A Guide to Identifying an Authentic, Screen-worn Costume
It is my sincere pleasure to host this very important Superman costume article written by Martin Lakin, with research assistance by Chris King. I consider these two fine gentlemen to be among the top authorities on the history of authentic, screen-worn Superman costumes from Christopher Reeve’s tenure as our Man of Steel.
Martin and Chris have spent many countless, tireless hours over the past decade studying and photographing both authentic and reproduction costumes in circulation around the world. It is their hope, as well as mine, that this article will enlighten and educate many of you, and help clarify the real differences between the “genuine article” and the probable reproductions that have likely appeared on the internet and at auctions. This article, together with Jason De Bord’s outstanding blog, www.originalprop.com, should provide any prospective buyers with the knowledge to be able to make sound collectible acquisition decisions. Martin has more to say about this matter in the article’s conclusion. Read more about Original Prop Blog at the bottom of this page.
Accompanying the article is a gallery of photos of an excellent Christopher Reeve Superman mannequin dressed in what is believed to be an authentic, screen-worn Christopher Reeve Superman-The Movie costume (on loan from Stephen Lane’s Prop Store of London) formerly shown on display at the Movieum of London (now called the London Film Museum). This Prop Store of London costume appears to be the very same costume that Christopher Reeve is shown wearing in this photo taken on the Lex Luthor set at Pinewood Studios, England, in September 1977 for Superman-The Movie. Many photos of this costume, as well as various CapedWonder™photos, are referenced throughout the article with links.
Super Thanks to Martin and Chris for your hard work and dedication to the Original Superman Movie series, your friendship and giving spirit, and making CapedWonder™.com the exclusive host of your fascinating article and great photos! Christopher Reeve would have definitely appreciated your attention-to-detail.
(article and photos updated May 2011)
Is It Silk? Is It Plastic?
A Study of the ‘Superman’ Movie Costumes 1978-1987
by Martin Lakin
Footnotes from Yvonne Blake’s original costume design sketch (dated 1976);
“Leotard in shimmering blue two way stretch fabric worn over fake muscles and harness for flying. Capes to be made in various flowing fashion for resting. Boots in glove leather or elastic with small heel. ‘S’ motif in red and gold on breast and again in all gold on back of cape. Gold metal belt with ‘S’ buckle.”
Debuting in the pages of Action Comics in 1938, the iconic combination of tights and cape initiated by Siegel & Shuster would not only endure but become the template for a legion of comic-book imitators to follow.
For such a seemingly simple design, however, there is much more to the uni-form of the original Superhero than meets the eye – and its analysis here serves both as a dissection of the prop and to honour the talents involved in its evolution as a landmark in popular culture.
Having won an Academy Award for best costume design in 1972 for Nicholas and Alexandra, then gaining further nominations in 1976 for The Three Musketeers (her first collaboration with producers Alexander and Ilya Salkind), talented young Yvonne Blake was no stranger to forging elaborate collections, and was, therefore, an obvious choice to tailor the Man of Tomorrow for modern cinema.
Given the considerable task of adapting pulp iconography to the silver screen, the producers and designer researched the character’s evolution over his forty year, four-colour history and various live-action incarnations before referring back to the source material of the era – the DC comics of the late 1970’s themselves.
With Blake’s conceptual artwork underway, and the costume department in its infancy, there was little in the way of wardrobe available for the audition process. This accounts for the appearance of early would-be Supermen in hastily-assembled outfits comprised of ‘Underoos’, elastic stockings and metal belt. This arrangement would be used for the first instance of footage showing Christopher Reeve winning the title role – utilizing his ability to make you focus on the man rather than the costume, a blessing in this instance.
As showcased in the February 1977 screen test footage in the 2001/2006 Superman-The Movie DVD, the key details of the costume, such as the cut of the briefs, the refinement of the belt, and crucially, the chest motif, would steadily evolve into the screen-used final version during the remainder of the casting, and the elimination of the fake muscles was confirmed once Reeve’s insistence that it was “them or me” favoured the grueling workout regime to follow.
Later sketches submitted by Yvonne Blake depict Marlon Brando as Jor-el wearing the ‘Superman’ chest shield on director Richard Donner’s insistence of the symbol being given some relevance in the story. For decades, the design in the comics had simply denoted an ‘S’ standing for ‘Superman’, but that whimsy was at odds with Donner’s vision. The Father/son emphasis of the mythology was reinforced by Tom Mankiewicz decla-ration that the Diamond-encased ‘S’ was instead the family crest of the ‘House Of El’ and all Kryptonian society would be bestowed with similar icons, making it acceptable to audiences and puritans alike.
While unmistakably a sleeker interpretation of the drawings seen in the comics, its new purpose as a futuristic crest meant the official DC Comics ‘Superman’ logo (as shown in the movie’s opening credits) would be revised, and variations of the new design would adorn both Kal-el and Jor-el’s outfits. The artwork and patterns for these revisions were, nonetheless, inconsistent, as the crest adorning the front of Superman’s costume differs from the shield outline embroidered on his cape, as do the renderings on both tunics worn by Jor-el.
With artwork approved, Blake’s next step would be sourcing the materials. There are clearly more details on how the Kryptonian suits were realised (using the 3M Front Projection highly-reflective material) than exactly what fabrics and techniques were used to peel Kal-el’s outfit from the page. One name banded about repeatedly was ‘Bridal weight spandex’ (see another photo of the bridal weight spandex pattern here), though to date there is no clear definition of what that actually was.
In fact, the ‘Bridal weight spandex’ fabric was sourced by costumier Noel Howard, then production manager at Bermans and Nathans costumiers of London, based on the fact it had all the required stretch properties, but was markedly dissimilar to either common lycra or nylon.
Regardless, Howard would later declare it was still a hard sell, as Blake, and even Christopher Reeve himself, needed convincing that this fabric was appropriate. Once experimentation with dyes to achieve the right colours proved Howard’s point, the fabric in bulk was manufactured by a single machine in Europe (allegedly Germany) and sent back to the UK to be finished in-house. Along with the ‘Hero’ and ‘Effects’ versions, Howard testifies that there was one specially produced to remain the right colour when wet, as well as sets of degradation in colour for the ‘evil’ Superman under the influences in Superman III.
Tragically, the machine used to manufacture the ‘Bridal weight spandex’ fabric was retired in 2005, and to this day no other method of duplicating the same weave has been found. ‘Bridal weight spandex’ may have become extinct along with its maker, but not before it was adopted for Supergirl, season one of the Superboy television series, and later, Stallone’s Judge Dredd, where the fabric was dyed midnight blue and employed as the Street Judge uniforms. Noel Howard went on to assist in the development of the equally memorable costume worn by Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones In Raiders of the Lost Ark, and was active in the industry for many years until his sad passing in 2009. Without Howard, the Superman movie costume we all know and love would have been quite different, and its longevity is a fitting testimony to his career.
Production sources have it that over thirty suits were compiled by Bermans and Nathans for Superman-The Movie, constructed in an effort to convince the audience that it was seamless. While there is truth in this statement, more emphasis was placed on the technical aspects of the costume to adapt it for use in the plethora of special effects sequences – among these would be the addition of slits in both the suits and the capes to accommodate the flying harnesses and wires, dying the tunic/shorts & tights in various shades of turquoise to contrast against blue screen photography, and multiple versions of the cape for flight and/or walking.
All of the Superman costumes were labeled in type by Bermans and Nathans with colour codes (A representing blue and B representing red), catalogue number and performer’s name, i.e. “Christopher Reeve 4913, Walking, Superman II” (often misspelled in the case of Mr. ‘Reeves’), and, more often than not, scene-specific, handwritten notes would also be added in marker pen, or randomly in biro (a word often used as a generic term for any ballpoint pen).
If one were to try and authenticate an item from the production-used Superman wardrobe, there are many intricacies to inspect, but the fundamental basics are that the costumes obviously shouldn’t be any less than 21 years old and exhibit signs of appropriate wear. Secondly, the costumes will be much less refined than you may think. This means, as with many screen-used props and wardrobe, that the details and stitching can look haphazard up close. There will also very likely be some fading/and or soiling from use, including make-up residue, dirt and water damage – even mothballs if stored incorrectly.
A Superman costume with its unique brand of spandex made in the late 1970s would not resemble modern fabrics such as nylon, lycra, or polyester, and the cape would similarly not be lightweight material. The boots would also not be stiff leather or have conventional soles/heels or side zipper – these outfits were custom-made for an individual that was 6’4” tall and over 200 lbs., with best examples bearing his name inside.
Once you have experienced firsthand the idiosyncrasies of a genuine, production-used Superman costume, the shortcomings of reproductions become easily identifiable. Due to their rarity and how few authentic costumes are in exhibition around the world, the photographs that accompany this overview (from the 2009 Movieum of London display – which is now the London Film Museum) should go some way to highlighting the differences.
The Tunic/Shorts
To specify the texture of an authentic costume’s make-up, the closest metaphor for the grain of ‘Bridal weight spandex’ is that of a ‘waffle weave’. Up close, the mesh is oversized and clearly defined. The knit is thick in texture and is much heavier than an average lycra. Despite common perception, it is also not a regular ‘Navy’ blue. In reality, the colour is more of a steely shade of teal – there are greyer hues mixed in with the blue palette. The ‘magic’ aspect of this particular fabric is that it comprises of a metallic element that photographs in a variety of blue tones and retains that colour on film, depending entirely on how a scene was lit. This accounts for why the casual viewer simply interprets the outfit as ‘blue’ and ‘shiny’, as reflected in most reproductions. The colours in the bodysuits were painstakingly treated with dye to achieve ‘Steel Teal’, and are prone to fading, leaving only the silvery element behind. This colour discipline also applied to the red of the shorts, which were blood scarlet, and the yellow featured on the crest, exhibiting a deeper mustard shade – more golden than yellow. It should also be noted that the tunic/shorts, tights and chest shield are all identical fabric with no exceptions.
The tunic has a central zipper in the back, and, in some instances, eye-hooks for closure at the neck. The appliquéd Berman’s label should be to the right side of the collar. There are seams in the back either side of the zipper rather than on the sides – this was to avoid having an ugly seam visible whilst Superman was in flight. The collar has a rounded appearance when worn, but appears squared at rest. Two fine lines of stitching finish the edge of the collar, and two matching sets of oversized press studs should break the seam line on the shoulder. The shoulder seams are pitched at slight angles off the arch of the shoulder, and the sleeve is finished by a generous width of cuff.
The ‘S’ chest shield is arguably the most crucial aspect of the costume. It was neither patch, screenprint, nor attachment. You may have heard the statement, ‘It is sewn into, not onto”, the tunic, with no clear explanation of what that entails. As all the costumes were handmade, variations are present in all the shields meaning no two are exactly the same. The traditional black outline is also absent and the symbol moves freely to contort with the mass or shape beneath it – in this case Reeve’s considerable chest.
The ‘S’ chest shield construction is thus: a template of the design is used to cut out the diamond section from the front of the shirt. This same template is used to cut the negative shapes (the yellow portions) using the guidelines, and similarly, leaving a red ‘frame’ to insert the yellow shapes to form the ‘S’. The excess border of all the shapes is used to tack the shield together (an very intricate process), while the smaller yellow triangles are stitched in conventionally due to their small size, making the stitching visible on the outside. From inside the assembly looks unsightly, but is, nonetheless, the defining factor of the Superman costumes, and the unique curve of the ‘S’ invariably the stumbling block of all reproductions.
There is evidence of early versions of the red shorts that are separates (resembling Speedos with belt loops), but the final majority were made integral to the blue tunic to avoid gathering and loss of shape. The four chunky belt loops were added halfway above the waistline to prevent any bleed of fabric beyond the beltline. The loops are characterised by an apparent pleat in the centre. This is a consequence of the seam beneath showing through from the pressure of the belt, rather than a purposeful addition on the surface. The cut of the short’s leg hole/arch is fairly narrow.
The cut of the leg hole/arch is fairly narrow and tapered, finished with elasticised rims for shape and fit. Many reproductions overlooking these refinements are notable for their woefully inaccurate long briefs with a wide crotch.
The Belt
Another source of conjecture, many belts were constructed for the movies and most bear tell-tale signs. As evidenced once again by the Superman-The Movie DVD documentaries, the belt was made from fabric-backed patent vinyl (the gallery below shows closeups of the shiny patent vinyl material). Some belts may have been painted leather, but there were no authentic, screen-worn Superman belts made with a dull or mat finish. Other examples of belts show that they were lined with electrical/duct tape (presumably for preservation, or ease of movement) and were tethered at the rear by either hooks or elastic thread through punctured holes (here is another example of the elastic thread). In any case, genuine Superman belts do not stand the test of time very well. They warp, crack and contort due the fragility of the vinyl/leather. Some retain their wardrobe labeling, and/or handwritten notes, but often those will have worn off through use. The belt should also be at least 2” wide to accommodate the buckle width. A notable fact about Superman’s belt buckle is that it was held on by common paper fasteners. The ‘heads’ of the fasteners were fillered into bored holes on the rear of the buckle, and the ‘legs’ punctured the surface to be secured from behind. The oval bordered buckle/pod, in contrast to Blake’s original conception, was a flawless copy of the comic incarnation of the time, and made from painted resin to match the belt which, again, was a mustard shade of yellow.
The Tights
Made in corresponding fabric and colour, the blue tights (the bottom part of the costume from the waist down) were basic in their construction apart from the central seam being buried deep beyond the inside leg. Impressions from the thick waistband would be disguised under the finishing touch of the belt, along with any visible impressions left by the Jockstrap/dance belt containing various sizes of metal codpiece (a source of great amusement for leading lady Margot Kidder). The costumier’s label on the inside waistband was intended to match with a corresponding top (tunic) of the same batch, but presumably this effort became muddled during production. The tights also were all full footed, evidently with softer, more comfortable fabric tacked at the ankle, and conversely no evidence to suggest that there were any with foot straps or similar, so any tights that have may also be discounted as reproduction.
The Boots
Arguably as complex in their assembly as the chest motif, Superman’s red boots are controversial for being another difficult aspect of the costume to replicate accurately, and the fact that director Richard Donner loathed them. Interestingly, the boots in the context of the movies were generic Kryptonian boots worn by many in the populace, as represented in Yvonne Blake’s portfolio.
Another survivor of the original conception, the boxing-type boots were over 20” tall and men’s size 11 (Christopher Reeve’s foot size), realised in crimson glove leather with the comic-accurate notch below the knee, but sporting a much thicker cuff. Although skin tight, they were soft and floppy, as there is footage of Reeve repeatedly yanking his up, as they persistently wrinkled at the ankles. Efforts to combat this problem were the addition of elastic bands around the neck of the boot and stitched-in ‘stiffeners’ to strengthen the peaks of the \/. A central seam runs down the length of the boot until its bisection by a toe section that is reminiscent of a ballet shoe.
There is a slim internal heel on a standard boot, but evidence of thicker bases on some (possibly to lessen the impact of a stunt ‘landing’) exist, while the surviving soles themselves are usually in dreadful shape, as they were either taped up to prevent wear or not, resulting in extensive damage. On the backs of the boots were silver zippers from mid-heel to top, with an accompanying line of Velcro tape to correspond with a wide flap of excess leather to close over to both seal the boot and hide the zipper.
Age has also not been kind to these authentic Superman boots, and due of the nature of the thin leather, they become tatty and shapeless. Many have been discovered with interesting details scrawled inside for specific purposes (flying/walking/waterproof, etc.), also including special versions where the zippers were cunningly relocated to the front of the boots for certain scenes, including nabbing the “suction cup” burglar, bridging the railroad and retrieving Lois’ car in Superman-The Movie.
The Cape
Look no further than The Making of Superman II to see just a sampling of Superman capes made for the production. Of all the pieces of Superman’s attire, the capes possibly had the most extended life. They were often repaired and ‘remade’ for the sequels, sacrilegiously hacked short to accommodate Supergirl Helen Slater’s waif-like frame, and later for John Haymes Newton as Superboy. The capes were also the most duplicated piece of the costume, as many scenes were dependant on a cape doing a particular job, so they were made in differing configurations besides being adapted for effects shots. There were two basic styles – ‘flying’ and ‘walking’. The flying capes are much wider (up to ten feet) and exhibit slits in the sides so the wires from the flying harness could pass through and attach to the crane above the actor. The walking capes are slimmer and trimmer (up to eight feet wide). The ingenious ‘cape flapping’ device was a special effect, rather than wardrobe, so it will only get an honourable mention here.
In order to capture the look popularised by the comics, it became necessary to rethink the cape’s neckline and shoulder construction in order to avoid a limp drape. Therefore, the clever addition of a long flap to tuck into the back of the tunic was employed, while some padding was added to the shoulders to boost their shape. This covered the seamliness of the tunic from the inside and added a rounded shape across the top. Tension to marry the cape to the nape of the neck was achieved by passing two long straps beneath both of the actor’s armpits and tied around against the back – forcing the cape up and forwards comfortably into position. Two sets of male press studs on the inside of the cape would lock the cape into place by marrying up with the female press studs present on the shoulders of the tunic. The look was finished by having two neat fixed reverse pleats in either shoulder, leaving no impression on the outside of the tunic. The capes were predominantly fashioned from heavy wool gabardine, notable for its characteristic thick diagonal weave and in most cases, ‘finished’ with a jagged edge at the bottom. This results in fraying in most capes that have survived, or at least a substantial amount of loose threads.
Approximately eight inches down from the neckline of the cape’s exterior resides the yellow ‘S’ shield. This is made from the same fabric as used in the tunic/shorts and tights, as is the matching mustard yellow, and details are embroidered in black cotton to echo the chest shield in outline. As this shield is, in fact, a patch, yellow excess is visible outside the border all the way around. As this is a rather crude adornment on real capes, it is a dead giveaway for identifying a reproduction.
Not all capes exhibit the yellow shield (this screenshot of Superman spinning Zod from Lester’s Superman II clearly shows a cape with no yellow S shield), as some were never intended to be seen from behind and did not warrant the detail. Cinemaquette‘s president confirmed with Jim Bowers in 2010 that a number of Reeve Superman capes with no yellow S shield currently reside in the Warner Bros. vaults when he toured the facility a couple of years ago.
Incidentally, a yellow cape shield was the only thing that Christopher Reeve kept as a souvenir from the entire production.
In Conclusion
The information above pertains to the three Salkind Superman productions made between 1976 and 1982. Once the Salkinds had sold the rights to the Superman motion picture property to Cannon Films in 1986 after the disappointing box office performance of Supergirl, the new Producers Golan & Globus were not only denied access to certain special effects equipment, but also to any of the previous costumes, meaning all new costumes were required for Superman IV: The Quest For Peace.
Although Bermans and Nathans were once again responsible for wardrobe, the Superman costume in IV looks distinctively bleached out in daylight scenes. Ironically, this colour blue on film more closely represents the ‘true’ colour of the costume having been photographed virtually ‘flat’ and not bathed in the glow of Geoffrey Unsworth’s light as in previous installments.
Once again duplicates were made for effects shots, but as the production was a far quicker and cheaper affair, no effort was made to colour correct the costume against blue screen photography, and visibly less care was taken to hone details which explains the alarming appearance of the bulky flying harness through the material and the lack of padding in the shoulders of the cape.
In the years since the quartet of Superman movies ended, the fate of many of the costumes that weren’t forwarded to future productions remains unknown. The Salkinds retained the rights to Superman in the late 80s, and although Superman V was announced by Cannon, and then virtually in pre-production back in the hands of the original producers, the fifth film sadly never materialised. The final appearance on-screen of a Reeve costume was as fancy dress in an episode of Superboy – the very same costume used by John Haymes Newton to audition for the part (as seen in the first season DVD release).
It is unknown just how many complete costumes survived in various grades of condition, but there are far fewer genuine pieces on exhibition, or in the market, than you may think. Many of these reside in private collections, or are in storage as investments. Indeed, rare items becoming available at auction historically have commanded escalating five figure sums, and as a result of Reeve’s definitive and un-paralleled portrayal, the value of these garments will only go up, up and away. This gap in the market for people clamouring to own a piece of this cinematic milestone is currently being plugged by certain individuals passing off replicas of wildly varying quality off as the ‘genuine article’. These copies are sold under the pretence that they are screen-used wardrobe with ‘provenance’, including everything from C.O.As to convincing recreations of the Bermans & Nathans labels.
While not a new practice by any means, these reproductions have sporadically invaded the market, and money is still changing hands on the basis that not enough is known about the genuine articles to verify their authenticity. Hopefully, the information presented here, and the constant vigil kept by the www.originalprop.com with its in-comparable archive of suits presented at auction, will go some way as a guide to rectify this. In the meantime, those fortunate enough to own a screen used piece, or to have seen one exhibited, should feel privileged and appreciate the efforts of the individuals who contributed to the Superman costume’s lasting legacy.
My sincere thanks to Superfans Chris King for his tireless research, Jason De Bord for his persistence, and CapedWonder™.com’s Jim Bowers for hosting this article.
Movieum of London Superman Gallery
Special Note: The colour of the costume leotards in the photos below is deceptively various shades of blue. As you know, the real costume fabric is much more “teal” in reality and, in most instances, only appears to be at its most blue when being photographed (using both still film/digital “film” and motion picture film stock); thus, the variations in blue seen throughout all four Superman films.
Click here to see one example of how two digital still cameras models render the blue colour differently. The blue colour in the right photo is more representative of the actual teal look in an authentic, screen-worn costume.
Please refer to the ‘Tunic/shorts’ section in the article above for more explanation about this blue/teal subject.
Please note that the Movieum of London is now the London Film Museum, and that this costume has been returned to the Prop Store of London.
Article and Movieum photos are © Copyright 2011 by Martin Lakin, and are not to be reproduced or excerpted without prior written permission. All Rights Reserved. Additional photos are © Copyright 2011 by Jim Bowers and Chris King. Every effort has been made by the author, photographers and CapedWonder™.com to make the above information as accurate and organized as possible. CapedWonder™.com is not an official authentication resource and makes no claims beyond “guideline” for the article and photos on this webpage.
The Original Prop Blog
Jim Bowers has been exposed to over 30 years of history of the Christopher Reeve Superman movie series, with his focus and emphasis on photographs, promotional materials and collectibles (movie and non-movie). Through years of research and networking with fellow fans, celebrities, collectors and motion industry professionals, Jim has gathered a great deal of fascinating Superman movie material. Jim is not, however, an official movie prop authenticator, nor he is able to share his opinion about a prop’s origin, accuracy, authenticity, or inauthenticity, so it is highly recommended that you visit Original Prop Blog to gather valuable information and get answers.
The Original Prop Blog is an invaluable resource for information, research and high-resolution photographs covering the fascinating world of movie and television props. Of particular interest are their ongoing articles about costumes in the marketplace attributed to use by Christopher Reeve in the Superman films of the 70s and 80s.
CapedWonder™.com fully concurs with and supports Original Prop Blog’s founding principles, philosophy and objectives as stated here and here.
Here are five direct links on OPB’s website that should be of particular interest to Christopher Reeve Superman costume enthusiasts:
High Resolution Photo Reference Archive: “Original Superman III Christopher Reeve Costume”
Original Superman Costume Reference Archive: Fabric Comparison
Authentic Superman Costume In The Marketplace – The Prop Store of London
“Prop Store Collection” Superman Costume, Fabric Discussion Continued, Part 1
“Prop Store Collection” Superman Costume, Fabric Discussion Continued, Part 2
Click here and make some time to study even more fascinating Superman articles with high-resolution comparative photos of Superman costumes that have appeared in the marketplace. Knowledge is Power!