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Brando to reclaim role as father of Kal-El'

Interesting by Gheorghe Zamfir	Mar 9th, 2005 07:19:33 PM
This film is such a mystery, I really have no idea what to expect from it.
I think it would work! by warp11	Mar 9th, 2005 07:19:35 PM
Brando was one of the best things about the original Superman movie for me. He made the father of Superman seem to be the huge figure he should be. He also did a great job of showing the pain that any father must go through by being seperated from his son. I hope they do use the extra footage. Warp 11 rocks! www.warp11.com Extremly popular Star Trek band in California.
Odds are heavily against it by genro	Mar 9th, 2005 07:20:54 PM
It's great stunt-casting, but what will the PR reaction be? Bad or good? I think the articles would focus more on the ole "replacing actors with CGI characters" stories. It also makes the comparison between Routh and Reeves in sharper, which could kill this film if the critics don't think he matches up. It would be very easy to write "You can surround him with his old cast, but Routh is no Reeves".
Jor-El should be played by... by Voice O. Reason	Mar 9th, 2005 07:21:19 PM
...Robert DeNiro in flashback scenes. Worked before.
What for? by Praetorius	Mar 9th, 2005 07:23:15 PM
We already saw his performance. Why not have a new interpretation?
Warp 11 spam by XAOS	Mar 9th, 2005 07:24:17 PM
... has chased me from the talkbacks. Goodbye, cruel geeks!
ROBO-PRAISE BE TO SINGER!!! by robogeek.com	Mar 9th, 2005 07:34:20 PM
As Harry mentions, I've been dreaming and hoping and praying Singer would do this for months now, but was afraid to advocate the idea publicly for fear of jinxing it. Now I am thrilled to tiny little pieces that it may actually happen, as it could be the piece de resistance for the film. There's a significant little treasure trove of never-before-seen Donner-directed Superman II Brando/Jor-El footage that would be awesome to finally see on the big screen -- almost three decades later. Bravo, Bryan! There may be no film on the horizon I'm looking forward to more than yours.
Grave robbers by FrankDrebin	Mar 9th, 2005 07:44:32 PM
If Brando had given any indication that he was interested in returning to the role, or was hoping that the unused footage would see the light of day, then MAYBE. But this just seems like exploiting the dead. Somebody who reviewed last month's Oscars mentioned that Brando "won" the In Memorium segment (also known as The Late Show) by getting the most applause. I can just picture a sleezy WB exec having a eureka moment, "We've got leftover footage we don't have to pay his estate for!"
I didn't know Brando was gay? by Ivan_Mtl	Mar 9th, 2005 07:44:47 PM
Uh, waitaminute... yes I did. lol Actually, when you consider Bryan Singer's apparent agenda with this film (all of them, actually), I'm not the least bit surprised. It's almost a shame that Gene Hackman is straight because it would have been great to have him reprise his role as Lex Luthor as well. Personally, I would like to have seen Alec Baldwin in the role of Jor-el with Virginia Madsen as his wife Lara.
goodness no by UES	Mar 9th, 2005 07:45:07 PM
If they are going to use old Brando footage for Jor-el, why be half-assed? Have a CGI Christopher Reeve be Superman.
Holy new hit single from The Notorious B.I.G. coming soon an I-p by Neosamurai85	Mar 9th, 2005 07:56:06 PM
I
To be clear... by Neosamurai85	Mar 9th, 2005 07:57:15 PM
I loved Brando in the first one, but the whole time-travle thing pissed me off. Peace.
God I hope this happens by Exterminans	Mar 9th, 2005 08:02:54 PM
Would be very cool to see one of (if not the) greatest actors of all time in a new version of a film he once acted in. This is one of those rumors that almost seems to cool to happen. But I'd be smiling ear to ear if it did. I also like the fact that they aren't trying to fake it with CGI and are going to use previously unused footage. What could be better? Please let this happen...
Aren't They Digging Up Orsen Wells to Play "The Heavy?" by hipcheck13	Mar 9th, 2005 08:04:58 PM
...great. A wormfood-actor's revival in Hollywood. I know zombies are hot and everything right now, but THIS is ridiculous.
Donners Superman 2 by MyWord	Mar 9th, 2005 08:12:29 PM
Why would someone do this? I would rather see WB work on restoring the Donner cut for Superman 2. The Brando scenes most likely to be utilised were shot for the sequel but were never used. Instead of a tragic scene where the father sacrifices the last remnants of his being for his son all we got was a Reeves staring at a green crystal.LAME!Since Singers Supes borrows the original history, albeit vaguely, it would only be right for WB to rerelease parts 1 & 2. And this time please leave the unnecessary scenes (the ones Donner added back for the DVD release) in the Deleted Scenes segment.I want "Superman:The Movie" I grew up with.Use the time and effort on restoring Donners Superman 2 instead.
why? it's a retarded idea. get paul newman. by jimmy_009	Mar 9th, 2005 08:21:28 PM

I was all for this movie... by kiddae	Mar 9th, 2005 08:26:05 PM
...until I read Singer saying he's going to use the God-awful "bumbling retard" Clark as portrayed by Christopher Reeve. Now he wants to use Brando as well? Rubbish. Let's hope it DOESN'T work out.
Bumbling Retard... by oh_riginal	Mar 9th, 2005 09:03:37 PM
Thats the funniest way to put it, lol. Yes, I'd rather see a more mature realistic Clark Kent. Nothing against the original movies, but Clark shouldn't be portrayed that way at all, just stupid. As far as I know, he isn't even like that in the comics.
Let's hope it all works out by Juggernaut125	Mar 9th, 2005 09:10:00 PM
Actually, let's NOT hope it all works out. How about we distance ourselves from the originals as much as possible.
What happened to Daniel-Day Lewis? by Mutant Leader	Mar 9th, 2005 09:36:26 PM
Day-Lewis as Jor-El was supposedly a done deal. . .
Brando was gay!??!?!?!??!?!?!?!? by Barry Egan	Mar 9th, 2005 09:45:51 PM

MyWord: This man speaks the truth. by Village Idiot	Mar 9th, 2005 09:52:58 PM
What we need is a SUPERMAN II ULTIMATE DVD, with the deleted scenes offered as supplemental materials. (I don't think there'd be enough for a complete "Donner Cut" of the film, but just seeing the scenes as extras, plus a documentary on the making of the film would be worth buying the DVD all over again. You hear that Warner Bros? I will buy product of yours I already own!) But using footage of Brando in the new movie as Jor-El? Bad idea. Very bad. Whereas I think the music can be reused since it applies broadly to Superman, using actual footage from the original films is just too close. Distractingly close. In fact, this idea is so cockamamie, I don't believe it. It's not going to happen.
Original by cybertrent	Mar 9th, 2005 10:08:51 PM
Bryan Singer can't be bothered to do ANYTHING original. Between Williams' music, the moronic Clark and now the return of Jor-El Kurtz, this movie is gonna suck balls. FUCK YOU, SINGER!!!
Didn't Brando have like 10 illegitimate children..... by boomstick81	Mar 9th, 2005 10:31:43 PM
.... on all various parts of the globe, no less. Actually, friends and I have adopted baseball's home run sign (haivng your finger point up and spinning in a circle) and turned it into "Brando's children around the world" sign. Just something I unknowingly did when I was trying to explain the whole situation to someone.
ummmm ... let's not (hope) by Lou C.	Mar 9th, 2005 10:42:24 PM
This is absolutely idiotic. Whatever footage they have would force the script to be tailored around it. It will look awkward, feel awkward and it will remind everyone of the original Superman movie. I mean, Christ, why don't they just use old footage of Peter Sellers and ... oh, wait ... nevermind.
Actually, the geeky Clark is not only one of the cornerstones of by Village Idiot	Mar 9th, 2005 10:50:29 PM
Putting aside the identification/wish fulfillment aspect of the doormat who is really a hero (i.e., If Only They Could See Who I Really Am), having Superman be a really cool guy and having Clark be a cool guy with glasses doesn't do much for the whole "secret identity" thing. And it's funny! Light comedy. Reeve's Clark in the Superman movies was great, and although it might be tough, I don't think he's the only actor who could pull it off.
Hows this going to tie in with Daniel Day Lewis playing him on K by TheGinger Twit	Mar 9th, 2005 11:46:01 PM
I don't trust any infomation coming from this film. The whole thing has unplanned and unprepared disaster written all over it.
fanboys by mcflytrap	Mar 10th, 2005 12:18:45 AM
shut the fuck up brando as jor-el would be awesome and you all know it
Yeah, I'll second that, moviemack... by Stan the Bat	Mar 10th, 2005 12:46:57 AM
I don't care much about the Donner movies. Reeves was credible. Hackman was ridiculous. Brando was bloated and ridiculous. Brando's semitransparent head floating in the sky was baffling, bloated and ridiculous. And going backwards in time by reversing the spin of the Earth, or whatever the hell that was... words fail me.
till all the "t" and "i"s are dotted and crossed by The Only Woj	Mar 10th, 2005 12:48:43 AM
apparently they need to spell the word "tit"?
Actually, they're NOT using John Williams - didn't you guys read by Ted Striker	Mar 10th, 2005 12:56:18 AM
I'd love to have John William's original score, but John Ottman is doing it, and he might do an homage to William's score: http://www.aintitcool.com/disp lay.cgi?id=19553 And I'd love to see Daniel Day Lewis play Supe's dad, but if they can pull off this Brando thing - cool! As for Superman I and II - I'd love to see a Donner Director's cut for both of them...we already have the originals to enjoy.
What I heard was John Ottman was getting permission to interweav by Orionsangels	Mar 10th, 2005 01:41:01 AM

Bad idea by moviemaniac-7	Mar 10th, 2005 01:52:25 AM
Just stinks like cheap moviemaking.
Just as long as we don't see Otto with Luthor. by ZeroCorpse	Mar 10th, 2005 02:22:33 AM
Ned Beatty is great, but Otto was a terrible character.
I just can't get my head around this film by TheGinger Twit	Mar 10th, 2005 03:05:10 AM
It's an all new superman, All new lois lane, daily planet, Lex Luthor... yet they're going to use Williams theme, rehash footage of Brando and keep the fortress of solitude design - it's a continuation, yet there will be flashbacks to keep us up on the origin of superman. It's just all a bit Coorporate table brainstorm and I think someone needs to stand up and say "fuck this, lets just make an all new Superman based on the legend of Superman - not previous incarnations". If they bred a dog like this they'd end up with a little short legged fat thing that only lives 2 years and can't reproduce. Gezus, Even Batman is getting an entire re-fit and that last film wasn't even a decade ago.
Brando??? There is only one true Jor-El and that is.... by 69DUDE	Mar 10th, 2005 03:13:50 AM
...Ving Rhames. Only this man can deliver the dialogue with enough gravitas to make this production worth seeing. - 'They are a good people Kal-El. They only lack the muthafukkin light to show them the way'.
Just so long as they don't CG reanimate Christopher Reeves I'm o by ash311x	Mar 10th, 2005 03:17:19 AM
That commercial still disturbs me.
Score by cybertrent	Mar 10th, 2005 03:57:37 AM
Yes Striker, I'm well aware that Ottman is scoring the movie. I'm also aware that he may insert some "homage" to Williams' score. That along with the casting, along with the sequel-ness, the constant references to Richard Donner's VASTLY overrated movie is an annoyance. As for the Village Idiot, yeah, the moronic Clark worked in the first movie because they took the stupid ass Tarantino approach of making Clark a disguise for Superman. In just about every comic published since 1986, it's been the other way around (ie, Superman is Clark's disguise, CLARK is the real person). Fuckin a, if this is the best Bryan Singer has up his sleeve, I'd just as soon see a Michael Bay 'Superman' movie. FUCK YOU, SINGER!!!
REEVE!!!!! by cybertrent	Mar 10th, 2005 03:59:37 AM
Oh yeah, it's spelled Christopher Reeve. There's no "s" at the end of his last name. Keanu Reeves, George Reeves, et al. all had an "s" at the end of their last name. Seriously people, learn how to spell the name of the actor you give your undying love for, okay? (And yes, Christopher REEVE was the one unquestionably good thing about the Donner movie; everything else was mediocre at best, including the script)
as someone who was there when Brando did his now deleted scenes. by batjack	Mar 10th, 2005 04:48:58 AM
Okay; I've been waiting twenty-eight years to see the scenes that I saw being shot with Brando: the scene where he talks to luthor in the fortress of Solitude (I think his voice was coming from a crystal - Hey, it was a long time ago, and I was actually talking to Chris Reeve when Hackman was doing his bit); the scene where he sacrifices himself for his son; etc. I hoped like hell that these deleted scenes would come out on a 'Donner Superman 2 Special Edition', but, yeah, that's gonna happen! Incidentally, when I was there - Pinewood 1976 as a guest of John Barry, they had shot a different ending for the first one: Superman flies up and towards the screen then the Phantom Zone villains attack him! This was to be freeze-framed with 'Coming Next Year - Superman 2'. I couldn't wait to see this and told all my college friends about it, so of course, it never happened. Ah me. Incidentally, Brando read all the lines for the judgement scene off idiot boards all around the set. He said it made it spontaneous. Right. But I digress. I personally think that the idea of using those deleted scenes in the new one is brilliant. It'd be worth waiting thirty years to see. Hey; if they use John Barry's designs for the Fortress, will he get an on-screen credit? He deserves it. He was a hell of a nice guy and died much too soon.
They should go back to the original idea: Jor-el as a "green sui by Eugene O	Mar 10th, 2005 05:31:32 AM
That was Brando's original conception of the character! The man was, after all, a GENIUS! He was able to foresee the rise of designer luggage AND the 1990's health & fitness kick that made bagels so popular...
They should use Terence Stamp by BarrelRider	Mar 10th, 2005 05:39:27 AM
He does it in Smallville, and he comes loaded with Superman associations
Also, Dirk Vega: by BarrelRider	Mar 10th, 2005 05:51:36 AM
Have you received YOUR free iPod yet? Because if you carry on posting those bullshit links you may well be banned from AICN
Another excellent desicion. by Trevor Goodchild	Mar 10th, 2005 06:10:54 AM
Kudos. Just think, this could have been McG's creation.
This is a BRILLIANT idea if they can pull it off by Spacesheik	Mar 10th, 2005 07:00:14 AM
Having Brando would be marvellous, all that fresh SUPERMAN II footage no one had ever seen before....and would further link this film to theb Donner pictures -- and would also credit Donner as a master visionary who understood and was able to get a great performance out of Brando. Brilliant if they can pull it off. you could dedicate the film to both chris reeve and marlon brando as the opening john williams titles roll across the galaxy -- shit its wonderful.
Sorry, but I don't think it's a good idea by BarrelRider	Mar 10th, 2005 07:22:43 AM
It sounds too much like they wanna use the footage simply because it's there, which means they are forced to revolve the rest of the film around a few minutes of footage, because they can't exactly do reshoots, can they? Besides, I thought you could see all this footage on the most recent Superman I and II DVDs?
makes no sense. by badboymason	Mar 10th, 2005 07:48:04 AM
It would have made sense if they had the rest of the original cast and didnt want to recast just one role - but when NOT ONE other original cast member is in the movie, why use Brando and force yourself to be limited by scenes shot 25 years ago? And what happens when they make a sequel or 2 and run out of footage? They need a new Jor-El, if they want to make a nod to Brando then De Niro would be a good, unexpected choice, and might make a change from seeing him in a succession of forgettable thrillers...
I hoped that the new Superman movies would be an improvement by Big Bad Clone	Mar 10th, 2005 08:35:05 AM
I mean, geeky Clark alwasy bugged the shit out of me. I also hated the cold ass design of Krypton. I mean, why do we care that it blew up? It looked like a shitty place to live. Argo, on the other hand looked like a Playboy party from back when Hef could actually be physically attractive to a playmate.
Donner's S2 by Darth Fart	Mar 10th, 2005 08:49:21 AM
If you want the low down on the Brando footage for 2 visit my site at www.supermancinema.co.uk
just say no by ATARI	Mar 10th, 2005 09:11:33 AM

Jor-El is reportedly a cameo role in this film, so why not use t by SpyGuy	Mar 10th, 2005 09:19:51 AM
Look, it would be one less actor to compare to the Donner films and more importantly, we would finally be able to see the lost footage. There aren't any plans for a SUPERMAN II: EXTENDED EDITION and there probably won't be unless the Singer film does huge box office. As a fan of Donner's SUPERMAN, I feel sorry for you haters of the original film who can't appreciate such classic scenes as Superman rescuing Air Force One or Christopher Reeve's agonized scream upon finding Lois dead. So go ahead and focus your tunnel vision on "Say, Jim...That's a bad out-fit!" and "Can you read my mind?" and all the other trivial bullshit. Singer's obviously trying to give kudos to Donner's work as much as possible while updating it for the 21st century, but people would still be bitching if he ignored the Donner films altogether. Oh, and for The_ZeroCorpse, the name is OTIS, not "Otto." Otto's the guy who drives the school bus on THE SIMPSONS, the guy with the mechanical tentacles in SPIDER-MAN 2, or the guy who doesn't like to be called stupid in A FISH CALLED WANDA. Take your pick.
by english	Mar 10th, 2005 09:59:51 AM

Um, you know, he's supposed to be a new father.... by I Dunno	Mar 10th, 2005 10:01:44 AM
I mean I know it's possible for an 81 year old to have children, and I know he's an alien and we're already supending disbelief but won't that look a little silly? Besides, this is a new movie, supposedly. First they're using Williams' score (which I can dig), now they're casting the same actors...why don't they just use a CGI Christopher Reeve and be done with it?
Unused Phantom Zone footage by english	Mar 10th, 2005 10:07:24 AM
During the Superman II panael at WonderCon a couple weeks ago, Jack O'Halloran said that he had been approached by the producers of the current Supes film about POSSIBLY bringing back the Phantom Zone villans for a sequel. Turns out they filmed a scene for the end of Superman II that was cut. It showed the now powerless PZ villians being taken off to jail. The possible sequel would show them still in jail and stilled pissed at Superman. O'Halloran didn't say if Terrence Stamp and the lady (sorry blanking on her name) had been approached by the producers to reprise their roles or not. He also stated that nothing is set yet and my never happen. But still it would be cool to see.
All I want to know is... by mortsleam	Mar 10th, 2005 10:20:18 AM
When they give Zombie Brando a posthumous Supporting Actor Oscar for his stellar work in Bryan Singer's Superman Returns, will he show up himself in all of his 700 lb. zombie glory, or will he send Zombie Sacheen Littlefeather to accept it for him?
Bad Idea! by Norm3	Mar 10th, 2005 10:45:46 AM
I don't like this idea & seems unlikely. It pigeon holes all future Superman movies into not having more Jor-El.
I assumed the Phantom Zone villains died. by I Dunno	Mar 10th, 2005 10:50:18 AM
They all fell down a pit and were left at the north pole. And between this and Marlin Brando, no one seems to aknowledge that we're talking about 25 years ago. Unless all these actors have been frozen in carbonite for 1/4 of a century, I don't see them pulling this off.
Do you need bumbling Clarke for the whole secret ID thing? by Andy Dufresne	Mar 10th, 2005 11:00:27 AM
...couldn't they expand on the mythology, update a little. I always thought it would be cool to have the Suit hide his id H would have the same face and everything but the suit wuld render the viewer of him unable to connect Kent to Kal El. Kind of like in Buffy when no one could remember the whole Glory/Be thing? I'm not sure glasses fly as a disguise anymore, but he would still wear them to show a human flaw. Just a thought.
Simply put... by jedimast3r	Mar 10th, 2005 11:08:25 AM
SUPERMAN is a dead franchise, and this movie will undoubtedly only score opening weekend bucks. From everything I've heard, and through an eye of skepticism (and love for Donner's original yet DEEPLY FLAWED interpretation) for the mythology, this new movie will only serve to continue to infuriate the already irrelevant and miniscule Superman community. WHY WHY WHY use Brando's performance, and even still, WHY retell something? The cast is dismal; Lois Lane needs spunk and a fire that Kate Bosworth just will not have. And this Routh guy may end up good, but I fear a pathetic script that will only see the campy Kevin Smith as a pale shadow of the Kingpin-type political genius Lex Luthor should be. I will not, and forbid any of my friends to spend money on this.
Cybertrent, you're killing me! by Village Idiot	Mar 10th, 2005 11:39:03 AM
First of all, Donner's SUPERMAN isn't overrated; if anything, it's underrated. The film is a sprawling epic that spans from the wheatfields of the midwest, to the East Coast, to California, to across the freaking galaxy; and yet despite the scope, it hits most, if not all, of the story's more intimate emotional beats (Pa Kent and young Clark, Superman and Lois, Clark and Lois, Jor-El and baby, heck even Ms. Tessmacher and Superman: These moments work). There's no arguing that the movie is beautifully shot by legendary cinematographer Geoffrey Unsworth. Reeve nailed both Superman and Clark so indelibly, people still look to him as the gold standard. John Williams was at the top of the game, writing what is arguably his best score. The special effects still hold up (if I can forgive the video game-looking Spider-Man, I can forgive the blue screen Superman). The Helicopter Rescue sequence is so tightly constructed, it's practically worth the price of admission alone. I'm even willing to give the slapstick use of Otis some credit for bringing some comedic texture to the movie (this is Superman; the story doesn't have to be a Harold Pinter play). Even the Lois Lane beat poetry voice-over is...well, okay, "Can You Read My Mind?" is pretty godawful, but nothing's perfect. The point is that for some people to consider SUPERMAN THE MOVIE a great film is not unfounded, and in fact, because of the genre, it may not be appreciated enough. I realize nothing I'm going to say is going to change your mind on the subject, and at the end of the day, that's okay. Some people don't like chocolate._____As for Bumbling Clark versus Cool Clark, yes, I realize that in the comics since 1986 this hasn't been the case because I own a lot of those comics. And guess what? It blows! Well, okay, I can give you more rationale than that: For whatever reason, the dichotomy between the bumbling Clark and the cool Clark has been the rendition that has stuck in people's minds. It's what most people think of when they think of Clark Kent. It could be the 50 years of history behind it versus the almost 20 of the Byrne approach, but I think there's more to it; I think it works more on the wish fulfillment level I mentioned before, (and not by Tarrantino's irreverent little speech in KILL BILL). But of course, let's not forget we've had the cool Clark approach already -- it's called LOIS AND CLARK, and it worked out so great there, didn't it?
Remember when the actress (name is escaping me) who played Tony by Barry Egan	Mar 10th, 2005 11:41:45 AM
I hope this Brando thing comes off better than that. It was creepy.
Maybe you're just easily boggled? by Village Idiot	Mar 10th, 2005 11:49:00 AM

Even in Pre-Crisis comics Clark wasn't Inspector Clouseau by Big Bad Clone	Mar 10th, 2005 11:57:30 AM
Why can't Clark be just a good journalist. Hell, he works for a very competitive paper in a major city. How can he be a fucking idiot and be hired there. Now, I'm not saying he should be a Pulitzer winner like he is now (just becasue he has super breath, doens't mean he has super journalism skills). Let he be a normal fucking person from Kansas. Remember he was raised as Clark Kent. Superman is the disguise, Kent is who he is (whereas Batman is Batman, but Bruce Wayne is the disguise).
Actually, pre-Crisis, he was pretty bumbling. by Village Idiot	Mar 10th, 2005 12:08:38 PM
The movie wasn't that far off from the truth in that regard. Clark would drop drinks on people, get sick on mayonnaise sandwiches, completely blow it in the company football games, and during the Bronze Age, was the constant foil for sportscaster Steve Lombard, who would inevitably have his pranks on Clark ultimately backfire. The idea that "Superman is Clark Kent," at least in adulthood, was introduced by John Byrne; prior to that, Superman was Superman, exercising his full potential and true self, and Clark was who he deliberately pretended to be. Recently, Mark Waid tried to adapt this approach with his recent Superman reboot BIRTHRIGHT, which now stands as the new origin.
This might be a sign of the Apocalypse... by Childe Roland	Mar 10th, 2005 12:23:09 PM
...but I actually agree with moviemack concerning a comic book movie! At least his take on the new Supes. It should be different than what's come before. But the reason I agree is because I totally disagree with his assessment of the original as "twaddle." I think it was a great superhero film for its time and probably one of the most spirited, faithful adaptations of a Superhero to film ever. I understand wanting to do a new Superman (if for no other reason than to wash the tastes of 3 and 4 out of our minds, like many hope Begins will with the Batman franchise), but make it original and fresh. The first one was great, but it can't carry a lame-ass rehash with some copped musical notes and scenes. Nor should anyone want it to.
If I Could Turn Back Time... by Village Idiot	Mar 10th, 2005 12:51:03 PM
Okay Moviemack, so I understand your objection to the "turning back time" ending. Just so we're clear, what we're looking at when the Earth spins backwards is not Superman reversing the rotation of the Earth, but what it appears to look like to him as he goes back in time, right? Regardless, this is where the movie goes completely off the hook, deying credibility. And yet...it works emotionally. In that moment, driven by love and grief, not only when it comes to Lois, but also his adoptive father, Superman does something really super: He does the impossible. A nice little "love lets us do the impossible" message that fit for the climax and where the character was emotionally. I think, in the long run, it works._____But the hologram, saran rap s-shield, finger beams in the end of SUPERMAN II? Well, that's probably a british director with a shallow understanding of American comics trying to make something more comic booky. I'll tell you though: as kid, I don't think it bothered me that much. And really, the fight in Metropolis earlier in the film was so cool (at the time, especially), it tends to put you in a forgiving mood.
Um, I dunno: by evergreen	Mar 10th, 2005 12:59:23 PM
Just to be clear, you do know Brando is dead, right?
the best way to end this movie by lynxpro	Mar 10th, 2005 01:17:08 PM
I'd say the best way to end this movie is to flash to the Holodeck on the Enterprise D (or E) with Riker revealing he's running a holodeck simulation on how to make a suck-azz Superman film. Oh wait, wrong franchise. Seriously, the more I read about this film project, the more I am turned off into ever watching it. And that even goes for if a friend brings it over after putting it in his NetFlix queue and brings over the popcorn too. If this is what Warner Bros. has to offer after wasting millions of dollars on idiotic scripts, incompetent screenwriters, and hack directors, then its time for Time Warner to sell Warner Bros. off, period. Its obvious from this that New Line is the studio they should keep. Keep the WB/Turner film library, return all the comic book property rights to DC, and sell the rest to Sony. Do this while the Street still has faith in the studio based upon the projections of the box office business that Batman Begins will do (which is the property I do like). Cash out big time just like Guber-Peters did following the success of the original Burton Batman flick. The difference between this ongoing nightmare of a project and the Star Wars Prequels amongst us online fans is that even though a good majority of people online complain about what Lucas has done with the Prequels and will bitch constantly about the man, they'll still pay full price opening weekend to see Episode III. I don't get that vibe with this film. This thing is going to win 20 Razzies and it'll be just like how I treated Catwoman; downloaded just to see if I could get through watching such a stinker and deleted off my hard drive after watching the first 10 minutes of it while still feeling like I was ripped off. As for the Brando "Jor-El as a bagel" idea, it was already implemented in Jesus Christ - Vampire Hunter when Jesus was talking to his Father who presented himself as his ice cream treat.
wait... isn't Brando dead? by TV CASUALTY	Mar 10th, 2005 01:24:01 PM
I coulda sworn I read that somewhere last year. If so, this report is retarded.
ps. by lynxpro	Mar 10th, 2005 01:28:51 PM
The best way to do a Superman film at this point is to hit the reset button on this production, end Smallville, and take some of the main stars from the series. With that, I mean Welling, Rosenbaum, and the actress who guest stars as Lois in the series. That's your template. Make it grand. Ditch the meteor rock krap and show the gradual demise of Clark's friendship with Lex where both feel betrayed by each other. You could even have Lana present as Lex's girlfriend.
Oh I get it: You're too manly for Superman movies. by Village Idiot	Mar 10th, 2005 01:29:42 PM
Sorry, didn't realize I was talking to Chuck Zito. Well, the frail feminine weakness of narrative depth aside, I think that even as a kid, A) you had to know that Flash wasn't in the freaking movie, B) that even if you did think he was literally spinning the Earth backwards (which he wasn't), you wouldn't let your childhood knowledge of tidal physics break the fantasy, and C) realize that even Superman deserves some downtime with his girlfriend. I mean come on. Still though, I think we can agree that the fight in the junkyard from SUPERMAN III was pretty cool, and we can even managed to see past the fact that if he were to split into Clark Kent and Superman, Clark Kent wouldn't have any powers and would have been dead in 2 seconds.
Remember when that sopranos mom died and they put CG on her ? by Rcamacho2278	Mar 10th, 2005 01:50:54 PM
That shit was horrible
Based on the powers of observation by Village Idiot	Mar 10th, 2005 02:18:02 PM
He's not spinning the world backwards, he's traveling back through time; to him (and to us) it'd appear that the Earth was moving backwards. Not that it needs to be, but this is even backed up by the DVD commentary. As for being stupid, yeah, you're right, Superman is probably just too stupid for you. Normally I'd suggest that you could lighten up a little bit and maybe try to have fun with it anyway, but you seem so bitter about it, I think you should give up the superhero genre, stay home and read Proust.
This just keeps getting weirder... by Childe Roland	Mar 10th, 2005 02:21:36 PM
...for me, because while I still love the original Superman, I have to once again agree with moviemack that the time-reversal ending was terrible. Thing is, I think that most of the movie portrayed Superman pretty much exactly as I always thought he'd be off of the comic page, so I dig the movie despite the shitty ending. I dug the look of the Fortress of Solitude, too, though. So I guess we'll have to call this "sort of agreement" on minor points and leave it at that. I may get flamed to hell and back for this, but I didn't care for much of Superman II except the fight scene in Metropolis. That was awesome. But the whole depowering/repowering sequence and the ridiculous powers Supes exhibited for the final showdown have rendered it pretty much unwatchable for me anymore (except for those few minutes of superbrawl in the middle - I'll stop whatever I'm doing to catch that). I've only seen III once and that was more than enough. Never even got all the way through IV, so it's easy to pretend it never happened. The more I think about it, there really isn't any reason for Singer to tiptoe around the cinematic legacy of Superman. Just make a movie that stands on its own merits and leave the past alone.
Weird... by Lost Skeleton	Mar 10th, 2005 02:30:25 PM
the only way this works is if this is a sequel to Superman I
Gee, that's funny, I thought I said... by Village Idiot	Mar 10th, 2005 02:56:49 PM
"Not that it needs to be, but this is even backed up by the DVD commentary." (I added emphasis just now so you'd see the important part.) The DVD wasn't my main point, my main point is that it was obvious through simple observation, which is why I said "Power of Observation" in the freaking title of my post. I know, I know...reading comprehension is a bitch for some people. As far as my Proust comment goes, you have to ask what it means, and then you go on to question my intelligence? Come on.
Google Search to the rescue by lynxpro	Mar 10th, 2005 03:30:42 PM
And the survey says for "Proust" is...______
by Darth Fart	Mar 10th, 2005 03:32:52 PM
Don't bother wasting your time villag idiot; these people don't understand classical film-making. Granted, going back in time isn't ideal but it works because of Chris Reeve.
Proof positive that fanboys will never be satisfied, so why try by Barry Egan	Mar 10th, 2005 03:50:08 PM
When a movie strays from the source material, the fanboys bitch about it. When the movie is too much like the original, they complain about a lack or imagination. Pick a point of view and go with it, for God's sake! I say fuck the fanboys. Who cares what they think.
What the f**k happened to Daniel Day-Lewis..? If they take Jor- by workshed	Mar 10th, 2005 03:58:43 PM

Soderbergh used old footage of Terrance Stamp very well in The L by abcdefz1	Mar 10th, 2005 04:08:23 PM
...that old footage from POOR COW was incorporated into The Limey really well, so let's not just flat-out assume something like this is impossible to do. I think the conext is wholly different, and Singer's reasons are probably vastly different than Soderbergh's, but let's not just start nay-saying just to feel plucky, all right?
Krypton needs new art direction by nexxus7	Mar 10th, 2005 04:11:51 PM
The cheap, crystal world set inside a soundstage ain't making it anymore. However, if there's not going to be any of that "interactive stuff we recorded 200 years ago to talk to you now", and it's basically just flashback stuff CGed up with cool city backgrounds, then it might work b/cuz you really don't need that much of krypton to go to the trouble and expense of hiring actors and shooting some new stuff if you've already got Brando in a can.
I imagine Singer's response... by Childe Roland	Mar 10th, 2005 04:38:32 PM
...to Barry Egan's "I say fuck the fanboys" suggestion would be: "Do you think we have time?" Just kidding. Even if Singer could stomach the idea of sleeping with your average fanboy (and let's face it, we aren't a comely bunch), I suspect our constant bitching would completely kill the mood.
Well, that's a relief... by SalvatoreGravano	Mar 10th, 2005 05:46:09 PM
...because when I read the title, I was sure it would be the same sort of idiocy and repulsive disrespect performed on Laurence Olivier by a certain twat in last year's can of frozen puke, "Sky Craptain".
the Movie Guy voice by lynxpro	Mar 10th, 2005 06:27:10 PM
Can you imagine the Movie Guy's voice reading off Brandon Routh's name in the trailer for this flick? Neither can I. It'll make as much of a thud in the theatres like the "and introducing Bridget Nielsen" line in the Red Sonja trailer ages ago. I guess that means Routh will hook up with Flavor Flav in twenty years. But in Flav's defense, he is a classically-trained pianist so there'd be at least one talented person in that duet. Ha! I kill me, in a Gordon Schumway way.
I feel sorry for all Superman fans. by one9deuce	Mar 10th, 2005 06:28:54 PM
But this movie's just not going to be great. X-Men and X2: X-Men United or very mediocre. I think that Bryan Singer gets a lot of praise for them because he didn't fuck them up, but they are certainly not classics. How do you get the great Superman film that we all want to see? Hire James Cameron. I just see Superman Returns as a train wreck waiting to happen. Honestly, I would have kind of liked to see Michael Bay's Superman. I don't think Bay is brilliant, but he would have brought an epic feel to the film that Singer won't.
Daniel Day Lewis!!! by Hoke Mosley	Mar 10th, 2005 09:28:47 PM
C'mon, Brando's outfit, as much as I love it, would never work on a ultra-realistic Singer version...
Terrible, terrible idea by rockgolf	Mar 11th, 2005 11:10:30 AM
a) Brando was absolutely terrible in the role of Jor-El. This guy was supposed to be the greatest scientist on the planet Krypton? I wouldn't hire him to sweep the floors of the lab! b) The '78 Superman movie sucked. Superman II sucked slightly less. They both treated Kal-El with the dignity of the '66 Batman series. Dumb villians. Dumb jokes. Juvenille characters. The pacing of a glacier. By the time the damn credits were over most movies these days would be into the second act. Why, why, why would you want to remind anyone of that?
ZOD owns you mutherfuckers!! by Spacesheik	Mar 11th, 2005 05:40:59 PM
KNEEL BEFORE HIM! KNEEL BEFORE ZOD!
Props to voicebox... by Childe Roland	Mar 11th, 2005 05:50:07 PM
...for making me imagine a very fat bald man in a crystal cave saying (in a very nasal voice) to some guy I don't recognize: "You aren't my son. You're an errand boy sent by grocery clerks to collect a bill." And why not Robert Duvall as Lex Luthor? "I love the smell of Kryptonite in the morning!" I know what I'm putting in my DVD player Sunday afternoon.
Why don't they just RE release Donner's SUPERMAN? by Gilkuliehe	Mar 11th, 2005 07:16:47 PM
It's pretty obvious now that Synger's Superman is just another vehicle to mister DONNER's evolving sensibility. At least fucking Van Sant changed ALL his actors in his PSYCHO.
Giku - Singer is doing the right thing by honoring Richard Donne by Spacesheik	Mar 12th, 2005 01:42:04 AM
or maybe you prefer that Alias writers version with Superman hitting the pavement like a basketball star or fighting babies or an alien luthor or krypton not exploding or giant robots in washington DC - damn man -- consider ourselved lucky that richard donner came into this with singer, very lucky --- you vcould have had a black suited superman with anxiety problems who doesnt fly (burton's version) etc etc -- this is as good as we gonna get - be thankful.
Spacesheik by cybertrent	Mar 15th, 2005 03:28:47 AM
This may be the best we get, but we could get better. Between recycling Donner's mediocre continuity, John Williams' admittedly legendary main theme, Marlon Brando's old performances, this whole thing reeks of desperation and a complete lack of original creative thought. Here's hoping somebody at WB sees the light, fires Singer and finds competent director. Or ANYBODY. I'd settle for Michael Bay at this point...

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