Superman Returns Jesus Christ Superman -- The Messiah of Metropolis?

[vibeke_T]

In his first interview since the release of Superman Returns, Bryan Singer reveals the biblical meaning behind the movie magic. Is that the Mary-and-Jesus pieta at the first of the film? How is Lex Luthor’s greatest crime in separating the “Father” from the “Son”? And just why are there two death-and-resurrection scenes in the movie?

In this exclusive interview with Stephen Skelton, author of The Gospel According to the World’s Greatest Superhero, at last, Bryan Singer answers the questions about Superman Returns that he wouldn’t until now!

THE RETURN…

SKELTON: About Superman Returns, Time magazine wrote, “Earlier versions of Superman stressed the hero's humanity…The Singer version emphasizes his divinity…He is Earth's savior: Jesus Christ Superman.” However, certainly Richard Donner’s Superman: The Movie stressed the parallels to Christ. Do you see your version as different or similar in that regard?

SINGER: It celebrates that notion. These stories are told in so many different ways. From Sunday School to pop culture…But if you’re going to have lines like Marlon Brando saying, “I send them you—my only son.” And they’re being spoken with absolute seriousness, then when you carry it forward and you have him return after five years, face an immeasurable conflict and then…I mean, if you’re going to tell that story, you’ve got to tell it all the way. You’ve got scourging at the pillar, the spear of destiny, death, resurrection—it’s all there

(As a matter of disclosure, Stephen Skelton wants it known that Mr. Singer had his book, The Gospel According to the World’s Greatest Superhero—and the director called it “Extraordinary.”)

Stephen Skelton is the founder of The Entertainment Ministry and author of The Gospel According to the World's Greatest Superhero. For speaking engagements with Stephen, please call 615-263-4143, ext. 234, or go to www.EntMin.com.

www.hollywoodjesus.com/mo...EC3F4847CE

www.youtube.com/watch?v=2k3IApKyMY4

 

[The Kid]

Passion of the superman.

Praise Kal-el.

 

[vibeke_T]

lol

 

[xwolverine2]

singer to cops:"are you a kryptonian!?"

 

[The Kid]

The christ parallels were not the most subtle, I must say.

 

[Octoberist]

yeah, as subtle as a sledgehammer to the groin

 

[vibeke_T]

true that

 

[XCharlieX]

Singers the man.. he actually made me believe a man could fly with this film. He sold it

 

[buggs0268]

I hate the way he talks.

 

[dark_b]

Singers the man.. he actually made me believe a man could fly with this film. He sold it

we are not anymore in the 70's

 

[XCharlieX]

I mustve missed that feeling in 78 as much as Returns.

 

[Kid_Kaos]

Showing Superman with a Christ analogy was the dumbest thing Donner/Singer could do. It automatically drives people away from the movie. Especially when it's done so obviously.
The X-Men movies handled the whole mutant-gay connection at least in a more subtle way.

 

[buggs0268]

Well the inspiration for Superman was Moses. But still they went way too damn far. Donner didn't go anywhere near what Singer did, and they got death threats for going as far as they did.

 

[xwolverine2]

he actually made me believe a man could fly with this film.

UGH!!........ so what century do you live in?

 

[vibeke_T]

Well the inspiration for Superman was Moses. But still they went way too damn far. Donner didn't go anywhere near what Singer did, and they got death threats for going as far as they did.

technically, if you ask a lot of Christians...Moses was an early type of "Messiah" that was to more or less begin to prepare the way for the *real* Messiah...all major, positive, Biblical figures posess Messianic qualities...so transforming Superman into a Christ like figure isnt that bad. And, isn't Singer a Jew? So maybe he didnt do this too intentionally, but he saw the potential in the character was already there...and all this new for heroism and even religious renewal/revival is all in light of a Post-9/11 world...

 

[XCharlieX]

UGH!!........ so what century do you live in?

i live in 2006 thank you... and yet again i mustve missed the feeling with the action comedy of 78s. The first half made me believe and then it turned beside itself. A funny film but not my preference. So yes this is the first film of my preference for superman: sell it like its real, which shouldve never happened apparently, but ill support it because it was good.

 

[Super_Ludacris]

The christ parallels were not the most subtle, I must say.

For real, I remember a few weeks back Sage tried to make the point that the airplane rescue scene had a woman praying and almost holy music when he flew by and Lois saw Superman. I was like "man the whole movie was a christ subtext and the media's coverage of the movie has documented it before the release, this aint nothing new..." and he was like all "Nah man, it wasnt that obvious who would have noticed it?"

Like he really thought he stumbled onto something clever and rare when it had been hammered into everyone's head. smh@ Superman "stans"

 

[vibeke_T]

For real, I remember a few weeks back Sage tried to make the point that the airplane rescue scene had a woman praying and almost holy music when he flew by and Lois saw Superman. I was like "man the whole movie was a christ subtext and the media's coverage of the movie has documented it before the release, this aint nothing new..." and he was like all "Nah man, it wasnt that obvious who would have noticed it?"

Like he really thought he stumbled onto something clever and rare when it had been hammered into everyone's head. smh@ Superman "stans"

hmmm?

 

[vibeke_T]

bump

 

[HUMAN]

Well, a wildly popular arc in Superman mythos was the Death & Ressurrection storyline back in the early 90's. So it's not just Singer and Donner portraying this idea, it's the comic writers as well.

Jerry and Joel brought inspirations from Moses, Hercules, and Jesus. There a grand mixture of do gooding Messiah/Saviour type figures. In fact, the Heroes Journey is based off of the life of Christ.

And plus, saviours are a very universal belief. Muslims have theirs, so do many other religions. Lois doesn't say, "You're Christ!" or anything like that. It's just handled real subtley in form of 'saviour.' I don't see how it was incredibly obvious to anybody besides us over analytical SHH members.

 

[The Kid]

what? It is incredibly obvious. Bryan even wanted it to be.

He said he "went all the way" with the christ metaphor. I can't find the interview but I'm sure others have it (oops this is the thread with the interview.. baka). But those are his words. Beyond all the obvious passion of the superman scenes and such, he comes out and says point blank that he deliberately went all the way with the christ imagery and such.

I think he might have gone overboard. To me anyway, Superman's more of a survivor of a long gone civilization than a christ-like savior of mankind. He'd have never been sent if his planet wasn't self destructing.

Superman's died and returned to life a few times if I recall. One was in superfriends, a pretty good episode too. He wasn't really dead though, just in kryptonian hybernation and everyone thought he was dead so they shot him into the sun (oooooooooooops).

I'm not sure every death and ressurection is a clear christ parallel though. Is that exclusive to christ? what about robocop?

 

[HUMAN]

Well, is saviour exclusive to Christ? For many it is, but other cultures have their interpretations of saviours. Just because Singer made it allegorical doesn't mean that every man, woman, and child will pick up on it. Yes, Superman is supposed to be Christ, but it isn't as obvious as say when Neo was at Zero One in Revolutions when a cross appeared on his chest as energy was bursting through him. It's there if you want it to be and if you don't you can easily ignore it.

 

[The Kid]

Singer makes his intentions clear. His intentions are clear on film.

what more is there to say?

 

[Isildur´s Heir]

That was, IMO, the worst part of the movie, the all parallel with Jesus and stuff...

When Superman ascends to "heaven", to be bathed by the sun, when he returns, the fricking clouds open up and a ray of light comes down, and he passes. It´s ridiculous, i almost barfed.
After throwing New Krypton, he falls to Earth, with his arms open wide and legs hold together, like he was in the fricking cross. Superman, falling for our sins. UN...BE..LIE..VA...BLE
And, what about the all monologues from Jor-El, like he was God

I´m writting a script for what should be a Superman origin movie, and one of the lines that he says and i hold dear to my heart is:

I AM NOT A GOD!!

As long as they can´t seperate Superman from Jesus, Superman will be nothing more than a joke, because, above all, Superman is A MAN.

 

[SpiderMarc]

I'm not a religious dude, but I loved the SPIRITUALITY of Superman Returns. IF in REAL life there was a "Superman" with his powers, wouldn't he seem CHRIST-LIKE? I mean, the dude is a SUPER hero, and is almost indestructable. The parralels are uncanny (Jesus to kal-El), but it is the STORY!!!

What else could Singer have done? He humanized Superman by having a child (Jesus didn't have a kid). I thought having sex out of wedlock was a sin too? He is an alien (Jesus was not). He is not one of us (Jor-El tells us), but Jesus is one of us.

If people are anti-christian I get it, but tell how you would portray a Super-hero?

I thought the gay similarities to Xmen was kind of obvious too, but I still loved the movies (Singer showing different can be cool).