Truth, justice, and…all that stuff
Sat 1 Jul 2006Is it just me or is it disturbing that Bryan Singer and company have changed Superman’s 70+ year old slogan “Truth, Justice, and the American Way” to the moronic and postmodern version in this post’s title. In the screenwriters’ own words:
SUPERMAN’S motto, “Truth, justice and the American way,†has been rewritten in the new “Superman Returns†to “Truth, justice and . . . all that stuff.†Jeannie Wolf reports on Movies.com that screenwriters Mike Dougherty and Dan Harris wanted to avoid outdated jingoism. Dan: “I don’t think ‘the American way’ means what it meant in 1945.†Mike: “He’s not just for Metropolis and not just for America.†Dan: “He’s an alien, from Krypton; he has come to Earth to be kind of a savior for this world, not our country . . . And he has no papers.†Mike: “What would happen with the immigration laws we have now?†Dan: “I’d like to see someone kick him out!â€
These are the same types of people (I know because I work with them all the time) who will turn around and say things like, “It’s just a movie,” when things get contraversial. It makes me sick when every film has to have a political commentary. If anything should be pure entertainment, it should be Superman. Politically-infused entertainment is as transparent as oxygen-infused water. It’s sophomoric and I don’t buy it. I’m getting very tired of the arrogance of writers like these (and studio executives), who just don’t understand the intelligence or values of their audience.
You can buy the rights to Superman’s iconography. You can use computers to make larger-than-life scenarios play out on the screen. But, like most post-modern art and culture, it doesn’t mean anything. Not after being stripped of the core values that made Jerry Siegel’s and Joe Schuster’s character great.
Political correctness is kryptonite. Resist it before it kills us all.
“Truth, Justice, and All That Stuff”
With the release of “Superman Returns” the movie at worst would insult and at the least be an irritant to many of the fans by the phrase, “Truth, Justice, and All that stuff”. The suspicion is that “The American Way” was not used as to increase overseas sales. Although in the space alien movie “Independence Day” the “Spiderman” movies, and the Christopher Reeve Superman movies, the American ethos was very clear. Did the flag waving hurt their sales? I think not.
I believe those in Hollywood think using “American Way” symbolizes America’s worst. Our over-consumption, or maybe our alleged exploitation of natural resources. Some may even think that the U.S. has imperialistic tendencies. And I admit, we are a fallen people but “American Way” never was meant to be used for moral superiority, or to be used jingoistically.
“American Way” applies to the Charters of Freedom. The Declaration of Independence and our Constitution, specifically the Bill of Rights. Hollywood may not know this, but the millions of people risking their lives to come into this country know exactly what they are looking for. Is it “Brazil’s Way”? Is it “Europe’s Way”? Is it “China’s Way”?
I want to be fair. I like to see national pride in movies even if it’s not my nation. Can you imagine James Bond not being part of “Her Majesty’s Secret Service’?
John Philip Sousa’s, “Stars and Stripes Forever” is considered our unofficial national anthem. I submit that Superman is our unofficial American Flag. Superman is a fictional American immigrant that stands for everything that is good in our country. The human condition desires truth, and justice. And yes, the American Way. Just ask your local immigrant.
Juan Oskar Maynes said this on July 26th, 2006 at 12:45 pm
IS SUPERMAN GAY?
One mechanism we have been summon ourselves throughout this “is Superman gay? why is this toleration so much media kindness, including ours? No one ever put forward that Superman is in fact gay, including The Advocate news in their prime commentary, so are we just talking nearly his vest? All the media press approaching the issue has been so equivocal that it smacks of a positive tour de force. We believe that if Warner Brothers requests to start a real “gay Superman” polemic, they ought to arrange some meat for the version.
superman-tattoo-pics said this on December 12th, 2006 at 4:06 pm