Posted on 06/30/2006 8:01:53 AM PDT by Roberts
Nevermind Superman's sexual orientation. Here's another identity-related question that is likely to spark controversy as the Man of Steel soars into theaters nationwide this Fourth of July weekend in Warner Bros. Pictures' "Superman Returns": Is Superman still American?
Ever since artist Joe Shuster and writer Jerry Siegel created the granddaddy of all comic book icons in 1932, Superman has fought valiantly to preserve "truth, justice and the American way." Whether kicking Nazi ass on the radio in the '40s or wrapping himself in the Stars and Stripes on TV during the Cold War or even rescuing the White House's flag as his final feat in "Superman II," the Krypton-born, Smallville-raised Ubermensch always has been steeped in unmistakable U.S. symbolism.
But in the latest film incarnation, scribes Michael Dougherty and Dan Harris sought to downplay Superman's long-standing patriot act. With one brief line uttered by actor Frank Langella, the caped superhero's mission transformed from "truth, justice and the American way" to "truth, justice and all that stuff."
"The world has changed. The world is a different place," Pennsylvania native Harris says. "The truth is he's an alien. He was sent from another planet. He has landed on the planet Earth, and he is here for everybody. He's an international superhero."
In fact, Dougherty and Harris never even considered including "the American way" in their screenplay. After the wunderkind writing duo ("X2: X-Men United") conceived "Superman's" story with director Bryan Singer during a Hawaiian vacation, they penned their first draft together and intentionally omitted what they considered to be a loaded and antiquated expression. That decision stood throughout the 140-day shoot in Australia, where the pair remained on-set to provide revisions and tweaks.
"We were always hesitant to include the term 'American way' because the meaning of that today is somewhat uncertain," Ohio native Dougherty explains. "The ideal hasn't changed. I think when people say 'American way,' they're actually talking about what the 'American way' meant back in the '40s and '50s, which was something more noble and idealistic."
While audiences in Dubuque might bristle at Superman's newfound global agenda, patrons in Dubai likely will find the DC Comics protagonist more palatable. And with the increasing importance of the overseas boxoffice -- as evidenced by summer tentpoles like "The Da Vinci Code" -- foreign sensibilities can no longer be ignored.
"So, you play the movie in a foreign country, and you say, 'What does he stand for? -- truth, justice and the American way.' I think a lot of people's opinions of what the American way means outside of this country are different from what the line actually means (in Superman lore) because they are not the same anymore," Harris says. "And (using that line) would taint the meaning of what he is saying."
But for Superman purists looking for a nod to the big blue Boy Scout's nationalistic loyalties, he is still saving Americans, albeit many with suspiciously Aussie accents. He foils Lex Luthor's nefarious plan to send millions from the nation's heartland to a watery death. And in his most impressive scene, the hero saves the day while a plane hurtles toward a baseball stadium full of fans enjoying America's pastime. Although there is no indication that it is an American baseball game depicted, the scene was one of the few shot on U.S. soil, at Dodger Stadium.
Nevertheless, the long-standing member of the Justice League of America seems to have traded in his allegiance to the flag for an international passport.
"He's here for humanity," Dougherty says.
Truth, justice, and freedom." Same message, global pronunciation.....
Come to think of it, the phrase, "Truth, justice, and the American Way," implies that these are three separate things... that truth and justice are not a necessary part of "The American Way."
The fact of the matter is, a good portion of the audience for this film will watch it adoring American pop culture, but disliking American politics.
If you ever do let me know.. Damn, there so much awesome vids on that site. Look at this one, an awesome Reagan tribute. There should be a thread on Freep on this one video alone!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ac5xFOC9otw&search=Ronald%20Reagan
They should have picked an international superhero to make a movie about then. You know, like . . . um. . . wait a second . . . it'll come to me.
American pop culture is international pop culture.
Reminds me of a similar scene from the series where Batman is waiting on a subway platform with some criminal's moll. The moll asks Batman if he could get her a chocolate from one of the vending machines while they wait. Batman replies.... "Chocolate? Actually some fruit would be more healthy."
He poofs. He appears and disappears, and speaks in German. He's poofy, and blue.
He's, however, not gay, which means he's only got two strikes on him at this point.
LOL! I wonder who the writers were on that show, that stuff was pure genius.
Smallville rocks in more than one way.
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1934: Siegel & Shuster's original vision of Superman. |
1978: Superman movie pays homage to S & S vision. |
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2001: Smallville television series "triumphantly rethinks an American classic" by keeping S & S colors while dropping tights, cape, and chest insignia. |
2006: Superman movie noirishly retrogrades to tights, cape, and chest insignia only to end up looking old school IMHO. |
There really is nothing lefty about the film.
It fits in perfectly with I and II. I am right wing as they come, and a big comic fan, and nothing offends me politically about this film at all. The writers are expressing some screwy crap about a single line, it means little to me. Superman cannot be made into something he is not by them or anyone else. There is no reason to skip this film over politics as far as I am concerned. It is not a Michael Moore film by any stretch. Lets not get so upset about politics that we cant see any films at all over much ado about nothing.
Superman Returns is a very good film. There was nothing pansy about the last Son of Krypton in this movie.
And certainly nothing left wing about it for crying out loud. I saw it with my two knuckle draggin right wing buds too, we all dug it. And are liberal crap detectors are very sensitive.
Mario Puzo's screenplay still better. He grew up reading the original comics...
F.U.
Have you noticed that movies have replaced story with bias? Hollywood just wants to preach and patronize--
Ditto on Whedon's Firefly piquing my interest in Buffy. My first episode (out of sheer luck): "Hush." Congressional conservatives ought to fund Serenityesque operatives to enforce their will. LOL.
In the comic the Kents adopt him so my guess is he is naturalized.
Oh, yeah. That kind of poofy.
Hey, there! I'm watching Alias right now for the first time! Best. Show. Ever. People told me how bad the third season was, but I loved it. I'm early in the fourth season, and it's a little rocky, but it's still a good show. Sydney Bristow rocks.
I agree in fact alot of conservative values slip into this movie and from hearing about the filmmakers i can only conclude that the gay one might be an in the closet conservative.
The one on the left looks like a young Ronald Reagan.
Sorry, but there is only one animated Batman. It's a shame Kevin Conroy can't do the live-action films, because his voice *IS* Batman.
What would be wrong with shouting out "And the American Way" at the point in the movie where the PC Lefty proto-Alzheimers writers (no memory of anything) left it out?
Ya know if a lot of people did that, I don't think any theater manager would try to eject anyone because the publicity would be horifying. Plus a manager trying to do that (kick someone out) would have to face many allies of the person who said it. Confligration at the multiplex?
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