It’s a Bird, It’s a Plane…

…it’s a pantload, more like. Exhibit A is one of the true gems of suicide-inducing television, the infamous Superman: The Musical.

Based on a failed 1960s Broadway musical, the 1975 TV special was part of ABC’s attempt at broadcasting “edgy” entertainment in order to compete with NBC’s Saturday Night Live.

The plot of the musical is of course moronic: an egotistical reporter for the Daily Planet, Max Mencken, is jealous of all the attention Superman gets in the press and from his adoring public. He hatches a plot to bring Superman down not by using any kind of super-weapon, but by turning the public against him, thus giving Superman a negative self-image. Ya.

With cardboard sets, the production looks like it was produced on a budget of a buck and a half with money left over. Superman looks like… well, look at him. Lois is so perky that you want to shoot her in the face.

And then they start singing.

He brings the orphans Christmas turkey.
He flew my asthmatic son to Albuquerque.
Yes, when the world’s moral standards grow murky
We need him.

Not as bad as the whining, though:

Why must I, the Man of Steel
Feel as helpless as a man of straw?
They used to hold me in such awe;
Why must the strongest man in the world
Be the bluest man, tell me why?
Don’t they know the strongest man can cry?

One thing’s for sure, fanboy—you’ll be the one crying by the time this one’s through.

This TV special aired once only at 11:30 pm, has NEVER BEEN RELEASED OFFICIALLY, AND NEVER WILL BE. It is provided for collectors only, as a curioso object. Comes in the beautiful case shown above.

• Running Time: 100min
• Format: DVD-R
• Language: English
• Subtitles: None
• Video System: NTSC
• Region: 0 (No Region Protection)
• Audio quality: 7/10
• Picture quality: 7/10