After a second viewing, here are a few more random musings…
(1) The re-creation of the explosion of Krypton is rather violent, to say the least…and its ready-to-supernova, miasma of an expanding red sun seems to have been supplied by Pablo Picasso.
(2) The Superman/Lois flying sequence is full of little touchstones to the original film: the above-the-clouds shot (I love Lois’ line about forgetting how warm he is)…the gentle rooftop landing & almost-kiss…AND the mixing in of the original love theme, “Can you read my mind”. Which reminds me, listen to track 6 of the brilliant Superman Returns soundtrack. I love track 6. Track 6 makes icy hearts melt and spirits soar…unless you’re some heartless wench…or dead.
(3) Since I highly doubt that someone will EVER AGAIN show on film a man lifting an island continent into space, you MUST see it done in this movie…and the scene ends with a dark, Wagnerian musical cue that suddenly plunges you into 2001-A Space Odyssey territory!
(4) With the many cuts to this movie that will (unsuprisingly) resurface on the DVD, I had the same feeling I did while watching the first cut of The Return of the King in the theatre: both movies are emotional and operatic, punctuated by rousing, often brutal, actions scenes…but the DVD offers (or, in Superman’s case, WILL offer) even more operatic, emotional scope.
(5) Speaking of brutal, I had to “conveniently” head for the washroom during THAT SCENE (from now on, I shall only refer to Superman’s kryptonite-helplessness/severe beating this way)…and I think I shall avoid watching THAT SCENE for some considerable time to come.
Hmm…now, time to plan viewing number three…
