Category: Superman II

Startling in their primitive simplicity yet state of the art for the time, the models pictured above were given as a post-production gift to a lucky fan by the legendary Derek Meddings.

Still in the hands of that same collector more than thirty years later, they are a fine example of the craftsmanship associated with old-school film making. Meddings, (1931-1995) was nothing less than the Godfather of the industry with his work on both Superman: The Movie and Superman II among some of his most accomplished. Elegantly documented in the book ‘Special Effects Superman’ you may be surprised just how many big effects sequences in popular Films & TV he was directly responsible for and the influence he has to this day.

Photographed next to a penny for scale, the Superman flying miniature was most likely production made rather than screen used potentially as a stand-in. The radar dishes, however, come directly from the Eiffel Tower ‘maxiture’ as evidenced by the screengrab (bottom pic, upper right). This was one of the many detailed pieces made to furnish the 75ft tall tower constructed from various metals and shot on the backlot of Pinewood Studios. Legend has it after shooting the model was held in such high regard it was re-located to the Pinewood Gardens, where it was to become a permanent feature. Sadly as it was within the vicinity of the bar, it was destroyed due to a drunken employee’s attempt to climb it, King-Kong style…

My sincere thanks to SuperFan Steve Cambden for the use of these images…

More cast-aside pieces rescued from the Pinewood Studios skip now residing in a private collection.

From the top; shot taken during rehearsals of the Flying Unit at Pinewood, ‘marble’ busts and Presidential shield from the set of the White House, sign from the East Houston Diner and pattern for the Daily Planet flags (visible on the building exterior during the climactic battle).

Thanks to SuperFan Steve Cambden for sharing images from his archive…

More rescued treasures from Richard Lester’s Superman II –

covered extensively in the vintage Making of Superman II special (available on DVD and Blu-Ray), the Metropolis Street set and corresponding miniature were a necessary (and expensive!) evil built at Pinewood Studios to accommodate the colossal battle between the Man Of Steel and his adversaries. Though somewhat of a dying art in special effects today, no amount of CGI could replicate the stunning detail on show in the images above nor the craftsmanship that executed it.

My sincere thanks to Steve Cambden for providing these photographs from his archive. If you want to read more about Steve’s time at Pinewood during the making of Superman II plus his adventures in Doctor Who I recommend his amazing memoir ‘The Doctor’s Affect’

Another SUPERMANIA exclusive – This gargantuan rendering of Honest Abe is a piece of the long-thought lost or destroyed prop of Mount Rushmore from Richard Lester’s Superman II.

Miraculously salvaged from Pinewood Studios upon completion of filming, the face still exhibits the pre-cut chunks for the shattering to occur when The Phantom Zone Villains give it the heat-vision treatment for replacement with their own portraits.

Now preserved in a private collection, these rare photographs are proof the miniature survived not only its onscreen demise but the wrath of the studio skip and maintain its rightful place in film history.  My sincere thanks to Author and SuperFan Steve Cambden for granting permission to scan these pics from his archive…