Aug
22
“Superman: The Movie” is my “Star Wars.” I was born too late to see the original “Star Wars” when it was originally released in ‘77. But, I was in utero when my folks went to see the first Superman film in ‘79. I don’t remember being fanatical about “Star Wars” when I was a tot. I do remember running around the house wearing a Superman t-shirt and a bath towel for a cape. In point of fact, I still do that to this day.
Unfortunately, Superman’s a character that no one knows what to do with, especially Hollywood. Our popular culture has become so cynical, so bitter, so emo, the Man of Steel is seen as an anachronism, a jingoistic cypher. Thing is, Superman is a product of an earlier period of cynicism, bitterness, and emo, or as it was referred to then, “jazz.” Superman debuted in 1938. A product of the Depression era, Superman took on corrupt politicians, greedy corporatists and gangsters in his early days. Now, those three groups have simply been rolled into one. Still, the thinking that the post-modern era has a monopoly on dark times is short-sighted and lacking in perspective. Superman can work today just as he’s worked before.
Warner Bros. has announced, according to CHUD.com, that Superman will take flight again, just not in a direct sequel to 2006’s “Superman Returns.” I blogged about the rumor awhile back that Louis Leterrier was rumored to be developing a Superman reboot, a la “The Incredible Hulk.” But the Hulk redo didn’t outdo the original film at the box office. One wonders if the Ctrl+Alt+Delete approach to Supes will succeed where “The Incredible Hulk” didn’t exactly.
I’m not convinced that we need to go back to the way beginning, to Krypton. “Batman Begins” and “Casino Royale” shed light on aspects of the respective heroes’ origins we hadn’t seen before. Superman’s backstory is fairly well known. I don’t think we need to look back, but forward. I have origin story fatigue. If Supes’ beginnings must be touched upon again, then the filmmakers should do it in an opening credits montage.
There’s some debate in the fan community as to whether or not this new Superman film is going to follow the lead of “The Dark Knight” and be a darker, grittier tale. Thematically, I don’t think that will work. Batman was created to be an antithesis to Superman. Making Superman more bat-like is sort of pointless when they can just make another Batman movie. Warner Bros. should make a Superman film for audiences that were put off by what the MPAA calls “intense sequences of violence and some menace” in “The Dark Knight.” It doesn’t have to be a kid’s movie, but one all audiences will find appealing. As bad as the “Star Wars” movies have gotten in recent years, I’d hate to think the next generation of kids might not grow up on Superman the same way I did.
-Brad Lohan
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