Yes, A Man Can Fly. Again.

It’s always been hard for me to go back and watch the Superman films once more with Christopher Reeve as the man with the red cape.

It hurts too much. I would get teary-eyed seeing him on the screen after his unfortunate accident in 1995 due to horseback riding. So I didn’t watch the films for the longest time. In fact, I made the habit of avoiding them all I could.

It’s sad to see a man who was in the top of his form taking such a devastating fall. The accident left him paralyzed from the neck down. But, in his wheelbound state, he founded the Christopher Reeve foundation and remained a staunch supporter for stem cell research. In many ways, and not saying this lightly, he was a Superman in real life.

Then the Richard Donner cut of Superman II returned to its original glory on DVD. With the director’s sincere intent in making a mythological film rather than the theatrical cut.

I still didn’t see it.

Not until last weekend. I don’t know what made me decide to pick it up and watch with a painful nostalgia feeling. The Richard Donner cut made a dedication to Reeve himself. That nearly made me tear up again. I wasn’t about to get over it.

But I liked the film enough. And I grew used to seeing Reeve once again in the form-fitting role that made him a well-known actor. For me, he was and always will be Superman for me.

There’s a sense of awkward charm Reeve brings to the role that remains unforgettable. He has a chartable warmth that doesn’t put you off. He has the boyish grin that seems to give a spark. He definitely has the boy scout image. He cares. He loves people. You can see that in him. You really believe he is Superman from the moment you see him. You buy it right away.

But the Donner cut of Superman II is really something to behold. I would recommend to anyone who revered the first Superman film.

Most folks don’t know that Superman and Superman II were supposed to be a four-hour movie with an intermission. It remains a legacy that can only be rumored in whispers. The fact that the director wanted to make a Lawrence of Arabia of comic books was a daunting task in itself. There was no doubt he had a broad canvas he wanted to paint, bringing in a powerful and awesome scope to the comic book figure who had captured the imagination of audiences.

But something happened. Donner happened. In his wild ambitions of creating a wonderful epic film for all ages, he went into constant battles with the studios who were interested in making money. They didn’t want a four-hour movie. So they had to cut it in half. Donner left and was replaced by Richard Lester who did a fair job in completing Superman II.

But his version didn’t hold a candle compared to Donner’s. The Donner cut was far better. With improvements everywhere. Watching this film is like witnessing something else entirely.

Donner expands the Superman myth and continues to develop the father and son relationship between Superman and his real life father who perished on his native planet so many aeons ago.
It’s a beautiful film. The major changes make the film feel more sweeping in tone and story hooks with a mythological interest that made the first film so memorable. Superman is an alien to us. But he still has our humanity. That sets him apart from the gods.

The biggest change is using the lost footage with Marlon Brando who plays Jor-El once more. His scenes are pivotal. It helps make the Superman II connect so much more with the first film. It feels like the painting is complete now. Brando playing the father makes the myth of Superman larger-than-life.

More changes? There is a lot less silliness. The comedy garbage from Richard Lester is now gone. It’s replaced by a bit more serious, downplayed story guided by Donner’s hand.

The fight scenes are much tighter. Much better. There is no longer the stupid bit with Superman throwing the “S” from his costume which wraps around one of the main villains. Now the fighting sequences pay homage to the old, classic Superman battles of comic books.

The scenes with Margot Kidder playing Lois Lane who finds out who Clark Kent really is a real treat. The scene with her pulling a gun and bluffing Kent into telling who he really is? That shows how clever she is. She’s a reporter who finds the heart of the story. That Superman lives amongst human beings. It remains a magnificent revelation in this film. It’s well done.

And the ending the film repeats itself as Superman turns back the clock on everything so Lois Lane would be able to forget without exposing his secret. The ending ties in perfectly with the first Superman film. Making them coincide even more.

Yes, I’m dropping the Richard Lester version into the trash. It’s not part of my collection anymore. Screw that crap. I found something better.

Now it’s replaced by the Donner cut. Which I’m perfectly happy with. And who knows? Maybe I’ll have a Superman marathon by watching both films together. Once again, I’m able to believe that a man is able to fly. Thanks to Donner, Brando and Reeve. Who brought something special to what’s already extraordinary.

Fantastic Film

For the record, most sequels don’t surpass the original. Expectations are too high. But I was pleasantly surprised with seeing Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer. How can I put this? It was pretty, well, fantastic.

I wasn’t head over heels over the first film which came about two years ago which was meant as a summer hit. It turned out to be a slight disappointment. Probably because film spent much of its time establishing who the characters were.

The payoff was Rise of the Silver Surfer.

I wouldn’t call it the Citizen Kane of science-fiction. Others hold that rank throughout the movie hall of fame. Rise of the Silver Surfer doesn’t capture the awe and mystery of outer space or the kingdom of extraterrestrials that host the deeper portions of the universe outside of man’s knowledge. It doesn’t have the intensity of super exploration of the cosmos.

But what it does is capture the family feel of the four main characters. Beautifully.

For the first time, I believed they were a family. With the bickering and banter of brotherly rivals in the Thing and the Human Torch. With the domestic dispute between an up-and-coming husband and wife. Those conflicts seem real. And that is what makes the human story for this film.

I’ve noticed other critics have panned this film before it was released throughout the country, mostly due to their lack of knowledge of comic books. The original source in which the film is based. One critic called comics “Pretentious.” That rubs me off the wrong way. Especially when the comic book was invented here in the United States.

It's called ignorance.

One doesn’t have to read comic books to like these kinds of movies. You don’t even have to pick one up and become six-years-old again by being transported into different, imaginative worlds created from art and words. You don’t have to relive childlike nostalgia once more. But you should be able to respect the comic book as another literary medium just like novels or magazines.

Fantastic Four was the first family superhero team created Stan Lee and Jack Kirby as real characters who have internal problems that many families could face. Might it be financial or whatever. The husband and wife talks about having kids and living a normal life.

But they struggle to defeat the unknown while they try to work around their differences as a family. Like any family would. Reed Richards is one of the greatest scientific geniuses in the world. Sue Richards is his wife and back-up support. Johnny Storm is the hotshot kid on the block. And the Thing is the lovable big rocky guy. The nice thing is the science-fiction element that is invested in their adventures.

Chris Evans played the Human Torch to perfection in the last outing. So much that he overshadowed the other team members. But this time, all four members stood out very nicely. They have their roles to play. All of them captured the spotlight well. No one was left out.

But the hook of the film really is the Silver Surfer. A mysterious entity of cosmic power who is the precursor to something far more dangerous and unimaginative. The presence of the Surfer means danger. And it is unavoidable.

The effects are wonderfully realized in regarding the Surfer. His powers are abstract, remarkable. The voice of Lawrence Fishburne in the part brings a mood that might send shivers down your spine. His appearance is very simple. And it is this simplicity that captures the character very well. He remains an enigma.

And it makes the film a million times better than the previous outing.

The Fantastic-Car is really cool in here. Though it didn’t appear for very long in the film, it remains an important part of the Fantastic Four history.

And I loved the speech Reed Richards gives to the manipulative, destructive general who wanted to use military might against the cosmic Surfer. Here, Richards reminds the general of the bookworm who was never popular and the quarterback football player who always got the girl. Then he goes on to say that there’s nothing wrong with being the smartest guy in the world and adds he’s marrying the most beautiful woman Susan Richards.

Suddenly it’s cool to be nerdy. And that speech was a backhanded slap to the overbearing player types who were always the bully on the school grounds. Call it an intellectual jostling.

I also like how the name of the Silver Surfer slips into a conversation. It made sense for Reed to come up with the name like he did.

The film does a nice job of taking the best source material from the first ten or fifteen issues of the Fantastic Four and turning it into an enjoyable feature that doesn’t forget to embellish its character. In fact, the film relies on the family atmosphere. The addition of the second, minor villain of Doctor Doom stealing the Surfer’s power doesn’t do anything to distract from the story. Instead, it’s straight out of the original comic books.

It was a good, this film. And it shows that beneath the special effects extravaganza there’s a true story of human courage to behold. And entertaining two hours that finally manages to portray the superheroes in a way they’re supposed to. As a family.

More Cartoon Hellboy

Oh yeah, I watch cartoons.

If it were up to me, I would watch a string of them for a Saturday morning line-up on weekends. But that’s just a mild childhood dream some time away. And those memories seem long and gone.

But now I’ve got another reason to be catching up with the animated mayhem jumpstarted by the Hellboy cartoons routinely shown on Cartoon Network Cartoon. Yesterday, the new animated feature came to DVD in the form of the story Blood and Iron.

The work is edgy, stark, with clear cut animated sequences that makes it look modern-day. Yet there’s a feeling of the gothic that paints the scenery, the shroud of blackness tumbles with a spell of atmosphere.

What’s more important is the mainstay of actors who participate in the voiceovers. They’re all here. Selma Blair and Doug Jones return as supporting characters who help Hellboy fight a horde of demons and creatures that go bump in the night. There’s the irreplaceable Ron Perlman as Hellboy himself, the blighted red, oversized demon with a mighty red hand of doom that’s just a foreshadowing of things to come.

Then there’s John Hurt who returns as the character of Professor Bruttenholm, the surrogate father to the red, jolly giant. Persuading someone like Hurt to come back to do some voicing must take some skill. He’s an actor of enormous caliber. He’s someone of great repute who brings something extra to the cartoon story of Blood and Iron.

I’m glad he’s here. His voice is calm like a storm, not booming or distracting, but soothing with grace. He reminds me of the actors of a time now gone such as Peter Cushing or Michael Gough. There’s much dignity provided in his voice.

And the story revolves around his character. Since the character of Professor Bruttenholm was killed in the theatrical movie release, I take this cartoon to be a prequel of sorts.

There’s an excellent experimental piece of storytelling called reverse flashback in this story. I’ve never seen it work this well before. The flashback refers back to John Hurt’s character all the way back to 1939 when he was just a young lad starting out in the field of the paranormal. The flashbacks work from the ending to the beginning.

And the pieces fit in the puzzle perfectly throughout. It’s a wonderful kind of telling a story, very different. Yet you never lose yourself following the story.

The flashback scenes are very enjoyable, catching the old mood of the Hammer Horror flicks from the 1950s to the 1970s, particularly the slant towards the vampires. And werewolves too. The glossing of blackness seems to hurdle the scenes very well, keeping a pace of biting horror in the mix. More interesting is the fact that a young hero makes a mistake… and his error, as the years go by, was the fact that he left the mark of horror surviving behind. And that horror begins to manifest itself again.

Growing stronger.

It draws the Professor, Hellboy and the rest of the crew into a haunted house holding a reputation for being a cold spot for sightings. It started out as a publicity stunt by a marketing engineer who wanted to make a buck out of this. But the myths and legends would soon become real. And the body count starts to rack up once more.

It’s nice to see that a hero must come back to right the wrong he’s done back in 1939, fixing the mess that he’s left in the rotting building filled with evil. Despite his age. The Professor here looks for redemption. He clings to faith. He believes his good over evil. And that leads to his final triumph over the vampire woman Erzsebet Ondrushko who has been haunting his dreams. He realizes that his work has been left unfinished.

The vampire is modeled based on the 16th century Hungarian noblewoman Elizebeth Bathory who believed that she could keep her eternal youth by bathing herself in the blood of virgins. She’s responsible for the deaths of many innocents. The same thread of story is seen here with the vampire parading after her youth. But her soul is corrupted from the inside. Nothing could ever make up for her thirst for blood. And the torture she gives to others. Both physically and spiritually.

But she brings about something even worse.

That’s when Hellboy comes in.

There’s a great bit towards the end with Hellboy fighting the big monster goddess Hecate, plenty of funny stuff, some visual comedy thrown into the scene. But Ron Perlman’s voice is perfect for Hellboy. He roughs his opponents up, jumps right in there knowing how he’s going to be kicked around. But that’s his job. He’s there to save people. He’s one of the good guys. That’s what he’s does. Even though he tells himself he should’ve stayed in bed.

It doesn’t disappoint. Hellboy has another destiny. Something colder, brutal. A backstory that will be embellished later on.

This cartoon restores my sense of youth. And that piece of childhood nostalgia returns to me as Hellboy: Animated rolls out with punches and fistcuffs like any monster movie. But it’s a monster movie with a story. Don’t underestimate its potential. Monsters galore, sure. But the human story of the Professor gives it a nice balance. Now who's the real hero in the story?

Life on Mars Part Two

It is still 1973. And Sam Tyler is trapped in a prison of time. He has nowhere to go.

And so the second season of Life of Mars begins with the kind of foreshadowing for the main character who must reside in 1973, solve a series of crimes and hopefully find a way for him to get a one-way ticket back home.

But the questions still linger in his mind. Is he living in a world of fiction? And will 1973 be able to let him go back?

Sam Tyler, wonderfully underplayed by John Simm, continues to warm to the audience as a hesitant guide through 1973 as he gives us a chance of revisiting old friends and enemies. He might be a prisoner in the 1970s.

But that doesn’t mean he can still change things for the better. Isn’t that what everyone wants to do? Go back and fix the things we regret doing? Finding a way to make life easier for people. And fulfilling his duty as a police officer.

The second season, to my humble opinion, seems to be slightly better than the first. This is because the supporting characters of the cast is more established. They’re growing as people. The stories embellish the characters until we learn about them inside out.

And the issues they face are no greater than modern day stories. The second season deals with wife-swapping, heroin on the streets, a murder case that accuses one of the police officers, and the brutal realism that crime sometimes get away with it. But not in Sammy’s world. No matter how hard he tries, with a long-suffering determination, he wants to get the job done. He’ll go at any length to see the bad man off the streets.

It’s always been a copper’s wet dream. To make a utopia out of the city. But that’s asking for too much. Crime will always find a home in the city. No matter what.

There are some pretty outstanding episodes with some solid writing. The episode with DCI Gene Hunt is accused of murder and the story devolves into a corrupted boxing ring is pretty exhilarating. It’s a knock-out episode. Plus there’s plenty of humor around the block to make this still entertaining. But smart as the same time. There’s some great stuff by Philip Glenister in this one. Almost a solo story on his character.

The last episode, to risk spoiling the whole thing, does resolve the mystery of the character Sam Tyler. And what he is doing there in 1973. And what future he is facing in his life. There is a definite conclusion to the time traveling story that involves the central character. And there’s nothing left but a trickling, heartwarming farewell to familiar faces.

But the story remains well-rounded with a wall-stopping finale. But the story is not what you expect. And that makes it very tantalizing. It’s no longer just a cop show. It’s a reflection of a man’s personality. It’s a heartbeat of a man’s constant battle with his own inner soul.

One of the more interesting changes in the series is the promotion of Liz White’s character on Life on Mars. She is made as an integral part of the team, another DC who would become the pulse of the group. Despite her having a degree in psychology, she is made so much more in Sam Tyler’s eye. He believes she is capable of more. There’s a man who slaps her on the butt. And she does the same to him. She takes everything as it comes. But men in 1973 can underestimate her. But not Sam Tyler.

Another great episode is the one where Sam Tyler is put out of commission when someone from the future gives him the wrong kind of medicate. He reacts. He falls into a deeper coma. He slips into a kind of darker reality. And he’s forced to watch as his co-workers must resolve a kidnapping caper. It shows how well his team works despite his lack of presence. It is a good team ensemble who draws to each other.

But it is the ending that changes everything. Is it a world within a world that the lead character lives in? Or is it just a figment of his imagination? Is 1973 just a part of a greater scheme? Perhaps there is something more devious at work. But I won’t tell you anymore so you can decide for yourself as a viewer. The answer up to you, really.

But this isn’t the end. Not for 1973. Not for anyone here. More time-traveling stuff.

There is supposedly a sequel, Ashes to Ashes, in the works. It will see Philip Glenister return as DCI Gene Hunt - but this time in London in 1981. And he’s given a brand new woman co-worker. Think of how much this will piss him off. As if isn’t not bad enough for miss Cartwright to rise to the ranks in 1973. A woman Prime Minster.

It'll broaden the story now with the woman co-woker.

Another cop show. Another point of view. It might have some possibilities. But there are always possibilities in 1981.

Alone in Time

Is there really Life on Mars?

Or something close to it? That’s the question the recent BBC foray into cop shows ask when it was premiered in England. Not only is it a gritty cop show that oozes with male chauvinism, but the time-traveling factor throws the whole thing off-kilter. Yet nothing stands in the way of good writing which sets this show apart from the likes of other regular cop shows.

For one, there’s the science fiction elements that makes it one step ahead of other cop shows that hit the air. John Simm plays Detective Chief Inspector Sam Tyler in a modern day England tracking down a killer. In the process of the investigation, Sam Tyler gets hit by a car in a brutal accident that sends him to a coma. Or is it a coma? Perhaps something more devious.

He wakes up in 1973 complete with exaggerated shirt collars and bell bottoms. The people of 1973 has a different language as they don’t even know what a mobile phone. They might as well be from Mars. But the character Simm plays is determined, forceful.

He’ll do whatever is right and by the book. He’s the modern day cop set out to do everything within the law. But the cultural clash between himself and the police tactics differ greatly. It’s like night and day. Black and white. There’s a huge chasm between him and the rest of the police department. He is a prisoner of time. Or perhaps a captive of his own inertia.

Back in 2006, John Simm’s character seems bland, almost lifeless. He is like a cardboard character. But in 1973, everything is far more lively. He becomes more explosive, filled with rage, fire, his emotions erupting.

It’s hard to know if this is real or a dream. Or vice-versa. Much like that song by the Beatles “A Day in the Life.” Where the dream and reality remain interchangeable. Is John Simm playing someone in a coma or has he truly found a doorway back in time. Will he be able to change his life?

I managed to see this series via DVD when ordered out of England as it was the only way I would see it. But I haven’t seen hide or tail of it here on the shelves in the United States. That’s too bad. As I find this particular cop show to be interesting, filled with a good sense of humor.

The writing is pretty damn good. Intelligent, witty. It doesn’t insult the viewer. Instead it takes you by the hand as it pulls you through 1973 in the eyes of the main character. The series really does revolve around Sam Tyler. His world. And how he deals with it.

The rest of the cast ensemble is excellent. Another sampling of how an entire crew of people can really help bring the show to another level. The fellow who plays the DCI of 1973 Gene Hunt is full of gusto, a very rowdy, violent cop. He charges in a situation with a spirit of a British bulldog. But he believes in what he is doing is right. He and Sam Tyler lock horns a-plenty in season one. They punch each other out. Hunt plays dirty. Played to perfection by Phillip Glenister.

Though I'll bet on Tyler winning the fight any time. You'll eventually see why after seaon one.

Liv White plays Annie Cartwright who is a female on the police department, often ignored and not used for special cases. But she really lifts a scene with human spirit. She is the focus of the group. She is highly intelligent. That could be a dangerous thing for a woman in the 1970s. The rest of the crew is equally great. And you learn more about them in season one and two.

Then there's John Simm.

Every scene involves him in some way or form. He is the center of the show. And he acts with brilliance. You'll see him again in the final episodes of the Doctor Who series this year.

The soundtrack in Life on Mars evokes a lot of the past, bringing forth the spirit of the 1970s. It’s great stuff. You find yourself drowning in the lovely sounds created by the essential bands of the 1970s such as the Who. You hear Elton John playing in the background which carves a cultural background for the series. Of course, there’s David Bowie with the ghostly, enchanted piano mix and guitar riffs in Life on Mars that plays on the radio.

Life on Mars is a rare treat on television. There’s a self-contained story in the first season which you can follow through. But you find that Sam is still locked into his own battle within himself and the rest of the world around him. So he finds a home in the 1970s. Maybe it’s a contemporary stay. Or has he found residence within his insanity as he hears voices from the future? The series hits hard with a dramatic edge as one learns more about Sam and his out-of-time journey. Life on Mars is worth taking a look at.

To Error is Human...

There’s rare good TV around.

And the Doctor Who series should be roundly applauded for making a brave attempt at adapting one of the previous Doctor Who novels from the 1990s. The original book is entitled Human Nature by Paul Cornell.

The title tells a lot. The core of the story: it’s reflecting being human at its greatest and weakest. Looking into the mirror of a person’s soul and finding out there’s a lot of flaws. But that’s what’s being human is about.

The novel has been considered by many, most of all myself, has one of the exemplar titles ever put into literary fiction. This particular novel is not just a fan boy’s wet dream book. It’s more than that. It rises above the stark raving fandom to produce a literary piece that studies and picks apart the human essence. William Faulkner would have been proud.

What’s more? I consider the piece to be one of the great reads ever. Period. The range of emotions produced in the original Doctor Who novel has broad strokes, a painting of words catching the mystery and awe of being human. Finding a simple life. The kind of life that the heroic Doctor would never have.

He’s got too much of the time-traveller mojo in him. That sets him apart from the rest of humanity. But to make the Doctor a regular man leading a normal life. That takes a twist and turn. The plot surrounds the eve of World War one where a man simply named John Smith, a.k.a. the Doctor, hides himself as a human being. He’s a teacher at a military school. He feels. There’s warmth in his body. He loves. Dearly. And wonderfully.

After the longest time, in many eons, he falls in love. With a woman living in 1913. And all this time, a Family of cutthroat aliens is searching for the Doctor to tap into immortality. That way, they would be able to live forever to conquer all of time and space. Their ambition is to ruin the lives of others.

And the person who is John Smith isn’t who he seems. But he wants to build his own life. Marriage, children, life. Those are the things every man wants for himself.

The author of Human Nature, takes everything a step further when he adapts the widely-received novel into television format. It could’ve been easily been a mess. But he takes the familiar territory of human nature and puts it into the television spotlight. He does a nice job of keeping the essence of the story.

But it is also masterful television drama. Another rarity and triumph in the Doctor Who mythos.
We see the ordinariness of John Smith. A simple English schoolteacher. He has feelings like anyone else. And David Tennant should be commended for his acting abilities to make John Smith fall into a crying, wounded man. Showing us, as viewers, what the Doctor would be like if he were a human being. He gets angry. He throws tantrums. But he also has strengths such as courage. Even if it means walking into a wall of death.

There are some stunning sights in the television two-parter Human Nature and Family of Blood. The falling stars of destruction towards the end remains a physical beauty of special effects. But the look and feel of the 1913 period is brilliantly captured. The moment when John Smith takes a cricket ball and throwing it into a domino effect of law-defying physics to save a woman’s baby is straight out of the original novel. The only way to beat the aliens is for the Doctor to come back. And with a vengeance he does. His anger is like fire in a few, brief moments.

There’s also a lovely scene with a surviving World War one veteran at a memorial service who sees the Doctor once again unchanged by time. There’s an emotional impact in the scene.

Perhaps being human isn’t so bad. Doctor Who has rarely been this good in drama. And it builds a television moment that contributes to the boldness of humanity’s best. It becomes an epic journey into the unknown for Doctor Who. It shows how one of television’s greatest heroes can be at his most vulnerable. And that what makes a good story.