Comic Book Films?

[jjreason]

I think Jerry Bruckheimer is the guy for Superman, and probably for Capt. America as well. I don't generally support his movies entirely, but he has an eye for action, and for waving the American flag. Both of these characters call for a treatment like that. Superman CAN'T be huge, because it's hard enough to look ar Clark and not make the connection. I really don't think more Superman movie are needed now that we have Christopher Reeve available on DVD. Those first 2 are "super".
Give me a Bruckheimer Capt. America based on Mark Waid on Ron Garney's run where Cap gets "exiled" and eventually redeems himself by saving the Red Skull's life. Wonderful story, and just the right length for a movie. I'll take Robert Redford as Steve Rogers. That would kick.

[bigbarada]

Robert Redford would be EXCELLENT as Captain America....... twenty years ago. I just watched him in Spy Game and while he is still an excellent actor I just think he is too old for the character.

That's like the people who wanted Matthew Broderick for Spider-Man. Ummmm, he's forty.

Anyways, I think Redford would have been the perfect choice if this movie had been made in the 60s or 70s (but let's face it no pro-America movie was getting made in those decades).

[JediTricks]

Originally posted by jjreason
I think Jerry Bruckheimer is the guy for Superman, and probably for Capt. America as well. I don't generally support his movies entirely, but he has an eye for action, and for waving the American flag. Both of these characters call for a treatment like that.

So you want a film where Supes or Cap drive sports cars, shoot 400 rounds of ammo out of handguns without changing clips, fire bazookas and rockets every 6 minutes, spew forth dialogue that would make Arnold Schwarzenegger blush, have a "hard rockin'" soundtrack that has nothing to do with the characters but is pounded into your brain at top volume, and camerawork & editing that won't let a scene sit still for 1/20th of a second?

The more I think about it, the more I think that John Waters would actually make a pretty good Superman film, as long as he was given a good producer and some set parameters beforehand. Look at Serial Mom, the film isn't the outrageousness of his earlier films except for the main character, if you want a comic book movie of Supes, I think John Waters could make it work.

[stillakid]

My vote for best comic-book movie isn't from a comic at all. In fact I'm going to borrow a line from a review of the movie which says it best:

The Flick Filosopher, http://www.flickfilosopher.com/flick...q/darkman.html
But I have no doubt that the best comic-book movie ever made that is not actually based on a comic book is Sam Raimi's DARKMAN.

The inherent problem with making any movie based on previous written material, whether it be a comic book, a novel, a stage play, or a tv show, is that it can only be an adaptation. The things that attracted an audience to it in the first place can rarely be converted into a new format (like a 2 hour motion picture) successfully. The original audience can't help but compare and contrast and invariably, the film version falls short of expectations. It may be a perfectly great movie on it's own, but rarely is it given the chance to be evaluated in that way.

So, Darkman is a fantastic edge of your seat movie, with all the elements of a great comic book hero that never was and doesn't suffer from the pre-fab expectations that comic book fans typically saddle adaptations with.

[jjreason]

I don't really need all the ammo.
Superman isn't some alternative book from the shelf at the back of the store. Isn't John Waters the guy that made Pecker? I don't know much about his movies, but having seen an interview or two Im not sure what he'd do with something almost TOO mainstream like Supes. Waters comes off as pretty fixated on sex (not a problem, most of us are) but a two minute soliloquay from Clark about malfunctions with his "super pee pee" isn't what I'd be wanting. I think I stated that we don't need another Supes movie anyhow.

Let's talk Redford as Cap. Steve Rogers ain't young now. Super serum or not, he's pushing 80. RR's still looking pretty buff, and he's got the right way of carrying himself. Seen Last Castle? That pretty much WAS Steve Rogers right there. Not a stretch for RR at all. CG can easily look after the butt-kicking nowadays, the old man wouldn't even have to work up a sweat. Redford's still my choice. And Ill take the sinister Kevin Spacey as some kind of direct decendent of Hitler for Cap to square off against. Throw in Sharon Lawrence as Sharon Carter and Im half way to a script right there!

[Master Goeweins]

Originally posted by stillakid
The inherent problem with making any movie based on previous written material, whether it be a comic book, a novel, a stage play, or a tv show, is that it can only be an adaptation. The things that attracted an audience to it in the first place can rarely be converted into a new format (like a 2 hour motion picture) successfully. The original audience can't help but compare and contrast and invariably, the film version falls short of expectations.

Well, this is a discussion on films that despite being an adaptation of previousley written work in the medium of comics. I think Spiderman was a great adaptation. It brought all the feelings and atmosphere of the original comic to celluloid. It was a success by most fans of the comic. Now, being that Darkman shared the same director, that says a lot.

[JediTricks]

Stilla, all interesting points, and I can definitely see and agree with what you're getting at with that nomination... but I still didn't like the film. Darkman does have that comic-book touch, and the plot and story arc fit the bill very accurately. Of course, being as I totally didn't like the film, I now have to ponder whether it's the "comic book film" concept that was what I didn't like or simply the film itself... I'll give that some thought.


jjreason, yes Waters made "Pecker" (which I haven't seen yet because it looked too tame), but I think you'd have to really see John Waters movies beyond the surface (or just listen to him in documentaries and interviews) to get what he's about. His films focus on the ludicrousness of human nature, especially that element of middle-class America. Sometimes, especially in his earlier films, he goes WAAAAAAAAAAAY overboard, but his newer films are more subtle. IMO, his ability to focus on and enhance the idiocyncracities of both a society and individuals would work in the favor of a comic book film and Waters not only harnesses this masterfully, but he controls it to a fine point - and it's that control that I think would give him a directing edge with Superman.

[Eternal Padawan]

I'd pick Thomas Jane to play Captain America and Jack Noseworthy to play Bucky. But that's just me.

[SithDroid]

Originally posted by Eternal Padawan
I'd pick Thomas Jane to play Captain America and Jack Noseworthy to play Bucky. But that's just me.

Thomas Jane would be perfect for Captain America.

[Darth Nihilus]

I must've gone blind when looking at people's worst picks, but everyone seems to have overlooked SPAWN - one of the worst bloody movies ever made. I want the time back that was stolen from me in the cinema, I want my money back, I can't believe something so retarded was ever released.

But I feel blessed more than most when watching these adaptations, I'm not burdened with preconceptions on what the movie should or should not have. I can just enjoy (or not enjoy them) as a fresh experience.

That said, Superman so far stands as my favourite - being my first superhero movie and still one of the more sensitive conversion made. I'm yet to see Spiderman, but our local critic, who follow the status quo and bag blockbuster movies were positive about it so now my interest is piqued. The first time I can recall a review influencing my decision.