And, just like actor Sean Connery (in the 1960s) playing the James Bond character - I personally think that actor George Reeves (in the 1950s) playing the Superman character was the absolute best of all when cast in his specific genre. To me - These 2 men epitomized their characters perfectly.From comic books, to radio, to cartoons, to TV, and to movies - This entertaining, pop culture documentary covers the entire history of Superman who (back in 1932) suddenly became the world's very first comic-book superhero.Superman (who was created by Joe Shuster and Jerry Siegel) is definitely one all-American hero who has certainly had a pretty good track record with his many fans as his popularity has managed to endure, steadily, throughout these many decades.So - If you are something of a Superman enthusiast - This 110-minute slice of total hero-worship is certainly worth a view.

This documentary is perfect for anyone wanting to learn more about Earth's greatest hero. Whether they want to know more about the mythology behind the hero, the hero's creators, or his history in comics, movies, television or radio, "The Amazing Story of Superman" has it all.Documentary master Ken Burns does a fantastic job exploring all of the aspects and mythos of Superman, beginning with the 1930s and going until the present day with the film release "Superman Returns." He explores who Superman creators Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster were, Superman in the proud Golden Age and the strange and not-so-proud Silver Age, and the current day. Burns does a superb job detailing the role that Superman has played in public over the years, and the different symbols he has stood for based on the current status of the country. He excels in making the audience realize that Superman in pop culture has had a very relevant place in society no matter if his popularity has wavered over the years.The documentary is a high-quality work. Thanks to Burns, you will feel like you know everything about the hero once the film is finished.

Hardcore Superman fans and Superman fans period will be very pleased with this documentary. This year I became really interested in everything Superman, mainly thanks to Superman Returns and Smallville. This documentary examines Superman history literally from day 1. The 1933 "superman" madman, the 1940's cartoons, the 1950's TV series, the movies, his death at the hands of Doomsday in 1993, the runs on TV with the new adventures of Superman and Smallville, and his triumphant return to the big screen are all thoroughly talked about. All the Supermen, from George Reeves to Brandon Routh are discussed. All the highs and lows of Superman's history are examined, including his downfall in the 70's before Superman: The Movie. Brilliantly narrated by Kevin Spacey, this is truly a must see for all those interested in Superman.

Documentaries detailing the histories of superheroes, particularly Superman or Batman pop up every few years examining the character, its impact on pop culture and the paths of comic books as a genre. This title doesn't really break a ton of new ground in that way but it does perform a well-crafted update of this chapter in Superman's story culminating with the 2006 release of Bryan Singer's excellent "Superman Returns".Featuring interviews with the comic book's writers, artists and editors as well as some famous fans, we get some good insight into what makes Superman compelling. Lots of attention is given to the film productions featuring of course touching pieces on the late Christopher Reeve and his doomed 50's TV counterpart, George Reeves. Personal note: I thought it was especially nice that both Noel Neill and Jack Larson (Tv's Lois and Jimmy) were interviewed side by side as I have become accustomed to seeing them. (Singer also used both actors in "Superman Returns". Way to go, Bry.) Aside from the film productions, changes in the comic book and the attempts at radio and of course the classic TV versions including Smallville are covered featuring interviews with virtually every living contributor they could track down including the elusive Jackie Cooper, Ilya Salkind, Richard Donner, Margot Kidder and of course, Neill and Larson. Other perspectives are given by comic book smartypants Mark Waid, Tongue jockey Gene Simmons, Luke Skywalker, Sci-fi grandfather Forrest Ackerman and Superman's current golden girl Annette O'Toole. The entire thing is ably narrated by a virtual unknown named Kevin Spacey who gets to refer to himself in the third person right towards the end.This is a lot of good stuff. It's a rather in-depth retrospective on the iconic superhero and for my money the producers did an excellent job.