Superman III (1983)

Country of Origin: UK
Year of Production: 1983
Running Times: 125 mins
Format: colour 35mm
Ratio: Panavision (anamorphic) 2.35:1
Sound: Dolby Stereo

PRODUCTION
Production Companies: Cantharaus Productions N.V. / Dovemead Films / Film Export A.G. International
Executive Producer: Ilya Salkind
Supervising Producer: Alyssa Cartegena (uncredited)
Producer: Pierre Spengler

SCRIPT
Script: David Newman, Leslie Newman

DIRECTION
Director: Richard Lester
2nd Assistant Director: Christopher Newman

PHOTOGRAPHY
Director of Photography: Robert Paynter
Director of Photography (Alberta Scenes): Matt Tundo
Focus Puller: John Deaton
Clapper Loader: Derek Suter

MUSIC
Music: Ken Thorne
Songs: Giorgio Moroder; John Williams (from Superman (1978))
Music Editor: Robert Hathaway

SOUND
Re-Recording Mixer: Gerry Humphreys

MAKE UP AND COSTUMES
Hair Department Head: Robert L. Stevenson
Costume Designers: Jerry R. Allen, Evangeline Harrison

SPECIAL EFFECTS
Special Effects Supervisor: Martin Gutteridge
Special Effects: Effects Associates Ltd
Special Effects Technicians: Ian Corbould, Paul Corbould, Ricky Farns, Dave Ford, Garth Inns, Peter Netley, Roy Quinn, Neil Trifunovich
Front Projection Consultant: Zoran Perisic
Additional Model Effects: Derek Meddings (uncredited)
Additional Model Photography: Paul Wilson (uncredited)
Supervising Modelmaker: Terry Reed
Flying Effects Technician: Robert Harman

VISUAL EFFECTS
Supervisor of Optical and Visual Effects: Roy Field
Optical and Matte Camera: Martin Body
Matte Artist: Peter Melrose
Assistant Matte Artist: Janice Body
Process Photography: John Harris

DESIGN AND SET CONSTRUCTION
Production Designers: Brian Ackland-Snow, Terry Ackland-Snow, Bert Davey, Peter Murton

MISCELLANEOUS
Accounting Assistant: Susie Ford
Helicopter Pilot: Marc Wolff

LOCATIONS
Locations: Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Glen Canyon, Utah, USA

STUNTS
Stunt Coordinator: Paul Weston
Balloon Stunts Arranger: Colin Prescott
Stunts: Roy Alon, Rick Anderson (uncredited), Vic Armstrong (uncredited), Ken Barker, Dickey Beer, Marc Boyle, Sue Crosland, Clive Curtis, Eddie Eddon (uncredited), Tracey Eddon, Greg Wayne Elam, Alex Green (uncredited), Richard Hammatt, Dick Hancock (uncredited), Reg Harding, Billy Horrigan, Ken Kirzinger (uncredited), Wendy Leech, Wayne Michaels, Terence Plummer (uncredited), Greg Powell (uncredited), Doug Robinson (uncredited), Colin Skeaping, Eddie Stacey, Mark Stewart, Terry Walsh, Paul Weston (uncredited), Les White (uncredited)

CASTING
Casting (Canada): Trish Robinson

CAST
Christopher Reeve (Superman / Clark Kent)
Richard Pryor (Gus Gorman)
Jackie Cooper (Perry White)
Marc McClure (Jimmy Olsen)
Annette O'Toole (Lana Lang)
Annie Ross (Vera Webster)
Pamela Stephenson (Lorelei Ambrosia)
Robert Vaughn (Ross Webster)
Margot Kidder (Lois Lane)
Gavan O'Herlihy (Brad)
Nancy Roberts (unemployment clerk)
Graham Stark (blind man)
Henry Woolf (penguin man)
Gordon Rawlings (man in cap)
Peter Wear (bank robber)
Justin Case (mime)
Bob Todd (dignified gent)
Terry Camilleri (delivery man)
Stefan Kalipha (data school instructor)
Helen Horton (Miss Henderson)
Lou Hirsch (Fred)
Bill Reimbold (wages man)
Shane Rimmer (state policeman)
Al Matthews (fire chief)
Barry Dennen (Dr McClean)
Enid Saunders (Minnie Bannister)
Kevin Harrison Cork (D.J.)
Robert Henderson (Mr Simpson)
Paul Kaethler (Ricky)
R.J. Bell (Mr Stokis)
Pamela Mandell (Mrs Stokis)
Peter Whitman (man at cash point)
Ronnie Brody (husband)
Sandra Dickinson (wife)
Philip Gilbert (newsreader)
Pat Starr (white coated scientist)
Gordon Signer (Mayor)
John Bluthal (Pisa vendor)
George Chisholm (street sweeper)
David Fielder (Olympic runner)
Robert Beatty (tanker captain)
Chris Malcolm (1st miner)
Larry Lamb (2nd miner)
Stan Edmonds (applauding man - uncredited)
Les Kimber (bus driver - uncredited)
Grant Lowe (cab driver - uncredited)
David Winning (commuter - uncredited)

Jobless Gus Gorman discovers a gift for computing and is hired by wealthy businessman Ross Webster to help in his grandiose schemes to alter the world's economies by sinking supertankers. Superman comes to the rescue but Gus has developed a synthetic form of Kryptonite that brings out the Man of Steel's corrupt, evil alter ego. Can he recover in time to put a stop to Webster's schemes - or will the madman's supercomputer finally see Superman off.

A serious disappointment after the excellent first two films, Superman III plays it strictly for laughs to the detriment of the franchise. The opening volley of slapstick gags sets the scene and it's a warning of what was to come. The shifting of attention away from Superman and onto Richard Pryor's comic relief was a mistake - whatever his other talents, he simply isn't right for this film. Only Christopher Reeve's personable portrayal of Superman makes it at all bearable.

USA
Theatrical Distributor: Warner Brothers
Video Distributor: Warner Brothers Home Video
Laserdisc Distributor: Warner Home Video; Warner Home Video (11320 LV)
DVD Distributor: Warner Home Video (11320)

Australia
Rating: PG

Finland
Rating: K-12

France
Rating: U

Germany
Rating: 12

Norway
Rating: 12

Sweden
Rating: 11

UK
Rating: PG

USA
Rating: PG

1984
Razzie Awards
Worst Musical Score (Giorgio Moroder) - nominated
Worst Supporting Actor (Richard Pryor) - nominated

1983
June
17: USA - theatrical release

August
10: France - theatrical release

December
16: Norway - theatrical release
23: Finland - theatrical release
25: Sweden - theatrical release

1984
March
9: West Germany - theatrical release

1996
September
23: USA - laserdisc release (Warner Home Video)

2000
February
22: Iceland - video release

2001
May
1: USA - DVD release (Warner Home Video (11320))

The world's super hero in his toughest adventure yet!

Stålmannen går på en kryptonit - Swedish title
Superman III - Der stählerne Blitz - German title

SEQUEL TO
Superman (1978)
Superman II (1980)

SEQUEL
Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987)

comic into film; superheroes; superman; computers; hackers; dc comics; sequels