The Crown Prince Of Cannon…
With the movie rights to the Man Of Steel now residing with Cannon Films, there had been talks for the release of the fourth chapter in the Superman series to coincide with the character’s 50th birthday celebrations in 1988. Producers Golan & Globus, however, were determined to push the project forward to meet a deadline of summer 1987, so by late 1986, the shooting schedule at London’s Elstree Studios for Superman IV: The Quest For Peace intensified to to six days a week.
As co-writer, second unit director and star, this left little time for other engagements, but newly-crowned Prince of the Cannon family Christopher Reeve nevertheless found himself duty-bound to represent. Though Reeve had traditionally shied away from public appearances (despite requests from all over the world), the prospect of Superman himself flying in (by helicopter) to cut the ribbon and usher in a new age of cinema for British audiences was too rich an opportunity for the studio to miss.
Indeed, the opening of the UK’s second Multiplex in Salford Quays, Manchester was the crowning achievement of The Cannon Group’s rapid expansion as a UK cinema chain, having acquired several existing cinema circuits, including many operated by Associated British Cinemas (ABC) and a video distribution service. Comprising of 8 state-of-the-art 70mm screens at a cost of £3.5 Million, the cinema was to be the centrepiece of a £25Million investment into Salford’s docklands.
Those lucky enough to attend the no-expense-spared opening ceremony recalled the experience of the night –
“The helicopter with Christopher Reeve aboard landed on Ordsall high school field – we greeted him with handshakes, he was tall and was wearing a long brown overcoat…we walked him across like the Ordsall mafia to the cinema. He had bodyguards with him – we just walked with him from Ordsall high across Trafford Rd. to the cinema like best pals haha…he was ok and spoke to us all but his bodyguards wanted to push him along sharpish..”
“I also went on the opening night and won 2 free tickets to go on Piccadilly Radio and met Superman himself..”
The cinema would go on to great success over several incarnations before its demolition at the turn of the millennium. Though its grand opening may have been huge local news, the arrival of Superman in Manchester somehow did not warrant national coverage, and so this fan (12 at the time!) had no prior knowledge of it until a just few years ago – particularly frustrating when I think of this all taking place less than a hundred miles away from where I lived. While it may be an opportunity missed for me and a footnote in movie history, its nonetheless fascinating to make discoveries like these and ask the question to whomever might be reading now – were you there that night..?
