Christopher Nolan has elevated the idea of a super hero film to heights previously unimaginable. His batman films are peppered with ambiguity, real emotions, and deep riddles about the human condition. Batman is no doubt one of the darker sides of all of comics and arguably the most beloved comic book character of all time. 
But arguably the most iconic comic book superhero of all time is 
Superman.I love Batman as a character for all of his scars and human complexity the way I love Travis Bickle
from "The Taxi Driver" as being a completely raw genuine human flawed character and as Nolan's newest epic film trilogy dubbed "The Dark Knight Trilogy" 
showed us that Batman is truly a broken tragic man searching for meaning in a lonely existence, 'god's lonely man', that he always has been in the comics and has always been touched upon in the films, even in the classic Burton films. 
But Batman is embraced because he represents that old cliche that makes sense in our world 'how much can just one man accomplish'. Superman represents wholly something different.
Superman for me of course has echos with the Moses and Jesus stories. Echos of being an outcast, an orphan (just like Batman), an immigrant, and an American. But I do not love the character for misplaced patriotism, the echos of religion, greek myth, or some misplaced form of idealism. I love this character because I am human. And because I am human, I dream.
"The moment you doubt whether you can fly, you cease to forever be able to do it" - J.M. Barrie ~ Peter Pan
As good as most Batman stories are none of them that I've ever seen have that sense of whimsy that to me belong in fairy tales but has always belonged in "Superman" just a little grain that has kept me glued to something more, something beyond what a man represents, something beyond what a man can even be. A symbol, and echo, a poem, a thimble, a kiss and as most people remember this scene
in "Superman 1978" it will always remind me of Wendy and Peter; forever fighting and forever in love.When you dream ? Have you ever dreamed of flying ? Unguided and not gliding ?
Superman doesn't represent the human condition, he represents human dreams.
And while a lot of people think "Superman Returns" wasn't the "Superman" they were looking for. Here's hoping that somewhere between Zack Snyder's visual sense
and Christopher Nolan's 
sense of storytelling. There is bound to be something worth seeing in "Man of Steel"
It is standing on the shoulders of giants. And giants of expectation. But judging by the trailer it is trying to be it's own thing and not follow in the footsteps of a major giant whose very memory is imprinted on almost all film lovers.
Man of Steel still has quite a legacy to live up to.
"I'm not living the life I thought I would lead, but it does have meaning, purpose. there is love ... there is joy ... there is laughter. - Christopher Reeve
"Kingdom Come" is dedicated to Christopher Reeve. The only man who made you believe a man could fly.
And I rarely see Batman smile.
It's really fascinating to me the disconnect between the public's vision of Superman and the reality of Superman. We all see him as the original superhero who has always been and will probably always be, but it's also true that writers have struggled for 70-something years to make him consistently interesting. The guy's got so much weird shit in his history. I mean, look at Mr. Mxysptlk, for criminy's sake.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, all that to say, I'm much more excited about "Man of Steel" than I was for "DKR."
:) I agree
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