DVD Reviews
DVD Review: Look, Up in the Sky!: The Amazing Story of Superman
By Jeff Swindoll
Jul 3, 2006, 13:26 GMT

Just in time for the hoped for blockbuster movie, Superman Returns, Warner Brothers brings out this new documentary produced by Bryan Singer and directed by Kevin Burns.

On the alien world of Krypton, scientist Jor-El discovers that the planet is doomed and puts his infant son, Kal-El, into a rocket and spirits him away from the destruction.  He lands on the planet Earth and is raised by the Kents.  He comes to the big city and works as a reporter for the Daily Planet.  That is only his alternate identity for he really is the superhero known as Superman. 

Superman was created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster in the 1930s and has been in most every medium since.  He started in comic books, but made the move to radio, serials, television, and eventually the big screen.

This summer promises to be the summer of the Man of Steel with the release of the big budget Superman Returns helmed by director Brian Singer.  Singer also produced this amazing 110 minute documentary directed by Kevin Burns.  It’s narrated by Kevin Spacey, who also stars as Lex Luthor in Superman Returns.  It features interviews with author/historian Gerard Jones, Imagimovie expert Forrest J. Ackerman, comic book writer Elliot S! Maggin, actor/comic book fan Mark Hamill, comic book writer/historian Mark Waid, musician/comic book fan Gene Simmons, comic book legend Stan Lee, comic book dealer Stephen Fishler, actor Chuck McCann, Superman collector Philip Hecht, comic book writer Gail Simone, President & publisher of DC comics Paul Levitz, actress Noel Neill, author/historian Gary H. Grossman, actor Jack Larson, actor/comic book fan Bill Mumy, comic book writer Dennis O’Neill, actress Annette O’Toole, actor Adam West, producer Norman Twain, actress Lesley Anne Warren, director Bryan Singer, producer Ilya Salkind, director Richard Donner, and screenwriter Tom Mankiewicz.

Other contributors include Christopher Reeve’s mother Barbara Johnson, actress Margot Kidder, actor Jackie Cooper, senior group editor at DC comics Mike Carlin, actor Gerard Christopher, comic book artist Art Thibert, actor Dean Cain, creators of Smallville Alfred Gough & Miles Millar, senior vice president & executive editor of DC comics Dan Didio, producer Jon Peters, screenwriters Michael Doughtery & Dan Harris, producer Thomas Tull, actor Brandon Routh, actress Kate Bosworth, actor Sam Huntington, producer Chris Lee, and producer Gilbert Adler. 

I thought this documentary was excellent.  Not only did it cover the good times but it also covered some of the stuff that Superman might just want pushed under the rug.  Such as Super Pup and the late night television musical that was based on a Broadway version of Superman. 

This is probably the first time that I’ve heard of either of them.  Super Pup was a pilot made right after George Reeves committed suicide.  It was a version of that show but the characters were played by midgets dressed up as dogs (alter ego Bark Bent!) and an attempt to keep the show going without Reeves.  It never made it to a series (thankfully) and the pilot is all that remains. 

The other was made for late night TV in the 70s and featured a singing Superman and also starred Lesley Anne Warren as Lois Lane.  There are also some fine tributes to the late Christopher Reeve, who became a real life Superman when he rose above his debilitating injuries and became an advocate for the disabled.  Other interesting items are the concept sketches for Superman Returns before Bryan Singer’s involvement. 

The project was going in a completely different direction and looked really bad to me – Superman meets the Matrix.  The final section of the documentary covers Superman Returns and fans eager for a sneak peak will want to check that out. 

Look, Up in the Sky is presented in anamorphic widescreen (1.85:1) and enhanced for 16x9 televisions.  There are no special features, but I wonder if an extended documentary might resurface around the time that Superman Returns makes it to DVD.

I thoroughly enjoyed this documentary.  It was good to see that they took a “warts and all” approach and even covered some of the Superduds.  It made it seem somewhat less of a valentine to Superman.  However, it is a very informative documentary.  You’ll definitely want a copy if you’re a Super-fan.

Look, Up in the Sky!: The Amazing Story of Superman is now available at Amazon. As of yet, there is not a release date for the UK. Visit the DVD’s database for more information.