Random Coolness from Superman: The Movie (Part One)

As I've said before in previous Random Coolness posts, even though much of the comic book reading experience is about the "Big Stuff", I continue to insist that some of the coolest things in comics are minor elements and small details that have stuck with me over the years.

The same principal applies to movies, especially movies that are as familiar and close to my heart as Superman: The Movie. I don't have an exact count, but it's safe to say I've seen the movie dozens and dozens of times...so with that many viewings, I've found that it's often the smaller, more subtle moments that maintain its lasting appeal for me.  Oh, I still enjoy the major "milepost" scenes of the movie, such as Jor-El's speech to baby Kal-El, the helicopter catch, and the earthquake rescues...but there's something about the little details that really "push my buttons" and sustain my interest. 

It's from this perspective that I wanted to discuss Superman: The Movie. From the beginning of my Superman@70 month I'd planned to cover the movie (it would be criminally negligent of me NOT to), but I didn't want it to be just another rehash of the big picture stuff.  Instead, let's take a look at the first twelve of twenty-five Randomly Cool elements from Superman: The Movie.

1. The Comic Book: Not exactly an obscure moment (it is the opening scene, after all), but I can't emphasize enough how brilliant this sequence is. Instead of shying away from Superman's quaint beginnings, the movie embraces them from literally the first frame...which was actually quite a brave thing to do during the anti-establishment fervor of 1970's cinema. The narration of a child earnestly reading a Golden Age comic book instantly brought the audience into a place free from the era's fashionable cynicism and into the realm of innocence, hope and the promise of high adventure.

2.  The S: You know a movie is great when even the opening credits are entertaining. Set against John Williams' perfect score (and I do mean "perfect"), the cosmic journey from Depression-era Earth to Krypton never, ever gets old for me, despite some of the rather dated "space travel" effects. Beginning the journey with a major "wow" factor was the brilliant red of Superman's S-shield accompanied by a hissing blast of power-sound. Disappointingly, the revised sound mix of the DVD version of the movie diminishes the explosive punch of the S when it first appears.  Thankfully I transferred my original VHS version to DVD, so I can continue to savor the original sound mix of this moment.

3. The Temptation of Jor-El: The older I get, the more I appreciate the opening scene of Jor-El presiding over the sentencing of General Zod and his gang.  Throughout the formalized dialog, there's an unspoken backstory between Jor-El and Zod hinted at through the eyes, faces, and body language of the actors. When Jor-El submits the final "guilty" vote, Zod tries to escape his fate by tempting Jor-El to join him. Jor-El's answer is to slowly walk away...turning Zod's measured appeal for collaboration into a raging torrent of threats. Through it all, Jor-El continues to walk into the surrounding shadows...which (to me) symbolize his own morally ambiguous position within Krypton's ruling class. Was he tempted to take control of Krypton from its clueless Science Council, though perhaps not in the way Zod would? This scene certainly makes me wonder.

4.  Jor-El Alone: In another great bit of symbolism, an unpersuaded Science Council has adjourned their meeting and left Jor-El standing alone, with no support for his warnings of Krypton's impending destruction. This scene establishes a theme of solitude and isolation that will continue to surface throughout the movie.

I have to add how much I appreciate the movie's concept of Science Council members wearing a unique family crest or symbol on their robes. When I first saw the film, I thought it strange that Jor-El would wear an "S" symbol, but seen in the context of it being a Kryptonian design that just happens to look like an "S", it brings a whole new dimension to the fictional Kryptonian society, and a refreshing break from the Flash Gordon and Buck Rogers template still being used in the comics. It also helped explain why Superman would wear the symbol on his costume in the first place, since most modest mid-western boys would never think to call themselves "Superman". Instead, it was the symbol of the El family that Kal-El wore on his action togs...leaving the invention of the "Superman" moniker to the members of the press (Lois Lane to be specific). Very elegant and inventive.

5. "He will never be alone.": As a counterpoint to the previous image, Jor-El reassures his wife Lara that their Earth-bound son "...will not be alone. He will never be alone." Anyone who's seen the movie knows that Jor-El will essentially "live on" through the Kryptonian super-science of the crystals, so there's some very literal foreshadowing going on here. Shading the meaning a bit more may be Jor-El thinking about his own solitude (see #4) and how he's determined to prevent that for sonny boy.

6. Horror: In the comic book depictions of Krypton's destruction, the typical approaches were either (A) shots of buildings tumbling down or (B) a long shot of the entire planet exploding. Largely absent from those approaches were the people of Krypton, so the horror and enormity of what was happening was somewhat muted. That's why the shots of screaming Kryptonians falling into fiery chasms were so powerful and haunting. At that point, you realize the sound of Krypton's destruction wasn't so much the planet exploding, but the helpless, agonized death-cries of its people.

7.  Pa's Lil' Helper: In stark contrast to the horror of Krypton's demise was Kal-El's first meeting with a flabbergasted Ma and Pa Kent. A perfectly-cast Phyllis Thaxter and Glenn Ford are never pushed to sound like the corn-pone parodies that often pop up in the comic books and, instead, convey all the good-hearted dignity the roles demanded. Capping off the heartwarming sequence is little Clark's attempt to help out his kindly adopted parents by hoisting up the back of their pickup truck. The sweet look Clark's face is priceless, despite the "actor's" very young age.

8.  Double Dust Clouds: Although Clark's goofy run alongside a train was a complete miss for me, a much more subtle depiction of Clark's super speed quickly made up for it. As the car carrying Lana, Brad, and the rest of the popular crowd turns down a dusty country road, far in the distance and to the right is the smaller (and much faster) dust cloud of Clark himself.

9.  Closing the Gate: Although the entire funeral scene of Jonathan Kent is quite moving, the final shot's sweeping camera work and film score pack an extra powerful emotional punch.  Listen carefully for the solemn toll of a church bell during the coda.

10. Opening the Doors:  After the cemetery gates close a major chapter of Clark's life, another set of doors opens a new one.  Awakened by the "calling" of the Green Crystal (accompanied by a return of the ghostly Krypton chorus), Clark opens the doors of the barn against the early dawn sky. At this point, the very "grounded" feel of the Smallville portion of the film begins to take on a more mythic tone, with dark and very dramatic camera shots like this one foreshadowing the amazing life awaiting Clark.

11. Leaving Home: Opening the most touching scene of the entire movie is this beautiful shot of Ma Kent walking out to a contemplative Clark (you can even see her trail through the Wyeth-like wheat field).

12. Always Remember: Ma Kent's parting words to Clark never fail to pull my heartstrings. Sensing her son's larger-than-life destiny, a heartbroken Ma implores Clark to "Remember, son. Always remember."

Excuse me. I-I think I've got something in my eye (sniff).

That does it for Part One of Random Coolness from Superman: The Movie.  Stay tuned for Part Two! 

In the meantime, what are some of your Randomly Cool elements from these sections of the movie? (Let's try holding off talking about later sections until Part 2)

Comments

[suedenim]

Incidentally, what is the comic pictured in #1? Is an actual Superman comic book depicted there, or is it something put together by the movie's art directors?

[Mark Engblom]

"Is an actual Superman comic book depicted there, or is it something put together by the movie's art directors?"

I don't believe it's based an any actual cover or interior story of Action Comics. It looks to be a mock-up made by the movie folks....although it certainly did a good job of approximating a Golden Age comic book.

[felgekarp]

Such a good film, I'm looking forward to part 2 on this.

[Siskoid]

I'll admit to never being any real fan of the Superman movies, but you have at least made me want to revisit that opinion on the first one at least.

"You've got me? Who's got you?!"

[Mark Engblom]

Well, I have NO use for Superman III and IV, and Superman II hasn't held up very well for me...so I'm definitely a "Superman: The Movie" guy and not much else from that series of movies. Even the first movie has its almost unwatchable parts, chief among them anything with the campy Lex Luthor and his two Unamusing Idiots (who, needless to say, won't get much face time in Part 2).

[ShadowWing Tronix]

I'm one of the few people who liked Superman 3. (Or perhaps the only one.) It was nice to have one Superman movie without Luthor, and it was a fun movie if your of the right mindset. (I happen to be.) Using someone else from the Rogues Gallery would have been a better idea, though.

The only think I don't like about the Superman movie is the rediculous way Superman saves Lois (was Jimmy there?) by spinning around the globe and turning back time. Does this mean the other missile still hits Luthor's girlfriend's mom? Or did they just do a poor job of showing that Superman travels back in time to rescue Lois?

[Mark. Engblom]

" It was nice to have one Superman movie without Luthor, and it was a fun movie if your of the right mindset."

I agree that it was great to have a Luthor-free Superman movie. I was pretty disappointed that "Superman Returns" once again featured Luthor (and once again toting around a ditzy girlfriend)....so yeah, no Luthor in Superman III was a good thing. I also liked some of the Lana Lang stuff and aspects of the Evil Superman subplot (which went too campy for my tastes), but at the end of the day, the movie was essentially a Richard Pryor vehicle that made Superman look like a second banana.

"Or did they just do a poor job of showing that Superman travels back in time to rescue Lois?"

I'm not sure what they were trying to communicate with that sequence. In my own mind, I tend to spin it as some sort of time-travel stunt of Superman's that didn't reverse time so much as open a pathway for him to alter history (by presumably catching the second missile off camera). Yeah, that's not at all what was implied, but hey...we all have our ways of making that dreadful idea go down a bit less sour.

[De]

Thankfully I transferred my original VHS version to DVD, so I can continue to savor the original sound mix of this moment.

This is why I still keep my laserdisc copy of the film. Two-channel stereo really is the way the film should be experienced in my not so humble opinion.

As for my Randomly Cool elements from these sections of the film, it's easily the cemetary scene hands down. Clark's guilt for not being able to save Jonathan never fails to make me misty-eyed.

[Fred]

Another cool bit was that Chris Reeve did the voice of young Clark, linking Jeff East's portrayal with Reeve's in a concrete way.

But I was impressed with the "outrunning the train" sequence... when I first saw it in the theater in 1978, I got goosebumps and my eyes watered. Why, I don't know, but it was just the shee exhilaration he showed while doing it that got me.

Like you, the scene of Ma saying goodbye on the wheat field always chokes me up.

When he is awakened in the middle of the night by the call of the crystal, the eerie feeling is enhanced by the radio messing up as if the signal is tech in nature and not psychic... it's a signal that only his senses can pick up.

[Mark Engblom]

"Another cool bit was that Chris Reeve did the voice of young Clark, linking Jeff East's portrayal with Reeve's in a concrete way."

I kinda wished they'd just used poor Jeff East's voice. Bad enough the guy had to wear that waxy-looking wig and a fake nose...recording over his voice just seemed needlessly fussy on Donner's part. I think most people would have been able to make the connection between young Clark and "Metropolis Clark".

"But I was impressed with the "outrunning the train" sequence..."

I still remember people in the theatre laughing at the running effect. I think the idea behind it was sound, but due to the technical limitations of the time, they just weren't able to pull it off.

"When he is awakened in the middle of the night by the call of the crystal, the eerie feeling is enhanced by the radio messing up as if the signal is tech in nature and not psychic... it's a signal that only his senses can pick up. "

Great observation, Fred! I hadn't thought of Clark's super-senses picking up on the crystal's vibes. Makes sense!

[Kyle]

One of the things I remember loving about the post-burial part of the movie was the scene you mentioned when Ma Kent headed out to talk to Clark in the wheat field. I remember it sticking out in my mind that there was only one trail showing through the wheat.

[John]

Did you ever make a Part 2 ?