May 31, 2007

SUPERMAN II: THE RICHARD DONNER CUT

Review by Joshua Massre

Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut

Twenty-five years after having his cinematic voice silenced, Richard Donner reconstructs his version of Superman II. The result is a darker, more dramatic film with a host of never-before seen content restored from the original film archives. Don’t expect a typical “director’s cut” with extra footage and outtakes. This is a wholly different film.

In 1978, when Superman: the Movie was produced, a second movie was shot concurrently. The director of the two movies was Richard Donner, who was fresh off of the smash hit, The Omen. The first movie went massively over budget, and to make the deadline, Superman II was put on hold so that Donner could focus on the first movie and finish it by the release date.

Tension between Donner and the producers, Ilya and Alexander Salkind, had been growing during the whole production and by the release of Superman: the Movie, the producers and Donner were not speaking at all.

Superman: the Movie was released to much fanfare and was a major box office hit. Naturally, the producers wanted to finish the second movie as quickly as possible to cash in on the success of the original. This time, however, Richard Donner was not at the helm. The Salkinds, disagreeing with Donner’s vision of the movie, decided to find another director.

Richard Lester, of The Three Musketeers, was chosen after an exhaustive search, and the second movie was completed under his direction. Gene Hackman, who played Lex Luthor in the original movie refused to shoot any more scenes because he was angry with the treatment of Donner. The script was rewritten to fit around the scenes that Donner and Hackman had already shot.

The film was finished and released just two years after Superman: the Movie and received considerably mixed reviews. While critics praised its comic elements and inventive story line, many critics panned the movie for the same reason.

Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut

The finished Superman II contained only 48% of Donner’s footage. The rest was shot, or reshot, by Lester. Since just over half of the film’s footage was shot by Lester, Richard Donner’s name was not listed in the credits. The film was stripped of all relation to the original director.

In late 2005, more than 25 years since Donner had been fired from Superman II, Warner Brothers approached him to reconstruct his version of the film. For the first time in history, Donner was allowed to have his vision light up the screen.

After nearly a year of work, and tens of hours of lost footage that was recovered during the process, the film was completed and screened to critics. It was hailed as an exhibition of how differently two directors handle the same material. Many saw it as a less comedic and more dramatic film, and praised this.

Donner’s new take sharply differs from Lester’s original right from the opening scene. In this version, it is Marlon Brando (who was cut from the original for monetary reasons) who sends Zod and his men to the "Phantom Zone." Gene Hackman’s presence also has been greatly increased. A number of Hackman’s scenes are extended and several new ones are added.

Clark Kent is Superman

The storyline changes too, revealing greater tension between Lois and Clark. Consider the two cuts' treatment of how Lois discovers Clark is Superman. In the original version, Clark falls into a fire and comes out unscathed. Donner’s version however, has Lois firing a gun at Clark, and when he is not hurt, he admits that he is Superman. The most noticeable difference is in the ending. Instead of Clark kissing Lois and turning back time, Superman flies around the earth backwards and reverses time.

Superman II: the Richard Donner Cut was released on DVD, HD DVD and Blu-Ray disc in November 2006. While the DVD release is typical, with deleted scenes, and a making of documentary; the HD DVD and Blu-Ray release showcases the new technology perfectly. The two HD versions of the film offer interactive features, such as picture-in-picture commentary where you can actually see the director and editor while they speak about the film. They also offer pop-up menus during movie play that allow you to pick a special feature, watch it and then resume the movie where you left off. This is a film that will be loved by not just Superman fans, but everyone.

Superman II: the Richard Donner Cut available on DVD, HD DVD and Blu-Ray November 2006.

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May 23, 2007

Backyard Home Theater Projector Packages!

Backyard Home Theater Packages from $599

Summer is here! That means more time for fun with family and friends in the great outdoors. Why not enjoy some summer movie on a warm summer night? Oh those summer nights... ah wella wella wella...

Our Backyard Home Theater Packages start at $675 and include the basics for creating your outdoor home theater experience. There are limited quantities, so act now. Offers good while supplies last!

Click here for details and pricing. Also check out our Backyard Home Theater buyers guide

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May 18, 2007

Home Theater: Beyond Brightness and Contrast

Beyond brightness and contrast ratio, home theater projectors have many similar specifications. Nearly all are now HDTV compatible which is widescreen (16:9) native. The majority have an HD video resolution of 720p or 1080p. Finally most have standardized on HDMI connectivity. So what else sets one home theater projector apart from the other?

Video Processing

Epson Home Cinema 1080

Faroudja® and Pixelworks® are the most common video processors in home theater projectors today. Avid videophiles will stand staunchly behind their preference, but both technologies have their own loyal following.

In general, video processing capabilities improve as the cost of the projector goes up. Newer processing chips maintain higher contrast ratios and eliminate the 'jaggies.' But when compared to the standards of just a year or two ago, video processing has vastly improved. In general, only those who invest in very high quality sources (HD DVD players and HD receivers) need to also worry about their processing technologies.

[ photo: Binkley Home Theater eight foot wide screen with the Sanyo PLV-Z2 ]

High Definition Connectivity

As we mentioned, home theaters projectors will most likely have an HDMI connection and most will also have an analog HD connection (component video). So when looking for differences, you might look for multiple inputs for component or HDMI video. You may also want a VGA connection so that the projector can also be easily connected to a home theater PC (Windows Media Center) computer. Wireless video is still not a reliable option for home theater enthusiasts, although there are some solutions available. Hopefully the aggressive efforts of companies like Tivo and Microsoft will help make the wireless video dream a reality in this market.

Note: The Sanyo PLV-Z5 is the only projector under $3000 to offer two HDMI connections. The benefit of this is the ability to create a direct connection to an HD source, such as an Oppo HD DVD player, which is preferable to running the signal through multiple processors. You will still have one HDMI connection and/or a component video input for your receiver or upconverting video processors like the DVDO.

Other Popular Features

There are also those intangible features that help make you "love" your home theater projector. One manufacturer includes a manual joystick style lens shift adjustment that allows users more flexibility, and instant gratification. We also hear customers rave about the electric shutter for the lens on the Sanyo PLV-Z5, which closes automatically when the projector is shut down. This feature helps keep the collection of dust on the lens for those who may forget to put the lens cap after a night of family fun.

Here are a few more popular features that set one home theater product apart from another:

  • 12v screen trigger (for controlling an electric screen with projector remote)
  • Lens shift capability (preferable to keystone correction)
  • Image mode presets (your day and night time image tweaks stored in the menu)
  • 2X zoom lens (for installation flexibility)
  • Silent fan operation (less background noise)
  • Longer warranties (beyond one year)
  • Rebates and promotions!

If you have more questions about our selection of home theater projectors. Please contact a Projector Expert today!

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May 16, 2007

Just Added - More May Coupons!

Coupon Code

Projector People is now offering special savings on projectors for home theater and business with our special Coupon Codes. Coupon codes are for blog readers only!

Panasonic PT-LB60U
You save $100!
Special Coupon Code: SAVE100

Epson Home Cinema
Save $100
Special Coupon Code:SAVE100

Enter the corresponding code into the promotions box once the product has been added to the cart.

Offer valid through May 31st, 2007! Or while supplies last.

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May 14, 2007

May Coupon Codes for ProjectorPeople.com

Coupon Code

Projector People is now offering special savings on projectors for home theater and business with our special Coupon Codes. Coupon codes are for blog readers only!

Casio XJ-S35
You save $50
Special Coupon Code: SAVE50

Mitsubishi HD1000U
Save $50
Special Coupon Code: SAVE50

Enter the corresponding code into the promotions box once the product has been added to the cart.

Offer valid through May 31st, 2007!

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May 09, 2007

Save on Sony B-Stock Projectors from Projector People

Looking for a great deal on a video projector?

Sony Refurbished B-Stock units

Projector People now has a large quantity of Sony B-stock projectors in stock and ready to ship! These projectors start from just $599 for a 2100 lumen SVGA projector!

What is a B-Stock Projector?

A Sony "B-Stock" projector is a unit that may have just been opened and re-sealed, or it may have been used for a trade show, or it may have been returned and refurbished back to new condition. Regardless of which category the unit falls into, Sony includes a full three-year warranty on the projector and a 90-day warranty on the projector lamp. All B-Stock projectors are in stock and ready to ship.

Why buy a used projector when you can buy a new Sony B-stock with full three-year warranty from Projector People.com?

See our complete list of Sony B-Stock product.

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May 04, 2007

Tech News: Projectors in Smallville

Take it on the run. Take it on a plane. Slip it under your arm. Portable projectors have reached sub three-pound weights, but still carry the payload of larger units. Read on to learn more about these mini-marvel projectors.

Slim and Trim

Panasonic Pico Portable

Former lightweight projectors called "micro-portable" usually ranged between 4-6 lbs. And newer sub-4 pound projectors are often referred to as "pico" portable. Both pico and micro-portable projectors are acceptable to most traveling presenters, but smaller is generally preferred, as long as the performance meets user expectations.

Performance concerns can include brightness, fan noise, and feature sets.

    Average Brightness
  • Micro-Portables: 1500 - 3200 lumens
  • Pico Portables: 1400-2000 lumens
  • Pocket Projectors: 20-25 lumens


    • Typical Resolutions
  • Micro-Portables: SVGA, XGA, WXGA
  • Pico Portables: SVGA and XGA
  • Pocket Projectors: SVGA


    • Average Prices
  • Micro-Portables: $599 - $1999
  • Pico Portables: $799 - $1499
  • Pocket Projectors: $499 - $699

Cool Features on Select Pico-Portables

Smaller projectors often have to sacrifice popular features to keep the chassis as small as possible. You might lose lens shift or some of your connectivity options. Luckily, for most presenters, lens shift is not needed and only one connection type is really necessary.

  • Auto on and direct power off
  • Keystone correction
  • SD Card or USB slots for computerless presentations
  • HDTV compatibility

[All features listed are available on the Panasonic PT-P1SDU pico projector]

Pocket Projectors

You may have heard some recent buzz over "pocket" projectors. These are also very small projectors, but they utilize a different lamp technology known as LED. These projectors are handy in that they can be powered using a battery, which means it is possible to have true totally "wireless" capability. LED projectors also offer longer lamp life, upwards of 20,000 hours.

However, the pocket projectors are not nearly as bright as the pico or micro-portable category. That means they are better for very low light applications on small screens (not larger than 40-inches). This eliminates the pocket variety from the short lists of many professional presenters.

USB and SD Card slots

When USB slots were first introduced as options on computer projectors, traveling presenters were hopeful that they might remove some of the travel bulk burden many experienced. However, smaller storage capacities meant file size limitations, which prevented use with longer/larger presentations. But with larger memories available on USB drives, and the emergence of SD card slots, computerless presentations are more flexible than ever before. They are a hot commodity for traveling presenters.



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