As a fan who has been moved by countless stories of resilience and human connection, I wholeheartedly recommend “Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story“. This documentary is not just a chronicle of a famous actor’s life; it’s a testament to the indomitable spirit of a man whose impact reverberates long after his physical presence has left us.
In the film “Cloud Atlas,” Susan Sarandon, an interview subject in “Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story,” expressed that our lives aren’t solely ours. It can sometimes feel like we are isolated due to depression or anxiety, but this is a deception. As human beings, we are perpetually intertwined with each other. Though we may not recognize it at the time, our lives influence others in significant and subtle ways. Christopher Reeve embodied this truth in his life. While he was known for playing a popular DC Comics character, that wasn’t the only way he affected others. The events following his life-changing paralysis still resonate deeply within society. His life transcended personal boundaries, as poignantly depicted in the documentary “Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story.
Directors Ian Bonhôte and Peter Ettedgui structure Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story in a dual narrative style. Right from the start, in May 1995, the film depicts the life-altering horseback riding accident that occurred. However, it swiftly transitions to flashbacks set in the early 1970s, offering glimpses into Christopher Reeve’s early career as an actor through interviews, stories, and archival footage. The screenplay by Bonhôte, Ettedgui, and Otto Burnham seamlessly moves between two distinct periods in Reeve’s life.
Structuring a documentary about a renowned actor, such as Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story, often follows a split format, which is quite typical. However, in this particular case, the dual narrative threads carry an extraordinary emotional impact. Initially, the division between these two storylines presents a heart-wrenching contrast. On one hand, we see Reeve’s promising career trajectory in the 1970s, culminating in his iconic role as Superman after a remarkable audition. On the other, we witness his deep sorrow following that fateful accident. As the narrative unfolds, though, the benefits of this parallel structure become more apparent. The audience can vividly observe Reeves’ resilience as a person, despite his paralysis. His wit, camaraderie with friends like Robin Williams and wife Dana Morosini, and eloquence in interviews all remained strong.
In many films and American culture, physical disabilities are often portrayed as stripping away one’s humanity. People who rely on wheelchairs or other assistive devices are often marginalized and seen as different, or “othered.” Even Christopher Reeve, in a 1990s interview, admitted to having done this himself while researching a role before 1995. This reflects the way disabled people are frequently treated in society at large. However, the documentary Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story forcefully challenges this harmful standard by highlighting the consistency of Reeves’ personality throughout his life. This dual-narrative structure also gives a fresh perspective to a common trope found in modern celebrity documentaries.
Discussing celebrity documentaries, the style of Bonhôte and Ettedgui’s work on “Super/Man ” resembles that of its counterparts. The recurring animated sequences featuring a Christopher Reeve statue floating in space (symbolizing distress with Kryptonite blasts and other cracks) mirrors the animation segments found in productions like “Life, Animated“. Conventional filmmaking methods are used to capture interviews, while archival footage is presented in a similar straightforward manner.
In a less quirky fashion than the man it portrays, “Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story” doesn’t veer too far from the ordinary. However, this straightforward narrative style doesn’t diminish the profound emotional impact of the testimonies and anecdotes about Christopher Reeve. It’s hard to find fault with the unassuming editing while watching tear-jerking stories from his children, Matthew, Alexandra, and Will. Similarly, acting companions like Susan Sarandon, Jeff Daniels, and Glenn Close share deeply emotional stories about Reeve. Among these, Glenn Close delivers one of “Super/Man’s” most poignant moments with a late comment about Reeve and Robin Williams.
During the course of watching “Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story“, I began to notice a unique aspect of this film. Unlike other biographical productions, Christopher Reeve and Dana Morosini are not present to share their experiences through new interview segments. Instead, vintage interviews from “The Tonight Show” featuring Reeves, or excerpts from Morosini’s one-woman Broadway show, serve as a means for these central figures of “Super/Man” to express their viewpoints. However, the film primarily revolves around the recollections of Reeve and Morosini’s closest associates, such as their children, Brooke Ellison, or Morosini’s friend Michael Manganiello, who speak about them in the past tense.
Instead of only hearing tales from devoted fans of Reeves from a distance, the filmmakers have collected deeply personal and specific stories from individuals who were close to Reeves and Morosini. These stories offer insight into their lives, such as Will recalling his father’s return from the hospital after being paralyzed, gazing out at familiar places like a lake he used to skate on. Manganiello remembers the night Morosini shared with him her first meeting with Reeves. Close’s eyes brim with palpable pain as she speaks of friends she lost due to AIDS in the late 20th century. The focus of Bonhôte and Ettedgui’s film, Super/Man, is on the individuals who knew Reeves and Morosini best, allowing their emotional accounts to resonate deeply. Though these two people have passed away, their stories continue to live on and leave a lasting impact.
Speaking of Christopher Reeve personally, the representation of him in this movie is quite extensive yet balanced, not overly idolizing him. For instance, his children openly talk about how he was frequently absent during the late 80s. This portrayal doesn’t glorify Reeve’s activism solely on finding a cure; instead, it presents controversies associated with his activism, demonstrating the documentary’s nuanced approach. It’s comforting that this film, produced independently before being acquired by DC Studios, HBO Documentary Films, and CNN Films, doesn’t become a promotional tool for Superman merchandise. Moreover, acknowledging Reeve’s roles in movies like Anna Karenina and Deathtrap helps the documentary steer clear of its most pessimistic potential.
In an intelligent approach, Bonhôte and Ettedgui choose not to interview the typical celebrities often associated with comic book documentaries (like Kevin Smith, Geoff Johns, Seth Green, etc.). This allows the documentary Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story to focus solely on the complexities of Reeve’s life. Consequently, this biography becomes a deeply emotional journey without veering into sentimental or sensational territory. A montage of heartfelt drawings and letters that children sent to Reeve after his accident is particularly poignant, leaving few dry eyes in the audience. This scene encapsulates the central message of Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story, which is powerfully stated as “Our lives are not our own”.
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2024-09-19 15:15