Superman II

Revealing mistake: In the ice cave, when Superman makes himself invisible, watch Zod's head jumping slightly to the back, revealing where the scene was edited to achieve the effect.

Sacha

Revealing mistake: In the New York battle scene, after Ursa distracts Superman, Non punches him and he goes flying backward into a building. Watch very carefully along the bottom of the screen. You can tell that Superman isn't even matted in from the chest down. Where is the rest of him?

Revealing mistake: When Non tries to fly at the end of the film, but falls into the bottom of the Fortress of Solitude, watch closely. He appears to hit some sort of safety pad after he falls, making the fog around him disperse very briefly, which shows him safely land on the pad. The fog quickly comes back and covers him as he ducks his head down.

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Suggested correction: Much too vague. What scenes are you referring to. And how can you tell, other than knowing that Gene Hackman isn't really bald?

Superman II mistake picture

Revealing mistake: During the big fight in Metropolis, the close-up of the pram shows its empty or with blatant bundled pieces of fabric to simulate some sort of baby.

Sacha

Revealing mistake: When there are multiple Superman's in his home, Lois Lane runs to one of the fakes. It seems as if she is the fake because her image becomes slightly transparent as she runs through him.

Superman II mistake picture

Revealing mistake: Near the end of the film when the 3 villains fly and later enter the fortress, you can see that it was a stuntman and not Gene Hackman.

Superman II mistake picture

Revealing mistake: When Superman returns the flag to the White House, not only has the shot been reused, but the trees have been badly cut around to change the previous grey sky for a bright, blue and sunny one.

Sacha

Superman II mistake picture

Revealing mistake: When Non burns the side of the cargo bed of the truck, a rectangular spot around the planks is coloured in a lighter shade, giving away where the special FX were placed.

Sacha

Superman II mistake picture

Revealing mistake: When the villains enter the oval office, the whole White House behind is a cheap set with painted columns, furniture, fixtures and switches (even the bullet holes are painted!). (01:16:29)

Sacha

Revealing mistake: When Superman flies towards the White House, in the close-up his cape and flag flutter at a normal speed, but in the wide shot they move really fast, quite comically actually, revealing that the scene has been speeded-up.

Sacha

Superman II mistake picture

Revealing mistake: When Lois jumps in the river, she is replaced by a very obvious mannequin that floats stiff. Furthermore, the current tilts the dummy and its two arms bent like a sex doll's are perfectly visible.

Sacha

Revealing mistake: After the army jeep drives through a House in East Houston, notice the driver's stiffness despite the crash and fall, revealing it's a dummy.

Sacha

Revealing mistake: When the 3 villains start blowing at the people in Metropolis, the papers come blowing from the left and right sides of the set, revealing where the huge fans where placed to achieve the effect.

Sacha

Visible crew/equipment: In the town in Idaho when General Zod and his crew first visit, watch when the boy's father (elevated by Zod's finger) falls to the ground. You can see the pad under the dirt when he hits it.

More mistakes in Superman II

General Zod: Why do you say this to me, when you know that I will kill you for it?

More quotes from Superman II

Trivia: Some of Gene Hackman's scenes were actually filmed with a body double and a voice impersonator. That's because he had already completed all his scenes under Donner's direction and was not obligated to return for Lester's reshoots, either due to unavailability (according to Ilya Salkind) or unwillingness (out of loyalty to Donner). The voice impersonator was also used on a lot of Donner footage for audio consistency.

More trivia for Superman II

Question: How did Superman get his powers back? I don't understand what that green crystal did.

Answer: In the theatrical cut, nobody really knows why the green crystal restored his powers. However if you watch the Richard Donner cut, it is explained that the green crystal is a communication device that helps Superman talks to the residual essence/spirit/ghost of his father Jor-El. Before he died, Jor-El gave the crystal to his son. Jor-El anticipated that Kal-El might give up his powers, and he also anticipated that Zod might eventually escape the Phantom Zone, so Jor-El lets his son absorb the leftover energy of his spirit, thus restoring all his Kryptonian powers.

Matt Van Gogh

More questions & answers from Superman II

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