Supergirl

I first saw this movie when i was still a kid, and I enjoyed it then, as would all other children. I have seen it again, and cannot in all honesty understand why it failed. Helen Slater played the role of Supergirl perfectly, and had a strong supporting cast. Perhaps it was not the right time for it, because the macho-male action hero sterotype was still very much prevalent in the 80's. Chances are that movies like G.I. Jane and Alien would also have flopped at the box-office if they was released in the early 80's.

Supergirl was and still is a great film for people of all ages, despite what the critics may have said.

I could make this very long, or I could make it strict. stricted? yes... This is a truely wonderfull movie that on a mainstreame level has never gotten the attention it deserves. Faye Dunaway is a excellant adversory to Helen Slater and almost everyone in this movie seems to have a great chemistry together wich is outputed highley during it. The special FX are wonderfull and were advanced for its time, many in the movie even to today's standards. It has its roots in artistic litrature, it has heart, because the movie is about a teenager there is a vulrability to it wich feels more humane and personal to a level of a teenager myself...unlike the Superman movies where you simply feel "yes, he's super...he can do anything. good for him" This movie suffered for many reasons wich isn't about its story. It was marketed purley as a Superman "action sueprhero" sort of movie. When the fact is there is a more gentile apraoch to this film, sourcery, love and lots of imaginative things wich make it very unique to the superhero genre. unfortunatley it doesn't do it much favours considering to many it is the worst superhero movie ever. Everything about this movie is very imaginative and creative. From Supergirl flying out of a lake without getting wet to her almost flawless flying ballet (THATS when u believe a person can fly. Unlike Supermans blue screen FX) and the highly inspireing fair ground scenes. This is purley fantasy. Not a Spiderman/Superman action superhero movie wich it was promoted to be. So its real targeted audience didn't want to see it as its trailer and promotion didn't look like "their sorta thing" and the people that did see it were dissapointed as it wasn't what it was said to be. so let me say...STUPID marketting team!simply...its like making American Pie SOUND LIKE the matrix. Many people saw Supergirl and did not expect to see many of the things they saw.

If this film was marketed the way it should have been and released the way it should have been (some countries got a seriously bad edited version wich effected the charactors allot) then this would have been the success everyone thought at the time and still deserves to be This is a great movie and its one of my favourites. I don't think I could praise it enough. I think its not what many people wanted ot see back then though...they wanted explosions, action and they wanted Superman to fit into this film.

I think the fact that Supergirl arrived on earth in the supercostume without no actual logic was bad. Because firstly you need rules, and even more so in fantasy movies. Because it may be fantasy but you still should believe it. I think it could have easily been written in for Supergirl to get her costume. Zaltar could have made her it because she is a big admirer of her cousin Superman. But no, unfortunatley it isn't once explained how and were she got her costume from. Also...the instant costume portrays that she is an instant hero and she wasn't wich let many people down. As she was still nieve, cute and girly and not the strong wilded heroine she turned out to be at the end.

Also, this movie arguable did not fit into the superman mythology very well...But so be it. There is no flaw in this movie that could effect the enjoyment and believability of the movie. On its DVD release there are more visual flaws then I saw on its video release wich is surprising. Not many however but on her first ever flying shot there are...wich makes me cringe. HOWEVER, I am still to see better better flying in a movie that isn't from Supergirl. Highlights of this movie deffanitly are Supergirls flying ballet (you will never see anything as visually wonderfull and pretty as this in a film) and Supergirls scenes with Ethan. This movie is full of heart and art, with beautifull actors and its all acompanied by a wonderfull score wich captures allot of emotion and depth.

I will end this review with that you WILL believe a girl can fly. Because most of the time...it is live flying and not against a screen (when will you learn Superman?)

Apart from the witchcraft, I LOVE this movie!

This was the first time I ever saw Helen Slater, and rightaway I knew she was the most beautiful lady in the world! (Sorry ladies!)

I think there are some classic lines that have been overlooked: I remember when the Tractor went wild in Midvale, and Linda/Supergirl was searching for a place to change into her costume, she spied the Ladies' Room, and dashed toward it at super-speed, plowing into a woman who was just coming out. Linda apologized, "Sorry, I'm in a rush!" and shot inside. The woman looked wry. "I know what you mean!"

Perhaps Zaltar (Peter O'Toole) wasn't as important as he could have been. Although I thought Faye Dunaway was perfect as Selena (a little type-casting courtesy of Mommie Dearest), I prefer to wonder what would have happened if Zaltar had been just a little more complex (he's an artist, after all!) and a little more selfish, and actually followed through with his plans to see Outer Space with the assistance of the Omegahedron.

Then he might have been the villain of the piece, and the most dangerous kind of villain: the villain an audience can sympathize with. Then the audience would have been torn between wanting Zaltar to succeed, and wanting Kara/Supergirl to stop him before the loss of the Omegahedron destroys Argo City.

Oh! And I would've liked to see how Argo City was torn away more or less whole from Krypton as the planet detonated, and wound up in Inner Space, trapped in a warp that only Kal-El's little spaceship was equipped to navigate and exit.

I don't think it's over for Supergirl, her story could be REtold (a la Batman), but I'd only be interested in a remake if the filmmakers would remain true to the style of THIS movie (Supergirl (1984), rather than opting for a trendy, dark, angst-ridden "hero" (I use the term loosely) in a demented action "adventure". I miss the bright, cheerful style of the old Superman comics, from the 50's, 60's and 70's, and I'd love to see that back on the big screen, like Superman The Movie and Superman II, and . . . naturally, Supergirl - The First Adventure.

This is a beautiful, dream-like jewel of a movie, a real Pink Panther (I refer, of course, to the diamond).

That breath-taking, emotional moment as Supergirl arrives on Earth, and discovers her powers and her new environment, in my humble opinion, is unmatched in all the Super-movies.

Jerry Goldsmith's score, especially the Supergirl March and the Love Theme are stirring and moving respectively, and easily equal to John Williams' contributions to the Superman movies. I have Jerry's score on CD (thanks to Silva Screen Records) and the Supergirl Main Theme is my Favorite Movie Theme of all time.

(Superman was and is my hero, Superman II (1980) was THE defining movie of my youth, and I can probably sing you the entire score to Superman III, but I love the Supergirl themes more.)

And if a widescreen, remastered version of this movie ever becomes available "Down Under" , I want to see it!

I am surprised at the high percentage of very low votes for this movie, SUPERGIRL. While it is by no means a great movie, it IS a good film which makes a comic book story come to life. Helen Slater was only 19 when she played Supergirl and it is hard to imagine a better choice. She is pretty and innocent, but has a fine figure and very athletic legs, very believable as Superman's cousin, come to Earth to return the omegahedron to her society, while Superman is on self-imposed exile. For a 1984 film the production values are very high, not one wire is shown in the scenes where Supergirl flies, unlike Superman IV which is very poor in comparison. And, except for the drawn-out ending, is paced very nicely. I have the director's cut, which is 2 hours and 13 minutes of film, and another 5 or 6 minutes of credits.

Faye Dunnaway is also excellent as the archrival, evil sorceress. To me that is the best type of role for her. The DVD has a remarkably good video transfer and is an altogther fun movie, for fans of the Super series of comic book characters.

And, at 1:45 into the film, several newly-introduced Honda Sabre motorcycles were escorting Dunnaway's car.

It could be because I was six the first time I saw it and had a crush on the girl that played supergirl for a long time thereafter, but I enjoy the movie. The special effects are horribly dated compared to what we have become use to in movies, and the acting is not much better. Unless you really like the superman movies, or are under the age of six, the movie would probably be utterly boring. The only good thing that I can say about the movie is that I like it, but I don't know why.