had with Gene Hackman, one of the greatest film actors of all time, while killing time around the craft service table.

“I have an Oscar. No one can take that away from me.”

Superman IV: The Quest For Peace has a gleeful disregard for any notion of reality. Sure, it’s a Superman movie and you can’t get too caught up in the science part of it, but why oh why does this movie insist objects and people can travel into space and not burn up? After we see a baseball (hit by Clark Kent while on the family farm) manage the feat, the movie tops itself when Nuclear Man kidnaps Lacy Warfield (Mariel Hemingway) and drags her into space, no spacesuit or oxygen mask required! Scenes like this suggest that the filmmakers regard the kind of the people who watch Superman movies as dullards who won’t notice basic rules of science being violated willy-nilly. As a comic book fan since before I could read, being talked down to or thought stupid because I liked comics was always a sore spot (more on that in a moment).

“I’m a little chilly.”

There’s more, so much more. With the movie’s budget so limited, we get way too much goings-on at The Daily Planet, as Perry White fights off a hostile takeover from some fat cats who want to turn it into a scandal rag to increase profits. There’s a double-date scene featuring Clark Kent and Superman, which is embarrassingly not funny, and makes both Reeve and Kidder look silly. At this point the actors were 35 and 39 years old, respectively, and they just look way too old for these kinds of youthful shenanigans. But since showing Superman doing anything super cost money, they had to keep cutting back to all this boring stuff, because that was cheaper to film. Lois interviews Superman again, and Lex does another “secret message” that only the Man of Steel can hear, reminding you of when this kind of stuff was done before, but better. Jon Cryer as Lex’s nephew steps in for Ned Beatty’s Otis and manages to sink every scene he’s in.

“Boys Town? I’m 22.”

I generally try to be positive for these Reel Retro Cinema columns, and I especially want to be so during SUPERMAN WEEK here on 13th D, because I have always loved the character and in particular Reeve’s take on him. But I despise this movie so much, and it makes me angry that this was Christopher Reeve’s swan song as the Man of Steel. Even though it was (again) done as a cost-saving tactic, I guess one measure of comfort can be taken that the last scene of Quest for Peace—the very last shot of Christopher Reeve as Superman—is him flying and smiling at the camera, shamelessly cribbed from the classic original film.

Reeve as Superman is the single greatest piece of casting in the history of superhero movies (just FYI, I’d put Chris Evans as Captain America and Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman in the second and third slots on that list) and seeing him waste his time in this movie just fills me with such sorrow. It degrades Superman, something that should never be done. As Richard Donner said about his approach to the material, “You don’t mess with Mom and apple pie.”

Warner Bros. knew what a turkey it had on its hands. All the Superman movies run at least two hours, but Superman IV: The Quest for Peace clocks in at a brisk 91 minutes. Wanting to grab as much money as it could before the bad word got out, the studio lopped a half-hour out of the movie, guaranteeing more screenings could be jammed in, as fast as possible, plot coherence be damned.

I was at one of those screenings in 1987, still too young to drive myself to the theater. This was of course pre-internet, so I had no sense of the negative notices that surrounded this film. Loving the Superman movies as I did, I cheerfully showed up with my Mom, who normally hates any kind of fantasy or science fiction (my Dad must have been busy).

About 20 minutes into the movie, when it became clear it was just awful, she turned to me and said, “You like this kind of thing?” in a tone that suggested how aghast she was to learn that her son was some sort of knuckleheaded moron. I tried to explain that no, no, the other movies were better, but it was no use. Her one glimpse into the world of Superman movies forever cemented her opinion that this stuff was, indeed, garbage aimed at, and for, stupid people.

There are people who defend this movie, and they tie themselves into Plastic Man-esque knots coming up with justifications for doing so. Well, if the full cut had been released…well, if the budget had been bigger, well…if my grandmother had wheels, she’d be a wagon. Superman IV: The Quest for Peace should be judged for the film as released, and it is a sorry, pathetic way for the original Superman film series to go out.

Could there be a better version of this story? I’m dubious, but a Not Totally Awful take can be found in the accompanying DC Comics adaptation by Bob Rozakis, Curt Swan, Don Heck, Frank McLaughlin, Al Vey, John Beatty and Dick Giordano. Boasting a beautiful Jerry Ordway cover (is there any other kind, really?), this 64-page version works from the original script, so at least it doesn’t feel as absurdly rushed as the movie.

The most noticeable difference is Superman has an encounter with a proto-Nuclear Man whose unstable molecules reduce him to a pile of dust after a run-in with the Man of Steel. It gives Lex’s plan a little more depth and nuance and raises the stakes when the second version emerges.

Also, thanks to the work by Superman mainstay Curt Swan, Lois, Jimmy and Perry look like they have always have in the comics, giving the story a more timeless feel.

Rozakis wisely excises a lot of the bad jokes, and Nuclear Man gets to have dialogue a little more involved than the Frankenstein monster. Superman’s super-feats (the battle on the moon, rescuing the Statue of Liberty, etc.) are handled as smoothly as always, unlike the exposed wirework and inch-thick green screen halos evident in nearly every frame of the film. It seems so absurd that there is no comic-book adaptation of the first two Superman movies (thanks to a financially onerous clause in Puzo’s contract) yet DC had to put so much time and effort into making sure kids had a take-home souvenir of Superman IV: The Quest for Peace. 

I have no proof of this, but something tells me the whole debacle left a lasting impact in the halls of Warner Bros., because in just two short years it would release Tim Burton’s Batman, which would usher in a new age of “serious” superhero movies, backed up by healthy production and marketing budgets. Eventually, the movie rights to every DC character would be under studio control, to guarantee no cinematic disaster like Quest for Peace would ever be made again.

Of course, we all know it didn’t quite work out that way, but that Reel Retro Cinema column will have to wait until 13th Dimension does a BATMAN AND ROBIN WEEK.

Rob Kelly is a writer/artist/comics and film historian. He is the host or co-host of several shows on The Fire and Water Podcast Network, including Aquaman and Firestorm: The Fire and Water PodcastThe Film and Water PodcastTreasuryCast, Pod Dylan — and Superman Movie Minute

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— For the complete SUPERMAN WEEK index of features and tributes, click here.

Author: Dan Greenfield

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10 Comments

  1. Yeah, I got nothing. You’re right. I can only argue good intentions, and the fact that the budget was slashed after many of these folks who oughta know better signed on…but…yeah. Superman III may be a head-scratching direction to go in with a super hero franchise, but at least it LOOKS good and was competently made.

    This…well, it’s just bad.

    Well said. Love that Ordway cover though!

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  2. I had seen some bad reviews before I went to see it, but as someone who always looks for silver linings in bad movies, I thought I would give it a try. Sadly, there was nothing worthwhile in this stinker. Also, the short running time meant that it flew past before I even got settled in my seat. There was no chance for any story to develop even if they had one to begin with. To paraphrase a line from Annie Hall, “What a terrible movie! And such a small portion!” The saddest part for me was that Christopher Reeve didn’t even bother to bulk up for this entry. He looks so puny compared to the other films. When you see the final scene lifted from the first film, he’s clearly much bigger and more Superman-like. What a sad send-off to his era as Superman.

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  3. Maybe it’s the inundation of airings on TBS, maybe it’s because it was one of my first semi-repeat rentals (That wasn’t “Star Wars” related), or maybe it’s because I’m super forgiving of Cannon Films productions… I will instantly transform into a fire and brimstone preacher to defend stuff like “Masters of the Universe” and “Cyborg”, even also going so far as to say the production company’s finest hour is “Invasion U.S.A.”.

    The point is, I still amazingly do not hate “Superman IV: The Quest for Peace”. This is in no way my saying it’s a solid film; most effects moments are wholly cringe-worthy. But for a kid who shot away hours on such fare as “Starcrash”… another one that I can speak volumes about… this wasn’t far removed from the fun afternoon entertainment I grew accustomed to. Outside of the nuclear arms plot, the Nuclear Man story actually felt like something we would’ve got from a Bronze Age Superman comic!

    Don’t worry, I won’t try and convince the random film-going masses this is worth their time to reconsider. The two Luigi Cozzi “Hercules” films, though…

    But let’s just say, theoretically, we were on a desert island, and we had a choice of ONE “Superman” movie we had to have with us for viewing… and it couldn’t be related to the first two films. This would handily be my island choice; “Superman III” is more technically adept, but it constantly puts me to sleep, “Superman Returns”… just ew all over, “Man of Steel” I’ve yet to revisit on Blu Ray but get the nagging feeling it might not be nearly as impressive as I remembered it being, and there is no such thing as a “Batman V Superman” in my continuity. Imaginary movie, fake news… 😉

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  4. Two things:

    The comic book adaptation contained a sequence, cut down in the film, of Lex Luthor stealing a lock of Superman’s hair in a museum in order to get his DNA to create Nuclear Man. In the comic book, Luthor looks at the display and comments something like, “Superman, old pal, we should get together. Over lunch. Over dinner. Over my dead body!” I really wish that line had made the film.

    Also, it cracked me up that you referenced Reeve’s line from Superman II, “Don’t do it… the people!” without mentioning that it was REPRISED in Superman IV, to much less effect, during one of Supes’ battles with Nuclear Man. They couldn’t even be original with that.

    I completely agree that it’s a shame this is how Reeve’s Superman departed the big screen. At least, since then, we have the Richard Donner cut of Superman II, which, while not perfect, contains footage of Reeve and Kidder which we would otherwise have been denied.

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  5. I’ve seen “Superman IV” several times and definitely found it cheesy. I currently own the comic version of the film, which I read and found to be better.

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  6. Rebuild-Great-Wall-of-China vision. I rest my case.

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  7. Didn’t enjoy III and sitting to watch IV, I almost walked out. I should have. I’ve never seen either versions again. Sad.

    Dan, a tiny nitpick here, when you say, “ This was of course pre-internet,…” you really should say “pre-web” days. The internet started around 1969.

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  8. I actually kind of liked Superman IV when I saw it back in the eighties even though I have felt no compulsion to ever watch it again. Bear in mind that it came after the dismal Superman III which got an unfunny comedy performance out of Richard Pryor and a dull villain performance out of Robert Vaughn. At least Superman IV brought back Gene Hackman as Lex Luthor although he should have been given better dialogue. Nuclear Man isn’t my favorite villain either, but at least the writers understood that it might be a good idea to pit Superman against a villain who could go toe to to with him in a fight. I also liked Perry White as a pillar of integrity against sleazy tabloid journalism. That was definitely true to the character.

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  9. I was 10 when this came out, and we all knew it was a clunker somehow. The “Quest for Peace” angle just made it seem like something with a preachy message, the last thing we wanted from an adventure movie. I had seen part III in theaters, but didn’t go to see this one. I probably first saw it years later on a TV broadcast. It certainly became the butt of jokes among my friends after that. But I do think the material for a better movie is there. Whatever other problems the movie has, the post-production and effects work is the worst part of it. There are other movies with story problems, including Superman I and II themselves, but the visuals are so solid you can gloss right over them.

    Everyone MUST check out what APRICEPRODUCTION is doing with this movie on YouTube. He’s completely redone the effects for several scenes, and made them work much better. He’s fixed the notorious Great Wall of China rebuilding and Lacy in space scenes perfectly. I’ve also watched a fan edit with all the deleted scenes put back in order, and the flow of the story works much better. Here are some other elements of the movie that I believe work:

    *Lacy’s infatuation with Clark. This is a great reversal on how Lois is only attracted to Superman. And Lacy has a real character arc in the story.
    *Superman himself has a character arc. His point-of-view on whether he should disarm the world evolves.
    *Lois’ relationship with Clark has evolved from the other movies, and they have a meaningful friendship now.
    *Lex’s and Superman’s relationship has also evolved. They have a familiarity here that they didn’t have before, which feels right and adds to the humor.
    *Hackman’s delivery is excellent, and some of his lines are well-written. “To a nice guy, who’s about to finish last.” He also saves some weak lines with incredible delivery.
    *The “sick Superman” scenes are quite unique and dramatic. This also gave us a great “Does Lois secretly know Clark is Superman?” scene. Stuff like the current Marvel movies rarely have character relationships developed to the point where they can have scenes with that much subtlety and nuance.
    *Reeve is still as good as ever as Clark here. He does some great slapstick.
    *The music store is excellent, including the three new themes by John Williams. Listening to the score in isolation, you can easily imagine a movie where all the drama and excitement worked.
    *The kid writing to Superman was at least a good idea to kick off this movie’s premise, ripped from the headlines of the Samantha Smith story.
    *I think the deleted Red Alert scene really works as drama. It’s very necessary to take this nuclear plot to its highest level of stakes. I wouldn’t have Nuclear Man “Plastic Man” himself into a missile as the script and comic book do, but I’d love to see that scene restored with him creating a missile-shaped fireball around himself.

    Yeah, there is still problematic stuff in the movie that would be hard to fix in post. Lenny’s “valley boy” voice. The cheesy fight choreography on the moon. Lex somehow cutting Superman’s hair with a scissors. Perry White’s giant glasses. Margot Kidder’s bad hair, makeup and outfits. Superman’s grab bag of random powers (doorbell-ringing, anti-telekinesis, etc.). But it would be more watchable and less laughable in an extended cut with a front-to-back visual effects redo.

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