Spectacular flying scenes

One of the most important aspects of ‘Superman’ is that the film pushed technology in cinema forwards to give the basis of what visual effects are like today.

After deciding that current effects weren’t good enough, Richard Donner worked with the visuals team to create a new method of showing Superman flying.

Eventually, optics professional Zoran Perisic designed a system which used two zoom lenses that, when put together, gave the illusion of flight.

The director said: “Christopher Reeve would be basically in one place, on a pole arm … that you don’t see, and all he does is sort of make the moves, and it’s the camera and the projector that make him look like he comes straight up.”

According to Richard, the achievement was so momentous, that several crew members broke down in tears after seeing it!