Thursday, April 18, 2013

Superman:The Movie - Live Tweet Commentary

  
In honor of the 75th anniversary of Superman and Lois Lane's first appearance in the comics, I watched the first Superman movie and Live-Tweeted my comments.  Here now is my commentary.
Does the old logo looks weird now to anyone else?

Just now looked up Geoffrey Unsworth, to whom the movie is dedicated. Cinematographer on , 2001 a Space Odyssey and many more!

Still get chills at this opening after all these years. Like I'm five years old and watching it in my Superman Underoos again.

Forget the Star Wars theme or Harry Potter. THIS is the best thing John Williams ever wrote.

Mars. The Red Planet. Wait, no that's a star. Great Rao! That's Rao!

The first spoken words in this movie, not counting the boy at the start reading Action Comics #1, are "This is no fantasy".

I love how Marlon Brando pronounces Krypton "Crypt-Tin".

Wow, the vote to condemn someone of treason has to be unanimous? And I thought the Super Majority in the US Senate was stupid.

Um... Zod? Not helping your case if you tell Jor-El to join you in treason in front of the rest of the council. Just saying...

This whole sequence with the Phantom Zone looks like a prog rock album cover.

I'm trying not to make like , but it's so hard not to make global warming jokes listening to Krypton's High Council.

And I wonder, not for the first time, if Al Gore is building a baby-size rocket somewhere.

"Why Earth, Jor-El?" Because a man named Jack Knight gave me the coordinates when I was a teenager!

Given the level of FX at the time, the destruction of Krypton is good. Even if it does now remind me of The Poseidon Adventure.

So is way more advanced than Earth, yet little Kal-El is STILL being taught about Einstein and Chinese writing?

Why? Are those pre-school topics for Kryptonian toddlers? Or was Jor-El the quiz bowl champion of Krypton?

"Remember what Doc Fry said about that heart of yours." FORESHADOWING!

Nice practical effect with the baby Kal-El holding up the car.

Love the actor who plays Teen Clark. Even if he does look well past his teens. You can tell he really wants to punch Brad.

And yeah... just realized I missed a golden opportunity for a "Brad" joke there. Sorry.

Love that quick little gag with a young and her family on the train. "Nobody ever believes me!"

So here's a question - why did the crystal just now start glowing now? Was it waiting for Clark to start needing direction?

Boy, the death of her husband aged Ma Kent quickly.

Nice as it is for Clark to arrange for his mom to have help on the farm... couldn't he fly back and do all the chores in seconds?

Then again, that would leave all the people in Smallville wondering how The Widow Kent was getting on without help. So... yeah.

Plus I don't think he knew he could really fly then. Not that fast, anyway. So never mind.

Boy, Clark intuited the directions on how that crystal worked pretty well, didn't he?

Step One: Throw as far as you can. Step Two: Wait. Step Three; Enjoy your new crystal palace.

Truly Krypton was an advanced civilization! They evolved beyond the need for contractors. Just throw a crystal and BOOM! Housing!

"My son. You do not remember me." Well, yeah... I was like 14 months when I last saw you!

"It is time for questions to be asked." "What, like why I've got hair on..." "Not those questions!"

Carl Sagan's Cosmos. As read by Marlon Brando.

So... Clark spent 12 years standing in the Fortress of Solitude getting more tutoring from Jor-El? That seems... excessive.

"There's only one 'p' in rapist". Man. I'm surprised they let that into a nominal family movie back in the 70s.

"And don't call me sugar!" Nice twist on the usual gag from the comics. Surprise the fans a bit.

Christopher Reeve was a highly underrated actor. He played dorky Clark Kent so well. Made him seem real.

Also, Margot Kidder as . The way she handles the mugger? Dropping her purse only to try and kick the guy? Perfect.


And the whole bit with Clark knowing precisely what is in Lois's purse? And saying it was a lucky guess? Perfect.

- The best moment is in the Donner cut of SII when he's tricked by Lois. Just a simple change in body language and he changes.

@GeekyGeekyWays  Oh yes. It's very subtle how he changes. Even in the split second when he's grabbing the bullet to save her.


Is there an entry on for a Law of Henchman Stupidity? All genius villains must employ only total idiots?

I ask because if Lex Luthor was that smart, you'd think he'd get better help than Otis. He's even worse than Beastman for Skeletor

200 is significant to you and me Otis!

  Ah for the days when 200 was considered grossly overweight.

distant memories


"When I was six years old, my father said to me -" "GET OUT?!" "Hahaha. Before that!"

"Why does the world's most brilliantly diabolical leader surround himself with total nincompoops?" My thoughts exactly, Lex!

The obvious answer? Lex isn't nearly as smart as he thinks. He just keeps an idiot around to make himself feel smart.


I reread 's Birthright earlier today and now I'm wondering- how many origins involve a flying vehicle crash?

- I'm a big believer that, in all incarnations of the origin, the first time the public sees Superman, he should be flying.

-  I remember us talking about this years ago. Total agreement. It's what he is.

i don't think that always a case with Superman what make superman a hero is do right thing and inspired other

We weren't talking about what makes him a hero, we were talking about what visually works for an introduction.


@EdTheRevelator - in order to clearly convey to humans he is "super?" Not criticizing, more asking for clarity

- Because to most people, that's the most magical thing about him, that he flies.

Thanks for answering!

Of course he didn't fly originally.

No, but it's become his quintessential power. because of its' sheer impossibility. A man lifting a car or surviving a bullet wound can be easily faked. But a man flying? Now that's something...


Do you say that because that signature image sets up his uniqueness or because that sets up the story to come?

The former. To most people, that's his defining and/or most awe-inspiring super-power.

  It's also the one that can't be easily explained by trickery. The one that lets you know "He Is Real".


More than that. Flying is "something wonderful". Hitting people, or getting hit, whilst a big part of what he does, isn't as inspiringly hopeful as a flying man.

  I get irate when he's shown hovering over people, he's not Miracle Man, he'd land.

@GeekyGeekyWays  It's a lot of things. The most god-llike power. The most hope-inspiring. The hardest to fake.



Even in 1978, they were making jokes about there being no phone booths for to change costume in.

And here we are. 1:11 in and we're just now seeing clearly in costume.

Truly a perfect scene



#ManOfSteel needs to have a scene of looking for a place to change & seeing a line of people standing outside on their cel phones.

"Statistically speaking, of course, it's still the safest way to travel." BWAHAHAHA!  

And now comes the part where Clark shows off and the movie starts to veer into territory.  

Case in Point: The cat burglar who suddenly finds a guy standing on the wall above him. "Something wrong with the elevator?"  

"They say confession's good for the soul. I'd listen to what this man has to say. Take him away!"

Of course as pointed out, that doesn't really work. Nothing to stop the burglar from avoiding self-incrimination.  

"A big red cape with bright red boots!" Love how the cop fixates on that and not the red underwear over blue tights!  

Ah, the casual drunk Irish cops. There's a stereotype you don't see anymore.  

Haha! Child abuse is funny!  

THERE'S A MAN ON THE WING OF THE PLANE!  

"You... enjoyed it." Oooooh. You're gonna get it now, Clark!  

Ha! I love correcting his dad's hologram on how many hours are in an Earth day.

"My son, I could embrace you in my arms." "If I had arms... I'm just a big damn head. Bit of a design flaw, that..."  

"gen-yoo-wine article" Ye gods, that accent.  

Umm... just a, just a...." Yeah. Reeve may sound like Superman as Clark, but the words are all wrong.  

Again, Reeve was a great actor. Developed Clark and Superman as two different beings physically and verbally.  

"Sorry to drop in like this, Miss Lane..." That joke would be a groaner if anyone else had said it back then.  

"I never drink when I fly." Or that line.  

"How big are you? I mean, how tall are you?" Hee hee.  

"Do you... eat?" then "What color underwear am I wearing?" Oh, you naughty minx....

And the way is smiling after he puts Lois off balance when he answers her underwear question. Hee hee.

"Do you like pink?" "I like pink very much, Lois."  

How sad is it I have an explanation for why doesn't freeze to death during the flying sequence during ?  

Same reason can fly with just holding her hand. His invulnerability aura is also protecting her.  

I know some hate it, but I like the whole "Can You Read My Mind?" interlude from .

"Can you read my mind? Can you picture the things I'm thinking of?" Yes, and you should be ashamed of yourself, !  

Seriously, it's a very sweet magical scene. allowing herself to be vulnerable and being surprised at how good it feels.  

It's nice because is such a strong character and she usually hates being in a position of weakness.  

And here she is, in over her head, out of her element... and she loves it.  

I want 's library in this movie.  

I do like Gene Hackman in this movie but I don't think he plays a good Lex Luthor. because this character isn't really Lex Luthor  

There's no mad science involved. He's a brilliant criminal, no doubt. But here isn't very Lex like.  

Case In Point: The real would have his minion drive the get-away ambulance while he reprogrammed the missile.  

Still, give this guy points for being able to improvise on the fly and getting a hold of a cowboy outfit on short notice.  

Jimmy Olsen wears a now. Bowties are cool.  

Wait... just sent Young Olsen on his first assignment? How do you keep him on staff and just NOW send him out on an assignment?  

There isn't a lot of Jimmy Olsen in this movie, now that I think of it. Certainly not enough for him to be considered a Pal.  

Actually... wait, he hasn't met once in this thing! He isn't Superman's Pal at all! And he only got Clark Kent coffee once!

Phenomenal practical effects here... walking through fire.

"I don't need a geography lesson from you, Luthor." Wow. And they say is never sarcastic or rude.  

#Otisberg? OTISBERG? OTISBERG?!

I'll say this for - you don't see many bad guys who set up a tile floor map for their evil gloating.  

#YouDiseasedManiac! "I'll mold this lead into your prison bars!" Damn. is hard-core.

I'm still amazed by all the practical effects and model work in this movie that looks so real.  

Nice non-verbal acting from Reeve. Looking satisfied at a job well done, then his face changes as he hears in trouble.  

I can't imagine how amazing this must have been at the time... the idea that failed to save .

@MayhemComics 
@GeekyGeekyWays it was crazy! Really weird thing to see as a kid


So here's a question... if he can go back in time to save , why didn't he also go back to save his dad?  

And that little sigh gives as begins shouting at him. Because he knows she's all-right.  

#Superman isn't spinning the Earth backwards to reverse time. He's flying around it super-fast.

And that iconic moment. The sun rising from Earth orbit as flies around to face it.

Small wonder they chose that to represent Louis finally being able to see the sun in a movie in  

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