Superman Returns - Costume

[chris6909]

Don't know if you guys visit the DC forums at all, but the views expressed there are pretty interesting and thought-provoking.
They discuss, among many other topics, the diffirences between the Reeve and the Routh look. Apparently many people think that Reeve looks more like a man than Routh. The narratives used to describe Routh were "boyish" and "looks like a fag". Sorry about that last remark, but that was a quote. I don't want to dwell on contentious or explosive issues, but I agree that Reeve pulled off the look a lot better.
Another interesting exercise they did was to digitally enhance a photo of Brandon Routh in the new costume to make it look more like the current look in the commics, i.e. the 'S' emblem was bigger, the belt buckle oval, the neck-line lower and the colors brighter. The diffirence is phenominal! The after pic makes Routh look like the real Superman. He looks somehow a lot more powerful in the 'enhanced' costume. This is a classical example of where the clothes makes the man. It's a pity I couln't find that picture again, cause there were loads of positve comments about it.
Another interesting point was raised with reference to director Singer's sexuality (Apparently Singer is gay. /this according to the DC forums/.Who knew.I certainly didn't.). Please believe me when I say that this isn't an attemt at gay-bashing, but you can't ignore the connection with the "gay look" that the DC-forum was talking about.
With that said, let me attempt to bow out gracefully; hopefully I will manage to escape a mountain of hate-mail.

Later!

[shazamtd]

With that said, let me attempt to bow out gracefully; hopefully I will manage to escape a mountain of hate-mail.

You're not going to get any hate mail, chris6909.  We don't do that at this message board.  We just agree to disagree.  

[Permanus]

Don't worry, Chris, this is one site where people don't tend to flame, at least in my experience.

My problem with Routh isn't particularly that he looks gay (and how does one do that? One of my closest friends is gay, and he just looks like a fat guy with a beard), it's just that he looks too young. I can't help worrying that the whole Superman Returns film is a Youth Culture thing. The director's videoblogs, the actors... Is it just me, or do all these people seem too young to know what they're doing? I always like to think of Superman as a fellow in his late thirties: the guy who could be your science teacher.

I know I'm going to watch this film, and when it inevitably comes out on DVD and UMD, I shall buy that, but frankly, I don't think I'm going to enjoy it. My personal view is that this flick will be more of the same, and not the stuff I like. It'll be like going to a chain restaurant: you may not like it, but hey, chow down. It's food.

[nightwing]

Funny; when Christopher Reeve starred in the first film, I had a lot of these same concerns.  I was only 14 myself, but I thought he looked "too young."  MY Superman was George Reeves, the essential father figure who, to my young mind, began life at 40 and went up from there.  Casting a 20-something seemed like a bad idea to me...how could he have the all-knowing, supreme confidence Superman needed?  Was this all being done to offer up a new "sex symbol" at the expense of character? (And yes, Chris looked a bit "gay" as well to my young mind...he had a pretty, smooth face and he wore body-hugging spandex, where old George had a busted nose and wore a wool suit).

And while we're on the costume...Chris' outfit had a bigger "S" than the one in the comics of the time, and other little things that made it look "off" to me (like not being a true blue...a sacrifice made to facilitate the flying effects).  The reason the "S" is bigger now in comics is because Byrne knew Superman from films and not comics, so it seems ironic to turn that full circle against Singer.  

I'm still a bit worried that Routh looks too young, and for the record I still think Chris looked too young (!).  But I'm a bit more concerned about his lack of experience.  Rarely is a just-starting-out actor given such a major role in a huge production...once in a blue moon that gets us an Errol Flynn in "Captain Blood" but more often we get a George Lazenby in OHMSS.  But I've been through this all before and I've learned that you can't judge anything til you see the film.  I didn't like the Batman Begins suit in early pictures but now I've seen the movie I can live with it...I won't say it's any prettier than the first time I saw it but the movie made it seem functional, which is what mattered more than aesthetics.  Maybe Routh and Singer can sell me on this new/old look for Supes as well, by giving me a film where I don't sit there bored for two hours second-guessing the costume department.

[shazamtd]

But I'm a bit more concerned about his lack of experience. Rarely is a just-starting-out actor given such a major role in a huge production...once in a blue moon that gets us an Errol Flynn in "Captain Blood" but more often we get a George Lazenby in OHMSS.

Don't forget Chris Reeve was an unknown too and he was able to pull it off.

[chris6909]

Let's hope Routh can do the same.

He still looks too young though. He shouldn't be wearing the red trunks; maybe a red diaper instead?

If it was Superinfant Returns...........brilliant!!!

Well, maybe I'm being prejudiced. If Singer and Routh pulls it off, I'll be the first to admit that I was wrong. We can can only hope.........

[nightwing]

He still looks too young though. He shouldn't be wearing the red trunks; maybe a red diaper instead?

Well I don't know if I'd go that far.  At least Routh looks like he could age into the role, unlike Dean Cain, who even when he hits 50 will still look like a teenager.

I guess my concern is that we're going to get another Hayden Christiansen here, a guy chosen for his youthful sex appeal who couldn't act his way out of a Sunny-D commercial, much less carry a major motion picture.  I understand the desire to snag a new talent willing to sign a multi-picture deal because he doesn't have a career yet (and one who's looks might hold up for the 6 years it takes to unfold a trilogy), but the potential problem here is that Singer seems intent on making this a sequel, even if only in spirit, to the first two Donner movies.  Routh *might* pass for someone old enough to be a reporter on a big city paper, but from what I know of the plot, we need someone who looks six years older than Chris Reeve was in Superman 2.  And there's no way he can pull that off.

On the other hand, Lois is a mere mortal and those missing 6 years have REALLY been kind to her...she looks like her own daughter!

[Great Rao]

I guess my concern is that we're going to get another Hayden Christiansen here, a guy chosen for his youthful sex appeal who couldn't act his way out of a Sunny-D commercial, much less carry a major motion picture.

After watching this recent interview with Brandon, I think he'll do a fantastic job as both Clark and Superman:

Quicktime: http://iesb.net/videointerviews/brandonrouthggqt.php
Windows: http://iesb.net/videointerviews/brandonrouthgg.php

Everytime you see him adjust his forelock, just imagine that he's adjusting his glasses...