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| Super 8 | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | J. J. Abrams |
| Written by | J. J. Abrams |
| Produced by |
|
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Larry Fong |
| Edited by | |
| Music by | Michael Giacchino |
Production companies | |
| Distributed by | Paramount Pictures |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 112 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $50 million[1] |
| Box office | $260.1 million[2] |
Super 8 is a 2011 Americanscience fictionthriller film written and directed byJ. J. Abrams and co-produced bySteven Spielberg. The film starsJoel Courtney,Elle Fanning, andKyle Chandler in lead roles. Set in 1979, the film follows a group of young teenagers who witness a mysterious train derailment while filming their ownSuper 8 movie. As strange occurrences unfold in their smallOhio town, they realize that something dangerous has been unleashed from the train.
Filmed inWeirton, West Virginia,Super 8 blends elements of mystery, science fiction, and coming-of-age drama, drawing comparisons to iconic films likeE.T.,Stand by Me, andThe Goonies for its nostalgic tone. Released on June 10, 2011,Super 8 received positive reviews from critics and was a box office success, grossing over $260 million worldwide.[2]
Super 8 received four nominations at the17th Critics' Choice Awards, including Best Action Movie and Best Young Actor/Actress (Fanning). The film received eight nominations at the38th Saturn Awards, includingBest Science Fiction Film, and won 3 awards –Best Director (Abrams),Best Performance by a Younger Actor (Courtney) andBest Music (Michael Giacchino). Fanning also received a nomination forBest Breakthrough Performance at the2012 MTV Movie Awards.
In 1979, Deputy Sheriff Jack Lamb of Lillian,Ohio and his 14-year-old son Joe mourn the death of wife and mother Elizabeth in a workplace accident. Jack blames Elizabeth's co-worker Louis Dainard for the accident, as Dainard had ahangover, resulting in Elizabeth having to cover his shift. Joe clings to his mom's memory in the form of a locket.
Four months later, Joe's friend Charles is making a zombie movie for aSuper 8 film competition. He enlists Joe's help along with friends Preston, Martin, and Cary, as well as Dainard's daughter, Alice. Though their fathers are opposed to their friendship, Joe and Alice become close.
One night while they film at a train depot, a pickup truck rams an approaching train head-on, derailing it (which they capture on film) and destroying the depot. After being scattered by the fiery chaos, the kids regroup and find crates of strange white cubes amid the wreckage, and discover the truck driver to be their biology teacher Dr. Woodward. Gravely injured, he warns them at gunpoint to forget what they have seen. They flee, as a convoy from the localAir Force base, led by Col. Nelec, arrives. Nelec finds an empty Super 8 film box.
In the following days the town experiences strange events: dogs run away, several townspeople go missing, the electrical power fluctuates, and electronic items are stolen. Jack approaches Nelec, but Nelec arrests him. Nelec orders flamethrowers to start a wildfire as an excuse to evacuate the residents to the base. Watching their footage, Joe and Charles notice a large creature escaping the train. In a military hospital, Nelec questions Woodward about the creature. After Woodward rebukes him, Nelec has him killed with a lethal injection.
Louis tells Joe the creature has abducted Alice. Joe, Charles, Martin, and Cary persuade Jen, Charles's older sister, to flirt with Donny so he can get them into town to rescue Alice. Breaking into Dr. Woodward's trailer, they learn of his work as a former government researcher.
In 1963, the Air Force captured a crash-landingalien. Its space craft, composed of the white cubes, allowed it to shape-shift. While being experimented on, the alien established apsychic connection with Woodward, convincing him to help it escape Earth. Their efforts are sabotaged by Nelec who discredited, anddischarged Woodward. Nelec captures them, but the alien kills Nelec and his airmen, allowing the kids to escape. Jack escapes and agrees with Louis to put aside their differences to save their kids.
The military attacks the alien, but their hardware goes haywire in its presence, resulting in significant collateral damage. Joe and Cary find a massive tunnel system under the town. The missing townsfolk, including Alice, are hanging unconscious from the ceiling of a cavern. Here, the alien is creating a device, constructed from the missing electronics, and attached to the base of the water tower. Using firecrackers as a distraction, Joe frees Alice and the others. The alien grabs Joe, who quietly speaks to it, convincing that it could "still live" while bad things happen. Establishing an emotional connection between the two of them, the alien realizes that not all humans are as bad as Nelec and spares him, allowing them to return to the surface.
Everyone watches as metal objects from the town are pulled to the top of the tower by an unknown force. The white cubes reassemble to create a spaceship and, as the alien enters it, Elizabeth's locket is drawn toward the tower. Joe lets it go, completing the ship. As the ship rises into space, he takes Alice's hand.
The short film the children were making in Super 8 runs at the end of the movie beside the credit roll. In it, Charles's character asks for his short film "The Case" to be picked for a local film festival before being attacked by a zombie played by Alice.
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J.J. Abrams initially conceivedSuper 8 by combining two distinct ideas: one about kids making a movie during the 1970s, and another focused on a large-scale alien invasion. The concept began when Abrams thought of a scene featuring a factory's "Accident-Free" sign, which later grew into a more complex storyline. He ultimately decided to combine the two ideas, feeling that the "kids' movie" concept alone might not draw enough attention from audiences.
Abrams collaborated withSteven Spielberg and others to develop the plot.[3] Despite early speculation thatSuper 8 was connected to Abrams' 2008 filmCloverfield, he quickly denied the rumor, clarifying thatSuper 8 was its own standalone project.[4] Primary filming for the movie began in the fall of 2010, while the teaser trailer had been shot separately in April of that year.[5]Super 8 became the first originalJ. J. Abrams project produced byAmblin Entertainment,Bad Robot, andParamount Pictures.[6]
To cast the film's lead roles, Abrams held a national talent search to find fresh faces for the young characters. Joel Courtney, who had initially auditioned for a commercial, was chosen because Abrams saw something "different" in him. Riley Griffiths secured his role by submitting a self-taped audition.
Filming forSuper 8 took place inWeirton, West Virginia, from September 20 to December 16, 2010.[7] To help promote the film,Valve Corporation created a short video game segment, which was included alongside certain versions ofPortal 2, enhancing the film's marketing efforts.[8]
Initially, director J.J. Abrams intended to shoot all the footage for the fictional movie within the film, "The Case", onSuper-8 film stock. However, this plan was abandoned due to challenges faced byIndustrial Light and Magic (ILM), who found it difficult to integrate CGI into the grainy Super-8 footage. As a result, cinematographerLarry Fong opted to useSuper-16 film for scenes that required visual effects, ensuring smoother CGI integration while maintaining a similar aesthetic.[9]
The score for the film was composed byMichael Giacchino, Abrams' long-time collaborator, conducted by Tim Simonec and performed by theHollywood Studio Symphony. The soundtrack was released on June 13, 2011, byVarèse Sarabande. It won the 2012Saturn Award for Best Music.
During the ending credits, the songs "Don't Bring Me Down" byElectric Light Orchestra and "My Sharona" bythe Knack are featured. TheBlondie song "Heart of Glass" andthe Cars song "Bye Bye Love" are also featured in the film.
LikeCloverfield (2008), an earlierJ. J. Abrams-produced film,Super 8 used an elaborateviral marketing campaign to generate interest. The first teaser trailer, attached toIron Man 2 in May 2010, introduced viewers to the premise of afreight train transporting contents from the decommissionedArea 51. A dramatic crash leads to the release of a mysterious entity, captured on a Super 8 camera. Sharp-eyed fans discovered a hidden message, "Scariest Thing I Ever Saw", embedded in the trailer's final frames. This clue led them to the website www.scariestthingieversaw.com, simulating an oldPDP-11 computer system, with clues revealing that the computer belonged to Josh Woodward, son of Dr. Woodward, a key figure in the story.
In another layer of the viral campaign, a website for Rocket Poppeteers (a fictional brand like Slusho inCloverfield) was launched, which didn't directly relate to the film's events but added to the mystery. The officialSuper 8 website featured an "editing room" section that invited users to collect clips from across the internet and stitch them together. Once assembled, the footage depicted the alien's ship disintegrating into white cubes and Dr. Woodward's ill-fated encounter with the alien.
Additionally, the video gamePortal 2 features an interactive trailer that allows players to experience the train derailment scene from the movie, including the eerie sound of the alien breaking free from its containment.[8]
The film was released on June 9, 2011, in Australia; June 10, 2011, in the United States; and August 5, 2011, in the United Kingdom.[10] On June 8, Paramount also launched a "Super 8 Sneak Peek" Twitter promotion, offering fans a chance to purchase tickets for an advance screening, taking place on June 9, 2011, in the United States.[11]
The film was released onBlu-ray andDVD on November 22, 2011.[12] The release was produced as a combo pack with a digital copy, including nine bonus features and fourteen deleted scenes.[13] A 4K Blu-Ray edition was released for its tenth anniversary (May 25, 2021).[14]
Super 8 had a production budget of $50 million. It was commercially released onJune 10, 2011. In the United States and Canada, it opened in3,379 theaters and grossed over $35.4 million on its opening weekend, ranking first at the box office.[15] The film grossed $127 million in North America with a worldwide total of some $260 million.[2]
On the review aggregatorRotten Tomatoes,Super 8 holds an approval rating of 81% based on 296 reviews, with an average rating of 7.3/10. The site's consensus reads: "It may evoke memories of classic summer blockbusters a little too eagerly for some, butSuper 8 has thrills, visual dazzle, and emotional depth to spare."[16]Metacritic assigned the film aweighted average score of 72 out of 100 based on 41 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[17] Audiences polled byCinemaScore gave it a "B+" on an A+ to F scale.[18]
Chris Sosa ofGather gave the film an A rating, describing it as "a gripping and exciting tale of finding one's place in the world amidst tragedy." He praised the film's emotionally resonant storytelling, concluding that, "While the genre-bending occasionally unsettles, the film's genuine and emotionally gripping nature makes its journey believable."[19]
Critics offered varying opinions, withRoger Ebert awarding the film 3.5 stars out of 4, praising it as a "nostalgic" tribute to earlier styles of filmmaking, where "audiences were told a story and not pounded over the head with aggressive action."[20] Similarly, Richard Corliss ofTime called it "the year's most thrilling, feeling mainstream movie," placing it among his Top 10 Best Movies of 2011. Jamie Graham ofTotal Film gave it a 5-star review, noting that Abrams' storytelling ability makes him "a born storyteller".[21]
However, the film's ending drew polarized reactions. Some praised its emotional resonance, while others found it rushed and lacking. For instance, Fernando F. Croce ofMUBI criticized the film for starting strong but ending poorly.[22] Moreover, the frequent homages to Steven Spielberg's early works drew mixed feedback;David Edelstein ofNew York Magazine referred to it as a "flagrant crib" of Spielberg's films, albeit one made with "the blessing of the master".[23]
| Award | Category | Recipient(s) | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4th Annual Coming of Age Awards[24] | Best Newcomer | Joel Courtney | Won |
| Best Cinematography | Larry Fong | Won | |
| Special Soundtrack | Won | ||
| Central Ohio Film Critics Association | Best Picture | Nominated | |
| SFX Awards | Best Film | Nominated | |
| Best Director | J. J. Abrams | Nominated | |
| 10th Annual TSR Awards[25] | Actress of the Year(Multiple Roles) | Elle Fanning | Nominated |
| Best Visuals: Special Effects | Nominated | ||
| 38th Saturn Awards[26] | Best Science Fiction Film | Nominated | |
| Best Performance by a Younger Actor | Joel Courtney | Won | |
| Elle Fanning | Nominated | ||
| Best Director | J. J. Abrams | Won | |
| Best Writing | Nominated | ||
| Best Music | Michael Giacchino | Won | |
| Best Editing | Maryann Brandon andMary Jo Markey | Nominated | |
| Best Special Effects | Nominated | ||
| 48th Annual CAS Awards[27] | Best Sound Mixing | Nominated | |
| 2011 BAM Awards[28] | Best Picture | Nominated | |
| Best Director | J. J. Abrams | Nominated | |
| Best Cinematography | Larry Fong | Nominated | |
| Best Makeup | Nominated | ||
| Best Original Screenplay | J. J. Abrams | Won | |
| Best Editing | Maryann Brandon andMary Jo Markey | Nominated | |
| Best Score | Michael Giacchino | Won | |
| Best Sound Editing/Mixing | Won | ||
| Best Visual Effects | Nominated | ||
| Best Costumes | Nominated | ||
| Best Cast | Nominated | ||
| Best Youth Ensemble | Nominated | ||
| Best Performance by a Child Actress in a Leading Role | Elle Fanning | Won | |
| Best Performance by a Child Actor in a Leading Role | Joel Courtney | Won | |
| Best Performance by a Child Actor in a Supporting Role | Ryan Lee | Won | |
| Best Young Actor/Actress | Elle Fanning | Nominated | |
| 17th Empire Awards | Best Sci-Fi/Fantasy | Nominated | |
| Best Female Newcomer | Elle Fanning | Nominated | |
| 2011 St. Louis Film Critics Association Awards | Best Visual Effects | Nominated | |
| 2011 Phoenix Film Critics Society Awards[29] | Best Editing | Maryann Brandon and Mary Jo Markey | Nominated |
| Best Ensemble Acting | Won | ||
| Best Film | Nominated | ||
| Best Original Score | Michael Giacchino | Nominated | |
| Best Youth Performance — Male | Joel Courtney | Nominated | |
| Best Youth Performance — Female | Elle Fanning | Nominated | |
| Breakthrough Performance — On Camera | Nominated | ||
| 2011 Satellite Awards[30] | Best Supporting Actress | Nominated | |
| Best Original Score | Michael Giacchino | Nominated | |
| Best Visual Effects | Dennis Muren, Kim Libreri,Paul Kavanagh,Russell Earl | Nominated | |
| Best Sound (Editing & Mixing) | Andy Nelson, Anna Behlmer, Ben Burtt, Mark Ulano, Matthew Wood, and Tom Johnson | Nominated | |
| 2011 Scream Awards[31] | |||
| The Ultimate Scream | Nominated | ||
| Best Science Fiction Movie | Won | ||
| Best Director | J. J. Abrams | Nominated | |
| Best Scream-Play | Won | ||
| Breakout Performance — Female | Elle Fanning | Nominated | |
| Holy Sh!t Scene Of The Year | The Train Crash | Nominated | |
| 2011 Teen Choice Awards[32] | |||
| Choice Movie: Sci-Fi/Fantasy | Nominated | ||
| Choice Movie Actress: Sci-Fi/Fantasy | Elle Fanning | Nominated | |
| Choice Male Breakout Star | Joel Courtney | Nominated | |
| Choice Movie: Male Scene Stealer | Riley Griffiths | Nominated | |
| Choice Movie: Chemistry | Gabriel Basso, Joel Courtney, Elle Fanning, Riley Griffiths, Ryan Lee, Zach Mills | Nominated | |
| Choice Hissy Fit | Bruce Greenwood | Nominated | |
| 2012 Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards[33] | |||
| Best Action Movie | Nominated | ||
| Best Sound | Nominated | ||
| Best Visual Effects | Nominated | ||
| Best Young Actor/Actress | Elle Fanning | Nominated | |
| Golden Reel Awards[34] | Music in a Feature Film | Nominated | |
| Dialogue and ADR for Feature Film | Ben Burtt,Matthew Wood, Steve Slanec, Cheryl Nardi, Richard Quinn, Stuart McCowan, Brad Semenoff,Gwendolyn Yates Whittle | Won | |
| Sound Effects and Foley in a Feature Film | Nominated | ||
| Hollywood Film Festival | Spotlight Award | Elle Fanning | Won |
| YouReviewer Awards[35] | Best Supporting Actress | Nominated | |
| Best Visual Effects | Nominated | ||
| Breakthrough Actor | Joel Courtney | Nominated | |
| 33rd Young Artist Awards[36] | Best Performance in a Feature Film - Leading Young Actor | Nominated | |
| Best Performance in a Feature Film - Leading Young Actress | Elle Fanning | Nominated | |
| Best Performance in a Feature Film — Supporting Young Actor | Zach Mills | Nominated | |
| Best Performance in a Feature Film — Young Ensemble Cast | Joel Courtney,Elle Fanning,Ryan Lee,Zach Mills,Riley Griffiths,Gabriel Basso and Britt Flatmo | Nominated | |
| 2012 MTV Movie Awards | Breakthrough Performance[37] | Elle Fanning | Nominated |
In addition to these awards, the film was short-listed for theAcademy Award for Best Visual Effects[38] andBest Original Score, and theBAFTA Award for Best Original Screenplay, Best Sound, and Best Special Visual Effects. Paramount submitted it for several considerations for the BAFTAs including Best Film, Best Director (J. J. Abrams), Best Original Screenplay, Leading Actor (Kyle Chandler), Supporting Actress (Elle Fanning), Supporting Actor (Joel Courtney,Gabriel Basso,Noah Emmerich), Cinematography, Production Design, Editing, Costume Design, Original Music, Sound, Makeup and Hair, and Special Visual Effects.
