29 – Sonic Boom – Search – Cemetery – Structure

coverblackSonic booms and other collateral effects of flying at super-speed, showing Lois’s investigative skills in the search for her rescuer, the cemetery scene, an analysis of the structure of the first act, and the psychology of selflessness and killing.

Answers, insights, and commentary on:

  • Larry Niven’s critique of Superman
  • John Hodgeman and Neil Tyson on nostalgia
  • Beneficial collateral effects and power evolution
  • How Lois tracks Clark and shows skill
  • How long the investigation would have taken
  • How and why Clark tracks Lois to the cemetery
  • How the first act reaches a new status quo
  • How the first act structure reinforces the theme of identity
  • Why heroes don’t necessarily need origins
  • Why film can be silent on psychology but not comic conceits
  • Revisiting themes from 1988

…and more!

Science Vs. | Wendy Zuckerman
If superpowers were real: Super Speed – Joy Lin | TED Ed
What if Quicksilver Ran Past You? | VSauce3
The sonic boom problem – Katerina Kaouri | TED Ed
Flying Fast, Flying Quiet | NASA
Black Box | RadioLab
The Adventures of Superman | BBC
Are all Hotels the Same place | Idea Channel
Tips from Bob Woodward on Investigative Journalism | Washington Post
A Psychoanalysis of Clark Kent | Emory University
What makes a superhero? – Stan Lee | TEDxGateway ’13
I Need A Hero | RadioLab
Soldiers of Conscience – POV | PBS
Superman on Trial | BBC
New Stu | RadioLab

Web: ManOfSteelAnswers.com
Twitter: @mosanswers
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6 Comments

  1. Dr Awkward, if you don’t mind, I suggest you plug the Man From UNCLE as a counter to claims that Henry has no charisma. It is frustrating to explain that his reserved and often sulking performance in MOS was on purpose.

    • Cavill’s got a lot of charm and swarm in UNCLE. I’m disappointed Stratton isn’t happening, but hopefully we’ll see him in more films soon. He’s proven he has range in the past, but his career is a long cast of near-misses. With Superman, he’s finally got the brass ring and after the DCCU is more developed there will be additional announcements.

  2. Great episode. Nice incorporation of other resources. I appreciated how you clarified that the theme of MoS was not becoming-a-hero but was about identity and his relationship with humanity. I had had that vague sense but you did a great job, as usual, putting it into words.

    Upon repeat viewings of MoS, I’ve gotten a lot out of following Clark’s impressions of how humanity might react to him coming out. There are clear moments where Clark would rightly be skeptical, but Pete, Lois and his parents clearly give him enough hope to make his leap of faith.

    I think after Clark made his choice with regard to humanity in MoS, we will now see humanity making their choice in BvS.

    • I think that’s exactly right and quite thematic since we were so tightly knit to Clark’s perspective, seeing the world’s perspective is only natural and will put more of MOS into context.

  3. Great episode, Doc. This is definitely one of my favourites. What are your thoughts on George Miller possibly directing the next Superman movie? Do you think it’s possible? I doubt it but I would love it.

    • I generally don’t speculate on these kinds of rumors. I’ll make this limited exception for you since I skipped your Robin question, heh.

      Miller’s a well-rounded director with a grasp of visuals / action / heart, with a good working relationship with the WB, a love of the DC source-material, and already had in mind a Justice League film which did have a strong Superman component and that’s kind of what I’m looking for from a future “stand-alone” Superman film… not Superman in utter isolation, as if no other heroes exist, but Superman in a world of superheroes but where the story still revolves around him. I’m not saying I want Justice League Mortal, but Miller’s desire to direct that script means he wants to play with all of the toys and I feel like that’s what the future Superman films should be… practically event films on-par with Justice League. Something like like Captain America 3: Civil War is shaping up to be an Avengers film focused on Cap.

      Of course, my desires and focus tends to revolve around plot and Miller’s not the only one that can execute that, he’s just a really good candidate for it. Ultimately, I’m open minded about directors. Disney’s fielding of relatively young and relatively new talent has yielded impressive results and they’re gambling big on the same. At the same time, director Brad Bird turned in the tepid Tomorrowland. So I’m less invested in “brand name recognition” at this point and it’s more about if they have the passion, because if they do they can gain or develop the skill sets they lack… even if they have the talent, if they don’t care, they’re more likely to fail than have a happy accident.

      That’s part of the reason I’m anticipating Hardy on 100 Bullets because of how much he’s wanted to do something like this for ages.

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