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to build up his body for the part instead of using the muscle suit they designed. David Prowse, who played Darth Vader in the original Star Wars, led Reeve’s bodybuilding program. Some big name actors were part of the production, including Marlon Brando as Jor-El and Gene Hackman as Lex Luthor. Marlon Brando didn’t memorize his movie lines. Instead, he read them off cue cards while filming. In one scene, Brando read from baby Superman’s diaper.

Production took 19 months: an estimated year overrun. Superman was filmed at Pinewood Studios and Shepperton Studios in the U.K., plus on-location in Canada, New York, and other U.S. cities. While the film never received an official budget or a timeline, it cost about $55 million to make. The set designs, led by John Barry (known for his production design work on Star Wars) and created by over 350 construction workers, were some of the most intricate and expensive of the time. Superman is especially known for its special and visual effects. Completed before the digital age, full-scale models and perfect miniatures were created with elaborate detail.

New filming techniques of the time, like precise and automatic zoom lenses, special camera cranes, and electronic consoles to remotely control filming were used. The opening credits sequence alone cost more than many films at the time.

The biggest challenge was to make the audience believe Superman could fly. No one had flown on screen before without looking silly and obviously fake. Cables and blue and green background screens were used. But it was Christopher Reeve who made it look real. He used his arms in a fluid way and even “banked” around bends during flight. It was a critical part of the story and important for the audience to accept.

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