Was MOS a good introduction to Superman for younger kids?

[writer0327]

Has another superhero snapped someone's neck, that isn't Wolverine or the Punisher or someone like that?

 

[Ultimatehero]

TO KAL: Your second one. It is unfair, I couldn't relate at all to the world of STM other than "that's a cool fantasy world with an awesome hero" just like Star Wars. Well, to be fair, I could relate to Clark wanting to find his biological roots but that's bias - without that even at a young age it was too bright compared to the world around me.

But, people back then probably related to it. I don't know. I've only just always related to Smallville and Man of Steel now too. Back then you had nuclear families, now you have families dealing with greater complexities because things aren't that clean anymore. This is the more relatable to this generation without a doubt. BUT that said, it's unfair because you're obviously going to have a difference in culture between the 70s and today.

 

[KalMart]

Interesting. How would we compare MOS, in this regard, to say Spiderman, Iron Man, Batman, and Xmen? And/or, how should it compare 'for the kids'?

 

[Marvin]

Has another superhero snapped someone's neck, that isn't Wolverine or the Punisher or someone like that?

Blade and Mystique are really the only ones that springs to mind at the moment.

However if neck snapping in the bar for brutality and Logan and Punisher are off the table, I'd probably say Magneto, a bunch of people in X3, DareDevil, Cap, Thor, Ironman, in their own movies, black widow, hawkeye, Batman, ninja turtles...I'm sure I'm missing others. All guilty of doing the same level if not worse to their enemies.
*Pepper Pots(wow)

Anyways, I think this would be a good intro to superman in conjuction with his books. Seeing as it's alot more comic accurate then the previous films imo.

 

[Poeman]

i came back after my midnight screening and first thing I said on the forum was that kids were going to love it.

 

[Marvin]

i came back after my midnight screening and first thing I said on the forum was that kids were going to love it.

I don't see them having any issue with too much action.
Safe to say this movie is in the clear with them

 

[danoyse]

I don't know if I needed to *relate* the Superman movies when I was a kid, I just loved them because they were fun. At least the first two were...even we didn't bother with III and IV in the theater when were kids.

Of the mixed reactions I've heard on the movie so far (not just from here), the most common complaint I've heard is that it didn't feel like Superman...at least not the popular perception of him from previous movies or TV shows.

In fairness, he's really not Superman yet, at least not the one we know so well, but I can see where the Superman-in-training aspect left people disappointed. He wasn't the Superman I grew up with either...at least not yet.

I can see where it was probably too intense for a small kid. It probably would have scared the crap out of me at 4, which is when I saw STM in the theater.

And I really enjoyed MOS...but yeah, I have to admit that I'm still kinda glad STM was my first exposure to the character.

 

[danoyse]

There is a big difference, especially to children, between tossing someone into a cartoony abyss versus brutally snapping someones neck with your own hands.

I was 6 when Superman II came out. As I recall, the part of that scene we loved back then was Lois telling Ursa, "You know what? You're a real pain in the neck!" and then punching her. I don't think it even occurred to us that she actually killed her with that punch.

The part that freaked me out the first time I saw it was Superman changing in the chamber that took away his powers.

 

[KRYPTON INC.]

We keep thinking this is such a different landcape entertainment wise for kids, and when it comes to access to really objectionable material (I am no prude, am a consumer of alot of matdrial with content that would make Tarantino blush and Larry Flynt go "to far dude". Doesn't mean I want children to have unfettered access to it though.) younger people do have it all at their fingertips or a mouse click away. But lets be honest here, alot of posters aresaying they too consumed some media when they were youngsters that had a level of intensity and violence far above the Donner films, if we are using that as a baseline. I saw alot of films as a child with my parents that for sure had been created with an older audience in mind. I grew up in the time of ROBOCOP, LETHAL WEAPON, CONAN THE BARBARIAN, HIGHLANDER TOTALL RECALL ECT.(Horror films did actually scare me back then. So I saw maybe all those classics like Halloween/Nightmare on Elm Street maybe once. I also found them weirdly frustrating, cuz just when the pretty lady with the naked boobies showed up the bad man killed her. C'mon son! Leave the lady with the nice boobies alone!) Is that any worse really than most entertainment today? As for the pertanence of MOS, and it's "controversial" end sequence, it feels like some are wary that a kids exposure to a film wich has Superman end a life somehow will shade forever and ever that kid's view of the character. Seeing as I grew up with the Lester cut(and the only thing that I recalled from the extended ABC cut was Luthor's "Metropolis Masher" joke about managing Supes as a boxer) and yet still learned through comics and other media about Superman's strict morality and code against killing, I think those fears are unfounded.

 

[KalMart]

I was 6 when Superman II came out. As I recall, the part of that scene we loved back then was Lois telling Ursa, "You know what? You're a real pain in the neck!" and then punching her. I don't think it even occurred to us that she actually killed her with that punch.

The part that freaked me out the first time I saw it was Superman changing in the chamber that took away his powers.

Yeah, and this movie has got some old, decayed corpses in it as well.

 

[Ultimatehero]

Interesting. How would we compare MOS, in this regard, to say Spiderman, Iron Man, Batman, and Xmen? And/or, how should it compare 'for the kids'?

All have matured for the times. Spiderman the original is still relevent since not much time has passed. X-Men has its teenage students. Iron Man and Batman are just cool. Superman has child and teenage Clark which sets it apart from those two since kids can relate to those aspects. MOS would especially be relevant and relatable for adoptee families.

 

[Nemeres]

I think it worked well as an introduction, especially by having Clark's youth be a part of the story. I remember I used to fantasize plenty when I was younger, and I imagine many sc-fi/fantasy-loving kids will be picturing themselves pushing their own school bus out of a lake for years to come. It has that "young kid destined to greatness" aspect that made Star Wars and Harry Potter so resonant. A better told story would have made it even better, though. More thorough character moments could have made it one of those movies you come back to again and again when you're 10, and not just because of the nifty visuals.

 

[The Batman]

I don't know if I needed to *relate* the Superman movies when I was a kid, I just loved them because they were fun.

Yeah, this need to relate to every single onscreen character has gotten more than tiresome.

I didn't need to relate to James Bond or Indiana Jones. It was a lot more fun imagining being in their shoes.

 

[TheFlamingCoco]

^ Or selfless. He was honoring his fathers wishes. Which is why I think that scene is dumb. He cared more about respecting his father at the time than saving him.

 

[KalMart]

I don't even know if it's as much about 'relating' as the story/pacing etc. being engaging. I look at movies like Xmen and Spiderman, and even BB, and find them more engaging than MOS was in a lot of ways....whether you personally relate/identify with the characters or not, it was like you 'lived' those stories/movies more when watching them. I did feel that way first seeing STM when I was 8.

Then again, I probably felt the same way about the Captain America TV movie back then, too.

 

[kalhawj]

Yes... It's the same for any CBM hero... There will be fighting but you just tell them why the hero is doing the fighting... My nephew (7) loves MOS and became a Superman fan because of this movie...

 

[Ultimatehero]

And THAT is how I felt with MOS, STM just a cool cool movie and an AWESOME one. It's a generational thing. STM and the rest has got to be more reflective what the times were like for you and others.

 

[KalMart]

And THAT is how I felt with MOS, STM just a cool cool movie and an AWESOME one. It's a generational thing. STM and the rest has got to be more reflective what the times were like for you and others.

I'll take the first half of STM, and the second half of MOS.

 

[Ultimatehero]

To me, I'd take it all. I take MOS because they got the character right. many are probably sick of hearing me say this by now, but I'm adopted - sent away from a war torn country when I was born for my own safety and brought into a relatively small town family. This truly captured Superman to me and what he would be going through.. That's why I love it so much. The action is cool. But its the first part that's made it my favorite film

I should note that while I like the film better, Christopher Reeve is still Superman to me. Because of how he portrayed it and who he was in real life as well.

 

[sf2]

a definite yes. they would be so proud to become a superman fan!

because my hero kicks azz!!! lol

 

[sf2]

I'll take the first half of STM, and the second half of MOS.

wait a second... i thought u hate the 2nd half of MOS!!! you know... the mindless destruction.

 

[Sardaukar]

...

 

[KalMart]

wait a second... i thought u hate the 2nd half of MOS!!! you know... the mindless destruction.

A more engaging first half would provide the heart, so the rest could be guilty pleasure.

 

[sf2]

A more engaging first half would provide the heart, so the rest could be guilty pleasure.

i thought MOS just did that and more.

 

[Frodo]

The answer to the topic is yes. There was a little boy sitting next to me when I saw it and he was really enjoying. To his generation, that's what Superman will be.