I saw Superman and Superman II when they originally came out, and easily preferred Superman II, which was faster paced and had a lot of amusing gags typical of Richard Lester's films.
Still, when I read they had re-cut Superman II to show the movie it would have been if Donner was never fired, I was curious to see how that would look.
My big complaint the original is that the coming and going of Superman's powers felt like a fantasy magic kind of thing. It was like some Greek myth in which a god's powers were taken away, rather than the more sci-fi approach I expect from Superman. Apparently this was because to save money they excised all of Brando's scenes, and these scenes were crucial to explaining what was going on. In Donner's version, it's still not totally persuasive (I mean, why shouldn't someone be a hero and have a girlfriend?) but it at least has an internal logic.
On the other hand, I liked the humor of Lester's version. If you want a more serious, mythic, classic approach to Superman, well, that's what Donner gives you, but that approach is also why I found the first half of the original Superman rather dull; it was too reverent and serious. Lester offered the same sprightly, wacky humor he displayed in films like The 3 Musketeers and Help, and that is the very thing that has always made me so fond of his films.
If you're a Superman purist, or just want a more intelligent approach to the story, then yes, the Donner version is better. But for me, the Lester version is just more fun.
Still, when I read they had re-cut Superman II to show the movie it would have been if Donner was never fired, I was curious to see how that would look.
My big complaint the original is that the coming and going of Superman's powers felt like a fantasy magic kind of thing. It was like some Greek myth in which a god's powers were taken away, rather than the more sci-fi approach I expect from Superman. Apparently this was because to save money they excised all of Brando's scenes, and these scenes were crucial to explaining what was going on. In Donner's version, it's still not totally persuasive (I mean, why shouldn't someone be a hero and have a girlfriend?) but it at least has an internal logic.
On the other hand, I liked the humor of Lester's version. If you want a more serious, mythic, classic approach to Superman, well, that's what Donner gives you, but that approach is also why I found the first half of the original Superman rather dull; it was too reverent and serious. Lester offered the same sprightly, wacky humor he displayed in films like The 3 Musketeers and Help, and that is the very thing that has always made me so fond of his films.
If you're a Superman purist, or just want a more intelligent approach to the story, then yes, the Donner version is better. But for me, the Lester version is just more fun.
