Super International Man

The Hollywood Reporter.

Apologism from the Al Qaeda Intelligence Service.

What Would Tyler Durden Do had this a couple of days ago, as did the Influence Peddler.

I didn't link any of this because, to me, it was like Berkeley voting to impeach Bush. Sort of a dog bites man. What did you expect? It's a bunch of very anti-American Hollywood art-fags* who are uncomfortable with patriotism. And who, in fact, despise anyone who is remotely patriotic.

But a lot of people want to discuss it, so here.

Thanks to Roy for the AQIS tip. Thanks to whole bunches of people for mentioning the basic story.

* Yeah, Bryan Singer is gay, but that's not really what I mean by "art-fag."

Thumb In The Eye: It occurs to me that this was a deliberate provocation, or at least a deliberate attempt to make Superman repudiate America.

I know, big deduction: the writers say as much.

But I guess my point is that there was no need to have this line in the film at all. I don't remember it from the various Superman movies; it's a hard bit of dialogue to work in, isn't it? It began as a narrator's exposition about Superman; it's hard to actually work in Superman declaring he fights for truth, justice, and the American way, isn't it? Even if one agrees with the sentiment, and conceives as Superman fighting for those goals, it's a bit... well, bombastic. Usually heroes aren't so immodest. Even the godlike ones.

So, if the writers didn't like the line, there was an obvious way to avoid it: Just don't include it. No one would have missed it.

But they spoofed the line in a not terribly funny break-the-fourth-wall sort of joke, and then compounded that by announcing the politics behind their decision.

Why? Why not just not feature the line at all?

Because, as usual, they feel that being high-paid entertainers in a glamorous industry just isn't enough. They have to send messages, too.

Why can't they just make movies, instead of contriving manifestos?

posted by Ace at 01:26 PM

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