Superman Returns...at last!
I remember many summers ago, 1981 to be exact(four years old to keep count), resting on the pull out bed of my grandparents lake cabin on a Saturday morning. The lakehouse was nothing to write about by today's standards, but hey, it had a TV set and I was watching cartoons(which has apparently become a past time for Saturday mornings,but that is something for later), so lack of anemities didn't bother me at that time. During a commercial break a quick preview flashed across the screen for a new Superman movie, which seemed to feature other flying beings taking over the world. Not knowing much about sequels (or what the word meant) beyond Empire Strikes Back, I wondered if this was a part of the Superman movie I had seen countless times before on TV but had never been able to catch that part. (No VCRs/DVRs at the time, if you missed it when it started, you had to make due until it came on again, and not being able to read a TV Guide makes it challenging as you just had to be in the right place at the right time to catch your movie. Dang! Kids these days have it made!) I asked my dad about what I had seen and he informed me that it was a preview for Superman II. I asked him when it was on, and he responded that it would involve a trip to the theater to catch, and since these were the days before multiple screens and numerous prints, I had to wait until it got to my small town. I remember getting excited when Dad brought me the local newspaper and showed me a close to full page ad for our theater that had the Man of Steel charging towards three bad guys clad in black(their leader was General Zod, the only one well remembered of the three Kryptonian villains), who were flying towards him to start the ultimate battle. I remember getting excited and my parents taking me to see it on its opening night, or somewhere close I'm sure. While the effects might seem dated now, watching Superman fly across the big screen and doing battle to save mankind was an uplifting feeling to say the least, especially at the end when he flies triumphantly across the screen and gives the audience a smile to let them know all is well in the world. In short, I loved it and was entertained. So much so that I caught both that and the original everytime I could when it was on TV, again, again, and again. I actually don't want to count the times for fear the number might frighten me!
Anyhoo, a couple of summers later I returned to watch Superman take on the arch-villainy of ....Richard Pryor? I was young, I was still entertained, but the harsh reality was, Superman was being turned into a joke. Six years later I returned once again, to see if maybe part III was just a fluke. Unfortunately, I was wrong. Despite its decline in quality, the Superman series always had one constant that kept it worthwhile, Christopher Reeve. The man WAS Superman to me, and he always will be, as that was the first incarnation of the character to greet my eyes. He stood for what he stood for: Truth, Justice, and the American Way. The summer of my High School graduation, the weekend after it I believe, I remember seeing on the news that Mr. Reeve had sustained major injuries in a riding accident and was paralyzed. Upon seeing subsequent interviews, it became clear to me that this was not the end of him, and in a way, Superman was still flying. He eventually passed a little over a year ago, and his wife soon followed. I actually thought at that point that Superman truly was gone. True, incarnations had graced the TV screen in the form of Dean Cain (Lois and Clark, which featured Teri Hatcher before she was "desperate") and Tom Welling (Smallville, a great look at Clark Kent in his younger days), but no one could ever truly fill his shoes.
The path to Superman Returns was long and windy. It was initially supposed to happen under the title "Superman Lives" back in 1998, with Tim Burton(the first two Batman movies, and lots of other stuff for geeks) directing and Nicolas Cage playing the title role. Word was that they were going to revamp the outfit with black and silver, have the mood be a bit more gothic in nature, and Cage himself was planning to take his own liberties by playing Superman as kind of a messed up weirdo. Apparently someone forgot to tell them that this was a Superman movie, title was too vague I guess. Another attempt was made in 2003, with a director named McG (the two Charlies Angels movies) attached. I think when the director doesn't use his real name but a moniker that sounds like it belongs on a rap video, or more logically a fast food menu, you have problems. Apparently one of the drafts they tinkered with involved Superman impregnating Lois Lane, dying in a battle, after which Lois would die in child birth and a fully grown Superman would arise from her womb. The title: Superman Reborn, get it? Stuff like this is what made me think Superman would never truly take flight again. Luckily, the studio persisted and after up to eight different directors and drafts, they arrive at the current incarnation, and I must say, Superman has truly returned.
Director Bryan Singer made a name for himself directing the first two movies adapting the comic book X-Men for the big screen. Singer, by his own admission, is not a comic book reader, but realizes the need to respect the source material. Taking this in mind, he has crafted a Superman movie that begins where the part II more or less ended. Basically, they are ignoring the lackluster installments of III and IV, and looking to those two childhood favorites of mine as their inspiration and history for this film. Actually, it's a "vague history" as they call it, which means they can pick and choose what is "canon" for this movie from them but not be bound to it in any real way. Sounds cheap, but unless you want to buy that five years have passed since Superman has left the earth in 1981 and it is now 2006, you have to see it that way.
Despite a proven director of the genre in the chair, I was skeptical as to who would fill the boots of Christpher Reeve. The actor selected was Brandon Routh. Who? Like Reeve before him, he is an unknown for the most part, only having a steady part on the soap opera "One Life to Live" before now. Soap operas, a breeding ground for great acting, let me tell you....! You know, apparently it can be at times.
Last night I saw the earliest showing possible with a bunch of fellow fans. We were excited to say the least, as it had been about twenty years since we last saw Superman on the big screen, and over twenty since we saw a decent one. The movie started with the void of space and the exploding planet Krypton, as well as a voice over from Marlon Brando, the original Jor-El (!). Within seconds, the familiar John Williams fanfare starts, and the viewer is immediately whisked back into to the world of Superman as possibly the best opening credits sequence in over a decade occurs. Needless to say my audience erupted in applause when the words "Superman Returns" whisked onto the screen in the old familiar style.
Seeing someone else as Superman takes some getting used to, but it's not too long before he begins to grow on you, and in a positive way. While this man is not related to Christopher Reeve in any way, one could definitely be fooled by his performance. The mannerisms of the bumbling Clark Kent are down pat, and his presence as Superman is, well, superb! One would almost think that Reeve dubbed the lines, but that would be impossible. Much to pleasure, Superman was back on the big screen, saving the world, romancing Lois Lane, irritating Lex Luthor, and giving some advice to people when needed.
The movie is not without its flaws, namely its long running time (my butt is still numb), but one can forgive it for the adventure they receive. What seperates this from most summer fare, and might actually be its weak spot, is its focus upon the emotional aspect of Superman. Superman might be super, but he still can be jealous and emotionally insecure, as we discover. In fact, I would almost have to argue that the movie is not as much a Superman movie with a love story in it, but a love story with Superman in it. Not just his love for Lois Lane, but his love for Krypton and family, and the need he feels to find more like him (explained in a prologue, arrive early to catch this). For a superhero he feels alone, but as the movie ends, it is apparent he might not be! The element of which I speak would be a major spoiler for whomever might not have seen the movie, but it is something that could divide Superman fans greatly. For me, it worked. It might not for others.
In short, go see this great movie! My reasoning behind Superman finally returning is not just because we finally see him again in theaters, but because of the status of movie heroes since his last decent outing. We have gone from having guys like Superman and Indiana Jones who it was obvious always fought the good fight, to pirates who act like Keith Richards and might be questioning their own sexual preference as role models. Not to take away from the movie that will open next week, but Jack Sparrow is a definite step down from the days of Errol Flynn. When Superman saves someone and makes what seems like a cheesy service announcment, one might laugh, but would you rather have that in a hero or one who swears, drinks, and smokes? Would you rather have one that believes in the justice system, or just blows the bad guys brains out? Issues such as this make me glad that Superman has indeed, returned.
Anyhoo, a couple of summers later I returned to watch Superman take on the arch-villainy of ....Richard Pryor? I was young, I was still entertained, but the harsh reality was, Superman was being turned into a joke. Six years later I returned once again, to see if maybe part III was just a fluke. Unfortunately, I was wrong. Despite its decline in quality, the Superman series always had one constant that kept it worthwhile, Christopher Reeve. The man WAS Superman to me, and he always will be, as that was the first incarnation of the character to greet my eyes. He stood for what he stood for: Truth, Justice, and the American Way. The summer of my High School graduation, the weekend after it I believe, I remember seeing on the news that Mr. Reeve had sustained major injuries in a riding accident and was paralyzed. Upon seeing subsequent interviews, it became clear to me that this was not the end of him, and in a way, Superman was still flying. He eventually passed a little over a year ago, and his wife soon followed. I actually thought at that point that Superman truly was gone. True, incarnations had graced the TV screen in the form of Dean Cain (Lois and Clark, which featured Teri Hatcher before she was "desperate") and Tom Welling (Smallville, a great look at Clark Kent in his younger days), but no one could ever truly fill his shoes.
The path to Superman Returns was long and windy. It was initially supposed to happen under the title "Superman Lives" back in 1998, with Tim Burton(the first two Batman movies, and lots of other stuff for geeks) directing and Nicolas Cage playing the title role. Word was that they were going to revamp the outfit with black and silver, have the mood be a bit more gothic in nature, and Cage himself was planning to take his own liberties by playing Superman as kind of a messed up weirdo. Apparently someone forgot to tell them that this was a Superman movie, title was too vague I guess. Another attempt was made in 2003, with a director named McG (the two Charlies Angels movies) attached. I think when the director doesn't use his real name but a moniker that sounds like it belongs on a rap video, or more logically a fast food menu, you have problems. Apparently one of the drafts they tinkered with involved Superman impregnating Lois Lane, dying in a battle, after which Lois would die in child birth and a fully grown Superman would arise from her womb. The title: Superman Reborn, get it? Stuff like this is what made me think Superman would never truly take flight again. Luckily, the studio persisted and after up to eight different directors and drafts, they arrive at the current incarnation, and I must say, Superman has truly returned.
Director Bryan Singer made a name for himself directing the first two movies adapting the comic book X-Men for the big screen. Singer, by his own admission, is not a comic book reader, but realizes the need to respect the source material. Taking this in mind, he has crafted a Superman movie that begins where the part II more or less ended. Basically, they are ignoring the lackluster installments of III and IV, and looking to those two childhood favorites of mine as their inspiration and history for this film. Actually, it's a "vague history" as they call it, which means they can pick and choose what is "canon" for this movie from them but not be bound to it in any real way. Sounds cheap, but unless you want to buy that five years have passed since Superman has left the earth in 1981 and it is now 2006, you have to see it that way.
Despite a proven director of the genre in the chair, I was skeptical as to who would fill the boots of Christpher Reeve. The actor selected was Brandon Routh. Who? Like Reeve before him, he is an unknown for the most part, only having a steady part on the soap opera "One Life to Live" before now. Soap operas, a breeding ground for great acting, let me tell you....! You know, apparently it can be at times.
Last night I saw the earliest showing possible with a bunch of fellow fans. We were excited to say the least, as it had been about twenty years since we last saw Superman on the big screen, and over twenty since we saw a decent one. The movie started with the void of space and the exploding planet Krypton, as well as a voice over from Marlon Brando, the original Jor-El (!). Within seconds, the familiar John Williams fanfare starts, and the viewer is immediately whisked back into to the world of Superman as possibly the best opening credits sequence in over a decade occurs. Needless to say my audience erupted in applause when the words "Superman Returns" whisked onto the screen in the old familiar style.
Seeing someone else as Superman takes some getting used to, but it's not too long before he begins to grow on you, and in a positive way. While this man is not related to Christopher Reeve in any way, one could definitely be fooled by his performance. The mannerisms of the bumbling Clark Kent are down pat, and his presence as Superman is, well, superb! One would almost think that Reeve dubbed the lines, but that would be impossible. Much to pleasure, Superman was back on the big screen, saving the world, romancing Lois Lane, irritating Lex Luthor, and giving some advice to people when needed.
The movie is not without its flaws, namely its long running time (my butt is still numb), but one can forgive it for the adventure they receive. What seperates this from most summer fare, and might actually be its weak spot, is its focus upon the emotional aspect of Superman. Superman might be super, but he still can be jealous and emotionally insecure, as we discover. In fact, I would almost have to argue that the movie is not as much a Superman movie with a love story in it, but a love story with Superman in it. Not just his love for Lois Lane, but his love for Krypton and family, and the need he feels to find more like him (explained in a prologue, arrive early to catch this). For a superhero he feels alone, but as the movie ends, it is apparent he might not be! The element of which I speak would be a major spoiler for whomever might not have seen the movie, but it is something that could divide Superman fans greatly. For me, it worked. It might not for others.
In short, go see this great movie! My reasoning behind Superman finally returning is not just because we finally see him again in theaters, but because of the status of movie heroes since his last decent outing. We have gone from having guys like Superman and Indiana Jones who it was obvious always fought the good fight, to pirates who act like Keith Richards and might be questioning their own sexual preference as role models. Not to take away from the movie that will open next week, but Jack Sparrow is a definite step down from the days of Errol Flynn. When Superman saves someone and makes what seems like a cheesy service announcment, one might laugh, but would you rather have that in a hero or one who swears, drinks, and smokes? Would you rather have one that believes in the justice system, or just blows the bad guys brains out? Issues such as this make me glad that Superman has indeed, returned.
posted by Darth Liberal at 4:19 PM
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