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Title: Mma Ramotswe has an opinion Post by: Permanus on June 17, 2006, 03:01:03 AM Just thought I'd mention a rather surprising reference to Superman in The Kalahari Typing School for Men, the fourth novel in the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series, to which I seem to have become addicted despite myself. Mma Ramotswe and Mma Makutsi, the heroines, have discovered that another detective agency has opened in Gaborone, and the owner describes himself as "Ex-CID, Ex-New York, Ex-cellent":
Quote 'And ex-New York,' said Mma Makutsi admiringly. 'That will impress people a great deal. They have seen films about New York detectives and they know how good they are.' Mma Ramotswe cast a glance at Mma Makutsi. 'Do you mean Superman?' she asked. 'Yes,' said Mma Makutsi. 'That sort of thing. Superman.' Mma Ramotswe opened her mouth to say something to her assistant, but then stopped. She was well aware of Mma Makutsi's academic achievements at the Botswana Secretarial College - she could hardly avoid the framed certificate to that effect hanging above Mma Makutsi's desk - but sometimes she thought her extraordinarily naive. Superman indeed! Why anybody else above, well, the age of six or seven at the most, should be interested in such nonsense quite escaped her. I feel oddly singled out... Title: Re: Mma Ramotswe has an opinion Post by: JulianPerez on June 17, 2006, 10:25:30 PM One thing I've always thought was funny was how everybody reacted when they heard about traumatic and retarded some of the ideas were for Superman back when they were planning a movie, between 1988-2005. Remember Tim Burton's transparent costume that showed Superman's internal organs? (And don't you want to throw up a little bit in your mouth after reading that?)
Or remember John Peters asking Kevin Smith, "hey, just who the f*** is Kal-El, again?" This surprises other people but it doesn't surprise me. As much as I love the character of Superman and his world, the fact is, most people THINK they know his story, but they really don't, and things like "New York Detective Superman" and "hey, who's Kal-El?" Become inevitable. Superman being a detective, though? Might be fun. Though New York would eat even Superman alive. My favorite moment of the Walt Simonson run on MIGHTY THOR was when S.H.I.E.L.D. told Thor that he had to live in Brooklyn - even S.H.I.E.L.D. couldn't find any real estate in Manhattan! Title: Re: Mma Ramotswe has an opinion Post by: Permanus on June 18, 2006, 12:44:31 AM Kevin Smith's retelling of the Superman script is hilarious, and a video of it is available here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vgYhLIThTvk&search=kevin%20smith%20superman (caveat emptor: contains strong language, almost every other word)
It never ceases to amaze me how little non-comics fans know about Superman, when you consider what a widely recognisable character he is. I once met someone who was under the impression that he was a monster, like Frankenstein or Dracula. Title: Re: Mma Ramotswe has an opinion Post by: Uncle Mxy on June 18, 2006, 08:15:31 PM Quote from: "JulianPerez" Superman being a detective, though? Might be fun. Though New York would eat even Superman alive. I love seeing Superman using "investigative reporter" skills, especially when it doesn't take him in the direction of superpowered badness. Title: Re: Mma Ramotswe has an opinion Post by: TELLE on June 18, 2006, 11:57:39 PM Quote from: "JulianPerez" Or remember John Peters asking Kevin Smith, "hey, just who the f*** is Kal-El, again?" I'm hoping the question "just who the f*** is John Peters, again?" is answered in the link provided by Permanus (and that the answer is "nobody interesting"). I know who Kevin Smith is --a comic book writer/movie director/actor who has made some low-budget movies with comic book references. Quote Superman being a detective, though? Might be fun. Though New York would eat even Superman alive. Superman has been a detective lots, hasn't he? And didn't Supergirl live in New York? (yeah, she had to move to Chicago, etc). Title: Re: Mma Ramotswe has an opinion Post by: Permanus on June 19, 2006, 05:47:23 AM Quote from: "TELLE" I'm hoping the question "just who the f*** is John Peters, again?" is answered in the link provided by Permanus (and that the answer is "nobody interesting"). Yes and sort of; he was supposed to be the producer on the putative Superman Lives film and was formerly Barbra Streisand's hairdresser, apparently. He is also the executive producer on Superman Returns, apparently, as well as a whole bunch of blockbusters. And some schlockbusters, too. Title: Re: Mma Ramotswe has an opinion Post by: Great Rao on June 19, 2006, 11:34:09 AM He's the reason that the Superman film has been in development hell for the last 15 or 20 years. I think that with Superman Returns, his contract is still in effect, so WB just paid him money to keep his name in the credits but his fingers off the film. Could be wrong, though.
:s: Title: Re: Mma Ramotswe has an opinion Post by: nightwing on June 19, 2006, 12:02:38 PM I hope you're right. I saw him pop up in the documentary and the implication was he was producing the new film. :shock: Of course in Hollywood "producer" can mean anything from hands-on micromanagement to "ponied up some capital on Day One and we never saw him again."
Or in this case, I hope, "we had to put his name on it or he wouldn't let us make it." The sad part is, if it does well, he'll have another success on his resume whether he did anything or not. Title: Re: Mma Ramotswe has an opinion Post by: TELLE on June 19, 2006, 09:01:39 PM Well, he seems to do a good job on Babs' hair. I like it!
Title: Re: Mma Ramotswe has an opinion Post by: Great Rao on June 19, 2006, 10:56:48 PM Quote from: "nightwing" Or in this case, I hope, "we had to put his name on it or he wouldn't let us make it." The sad part is, if it does well, he'll have another success on his resume whether he did anything or not. Don't worry. Nothing could counteract Wild Wild West. :s: Title: Re: Mma Ramotswe has an opinion Post by: nightwing on June 20, 2006, 08:51:42 AM Quote Don't worry. Nothing could counteract Wild Wild West. The only thing that can counteract the abysmal Will Smith "WWW" is the REAL THING! I've got Season One shipping to me right now from DeepDiscountDVD and I am totally psyched! :D Title: Re: Mma Ramotswe has an opinion Post by: JulianPerez on June 20, 2006, 12:27:41 PM Several years ago, I thought that no story could be more widely known than the J. Michael Staczynski/Peter David "bear" story. As I recall, Peter David was so darn tired of telling this story that he refused to tell it anymore.
The Kevin Smith Superman story's proved me wrong. Well, that story's so well known now that there's no way that Peters hasn't had it gotten back to him by now. Wonder if Kevin Smith is in hot water for it... Amusingly, both men involved in both stories have two first names. |