As usual, the Corner on a Friday is chock-full of fun and revealing pop-culture references. Good way to start the weekend. Today’s various comments about Superman Returns, The Searchers, and the Long Ranger are all worth some elaboration. Please allow me to revise and extend their remarks:
€ Superman Returns (I film I thought much less of than Iain) does not just seem to turn into Passion of the Christ, it was obviously designed in part to take advantage of the Passion/Narnia trend towards using faith imagery to sell the movie-going experience. Quite a lot of ink was spilled ahead of release on the fact that the recycled Marlon Brando lines sounded God-ish (“I have sent them you, my only son”) and that Supes strikes a crucifixion pose as he sacrifices himself to save the Earth. Too bad the writing was bad, the story flimsy, and the villain, as usual for DC Comics films, unequal to the task and uninteresting to boot.
€ The Searchers does meander. Honest folks explain that they like it because of the last three minutes. I like it for that reason. Dishonest folks lovingly praise every frame, despite the fact that Ford made many, many better films frame-for-frame.
€ The Long Ranger did, indeed, always work with partners. He trained his nephew, Dan Reid, so well that the latter passed on the heroic legacy to his son Britt Reid, otherwise known as the Green Hornet.