super-bats said:
yes, Singer should've included the actual Return to Krypton sequence. He should have also included the Newspaper Headline intro. That DID include the "Possible Signs of Life" headline, and, imo, that would have brought the audience up-to-speed much better than what they gave us.
Singer should have also left in the Cellar scene, where Clark is speed reading through all the old newspapers.....and learning all the tragedies and chaos that have happened while he was away.
Singer should have also left in the plot-point of Lex and Standford being responsible for concocting the Krypton story........
And, yes, your point about Supes' parents being among the survivors is a good point, one that I never thought of.
But, again, the problem is that the movie didn't explain that. Mention of Supes searching for survivors and, more importanly, his own parents, SHOULD HAVE been included in the movie.
Just imagine if something like that had been included in the rooftop scene with Supes and Lois. When Supes explains his action to Lois, he could have said something like this:
Superman: "When I heard they had discovered Krypton's remains......I had to see if there were survivors......if there were others like me........to see if my birth parents were still alive........"
Then, we could have a flashback scene where Supes is exploring Krypton's remains.......coming across the HOUSE OF EL ( bearing his family's S Symbol/Crest )....searching the premise with hope his parents are still alive....but then coming to the grave/sad realization that there are no survivors.......he is truly the last of his kind.....
Then, we cut back to the rooftop scene:
Lois: "So, what did you find?"
Superman: "My parents......the place......was a graveyard......I'm all that is left.....I'm very sorry Lois.......I never meant to hurt you....."
IMO, this would've made the scene EVEN MORE POWERFUL. If acted and played out right, this would have been a great scene to show that Superman has realized what a tragic risk/mistake he had made.......
He knew that leaving Earth to look for Krypton was a big risk, but he took it with hope that he may be able to see his people....his real parents......touch them in flesh and blood ( as opposed to holographic images ). However, NOT ONLY were his hopes totally destroyed.....but his trip ALSO hurt the ONE person he cared most for on Earth.........Lois.
Direct mention of Survivors/Signs of Life ( especially Supes' birth parents ) also would have given Superman's abrupt departure more urgency and meaning.
But, sadly, we didn't get a scene quite like this.......sigh.
I'll concede that I found it odd that Superman didn't drop more on Lois in the rooftop scene and I agree that something like your dialogue -- not exactly like it -- would have worked and been a bit more dramatic.
However, then Superman would've been playign the "pity card" to most people. I could see that happenign.
About there being no mention of surviors -- I don't think that's neccessarily true. While I for one am annoyed with the entire 1st Act of Superman Returns, I found that there was sufficent explaination of it all. They ket to a movie is to feel natural, the interactions between characters that is. With mothers and sons or fathers and sons, etc. this is especially hard since we all tend to have a sort of way of speaking without saying much with our parents.
I thought the conversation with Martha really outlined why he went, what happened when he did, and what was his emotional journey. She asks him quite blatantly, "
did you find what you were looking for?" He responds, "
That place was a graveyard. I'm all tha's left." "Well, even if your the last, it doesn't mean you're alone..."to which Clark gives the typical son response where he says, "I know" but really doesn't believe it but will say it because it's his mom.
Now, Singer is known for suggesting rather then explicity showing things and I think the above is a great example of his tendency towards organic styles of communication. For Martha to say "Did you find any survivors?" would minmalize what she's asking..."Did you find what you were looking for?" automatically prompts surviovors, etc. but it also alludes to a larger searcher, a bit more personal and spiritual. "Did you find closure?" "Did you find them?" "Did you find the understanding to know and accept who you are?" are all asked by taht question and I think quite intentionally show. If one has any doubts that he left to look for survivors, his response seals it, "That place was a graveyard. I'm all that's left." Okay, so we have specific references to people, to death of people, and to him being the only survivor. This all sets up that he went back to look for survivors, but the way Martha asked the question, and the pessismism with which Clark chooses his words to answer her (i.e. graveyard), suggests a larger drama and loss here than just there being no survivors. Lastly, if someone still isn't on the boat here, Martha's response again drives home the point, "Well, even if you are the last, it doesn't mean you're alone." Again, references to him being the only survivor, referecning him being alone, etc.
To me, this scene pretty clearly spelt out what the dramatic premise of the film was both in the past Krypton sequence and in the coming movie.
I don't know. It just seems that people are lazy with movies these days. but i didn't have to do much thinking to get that out of the above. It's jus there....people just need to listen more while they are watching.
