Reboot: Character Portrayal

[NotFadeAway]

I know alot of people will disagree with this, but oh well.

I'm all for Lois discovering that Clark is Superman early on in the franchise, hell she can find out by the end of the first movie. It would be fun to see there daily dynamic at that point, and she could help him keep his "super secret" at the Daily Planet.

 

[NotFadeAway]

In regards to the general audience, action will always be the hook first and foremost.

They don't have the same awareness of Donnerverse, Precrisis, Postcrisis etc interpretations that we do.

I think it will take a combination of the thrilling action and a bizz that the film is quality from start to finish in terms of story and acting, like Batman Begins.

 

[SuperDaniel]

Lois & Clark wasn't campy in the first 2 seasons. AT ALL. It was funny and fun and that is very different. Your beloved Superman the movie with Real-state lex, goofy Clark and Otis is what is campy.

 

[BestGirl]

One thing I want to see is Clark being competent on the job. He needs to break a big story. That was the only thing really lacking from Routh's portrayal.

AGREED!

Elliot S! Maggin also agrees,

IDEAS: Have you seen the new film? What did you think?
MAGGIN: I loved it! Isn't that appalling? There have been dozens of us writing this character over the past 70 years, and what the makers of this movie did was take the questions we've been asking and begin to answer them. I don't want to spoil it, but they resolved the Lois and Superman relationship much better than I would have ever had the chance to do. And I was glad to have Clark back to being bumbling, because that's the way I used to write him. The manners are the disguise, not the glasses or the clothes, and Brandon Routh did a great job with that.

http://www.boston.com/news/globe/ideas/articles/2006/07/09/qa_with_elliot_s_maggin/






And he doesn't have to go to the extreme of being cool and totally confident either. Superman is the cool one, and Clark is the shy one, imo.

Dean Cain and George Reeves' interpratation of Clark were basically Superman with glasses. It was not believable in the slightest. Cain's difference as Superman was just the super arm-crossing.


Something in between is more believable for live action.

Didn't you just say Routh didn't play Clark as being bumbling? Here it is:

Where is the third option? Your options are too extreme.

I want to see a mildmannered, shy Clark, like he was supposed to be from the beginning; a disguise for Superman to blend in with earthlings.

I loved Brandon Routh's characterization as Clark. It was perfectly balanced. He was shy, a little goofy, but he was never as over-the-top clumsy as Reeve's Clark.

 

[SuperDaniel]

I liked Routh's Clark too but not the way Singer presented his relationship with Lois. In fact, the first season of Lois & Clark is the way to go with Clark, especially the way Lois was portrayed.

 

[afan]

Congrats you named the one episode that's a stark contrast to the other episodes in the series.

I own the DVD sets of all the seasons, I know what I saw.

Then I'm sure you're aware of "Superman in Exile" another over the top super-camp funfest from the series.

Don't get me wrong the series is not without it's campy episodes, but that is due to the flexible nature of the comic book genre, and not the intent of the series ala the 60s Batman.

 

[Eddie Dean]

I love Grant Morrison's idea of using Clark's clumsiness as a way for Superman to save people while not blowing his cover. I'd definitely like to see that be incorporated into a movie somehiw.

 

[SuperDaniel]

I love Grant Morrison's idea of using Clark's clumsiness as a way for Superman to save people while not blowing his cover. I'd definitely like to see that be incorporated into a movie somehiw.

This has been done through out all the Superman incarnations. Lois & Clark did this too.

 

[Frodo]

If it were up to me I'd have Clark Kent as an intellegent, thoughtful journalist with a real competitive streak . He's not the Donner and Singer version. You have to think that to get as far as he's gotten it's because he's been taken seriously by his peer's in the news industry. He's lived in other countries and travelled the world.

He aspires to one day writer the great American Novel. His favorite writers are people like Hemingway, F.Scott Fitzgerld etc people who were former newspaper journalist who became author's. But that's his own personal goal that always takes a back seat to being Superman and a Journalist.

Along with that ,he's an average guy who like's football and goes down to bar with fellow reporter's after work .

I'd have Superman and Clark Kent represent different sides of his personality as opposed to one side being an act.

I'd have Lois assume he's a bumbling, nerdy farmboy and treats him as such. He could play up to her assumptions the first time they're after the same story in order to scoop her. After that she realizes her assumptions were way off base and how much of a threat he is . She goes into competitive overdrive and they engage in ups men ship until they realize they need to work together.

I think that in general Lois and Clark are the yin and yang in terms of journalistic approach. Clark's style is more subtle where as Lois is more direct and confrontational. Clark is more likely to do the leg work and talk to different people where as Lois is more likely to use various sources and go undercover.

 

[Panthro]

How would you like Clark Kent portrayed in a future Superman movie? Ive never liked how Clark has beem portrayed in the movies before, As the Bumbling Idiot. I first got into Superman with the Doomsday story and then i went back and got the John Bryne Man Of Steel sories so i grew up on these stories and also the Lois & Clark TV show and Superman the Animated series and in all of these Clark is a confident, intelligent man. I dont agree with the concept of Clark being Supermans critiqe of the human race and that being his diguise but rather Kent being the real man and Superman is the way he can use his powers for good. "Clark is who i am and Superman is what i do".
In the movies i always felt that Clark was shown as not important to anyone and did not have any respect and certainly would not have got Lois to fall in love with him. The only time Clark felt important was the Bad Superman/ Clark Kent fight in Superman 3.
Anyway what are other peoples opinions on the way Clark Kent should be portrayed??

I agree, I never liked the bumbling idiot Clark Kent who wouldn't last a day flipping burgers at McDonalds, let alone get work at a huge news paper magnet. I prefer the intelligent, confident Clark and would rather see him in a future Superman film.

 

[Scarlet Spider]

I agree, I never liked the bumbling idiot Clark Kent who wouldn't last a day flipping burgers at McDonalds, let alone get work at a huge news paper magnet. I prefer the intelligent, confident Clark and would rather see him in a future Superman film.

Clark wasn't really bumbling, he just pretended to be... you know, kind of how Bale's Bruce Wayne pretends to be an airheaded, self-centered playboy in public. Their public facades.

 

[The Englishman]

Clark wasn't really bumbling, he just pretended to be... you know, kind of how Bale's Bruce Wayne pretends to be an airheaded, self-centered playboy in public. Their public facades.

Yes but this is only a recent thing in the movies the way Bruce Wayne is played and we have seen the shy bumbling Clark Kent in 5 movies now and its time to see a different portrail IMO.

 

[\S/JcDc\S/]

I agree, I never liked the bumbling idiot Clark Kent who wouldn't last a day flipping burgers at McDonalds, let alone get work at a huge news paper magnet. I prefer the intelligent, confident Clark and would rather see him in a future Superman film.

QFT

It makes it really unbelievable that they would hire such a socially inept buffoon, for the biggest paper this side of the globe

 

[\S/JcDc\S/]

Look at this random thread, outside of like one person, there is definitely a general consensus.

There are many things about modernizing Superman that the majority of the fans seem to understand, yet the corporate snobs have no clue

 

[what_19]

i agree with the people who think a mix of L&C and SR would be a great clark...on one hand hes a confident reporter who does a good job, on the other he is just a normal quiet guy, who keeps to himself and just disappears into the background... i really liked SR's clark..hes someone who you wouldnt actually miss when there's a job for superman... L&C's version was good, but like someone else said, there was nothing that distinguished him from superman. they were the same person, except for the glasses.

 

[what_19]

If it were up to me I'd have Clark Kent as an intellegent, thoughtful journalist with a real competitive streak . He's not the Donner and Singer version. You have to think that to get as far as he's gotten it's because he's been taken seriously by his peer's in the news industry. He's lived in other countries and travelled the world.

He aspires to one day writer the great American Novel. His favorite writers are people like Hemingway, F.Scott Fitzgerld etc people who were former newspaper journalist who became author's. But that's his own personal goal that always takes a back seat to being Superman and a Journalist.

Along with that ,he's an average guy who like's football and goes down to bar with fellow reporter's after work .

I'd have Superman and Clark Kent represent different sides of his personality as opposed to one side being an act.

I'd have Lois assume he's a bumbling, nerdy farmboy and treats him as such. He could play up to her assumptions the first time they're after the same story in order to scoop her. After that she realizes her assumptions were way off base and how much of a threat he is . She goes into competitive overdrive and they engage in ups men ship until they realize they need to work together.

I think that in general Lois and Clark are the yin and yang in terms of journalistic approach. Clark's style is more subtle where as Lois is more direct and confrontational. Clark is more likely to do the leg work and talk to different people where as Lois is more likely to use various sources and go undercover.

just read this..i think its perfect

 

[Man of Tomorrow]

Clark wasn't really bumbling, he just pretended to be... you know, kind of how Bale's Bruce Wayne pretends to be an airheaded, self-centered playboy in public. Their public facades.

Bingo.

Public Playboy Bruce and Daily Planet Clark are the same thing.

They are invented personas designed to throw people off.


Both invented personas are the antithesis of Batman and Superman respectively.

It's basic superhero 101.

 

[Fresh Prince]

Clark in the film should be like Clark from TAS.

 

[Panthro]

Clark in the film should be like Clark from TAS.

Bingo.

 

[stargazer]

One thing I want to see is Clark being competent on the job. He needs to break a big story. That was the only thing really lacking from Routh's portrayal.



Didn't you just say Routh didn't play Clark as being bumbling? Here it is:

Read my post again,


Originally Posted by Mostpowerful
Where is the third option? Your options are too extreme.

I want to see a mildmannered, shy Clark, like he was supposed to be from the beginning; a disguise for Superman to blend in with earthlings.

I loved Brandon Routh's characterization as Clark. It was perfectly balanced. He was shy, a little goofy, but he was never as over-the-top clumsy as Reeve's Clark.




But your first paragraph is spot on.

Clark wasn't really bumbling, he just pretended to be... you know, kind of how Bale's Bruce Wayne pretends to be an airheaded, self-centered playboy in public. Their public facades.

Exactly.

QFT

It makes it really unbelievable that they would hire such a socially inept buffoon, for the biggest paper this side of the globe

That's NOT what we the supporters of mildmannered Clark are saying, at all. You're exaggerating there.

i agree with the people who think a mix of L&C and SR would be a great clark...on one hand hes a confident reporter who does a good job, on the other he is just a normal quiet guy, who keeps to himself and just disappears into the background... i really liked SR's clark..hes someone who you wouldnt actually miss when there's a job for superman... L&C's version was good, but like someone else said, there was nothing that distinguished him from superman. they were the same person, except for the glasses.

Bingo.

Public Playboy Bruce and Daily Planet Clark are the same thing.

They are invented personas designed to throw people off.


Both invented personas are the antithesis of Batman and Superman respectively.

It's basic superhero 101.

Agreed.

 

[Panthro]

Bingo.

Public Playboy Bruce and Daily Planet Clark are the same thing.

They are invented personas designed to throw people off.


Both invented personas are the antithesis of Batman and Superman respectively.

It's basic superhero 101.

That doesn't change the fact that that version of Clark is too stupid and too inept to be a passable reporter. He needs to show competence to hold onto his job.

 

[Frodo]

just read this..i think its perfect

Thanx . .

 

[Man of Tomorrow]

That doesn't change the fact that that version of Clark is too stupid and too inept to be a passable reporter. He needs to show competence to hold onto his job.

Name something Routh's DP Clark did that conveys he's "too stupid and too inept" to be a passable reporter...

Seriously..

 

[The Guard]

Name something Routh's DP Clark did that conveys he's "too stupid and too inept" to be a passable reporter...

He didn't do his homework into Krypton surviving? .

 

[Man of Tomorrow]

Jokes like that aside,

There's really nothing in Routh's portrayal of DP Clark that conveys stupidity or being too inept to be a reporter.

I mean the silliest thing he did was say "swell!" and that was barely anything.