Very few actors embodied the role of a superhero quite like Christopher Reeve. For generations of movie-loving audience members, Reeve was – and is – Superman. He first stepped into the iconic DC role in 1978’s aptly titled Superman, directed by Richard Donner. He’d go on to play the part in four movies, total, and the initial two installments still rank to this day as some of the best comic book movies ever made. It’s the first first movie in the series, however, that contains a moment that Reeve’s son, Matthew Reeve, declares as his favorite scene that his late father ever put to film. Matthew opens up about it in an exclusive clip from the upcoming documentary Super/Man, shared only on CinemaBlend.
"He absolutely nailed it." We have an exclusive new clip from the fantastic documentary Super/Man, which will make you appreciate Christopher Reeve even more. @Superman @DCOfficial @wbpictures pic.twitter.com/0teGzl9AsOSeptember 18, 2024
As I wrote back then the trailer dropped for Super/Man, this documentary is easily one of the best films you will see in 2024. It splits its focus on two vital phases of Christopher Reeve’s personal and professional life. Naturally, it centers on his acceptance of the role of Superman in Donner’s classic film – a decision that continues to reverberate through the industry and impact the way that comic-book adaptations are made. But also, Super/Man follows the tragic events of Reeve’s accident while horseback riding, which left him paralyzed.
The documentary Super/Man benefits from incredible archival footage of Reeve both as a performer, and as a family man. The film could not have been made without the contributions of Reeve’s family, so it’s noteworthy when Reeve’s son Matthew opens up to the camera in the above, exclusive clip to discuss his favorite moment in his dad’s remarkable film career. Of course, it’s a moment from Superman. In this particular scene, Christopher Reeve plays the hero in a moment of doubt. He thinks he wants to reveal himself to the love of his life, Lois Lane (Margot Kidder). And as Matthew Reeve illustrates:
There’s this amazing scene – it’s my favorite scene of my dad’s film work. He was playing Superman, playing Clark Kent. He kind of, like, takes his glasses off, and he transforms. He puts his glasses back on, and he’s Clark again, instantly. I mean, he absolutely nailed it.
No need for special effects. No need for visual trickery. Simply, Christopher Reeve relying on his own physicality to illustrate the difference between Kal-El, and the human “costume” he wears to keep Earthlings at ease. This feeds into a fun and frivolous conversation, of which Reeve helped spark. Is Superman the real person, pretending to be Clark Kent? Or is Clark Kent the real person, and Superman is HIS disguise? That debate became one of the coolest monologues in Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill movie.
Superman wasn’t Christoper Reeve’s only role, but it’s the one for which a fandom always will remember him. I do, however, hope that his legacy expands after audiences get the opportunity to see Super/Man, which will be presented by Warner Bros. Pictures and Fathom Events in select theaters September 21, followed by an Encore Presentation on Christopher Reeve’s birthday, September 25.
