Reboot: Character Portrayal

[Man of Tomorrow]

Because being recognized means raising a red flag and announcing to the world he's Superman. Gotcha.

Well when you're a big 6'3 guy that bears a close resemblence to Superman under the glasses; it would probably be prudent to lay low and stay out of the limelight.

He can still get credit and praise for the work he does, but intentionally drawing attention to himself is just silly and illogical.

It goes against the purpose of the disguise.

Maybe, but it's boring to watch a Clark that mumbles and stumbles his way through the Movie. He's got two lifes as Clark and as Superman. His life as Clark is pretty disappointing though because he plays the role of an unsocial and withdrawn human being. What does he do as Clark besides go to work and maybe go to a bar with Jimmy, the only person that actually hangs out with him?

Is that how you want him to be? To be a Superhero with pretty much a nonexisting social life?

Clark has never had much of a social life.


- He has Jimmy as his friend (where Kal-El uses the CK disguise around)

- He has Lois (the CK disguise is definitely necessary to distance himself from her; since she's so close to Superman)

- He has his parents and Lana (who he can be his real self around and doesn't need the DP disguise)

- And he has Jor-El and the Fortress

But aside from that, not much else.

He isn't a socialite. He puts his role as Superman before his own personal needs.

 

[Vgerland]

Poor guy just can't keep a low profile these days. If I ever see Routh in public, I'll smile to myself and leave it at that.

Awww, Superman Prime I like your Avy. I grew up crazy about All things Superman and George Reeves was my first Superman. No matter what was going on I always tried to watch that show in reruns.

I actually saw one of his costumes (one used in the B&W shows) on display at Ca State Fullerton College while I attended. It was on diisplay in the Arts and Lit building in a glass display case for a long time.

 

[Vgerland]

Oh, on topic how do I like CK protrayed?

I want a live action Movie that seems real including the Clark Kent character. I think SR did a very good job. He was different enough from the Superman character without being a complete clown. If I want a cartoon I will watch an animated show. SR respected that and gave us good characterizations of both parts, Clark and Superman.

 

[Crook]

If DP Clark is loud and annoying as you suggest, he will draw attention to himself.

That's the opposite of what Kal-El is trying to achieve through the DP Clark disguise, so it's pretty illogical.

That was the main flaw with Reeve's version (and they corrected it with Routh). Reeve's CK antics drew attention to himself.

Didn't you reference Bruce's Playboy persona a couple posts up? What do you think he's doing with that? That's the epitome of drawing attention. Especially in Nolan's series where he's constantly making front pages and in the tabloids. Why is it ok for Bruce and not for Clark?

The point is to not make it seem like the 2 personalities are one and the same. Attention or not. As someone said, no one expects Supes to have a secret identity because he doesn't bother to wear a mask. At best, people would just see a close resemblance. Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Javier Bardem look incredibly alike but no one thinks they're the same person with different accents. It's just not logical.

 

[Man of Tomorrow]

Didn't you reference Bruce's Playboy persona a couple posts up? What do you think he's doing with that? That's the epitome of drawing attention. Especially in Nolan's series where he's constantly making front pages and in the tabloids. Why is it ok for Bruce and not for Clark?

Because Batman wears a mask. His face is masked.

If Bruce Wayne faded into the background, people would suspect he's behind Batman (This was addressed in Batman Begins). He's one of the few people in the world who could fund something like that realistically.

Bruce Wayne using the Playboy Bruce disguise; and creating a spectacle in public... makes people think he's incapable of being the caped crusader.

It's that simple.



If DP Clark Kent threw himself into the limelight, it would be painfully obvious to everyone that this is Superman with glasses on; since his face is plainly visible as Superman AND Clark.

 

[Nathan]

We're talking about a character who's only disguise are his glasses. If people can't tell he's Superman by looking at him, he could dress up bright red, riding on a unicycle on a highway and people still wouldn't guess it.

"He's boring, he can't be Superman. He's talking, omg, it's Superman!"

 

[Superwoman Prime]

It's his body language and voice that act as a disguise also, not just the glasses, suit, and hair.

 

[Crook]

Because Batman wears a mask. His face is masked.

If Bruce Wayne faded into the background, people would suspect he's behind Batman (This was addressed in Batman Begins). He's one of the few people in the world who could fund something like that realistically.

Bruce Wayne using the Playboy Bruce disguise; and creating a spectacle in public... makes people think he's incapable of being the caped crusader.

It's that simple.

You just proved my point. Regardless of attention, as long as there is differentiation between the two personalities then it successfuly wanes suspicion.

If DP Clark Kent threw himself into the limelight, it would be painfully obvious to everyone that this is Superman with glasses on; since his face is plainly visible as Superman AND Clark.

You have not listened to one thing I've said. To the general public, Supes is Supes 24/7. He doesn't have time to have a public life because he's busy saving everyone day and night. If there were to be anyone bearing resemblance to him, that's all it would be. A resemblance.

Now obviously this method isn't very effective for the people close to both Clark and Supes, but that's always been a flaw in the mythos.

 

[Nathan]

It's his body language and voice that act as a disguise also, not just the glasses, suit, and hair.

And apparently the only feasable act is being awkward and clumsy. Everything else would alert people that he's Superman.

 

[Superwoman Prime]

Awww, Superman Prime I like your Avy. I grew up crazy about All things Superman and George Reeves was my first Superman. No matter what was going on I always tried to watch that show in reruns.

I actually saw one of his costumes (one used in the B&W shows) on display at Ca State Fullerton College while I attended. It was on diisplay in the Arts and Lit building in a glass display case for a long time.

Thank you.

 

[Superwoman Prime]

And apparently the only feasable act is being awkward and clumsy. Everything else would alert people that he's Superman.

He could go overboard with the awkward/clumsy act, and like I've already said, draw unwanted attention to himself. People might actually then believe he's going out of his way to hide something.

 

[Man of Tomorrow]

He could go overboard with the awkward/clumsy act, and like I've already said, draw unwanted attention to himself. People might actually then believe he's going out of his way to hide something.

And that's what happened with Reeve's interpretation.. he took it to the level of slapstick, and that doesn't hold up.


The way Routh did it wasn't overboard at all; it was subtle.


Even more amusing was how Kal-El's true personality subtly came out of DP Clark at times when Routh played it.. evident through his facial expressions; (ex: When Lois introduced Clark to Richard).

 

[Ursa]

Clark Kent should be an "invisible guy".

 

[The Englishman]

You have not listened to one thing I've said. To the general public, Supes is Supes 24/7. He doesn't have time to have a public life because he's busy saving everyone day and night. If there were to be anyone bearing resemblance to him, that's all it would be. A resemblance.

Now obviously this method isn't very effective for the people close to both Clark and Supes, but that's always been a flaw in the mythos.

Im glad someone else as mentioned this because ive mentioned this point a few times and everyones ignoring it. Also in the comics theres suppose to be a strong resemblance between Superman and Bruce Wayne so why dont people think Bruce is Superman??

 

[Ultraman Nexus]

I don't think there is anything all that anti-modern about Christopher Reeve portrayed Clark, but there is the simple fact that Reeve did that and did it really damn well (even when the scripts themselves were horrible) it's pretty doubtful anyone is going to do that take better than he did. You notice Routh didn't even try that. As I said in my earlier post I think a middle ground is best. You can't have Clark being too cool or confident but that doesn't have to mean he's quite the same as what Reeve did either.

As much as I am constantly frustrated, dissapointed, confused and often moved to loads of cussing when it comes to Smallville, I have to give some props on something I saw recently that's relevant to this topic.
The "Hex" episode that had Zatanna casting a spell that basically made Clark forget he ever had powers. The way the script and Welling played this was really good in the sense that I think it offered a pretty good answer to how to do the Clark Kent disguise for a modern audience.

I just remember some great lines like "Lois, I don't make the news I just report it." It kind of played as Clark acts like someone who is kind of in his shell, doesn't want to get involved in risky things and is ...well, its sort of like in the persona Clark Kent he's kind of the uptight boy-scout type some people tend to view Superman the character as. It's like it would be pretty belivable that no one would even begin to think this poor guy is going to have powers and head straight into dangerous situations. He's not clumsy or buffoonish, but also not Byrne's sort of GQ guy with glasses nor the George Reeves hardnose crime reporter either.

I don't know how to explain it and I'm usually loathed to praise Welling because I don't really like the attitude he seems to have had towards taking his character to the next level, but on this one I think maybe they really hit onto something.

But like all things Smallville every cool idea will be followed by 10 really friggin dumb ones.

 

[Vgerland]

And that's what happened with Reeve's interpretation.. he took it to the level of slapstick, and that doesn't hold up.


The way Routh did it wasn't overboard at all; it was subtle.


Even more amusing was how Kal-El's true personality subtly came out of DP Clark at times when Routh played it.. evident through his facial expressions; (ex: When Lois introduced Clark to Richard).

Agreed and those little touches are part of what made the movie so good and more like real life. I think it showed great respect for the fact that Clark/Superman/Kal-El are really one person and at times his real self would come through no matter how hard he tried to keep up the acts.

 

[Vgerland]

Im glad someone else as mentioned this because ive mentioned this point a few times and everyones ignoring it. Also in the comics theres suppose to be a strong resemblance between Superman and Bruce Wayne so why dont people think Bruce is Superman??

Bruce is too short.

 

[Superwoman Prime]

I liked that episode of S:TAS where Superman has to pose as Batman ("Knight Time"). Robin gets creeped out because Superman can perfectly emulate the voice of both him and Batman.

 

[El Payaso]

I'd love Clark Kent as a truly shy guy; not just pretending to be one. Of course Clark is the one and Superman the disguise that acquires his own personality.

 

[Man of Tomorrow]

I liked that episode of S:TAS where Superman has to pose as Batman ("Knight Time"). Robin gets creeped out because Superman can perfectly emulate the voice of both him and Batman.

And also amusing was the cops commenting that Batman got "bigger" when it was Clark in the Batsuit.

 

[stargazer]

Poor guy just can't keep a low profile these days. If I ever see Routh in public, I'll smile to myself and leave it at that.

If I ever see him in public, I'll try to talk to him. No screaming, though.

Bruce is too short.

t:

 

[DrMylesOBoogie]

I disagree. His Superman was not very comfortable in front of Lois BECAUSE he fell bad he didn't say goodbye! She was pissed at him for a reason. But his Superman was a lot more confident in front of everybody else: plane rescue, bank robbery, Metropolis rescue, when he first faced Lex ("I see and old man's sick joke", his voice was very firm and supermanish. He definitely sounded pissed.) He was a more serious and quiet Superman overall. It was the nature of the story.

I never saw Superman at all in the film. He was always just awkward Brandon Routh, exactly as he is in interviews and 'Zack & Miry Make A Porno'. I'm not talking about muscules but his voice, body language and general demeanour.

 

[Superwoman Prime]

He's admitted to being closer to Clark than Superman. But I believe he is capable of pulling off the confident tonality and demeanor for the Man of Steel. It showed in some of SR. With a better script and director, who knows what he could have accomplished.

 

[stargazer]

I never saw Superman at all in the film. He was always just awkward Brandon Routh, exactly as he is in interviews and 'Zack & Miry Make A Porno'. I'm not talking about muscules but his voice, body language and general demeanour.

This is what you said,

Originally Posted by DrMylesOBoogie
The guy is naturally awkward looking and didn't convey any confidence as Superman.



But any way, I'm the total opposite than you. I think he is the spitting image of Superman/Clark, and think he did a terrific job in SR.

The guy always exudes the character, on and off the screen, IMO.

To each their own.

 

[GregComicFan]

So since the Superman franchise is in shambles and WB has no clue what they want to do with it (remake? reboot? sequel?).... lets bet on the possibility of Superman becoming somewhat like the "Tony Stark" of the DC character movie world... aka, he appears in other DC comic character films and serves as the "link" between all the upcoming franchises (GL, Flash, WW, Aquaman).... but his own franchise remains... MIA.... So what do you think? With there no Superman film/idea/concept/anything developing at the moment, what do you think the chances are Superman will appear in Green Lantern in a cameo role in order to "pass the torch" to this other DC hero?

Yes?

No?