When I was a teen I had no idea “Superman IV: The Quest for Peace” was part of a larger propaganda effort to rid the U.S. of its nuclear arsenal.
I only knew it was one lousy movie.
Watching it again earlier this week with my Superman-obsessed son reminded me how that silly plot essentially ruined the “Superman” franchise for more than a decade. Young adults don’t realize they’re being indoctrinated by the mass media, which makes watching movies again as a 40-something is such an eye opener.
Which brings me to this week’s big movie news, the announcement that the ’90s eco-cartoon “Captain Planet” will be made into a live-action film. The show, a pet project from enviro-hypocrite Ted Turner, fused super hero action with save the world do-gooderism.
Suddenly, the sight of Superman scooping up all the world’s nuclear weapons and hurling them into the sun doesn’t sound so bad.
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{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
In my opinion, the Superman franchise committed suicide with SUPERMAN III. After that, the franchise was garage-saled out to Golan-Globus to make a cheap buck, which is probably why Christopher Reeve got so much control over it. SUPERMAN IV was like a reanimated corpse shambling into the theaters, not realizing it’s already dead.
Something tells me we won’t be getting an awesome movie like Street Smart, which according to IMDb only got financed if Christopher Reeve agreed to what became Superman IV, as a side-prize, either.
The Captain Planet cartoon at the linked article looked just awful. At least the eventual DVDs of the live-action movie version will keep discounted copies of “The Happening” company in the sale bins at Walmart & Target.
Yeah, this movie has blockbuster written all over it.
I think Captain Planet’s true super power was making celebrities feel better about themselves & their lavish lifestyles.
There is another revelation that comes in one’s 50s. The propaganda is part of the movie experience you seek; it’s not that important in the long run. When I was in my late 20s, I saw “Silent Running” and seriously wanted to hug some trees. That really was my reaction after seeing the movie. Three decades later, I had to go look up the name of the movie by googling “Bruce Dern” and “trees.” Also, there are a lot of trees in the world still. That all taught me something that’s hard to put into words…but one thing is clear: The good movies (Superman I and II [Donner cut] fall into this category) are unforgettable.
I’m with Hunter- I thought “Superman III” was the low point in the series. Part 4 is corny, cheap and dated but it does have Gene Hackman as Lex Luthor, Jon Cryer (yes, I dig his “The Dude of Steel” delivery) and a few scenes that captured the sweetness and charm of the first movie, particularly the double-date. For all the campiness of “The Quest for Peace”, I’ll take it any day over Richard Pryor on skis.
Wish I wrote that:
SUPERMAN IV was like a reanimated corpse shambling into the theaters, not realizing it’s already dead.
Barry – yes, there were a few moments when that old Supe magic sparkled. Cryer’s shtick seems such a nod to the teen crowd that it still leaves me cold, but Hackman is Hackman and there’s not a thing wrong with that.
To me, seeing this franchise stripped of its budget was such a low blow …
I can never figure why Hollyweird just wastes money on garbage like this. If they made ONE movie showing our troops as the brave dedicated hero’s they are they would rake in MILLIONS and MILLIONS. What a bunch of Marxists fools.
I knew when I WAS FREAKING 12 that that cartoon was ridiculously awful. Another Ted Turner venture courtesy of Insanity. I actually want this ******* thing to get made. It just proves how far Hollywood has fallen. I will pirate it and have an air condtioner screening party at my house and pour a bunch of motor oil all over my nachos as I make a bunch of penguins do the Flintstone Flop on a stove top element.
No way this will be as good as the Robot Chicken parody.
@RWA
Funny you should say that. I just got back from Comic con and watched a guy in a Capt Planet getup get mugged by about 6 people with the tag line : “Save the planet or I’ll FN KILL you!!” : )
The Capt Planet movie would make a whole lot more money as an eco- satire.