Superman's Shrink

[Gilles Guerraz]

Hi,

Here is a short video I've made in april 2006. Superman has got depressive. He's confessing to his psychologist...
This video is part of a session based upon Superman, by "Les Filmistes Associés" (www.lesfilmistes.com)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-IZIejxTC_0

[Gilles Guerraz]

Anybody ? :-/

[John Huling]

I enjoyed it!

[Gilles Guerraz]

Thanks John !! ;-)))

[Derrick A.Jones]

Kind of different. Had some funny parts in it. Good film

[Gilles Guerraz]

Thank you for the feedback Derrick.

[Steven Gotz]

I doubt it is something an American would come up with. It certainly provides a different view on things.

[Gilles Guerraz]

This is very interesting Steven.

Why do you think an american would'nt come up with a short video like this one ?

[Steven Gotz]

Well, it seems obvious to me, but I can explain it, I believe.

Superman stands for "Truth, Justice, and the American Way". He was created in a time of trouble for the world, and is looked on as an American Hero by those of us who live in the USA. Regardless of where he was born. Remember the USA is made up of people from all over the world. Adding someone from another planet seems just as easy as adding someone from some small country in Eastern Europe (for example). Or even from France.

He was raised in the heartland of the USA by people generally considered to be the "right" kind of people. People we admire. Not necessarily people we would want to emulate, but we admire them their work ethic and their moral fiber.

Given that history of him, and the way he is looked upon by Americans, I doubt we would be inclined to show him as a sniveling coward, laying on a couch pouring out his troubles. In your movie, he whines like a loser. It is not the way we would wish to portray ourselves. And since he is so closely associated with our heritage, we would not want him to be portrayed that way.

He is our hero. Complaining about not getting paid? That is silly. All he needs to do is crush a lump of coal to get a diamond. That should pay Clark Kent's rent for a while.

Losing to Batman? In which strange version of the universe could that happen? Batman is merely a man. Superman is, well, super!

Merchandising rights? OK, I could see him possibly getting upset, but now you have attacked another American icon. Mickey Mouse as a thief? Using obscene gestures? That is way out of bounds for any American I know.

By the way, his suit is not made of Lycra. And how could he be allergic unless it was part Kryptonite?

Add that to the idea that Mr. Clean Cut himself, the ultimate in family values, could possibly use the "F" word? Nonsense.

I am not saying your movie didn't have any value. I am just saying that few true American patriots would have even thought of such a movie let alone put it on the Internet. Superman is a hero. It is to our benefit to think of him that way.

I do understand that Europeans sometimes prefer to ridicule the USA, and our heroes. And they may very well do it without even realizing that they have done so. However, I think that people who make movies ought to think through the ramifications of their art.

I took some kids to see a children's movie recently. In it, there were some stereotypical french frogs. The idea that bigots have been known to call Frenchmen "frogs" is an old one, but it does not belong in a children's movie. And when the frogs were told to do as they always do, they raised their hands over their heads and surrendered. Not what was intended, but another stereotype. I have to wonder if the producers just flat out decided to forget about showing that movie in France? If I were French, I would protest the thing so that everyone would know that it was made by bigots.

In any case, you made your movie, and I am sure that there was a lot of work that went into it. And that many people will enjoy it. I just don't think that Americans would make such a movie. It would not occur to most of us to trash an icon like that.

[Gilles Guerraz]

Hi Steven, and thank you very much for your long and detailed explanation.


First of all, I must admit that I'm very surprised that you consider this video as anti-american.
"Superman" is the first movie I had the chance to see in a theater, when I was five years old.

When I went to see Bryan Singer's Superman in July 2006, I couldn't retain a smile of pleasure as soon as John Williams Superman's Theme began to play.
I just love the character.

My childhood was very influenced by US comics books. DC, Marvel, Supermna, Batman, Spideman, X-Men, Alpha Division and more recently Spawn, Pitt, Savage Dragon and so son...

As for me, Superman is a universal super-hero. Not especially american. I'm not saying he isn't. I'm saying I didn't feel it that way when I've discovered the character at the age of 5.

That is to say, mocking Superman is not mocking the US.
That is why I disagree when you write "he is OUR hero".
Ask children from Japan, from China, from Mexico, from Spain, from Germany, from England. You'll probably find out they feel Superman is everyone's hero.

And this is why I don't feel like trashing an american icon.
We just make fun of a super hero that everybody in the world is familiar with.

The humour in the video (thet I can fully understand you don't like) is very "2nd degree". It's not to be taken litterally.

Of course Superman doesn't get paid for what he does.
Of course he won't loose against Batman.
Of course he doesn't get money for merchandising rights.
Of course his suit is not made of lycra.

It's just a way to find an amusing way (in my point of view) to have a look at the problems a super hero would encounter, if he'd work as a salary man.
Up and downs. Nothing more.

The goal was not to make fun of american culture. I'm honestly sorry if it's felt this way. I've been several times in the US and enjoyed every trip I've made there. I have nothing to settle with US culture.

So I don't know. You may have to be french to understand this kind of humour ? ;-)


Anyway, thanks for your argumentation.

Bye


Gilles

[Steven Gotz]

I fully understand your point of view. I was merely explaining why I thought an American would not be inclined to come up with an idea like that. It may very well be that American and European humor have some integral differences. We may share some humor, but we may be more different than alike in some ways.

There are a few things that Americans, in general, do not make fun of. Or, if they do, they do it in a different manner.

This should not come as a shock to anyone. There are many cultural differences other than just humor.

[Bill Ravens]

I like your story. In particular, I like the insight you provided by portraying superman exactly as you have. you managed to pick an american icon and touch a sensitive chord in the american psyche. particularly, given the recent fall from grace that america has had in europe and the ROW.

I'm quite "american" yet i don't seem to have the unwavering faith in superman that Mr. Gotz has. ther's something painfully humorous about this story, indeed. it only hurts when i laugh kinda thing. if a culture can't laugh at its own shortcomings, indeed that culture is doomed.

great portrayal, Mr Guerraz...and unequivocally fresh.

[Gilles Guerraz]

Thanks for your replies.

And thanks Bill !
Your comment eases my mind ;-)

[Michael Bernstein]

Americans have certainly enjoyed ironic, anti-heroic, or simply antic takes on their beloved comic-book superheroes. Check out Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns, Alan Moore's Watchmen (written by a Brit, but greedily bought and hotly discussed by American comics fans), and the Saturday Night Live sketch featuring the late Christopher Reeve failing horribly as he auditions to play Superman. And of course there's Bizarro Superman, a version I have never understood.

It seems to me that Gilles' jokes were French in the particulars. Or at least, European. How many of us would illustrate bankruptcy with an angry bank manager? Perhaps the American version of this joke would have his agent--say, Ari Gold from Entourage--dropping him because he's not making enough money any more.

The question that Steven Gotz asked occurred to me, too: "Why doesn't he crush some coal?" But there's no reason that, for comic reasons, he couldn't have lost this ability, or his courage, or his physical superiority over Batman; there's no reason why, for comic reasons, he couldn't have asthma or an allergy to Lycra. But there has to be some comic reason.

What would the comic reason be? Um, I have no idea. Not that I could say out loud. I mean, in words.

Dissecting comedy is a treacherous business. But fascinating.

Michael

[Gilles Guerraz]

Thank you for your interesting comment Michael, I cant' agree more with one of your sentences :

"Dissecting comedy is a treacherous business"