DC Movies - To Infinity and Beyond

[theenglish]

The cliche isn't the bad part to me, it's the laziness of writers putting the loved ones in trouble time and time again as an easy story.

I agree with that--to an extent. In a more realistic scenario, the hero's loved ones would not be in danger until someone learned the hero's identity. Also, the family and friends would not be a part of the hero's super life. There's the rub. How do you have a cast of interesting supporting characters who are not part of the hero's superhero life as well?

 

[theenglish]

I haven't seen Siren, but "Liked" this post for its overall point -- and for the fact that having Amy Adams's splendid Lois Lane in on "the secret" from the get-go, so that she could work alongside Clark as an ally and partner, was the single best narrative choice Snyder made.

It also showed from the start that she was an exceptional investigative reporter. In the director's version of Superman/Batman, Snyder does a great job of showing this as well. In the theatrical cut, Adams becomes little more than window dressing.

 

[theenglish]

I'll never understand why people exclude animation, particularly when it comes to a franchise that originated in comic books. Heck, I just toss in every medium together. Ask me who was the best Superman and I'll put Bud Collyer very high on the list.

I know your opinion on this because it has been mentioned previously. I would argue though that a voice actor and a live action actor are two separate roles.

 

[Candlicious Ghost]

Noel Neal was best Lois

 

[M'rk son of Mogh]

How do you have a cast of interesting supporting characters who are not part of the hero's superhero life as well?

Easily. Most at the Daily Planet staff (Superman) or Bugle (Spider-Man) aren't part of the superhero life but are interesting on their own.

 

[TREK_GOD_1]

I agree with that--to an extent. In a more realistic scenario, the hero's loved ones would not be in danger until someone learned the hero's identity.

There's the key point: in a more realistic scenario, which is where true drama and stakes come into play in some of the greatest comic book stories (obviously The Amazing Spider-Man #121 at the top of any list of this kind[/i].

How do you have a cast of interesting supporting characters who are not part of the hero's superhero life as well?

Easily. Most at the Daily Planet staff (Superman) or Bugle (Spider-Man) aren't part of the superhero life but are interesting on their own.

^ This.

Only creatively bankrupt writers have difficulty making interesting supporting characters who are not in on the hero's secret. That's admitting one does not have the ability to develop regular characters with their own identities and interesting lives within the same universe.

I would argue though that a voice actor and a live action actor are two separate roles.

Indeed. It is quite natural for audiences to consider live action actors the prime choice when judging interpretations of characters as--quite obviously--they are the physical representation. That's who audiences naturally relate to, and actually see among themselves in reality (sans the costumed part), not cartoon figures.

 

[Christopher]

I know you're opinion on this because it has been mentioned previously. I would argue though that a voice actor and a live action actor are two separate roles.

That's like saying a screen actor and a stage actor are separate. What does it matter? It's all acting. A job's a job. Dana Delany was well-known for her live-action work before she got cast as Lois. And these days, with all the performance capture and CGI doubling in "live-action" movies, the distinction between live action and animation is increasingly blurry. Heck, even before then, it was always routine for actors to redub their dialogue over their live-action peformances. Most dialogue in exterior location scenes is re-recorded in the studio afterward for better sound quality. So even live acting includes voice acting.

Besides, when we're talking about the best interpretation of a character, that's obviously as much about the writing as the acting, and there's no meaningful difference between writing live action and animation.

Not to mention, again, that we're talking about characters that originated in comic books and were adapted to another medium. If anything, animation is more authentic to the source than live action is.

 

[Set Harth]

Again a point for why Adams' Lois is so great. She figured it out just over half way of the movie. Like the amazing and hyper intelligent reporter Lois is.

In her case, she wasn't figuring out Clark was Superman, she was figuring out Superman was Clark.

 

[The Realist]

Easily. Most at the Daily Planet staff (Superman) or Bugle (Spider-Man) aren't part of the superhero life but are interesting on their own.

Agreed, though I think theenglish's point was more about the logistics of keeping them strongly positioned within a superhero narrative. But good writers have proven it's really not that hard.

 

[Thestral]

...Animated Lana was a far better character IMO.

There was an Animated Lana?

 

[The Realist]

There was an Animated Lana?

There was, in Superman: TAS. As I recall, she appeared in maybe two or three episodes, and had become a rich and famous international fashion designer or something post-Smallville. Which I thought was a little weird, but okay.

 

[The Realist]

Noel Neal was best Lois

I respect your choice (especially since she's live-action ), but please, if she's your fave, grant her the dignity of spelling her name right. It's Noel Neill.

 

[Thestral]

Ohhhhhh right, it's been so long I'd forgotten. Come to think of it, I'm not sure I ever watched Superman TAS all the way through - probably, just not 100% sure. At the least, I don't remember Lana making much of an impact.

(Also, you know you made the same correction about spelling 20 minutes beforehand?)

 

[Christopher]

There was an Animated Lana?

A few -- in the 1966 Filmation Superboy series, in the Smallville-flashback "backup story" segments of the 1988 Ruby-Spears Superman, and in the DCAU, plus a nonspeaking cameo in Batman: The Brave and the Bold. Also in the animated DVD adaptation of The Dark Knight Returns, and an Elseworlds version in the Superman: Red Son adaptation.

 

[The Realist]

(Also, you know you made the same correction about spelling 20 minutes beforehand?)

I wanted to edit the post, so I reposted it with the change and deleted the first version, because I hate that stupid "edited" tag the forum software adds.

 

[Mage]

In her case, she wasn't figuring out Clark was Superman, she was figuring out Superman was Clark.

That's fair. But the point still stands; she figured out who this person was.

 

[theenglish]

... a screen actor and a stage actor are separate.

This is a true statement. There are different skills required for stage and screen, and for voice acting. Not every movie star is great on the stage and vice versa. Some physical actors are suited to voice acting while others are not.

Agreed, though I think theenglish's point was more about the logistics of keeping them strongly positioned within a superhero narrative. But good writers have proven it's really not that hard.

Obviously comics did that for years. There were great Spider-Man stories in the 70s that focused on difficulties the supporting cast had. Superman's supporting cast was enjoyable as well. The trick is for writers to have a B story that is only tangentially, if at all, related to the main plot.

 

[Candlicious Ghost]

I respect your choice (especially since she's live-action ), but please, if she's your fave, grant her the dignity of spelling her name right. It's Noel Neill.

Oh my mistake.

For me it's her 2nd place Amy Adams, then Margot Kidder

 

[Zombie Cheerleader]

Never any Love for Phyllis Coates. TV's first Lois and the first feature film Lois.

 

[The Realist]

Now you've made me feel bad. I love Coates. I love George Reeves. I love Adventures of Superman and Superman and the Mole-Men. Have I redeemed myself yet?