Maybe its better to start writing some stuff in english on Turkish Fantastic Cinema. In years we realized that Turkish action movies created a fan base outside Türkiye. This is mostly thanks to Metin Demirhan’s efforts in early 2000’s. So it’s better that we start with a very big secret relief.
How did Turkish Superman Fly?
Mr Kunt Tulgar explained it very clearly on the video taht Metin Demirhan prepared for Süpermen Dönüyor dvd release from Onar Films.
Kunt Tulgar: “My wife, my father and I were watching the Superman movie in Paris in 1979. After the movie my father told me that i must make a movie like Superman. This is where everything starts.”
When Kunt Tulgar saw Richard Donner’s big-budget “Superman” in Paris and set out to adapt it, he had his work cut out for him*.
Kunt Tulgar: “When we turned back to Istanbul, I call my daughter. I say, ‘Give me your Barbie—Ken.’ I take it, I give it to my wife, and my wife, she makes the costumes for Superman for our daughter’s doll.
So everythings were ready for Mr Practical Tulgar. He only had to make him fly…
Kunt Tulgar: I thought i will improvise with a rear-projection screen from a homemade frame and tracing paper We made a background by a piece tracing paper, stretched on a wooden frame, and moved the doll on front of this background while taking a test recording by the camera.**
The result was positive; Superman was flying !… So i have to start my Turkish Superman movie...
My wife began to write the script immediately, and we finished the production in a short while. She adapted the story from The Advantures of Captain Marvel. The film wasn’t sensational but successful; because somebody was flying for the first time in a Turkish movie!”
*interview and images: neoharbor.com
**interview from Onar films dvd:
https://sinematikyesilcam.com/2015/10/fantastik-turk-sinemasi-supermen-donuyor-turkish-superman/