Christopher Reeve’s son remembers father's 1996 Oscar appearance for which he stayed up till 4 in morning
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH: Matthew Reeve, the eldest son of the late 'Superman' star Christopher Reeve, shared his memories of watching his father’s triumphant return to the Oscars in 1996, after a devastating horse accident that left him paralyzed.
Matthew, who was 16 at the time, spoke about his father at the Sundance Film Festival where a documentary about his father’s life and legacy was screened.
Matthew Reeve recalls the ‘incredible’ standing ovation
Matthew said he was in London on a school night when he stayed up until the early hours of the morning to watch his father recive a minutes-long standing ovation as he had returned from the accident.
“I remember I was in London, it was a school night and we stayed up until three or four in the morning to watch it. And it was absolutely incredible,” Matthew told People at the premier of 'Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story' premiered on Sunday, January 22.
Christopher Reeve's ‘wonderful’ Oscar speech
Matthew also praised his father’s speech in which he urged Hollywood to do more to inform and educate the public through cinema. He said his father’s words had always stuck with him and inspired him to support films that made a difference.
“And what sticks with me most was after that incredible warm welcome and that very long ovation that he received, his introduction — he followed it up with a wonderful speech about how cinema and movies are at their best when they not only entertain, but they inform and educate and address issues," Matthew said.
He remembered clips of few movies like 'Coming Home', and 'Terms of Endearment' that were shown and that "films that really address important human issues and made a call to action that Hollywood do more to do that.”
“So that’s always stuck with me," Matthew said, adding “And that’s why also I feel like here, at Sundance, that’s what they do and that’s what they live for.”
The Christopher Reeve story
The documentary 'Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story', which debuted at Sundance, chronicles the life and career of Christopher Reeve 20 years after his death.
Reeve became a global icon for his portrayal of 'Superman' in the 1970s and 1980s. Reeve’s three children Matthew, Alexandra, and Will Reeve feature in the film as it explores his courage and resilience after his 1995 accident which left him quadriplegic, and his advocacy for spinal cord research and disability rights until his death in 2004.
The film features interviews with Christopher’s family, friends, and colleagues, as behind-the-scenes footage and audio clips from the late actor as his experience before, during, and after the accident is showcased.
The love story between Christopher and his wife Dana is also shared along with his first partner, Gae Exton, who is the mother of his two oldest children, Matthew and Alexandra.
