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Post by Red Oak Kid on Sept 24, 2016 16:20:19 GMT -5
Does anyone know the origin of the idea of Clark Kent ducking into a phone booth to change into Superman?
For some reason, I have a feeling this did not begin in the actual Superman comic book.
I know by the early 60s stand-up comedians were using this in their comedy routines. And I know it was used on the cover of some DC comics in the 60s.
But I'd like to know the origin of this.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 24, 2016 16:31:25 GMT -5
From stackexchange.com:
The first mention of a phone booth appears to be an old Superman cartoon from 1941.
To my knowledge, Clark Kent first changed to Superman inside a phone booth in "The Mechanical Monsters", the second of 17 Superman cartoons produced by Fleischer Studios for Paramount Pictures. It was released to cinemas on November 28 in 1941.
Having phoned in the news of the robbery to the Daily Planet, Clark exits the phone booth to find Lois missing, looking up he sees the Mechanical Monster flying away, so he darts back inside the phone booth and changes to Superman.
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Post by Icctrombone on Sept 24, 2016 18:07:38 GMT -5
It cracked me up in Superman the movie, when he wanted to change and saw a half booth like they had back in the 70's.
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Post by Confessor on Sept 29, 2016 23:09:17 GMT -5
It cracked me up in Superman the movie, when he wanted to change and saw a half booth like they had back in the 70's. That entire helicopter rescue sequence is just dynamite from start to finish. Great direction, special effects, acting, music, editing and a perfect balance between humour and action. Love the double-jeopardy of the helicopter itself suddenly falling towards Supes, after he's already caught Lois too. Brilliant scripting in that sequence as well...from, "You've got me? who's got you?!" to "Say Jim, woooo!! !"... "Excuse me"... "That's a bad outfit!" It's probably the single best action sequence in any superhero movie ever. |
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Post by Deleted on Sept 29, 2016 23:12:42 GMT -5
^ the Top Dollar vs Crow on top of the cathedral sequence in "the Crow" would like a word with you  (but yeah, that Superman scene is great. they came close in the sequel w/ the Eiffel Tower scene too) |
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Post by Confessor on Sept 29, 2016 23:15:18 GMT -5
^ the Top Dollar vs Crow on top of the cathedral sequence in "the Crow" would like a word with you (but yeah, that Superman scene is great. they came close in the sequel w/ the Eiffel Tower scene too) Wait! What the...?! Did...did you just compare Superman The Movie to... The Crow?? Wow.  |
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Post by Cei-U! on Sept 29, 2016 23:45:28 GMT -5
md62 is correct. The phone booth thing began with "The Mechanical Monsters." I just referenced this fact yesterday in the chapter I'm writing!
Cei-U!
I summon Ma Bell!
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Post by Deleted on Sept 30, 2016 0:08:38 GMT -5
^ the Top Dollar vs Crow on top of the cathedral sequence in "the Crow" would like a word with you (but yeah, that Superman scene is great. they came close in the sequel w/ the Eiffel Tower scene too) Wait! What the...?! Did...did you just compare Superman The Movie to... The Crow?? Wow. for years the Crow was the gold standard for a how to do an accurate comic to film translation. (If pressed, I'd say it lost that status to the 1st Avengers film. . tho Deadpool comes damn close). is Superman: the movie a better film? Yeah, I'd say so, but the crow is a better translation of the comic to film. I take it you're not a Crow fan? cause that first film absolutely nailed it. And the cinematography, the special effects, the directing, the atmosphere, and the music all work in pretty perfect harmony. regardless tho, I was talking about a single scene, and how it was filmed, how the action worked in comparison to the scene you mentioned (which I didn't say was "worse". . only about the same in my mind). Keep in mind. . talking about the scene |
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Post by Confessor on Sept 30, 2016 1:24:33 GMT -5
I take it you're not a Crow fan? cause that first film absolutely nailed it. And the cinematography, the special effects, the directing, the atmosphere, and the music all work in pretty perfect harmony. No, I'm not a Crow fan. I never read the comic and so my only exposure to the franchise was the first movie, back in the early '90s. I wasn't overly impressed with it, to be honest, although I remember very little of it now. I do remember thinking that it looked more like an MTV music video than a feature film, but I guess to some, that was exactly its strength. As I say, I've never read any of the Crow comics, but I'm quite prepared to believe that the film did a decent job of translating them to the screen. Ultimately though, it's not a film I'd care to watch again and it also killed any interest I had in the franchise as a whole. |
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Post by Randle-El on Sept 30, 2016 9:28:28 GMT -5
CBR recently posted an article on this: www.cbr.com/tv-legends-did-superman-actually-change-in-a-phone-booth-on-tv/That entire helicopter rescue sequence is just dynamite from start to finish. Great direction, special effects, acting, music, editing and a perfect balance between humour and action. Love the double-jeopardy of the helicopter itself suddenly falling towards Supes, after he's already caught Lois too. Brilliant scripting in that sequence as well...from, "You've got me? who's got you?!" to "Say Jim, woooo!! !"... "Excuse me"... "That's a bad outfit!" It's probably the single best action sequence in any superhero movie ever. You can't forget the moment where he's running across the street and rips open his shirt to reveal the S-shield with John Williams' score in the background. I don't think any of the TV or film adaptations have given us a more perfect Clark-to-Superman change. And even thought I must have seen the movie dozens of times since childhood, only in the last few years did I come to the realization that the "Say Jim" guy was a pimp. |
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Post by Confessor on Sept 30, 2016 10:08:50 GMT -5
^^ Yeah, like I say that entire scene -- from Lois first getting into the helicopter, right up until she faints -- is solid gold, cinematic perfection. It never fails to awe, no matter how many times I watch it.
As for the "Say, Jim" guy, yeah, I only realised that after many years myself. As a kid, I just thought he was some jive talking bystander from Harlem.
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Post by foxley on Sept 30, 2016 20:28:48 GMT -5
Maybe that was true, but nowadays I'd say Sin City is the gold standard.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 30, 2016 23:17:55 GMT -5
Maybe that was true, but nowadays I'd say Sin City is the gold standard. Good point (tho the 2nd one is unwatchable). but I'd still say Avengers and Deadpool both nailed the feel of a comic to film adaptation. |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 1, 2016 11:48:12 GMT -5
1941 Mechanical Monster Cartoon Clip
Clark Kent entered the Phone Booth to phone in a story at the 5:19 mark of this cartoon and then at the 5:51 mark he uses the same Phone Booth to change into his alter ego - Superman in the 2nd Cartoon of the Fleischer Studios made in the early 40's.
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