Supergirl
Supergirl (1984) Rewatch? ✅
I realise that it’ll surprise precisely nobody to discover that were I given the choice, I would pick Supergirl over any of the Superman films of that era. Witches, warlocks, demons, storms and Peter Cook? Oh, go on then. That’s all so much more interesting than whatever is going on in the other lot of films.
This is the first time I’ve sat down to the extended version and yeah, I’m not sure adding the best part of half an hour to Supergirl was ever in anyone’s best interests, it barely managed to sustain itself at around an hour and a half, it certainly doesn’t suit longer. It is though, still very Supergirl.
It’s a complete load of cobblers and the thing I love the most about it is that not one person acting in the film seems to be acting the same scene as anyone else, everyone is off in their own personal mini-Supergirl film and it’s honestly hilarious. Faye Dunaway is off in some children’s adventure as a wicked witch, Helen Slater is doing her best to make Supergirl work as a character, Peter O’Toole is on stage drunk somewhere and Peter Cook is … well, he scrubs up pretty respectably for the film but who even knows what film he’s acting in, it might as well be beamed in from Mars for all the fucks given. Yet, often a bunch of them have to share a scene and .. they’re all still off in their little worlds.
It’s kinda wonderful. Given the script, I’m not sure anyone would have put the effort in but that it all seems like they are putting the effort in … just not into the same film, it cracks me up.
Beyond that, it’s a bit of silly fluff which has a wonderful, wonderful “flurry of special effects” ending that’s well worth watching it for - maximum eighties stuff, big demon, lots of smoke, someone’s drawn a whirlwind on top, it’s all got so many colours and woo, now everybody is stretchy too.
There’s a cruelty to Faye Dunaway taking top billing (the film is not called Selina, right?) when Helen Slater is clearly a perfectly good superhero and is more than fine in the role of Supergirl and, frankly, comes out with more dignity too. But alas, it’s a bit late to sort that one out now.
Anyway. If you ever wanted to see Peter Cook as the world’s shittest warlock and Peter O’Toole get sucked into a giant space vortex, and you haven’t watched Supergirl, there’s still plenty of time to sort that. It’s naff but I love it.