Growing up in the late-1980s & 90s, I had two cinematic/entertainment heroes: Hulk Hogan & Superman. For the latter, it was specifically Christopher Reeve's portrayals of the Man of Steel that I'd rent countless times from the local video store and immerse myself in that fictional universe. When Reeve had his paralyzing accident in 1995 I was still too young to fully comprehend what was going on. Super/Man tells that story and does it in a way that is far more "inspirational" than "sad".
The basic structure of Super/Man is this: it begins in the immediate aftermath of Reeve's horse-riding tumble and paralysis, flashes back to key points of his life, and finishes up with Reeve's legacy in the field of spinal injury research and recognition.
I believe there to be clips in this doc that are never-before-seen and interviews that are more candid on the subject than ever before. Viewers hear extensively from Reeve's first wife, as well as home videos and personal stories from his children-at one point son Matthew detailing the last moment he saw his father upright. The doc also does not shy away from the "rough stuff"-showing pics/vids of Reeve at his worst moments post-accident and explaining just how close he came (at times) to giving up.
What's remarkable about Super/Man, however, is how it keeps the viewer in a positive state of mind and not depressed-not exactly a small feat considering the material. Reeve's on-screen superhero persona garnered him the platform to advocate for spinal injury research and that is eventually the attitude the man himself adopted-becoming as much of a super hero in reality as his caped wonder was in Metropolis. Reeve's appearances-enormous ordeals for a man in his condition-inspired millions of dollars of funding and activism and even broke stigmas about treatment of spinal cord injury survivors. One thing Super/Man makes abundantly clear: Christopher Reeve always believed he would walk again, and though he did not live long enough to see it happen that attitude was what really mattered in the end.
Super/Man directors Ian Bonhote & Peter Ettedgui put together some incredible montages here to illustrate their key points. In one instance, footage of Reeve being feted by political dignitaries is interspersed with Superman's speech to the United Stations in Superman IV. Chris's friendship with Robin Williams is touching-two souls who understood each other in a way no one else could. A scene with Reeve in his rolling chair walking his dog down the driveway of his home is particularly affecting as well.
It is impossible to not get extremely emotional-but in the best possible way-while watching Super/Man. Thus far, this is the definitive post-accident Christopher Reeve accounting and it lives up to that gargantuan task.
The basic structure of Super/Man is this: it begins in the immediate aftermath of Reeve's horse-riding tumble and paralysis, flashes back to key points of his life, and finishes up with Reeve's legacy in the field of spinal injury research and recognition.
I believe there to be clips in this doc that are never-before-seen and interviews that are more candid on the subject than ever before. Viewers hear extensively from Reeve's first wife, as well as home videos and personal stories from his children-at one point son Matthew detailing the last moment he saw his father upright. The doc also does not shy away from the "rough stuff"-showing pics/vids of Reeve at his worst moments post-accident and explaining just how close he came (at times) to giving up.
What's remarkable about Super/Man, however, is how it keeps the viewer in a positive state of mind and not depressed-not exactly a small feat considering the material. Reeve's on-screen superhero persona garnered him the platform to advocate for spinal injury research and that is eventually the attitude the man himself adopted-becoming as much of a super hero in reality as his caped wonder was in Metropolis. Reeve's appearances-enormous ordeals for a man in his condition-inspired millions of dollars of funding and activism and even broke stigmas about treatment of spinal cord injury survivors. One thing Super/Man makes abundantly clear: Christopher Reeve always believed he would walk again, and though he did not live long enough to see it happen that attitude was what really mattered in the end.
Super/Man directors Ian Bonhote & Peter Ettedgui put together some incredible montages here to illustrate their key points. In one instance, footage of Reeve being feted by political dignitaries is interspersed with Superman's speech to the United Stations in Superman IV. Chris's friendship with Robin Williams is touching-two souls who understood each other in a way no one else could. A scene with Reeve in his rolling chair walking his dog down the driveway of his home is particularly affecting as well.
It is impossible to not get extremely emotional-but in the best possible way-while watching Super/Man. Thus far, this is the definitive post-accident Christopher Reeve accounting and it lives up to that gargantuan task.