Donner on the reboot

http://www.supermansupersite.com/1031535.html

[quote=Richard Donner]Well, I think he could do a great job. You know he's certainly a good director and hopefully he's got a good handle on it. I mean, I thought Bryan (Singer) did a wonderful job with the other film (Superman Returns). You could just do massive action and blow up stuff, but he chose to do the characters more, although he had some beautiful stuff in there. So I hope nobody tries to compete. I hope Zack doesn't try to compete and I don't think he's that kind of director. I don't think he's going to want to compete with the best effects out there. I'm tired of it already. I'm tired of those... what are those machines? Transformers! Really, I mean they were great but lets settle back people and focus on the characters. The characters in Superman are just wonderful.[/quote]
If Superman hadn't already been the focal point of so much "character development", I just might agree. But given that we've barely seen him so much as throw a punch in any of the films up to this point and he's never really scrapped down with a supervillain even though there are some real tough guys to choose from.

Apart from all that, the "character development" we got in Singerman is precisely why WB is rebooting to begin with!

Superman is an action hero. He doesn't just belong in that world, he's of that world. So, um, why not make a movie about Superman as an action hero? I love STM but Donner's sensibilities are pretty far away from what the character needs nowadays.

Richard Donner "praising" the guy who sucked-up to him like he was "The Godfather"? Wow, complete and total SHOCKER there....

A good director strikes a balance between character development and balls-to-the-wall action. Guess who FAILED there?

Apologist Puncher wrote:Richard Donner "praising" the guy who sucked-up to him like he was "The Godfather"? Wow, complete and total SHOCKER there....

A good director strikes a balance between character development and balls-to-the-wall action. Guess who FAILED there?

By modern standards (which are unfair to apply to the guy, I realize), Donner failed too. He had to establish the credibility of a comic book movie. In the 70's, they needed all the credibility they could get what with Adam West still being what everyone associated with comics.

But nowadays? You need action and spectacle. To an extent, more is better. Donner made a great film but he's hardly the guy whose advice we should be seeking at this juncture. Nobody wants to hear it but Michael Bay has a lot clearer idea on how to make a solid comic book adaptation for today's market than Donner does.

The Apologists puke just at the notion of Bay directing a Superman film though because of all the American iconography he's sure to include.

thec0l0rsblend wrote:The Apologists puke just at the notion of Bay directing a Superman film though because of all the American iconography he's sure to include.

I'm an Aussie, but Superman IS American iconography. Why Singer dared to tamper with that, I'll never understand. Not surprised the Apologists want to follow Singer's take again!

....doesn't anyone care what Richard Lester thinks?

Totally what donner did in the past was good for that generation and helped form how certain movie/traits came to be. But totally things are different now. As for bay I like his work I do. But to me he doesn't always have a good balance of story with his action. But not knocking him. But as for americana stuff in films its not really so and so decisions on what to add or not. With all the silly censoring and political correctness our country does in the modern world on some things. Sure it sucks some things but we alone can't do anything about it.

thec0l0rsblend wrote:http://www.supermansupersite.com/1031535.html

[quote=Richard Donner]Well, I think he could do a great job. You know he's certainly a good director and hopefully he's got a good handle on it. I mean, I thought Bryan (Singer) did a wonderful job with the other film (Superman Returns). You could just do massive action and blow up stuff, but he chose to do the characters more, although he had some beautiful stuff in there. So I hope nobody tries to compete. I hope Zack doesn't try to compete and I don't think he's that kind of director. I don't think he's going to want to compete with the best effects out there. I'm tired of it already. I'm tired of those... what are those machines? Transformers! Really, I mean they were great but lets settle back people and focus on the characters. The characters in Superman are just wonderful.

If Superman hadn't already been the focal point of so much "character development", I just might agree. But given that we've barely seen him so much as throw a punch in any of the films up to this point and he's never really scrapped down with a supervillain even though there are some real tough guys to choose from.

Apart from all that, the "character development" we got in Singerman is precisely why WB is rebooting to begin with!

Superman is an action hero. He doesn't just belong in that world, he's of that world. So, um, why not make a movie about Superman as an action hero? I love STM but Donner's sensibilities are pretty far away from what the character needs nowadays.[/quote]

There wasn't much character development in Singerman Returns actually the movie felt like if it was a 2 hour movie of Singerman posing for the camera with very little lines, and just Brandon doing his Superman model pose... The movie lacked action, and character development.

TomWelling4Superman wrote:There wasn't much character development in Singerman Returns actually the movie felt like if it was a 2 hour movie of Singerman posing for the camera with very little lines, and just Brandon doing his Superman model pose... The movie lacked action, and character development.

There is that to consider. And the character stuff we did get mostly revolved around stuff that Superman or Lois wouldn't do if they were being written true to character. But that's a whole other argument. Still, you are right.