Making Superman More Than a Superhero Movie

[Sam]

Originally Posted by Blackman

I noticed that DC usually has deeper purposes and second genres to alot of their characters

Batman....superhero gangster saga
Wonder Woman....superhero swords and sandals story
Green Lantern...superhero space epic
The Flash.....superhero adventure comedy
Aquaman.....superhero underwater King Arthur

How can a person make Superman be more than just a regular action superhero movie?

sci-fi

[Sam]

Originally Posted by Superman Prime

I'd prefer it be a patriotic adventure. That likely won't happen, because they'll want other countries to feel included under Superman's shadow. The stomping down of patriotism began with the darkening down of the colors of his suit in SR. It's sad. For the sake of misguided political correctness, they sacrifice any sense of national individualism.

Oh god... plz no!

[ChickenScratch]

I think Superman should be brought back to being an aspirational and inspirational hero in the movies. I wanna see kids completely enthralled by him, gathering around him when he lands, I want him to be the example of virtue and goodness everyone wants to grow up to be. To me my favorite Superman scenes were always the ones where he interacts with children.

[afan]

Originally Posted by Sam

sci-fi

Star Trek or 2001?

[NotFadeAway]

This is why the next movie should portray Clark Kent as the real person and Superman as the disguise. A movie about a man with the powers of a God who willingly decides to help make the world a better place can be pretty powerful.

[Blackman]

how could a person show that in a film. In a comic its easier because of internal monlouges but in films I think it would be difficult

[RachelDawes]

Originally Posted by Blackman

how could a person show that in a film. In a comic its easier because of internal monlouges but in films I think it would be difficult

I think Clark's going to have to go back to the Kent house often to talk to his parents about his mission. They can be his Alfred.

[Andy C.]

In my opinion, the best way to rekindle interest in Superman is to beef up both aspects of his persona. Yes, it's important to make Clark more identifiable, more 'human,' but it's equally important to make Superman stand out from all the other capes. That means playing up the mythological overtones--not just being content to make him Jesus in a cape; Superman and his villains should feel like their own distinct pantheon. That means a Lex Luthor that is so brilliant that his death-traps and inventions might as well be magic, coming up with mind-blowing technology as casually as he would fill out a grocery list. That means a Zod or a Bizarro or a Brainiac that could very convincingly exterminate all life on Earth if left unchecked. That means crises that put at risk not just a few city blocks, but the very fabric of reality. Point is, if Superman is going to be as powerful as everyone pictures him as being, he should only be taking on stuff that only someone that powerful can handle. So when they say "this looks like a job for Superman," they really mean it.

On the other end of that, the more fantastical and over-the-top Supes is, the more down-trodden and mundane Clark should be. Maybe not playing up the slapstick as much as they did in the Donner movies, but definitely making him the third wheel of every conversation, the guy that nobody dislikes but that everyone forgot to invite to their Christmas party anyway. Clark has to be such an everyman that not even the audience is convinced that he and Superman are really the same guy.

It'd be difficult to pull off, but not impossible. All-Star Superman did it and scored big. Taking the same mentality--if not the same plot--to the big screen would take some doing, but I think it could be done.

[The Guard]

I don't see extolling the American Way as promoting a country; but rather an ideal. Obama's "Middle East" speech pretty much did the same thing.

I see. Then we don't need to hear the words "The American Way".

"Truth, justice, and the American way." I'd at least like to see his American symbolism restored. That means restoring the latter part of that classic phrase that was removed in SR, making his suit vibrant again, and ensuring that there are writers who understand the values the character represented. Sure, a lot of those values seem archaic by modern standards. They still exist in the mid-west to some degree, especially amongst the baby boomer-aged crowds and up. I should know. I live in Kansas. It would be highlighting what makes Superman a unique character, and would also be quite nostalgic.

So you want Superman to be Superman, basically.

It's bold, that's what I like about it.

[afan]

Originally Posted by The Guard

I see. Then we don't need to hear the words "The American Way".

Very true.....but
"That which we call a rose.........."

When qualified by Truth and Justice I feel it's clear that the words "and the American Way" refer specifically to the lofty ideals, so go ahead and replace them with "and the right of all individuals to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."
However it's fixing something that isn't broken.

[Dave_W]

Originally Posted by afan

"and the right of all individuals to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."

Is it only America that has these values? Is America the only democratic country out there? I find that mentality quite insulting. Although Supes is an American icon, he should stand for everyone.

[GreenKToo]

Originally Posted by Dave_W

Is it only America that has these values? Is America the only democratic country out there? I find that mentality quite insulting. Although Supes is an American icon, he should stand for everyone.

Thats why I love reading Red Son, thats a great ''what if'' read.

[Superman Prime]

I have the Red Son symbol tattooed on my right upper arm. Got it back in March for my birthday.

[afan]

Originally Posted by Dave_W

Is it only America that has these values? Is America the only democratic country out there? I find that mentality quite insulting. Although Supes is an American icon, he should stand for everyone.

Not currently of course, but America first gave voice to them.

Again it is semantics, go ahead and replace it, but in the end it's a catch phrase, and "the American Way" just rolls of the tongue better than "and the current mindset of many of the nations of the world, regarding the rights of all individuals."

[Man of Tomorrow]

Originally Posted by NotFadeAway

This is why the next movie should portray Clark Kent as the real person and Superman as the disguise. A movie about a man with the powers of a God who willingly decides to help make the world a better place can be pretty powerful.

And again... how can Superman even work as a disguise?


I agree we need Clark as a real person.. but in public he needs the reporter disguise to throw people off from thinking he's Superman.

[DavidTyler]

Originally Posted by Man of Tomorrow

And again... how can Superman even work as a disguise?


I agree we need Clark as a real person.. but in public he needs the reporter disguise to throw people off from thinking he's Superman.

You're right up to a point.....

But, by that same token, Superman is also a disguise. He must pretend to be calm, collected, and capable whenever in the midst of the general public - even when conflicted with doubt.

The thing I mean when I say that Clark needs to be the real person is that Clark is the toned down version of Superman. He's the one that get's to make jokes and relax. NO MORE of that nervous and jerky Clark that so many think he needs to be to cover his tracks. In fact, the more Clark stands out in a crowd, the more likely it is for everyone to figure it all out. It's best for Clark to be as a real a person as possible while letting Superman be more or a pose when dealing with the public.

[MAN O STEEL]

I like how Johnathan kent in Smallville spoke of Clark & what he'd become. To me that's superman.

"You are going to touch the lives of so many people, not just as a man but as a symbol. Your a symbol of Peace, your a symbol of Justice".

That right there describes Superman to a 'T' without ever having to throw in your face that Superman stands for "THE AMERICAN WAY!!" & that he belong's to america. I think what people outside of America, like me hate most is that Superman didn't become who he is because he was raised by American parents but because he was raised by good parents & good people & you can find that anywhere, in any country.




Steve

[MAN O STEEL]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ugrXr...e=channel_page

I also think this video describes Superman well also. Sure it's smallville but the video still sells it well.





Steve

[MAN O STEEL]

"Metropolis has millions of people walking the streets, each one of them watching for a miracle. To change thier lives, to give them hope......., YOU ARE THAT MIRACLE!"


Superman is an ideal, a symbol, a miracle. It's that simple, show that on screen & you'll strike gold. Superman is not an overtly complicated character, what he stands for is so simple & pure that I found so hard to understand how Singer F'd it up so bad.






Steve

[afan]

Originally Posted by MAN O STEEL

"Metropolis has millions of people walking the streets, each one of them watching for a miracle. To change thier lives, to give them hope......., YOU ARE THAT MIRACLE!"

It's all semantics....but I find the use of the word miracle as distasteful as some find "the American way". The connotation with miracle and religion is obvious, and not where Superman belongs.

What you need to show on screen and in any superhero film is that our world and it's people are very capable of creating their own "miracles", and that Superman is not the saviour, he is a player on mankind's team, a very important player to be sure, but no more or less than that.

He is a symbol to be sure, but only one of many hundreds of thousands of examples.

[Anubis]

Yeah, that's pretty much the way Supes feels about it, but that's not the way the public sees him.

[Mostpowerful]

Originally Posted by Sam

sci-fi

A Superman movie can be epic sci fi, romance, drama, fantasy, action, adventure, and maybe more.

Originally Posted by afan

Star Trek or 2001?

The best of both worlds.

Originally Posted by NotFadeAway

This is why the next movie should portray Clark Kent as the real person and Superman as the disguise. A movie about a man with the powers of a God who willingly decides to help make the world a better place can be pretty powerful.

I'm sure people wanna see the adventures of SUPERMAN, hence the title of the movies. He IS the star of the show.

[Mostpowerful]

Originally Posted by MAN O STEEL

"Metropolis has millions of people walking the streets, each one of them watching for a miracle. To change thier lives, to give them hope......., YOU ARE THAT MIRACLE!"


Superman is an ideal, a symbol, a miracle. It's that simple, show that on screen & you'll strike gold. Superman is not an overtly complicated character, what he stands for is so simple & pure that I found so hard to understand how Singer F'd it up so bad.






Steve

He didn't, IMO. The movie got pretty good reviews and made a lot of $ for a character-driven one. The movie only needed more action to satisfy general audiences for the most part.

It is only fans on the internet who complain and obssess about the details.

[afan]

Originally Posted by Anubis

Yeah, that's pretty much the way Supes feels about it, but that's not the way the public sees him.

By public do you mean the theater audience or the "public" within the film?

For me it all depends on how he is written and presented on film. In STM he replaces the power of the lost engine, but it is the pilots who fly the plane....teamwork.

[Dave_W]

It's in a Batman/Superman issue where Batman says something like..."He's a God living among mortals, but he doesn't realise it". Or words to that effect.

Metropolis looks up to him like a God, but to him he's just Kal-El, doing what he can to save people. To him he doesn't see himself as a miracle, but he's the only one of his kind, so to us he would be!