Superman IV infamously tried to pass off the UK’s Milton Keynes for New York.

There were distinctive cast-iron fire hydrants.

There was a hotdog seller and a NYPD cop on horseback.

The scenes supposed to take place in New York, just outside the UN Headquarters.

Except this isnt New York.

The makers of such video shop favourites asAmerican NinjaandInvasion USAwas going to storm the summer box-office.

Or so it hoped.

The result would be an unforgettable comic book movie though not for the reasons Cannon Films might have hoped.

Even the horse ridden by the NYPD cop looked bored.

But were getting ahead of ourselves.

Clearly, a trip like this needed careful planning.

We packed the car with cameras and recording equipment.

We donned waterproof jackets.

In reality, this was the Avebury Building, which now belongs to a company called Home Retail Group.

But just a few feet away we found the location for the Daily Planets lobby.

As we wander into the buildings foyer, we realise that the place has barely changed since the 1980s.

This was true movie history.

This is amazing, Marc said.

I couldnt agree more.

Just behind the gym lies a place called the Winter Gardens.

From the moment we arrived, we could see where the scenes inSuperman IVtook place.

Again, nothing much has changed since the 1980s.

There are bicycle stands dotted around now.

The once pristine paving slabs are uneven and fringed with moss.

It looked like a large town in Buckinghamshire.

Just outside the Milton Keynes Central complex stands a building with a sign that reads Thrift Store.

That could be taken as a metaphor for the whole film, Marc observes.

Having taken a few shots of the surrounding buildings, we decided to find a spot of lunch.

Marc decided to quote the songPocketful Of Kryptoniteby 90s alternative rock band Spin Doctors.

Superman made his final, hope-filled speech in front of the distinctive lamp posts standing nearby.

The crowd were no doubt nodding along, eating their baked goods and drinking their builders tea.

Desperate to keep costs down, they flatly refused.

Choosing locations so closely grouped together was clearly another cost-cutting exercise.

An old airfield in St Albans now a housing development was used as an American Air Force base.

The penny-pinching extended to the special effects.

As time and money ran out, that all fell by the wayside.

Despite the evident cost-saving, Christopher Reeve kept up a chipper facade for journalists visiting the Milton Keynes shoot.

Dont kick the pigeons!

Reeve was heard to joke between takes.

They are the best yet.

Privately, Christopher Reeve clearly knew he had a stinker on his hands.

After filming wrapped, he met co-star Jon Cryer (who played Lex Luthors nephew Lenny) for lunch.

you should probably know: its an absolute mess, Reeveconfided.

Theyve thrown together an edit that barely makes sense.

After a dismal screening for executives, Warner commented that the film needed to be cut down.

As a result of all this, the majestic quality of the first twoSupermanfilms was gone.

The fight scenes are staggeringly inept.

Reviews forSuperman IVwere merciless, and the box office receipts were dismal.

Plans for a fifth Superman film were quietly shelved.

Infamous thoughSuperman IVis, we cant help but harbour a sneaking affection for it.

Sadly, well never know.

For better or worse, its our local slice of cinema history.