The
much anticipated Superman flick graces our silver screens today. Needless to say, I am eager to ‘meet’ our new
hero, Henry Cavill, who reprises the role of the legendary Christopher Reeve.
Cleverly
branded as the “Man of Steel,” the new Superman movie gives flight to a contemporary
hero, supported by a wealth of flawless visual and high definition sound effects
– destined to meet the standards of a twenty-first century superhero epic.
It
was in the late seventies though, in South Africa, when I first caught a
glimpse of the iconic Superman, endorsing a can of Pepsi. Almost every item flirting the identifiable “S”
logo, featured prominently in my world; from nutritional products to stationery
and clothing, ‘Superman’ ensured that if I supported whatever he recommended,
the end-result would secure my immortality.
But,
in 1983, when Richard Pryor revealed to the world that Superman himself had an Achilles’
heel, my perception of the “Man of Steel”
somewhat changed as I began to support the likes of other superheroes.
Needless
to say, my obsession for the man with the cape returned shortly after I
received a box set of Betamax videotapes, together with a poster of Clark
Kent/Superman undressing, and taking flight from a Metropolis phone booth. Complete with my custom-made Superman outfit (my monstrous size was not catered for by the
toy company and grandmother was forced to sew a homemade version of Clark Kent’s
alter ego),and my red Wellingtons, I challenged my sister to intolerable,
ongoing battles, envisaging her as the notorious supervillain Lex Luthor.
And
so, as the Superman image manifested itself over the years within my
subconscious, representing every childlike fantasy and hope for the future, I
emerged into society as an obsessive follower of the superhero cult. Thanks to the miracle of modern science, our fantasies
are somehow brought to life through the epics which beam onto our screens.
As
an avid supporter of Henry Cavill’s work, I am overwhelmed with the thought
that the legendary Christopher Reeve will undoubtedly be represented by an
actor who does justice to a challenging role.
The box office will certainly reveal the success of this new adaptation,
but I am confident that Cavill will secure the foundation for the Superman
franchise of the modern era.
Weight
for me soon. Paul
Paul Lambis is the author of “Where is Home?” – A journey of hilarious contrasts.
For more information on Paul Lambis, and to order his book online,
visit www.paul-lambis.com
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