Goodnight to a Super Man
It was the winter of 1978. I had to look that up. It was raining and nighttime, I remember that. We lived somewhere in Daytona Beach, Florida. Rain could mean anytime of the year in Florida. I was 9 years old. That would make my brother about to turn 8 I believe. He was still my best friend at that time. That I wish had not changed. My sister was still about 14 months from being born.
We hardly ever saw movies, and we never saw them at night. That right there made it special. My dad was the coolest man in the world, my mom the prettiest woman in the world. In many ways, that has not changed. The event we were witnessing that night was Superman . At 9 years old, a movie could still be an event.
I do not remember the previews, popcorn, what was talked about, what the theater looked like. I remember that I sat next to my dad. My brother on the other side of him. My mother next to him.
From the moment that movie started until the ending two hours later, I was totally wrapped up in the images, music and story before me. Everything else disappeared. Afterwards we went home, both my brother and I were asleep by the time we pulled up to the apartment. Just worn out.
It was an incredible experience. I cannot even accurately describe it. It was years before that the characters broke down in my eyes and became the actors. Though Superman never completely did. Christopher Reeve was always superman to me. He helped shape me into the person I am today. I can say as a 35 man, I don’t have many heroes; He is one of my heroes. That night shaped my life for the better.
Years after that I went and saw Superman 2 without my parents. Then 3 and 4. Not anywhere the impact. Maybe that’s why I like Star Wars better then Empire, because its that first impression, the events that effected me.
I watched everything Christopher Reeves did. I remember him on a Carol Burnett short livid variety show where he played the terminator. Which was also funny because he had turned down two roles that "Arnold" had taken.
He had his accident and I could not believe it. I even dug up the address and sent him a letter.
Now my hero has passed away. I may not show it in the office, but I will miss him.
-Larry
posted by Firebear at 2:23 PM
3 Comments:
I loved him in Superman as well but I always liked him better as Clark Kent. There's just something about how he played that classic nerd, made him so vulnerable but with a sense of humor as well. I always wanted to smack Lois for wanting Superman more.
He was an awesome actor, no matter what the part. He will be missed greatly. He wasn't my hero, mine will always be Batman, played only by Adam West, as cheesy as that may be.
I'll never stop believing in heroes. There are super men everywhere, if you know where to look. Christopher Reeve was one of the best. Thanks for this post. I needed this.
Larry,
Thank you for your post. I was saddened to hear the news of Christopher Reeve passing away. I did not know how to vocalize my emotions about this brave man and how he touched my life.
I never saw Superman in the theaters. I was too young for that. I have always admired the character of Superman because he just stood for good. He is a hero. I don't care if he's made up, he's still a good role model. The values he stands for are ones that the world could see more of.
I heard Christopher Reeve speak about a year after his accident. I heard him say, "So many of our dreams at first seem impossible, then they seem improbable, and then, when we summon the will, they soon become inevitable." It's been one of my favorite quotes ever since. He was a hero in two ways, as the actor playing Superman, and as a human being.
Thank you again.
A pretty post. Poignant too.
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