Superman (1978)

Christopher Reeve as "Clark Kent/Superman"
Margot Kidder as "Lois Lane"
Gene Hackman as "Lex Luthor"
Marlon Brando as "Jor-El"
Ned Beatty as "Otis" 

Directed by Richard Donner

To be direct, the vast majority of comic book adaptations are horrible wastes of time. "Superman" is not a part of the vast majority. In fact, this is unquestionably the best comic-to-film adaptation ever made, and I will go to my grave with that opinion.

If you don't know the Superman legend, here's a brief refresher course: baby Kal-El is sent from his home planet of Krypton just before its destruction by his scientist father Jor-El (Brando). Kal-El's rocketship crashlands on Earth, where he is found by Jonathan and Martha Kent, a middle-aged Kansas couple who rename the boy Clark and raise him to believe in truth, justice, and the American way. As a youth, Clark discovers he has super powers, and as an adult, uses them to fight crime as Superman.

More or less, this origin is retold onscreen (and you have to hand it to a movie that opens the door for a sequel in the first ten minutes). The main focus of the movie, however, is Superman's battle against archvillain Lex Luthor, a master criminal who plans to pull of the greatest real estate heist ever.

Wait a minute.real estate? Yeah, yeah, I know what you're thinking, but it doesn't seem as absurd during the movie, trust me.

And I lied. The true focus of this film isn't so much the "never-ending battle" against Luthor. Donner devotes a large part of this film to establishing a sense of wonder around the Man of Steel, and rightfully so. After all, when was the last time you saw a man fly? The most telling difference between this film and countless other comic-to-film adaptations is that while many other movies treat their subjects with camp and forced humor (see "Batman and Robin"), Donner treats his subject matter with the utmost reverence and respect. This shows in every scene.

Even with Donner's exceptional direction, the world's greatest superhero needs a larger-than-life presence in the costume. This is where Christopher Reeve came in and captivated the world. Reeve played Superman as the ultimate role model, a hero's hero. Alternately, he played Kent as the ultimate straight-arrow nerd, a square's square. Reeve's Superman was the kind of guy whose identity you couldn't easily figure out.

Let's not forget the rest of the supporting cast though. Margot Kidder's Lois was and is the definitive TV/film portrayal of the character (barring the animated Lois, quite the match herself). Her Lois is modern (as modern as can be for 1978) without losing any of the personality that made classic Lois such a lovable pain in the ass. And Gene Hackman's Luthor is arrogant, sharp-tongued, and incredibly condescending. He's perfect. Everything about this movie is as perfect as you can get. Even the flying effects, which modern viewers might consider dated, hold up well enough under the looking glass of time.

I love this movie. Without a doubt, this is an example of exactly what can be done in film with a comic book license. Here, Superman is treated not just as a guy with super powers and a red cape, but as an iconic symbol of all of the values we were raised to hold dear. It's a shame that camp has replaced symbolic respect these days.