Call this "Superman for Dummies", as this
documentary is aimed squarely at people that want a complete overview of the
history of Superman and all of his appearances in popular media.
In a fashion, it is also worthwhile for nostalgia buffs and hardcore Superman
collectors, as it does feature interviews, rare footage, and bits of trivia that make this an
informative and entertaining look back at one of the most popular and beloved
icons of the 20th Century.
Popping up on A&E, the History Channel, and
on DVD before and during the release of Superman Returns, this
might be seen as just a means to hype up the summer blockbuster even more than
it already is, but footage from the 2006 film only takes up the last 10-15 minutes
or so, so this documentary shouldn't be seen merely as an infomercial.
However, it does generate an interest and respect for the Man of Steel, and as
an interesting historical recap of Superman as a comic book, radio show,
television program, and major motion picture superstar, it's an entertaining and
conscientious as such a populist subject deserves.
Spanning nearly 70 years of print, radio,
TV and film footage, and also including interviews with people that wrote,
appeared in, or were fans of the work, it isn't an easy thing to get all of the
information in and still keep the running time under two hours. The
interviews with Superman creative forces and fans alike are kept to minimal
sound bites, while never really trying to cram in just anyone to give more star
presence to the piece. Everyone has something to add, whether historians
talking about the sociopolitical context of Superman over the decades, or just
rocker Gene Simmons talking about how cool it was to tie a towel around his neck
and leap off of things in an attempt to mimic his favorite superhero. All
of these interview snippets are nicely packaged to enhance the footage of films
and television appearances of Supes, with no major base left untouched in terms
of Superman's major events.
Despite the fact that the makers of this
film piggyback on the hype generated in the release of Superman Returns,
this is a well-produced and informative documentary that can be enjoyed by
hardcore fans and those with just a passing interest alike. Tying in the
various ways that Superman was used over the years, as propaganda, advertising,
and as a mythological/religious symbol, the doc touches on very interesting
aspects and takes on what Superman has meant to each generation. It isn't
exhaustive, as almost every stop along the way could actually be a
2-hour documentary unto itself, so credit Kevin Burns for mostly sticking to
task to cover all of the important Superman-related tidbits and history,
exploring tangential items like the deaths of original TV Superman George Reeves
and film Superman Christopher Reeves in a way that seems to still fit the
overall tapestry of information.
Given the type of documentary that it is,
perhaps it could have explored Superman's popular history in much less time, and
still been as interesting. Kevin Spacey's narration is solid, although probably
only done as another tie-in to Superman Returns, and there are some aspects
of Superman thrown in that might make for interesting trivia, but aren't really
necessary from a historical point of view, such as the failed TV pilots and
musical ("Superpup"?), the Jerry Seinfeld American Express ads, screen tests for
the 1978 Superman movie, and George Reeves' guest appearance on "I Love
Lucy". Even if such things don't merit the time given to explore them,
they are still interesting nonetheless for Superman fans, who may never see
clips of them again in any form other than this documentary. (Ok, so it
doesn't include a reference to my least prized possession, the 1979 LP release called "Superman
and Other Disco Hits", but I guess some things may be too detrimental to the
psyche of Superman fans everywhere).
While there are some items that could have
been excised without losing the overall quality, the important thing is that I
can't think of anything they didn't feature that should have been included.
It looks at what clicked with the public, as well as what didn't, and doesn't
gloss over the missteps taken along the way. Look, Up in the Sky
gets it all in, from the original Siegel and Shuster comic to Superman
Returns, and everything in between, both good and bad. A comprehensive
keepsake for all interested in the world's most popular illegal alien.
