The Superman series is among the most popular in cinematic history, but the initial outlook for a forth adventure seemed bleak, as actor Christopher Reeve swore never to don the red and blue outfit again after Superman III."We got Christopher Reeve," explains Menaham Golan, chairman of the board of Cannon Films, the company which now produce the Superman films for Warner Bros. release, " by explaining to him that our philosophy is not to hire him as a star, but part of the project's creative team." Satisfied by this attitude Reeve approached screenwriters Lawrence Konner and Mark Rosenthal with a story idea that involved Superman's effort to disarm the Earth of all its nuclear weapons. The story was fleshed out, and the writers began the task of transforming it into a screenplay. "Superman IV has the same epic size that the first one did," comments Mark Rosenthal, "and that's something both we and Chris feel strongly about. Superman is a fascinating character- not just for the obvious story and plot reasons, but for who he is and why. Superman fits in what America is and why we are what we are. So, our approach is to deal with the big issues in a way that will transfer the movie into mythology. "The story," Rosenthal continues, "deals with the question, Can Superman become involved in human destiny?, What's great about Superman , as well as all the equivalent myths, is the issue of why doesn't the 'god' step in and make everything right? That has always been one of the real core fascinations with the character."
" The question," Konner interjects, "simply put is: 'Why doesn't Superman just destroy all the nuclear missiles?' "The film's theme, interestingly enough, was suggested by the Museum of Natural History's presentation of the dream is alive , the IMAX film featuring footage of Earth taken from outer space and projected on 60-foot screens. "The film shows the Earth in daylight," explains Rosenthal, "and you can not only actually see the boot of Italy's exact location, but you can also pick out the towns. The Dreams is Alive is proof that reality is more moving than science fiction. You begin to see the Earth as
this small, vulnerable but tender place with no boundaries. We now want to investigate the Superman mythology as the story of an orphan and his new home, and to end it with certain humanistic concepts which are part of SF movie tradition.

In the Day the Earth Stood Still, the visitor helps us understand who we are and how we should live. That's the same kind of feeling we want with Superman IV." Once the script had been written, a search began for a director who could transfer the story from paper to the movie screen. The concluded when Sidney J. Furie, a veteran filmmaker whose credits include The Ipcress File, Lady Sings the Blues and The Iron Eagle, enter the office of Menahem Golan.
"I knew they were looking for a director and I had never done anything like Superman IV," explains Furie. "It's like someone who doesn't know computers. In other words, it wouldn't be boring. This was an opportunity to learn about special effects and to run a very big picture. It's like being a general and the difference of having an army behind you of a little squad " I wanted to do it but that's not how I got the job it was offered to me when they didn't even know if I wanted it I came in with another idea and Menahem Golan said I don't like your idea but listen to mine I want you to do superman, I said great better
than my idea so it worked out extremely well. Script in hand Furie proceeded to England where production would take place and met with artist Martin Asbury who spent 5 months story boarding every special effect sequence in the film " from the story boards everyone figures out how the effects will be achieved" Furie explains "Whether it will be a model or a combination of blue screen and models, or a live action effect it's different questions and answers but its the same process it's still a scene in a movie that must be achieved, and its exciting. This has been the most exiting year in my life. One of the greatest difficulties plaguing Richard Donner's original Superman the movie was making the audience believe for
the first time that a man could fly. There was no such concerns on superman four "its simply because the effects people know what to do" admits Furie. "You invent the wheel, but you don't have to re invent it. Anybody can look at it and make a wheel and I suppose it's the same with all technology. Once someone does it everyone else knows how to do it. While such may be the case, no one can argue with the idea of perfecting the "wheel," which is what famed visual effects supervisor Harrison Ellenshaw did by using the blue screen process for superman four's flying sequences rather than front projection.
"It's a personal thing," Ellenshaw says, "I just think it looks better and the time it takes is justified by the results. Special effects films are now a genre in their own right, just as Westerns and musicals used to be. Audiences expect seamless perfection."
"This picture is unique in that there have been three before it, all of which have been very successful. I wouldn't want to come along and do a lesser job. We'll always be compared to the first ones, so we're fortunate to have people back who worked on the first three-we're building on their experience."With storyboards, sets and locations secured, Sidney Furie
called his cast to London. Among them were Superman newcomers Mariel Hemingway, Jon Cryer, Sam Wanamaker, Mark Pillow, Clive Mantle and Damian McLawhorn, and such veterans as Christopher Reeve, Margot Kidder, Jackie Cooper, Marc McClure and Gene Hackman, who makes his third appearance as arch-villain Lex Luthor.

This time, Luthor creates a destructive Nuclear Man from Superman's own chromosomes, while simultaneously marketing nuclear weapons to the highest bidder after the Man of Steel begins disarming the planet. As usual, Luthor walks the line between villainy and comedy."
"I wouldn't have done Superman IV if Gene Hackman wasn't in it,"declares Furie. " The selling point for me was Gene Hackman working with Chris Reeve. That was very important, because they are the Yin and Yang, and what's a wonderful Yang because Luthor is a comic villain, but he's not comic. He has a humour about him, but it's the right amount for this piece." The pairing of Reeve and Hackman was an integral aspect of the project from the outset. "Lex and Gene have the size to give Superman a strong adversary," says screenwriter Lawrence Konner. "Lex Luthor brings with him the resonance that he can really harm Superman."
"We haven't seen how Lex has grown, " adds co-writer Mark Rosenthal. "Superman II made him a secondary character, but we brought him because the relationship between Superman and Luthor is just wonderful. Having Gene gives the movie the proper scope and scale."Equally important to Sidney Furie was enlarging the role of Lois Lane as portrayed by Margot Kidder. Who had a brief cameo in Superman III. " I have very deep-seated reasons for this move," Furie details.

"If you have Margot Kidder as Lois Lane , you can tap into the romanticism of the first two films. Even if you couldn't feature that romanticism throughout Superman IV because the script went in other ways, having her would give the opportunity for those few moments, and they are wonderful moments in the film. I am a romantic and I loved the Lois/Superman relationship in the first two films. That was an important element. If your going to make a sequel to two of the best films ever made, which I consider them in their genre, to have the same foundation to hold up your house."

While the human element of Superman IV is one of the film's strongest aspects, there are also more than 550 optical shots included, more than any previous entry in the series. And yet they never overwhelm the characters or the story. " The effects are restricted to certain sequences,' Furie explains. "It was planned that there shouldn't be FX sequences all the way through. You get a taste here and there. But I don't think many effects will be noticed because they're part of the scene. They're not effects for effects sake, because people aren't impressed with effects. They're impressed with story and the effects are there to help the story. For example, Nuclear Man destroys the Great Wall of China. I don't think people will
say, 'Wow, what a great a effect,' They'll say 'My God, he has destroyed the Great Walls of China and Superman has to put it all back together again.' You have to go with the characters and the story, with the special effects as by-products." "Mark and I are hoping that Superman IV is not received as a sequel, but as great movie with this guy named Superman whom we all know and love-and we'll find out what he's up to now," remarks Konner. " You don't get too many opportunities to plug into something so mythic. And Superman is the real thing."

" This is the ultimate popcorn movie,' Furie concurs. " I imagine myself in the audience with popcorn and drinks and ask, 'What do they want out of this ?' I think that way because I am the audience. I'm no different. Superman IV has to amaze you, has to excite you, has to give you some humour, some excitement and some spectacle. This picture treats the audience with great respect. It's saying, 'We think you care about world peace , although we certainly don't have the
final answer. We're not trying to give you one, but we think you care and we think that's important.' "