Superman Returns

This is not of review of the new movie. This is about nostalgia. When Lini and I watched the movie a few nights ago, she started to close her eyes within 10 minutes. Within 15 minutes, we could hear her light snoring (the movie was pretty quiet in the opening farm scenes). On the other hand, I was in paradise. I was transported back to the time when I was exactly the same age as the students I taught last year, i.e. 16 years old. Now I used to keep a diary when I was younger, and I dug up the pages a few months ago, to read was I was like in 1981, and also to try to understand my students better. And I came across this entry, dated 26 July 1981, written almost exactly 25 years ago in the small town of PJ. And I’m reading it again now. I think you will understand just what “Superman Returns” means to those who are watching it and yet old enough to have seen the original Reeve series in the cinemas. It’s not the merits of the new Superman movie that run through the mind of these viewers; it’s more like, time stood still and they are back in that innocent era when the world was full of possibilities because they hadn’t yet boxed themselves in with a career, a mortgage and a destiny.

“26 July 1981: Went to see ‘Superman II’ at 3.15 in (sic) Sentosa. Had to queue up. Still the show was worth it. Super magic. Only complain was the show was cut at regular intervals by 8 blackouts. Audiences shouted and screamed. This affected the flow and continuity of the story & it bugged me. Hence, I didn’t enjoy the film to its fullest extend.
Had there been no blackouts, it would have been a good story. Not entirely believable but nevertheless beautiful. Beautiful music. Beautiful effects & colour. Beautiful Christopher Reeve. In fact, I can’t think of a scene that was unnecessary, to the story that is. It was overall well composed and edited.
For me, the most memorable scenes were those that involved the 3 villians (sic).
1) The fight between Superman and Non under the city of Metropolis which resulted in Non being flung out of a manhole up towards and through a building.
2) Ursa flying over an astronaut to land in front of him.
3) Non, Urza & Zod breaking free from the Phantom Zone.
4) Zod walking on water.
Of course there were a lot of less believable parts.
1) Army closing on the 3 villians (sic) in non battle formation.
2) Lois Lane slipping into “something more comfortable” in the artic coldness.
3) Luthor being able to obtain projecting gadgets in prison.
4) Luthor being able to find the Fortress of Solitude.
5) Snake being able to bite Ursa when Lois hurt her hand punching her.
6) Superman conquest over the villains in the Fortress of Solitude, i.e. how did he know he was going to talk Luthor into double crossing him? How is it that the villains didn’t feel or suspect their powers draining away from them?
7) And others… etc.
But who cares about logic when there is action, story & fun?
Things have changed though.
This is the 80s.
Superman goes to bed with Lois Lane.
Lois Lane smokes!
Marlboro truck is crashed by Superman.
All in all, 100% entertainment with capital E.”

“Superman Returns” was conceived as a continuation from “Superman II”. That’s part of its problem, because it has failed to update the franchise. It’s still the unambiguous, light-hearted, 2-dimensional, long-drawn movie from 25 years ago, but without the dash and fun. And Lois Lane is still trying to smoke. But in being reverential to Christopher Reeve, it served up a whole lot of flashbacks for those who now missed those golly jolly days.

Chup