Fiction vs Fiction: Superman III (1983)

 Superman III is not a good Movie.

That said, is Superman III a good Book?

Well, readers, it was a Book, as it got a Novelization in the same year that it came out.
I paid 50 cents for it years ago and now you have to suffer for it!

I joke- I had to read the Book AND rewatch Superman III.  I'm the real loser here.

What's the Same?

The Plot is pretty much the same.  The Book just makes tweaks here and there.

It also seems to be based on the ORIGINAL Script and not the final product that is the Film.

That said, there are some WEIRD changes/additions!

What's Different?

Shockingly, there's actually MORE slapstick in the Intro than in the Film.
Were moments like 'A crane grabbing a bag from a ladder which had just grabbed it from a robber' cut?
Yes, it turns out.

In the Film, Lois leaves to go on Vacation and doesn't return until the Ending.
In the Book, we get a brief bit of her being confronted by strange men...and then nothing until the Ending.

In both versions, she reveals that she was kidnapped, escaped and exposed a crime ring.  Can we see that Story instead?!?

Here's a weird one for you...

Superman (as Clark) meets Lana Lang and her son Ricky.  He has to switch to Superman to save Ricky- who tripped and knocked himself out in a field.

While he carries him back, the Book says that the 'vibrations of energy' from Superman's body gave the weak boy strength that he never had.

This is not in the Movie- thank Siegel!

When Superman stops the storm created by Gus' manipulation of the Weather Satellite, it plays out a bit differently in the two mediums.

In the Book, we just 'see' what he did to save the day.
In the Film, Gus acts out what Superman does, while we get snippets of the Scene.

This added bit is based on something he did on Carson back when Superman II was out and led to him being cast in this Film.  META?

The main changes in the Book seem to be William Kotzwinkle adding dark subtext to Scenes that are in the Script.

For instance, in the Film, Gus slips down the slope on Ross Webster's roof for a gag.

In the Book, Ross' Sister Vera has the slope coated in water- making ice- as part of her plan to have Ross' Psychic Nutritionist fly off to her death when she used it later.

Damn!

Remember when Superman is greeted by the Mayor of Smallville when he visits in the Film?

Well, the Book adds a bit about him being indicted on criminal charges (for price-fixing) and hoping that this big celebration would distract from that.

Something you want to tell us, William?!?

Another change that might be one related to the Filmmakers making a rare, good decision...

In the Book, the almost-Kryptonite turns Superman evil...and green.  He gets green eyes and a green costume!

The suit later changes to a dark green and then black (for the Bar Scene).

Good call, Filmmakers.

The Film actually adds a couple bits, while cutting others.

A bit showing a Doctor in surgery when the power goes out (drained by the Computer) was cut.
Apparently, he was played by Frank Oz.

It is in the Book.

Not in the Book, however, is a bit where we see Lana and Ricky riding the subway into Metropolis (complete with stock footage from The Taking of Pelham One Two Three) when the power goes out.

The final one of note- the Ending bit with Gus feels different in the Book.

In the Film, he turns down a job, because comedy.  He also opens his shirt like Clark does to change...which raises so many questions.

In the Book, there's no shirt bit.

More importantly, Gus leaves because he thinks that the White Coal Miners had shotguns and were going to 'use him as target practice.

WTF, William?!?  This is Superman III!

Final Thoughts

The Book is a weird adaptation with its additions and tweaks.

Reading it, I began to suspect that adapting this bizarre screenplay got to the Writer.  Even early on, I could feel mental breaks as he's trying to recap that prolonged Slapstick Intro Bit.

This line stands out to me- 'Anyone familiar with the habits of rolling gumballs knows that they are unlikely stop until they find a delivery man carrying a tray of custard pies.'

That might be what lead him to add really dark, random additions to a bunch of Scenes like shown above.  It's like that bit from Family Guy's version of Return of the Jedi.

Regardless, this is still an adaptation of Superman III.
It's a dumb Film.
No need to make it weird, William.

After all, this was the average reaction of most Superman fans after it came out...

The Film is dumb and silly, but not without some charm.
The Book is mostly the same, just with random changes that just boggle the mind.