Summer Fun: Movies: 'Superman' is definitely a summer kind of flick, but is protagonist a Christ figure, NY Jew, yuppie, nerd?

In Leaf-Chronicle out of Clarksville, Kentucky, columnist George Pogue is prepping for the arrival of Superman Returns – a film thematic which, after no vistations over the last 19 years, will suddenly glam-land in movie theatres today. Pogue notes how "Superman has assumed many guises over years" (Jun25,2k6). His point is well-taken, but frayed at the edges. I liked his lead vignette, but found it crudely put, with no ins+t to the literary-critical concept of a Christ-figure in Western lit (he should read Northrop Frye and a host of others). But:

Superman as Christ: "Superman Returns" is said to be a Christian allegory. Time critic Richard Corliss writes that the movie "emphasizes his divinity. He is not a super man; he is a god (Kal-El), sent by his heavenly father (Jor-El) to protect Earth. This is a mission that takes more than muscle; it requires sacrifice, perhaps of his own life. So he is no simple comic-book hunk. He is Earth's savior: Jesus Christ Superman."

Thanks, Mr Corliss. Pogue goes on to discuss next "Superman as Jewish," utterly ignoring that a Christ figure is a Jewish figure of kinsman-redeemer r+t out of the Hebrew Bible; the Tenach teaches that God sent his Son to save the world. But, we can't fawlt Pogue for trying to lay out Rabbi Simcha Weinstein's fawlty hypothesis that that the comic-book character is "a nebbish Jews" from New York. I agree with Pogue here that really it's Spiderman who better fits this characterization. Then, suddenly the columnist lands us in a rich payload of pop culture:

Fewer have noted the irony of Jews creating a character embodying the Nietzchean idea of a superman — a concept taken to heart by Adolf Hitler. I think Siegel and Shuster enjoyed standing this concept on its head and feeding it back to the people who turned "superman" into code for racial superiority. In a 1940 story, Superman grabs Hitler by the throat and declares: "I'd like to land a strictly non-Aryan sock on your jaw!"

From there Pogue whirls on a too-quick tour of Superman as Yuppie, as Social Reformer, as Boyscout, as Defender of the Status Quo; and the of Superman as the Revenge of the Nerds. His column's worth reading.

Examining the semiotics of this Associated Press photo, we note a variation on classical Greek statuary in nearly the same stance, and of Michaelangelo's David, all three being statements of an ideal male human presence (visual excellence of the form of a man); whereas, reverting to the earlier theme, Scripture says that the Saviour is without form and void; that is, he was without "comeliness" that we would desire him - which I don't take as directly an erotic or anti-erotic issue. Again, Superman is presented as a Christ figure who is not Christ precisely because he is stanced as an idealization and otherwise presented as an emobdiemnt of visual excellence of the male form, in accord with Classical Greek heritage of sculpture which Christians too inherited. Once more, if you haven't got it yet: a literary or movie Christ figure = Christ. A Christ figure is a character-as-metaphor; a fictional character who may have similarities to, but also differences from who/what is metaphorized.

Some days back in FoxNews 411 email newsletter (Jun23,2k6), Roger Friedman brawt the several elements of Superman discernment home to me:

Bryan Singer's Superman Returns got its big press airing last night in multiple screenings. Even though Warner Bros. has been keen to flack positive reviews from the trades and the newsweeklies, there’s a lot more to say about this $300 million epic that opens next Wednesday [today].

For one thing, I don't know why in the world this edition of Superman was adopted by the gay community. Director Singer is gay, and his point of view comes across fairly often, but neither Superman the character nor his new portrayer, Brandon Routh, seem especially sexual in any direction. Singer seems more interested in creating a Christ-like icon out of Superman, which is certainly unique.

Summertime Movies, by Anaximaximum:

But Superman, aka Clark Kent in Superman Returns is just as much of a dork as he was in the first two films that starred Christopher Reeve and were directed by Richard Donner.

The early revelation that Lois Lane has a child the same age as the amount of time he’s been away makes absolutely no visible impact on Clark. If he ever slept with Lois in Superman II, he seems either to have forgotten or not realized the consequences.

The one thing Routh has going for him is that he looks a lot like Chris Reeve. Other than that, his acting hasn’t changed much since his short, cardboard-like stint on One Life to Live.

Singer is content with using him as sort of a prop, and moving everyone else around him. It’s not that Routh is bad or embarrasses himself. He does neither. But dynamic is not a word that comes to mind, either.

Apparently jumping the guns a wee bit, showings in theatres seemed to have started in the late evening Tuesday, so a later dispatch from Friedman (Jun27,2k6) is already busy measuring box-office impact, and the competition.

Superman Debut: Will $300 Million Epic Fly?

Superman Returns debuts tonight around the country with special 10 p.m. and midnight shows at all its theaters.

Warner Bros., which has high hopes for the $300 million epic, will be able to tell in just a few hours how things will fare for the "Man of Steel" in his latest go-round, thanks to director Bryan Singer.

And while the juries are still technically out, here are some things to chew on: As of last night, Moviefone, which measures interest in all current releases, listed Superman Returns second to Adam Sandler’s Click.

The Sandler film grossed a huge amount over the weekend, $40 million, so its listing could be a carryover from that enthusiasm. Still, Warner Bros. would have hoped for SR to be listed at No. 1 by Moviefone fans.

Also, according to Moviefone.com, none of the “early” shows tonight have sold out. And none of the regular shows scheduled for Wednesday, the real opening day, have sold out either. By now, a real phenomenon of a film would likely have at least one or two shows crossed off on Moviefone, indicating an impending monsoon of fans.

Of course, that’s New York. In Hollywood, two shows are sold out for tonight — one at Mann’s Chinese Theater and the other at The Grove.

Now the real measure of the success of Superman Returns won’t come until Friday night, when the July 4 weekend begins. Even if it has a rocky opening from tonight through Thursday, the weekend is clear for what should be a $25 million per day stand.

Superman Returns has competition only from Click and the Meryl Streep chick-flick comedy, The Devil Wears Prada. With all the other summer blockbusters old news by now, SR has every chance to leap tall buildings at a single bound.

And a good time was had by all.

Further Resources:

Warner Bros.'Superman Returns' adsite photos/downloads
Adam Sandler's 'Click' reviewed in WaPo

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