Question: Why, in the 3 hour TV version of the movie, does Luthor waste time on that elaborate trap if he already knows, from reading Lois' interview, that bullets, fire, and cold won't stop Superman?
jshy7979
30th Dec 2020
Superman (1978)
26th Dec 2010
Superman (1978)
Corrected entry: The explosive charge can be seen flipping the car Lex Luthor uses to stop the military truck carrying the missile.
Correction: Lex is remote operating the car and probably rigged it with an explosive charge that he set off to make it crash.
Presumptions of what might have been done do not negate a mistake for how a special effect is made, especially since we do not know this is part of the plot to purposefully flip the car.
It is made very clear that Lex Luthor is operating the car from the remote control and also uses a device to flip the car. This was 100% part of his plan to stop the truck carrying the missile, made even more clear by the fact that Miss Tessmacher is pretending to be a car accident victim, and Lex himself is pretending to be a paramedic. So yes: the device that was used in real life can be seen, but within the world of the movie, it makes sense that we see the device because it's what Lex used.
26th Aug 2003
Superman (1978)
Corrected entry: After flying with the movie's hero, Lois comes up with the name "Superman". But what else is the letter "S" for on our hero's outfit? This name was already given to our hero OR the suit or S sign should have been designed after Lois thought of the name.
Correction: This is explained in the comics. Superman's "S" is the symbol of the House of El. Lois thought it was an "S" and came up with Superman as a result.
5th Jun 2011
Superman (1978)
Corrected entry: When Lex is detailing his plan to Superman over the map on the floor, Otis puts an overlay of the San Andreas fault over California. A few moments later, Otis drops a second overlay on top of the first, this time of the revised coastline Luther is planning. Superman and Luthor talk for a few moments, and Lex tells him it was hard to find the ideal spot to hit with the missile. He then strikes the floor with his cane, cracking the glass of the map, but it's the first overlay that is cracked, and the second overlay is suddenly gone.
Correction: Otis may have picked up or moved the overlay aside when he was off-screen erasing "Otisburg."
Watching the scene now, I don't think Otis had time to move it. He is off-screen for no more than 2 seconds, the entire time which you can hear him wiping. We would have heard him move the overlay, plus I don't think he had room to do so, even if there was time because Superman crosses in front of it. I think the mistake is valid.
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Answer: He wanted to see for himself if the stories were true. Some reporters tend to exaggerate the facts and if he had any other weaknesses. He couldn't be sure the kryptonite would work.
While I don't exactly disagree that Lex wanted to see for himself how invincible Superman is, I don't think that's the main reason why he did it. The bullets and fire were simply a charade to make it look like this was his security system. Keep in mind, he wanted Superman to enter his lair because the real trap was the Kryptonite that he had in the lead box.
jshy7979