LoeffelholzThe United States, With LovePosts: 8,998Quartermasters
I'll take all the good karma I can get, my friend. Thank you.
Check out my Amazon author page!Mark Loeffelholz
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
I adored the first Superman film (the phonebooth scene still continues to thrill me) and I consider it to be one of the greatest comic bok films of all time (Along with both Spider-man films, Batman Begins and Sin City). But I am very much looking foreward to Superman Returns. One of the reasons is that I love superhero films, the other reason is that if Superman Returns is half as good as I hope it is, tehn it should be amazing.
"He’s a man way out there in the blue, riding on a smile and a shoeshine. And when they start not smiling back—that’s an earthquake. and then you get yourself a couple of spots on your hat, and you’re finished. Nobody dast blame this man. A salesman is got to dream, boy. It comes with the territory." Death of a Salesman
Is Lex Luthor the villian in "Returns"? Or can we expect something a little different? Other than the preview at the theater, I have absolutely no idea of what to expect.
Is Lex Luthor the villian in "Returns"? Or can we expect something a little different?
I'm pretty sure he's the baddie--one of the publicity stills is of a bald-headed Kevin Spacey with a delicious scowl on his face. He looks to be more of a classic Luthor than Gene Hackman's comic gangster or that sensitive soul from Smallville. As I wrote before, Spacey as Luthor is one reason I'm looking forward to this film!
EDIT: As I was saying. . .
Vox clamantis in deserto
LoeffelholzThe United States, With LovePosts: 8,998Quartermasters
Rosenbaum's Luthor from Smallville might have begun as a sensitive soul, but after 4 1/2 seasons, he's nearly 'all villain.' :v
Check out my Amazon author page!Mark Loeffelholz
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
RogueAgentSpeeding in the Tumbler...Posts: 3,676MI6 Agent
Is Lex Luthor the villian in "Returns"? Or can we expect something a little different?
I'm pretty sure he's the baddie--one of the publicity stills is of a bald-headed Kevin Spacey with a delicious scowl on his face. He looks to be more of a classic Luthor than Gene Hackman's comic gangster or that sensitive soul from Smallville. As I wrote before, Spacey as Luthor is one reason I'm looking forward to this film!
EDIT: As I was saying. . .
A shaven Kevin Spacey spells a magnificent modern-day Blofeld to me... See Austin Powers 3 for references.
I'm primarily a Batman geek myself, but Superman has always been close to my heart. I'm more curious about whether or not any of the 'Smallville' continuity will spill over onto the big screen, especially given the fact that the series will end approximately one month before the movie premieres...and Smallville has taken great pains to reference the film version any number of ways...
From what I've read, SR is more of a loose sequel to the first two Christopher Reeve films. There will even be some direct links to those movies such as using some of Marlon Brando's unused Jor-El footage, a photo of Glen Ford as Clark's father and the look of the Fortress of Solitude. As such, I don't think Smallville will have any direct bearing on the movie.
Personally, I'm really stoked about SR; I like Routh, I like the look of the film from the stills I've seen, I really enjoyed the teaser, and Director Brian Singer is an absolute Superman geek (I mean that in a good way). I'm really expecting big things from SR.
TonyDP
I'm a long time Batman fan too and now that Batman Begins has finally done Batman right, I'm hoping Superman Returns can carry on the grand tradition begun with the first Superman movie back in 1978.From what I've read,SR is definitely intended to be a direct sequel to Superman I and Superman II(Supermans III and IV simply won't have existed--which is fine by me).
"Smallville" won't have any influence on SR whatsoever-each is an entirely different take on the Superman story.Both share certain obvious general similarities, but by and large they're radically different enterprizes.The movie is a Superman adventure while the TV show is "Dawson's Creek",Kryptonian style.I like the TV show but until this season it did it's best to play down the Superman mythos as much as possible,in favor of a soap opera with occasional superheroic moments.
Hopefully the Kevin Spacey Lex Luthor won't be chewing up the scenery ala' the overripe, ultra campy, Batman tv series rejectlike,Lex Luthor Gene Hackman played in the earlier films.It'd be nice to see Luthor emerge as a truly worthwhile adversary and pose a real threat to Superman this time around.Unlike Hackman who has admitted that he never wanted to play Luthor,Spacy's said he relishes the part.
And Brandon Routh looks great as Superman/Clark Kent.He'll be measured against Christopher Reeve,but from most accounts,he's been taking his role very seriously and is ready for the inevitable comparisons.I wish him well because,regardless of an actor's talent, Superman is practically an impossible part to play, and Chris Reeve is an extremely hard act to follow.
LoeffelholzThe United States, With LovePosts: 8,998Quartermasters
edited January 2006
Looks as if you're right, Mr. Garvin...The recent news of the UPN and WB networks folding into a new network, "The CW," has also convinced me that Smallville won't figure into SR at all, as they seem to be implying that Smallville will be on again next season. In my own feverish imagination, I envisioned the series ending...and SR picking up the story 10 years later, following Superman's absence in space for a few years...
Oh well...like so many things, it looked great in my head .
Check out my Amazon author page!Mark Loeffelholz
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
Hopefully the Kevin Spacey Lex Luthor won't be chewing up the scenery ala' the overripe, ultra campy, Batman tv series rejectlike,Lex Luthor Gene Hackman played in the earlier films.It'd be nice to see Luthor emerge as a truly worthwhile adversary and pose a real threat to Superman this time around.Unlike Hackman who has admitted that he never wanted to play Luthor,Spacy's said he relishes the part.
I think Spacey will be great, but I have to say that I loved Hackman as Luthor. He added a really fun humerous aspect to a film that was never really intended to be truly serious. Superman is in many ways a ridiculous superhero. He is an alian, is almost invincible and the fact that the only thing stopping people from recognising Clarke as Superman is nonsencical. But it works beautifully as long as as the films don't take themselves too seriously. For me, Hackman's Luther was a perfect example of the filmmakers taking them just seriously enough.
And I might add, I think that Hackman's Luther did pose a real threat. In Superman 1, don;t forget, he wanted to destroy California, and I truly believe that he would have done so, if Superman hadn't intervened.
Nonetheless, I am very much looking foreward to Spacey's interpretation. He should be great!!
"He’s a man way out there in the blue, riding on a smile and a shoeshine. And when they start not smiling back—that’s an earthquake. and then you get yourself a couple of spots on your hat, and you’re finished. Nobody dast blame this man. A salesman is got to dream, boy. It comes with the territory." Death of a Salesman
Hopefully the Kevin Spacey Lex Luthor won't be chewing up the scenery ala' the overripe, ultra campy, Batman tv series rejectlike,Lex Luthor Gene Hackman played in the earlier films.It'd be nice to see Luthor emerge as a truly worthwhile adversary and pose a real threat to Superman this time around.Unlike Hackman who has admitted that he never wanted to play Luthor,Spacy's said he relishes the part.
I think Spacey will be great, but I have to say that I loved Hackman as Luthor. He added a really fun humerous aspect to a film that was never really intended to be truly serious. Superman is in many ways a ridiculous superhero. He is an alian, is almost invincible and the fact that the only thing stopping people from recognising Clarke as Superman is nonsencical. But it works beautifully as long as as the films don't take themselves too seriously. For me, Hackman's Luther was a perfect example of the filmmakers taking them just seriously enough.
And I might add, I think that Hackman's Luther did pose a real threat. In Superman 1, don;t forget, he wanted to destroy California, and I truly believe that he would have done so, if Superman hadn't intervened.
Nonetheless, I am very much looking foreward to Spacey's interpretation. He should be great!!
What always irritates me about Hackman's portrayal of Luthor is the lack of subtlety in his performance.He mugs and all but winks into the camera.I like my villains to take themselves seriously.Imagine Goldfinger behaving like Hackman's Luthor.Merely because a villain comes from the comics shouldn't somehow automatically mean that a reasonable performance with some shadings and intelligence isn't warrented.Look at how well the villains in the 2 Spider-Man films have been played--and never with an excess of camp.
I think Spacey has every chance to be great, provided his Luthor gets the opportunity to be truly evil--not merely nasty.Imagine a Lex Luthor ala' the Mel Profit Spacey played so memorably on the Wiseguy tv series.THAT'D be a Luthor to reckon with...
My problem with the Hackman Luthor's plot is that it was so mediocre--so small in scope.Only destroy portions of California in order to increase the price of real estate.How narrow-minded.C'mon--Luthor's the greatest scientist in the world.He should've come up with something that threatened the entire planet and wasn't so common as setting off the San Andreas fault.Of course I don't blame Hackman for this portion of the film's storyline.
In fact,it's amazing any Superman movie was made to begin with, considering that the Mario Puzo/David and Leslie Newman screenplay Alexander Salkind commisioned from them was considered so terrible-so completely unfilmable- by director Richard Donner(who was appalled at the excessively campy script) that it had to literally be rewritten from top to bottom by Tom Mankiewicz practically as the first movie (and also some portions of Superman II) were being shot.Puzo and the Newmans got the credits as screenwriters(this was in the contract with the Salkinds) but it's Mankiewicz' work that was actually filmed.And this is why Mankiewicz was listed as a creative consultant.I'm not making this up--it's a story Donner's told many times.So has Mankiewicz, who in the late 70s and early 80s, was one of Hollywood's premiere screenwriters and script doctors.This story is covered in some detail in the book The Making of Superman the Movie by Mark Cotta Vaz published the year Superman was originally released to theatres.Other books on the films of the 70s and 80s and those specifically on comics-based movies give this information as well.It was an open secret.
This is also why there was no novelization of the 1978 film--Puzo's and the Newmans' lawyers wanted their clients to recieve sole credit for a screenplay that wasn't filmed.To avoid that issue an original Superman novel,Superman-Last Son of Krypton was published(illustrated with stills from the 1st Superman movie) instead.
But back to your comments-yes,Superman really is an "impossible" character to play-at least in live action.In fact,he's been almost impossible to write in comics ever since he acquired so many abilities.His multitude of powers nearly always precludes him from ever being placed in any kind of logical dramatic conflict.One DC Comics editor said of The Man of Steel in the 1950s--but this is still true today-I think-that,"He's invulnerable.Even bad scripts can't hurt him."
Superman's a wonderful character and one of my favorites, but because he's so nearly godlike he really needs the Achilles' heel provided by Kryptonite(something greatly overused on Smallville).I think Chris Reeve gave a magnificent performance as Superman and had he not looked so perfect in the role and not been so sincere in his interpretation the movies would never have worked.I understand that even as he underwent a weight training program in order to build up his body(supervised by Dave Prowse--Darth Vader himself),he also took the trouble to view some Harold Lloyd(one of Clark Kent's visual and behavoral inspirations) comedies while working on his version of Kal-El's secret identity.And Reeve's incredible courage following his accident proved him to be the personification of a Superman in every possible way.Chris Reeve is a hero of mine--and not merely because he once wore a costume with an S on the chest.
However,I really think that when it comes to dramatizing Superman stories he works best in animation-- where the scale of his adventures is limited only by the imagination of his writers,and they aren't constrained by a motion picture's budget.I think this is also true of Batman as evidenced by the superb Batman the Animated Adventures and Batman-the Gotham Adventures.Only Batman Begins comes close among the many live action versions to approaching the character as Bill Finger and Bob Kane originally envisioned him.
Anyway,back on topic.Here's to Bryan Singer,Brandon Routh,Kevin Spacey and everyone else involved with Superman Returns.Regardless of it's content(I'm not too thrilled with Lois being a single mother,but this is meant to be the sequel to Superman II-and no doubt refers to a specific moment in that film;Singer's ignoring S-III and S-IV),if it's intelligent enough and can avoid lapsing into excessive campyness, it should prove to be a good time at the movies.:)
The only thing that worries me about Superman Returns is that there will be no Otis; I mean how can you possibly have a proper Superman film without Otis?
Seriously though I don't think anybody has to worry too much about excessive camp in SR; that kind of over the top approach pretty much died after the abyssmal Batman & Robin. I've read several short interviews with Spacey and he keeps saying that even though there will be some laughs, his Luthor is a pretty mean character. He's been in jail (more ties to Superman I and II) and squarely blames Superman for his misfortunes.
Other than Lois being a single mom (that really came out of left field) SR really looks like it's trying to honor the first two movies and the Superman mythos in general. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for this one.
TonyDP
LoeffelholzThe United States, With LovePosts: 8,998Quartermasters
edited January 2006
I agree, TonyDP. Warner (who owns DC Comics) has looked around, seen the rampant success Marvel is having with adaptations of their properties (even relative dogs like 'Hulk' made money, I believe), and has begun to feel the pressure to finally 'get things right' after really losing their way with the Batman franchise. BB was the first prong of their new line of attack (so far so good!), and I suspect they fully intend SR to be a solid follow-up.
Check out my Amazon author page!Mark Loeffelholz
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
Well, if you're really worried about continuity, here's a big gaffe--at the end of Superman II, Supes tells the president that he'll never leave again. Yet SR, which is supposedly a sequel to SI and SII, opens at a point when Superman has been gone for years! Then again, he was lying to a politician, so perhaps it doesn't count?
I will never forget watching Superman II at the US base exchange. The loud, boisterous, cheering GIs. That is a memory I'll cherish forever. Chris Reeves forever, my friends.
Will they be using John Williams incredibly amazing theme?
They'll be using the John Williams theme.And this won't be another origin movie.Bryan Singer's said if people want to see that, they can always rent the first 2 Christopher Reeve films.They'll also be using footage of Marlon Brando as Jor-El in SR.
I've always wondered why the movie's Krypton was an ice planet populated almost entirely by middle-aged Brits.That's not what Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster established when they created Superman and his supporting characters.
And Brandon Routh will also have black hair and will be wearing blue contact lenses in order to match Superman's long- established coloring(something George Reeves and Dean Cain departed from--and then only slightly).The famous costume's been revised but it's essentially the same one always worn by the Man of Steel.
I've always wondered why the movie's Krypton was an ice planet populated almost entirely by middle-aged Brits.That's not what Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster established when they created Superman and his supporting characters.
I've often wondered about the ice/crystal question myself. After watching the movie again recently, I think the FX people were trying for a crystalline look but the finished product didn't quite measure up. All the scenes on Krypton (and later in the Fortress of Solitude) have a hazy, gauzy look to them so it's really hard to tell but when the buildings start to tear apart they don't look like ice and Kal-El's ship is clearly crystalline in design.
TonyDP
LoeffelholzThe United States, With LovePosts: 8,998Quartermasters
I've always wondered why the movie's Krypton was an ice planet populated almost entirely by middle-aged Brits.
The same reason the Evil Empire in 'Star Wars' was populated entirely by Brits: they were available ) .
And it DID look distinctive; unlike anything I'D seen before at the time.
Check out my Amazon author page!Mark Loeffelholz
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
RogueAgentSpeeding in the Tumbler...Posts: 3,676MI6 Agent
I've always wondered why the movie's Krypton was an ice planet populated almost entirely by middle-aged Brits.
The same reason the Evil Empire in 'Star Wars' was populated entirely by Brits: they were available ) .
And it DID look distinctive; unlike anything I'D seen before at the time.
Watching Superman 2 last night, I also wondered why a kid with a British accent was residing in the Midwest of the U.S. begging that Zodd put his daddy down...:))
Mrs. Man Face: "You wouldn't hit a lady? Would you?"
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice isUNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
Will they be using John Williams incredibly amazing theme or chucking it like they did with Batman Begins for an utterly pi$$ poor score?
Well, they couldn't use the Batman theme in Batman Begins for a number of reasons - which theme to choose? Danny Elfman's? Elliot Goldenthal's? Or the one by Nelson Riddle? As Willie pointed out, the ditching was the idea of the Batman Begins thingy, meaning they didn't want to get associated with any previous incarnation. There WAS a theme composed by Zimmer which got removed because Nolan thought it was too heroic - plus it used a few bars from Elfman's music at the 1:20 mark.
But that's not the case with SR and I'm sure John (Ottman, not Williams) will take good care of the music. At least he finally picked a good movie to score!
I've always wondered why the movie's Krypton was an ice planet populated almost entirely by middle-aged Brits.
The same reason the Evil Empire in 'Star Wars' was populated entirely by Brits: they were available ) .
And it DID look distinctive; unlike anything I'D seen before at the time.
I always thought it looked like something inspired by a Las Vegas Liberace concert--but that's just me.
The ultra-advanced world of the planet Krypton Siegel/Shuster created was most likely influenced by the countless SF pulp magazine illustrations of the 1930s and probably also Dick Calkins' 25th Century stuff in Buck Rogers and Alex Raymond's "Art Deco" Mongo (and other assorted planets) in the Flash Gordon comic strip.
That kind of look--people in colorful pajamas in unusual highrises-- has been everywhere:from the B movies of the 50s to movies like Logan's Run and TV shows like The Jetsons,so the more primitive look of an iceworld(ironically similar to something Alex Raymond once drew in Flash Gordon anyway),no doubt looks futuristic--if only by contrast to what had been previously established.
I got goosebumps. This is going to be huge...I hope.
Routh's presence is commanding as Supes but his features are a tad on the COLLEGE-BOY side. I think I just miss Reeves' version...:(
I think we all do,Rogue.I know I do.Chris was so perfectly suited to the role that he's an almost impossible act to follow.However,I think Routh looks pretty good everything considered, and I've read that he won't be doing an exact imitation of Reeve but(although influenced by his predecessor) will bring something of himself to the part. I'm hoping for the best.
Anyone else think Routh looks a bit like a young slim version of Ken Wahl(Vinnie Terranova on the "Wiseguy" TV series)--or is it only me?
RogueAgentSpeeding in the Tumbler...Posts: 3,676MI6 Agent
Anyone else think Routh looks a bit like a young slim version of Ken Wahl(Vinnie Terranova on the "Wiseguy" TV series)--or is it only me?
You hit it on the head, W.G. Routh looks like his twin brother in some shots.
Another slight peeve about the trailer...Lex is still "campy". I thought that we were finished with the Hackman version. I like the one from the comics and JLU cartoons; serious and ruthless.
Mrs. Man Face: "You wouldn't hit a lady? Would you?"
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice isUNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
Comments
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
I'm pretty sure he's the baddie--one of the publicity stills is of a bald-headed Kevin Spacey with a delicious scowl on his face. He looks to be more of a classic Luthor than Gene Hackman's comic gangster or that sensitive soul from Smallville. As I wrote before, Spacey as Luthor is one reason I'm looking forward to this film!
EDIT: As I was saying. . .
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
I prefer his voiceovers for The Flash from the JLU cartoons...
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
A shaven Kevin Spacey spells a magnificent modern-day Blofeld to me... See Austin Powers 3 for references.
I'm a long time Batman fan too and now that Batman Begins has finally done Batman right, I'm hoping Superman Returns can carry on the grand tradition begun with the first Superman movie back in 1978.From what I've read,SR is definitely intended to be a direct sequel to Superman I and Superman II(Supermans III and IV simply won't have existed--which is fine by me).
"Smallville" won't have any influence on SR whatsoever-each is an entirely different take on the Superman story.Both share certain obvious general similarities, but by and large they're radically different enterprizes.The movie is a Superman adventure while the TV show is "Dawson's Creek",Kryptonian style.I like the TV show but until this season it did it's best to play down the Superman mythos as much as possible,in favor of a soap opera with occasional superheroic moments.
Hopefully the Kevin Spacey Lex Luthor won't be chewing up the scenery ala' the overripe, ultra campy, Batman tv series rejectlike,Lex Luthor Gene Hackman played in the earlier films.It'd be nice to see Luthor emerge as a truly worthwhile adversary and pose a real threat to Superman this time around.Unlike Hackman who has admitted that he never wanted to play Luthor,Spacy's said he relishes the part.
And Brandon Routh looks great as Superman/Clark Kent.He'll be measured against Christopher Reeve,but from most accounts,he's been taking his role very seriously and is ready for the inevitable comparisons.I wish him well because,regardless of an actor's talent, Superman is practically an impossible part to play, and Chris Reeve is an extremely hard act to follow.
Oh well...like so many things, it looked great in my head
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
I think Spacey will be great, but I have to say that I loved Hackman as Luthor. He added a really fun humerous aspect to a film that was never really intended to be truly serious. Superman is in many ways a ridiculous superhero. He is an alian, is almost invincible and the fact that the only thing stopping people from recognising Clarke as Superman is nonsencical. But it works beautifully as long as as the films don't take themselves too seriously. For me, Hackman's Luther was a perfect example of the filmmakers taking them just seriously enough.
And I might add, I think that Hackman's Luther did pose a real threat. In Superman 1, don;t forget, he wanted to destroy California, and I truly believe that he would have done so, if Superman hadn't intervened.
Nonetheless, I am very much looking foreward to Spacey's interpretation. He should be great!!
What always irritates me about Hackman's portrayal of Luthor is the lack of subtlety in his performance.He mugs and all but winks into the camera.I like my villains to take themselves seriously.Imagine Goldfinger behaving like Hackman's Luthor.Merely because a villain comes from the comics shouldn't somehow automatically mean that a reasonable performance with some shadings and intelligence isn't warrented.Look at how well the villains in the 2 Spider-Man films have been played--and never with an excess of camp.
I think Spacey has every chance to be great, provided his Luthor gets the opportunity to be truly evil--not merely nasty.Imagine a Lex Luthor ala' the Mel Profit Spacey played so memorably on the Wiseguy tv series.THAT'D be a Luthor to reckon with...
My problem with the Hackman Luthor's plot is that it was so mediocre--so small in scope.Only destroy portions of California in order to increase the price of real estate.How narrow-minded.C'mon--Luthor's the greatest scientist in the world.He should've come up with something that threatened the entire planet and wasn't so common as setting off the San Andreas fault.Of course I don't blame Hackman for this portion of the film's storyline.
In fact,it's amazing any Superman movie was made to begin with, considering that the Mario Puzo/David and Leslie Newman screenplay Alexander Salkind commisioned from them was considered so terrible-so completely unfilmable- by director Richard Donner(who was appalled at the excessively campy script) that it had to literally be rewritten from top to bottom by Tom Mankiewicz practically as the first movie (and also some portions of Superman II) were being shot.Puzo and the Newmans got the credits as screenwriters(this was in the contract with the Salkinds) but it's Mankiewicz' work that was actually filmed.And this is why Mankiewicz was listed as a creative consultant.I'm not making this up--it's a story Donner's told many times.So has Mankiewicz, who in the late 70s and early 80s, was one of Hollywood's premiere screenwriters and script doctors.This story is covered in some detail in the book The Making of Superman the Movie by Mark Cotta Vaz published the year Superman was originally released to theatres.Other books on the films of the 70s and 80s and those specifically on comics-based movies give this information as well.It was an open secret.
This is also why there was no novelization of the 1978 film--Puzo's and the Newmans' lawyers wanted their clients to recieve sole credit for a screenplay that wasn't filmed.To avoid that issue an original Superman novel,Superman-Last Son of Krypton was published(illustrated with stills from the 1st Superman movie) instead.
But back to your comments-yes,Superman really is an "impossible" character to play-at least in live action.In fact,he's been almost impossible to write in comics ever since he acquired so many abilities.His multitude of powers nearly always precludes him from ever being placed in any kind of logical dramatic conflict.One DC Comics editor said of The Man of Steel in the 1950s--but this is still true today-I think-that,"He's invulnerable.Even bad scripts can't hurt him."
Superman's a wonderful character and one of my favorites, but because he's so nearly godlike he really needs the Achilles' heel provided by Kryptonite(something greatly overused on Smallville).I think Chris Reeve gave a magnificent performance as Superman and had he not looked so perfect in the role and not been so sincere in his interpretation the movies would never have worked.I understand that even as he underwent a weight training program in order to build up his body(supervised by Dave Prowse--Darth Vader himself),he also took the trouble to view some Harold Lloyd(one of Clark Kent's visual and behavoral inspirations) comedies while working on his version of Kal-El's secret identity.And Reeve's incredible courage following his accident proved him to be the personification of a Superman in every possible way.Chris Reeve is a hero of mine--and not merely because he once wore a costume with an S on the chest.
However,I really think that when it comes to dramatizing Superman stories he works best in animation-- where the scale of his adventures is limited only by the imagination of his writers,and they aren't constrained by a motion picture's budget.I think this is also true of Batman as evidenced by the superb Batman the Animated Adventures and Batman-the Gotham Adventures.Only Batman Begins comes close among the many live action versions to approaching the character as Bill Finger and Bob Kane originally envisioned him.
Anyway,back on topic.Here's to Bryan Singer,Brandon Routh,Kevin Spacey and everyone else involved with Superman Returns.Regardless of it's content(I'm not too thrilled with Lois being a single mother,but this is meant to be the sequel to Superman II-and no doubt refers to a specific moment in that film;Singer's ignoring S-III and S-IV),if it's intelligent enough and can avoid lapsing into excessive campyness, it should prove to be a good time at the movies.:)
Seriously though I don't think anybody has to worry too much about excessive camp in SR; that kind of over the top approach pretty much died after the abyssmal Batman & Robin. I've read several short interviews with Spacey and he keeps saying that even though there will be some laughs, his Luthor is a pretty mean character. He's been in jail (more ties to Superman I and II) and squarely blames Superman for his misfortunes.
Other than Lois being a single mom (that really came out of left field) SR really looks like it's trying to honor the first two movies and the Superman mythos in general. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for this one.
TonyDP
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
They'll be using the John Williams theme.And this won't be another origin movie.Bryan Singer's said if people want to see that, they can always rent the first 2 Christopher Reeve films.They'll also be using footage of Marlon Brando as Jor-El in SR.
I've always wondered why the movie's Krypton was an ice planet populated almost entirely by middle-aged Brits.That's not what Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster established when they created Superman and his supporting characters.
And Brandon Routh will also have black hair and will be wearing blue contact lenses in order to match Superman's long- established coloring(something George Reeves and Dean Cain departed from--and then only slightly).The famous costume's been revised but it's essentially the same one always worn by the Man of Steel.
I've often wondered about the ice/crystal question myself. After watching the movie again recently, I think the FX people were trying for a crystalline look but the finished product didn't quite measure up. All the scenes on Krypton (and later in the Fortress of Solitude) have a hazy, gauzy look to them so it's really hard to tell but when the buildings start to tear apart they don't look like ice and Kal-El's ship is clearly crystalline in design.
TonyDP
The same reason the Evil Empire in 'Star Wars' was populated entirely by Brits: they were available
And it DID look distinctive; unlike anything I'D seen before at the time.
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
Watching Superman 2 last night, I also wondered why a kid with a British accent was residing in the Midwest of the U.S. begging that Zodd put his daddy down...:))
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
Well, they couldn't use the Batman theme in Batman Begins for a number of reasons - which theme to choose? Danny Elfman's? Elliot Goldenthal's? Or the one by Nelson Riddle?
But that's not the case with SR and I'm sure John (Ottman, not Williams) will take good care of the music. At least he finally picked a good movie to score!
http://www.aintitcool.com/downloads/Superman_Returns_Coke.mov
I always thought it looked like something inspired by a Las Vegas Liberace concert--but that's just me.
The ultra-advanced world of the planet Krypton Siegel/Shuster created was most likely influenced by the countless SF pulp magazine illustrations of the 1930s and probably also Dick Calkins' 25th Century stuff in Buck Rogers and Alex Raymond's "Art Deco" Mongo (and other assorted planets) in the Flash Gordon comic strip.
That kind of look--people in colorful pajamas in unusual highrises-- has been everywhere:from the B movies of the 50s to movies like Logan's Run and TV shows like The Jetsons,so the more primitive look of an iceworld(ironically similar to something Alex Raymond once drew in Flash Gordon anyway),no doubt looks futuristic--if only by contrast to what had been previously established.
http://www.apple.com/trailers/wb/supermanreturns/
Looks very, very, very good to me (but I freely admit to being something of a Superman geek).
Routh's presence is commanding as Supes but his features are a tad on the COLLEGE-BOY side. I think I just miss Reeves' version...:(
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
I think we all do,Rogue.I know I do.Chris was so perfectly suited to the role that he's an almost impossible act to follow.However,I think Routh looks pretty good everything considered, and I've read that he won't be doing an exact imitation of Reeve but(although influenced by his predecessor) will bring something of himself to the part. I'm hoping for the best.
Anyone else think Routh looks a bit like a young slim version of Ken Wahl(Vinnie Terranova on the "Wiseguy" TV series)--or is it only me?
You hit it on the head, W.G. Routh looks like his twin brother in some shots.
Another slight peeve about the trailer...Lex is still "campy". I thought that we were finished with the Hackman version. I like the one from the comics and JLU cartoons; serious and ruthless.
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -