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Geoff Johns, Kevin Feige and more united to honor 'Superman' director Richard Donner

L

LordOfLore

Banned
Thought some might want to read and see this.


Richard Donner‘s big heart — and bigger voice — commanded attention at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ tribute to the director-producer on Wednesday night in Beverly Hills.

“He has a voice that gets the attention of people getting on the bus two blocks away,” said John Savage, who appeared in Donner’s “Inside Moves.”

“You have brought us such joy and we love you for it,” said AMPAS President Cheryl Boone Isaacs at the opening of the tribute.

The two-hour program at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater mixed anecdotes with heartfelt tributes and clips from 1978’s “Superman: The Movie,” along with “The Omen,” the “Lethal Weapon” films, ” “Radio Flyer,” “The Goonies,” “Scrooged,” “Ladyhawke,” “Inside Moves,” and “Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut.”

DC Entertainment president Geoff Johns and Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige — who both once interned for Donner — followed Boone Isaacs to the stage. The rivals expressed particular admiration for “Superman: The Movie” as setting the standard for superhero films, with Feige saying it’s still required viewing for him when he’s making greenlight decisions.

Johns also recounted having to explain to Donner that a car carrier had destroyed the producer’s vehicle on the Warner Bros. lot while Johns was at the wheel. He started by saying, “I think you’re going to fire me.”

He recalled that Donner blew it off since the vehicle had been a gift.

A trio of “Goonies” stars — Jeff Cohen, Ke Huy-Quan, and Corey Feldman — also offered tributes, with Cohen noting that he had asked Donner to write him a letter of recommendation for college. Donner agreed to that and even paid all his tuition fees.

“I’m grateful that I got to work on ‘The Goonies,’ but more grateful for his friendship,” said Cohen, who played Chunk in the movie.

Feldman choked up as he thanked Donner for picking up the cost of his drug rehab, adding, “I didn’t really have a father and Richard filled that spot.”

Lauren Shuler Donner, the director’s spouse of three decades, evoked a major laugh by recalling his reaction to discovering that she was getting a divorce from her prior husband. “The first thing he did was throw me into the pool,” she recalled.

David Morse, Joseph Mazzello, Brian Helgeland, and Carol Kane also honored Donner. The evening also saw a re-teaming of “Lethal Weapon” stars Mel Gibson, Danny Glover, and Rene Russo. Glover told Gibson, “I forgive you for doing ‘Passion of the Christ’ without me in it.”

Gibson said of Donner, “There’s true humility about the man; he refers to himself as a traffic cop, but he’s a f—ing genius.”

Donner joined the trio on stage after footage of a bathroom explosion in “Lethal Weapon 2” and a make-out scene between Gibson and Russo in “Lethal Weapon 3.” Donner said he had prepared a speech, but found it inadequate in the face of all the tributes.

“I assume if I’m not around, it’s a totally different conversation,” he added. “From the heart, I love everyone who was up here. This industry is my friend. I love it. I never thought I’d say this, but I want to thank the Academy.”
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S

Sgt. Kabukiman

Banned
Love that guy. His audio commentaries are very interesting and highly entertaining. I actually didn't care that much for Superman: The Movie as a kid but it's now one of my favorite superhero films despite the rewind-the-earth ending. He has an uneven filmography but I also love Lethal Weapon and The Omen.

From Sam Raimi to Patty Jenkins, he clearly has inspired a lot of directors.
 
D

Discotheque

Banned
Dude had such a good run. I'd like to see him come back

Superman, Goonies, Omen, Lethal Weapon series

All of these are always a good watch (well maybe not lethal weapon 3 but that's about it)
 
B

Brandon F

Well congratulations! You got yourself caught!
A trio of “Goonies” stars — Jeff Cohen, Ke Huy-Quan, and Corey Feldman — also offered tributes, with Cohen noting that he had asked Donner to write him a letter of recommendation for college. Donner agreed to that and even paid all his tuition fees.
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Damn!
 
S

SeanC

Member
I used to be in an office around the corner from his and we would sometimes get their mail by accident. Always loved going into their offices to return it and at least taking a few minutes seeing all the Donner film memorabilia around.
 
S

Sad Affleck

Member
The rivals expressed particular admiration for “Superman: The Movie” as setting the standard for superhero films, with Feige saying it’s still required viewing for him when he’s making greenlight decisions.
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Johns should make it required viewing for all DCEU directors. One of them in particular should be forced to write an essay on it.
 
J

Just_myles

Member
I really don't see Johns on the same level as Feige or even Donner after really one successful movie. Just wanted to point that out. Love Donner though. His superman is timeless.
 
F

Figboy79

Aftershock LA
As has been said, the thread title made me think he had died. Sheesh.

Anyway, I loved Superman: The Movie, and still do. I feel like it was one of the first superhero movies to take a comic book superhero seriously, and it set the template, and paved the way, for the genre we enjoy now. His filmography is very solid, even if it isn't blemishless (what director does have a blemishless filmography? I'm sure very few). The Goonies is one of my wife's favorite movies, and we'll rewatch it every once in a while, and I love the Lethal Weapon movies.
 
E

ElBoxyBrown

Banned
Just_myles said:
I really don't see Johns on the same level as Feige or even Donner after really one successful movie. Just wanted to point that out. Love Donner though. His superman is timeless.
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Johns has helped make DC successful on television and he's their best chance at making movies everyone can like. He's up there.
 
S

ShemhazaiX

Member
I absolutely loathe Superman: The Movie, however, the dude did Lethal Weapon which is in my top 5 favourite movies.

So props to him.
 
R

reelbigtink

Member
ShemhazaiX said:
I absolutely loathe Superman: The Movie, however, the dude did Lethal Weapon which is in my top 5 favourite movies.

So props to him.
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Hey I'm the opposite! Superman is in my top 5 and I don't care for Lethal Weapon at all, so Donner has something for everyone
 
B

BossDarkseid

Member
strafer said:
That will make the Justice League Vs The Avengers movie a bit easier to make.
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Probably :p

I think they could be like any of us and maybe love the idea but politicking between the business end of both companies would hamper it. I'd still prefer the idea of a team up, if only as some way to shut up fanboys online who argue Marvel vs DC stuff...like the Anti Monitor breaks through into the MCU, and the two premiere teams have to group up to save the multiverse.
 
S

ShemhazaiX

Member
Mister Saturn said:
Johns should ask Donner to do the Shazam movie.


I'm having trouble processing this.
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I consider it to be an awful piece of cheese cinema. That's not to say I don't understand why people do like it, just that it's really not for me.

Whereas Lethal Weapon is the greatest cop movie of all time.


I dunno, maybe I need to watch Superman again. Not seen it since I was a kid, and I hated it when I was a kid so haven't watched it since.
 
K

KuwabaraTheMan

Banned
Superman is an amazing movie. Still the only movie to get Superman right, and an iconic superhero film.

Donner is definitely a guy who had a massive influence on the current era of superhero movies.
 
S

ShadowSwordmaster

Banned
You all should watch his interview he did when he ended his Green Lantern run. He has some great stories about Donner.
It was called Greenest Night I think.
 
B

BossDarkseid

Member
ShadowSwordmaster said:
You all should watch his interview he did when he ended his Green Lantern run. He has some great stories about Donner.
It was called Greenest Night I think.
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He also did a Fatman on Batman episode...I think before his Green Lantern run ended, and he basically fanboyed out about Donner and just how he had helped him, in getting a start on his career and also being there for him when Geoff's sister died.
 
P

ProtomanNeo

Member
He is quite simply one of the best to ever do it. We give far too much lip service to auteur theory. It's the hired guns like Donner that really deserve their just fruits. Those great collaborators who can work within the studio system and its battling egos, transcend and continually put out a strong product.
 
MisterHero

MisterHero

Super Member
Donner worked with DC and helped make Superdad possible in the modern day.

When's Chris Kent coming back? :(
 
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