Superman Must Reclaim the American Way
October 6, 2010 at 10:30 am | Posted in NewsRealBlog | 2 CommentsTags: Batman, Batman Begins, Christopher Nolan, David Goyer, General Zod, Immigration, Krypton, NewsReal Blog, Superman, the American way, The Dark Knight, Zack Snyder
by Walter Scott Hudson, contributed to NewsReal Blog
As they stand on the rooftop patio of her lavish penthouse apartment in the 1978 Richard Donner classic, Lois Lane asks Superman why he has come to Earth. With complete sincerity he replies, “I’m here to fight for truth, justice, and the American way.”
Lois scoffs, as do we. “You’re going to end up fighting every elected official in the country.”
In this age of dark and moody anti-heroes, the unadulterated wholesomeness of Superman flies against the current. Yet, the character remains a popular icon whose family crest is prolifically plastered on clothing, hung from walls and rear view mirrors, and etched into the skin of fans worldwide.
Despite the character’s enduring appeal, his latest silver screen appearance in Bryan Singer’s 2006’s Superman Returns was meet with widespread disappointment. Audiences were unimpressed by Brandon Routh as an effeminate romantic, pining over the path not taken. Also notable was the exclusion of “the American way” in the script, in an effort to broaden international appeal.
Now comes news that Zack Snyder, director of 300 and Watchmen, is set to helm the Christopher Nolan produced reboot. Nolan is responsible for the masterful rebirth of the Caped Crusader in Batman Begins and The Dark Knight. If able to combine their best traits, Nolan and Snyder may be the perfect team to get Superman soaring again.
That’s easier said than done, however. The comic properties which both auteurs have handled previously are decisively different than Superman.
Part of the problem stems from Superman’s classic comic book characteristics: The character for decades was a beacon for positive characteristics and his stories usually painted in black and white, so from a point of view of a certain segment, he was not hip enough for a time that prefers its heroes more morally ambiguous and drawn with tones of gray.
How could Snyder possibly present the “big blue Boy Scout” in a manner as credible as Nolan’s Batman? The latter benefits from a far less fantastic premise. We can accept a man born to wealth and committed to training himself who then dons a costume and beats criminals to a pulp. It takes significantly more suspension of doubt to believe a man can fly.
Then there’s the question of motivation. While Donner did a fantastic job selling us on the visual of Superman, his film never really explained the psyche. Why does this orphaned alien want to live a double life saving feeble humans from petty crimes and accidents? Why not live as a god among mortals instead?
The key to reintroducing Superman to a more sophisticated audience is providing him with a rational motivation to be the Boy Scout, while placing him in a world in which his fantastic presence is grounded by realistic surroundings. To that end, Snyder and screenwriter David Goyer would be well served to incorporate conservative ideals into the script, including the American patriotism for which the character has been known in the past. Let’s consider a few ways this could pan out.
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1. What exactly is the American Way supposed to be?
2. How do you know that the American way is correct at all times?
3. Let’s talk about the founding fathers of our country. How do you know that they were correct in everything they said and believed?
4. In our declaration of independence we supposedly have three inalienable rights. They are life, liberty and pursuit of happiness. How are these rights truly and absolutely inalienable if they can conflict at different times. One case in point is the typhoid mary case. Her liberty had to be sacrificed for people’s lives. Wouldn’t these three rights be alienable to each other at different moments in time depending on circumstances?
5. It is said we can derive these rights from God or nature. How can we derive any right as inalienable if these rights can be taken away by him or nature at any time? How are they truly inalienable?
6. HOw were these rights came up with? What are the premises that were used to derive these as rights?
7. What exactly is Truth? How do you tell that the truth you may hold is actually the truth and is correct? What is the mechanism used?
8. What exactly is nature? It is said that there are laws of nature? What exactly in detail are the laws of nature?
9. How do you know that the American way is always just?
10. In Iraq, it was said we were fighting for our freedoms. What exactly is freedom? What freedoms do we truly have and are supposed to have? What freedoms were taken away by Al Queida and Saddam Hussein?
11. When they say to go back to the original intepretation and plain meaning of the constitution I ask which original interpretation and what is this plain meaning supposed to be? This constitution has been amended so many times. Do we get rid of Judical Review? Do we bring back slavery? Let’s look at the first amendment. If we went to the original and plain meaning meaning of the constitution and the amendments wouldn’t the first amendment apply only to congress?
12. What exactly is states rights? How can a state have a right?
13. What happens if a states rights interfere with an individual’s rights?
14. How do we resolve the contradictions inherent in having rights?
Comment by cubeangel1— October 8, 2010 #
Great subject for a future post. Look for it next week.
Comment by Walter Scott Hudson— October 9, 2010 #