for unnecessary sight gags and slapstick. Lester broke tradition by setting the opening credits for Superman III during a prolonged slapstick sequence rather than in outer space. The film's screenplay, by David and Leslie Newman, was also criticized. When Richard Donner was hired to direct the first two films, he found the Newmans' scripts so distasteful that he hired Tom Mankiewicz for heavy rewrites. Since Donner and Mankiewicz were no longer attached, the Salkinds were free to bring their version of Superman to the screen and once again hired the Newmans for writing duties. Reeve stated in his autobiography that the original script for the first Superman had so many puns and gags that it risked having Superman earn a reputation akin to that of Batman being associated with the campy TV show of the 1960s. "In one scene in this script, Superman would be in pursuit of Lex Luthor, identified by his bald head and grab him, only to realize he had captured Telly Savalas who would remark "Who loves ya, baby?" and offer Superman a lollipop. Dick [Donner] had done away with much of that inanity." Reeve's own performance as a corrupted Man of Steel received praise, particularly the junkyard battle between this newly darkened Superman and Clark Kent. One of the film's positive reviews was from the fiction writer Donald Barthelme, who praised Reeve as "perfect", also describing Vaughn as "essentially playing William Buckley - all those delicious ponderings, popping of the eyes, licking of the corner of the mouth." References External links Official DC Comics Site Official Warner Bros. Site 1980s American films 1980s British films 1980s English-language films 1980s superhero films 1983 films American sequel films American superhero films British sequel films British superhero films Films about computing Films directed by Richard Lester Films produced by Pierre Spengler Films scored by Giorgio Moroder Films scored by Ken Thorne Films set in Colombia Films set in Kansas Films set in West Virginia Films shot in Buckinghamshire Films shot in Calgary Films shot in England Films shot in Italy Films shot in Utah Films shot at Pinewood Studios Films with screenplays by David Newman (screenwriter) Films with screenplays by Leslie Newman Pisa in fiction Superman (1978 film series) Superman films Warner Bros. films