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->''"I ask you to kill Superman, and you're telling me you couldn't even do that one simple thing."'' *{{mic drop}}*
-->-- '''Ross Webster'''

''Superman III'', released in 1983, is the third of the ''Film/{{Superman|Film Series}}'' film series starring Creator/ChristopherReeve.

The Man of Steel's mythology is further explored as Clark returns to Smallville for his high school reunion and meets back up with his old friend, ComicBook/LanaLang (whose actress, Creator/AnnetteOToole, went on to play Ma Kent in ''Series/{{Smallville}}''). The main plot of the film involves heavily-promoted co-star Creator/RichardPryor as Gus Gorman, an idiot-savant whose hacker talents are co-opted by the sinister executive Ross Webster (Creator/RobertVaughn) when caught skimming from the payroll. Thus blackmailed, initially Gus willingly helps the forces of evil -- turning Superman evil with faux-Kryptonite ''and'' designing a supercomputer that could be used to conquer the planet. But he eventually relents and assists Superman, who's managed to conquer his dark side, in destroying it.

''Superman III'' was directed by Creator/RichardLester (best known for directing ''Film/AHardDaysNight'' and ''Film/{{Help}}''), who completed ''Film/SupermanII'' after Creator/RichardDonner was canned following a litany of disagreements with the producers, and its emphasis on comedy was (and still is) derided in some circles -- although this discontent has more to do with the acrimony going on behind the scenes. A very serious 'duel' between Superman and his Clark Kent personality (as the hero literally grapples with his darker nature) is widely considered one of the finest moments from the film series. Creator/RichardPryor's performance is also a polarizing affair, as he was an avowed fan of Superman and tried his best to do the film justice (because if [[PluckyComicRelief unnecessary comic relief]] is going to be shoehorned into a film at all, it might as well be left to an actual comedian).

Perhaps the biggest impact on canon was the reinvention of Lana Lang and Superman's relationship. In the comics Lana had been a prominent supporting character for over three decades by this point but she had essentially been a redhaired, teenage version of Lois (in the ComicBook/{{Superboy}} stories) or an adult version of same in the Superman stories (she's a glamorous ''cable news'' reporter). The movie repainted her as a GirlNextDoor from Clark's past who was more interested in him than his superpowered alter-ego, essentially turning her into [[BettyAndVeronica the Betty to Lois's Veronica]]. Most stories since have followed this interpretation of the character.
----
!!This film contains examples of:

* AchievementsInIgnorance: One of the other students in Gus's computer class asks about programming two bilaterial coordinates at the same time. The instructor declares this to be impossible. Gus shows the instructor that he just did it.
** Ross orders Gus Gorman to find out the chemical formula for kryptonite so he can synthesize some to kill Superman. Gus manages to use a satellite to get a list of all of the elements in kryptonite except for one unknown to current science. Looking for inspiration, he reads the tar content on his package of cigarettes, and decides that since tar in cigarettes isn't healthy, it would probably be bad in synthetic kryptonite too, so he substitutes tar as the missing element. Even though the synthetic Kryptonite doesn't have the intended effect of killing Superman, it turns him into a trouble-making super-jerk and stops him from interfering with their plans regardless.
* AIIsACrapshoot: Webster's supercomputer gets a little out of control.
* AffablyEvil: Ross Webster
* AllNaturalGemPolish: Superman crushes a lump of coal into a large, perfectly faceted diamond.
* AllThereInTheManual: The novelization reveals the reason why Gus skied off Webster's roof; Vera had hosed the snow with water to make ice earlier, although she had been hoping Lorelai would take the plunge instead.
* AntiVillain: Gus. He's not vindictive nor does he covet power. He just got caught up in his own scheme to take that money.
* ArtisticLicenseGeography: Bermuda is ''north'' of the Caribbean, Lois. The Bahamas is about as far north as the Caribbean gets.
* ArtisticLicensePhysics: Gus being able to ski down the side of the angled glass roof after taking a flying leap off Webster's skyscraper gets him out of NotTheFallThatKillsYou, but in reality he was going so fast that he should have plummeted right through the glass. Now, had he angled his skis up, he might have generated enough resistance to slow his fall (which is what ski jumpers do).
* BadassBoast: Coming from ''Clark'', of all people...
-->(To an evil Superman) '''I can give as good as I get!'''
* BatmanGambit: Gus pulls this on Brad, pretending to be a liquor salesman, then getting him so drunk he passes out and allows Gus access to [=WheatKing=]'s computer.
* BewareTheNiceOnes: A common theme throughout the franchise (i.e. the bully at Don's diner) with Clark; this movie's highlights: the sneeze at the bowling alley (Clark did it to help Ricky); the junkyard fight; and Brad's poor attempt at assaulting Clark (Clark even props one of those folding hotel beds up to trip up Brad).
* BewareTheSuperman: When Superman gets drunk, and starts flicking beer nuts at supersonic speed and melting the mirror with his heat vision, it's pretty obvious he's one hair away from going from {{Superdick|ery}} to nasty villain.
* BigBlackout: Caused by the Supercomputer.
* BlindMistake: Some slapstick arises in the opening scene when a blind man loses his guide dog.
* BrainlessBeauty: Subverted by Lorelei, who ''[[ObfuscatingStupidity pretends]]'' to be an airhead, but is actually a genius. Alone, she delves into deep reading, and reveals she's a computer expert, too. She's so intelligent she ''knows'' behaving intelligently will get her fired, since her ''job'' is to be Ross'... let's leave it at that.
-->'''Lorelei:''' ''(reading Immanuel Kant's "Critique of Pure Reason")'' How can he say that Pure Categories have no objective meaning in Transcendental Logic? What about Synthetic Unity?[[note]]Translation: with transcendental idealism, things in themselves cannot really be known in of themselves; someone even [[http://www2.phil.cam.ac.uk/~swb24/reviews/Kant.htm analyzed]] her comment in a college essay. [[LaymansTerms In other words]], she has a point.[[/note]]
* BreadEggsBreadedEggs:
-->'''Gus''': I don't want to go to jail because there are robbers and rapers and rapers [[PrisonRape who rape robbers]]!
* BrickJoke: Superman re-leaning The Leaning Tower of Pisa then the angry Italian man again smashing the Leaning Tower replicas.
* BrotherSisterTeam: Ross and Vera Webster.
* BurgerFool: One of Gus' previously failed employments was in a burger joint which lasted ''28 minutes''. Apparently Gus couldn't cope with the many demands on each customer's orders (Some cheese but no sauce, some sauce but no cheese, ketchup not relish, relish not mayonnaise, etc.).
* TheCameo: Creator/FrankOz appears as a doctor about to perform brain surgery in an alternate scene shown during the extended TV cut.
* CanonDiscontinuity: When ''Film/SupermanReturns'' was released, this film, alongside ''Film/SupermanIVTheQuestForPeace'' and ''Film/{{Supergirl|1984}}'', were completely ignored. However, when the ''Superman Returns'' version of the character made a guest appearance in the ''Series/{{Arrowverse}}'' version of ''Series/CrisisOnInfiniteEarths2019'', he does mention he went evil and fought himself once, which is shown in this movie.
* CanonImmigrant:
** Black Kryptonite was introduced into comic-book continuity in [[ComicBook/Supergirl2005 2005]] storyline ''ComicBook/GirlPower''. ''Series/{{Smallville}}'' and ''Series/Supergirl2015'' also reimagine red Kryptonite as having "make you evil" effects on Kryptonians, similar to the synthetic green Kryptonite in this film. Effectively, the synthetic Kryptonite here resulted in black Kryptonite (splits someone into good and evil halves) and modern red Kryptonite (makes a Kryptonian a titanic jerk).
** The idea of Brainiac, the name of Gus' supercomputer, being a case of AIIsACrapshoot and [[TurnedAgainstTheirMasters turning against its master]] would be introduced in ''WesternAnimation/SupermanTheAnimatedSeries''.
* TheCasanova: When Superman put the moves on Lana, that was the first hint that something was wrong with him.
* CharacterDevelopment:
** Clark seems much more confident than in the previous two pictures.
** Lana rekindles her relationship with Clark, which eventually leads her to getting out of Smallville and away from Brad.
** Gus initially submits to Ross' blackmailing and does his dirty work, but eventually, realizing Ross needs his skills too badly to follow through on his threats, bargains with him to get the supercomputer built. When he becomes aware of how badly others are suffering thanks to the engineered oil shortage he begins feeling guilty, and when he realizes the supercomputer will actually manage to kill Superman, he makes a HeelFaceTurn to stop it.
* ChekhovsGun: "Beltric acid" (see HollywoodAcid, below).
* ChuckCunninghamSyndrome: Lana Lang, who is hired by the Daily Planet at the end of the film, doesn't appear in ''Film/SupermanIVTheQuestForPeace'', and Lana's absence isn't mentioned or explained.
** In an ironic shout-out, Gavin O'Herlihy, who played the first Chuck Cunningham on Series/HappyDays, appears in the film as Brad Wilson, whose only other appearance was a minor role in [[Film/SupermanTheMovie the first movie]] as a teenager, played by Brad Flock.
* ClassReunion: The reason for Clark's return to Smallville.
* TheComicallySerious: Vera
* ContrivedClumsiness: Clark spills an ashtray on himself then pretends to sneeze, so as to "quietly" help little Ricky with his bowling. He kinda overdoes it; see UnusuallyUninterestingSight, below.
* CorruptCorporateExecutive: Ross Webster, in a manner almost prophetic of how ComicBook/PostCrisis ComicBook/LexLuthor would be portrayed.
* TheCracker: Gus is a wage-slave who gets some basic computer training and is soon able to crack into just about anything. At one point, the character was supposed to be Brainiac in disguise, explaining his abilities, but ExecutiveMeddling turned the character into comic relief.
* CyberneticsEatYourSoul: Vera is turned into an evil cyborg by Gus's computer.
* DemotedToExtra: Lois Lane shows up in the beginning, says she's going to Bermuda and disappears for most of the movie. Then she comes back before the movie's over as if nothing happened! This was largely done in retaliation after Creator/MargotKidder criticized the producers for their decision to dismiss Creator/RichardDonner from the franchise. It's a testament to how iconic the Superman mythos is in general, and Lois Lane in particular, that it wasn't worse.
* DenserAndWackier: This movie is considered the campiest of the series with [[BrokenBase divisive]] effects on the fan base.
** DarkerAndEdgier: Yet somehow it still has some of the scarier moments of the series, most notably [[UnwillingRoboticisation Vera being turned into a cyborg by the supercomputer]].
* DescriptionCut: The Websters discover that someone has skimmed a lot of money from Webscoe through computer hacking, but Ross says they won't find out who because anyone who did such a thing would keep quiet about and not draw attention to themselves "unless they were a complete and utter moron". Loud music out in the parking lot heralds the arrival of a complete and utter moron in his new Ferrari.
* DigitalHeadSwap: Pre-CGI example: In the junkyard fight, Clark's head was matted onto a double's body when Superman grabs Clark ("You always wanted to fly, Kent") and tosses him in a pile of junk. Later, the same is done with Superman's head at the end of the fight.
* DisasterDominoes: The title sequence follows wacky trouble breaking out on the sidewalks of Metropolis.
* DistractedByTheSexy: The cause of the DisasterDominoes was Lorelei walking by. Speaking of which, Jimmy took way too many pictures of her, according to Perry.
* DownInTheDumps: Superman's good self vs. evil self fight with himself takes place in a junkyard, with the evil self almost coming out on top by putting his good self into a crusher before his good self busts out in a rage and permanently subdues his evil self.
* DrowningMySorrows: After Superman arrived too late to save a diesel rig from falling over the bridge and killing the driver, he starts committing acts of petty vandalism and goes on a drinking binge, where he flicks peanuts into the bottles and drink glasses, warping the mirror with his heat vision.
* DumbBlonde: Subverted with [[MeaningfulName Lorelei Ambrosia]]. While she ''[[ObfuscatingStupidity acts]]'' dim, she's really just playing off the stereotype so she can trick the other villains. She's also not above using her [[TheVamp looks]] to get what she wants.
* EarlyBirdCameo: Black Kryptonite wouldn't appear again until ''ComicBook/Supergirl2005''.
* EasilyForgiven: Gus spends a good portion of the film stealing or as an active accomplice to the attempted murder of Earth's most noble protector, but is easily forgiven in the end after his HeelFaceTurn. Given that he's played by Richard Pryor, the audience is never really expected to see him as a villain.
* EatingPetFood: Clark Kent and Lana Lang have a picnic out near the wheat fields with her son. Clark tastes what he thinks was good pate that Lana made, only for Lana to point out that it was dog food. Clark still continues to [[DogFoodDiet eat it]].
* EnemyWithout: The fight sequence between a red Kryptonite-infected Superman and his moral base, Clark Kent. It's also shown to be a metaphor for Superman's internal struggle not to do whatever he pleases.
* EqualOpportunityEvil: None of the villains care that Gus is black, with Ross in particular seeing him as a valuable ally. Even Vera, the one most skeptical of and hostile towards him, never brings up his race.
* EvenEvilHasStandards: Lorelei clearly [[spoiler: didn't want Superman to die and is horrified when Gus is knocked out by the Supercomputer.]] She also seems unnerved by Ross' oil scheme.
* EverythingIsOnline: One of the most JustForFun/{{egregious}} examples, and one of the earlier ones too.
* EvilTwin: Even the film's detractors generally enjoy seeing Clark Kent separate from the "evil" Superman to fight him.
* ExpospeakGag: At the computer site, Vera starts barking orders about power coordinates and defensive systems. Lorelei just answers:
-->'''In other words, push this red button.'''
* FaceHeelTurn: Superman, thanks to synthetic kryptonite.
* {{Foreshadowing}}: When Vera starts ranting over the stolen money, Ross tells her to get ahold of herself, [[TemptingFate muttering to himself no-one else ever will]]. [[spoiler: Later, the supercomputer gets ahold of her and [[BodyHorror transforms her into a cyborg.]]]]
* FreezeFrameBonus:
** Only a placard on Gus' computer reveals its name: ComicBook/{{Brainiac}}.
** Apparently, the key to running two functions simultaneously is to [[http://cdn-static.denofgeek.com/sites/denofgeek/files/styles/article_width/public/superman_3_program_listing_3_0.jpg?itok=qKv7gEla run a BASIC program that has a lot of PRINT statements]].[[note]]PRINT commands do nothing but display text on a screen.[[/note]]
** The computer programming school's phone number is "Metropolis 12345678". At least it's easy to remember... with eight digits.
* FunnyBackgroundEvent: Sort of. Clark slams a car door on Gus as he arrives in Smallville and quickly apologizes. Seems nobody noticed Gus's grimacing in pain.
* FutureLoser: In the first film, Brad is a JerkJock who bullies Clark while moving in on Lana. By this movie, he's now a pathetic drunk working a security job (which he does poorly) while trying to cling on to his past glory and rekindle his relationship with Lana. She doesn't bite, and takes Clark's offer for a job at the Daily Planet.
* GeniusBookClub: Lorelei appears to be a standard DumbBlonde. However, while alone [[https://evilbabes.wikia.com/wiki/File:Screenshot_43473.jpg she reads Immanuel Kant's]] ''Critique of Pure Reason'' and disputes one of its arguments, thus showing [[ObfuscatingStupidity her stupidity is a facade]] she puts on to manipulate others.
* GeniusDitz: Gus is not the sharpest knife in the drawer, but his computer skills are something else.
* GoingForTheBigScoop: Perry White's been pressuring Jimmy Olsen to keep his eyes peeled for big stories no matter where he goes. So when Jimmy and Clark learn of the chemical plant fire while on their way to Smallville, the former sneaks into the crisis and climbs a firetruck ladder to get some dramatic photos of the blaze. The ladder collapses and he breaks his leg; luckily for him Superman's on the scene to save him from the flames.
* GoodIsImpotent: Clark takes quite a beating from the "evil" Superman, at least for a while...right up until Clark decides he's had enough and beats the hell out of Evil Superman, beginning with exploding out of the side of a trash compactor.
* GreaterScopeVillain: Once the Websters' supercomputer (as stated above, this continuity's counterpart to Brainiac) develops a mind of its own, it becomes the major threat and they cease to be significant as villains.
* HackTheTrafficLights: the supercomputer causes the figures in a Walk/Don't Walk sign to animate and fight each other.
* HeelFaceTurn: Gus, in the climax. He starts to truly regret his alliance with Ross and company when their manufactured oil crisis hurts "the little guy[s]" he used to be one of. When Ross crows that Gus will be "going down in history as the man who killed Superman" thanks to his computer figuring out how to create a pure kryptonite ray, Gus makes his turn and tries to shut it down to save the hero, and when that doesn't work, at least manages to destroy the ray.
* HeroWithBadPublicity: Superman, after his FaceHeelTurn. Only Colombia abstained from a UN vote of censure against him (he had saved the country from the hurricane that Gus created by means of the satellite).
* HollywoodAcid: "Beltric acid" becomes super-corrosive if heated up enough. It ends up being a ChekhovsGun in the final fight against the rogue computer. There's also a pool full of a different Hollywood Acid, seemingly [[RuleOfCool just because]], at the scrapyard where Superman dukes it out with himself.
* HollywoodHacking: A very early example of computer hacking. Computers were still so novel that Gus just being able to ''use'' a computer is treated as evidence that he's a hacker genius. Regardless, his "hacking" simply involves typing OVERRIDE ALL SECURITY into his computer and then typing his exact desires into it.
* HollywoodScience
** Weather satellites report on the weather in real life, but they're used to control it here. Gets made fun of in the ''Magazine/{{MAD}}'' parody of the movie. Kinda brave of them, too, considering ''Mad'' is owned by the same parent company that made the film.
** Gus later sends the very same satellite to the former location of Krypton and scans the remains to find out what kryptonite consists of. Apparently the satellite is equipped with a geological spectroscope and an FTL drive, since Krypton is a long way off, and that's assuming they even know where to look.
* HoneyTrap: Lorelei seduces Superdick into poking holes in an oil tanker.
* HydrantGeyser: In the opening scene the car hits a fire hydrant and begins filling with water as a result.
* HyperCompetentSidekick: At the end of the day, Gus and Lorelei are this to the Websters. Lorelei is the one who points out that they can use kryptonite on Superman to the Websters, and also seduces his evil half into doing their bidding. And despite his moments of stupidity and MinionWithAnFInEvil status, Gus and his computer skills are what allow them to do their plotting in the first place while carrying out some very vital grunt work.
* IKnowYoureInThereSomewhereFight: Ricky invokes this, though he doesn't fight Supes. It does ''cause'' a fight, though.
* IfIHadANickel:
-->'''Clark''': If I had a dime for every kid who asked me to get Superman's autograph...
* InNameOnly: The supercomputer's name is ComicBook/{{Brainiac}}, but it's no intergalactic collector of worlds.
* JekyllAndHyde: After Superman is exposed to the synthetic kryptonite, he starts hitting on Lana, ignores news reports of a jackknifed semitruck hanging on the bridge (which falls over and kills the driver), blows out the Olympic flame, straightens out the Leaning Tower of Pisa, vandalizes an oil tanker ship which leaves the oil spilled on the surface, goes to a bar and flicks the peanuts into the drinking glasses and bottles, and warps the bar mirror with his heat vision. When Ricky tries to snap Superman out of his slump, Superman goes to the junkyard, where he splits into corrupted Superman and [[EnemyWithin Clark Kent emerges from within]], representing the good side of Superman. After a grueling fight, Clark defeats the corrupted Superman and makes what he can right again.
%%* JerkJock[=/=]FutureLoser: Brad.
* KarmaHoudini: The DisasterDominoes scene includes a bank robber escaping from the bank's security guards.
* KillSat: Or rather, weather-changing, kryptonite-analyzing, computer-hacking satellite.
* KnightOfCerebus:
** While Ross, Lorelei and Vera and their pawn Gus are generally played as comedic villains, the effects of the energy crisis created by Ross' scheme are presented seriously, with long lines, rationing, and even brawling at gas stations.
** "Evil" Superman's scenes are PlayedForDrama and creates a MoodWhiplash as seeing Reeve's good-natured Superman becoming a mean-spirited jerk caused by the tobacco-laced kyptonite's influence breaks hearts of fans.
** In the final showdown, the [[spoiler:computer getting the mind of its own and turning Vera into a cyborg also can give viewers nightmares after being given laughs in this movie]].
* LatinLand: This continuity's version of Colombia.
* LikeADuckTakesToWater: Gus Gorman has no experience as a computer programer at the beginning of the movie, but once he tries it out becomes good enough to embezzle hundreds of thousands and make a computer that is capable of killing Superman, among other things.
* LiteralSplitPersonality: Superman gets exposed to some "artificial" [[GreenRocks Kryptonite]] that turns him evil, then splits him into an evil Superman and a good Clark Kent.
* LovesMyAlterEgo: Inverted, as Lana Lang becomes romantically interested in Clark Kent as opposed to Superman.
* MadeOfIron: Clark, during the junkyard fight, considering [[EnemyWithout who he was up against]].
* MagicalComputer: Played for laughs. Even if everything was networked to that extent, getting the green traffic light man to fight the red traffic light man is an impressive feat of hacking.
* ManOfSteelWomanOfKleenex: Averted. Superman (while under the influence of the above mentioned "artificial" [[GreenRocks Kryptonite]]) has sex with Lorelei. Admittedly it is merely heavily implied rather than outright confirmed. Judging by the scared look on Lorelei when Superman takes advantage, you have to think she was wondering if this Trope applied or not. (Lucky for her, it did not.)
* MindControlEyes / MonochromaticEyes: Vera after the supercomputer absorbs her.
* MirrorMatch: Clark and the "evil" Superman.
* MoodWhiplash: ''Superman III'''s first half is DenserAndWackier than the previous films, with loads of zany moments, many of which with Richard Pryor involved. Then, the Evil Superman shows up, and there's still a bit of humor, but it slowly begins to take a back seat. ''THEN'', the supercomputer run by the villains turns on them and [[NightmareFuel horrifically turns Vera into a cyborg.]]
* MoralityPet: Ricky becomes this for "evil" Superman.
* MundaneUtility: Superman crushes a piece of coal in his bare hands to produce a diamond to replace the one in the ring Lana had to pawn off. Some of Supes' acts of Superdickery, like putting out the Olympic flame, breaking liquor bottles by flicking peanuts at them, or melting the bar's mirorred walls with his heat vision.
* MythologyGag: As Gus chooses a mule over a balloon as transportation down into the Grand Canyon.
-->'''Gus''': I don't believe a man can fly!
* NeverMyFault:
** Gus during the opening scene, while looking through his employment history.
*** First, the unemployment clerk notes he was fired as a messenger for losing a product. When Gus tries to explain it stolen by a pickpocket, the clerk incredulously reminds him that the lost product was a television set. Gus, again, tries to save face by saying the TV set was "one of them little bitty two-inch screen Japanese jobs".
*** Then, regarding his ''28-minute'' fast food job, he says that people should not expect him to learn ''all'' the order demands in ''one day''.
** During the oil crisis, one car tries to cut in front of another for the gas pump, causing the two cars to crash. Then the man who tried cut in has the gall to start beating the man he tried to cut in front of.
* NeverTrustATrailer: The [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uuSLyZ6Mz8 theatrical trailer]] for the movie frames the supercomputer as being the cause for most of the movie's plot, including the weather changes that happen in Colombia and Superman turning evil. In actuality, the computer itself is only built during the last third of the movie. The weather changes are caused by a satellite Webster already owns that Gus hacks into, and Superman's corruption happens because of the synthetic Kryptonite, not due to the computer "reprogramming" him.
* NewOldFlame: Basis for this movie's romantic subplot.
* NiceGuysFinishLast: Brad tried to invoke this on Clark. [[EpicFail He ended up unconscious.]]
* NoodleIncident: The closing scenes reveal Lois went on an adventure of her own on her vacation, returning with a big story about Caribbean corruption (it all started when a cab driver kidnapped her...).
* NoOSHACompliance: Okay, it's funny when a drunken Superman falls into a giant pit of acid. But the only thing preventing the regular junkyard workers from falling in is the sign that proclaims it to be acid. On ground level, no guard rail, open top.
* NotOfThisEarth: Gus does an analysis of kryptonite, and the results indicate that a certain percentage of it is simply "unknown".
* NotWhatItLooksLike: Brad thought Clark was proposing marriage to Lana, and that got him mad.
* ObfuscatingStupidity: Lorelei.
-->'''Ross:''' I've got to get rid of him.\\
'''Vera:''' Shoot him? You know about him and bullets.\\
'''Lorelei:''' ''(not even looking up, matter-of-factly)'' Kryptonite.\\
'''Vera:''' ... what?\\
'''Lorelei:''' ''(suddenly remembering to act like a DumbBlonde)'' Or krypton-ham, or krypton-heimer? I forget what you call it, but it's stuff that can hurt Superman.
* OddlyNamedSequel2ElectricBoogaloo: Almost. The writer's original name for the film was ''Superman Vs. Superman: Superman III'', which was supposed to be a play on the "Superman Vs. Enemy" format that the comics ([[BeamMeUpScotty supposedly]]) often employed. However, the producers of ''Film/KramerVsKramer'' somehow got the idea that it was supposed to be a rip-off of their film, and threatened to sue the pants off the Salkind Company, resulting in the title being changed to just ''Superman III''.
* OffscreenMomentOfAwesome: A bizarre case. The original theatrical cut only has Gus telling Ross and company what Superman did. The television cut actually '''shows''' Superman performing incredible feats. ''Why'' this was removed is anyone's guess. In a movie with Superman's name on the title, you would think that Superman ''saving an entire country'' would be directly depicted, not shown in flashback with descriptions or simply recounted verbally by the comedian co-star.
-->'''Gus''': Superman's bad!
** Website/TheAgonyBooth recap suggests a possible explanation -- the scenes didn't come out good enough for theatrical presentation, but were considered adequate for home video:
--->As he talks, we’re shown clips of Superman's heroics, and let's just say [[SpecialEffectFailure Superman was being very, very budget conscious that day]].
* OutOfCharacterAlert: What is the first sign that Superman is not well? He blew off an emergency to put the moves on Lana, who doesn't like him that way anyway.
* PacManFever: More literal than usual: Ross fights Superman with a supercomputer... one that is apparently part Platform/AtariST given the gorgeous graphics... and part Platform/Atari2600, complete with sound effects lifted directly from that console's execrable version of VideoGame/PacMan. In this case, [[http://www.atariage.com/magazines/magazine_page.html?MagazineID=9&CurrentPage=12 Atari themselves created the computerized footage]], and made it blockier than they could have on purpose, and were planning to [[http://www.atariprotos.com/8bit/software/supermanIII/supermanIII.htm release an Atari 5200 game based on the film]]. So they probably provided the 2600 Pac-Man sound effects themselves, especially considering that, at the time, Atari, Inc. was owned by DC Comics parent company and Superman film distributor Warner Communications.
* ThePasswordIsAlwaysSwordfish: When the company's payroll division asks for Gus to enter the security code to proceed, Gus types "Override all security". And it works.
* PennyShaving: After his boss mentions that the computer is tracking amounts of money too small to be displayed, Gus begins his criminal career by instructing a computer he works with to put any amount of money less than a cent into his bank account.
* PhlebotinumDuJour: Computers, whose presence and potential were just reaching popular imagination. An increasingly silly form of this, the film starts out with EverythingIsOnline and builds up into "Because ''computers''!"
* PhotoBoothMontage: Of Superman, as he changes clothes in the opening credit sequence.
* PokeThePoodle: "Evil" Superman is really more of a superhuman {{Jerkass}}: straightening the Leaning Tower of Pisa (which is something they've been trying to do for years), tearing a hole in an oil rig, and blowing out the Olympic flame. That said; The oil rig bit would be the closest to a genuinely evil act, he caused a freakin' oil spill....which can result in some very dire environmental damage.
* ProductPlacement: KFC (multiple references, like the "chicken-in-a-bucket" line), Bloomingdale's (on an invoice), Bacardi (a bottle is seen at the bar where Supes got intoxicated), Johnny Walker (what Supes [[{{Superdickery}} was drinking at the bar]]), Ferrari (Gus shows up in one at his computer job after embezzling money to afford it) and Atari (Webster's computer screen). [[CaliforniaDoubling Calgary, Alberta]] is home to Canada's first Kentucky Fried Chicken franchise. Gus was fired from a UsefulNotes/McDonalds as well.
* ReverseCerebusSyndrome: An JustForFun/{{egregious}} example of this trope. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SkIAHjkODWk Fighting traffic sign stick figures]], anybody?
* ScrewTheRulesImDoingWhatsRight: When Webster and Gus trick the tankers into going into the middle of the Atlantic with forged orders to make an oil embargo, one captain finds this idea baffling and ridiculous and chooses to ignore it and maintain his original course, causing evil Superman to be sent to sabotage his ship. Bonus points as Ross also told Gus to say the orders were irreversible as a means of trying to prevent anyone else from undoing them.
* ScrewThisImOuttaHere: Lorelei tries this just after the computer developed a mind of its own.
* ShapedLikeItself: "This fire's spreading like wild... fire."
* ShoutOut:
** There's one to ''Film/ThePublicEnemy1931'' with the husband and wife at the breakfast table after seeing the whopping ''$176,784.57'' department store bill -- he smushes a sliced grapefruit into her face.
** The old teacher Clark chats with at the reunion has the last name Bannister -- the credits reveal her full name is [[Radio/TheGoonShow Minnie Bannister]]. Richard Lester, early in his career, directed a few productions featuring ''Goon Show'' cast members; one of them, supporting player Graham Stark, plays the blind man in this film's opening sequence.
** Lorelei does her best Creator/MaeWest impression when seducing Superman.
--->'''Superman:''' I hope you don't expect me to save you, 'cause I don't do that anymore.
--->'''Lorelei:''' I'm ''long'' past saving.
** Lorelei is named after Creator/MarilynMonroe's GeniusDitz character in ''Film/GentlemenPreferBlondes''.
* ShrugTake: Used twice:
** Early in the film, when Superman changes identities ''in the back seat of an occupied police car'', the cop in the front seat notices, but then dismisses it.
** On a picnic, Clark reacts rather mildly to the announcement that he's eating dog food.
* SiblingsInCrime: Ross and Vera Webster work together through their corrupt scheming.
* SidingWithTheSuffering: Gus, who's been hired by Webster to hack computers, almost goes through with his plan to kill Superman but when he sees the kryptonite ray is hurting Superman, he slides down the cable to go rescue him.
* SmokingIsNotCool: Gus replaces the "[[NotOfThisEarth unknown]]" parts of Kryptonite with cigarette tar. This results in a substance that turns Superman evil.
* TheSoCalledCoward: Evil Superman taunted Clark, calling him chicken...
* SocialEngineering: How Gus gets into the [=WheatKing=] subsidiary after hours to use their computer. He dresses up in a cheesy suit, pretends to be an alcohol salesman that needs to install a bar for the boss, and gets the lone security guard Brad drunk enough to pass out.
* StockFootage: The footage of Superman flying toward the camera to save Ricky was reused in this film when Superman went looking for Ross and company after the junkyard fight.
** There's also the traditional "flying off into the sunset" shot at the very end of the film.
* SuddenVideogameMoment: The scene where Ross is firing missiles at Superman, specially designed for the film by {{Creator/Atari}} (with assistance from an uncredited [[Creator/DreamworksAnimation Pacific Data Images]]).
* {{Superdickery}}: The "evil" Superman isn't really evil -- he's just [[{{Jerkass}} a dick]].
* SuspiciousSpending: After Gus's PennyShaving scam is discovered, CorruptCorporateExecutive Ross Webster doesn't think there's any way of catching the perpetrator unless he does something really stupid. Immediately, Gus shows up in a fancy sports car far above what he could afford on his salary.
* SwivelChairAntics: The programmers in a '80's mainframe center move about by pushing themselves backwards on swivel chairs; despite a two-lane corridor, two of them collide.
* TemporarySubstitute: Creator/MargotKidder and Creator/GeneHackman were both quite vocal in their protests over Creator/RichardDonner's firing. As a result, Lois Lane is largely absent with her role going to Lana Lang, while Hackman refused to appear at all, leading to Creator/RobertVaughn appearing as Ross Webster. Both returned for the next movie.
* TiltingTowerOfPisa: Provides the trope image: as part of the montage of Superman's tainted Kryptonite-induced rampage of {{Superdickery}}, he straightens the Leaning Tower, pissing off a poor seller of tower replicas that witnesses it. [[BrickJoke Supes' final act before the credits roll is to go back to Pisa to re-lean the tower]], pissing off the man (who had started to sell replicas of the straightened tower) again.
* TwoKeyedLock: Used to boot up a computer system at the Wheat King in Smallville. Gus manages to pull this off with an unconscious Brad serving as the required second person.
* UncleTomfoolery: Sadly a problem with too many of Richard Pryor's roles at the time. His character here feels like a white writer's parody of his stand-up persona.
* UnwillingRoboticisation: During the climax, the supercomputer drags Vera Webster into its internals and covers her skin with metal plates amd turning her into a cyberzombie with fritzy hair. However when it is destroyed, [[UnexplainedRecovery she is completly fine and untouched, even her hair returns to it's former immaculate shape.]]
* UnusuallyUninterestingSight:
** '''Come on.''' ''No one'' noticed a little boy just ''shattered 10 bowling pins'' with an almost ''supersonic'' bowling ball? Jesus, Richard Lester. There's comedy and there's breaking the WillingSuspensionOfDisbelief.
** Clark's costume change in the backseat of a police car during the Smallville fire. Might be a Callback to the office worker in ''Superman: The Movie''.
** Clark blowing on a wind-up penguin that's caught fire. At least he looked around and did it as surreptitiously as possible.
** Not to mention all the ''other'' cock-a-mamie things going on in the opening sequence, while many people on the street just ignore it and carry on with their own business. (Then again, this ''is'' Metropolis, so unless supervillains are knocking over buildings or tossing school buses around, they're not going to let minor stuff distract them from getting to work.)
* TheVamp: Lorelei
* VileVillainLaughableLackey: Ross and Gus.
* WeatherControlMachine: The Vulcan Weather Satellite. Of course...
* WetwareBody: What Vera becomes to the computer.
* WoundedGazelleGambit: Lorelei climbs atop the Statue of Liberty and threatens to jump so she can seduce Superman; in return, she wants him to stop the runaway oil tanker in the middle of the Atlantic.
* YouAreTooLate: Superman doesn't get to the bridge in time to save the driver.

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