History Film / SupermanIII

* InNameOnly: The supercomputer's name is Brainiac.

* UnwillingRoboticisation: During the climax, the supercomputer drags Vera Webster into its internals and subjects her to this.

''Superman III'' was directed by Richard Lester, (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).

-->'''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.[[/note]]

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 actor, Annette O'Toole, 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 (Robert Vaughn) 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.

-->'''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]]She has a point.[[/note]]

* ScrewTheRulesImDoingWhatsRight: When Webster and Gus trick the tankers into login into the middle of the Atlantic with forged orders to make an oil embargo, one captain finds this idea baffling and ridiculous and chooses ti ignore it and maintain his original course, causing evil Superman to be sent to sabotage it.

* DenserAndWhackier: This movie is considered the campiest of the series with [[BrokenBase divisive]] effects on the fan base.

* HyperCompetentSidekick: At the end of the day, Gus and Lorelei are this to the Webster's. 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.* IAteWhat: 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]].

* LameExcuse: Two in the opening scene. When looking through Gus’ employment history, 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”. [[SarcasmMode Well, that explains a lot.]]

* HyperCompetentSidekick: At the end of the day 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.
* IAteWhat: 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]].

* SiblingsInCrime: Ross and Vera Webster.

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/superman_iii_poster.jpg]]

* UnwillingRoboticisation: Vera Webster.

* CharacterDevelopment: Clark seems much more confident than in the previous two pictures. Within this one film, Lana and Gus get this too: Lana rekindling her relationship with Clark eventually leads to her getting out of Smallville and away from Brad. Gus initially submits to Ross's 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 guilt, and when he realizes the supercomputer will actually manage to kill Superman, he makes a HeelFaceTurn to stop it.

* DumbBlonde: Subverted with [[MeaningfulName Lorelei Ambrosia]]. While she ''acts'' [[ObfuscatingStupidity 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.

** SmokingIsNotCool: Gus replacing it with cigarette tar makes Supes turn evil.

* ProductPlacement: KFC (multiple references, like the "chicken-in-a-bucket" line), Bacardi (a bottle is seen at the bar where Supes got intoxicated), Johnny Walker (what Supes [[{{Superdickery}} was drinking at the bar]]) and Atari (Webster's computer screen). [[CaliforniaDoubling Calgary, Alberta]] is home to Canada's first Kentucky Fried Chicken franchise. Gus was fired from a [=McDonald's=] as well.

* 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]]).

** '''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 Willing Suspension of Disbelief.

* 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 from being a {{Superdick|ery}} to a nasty villain.

* ProductPlacement: KFC (multiple references, like the "chicken-in-a-bucket" line), Bacardi (a bottle is seen at the bar where Supes got intoxicated, Johnny Walker (what Supes [[{{Superdickery}} was drinking at the bar]]) and Atari (Webster's computer screen). [[CaliforniaDoubling Calgary, Alberta]] is home to Canada's first Kentucky Fried Chicken franchise. Gus was fired from a [=McDonald's=] as well.

* 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. 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.

* CanonDiscontinuity: When ''Film/SupermanReturns'' was released, this film, alongside ''Film/SupermanIVTheQuestForPeace'' and ''Film/{{Supergirl}}'', were completely ignored.

--->As he talks, we’re shown clips of Superman's heroics, and let's just say [[SpecialEffectsFailure Superman was being very, very budget conscious that day]].

* 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.

** The idea of Brainiac, the name of Gus' supercomputer, being a case of AIIsACrapshoot and [[TurnAgainstTheirMasters turning against their master]] would be introduced in ''WesternAnimation/SupermanTheAnimatedSeries''.

** The idea of Brainiac, the name of Gus' supercomputer, being a case of AIIsACrapshoot and [[TurnAgainstTheirMaster turning against their master]] would be introduced in ''WesternAnimation/TheSupermanAdventures''.

* CanonImmigrant: Black Kryptonite was introduced into the Superman continuity a few years after the film. ''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).

** 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 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.

** Ross orders Gus Gorman to find out the chemical formula for kryptonite, and when Gus has figured out all of the elements (except for an unknown one), he reads the tar content on a package of cigarettes which happens to be the same as the unknown element, 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 troublemaking super-jerk.