Rare Photos from the Movie Sets of ’70s Classics

This is a superhero movie resting firmly in the real world. Asphalt, parked sedans, a service alley that could belong to any city. Reeve stands half in costume, half not—cape draped casually, boots still dusty. The myth hasn’t taken over the environment yet.

That’s the texture of ’70s sets: unsealed. Movie magic shares space with lunch breaks, street noise, and whatever cars happened to be nearby. Nothing is hidden. The fantasy is built directly on top of ordinary places, which is why it feels grounded. Even Superman starts out standing in a parking lot.