08/12: Who Loves Ya, Supes?
So it's another lonely Friday night, finally giving me some damn time to watch my Superman II: Richard Donner Cut complete with audio commentary. Donner and creative consultant Tom Mankowitz go through great lengths to ensure they point out the obvious differences between this new cut and the previous Richard Lester version of the film. And while I do believe that the Donner Cut is the superior of the two films (Supes reversing time again notwithstanding), Donner seems like he may have been a tad overambitious with the title. I'm not saying this is a bad thing, it just seemed like Richard had a lot of grand ideas that only "he" could execute properly. I'm just happy that the Donner Cut seemed to have a lot more of Otis. But while I'm on the topic of Richard Donner and his grand ideas I remembered something that I heard about a couple of years ago.
I think I read it in a old issue of Starlog, while I "supposed" to be filing back issues of Starlog, that Richard Donner originally had a place in the first Superman Movie for everyone's favorite chain smoking, bald, sweaty, character actor. That's right, Telly Savalas. The scene would basically involve Superman scanning for an on-the-lam Lex Luthor, and upon seeing a bald head he would swoop down to detain his arch-nemesis only to find that he actually picked up tv's Kojak, Telly Savalas, who then hits Superman with his trademark catchphrase, "Who Loves Ya, Baby?" On a side note, this scene bares striking parallels to the death of another sweaty, well known Greek, Aeschylus, who, upon being mistaken for a smooth rock on account of his bald head, promptly gets a turtle dropped on his noggin and dies thereof. But I'm pretty sure that's just a kids tale.
How sweet would this of been? Sure a lot of people would have said that it is a completely out of context cameo that had little to do with furthering the plot or ensuring the film as a legitimate, serious movie. But it's Telly Fuck Your Mother Savals, the baddest-ass badass on either side of the Mississippi. Savalas was a comic book fan so there is no doubt in my mind he would have accepted this walk on role, and he was by no means above dropping his infamous Kojak one liner at any opportunity he could (I'm pretty sure he even said it when he was on the Commish, but I have been known to be wrong). This would have been cinema gold. Not only that, it would have been Fan Fic gold. At least for me.
Imagine Superman and Kojack teaming up to stop Lex Luthor at another hair brained real estate plot. This also would have opened the door tons of other team up opportunities. Batman and Joe Friday grudgingly pair up to stop a ring of Dog Snatchers. Dr. Quincy, M.E. and the Question both realize that foul play may have been involved with the death of the new manager of Gotham's First Bank, plus you got that double Q aspect there that could easily be worked into a catchphrase. Kolchak meets Constantine. Hawaii 5-0 and The Legion of Super Heroes. Weapon X vs Adam-12. EMERGENCY!, The Thing, Spiderman Three-in-One.
Well, I still think Telly would have been cool.
EDIT: While searching for actual EMERGENCY! and Adam-12 Fan Fic, I inevitably came upon tons and tons of slash.
I think I read it in a old issue of Starlog, while I "supposed" to be filing back issues of Starlog, that Richard Donner originally had a place in the first Superman Movie for everyone's favorite chain smoking, bald, sweaty, character actor. That's right, Telly Savalas. The scene would basically involve Superman scanning for an on-the-lam Lex Luthor, and upon seeing a bald head he would swoop down to detain his arch-nemesis only to find that he actually picked up tv's Kojak, Telly Savalas, who then hits Superman with his trademark catchphrase, "Who Loves Ya, Baby?" On a side note, this scene bares striking parallels to the death of another sweaty, well known Greek, Aeschylus, who, upon being mistaken for a smooth rock on account of his bald head, promptly gets a turtle dropped on his noggin and dies thereof. But I'm pretty sure that's just a kids tale.
How sweet would this of been? Sure a lot of people would have said that it is a completely out of context cameo that had little to do with furthering the plot or ensuring the film as a legitimate, serious movie. But it's Telly Fuck Your Mother Savals, the baddest-ass badass on either side of the Mississippi. Savalas was a comic book fan so there is no doubt in my mind he would have accepted this walk on role, and he was by no means above dropping his infamous Kojak one liner at any opportunity he could (I'm pretty sure he even said it when he was on the Commish, but I have been known to be wrong). This would have been cinema gold. Not only that, it would have been Fan Fic gold. At least for me.
Imagine Superman and Kojack teaming up to stop Lex Luthor at another hair brained real estate plot. This also would have opened the door tons of other team up opportunities. Batman and Joe Friday grudgingly pair up to stop a ring of Dog Snatchers. Dr. Quincy, M.E. and the Question both realize that foul play may have been involved with the death of the new manager of Gotham's First Bank, plus you got that double Q aspect there that could easily be worked into a catchphrase. Kolchak meets Constantine. Hawaii 5-0 and The Legion of Super Heroes. Weapon X vs Adam-12. EMERGENCY!, The Thing, Spiderman Three-in-One.
Well, I still think Telly would have been cool.
EDIT: While searching for actual EMERGENCY! and Adam-12 Fan Fic, I inevitably came upon tons and tons of slash.
