Superman Returns

[JOE SOAP]

>and I stand by my assertion that people who can't think of a reason to include the words "and the American Way" at the end of the words "truth, justice" shouldn't be writing a Superman story.

I don't think the words "the american way" have the same meaning they once had for the world anymore.

[Leigh S]

Richie HAvens does a great little monologue about "truth, Justice and the American Way" - he pinpoints its origin to the 50s TV show rather than the comics - is that true?

[The Amstor Computer]

AFAIK, yes.

[Leigh S]

"So they put him on TV - that was really to mess us up.  superman on Television - they had a fat man play him; destroy the image, that was the name of the game. They forget the curl...
Then they proceeded to tell us in the dialogue exactly how it was on the Earth where Superman now lived:  

"and who disguised as Clark Kent, fights the never ending battle for Truth, Justice...and the American Way?"  I always thought Truth and Justive WAS the American way."

[House of Usher]

Just got back from seeing it tonight. Boring. Slow. Ugly. Rubbish. A really terrible movie. No colour - all yellow ochre and battleship grey.

I was excited for the first 10 minutes. I really enjoyed the title sequence and the old theme music, and I hoped we might even catch a glimpse of other DC worlds, like Apokolips or War World.

Then when we saw Lex Luthor inside the Fortress of Solitude, which was all colourless and grim, I could see the film was going in a direction I didn't want to follow it.

Boooooooooo!!!!!!!!!

[Floyd-the-k]

Quite agree Art. Superman's Jesus moment was meaningless. He just got really tired and hovered a bit in a Christ-like pose. Who knows, maybe that's the optimum Kryptonian 'taking a breather' position

[House of Usher]

My toaster from the Cyberstein thread can be seen in the background in Lois Lane's kitchen. The design is called Metropolis...http://shop.com.edgesuite.net/ccimg.shop.com/220000/226700/226778/products/19942282.jpg">

[Bico]

'I don't think the words "the american way" have the same meaning they once had for the world anymore.

Does a story about an alien in red latex underpants and a cape throwing islands into space really need to be bogged down by real-world American politics?
If you can't put a spin on the *idea* of the American Way as a metaphor for democracy and equality under the law, then you shouldn't be writing fiction.  It's like changing the Star Trek opening monologue from "where no MAN has gone before" to "where no ONE has gone before", in that it changes a componant of popular culture to fit the politics of the era surrounding it, but for no good reason beyond that seems the done thing.  Are the words "where no MAN has gone before" actually sexist?  Did they actually need changing in the first place?
Ditto the American Way.  And I can't shake the feeling  that slagging off Americans is just a culturally-acceptable analogue for racism.