The ****** parable will always be a sound basis for a good story, but in the case of Superman a lot will depend on the telling.
I too question whether Nolan is the right guy for the job (whatever his job is exactly; I'm still a bit fuzzy on that one), but he's clearly a smart, talented fellow, with a proven track record, and I can understand why Warners would be willing to invest in that talent. I mean, it ain't like they have a lot to pick from these days.
Or maybe I'm just getting old.
I'm right next to you, Carson - counting the candlesticks on the cake - but
Let's take a look at the 70's Superman - When Reeve says "I'm here to fight for truth, Justice and the American Way" Margot Kidder answers that with "You're going to end up battling every official in the country". The climate in the air of 78 was as think with corporate greed, presidential mistakes, Vietnam ended only two years earlier, blackouts, gas crisis, cocaine traffic, Jonestown - and they still made it work. People love champions - always have, always will. Not only that, it's in us to look for someone who seems to have THE answer - or solution. A man who flies and puts the world before himself is just something we all want because most of us had someone in our family who did it for us as children - . well, minus the flying part -- unless you are from a wicked cool family
Now, I am right there with the idea of Superman needing to be a period piece - in fact as some of you know, I was at the start gate to write just that for Warner - my deal was being worked out right when Singer stepped in and said he wanted to do his version. i sat down with the powers that be - they heard me, then heard Singer and went with the guy who had a track record with Superhero movies, thinking - "Hey, he did X-Men, he's going to make us a great Superman movie. uh-huh.
I did get calls later that week of people who wanted me to write the script anyway, in case Singer went the way of the other directors who never crossed the finish line - but seeing how they wouldn't pay me for it - my agent refused and I went to work on something else.
When I pitched it was a high ladder I had to climb - I think I went in 4 times before I started seeing the big boys - and believe me - when I pitched it to them, they were as excited as can be. I told them, this is what you need to separate Superman from Batman. Superman belongs in a time when legends walked the earth - men who you hear about today who seemed to do no wrong and shape the world in a positive way. Superman represents the idea of what America can be - not what it is. It's how the immigrants saw our country - a place where you can be and do anything if you believe. And if you ever want to cross the two, Superman can be in his golden years arguing old values with Batman. They loved that too. As i left the room i could hear them talking amongst each other saying "how about Jim Cavizel - he played *****, this is just ***** with a cape". A girl was sitting on the couch talking to her boss about Terry O Quinn and how they had just met with him and he wanted to be in a Superhero movie.
i agree with you on Nolan. Nolan is terrific and smart . I am a fan. I just think him doing Superman is a bad idea.
