When we think of fan films, we think of underground projects done with very little to almost no money, done for the love of the project with a tip of the hat to those films that inspired us. For me the very first one that comes to my mind is Hardware Wars, a hilarious takeoff of the original Star Wars that in and of itself became a cult classic. (“You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll kiss three bucks goodbye!”) In the 1980’s three boys set out to make their own homemade version of Raiders of the Lost Ark, which they did over the course of seven years and only in 2015 were able to finally complete. So much so that it impressed Steven Spielberg himself.

By the time of the Internet and digital era, fan films took on a new life, with projects such as Star Wars: The Phantom Edit leading the way for the slew of restorations, fan-made extended versions and recuts of beloved films that expanded upon or shortened films for those people with selective tastes (or distastes) for certain projects.

And then there was Superman II.

We are all familiar with the many production troubles that befell the sequel during production in 1977 and later in 1979 and 1980, when Richard Donner was unceremoniously removed from the production and replaced by Richard Lester. His directorial bent towards comedy resulted in a shift in tone for the sequel in numerous places, which to this day are still noticeable when going to the debates. In 1984 fans were first introduced to the extended version of Superman II on ABC, which saw some fifteen minutes of footage added to the film’s broadcast. Over the next few years different versions of the film would appear in various markets around the world, containing even more unseen footage shot by both Donner and Lester.

By this time my parents and I had our first VCR, and I was very fortunate to have recorded the ABC broadcast of Superman II in its second airing in 1985, and then in its third and final broadcast in 1987. For some reason, something inside told me that I should record the third broadcast – and my instincts were right. In that third and final broadcast, even more footage was included toward the end of the film that had not been seen in its two previous broadcasts. (In later years, during the Internet era, some fans would argue that the added footage at the end of the film was there all along in the first ABC broadcast, but I remember better, for in those pre-VCR days I had recorded the audio from the film, and the footage was not there.) Little would I know at the time how important recording that final broadcast would be.

During the Internet explosion of the 1990s, it was not uncommon to go onto eBay and find auctions for the extended versions of Superman II on sale. Fans could purchase their own copies, see how much footage was left out of the theatrical version, and make their own conclusions as to which footage from which director was better, Donner or Lester. It was in 1997 that I first discovered the now-defunct Superman Cinema website, hosted and run by Dharmesh Chauhan, known in those days first as MegadethDC and then later as GandalfDC. This led to a lengthy research project that continues to this day: the most definitive breakdown of footage from Superman II and the identification of who shot what and when. And it led to communication with fans across the world, some of whom I have developed good friendships to this day.

But through it all, the good and the bad, the fun and the drama, the discussions and the negative drama that ensued, there was one question that everyone seemed to agree on: when would we get to see the rest of Richard Donner’s original concept for the film? The proof was there in the theatrical and the extended versions, the Tom Mankiewicz script, and behind-the-scenes production photos that started to fill in the gaps in places.

This is where the editor comes in. (In time I would learn his identity, but out of respect I have held that information to myself to this day and will respect his anonymity through the entire history of his involvement.)

In 2001 this anonymous fan took it upon himself to produce an introductory concept reel that would be the starting point for what he called Superman II: Green Cut. His intention was to restore as much of Richard Donner’s original style and influence to the sequel, add new effects, re-edit the film, and include select extended scenes. Most importantly he would attempt to bring back Marlon Brando’s presence to the sequel as much as possible. He would also restore the original film’s sweeping main title credits and John Williams’ stirring music, while tinting the credits green as a tip of the hat to the green crystal that would play an integral part in both films. Years later I saw the video, and while it looked in rough shape, I saw his intentions, and they were impressive indeed. (By the way, the video is no longer online.)

He would upload the eight-minute video to Superman Cinema…

And then, as he would later tell me, September 11th hit. Amid the chaos of that heartbreaking day, the video obviously got lost in the shuffle, and rightly so. We were more concerned about friends, loved ones, and where our nation was going from that point on than a little fan-produced video. But in time that little video would become the diversion Superman fans needed to take their minds off the tragedy and breathe once again.

From there he would be asked, “Why not do a full-on restoration of the complete extended version of Superman II?” Why not indeed, he reasoned. One of the key supporters of the project, Rennie Cowan, had encouraged him to do a full-on restoration of the complete extended version of the film. From there, the project soon took flight.

Through Superman Cinema he put out the call for fans to contribute their VHS copies of the film for what he would now christen Superman II: Restored International Cut. By now the film had been replicated and distributed around the world in varying qualities, some better than others, and others not so much. That was simply the technology of the day, when all you needed were two VCRs and a set of audio and video cables connecting the two – primitive technology indeed, but effective for its day – and yet even it would be superseded in years to come.

The first contributor to the project was Chance Bartels, who sent in his VHS master of the project. His version helped lay the groundwork for the original version of the Restored International Cut, or RIC. Another fan who stepped up to the plate was an Australian fan named Paul Naylor, who lent his Betamax copy of the broadcast from Australia for the project. It was a huge risk for him, one that would prove crucial to the overall success of the project. His version contained all of the added scenes that were necessary, in the best quality possible. At that time, Betamax was still superior to VHS in numerous ways (though the format was not as long-lived as its successor). Thanks to a fan identified as “Indo77”, Naylor was located, and his contribution proved successful.

Two other contributors sent in their personal copies, which were considered and either used or rejected for numerous reasons. In some cases station logos or subtitles (as in the Danish broadcast) took up huge portions of the television screen, which did nothing but distract fans. The editor wanted the best possible quality for the best possible format – DVD – without any detractions to the film itself. He spent countless hours and money out of his own pocket, nearly $2,000 he would later tell me, in editing, re-editing, re-coloring, and formatting the film completely on his own, using not only videos of the extended broadcasts but also a PAL transfer of the original theatrical version. He would also work with a sound expert in improving the sound quality of the numerous scenes, bringing everything into sync as much as possible.

He and I exchanged numerous emails, and he detailed to me the lengthy process of bringing the Restored International Cut to life. While I no longer have those emails, I came across a comment from him circa 2004-05 on the Superman Homepage which lines up with everything he told me:

“I found out about the extended cut of Superman II on supermancinema.co.uk website 4 years ago. I sought out a copy on eBay, paid 75 bucks, and got a seriously lousy copy on VHS. I was very intrigued by what I saw, especially the two extra break up scenes at the end.

“Then… well… I had one of those quick silly thoughts most rational people ignore. What would happen if someone tried to rewrite history and make a better Superman II? Put back in some of the better Donner moments, take out some of the really awful Lester moments, add some new effects, that kind of thing. I was hoping to raise awareness about Donner’s lost work. Before I could do anything I needed to get the footage. Cutting out the long boring stuff… I got the footage, but found myself in the middle of a strange situation. If I put in some extra elbow grease I could do something else as well… reassemble the entire International Cut to make sure it doesn’t get lost. No matter how bad some of it is, there will always be those people who want to see everything, so I started there.

“I first finished RIC 2 years ago, but it just wasn’t as good as it could’ve been. Again, long story short, I took another crack at it, and you have the final results. In the end… the project took about 4 years, and roughly about $10,000 to make happen. Now that’s for everything mind you spread out over 4 years.”

By July 2002 Richard Donner gave an interview with Entertainment Weekly, and he made a statement that would have vast ramifications in years to come: “Hopefully, someday we’ll put them back and show the audience what they could’ve had.” While fans had been aware of a portion of the footage for nearly twenty years, that was the proverbial tip of the iceberg to what lay unreleased in film vaults.

Next time… the journey to the Restored International Cut continues.