Theater Thursday

Theater Thursday

On this rainy Friday morning, it's Theater Thursday. Because I ain't posted nuthin' this week....

Week 7 - Superheroes
Ok, this is the week a lot of you have been waiting on. Spiderman 2 opens, and the web-slinger (who in reality would have no shot at Kirsten Dunst) swings back into action against the evil Doc Ock. This week, our questions are about those quintessentially misunderstood, ill-treated, feared and respected champions of truth, justice and the Spandex Way: the Superheroes.

1) All right, have it out. What is the all-time greatest superhero movie?

Batman: Mask of the Phantasm. It's the most faithful to what Batman is. It's animated, so nobody was worried about making action figures, or getting a huge movie star to play the villain; the story was the most important thing. It's a nice noir-ish detective/superhero story, and if you haven't seen it, you might do yourself the favor.

Second's a tie, I think. Unbreakable's a cool story. And it's not a superhero story in the traditional sense. I like it a lot. I appreciate that everything ties together within the framework of the movie.

I'm a sucker for Superman II, mainly for Superman/Clark giving up the Superman mantle for Lois. I really love the scene where Lois confronts Clark about being Superman. Watch Christopher Reeve's eyes. It's not just the posture and demeanor when he finally admits to himself Lois knows. When Reeve goes from Clark to Superman, his eyes change just a little. It's not much, but I enjoy that. I also like that one for Terrence Stamp as General Zod just camping it up as the evil nobleman general/genius/superman.

I also appreciate the first Tim Burton Batman movie. For a lot of the same reasons as above. I like Jack Nicholson's Joker. He's camping it up too, but I always enjoy it. (This town needs an enema!) I always laugh when Batman's screwed up the Joker's plans, the Joker calmly asks for Bob the Goon's gun, and then shoots Bob the Goon with it.

None of the Batman movies focuses enough, for my money, on the torture that Bruce Wayne is going through/puts himself through. But at least this one shows through Michael Keaton that this Batman's haunted and a little tormented by the lonely life of the vigilante.

I also enjoy The Specials, and Bryan Singer did a pretty good job with his X-Men movies.

2) What superhero movie has not been made that you'd like to see? Which existing one would you have redone from scratch?

I can't think of any new ones I need to see, but I was soooo disappointed in the Affleck Daredevil movie. I mean, not that I expected great things from the movie, but because I enjoyed the Daredevil character so much in the comics.

3) What qualities would be necessary to elevate a superhero movie from a simple action film to a memorable motion picture? Is it possible?

There are a few things. I think the quality of your villain is important. A superhero movie is really as only as good as the villain will let it be. It won't necessarily make the movie, but it can hurt it badly. Jack Nicholson's Joker in the Batman movie vs. Batman is a good dynamic, because they had that whole "you made me" thing going on.
If it's generic, like Dolph Lundgren in Superman 4, it kind of makes for a generic movie.

I like a hero who makes sacrifices. You kind of see the torment and loneliness of a Superman, in the first couple of Christopher Reeve movies. There are the briefest of glimpses that Bruce Wayne might be a little f'ed up in his Batman movies. Daredevil is like the hard luck kid in the comics, and one of the constant themes in the comics is sacrifice and even martyrdom in the name of the greater good. The MTV-ization of that movie kind of glosses that over.

And personally, I like a superhero movie to be at least a little fun, too. The Hulk's not necessarily a superhero movie, but it comes to mind as being tangentially related as it's a comic movie. Hulk was one of the least fun movies I've seen in a long, long time. I like a hero who sacrifices, or is tormented. But I don't want to be bludgeoned to death with it for an hour before Bruce Banner even becomes the Hulk.

As for what separates it from an action movie? For a lot of people, the distinction's never going to be made. But for me, I think it takes the Superhero being better than the average joe, physically, intellectually or technologically, but tormented by similar, if not worse demons.

I think it takes a quality villain, one whose motivations have a twinge of logic. The Joker was made by the Batman. I never cared for the Gene Hackman/Luthor wanting to be The Greatest Criminal Mind in the World. I mean, at least on the Superfriends, Luthor hated Superman because Luthor believed Superman caused the accident which made him go bald. I could buy Hackman's Luthor, but it took an effort on my part. And generally, I'll accept a lot of what's on the screen without bitching too much.

I don't think it means guys and gals in costumes. I don't think it necessarily means secret identities. Or secret lairs or utility belts or spider-senses. Necessarily.

BONUS) Most superhero movies take place in a more-or-less realistic modern world. If a superhero actually appeared in your city today and started fighting crime, what would be the actual public reaction?

In our celebrity worshipping culture, I think the public reaction would be largely good.

In my town, well...the biggest crime's probably people stealing out of the pharmacies. I don't think we need a superhero.

Don't forget to put your name and website in the comments section, and remember:

And remember, EXCELSIOR!