Monday, 05.05.08
Iron Man Conquers the World
Iron Man publicity still
The Future is Bright
May 2008
Matthew Yglesias applauds Iron Man's "vital critique of the military-industrial complex."
Superhero Worship
October 2006
Maus Culture
March 2001
From comics to graphic novels, Peter Swanson finds that the comic book has come of age.
Comic-book fanboys should rejoice at this weekend's box office numbers, while moviegoers who either dislike superhero flicks outright or (like yours truly) enjoy them only in limited doses should be wringing their hands over Iron Man's haul. Coming at the beginning of a summer already glutted with superhero fare of various sorts, the film's success promises to cement the comic-book movie's Hollywood hegemony for years if not decades to come.
For one thing, Iron Man proves that with the right cast, director, budget and kick-ass marketing campaign, even a second-tier superhero franchise can provide the grist for a summer tentpole movie. Until now, there had been a clear ceiling on how much money a studio could hope to make with a comic-book film that didn't feature Batman, Superman, Spiderman or the X-Men. Some of the B-list efforts made money, true, but they didn't make blockbuster money, and for every Ghost Rider there was a Catwoman, for every Fantastic Four an Elektra. But if Marvel Studios, in its maiden venture as an independent production company, can earn Batman or Spiderman-style box office off the billionaire arms dealer Tony Stark and his iron suit, well, then the road is cleared for literally dozens of efforts featuring characters just as obscure as Iron Man, if not more so.
So that's one piece of bad news for anyone who isn't pining to have the summer blockbuster season of 2012 anchored by Sub-Mariner II: Rising Tide. Another is Robert Downey, Jr.'s transformation from the troubled genius of his generation into the next Tobey Maguire or Christian Bale: A serious actor making serious bank by putting on a faintly-silly costume and surrounding himself with top-of-the-line FX. It's nice to see him out of jail and acting, obviously, but if the magic of comic books can transform even Downey, Jr. into a bazillion-dollar grossing mainstream movie star, then no talented young actor or director is safe from the superhero film's magnetic (and oh-so-lucrative) pull. Which means, in turn, that if we aren't careful, the next generation of Coppolas and Scorseses, De Niros and Streeps will spend the best years of their creative lives toiling away on Spiderman 8 or X-Men Origins: Kitty Pryde.
So while partisans of the comic-book movie boast and brag about how their favorite pop-art form is just now coming of age, the rest of us are left to dream of the only thing that could bring the current era of comic-book triumphalism to an end -- namely, a big-budget superhero movie so disastrous, so toxically-bad, that it poisons the well for years to come. Joel Schumacher, a nation turns its lonely eyes to you ...
From jumpsuit to robo-suitDavid Carr profiles new action star Robert Downey Jr., including details of his prior life as a convict, in which he would sometimes wake up in a pool of his own blood. |
Franchise material?David Denby wonders if Robert Downey Jr.'s Tony Stark has the emotional depth to justify an Iron Man franchise. |
No lump of coalFor Hugh Hart, Iron Man's faults make his transformation refreshing, not predictable. |
Inflation proneBill Wyman debunks the inflated hype about the film's record-setting weekend at the box-office. |
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Your points are well taken Mr. Douthat. But your article, sounds ultimately, like a rant (out of your fear of future Comic Book Movies).
Why? Cause Iron Man was actually a good movie! It was very well reviewed by people, who normally don't like, or go to Comic Book movies. So don't worry about it. Yes! People will attempt to make more comic book movies. But they have to be GOOD COMIC BOOK MOVIES!
You may think Iron Man, is a "second Tier" Franchise (obviously your not a big Comic Book fan, just the ones you know and like, such as Spider Man, I get it). But it was also a franchise, that lasted over 40 years, and was an essential part of the Marvel Universe. That would be like saying the Silver Surfer, was a second tier franchise (and maybe you do). Just because he wasn't famous outside of comics.
The Silver Surfer, was nonetheless an essential componet of Marvel Comics. Therefore (such as Iron Man), when a movie is made about them. Their is great interest. Because Iron Man, as the Silver Surfer, were essential componets, of the Marvel Universe.
As long as they keep making good, refreshing, new movies (along with a assortment of new chick, indie, horror, thriller, & skin flicks); who cares!
Ross, I started to write a comment, but it went on too long and turned into a blog post. If you're interested, it's here
It isn't just good for comic book movies, it's about the maturation of special effects to the point that anything fantasy/science fiction from comics to books to original scripts are being widely accepted by mainstream audiences.
This kind of fiction has a long historical pedigree (mythology anyone?) and by now we're drowning in evidence that mass audience will go for it if the effects are good enough that they don't have to use their imaginations for anything.
So yeah, maybe we're more likely to see "Sub-Mariner II: Rising Tide" but we'll also start seeing a lot more Matrix-like originals alongside serious sci-fi literature like Neuromancer. And hopefully Hollywood will start treating this stuff more seriously when they write a screenplays in the future (I'm looking at you Starship Troopers).
Yep, the film industry is losing its way. When--O When Lord?--will it see the light and get back to making serious movies like Phantom from 10,000 Leagues, Barbarella, Billy Jack, Death Race 2000, Faster Pussycat! Kill! Kill!, Rambo III, Cat-Women of the Moon, Killer Klowns from Outer Space and Walking Tall?!
Where will we fit in the next badly dubbed Hercules or singing cowboys when studios are too busy making movies that millions of people want to see instead?
Just terrible, really.
Dear Ross:
As a 41 year old with multiple post-graduate degrees, I'm as interested in meaningful films as anybody else. However, I would point out two problems with your comments:
1) Comic book movies- which are just a subgenre of science fiction/fantasy more generally- can be stupid or smart, pandering or thoughtful, just like any other genre. There were so many psychological themes running around Batman Begins that you could use it as a seminary seminar. Science fiction is about putting this world into perspective by imagining another one, which is to say, it's a lot like other forms of fiction.
2) I agree with the above post that you err in calling Iron Man a minor character. I remember comics very well from my boyhood and Iron Man was a HUGE part of the Marvel Universe, with his own comic and being part of the Avengers, who often showed up in other comic series. Just because you hadn't heard of him doesn't mean he's second-tier.
Right on, arbitrista! Douthat is a smart man, but he could learn something from your cogent blog. I usually find his observations mordant and his arguments compelling; however, this time I can't agree with you more.
Iron Man was a practically flawless hero flick; its makers drop some pretty obvious sequel hints too... i'm thinking the next one should be equally great
thats awsome
Ross-
Your concerns about "the comic-book movie's Hollywood hegemony" are well-taken, but I'm having trouble envisioning an alternative summer blockbuster platform for a post-comic-book age.
Roland Emmerich and other seem to have exhausted a number of the alternative genres -- with, at best, mixed results. Moreover, Hollywood's reliance on top-heavy films -- that is, those summer blockbusters whose opening weekends represent increasingly sizable portions of their overall hauls -- appears to be growing ( http://boxofficemojo.com/alltime/weekends/summerstarts.htm ) further circumscribing the range of genres to which tent-pole summer blockbusters might belong.
Of course there are many unique and enjoyable exceptions to these rules, but, again, I just can't envision the next stage in the summer blockbuster season's evolution.
Posted by hn | May 5, 2008 5:57 PM