“Critics look at the press and see Superman when it’s really just Clark Kent.”
Michael Schudson; The Power of News
“Don’t pull a Dick Tracy on this, okay?” Bob Findlay (Denis Leary), True Crime.
At the Washington D.C. Newseum a short film continually rolls. In “Fact or Fiction: Hollywood looks at the News” the director Ron Howard describes how movies have portrayed journalists as “a hero and a scoundrel, a lover and a fighter, a gossip and a sage” and the press the “defender of the common man and the corrupt instrument of power-hungry machines.”[1] On many levels Howard is correct - the movie industry has represented and continues to represent journalism at all extremes and everywhere in between.
This body of work is exploring a new field in the academic study of Journalism – that of the representation of journalists, in this particular case the representation of journalists in comic book movies.
That the representation of journalism is now deemed worthy of study on Journalism degrees such as the one at Napier University, Edinburgh demonstrates an awareness that this could be an important line of study in showing how journalism has influenced and is seen in current cultures and society. Journalism is important to society. It can be argued that journalists are more powerful than politicians. What is news is defined by what is produced as a news story or copy by journalists. To be more specific, journalists make the news. If it isn’t covered by journalists is it news? Technically no, it isn't. Journalists provide the news to the people and so are important to that society. Matthew C. Ehrlich, in his book Journalism in the Movies – a key text in the study of representation, says that journalism is “every bit as vital as law and medicine, if not more so.”[1] Yet, despite this Journalists are greatly unpopular. A MORI poll in 2000 found that only 15% of those polled trusted journalists to tell the truth, compared to the ordinary man/woman on the street whom 52% would trust.[2]
Why are journalists so mistrusted? Many blame Hollywood and its portrayal of journalists and their practices. Erlich quotes an unnamed trade magazine as only half-joking that the American movie industry is responsible for “those loathsome misconceptions that journalists are hard-drinking, foul-mouthed, dim-witted social misfits concerned only with twisting the truth into scandal and otherwise devoid of scandal, respect for basic human decency or a healthy fear of God.”[3] Such an accusation is, of course, untrue as there are many examples of journalists being portrayed as a credit to their industry (All the President’s Men being the first that springs to mind) and that there are many industries and professions shown in movies in a much worse light than journalists, lawyers for example. But if it is indeed the movies that have aided this increasing unpopularity and mistrust it demonstrates fully that the study of the representation of journalists, particularly in the movies, is one fully deserving of further attention.
To truly define this study I refer to what I would say is a perfect example of journalism as a cultural gauge. H.G Wells classic novel The War of the Worlds in all its various conceptions would be worthy of study by looking at the evolution of the role of journalists throughout the differing interpretations of the classic science-fiction novel. Both the novel and the musical versions have the narrator discussing his plans for pieces to be published in the local newspaper and make it known that despite the serious situation that is taking place the newspapers are still being produced and distributed. In Orson Welles' infamous radio broadcast the story takes place around apparent live on-scene news bulletins demonstrating new radio technology enabling live broadcasting, the results apparently were so convincing that there was panic in the streets. The 1952 movie adaptation takes this further featuring a wandering journalist recording everything on tape for future prosperity. By Steven Spielberg’s interpretation in 2005 we see glimpses of this new wave of so-called ‘citizen journalism’ illustrated by the unfortunate onlookers with camcorders attempting to film the first appearance of a Tripod. Then a news crew with their van filled with the latest technology shows us precisely how the Martians came to Earth. The War of the Worlds can be used as a demonstration of the changes in the representation of journalism through many differing periods of society all stemming from the same source material - the novel, originally published in 1898. By studying these various evolutions of the story and the period from when they originate could explain why journalists and journalism were portrayed in a particular light.
According to Tom Goldstein writing in the Columbia Journalism Review “much of the most enduring contemporary criticism of the press comes from those outside journalism”.[4] Movies are the best example of this. Movies, or in this case, comic book movies, are an important part of culture. The plots, settings, characters and portrayal in movies is, like comic books, dependent on the society on which it was produced. For example, All the President’s Men is a film firmly rooted in its time. The technology employed is of the time and it fits the mood of American society at the period when it wasn’t exactly a feel good culture. The journalism movie as a genre can be labelled a culture in itself. Ehrlich quotes Thomas Zynda who believes that despite any conflict they do share a relationship:
“As the press serves as a watchdog on government, so Hollywood, likewise on behalf of the public and with a like commercial basis, keeps an eye on the press.”[5]
Journalism movies as “purveyors of myth”, whether in a positive or negative light, present all the myths associated with the journalism profession. We have journalists fighting to right wrongs, representing the public against greater powers but then we also have the drunks, the liars and the sensationalists. The differing representations can be seen in various movies in many genres and provide interesting depictions for studying why journalists were represented or portrayed in a particular way. That many films do choose to portray journalism goes far to show how much the journalist and journalism have become part of our culture. The portrayals aren’t always negative. According to Ehrlich, one of the main themes is that “if journalism somehow has lost its way – because of money pressures, sensationalism, television, sleaze – then one way or another it can find its way again, and journalists can do the right thing and make a difference.”[6]
Like journalism, the world of comic books has received much criticism over its apparent influence on our society. In 1954 the psychiatrist Dr Fredric Wertham published a study titled The Seduction of the Innocent. According to Wertham his book “depicted the undermining of American civilisation from within by the comic book industry.”[7] His accusations included claims that Batman promoted homosexuality. It is apparent that these claims have no or little basis for argument but at the time it greatly affected comic book sales. Like journalism the comic book industry itself decided on self-regulation rather than accept outside censorship. The equivalent of the Press Complaints Commission and its code of conduct, the ‘Comics Code Authority’ is the organisation through which all published comics were, and many still are, submitted to receive an ‘Approved by…’ stamp. It can be argued that the 1950s scaremongering involving comic books echoed the panic that had affected movie content in the 1930s.
Comic books like movies are a cultural gauge, representative of the periods in which they were produced. Superman, for example, was a response to the idea of the Nazi uber-mensch (Super-men) during the rise of fascism in the 1930s. The focus on comic books and more specifically comic book movies in this text is due to the use of journalists within these books and their movies and therefore how these characters and institutions are represented.
Similarities can be drawn between the movie and comic book industries. Much like how the major Hollywood stars were once contracted to the individual studios during Hollywood’s ‘Golden Age’ each major publisher has their big name stars. For example, DC Comics has Superman and Batman while Marvel has Spiderman and the X-men among others. Dennis O’Neill, a former journalist no less, went on to write for many comic books including Batman and freely admits to using cinematic terms in his writing to aid the illustrators:
“It’s just because I found it’s the easiest way to do it…It’s a lot easier for me to write “ECU [Extreme Close-Up] Myra” than “We see Myra’s face close up”.[8]
O’Neill as well as a former journalist had written numerous screenplays and scripts. He demonstrates how easy it is to cross over from journalism to comics to movies and so on.
There is currently a boom in comic book movies at the box office. 2006 saw the release of several comic book adaptations – X-Men 3, V for Vendetta, and Ghost Rider among others. The comic book movie began in earnest in 1978 with the release of Superman and continued with the publicity behemoth that was Batman in 1989. This eventually led to such box-office successes as X-Men and Spiderman, which grossed $821,708,551 worldwide not taking into account the vast amounts earned from DVD sales. Stephen Norrington, director of such comic book movies as Blade and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, spoke of the recent popularity:
“The vibe feels much the same as when George Lucas and Steven Spielberg took black-and-white adventure serials and turned them into Star Wars and Indiana Jones. Now people take comics and turn them into big, A-class pictures like X-Men or Hulk.”[9]
Comic book movies are now big business and reaching out to new audiences. As Stan Lee, arguably the greatest creator and writer of comic books observes:
“Hollywood has discovered the appeal of comic book characters. That there are these characters that are bigger than life…Since movies are now able to show anything you imagine, special effects have reached the point there is nothing you can’t photograph….Characters they couldn’t do years ago but have now reached the point where they can.”[10]
The representation of journalism like the comic book movie is an expanding genre. This is why is, in my opinion, it has become such an important topic that should be studied and analysed and therefore be taken just as seriously as the study of journalism representation in any other medium.
This text aims to take the approach employed by Matthew C. Ehrlich in Journalism in the Movies and apply it to several comic book movies. The first section will simply be looking at the use of journalism as an effective plot device, then a look at the newspaper establishment and its portrayal through the characters of J. Jonah Jameson and the Daily Bugle in the Spiderman films and Perry White and the Daily Planet in the Superman series, with the final part being a look at the representative of journalists themselves in comic book movies.
The comic book movies focused on here are primarily based on how easily available they were for viewing. However, I will admit that I have neglected Joel Schumacher’s Batman & Robin simply because I couldn’t sit through it past the first twenty minutes. When focusing on Daredevil all references are made to the Directors Cut, a DVD only release. Not only is it the definitive version but journalist Ben Urich (Joe Pantoliano) features more prominently in the plot.
Hopefully this piece will do justice to the outline set out by Ehrlich, focusing on the portrayal of journalism in movies. This is an original field so I apologise if it’s perhaps lacking in academic referencing as this relies almost entirely on my own research and interpretation.
Journalism as Plot Device
“Gangland enforcers broke the arms of an elderly news dealer this afternoon when he refused to share his week’s receipts with them.”
Radio Announcer, Dick Tracy
So begins Dick Tracy, Warren Beatty's 1990 movie adaptation of the classic newspaper cartoon strip. Dick Tracy is an excellent example of the use of journalists and journalism as a plot device employed by filmmakers and writers in order to further the story. This section looks at certain films that have employed journalism in order to further their plot. This takes in such films as Dick Tracy, Fantastic Four, Hellboy and the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.
Dick Tracy begins with the above radio news report immediately evoking the setting and revealing a small part of the plotline. Accompanied by the picture of a classic wireless we are immediately aware that Dick Tracy is firmly set in the 1930s and of the situation of gangland superiority in the city. However, as the news report continues we also become aware that sensationalism is not a modern invention:
“...lunchtime crowds were paralysed by the sudden violence. Not a hand was raised in protest.”
The use of the word 'paralysed' certainly adds to the story, implying that the bystanders are just as guilty as the perpetrators – an example of the journalistic trend to point to the finger at the lack of any resistance to the gangland activity. More news stories of gangland incidents follow and introduce the viewer to exactly what Dick Tracy himself will have to deal with.
The journalists themselves are very much of their time and perhaps a tad stereotypical – in line with their comic book origins, where everything is an exaggerated version of real life. An artist’s interpretation of journalists in the same period would no doubt portray them as they are in Dick Tracy – clad in trench coats with their press cards prominently displayed in their hats. We first meet them as they question 'Big Boy Caprice' (Al Pacino) the gangland leader after his arrest. However it is clear that in this town the press don’t interfere with the mob:
Big Boy Caprice: “It's all Dick Tracy's fault. The city should get rid of him.”
Journalist [mumbling] “Maybe you'll get rid of him first.”
The journalist then sheepishly plays the fool as Big Boy Caprice angrily asks him to repeat his comment.
What is common, not only in the montage that follows, but throughout the movie and in many of the others is the majority of the journalists in comic book films as almost universally white males. This is due to the comic book origins of all these films. At the time most were created, in Dick Tracy's case 1931, this is how it was in journalism and certainly American culture at the time. This is seen clearly in the next montage scene where a series of news announcers, all very well-dressed white men, report on the heroics of Detective Dick Tracy.
There then follows a technique that is not solely featured in comic book films but is employed throughout films of all genres – the spinning newspaper. A mass of spinning newspapers accompany a song by Madonna, who stars as 'Breathless Mahoney', and move the plot through Tracy's attempts to bring the mob to justice by bringing them to the audiences attention. We are shown various front pages of the Daily News, surely the most generic name for any newspaper, by following these we can follow Tracy's attempts to bring down 'Big Boy' Caprice. “Tracy Battles Mob!” and “Tracy triumphs: Bad Night for Big Boy” accompany shots of Beatty as Tracy crashing through doors and firing his Tommy gun. However, they are then used to show us the consequences of Tracy being framed for the murder – described entirely through newspaper headlines -
“Dick Tracy Arrested for murder of DA Fletcher: Evidence of Blackmail: No bail set”.
These newspaper headlines convey the plot without any additional dialogue. They are the plot device moving it forward for the viewer but they can also be considered as a device to aid in the film making process itself – by conveying the plot in this way it saves the director, in this case Beatty himself, from having to spend part of the budget on a court room set and then extras to fill it. A spinning newspaper gets this part of the plot across just as easily and perhaps more effectively.
In Fantastic Four (2005), we are introduced to the leader of the titular group via a front cover story from Wired magazine - “Reed Richards Bankrupt: Announces Grant Cutbacks”. This introduces Reed Richards, eventually Mr Fantastic, in one shot and is another example of how the use of journalism is employed as an excellent plot device.
The press are shown prominently throughout the film. Even going so far as being credited with calling the group the 'Fantastic Four' , their first public appearances involving them and their newly found 'super powers' is televised live on national TV – 'Crisis on the Bridge', 'Heroes with Strange Powers' among the subtitles used by the varying news channels. The film also examines the portrayal of people on the news, as Reed Richards/Mr Fantastic says "We're scientists, not celebrities.” However, as one policeman points out “It's too late son. Look.” as the media circus descend on the 'Four'.
This media circus is also seen from another point of view – that of Victor Von Doom, the villain of the piece, trying to resurrect his reputation and career after his involvement in the same incident that makes the 'Four' fantastic.
"Get me on the AM shows, Larry King and the cover of 'the journal'."
He sees the press as the prime vehicle in order to rebuild his reputation and fortune. But as news of the 'Crisis on the Bridge' becomes a media phenomenon, his assistant has to break to the news:
“Sir, Larry King just cancelled. Apparently there's a bigger story.”
As Von Doom's career, fame and fortune disintegrates his monetary problems are shown through more headlines – the New York Post - “Doom for Von Doom: Bank Plans Hostile Takeover” and Business Week - “Space Disaster Crashes Doom Industries”. Again this moves the plot on in a quick and easy manner for both the film maker and the audience.
In Guillermo del Toro's Hellboy (2004), the entire title sequence which is used to introduce the hero himself consists of various newspaper headlines. The Daily Telegram - “The Government denies he exists” accompanies a blurry photograph of a shapeless black form while a radio announcer discusses the phenomenon of the sightings of the so-called 'Devil-boy'. There is an insight into the reluctance of authority to comment - “'Ridiculous' says FBI Chief, 'It's a hoax'.”, immediately followed by a magazine cover story “Exclusive Interview reveals FBI made deal with Devil-Boy”. The television news footage that follows of 'Hellboy' is a direct homage to the infamous video of Bigfoot walking in a forest! The film itself then opens with a Larry King style current affairs presenter discussing exclusive footage with 'Tom Manning, Head of Special Ops @ FBI' who unsurprisingly enough is reluctant to comment - “UFOs, Aliens, the Yeti, this. Why is it they're always out of focus?” After his strong denial it emerges that he is actually personally in charge of 'Hellboy' himself. The authority here is understandably more than keen to keep this story from the media, no doubt due to the sensation it would cause.
Finally, Stephen Norrington's League of Extraordinary Gentlemen uses newspaper headlines in its opening scenes in order to introduce the reasoning behind forming such a 'League'. In the League... a master criminal tries to provoke a world war by causing a conflict between Britain and Germany. The headlines shown portray the press as quite one-sided and clearly not partisan -“Britain accuses German army of bank theft”, "Is German's arsenal greater than ours?" and “Europe on brink of war: more German lies.” Once again these allow the plot to flow with viewer quickly introduced to the situations involved within the story.
This body of work is exploring a new field in the academic study of Journalism – that of the representation of journalists, in this particular case the representation of journalists in comic book movies.
That the representation of journalism is now deemed worthy of study on Journalism degrees such as the one at Napier University, Edinburgh demonstrates an awareness that this could be an important line of study in showing how journalism has influenced and is seen in current cultures and society. Journalism is important to society. It can be argued that journalists are more powerful than politicians. What is news is defined by what is produced as a news story or copy by journalists. To be more specific, journalists make the news. If it isn’t covered by journalists is it news? Technically no, it isn't. Journalists provide the news to the people and so are important to that society. Matthew C. Ehrlich, in his book Journalism in the Movies – a key text in the study of representation, says that journalism is “every bit as vital as law and medicine, if not more so.”[1] Yet, despite this Journalists are greatly unpopular. A MORI poll in 2000 found that only 15% of those polled trusted journalists to tell the truth, compared to the ordinary man/woman on the street whom 52% would trust.[2]
Why are journalists so mistrusted? Many blame Hollywood and its portrayal of journalists and their practices. Erlich quotes an unnamed trade magazine as only half-joking that the American movie industry is responsible for “those loathsome misconceptions that journalists are hard-drinking, foul-mouthed, dim-witted social misfits concerned only with twisting the truth into scandal and otherwise devoid of scandal, respect for basic human decency or a healthy fear of God.”[3] Such an accusation is, of course, untrue as there are many examples of journalists being portrayed as a credit to their industry (All the President’s Men being the first that springs to mind) and that there are many industries and professions shown in movies in a much worse light than journalists, lawyers for example. But if it is indeed the movies that have aided this increasing unpopularity and mistrust it demonstrates fully that the study of the representation of journalists, particularly in the movies, is one fully deserving of further attention.
To truly define this study I refer to what I would say is a perfect example of journalism as a cultural gauge. H.G Wells classic novel The War of the Worlds in all its various conceptions would be worthy of study by looking at the evolution of the role of journalists throughout the differing interpretations of the classic science-fiction novel. Both the novel and the musical versions have the narrator discussing his plans for pieces to be published in the local newspaper and make it known that despite the serious situation that is taking place the newspapers are still being produced and distributed. In Orson Welles' infamous radio broadcast the story takes place around apparent live on-scene news bulletins demonstrating new radio technology enabling live broadcasting, the results apparently were so convincing that there was panic in the streets. The 1952 movie adaptation takes this further featuring a wandering journalist recording everything on tape for future prosperity. By Steven Spielberg’s interpretation in 2005 we see glimpses of this new wave of so-called ‘citizen journalism’ illustrated by the unfortunate onlookers with camcorders attempting to film the first appearance of a Tripod. Then a news crew with their van filled with the latest technology shows us precisely how the Martians came to Earth. The War of the Worlds can be used as a demonstration of the changes in the representation of journalism through many differing periods of society all stemming from the same source material - the novel, originally published in 1898. By studying these various evolutions of the story and the period from when they originate could explain why journalists and journalism were portrayed in a particular light.
According to Tom Goldstein writing in the Columbia Journalism Review “much of the most enduring contemporary criticism of the press comes from those outside journalism”.[4] Movies are the best example of this. Movies, or in this case, comic book movies, are an important part of culture. The plots, settings, characters and portrayal in movies is, like comic books, dependent on the society on which it was produced. For example, All the President’s Men is a film firmly rooted in its time. The technology employed is of the time and it fits the mood of American society at the period when it wasn’t exactly a feel good culture. The journalism movie as a genre can be labelled a culture in itself. Ehrlich quotes Thomas Zynda who believes that despite any conflict they do share a relationship:
“As the press serves as a watchdog on government, so Hollywood, likewise on behalf of the public and with a like commercial basis, keeps an eye on the press.”[5]
Journalism movies as “purveyors of myth”, whether in a positive or negative light, present all the myths associated with the journalism profession. We have journalists fighting to right wrongs, representing the public against greater powers but then we also have the drunks, the liars and the sensationalists. The differing representations can be seen in various movies in many genres and provide interesting depictions for studying why journalists were represented or portrayed in a particular way. That many films do choose to portray journalism goes far to show how much the journalist and journalism have become part of our culture. The portrayals aren’t always negative. According to Ehrlich, one of the main themes is that “if journalism somehow has lost its way – because of money pressures, sensationalism, television, sleaze – then one way or another it can find its way again, and journalists can do the right thing and make a difference.”[6]
Like journalism, the world of comic books has received much criticism over its apparent influence on our society. In 1954 the psychiatrist Dr Fredric Wertham published a study titled The Seduction of the Innocent. According to Wertham his book “depicted the undermining of American civilisation from within by the comic book industry.”[7] His accusations included claims that Batman promoted homosexuality. It is apparent that these claims have no or little basis for argument but at the time it greatly affected comic book sales. Like journalism the comic book industry itself decided on self-regulation rather than accept outside censorship. The equivalent of the Press Complaints Commission and its code of conduct, the ‘Comics Code Authority’ is the organisation through which all published comics were, and many still are, submitted to receive an ‘Approved by…’ stamp. It can be argued that the 1950s scaremongering involving comic books echoed the panic that had affected movie content in the 1930s.
Comic books like movies are a cultural gauge, representative of the periods in which they were produced. Superman, for example, was a response to the idea of the Nazi uber-mensch (Super-men) during the rise of fascism in the 1930s. The focus on comic books and more specifically comic book movies in this text is due to the use of journalists within these books and their movies and therefore how these characters and institutions are represented.
Similarities can be drawn between the movie and comic book industries. Much like how the major Hollywood stars were once contracted to the individual studios during Hollywood’s ‘Golden Age’ each major publisher has their big name stars. For example, DC Comics has Superman and Batman while Marvel has Spiderman and the X-men among others. Dennis O’Neill, a former journalist no less, went on to write for many comic books including Batman and freely admits to using cinematic terms in his writing to aid the illustrators:
“It’s just because I found it’s the easiest way to do it…It’s a lot easier for me to write “ECU [Extreme Close-Up] Myra” than “We see Myra’s face close up”.[8]
O’Neill as well as a former journalist had written numerous screenplays and scripts. He demonstrates how easy it is to cross over from journalism to comics to movies and so on.
There is currently a boom in comic book movies at the box office. 2006 saw the release of several comic book adaptations – X-Men 3, V for Vendetta, and Ghost Rider among others. The comic book movie began in earnest in 1978 with the release of Superman and continued with the publicity behemoth that was Batman in 1989. This eventually led to such box-office successes as X-Men and Spiderman, which grossed $821,708,551 worldwide not taking into account the vast amounts earned from DVD sales. Stephen Norrington, director of such comic book movies as Blade and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, spoke of the recent popularity:
“The vibe feels much the same as when George Lucas and Steven Spielberg took black-and-white adventure serials and turned them into Star Wars and Indiana Jones. Now people take comics and turn them into big, A-class pictures like X-Men or Hulk.”[9]
Comic book movies are now big business and reaching out to new audiences. As Stan Lee, arguably the greatest creator and writer of comic books observes:
“Hollywood has discovered the appeal of comic book characters. That there are these characters that are bigger than life…Since movies are now able to show anything you imagine, special effects have reached the point there is nothing you can’t photograph….Characters they couldn’t do years ago but have now reached the point where they can.”[10]
The representation of journalism like the comic book movie is an expanding genre. This is why is, in my opinion, it has become such an important topic that should be studied and analysed and therefore be taken just as seriously as the study of journalism representation in any other medium.
This text aims to take the approach employed by Matthew C. Ehrlich in Journalism in the Movies and apply it to several comic book movies. The first section will simply be looking at the use of journalism as an effective plot device, then a look at the newspaper establishment and its portrayal through the characters of J. Jonah Jameson and the Daily Bugle in the Spiderman films and Perry White and the Daily Planet in the Superman series, with the final part being a look at the representative of journalists themselves in comic book movies.
The comic book movies focused on here are primarily based on how easily available they were for viewing. However, I will admit that I have neglected Joel Schumacher’s Batman & Robin simply because I couldn’t sit through it past the first twenty minutes. When focusing on Daredevil all references are made to the Directors Cut, a DVD only release. Not only is it the definitive version but journalist Ben Urich (Joe Pantoliano) features more prominently in the plot.
Hopefully this piece will do justice to the outline set out by Ehrlich, focusing on the portrayal of journalism in movies. This is an original field so I apologise if it’s perhaps lacking in academic referencing as this relies almost entirely on my own research and interpretation.
Journalism as Plot Device
“Gangland enforcers broke the arms of an elderly news dealer this afternoon when he refused to share his week’s receipts with them.”
Radio Announcer, Dick Tracy
So begins Dick Tracy, Warren Beatty's 1990 movie adaptation of the classic newspaper cartoon strip. Dick Tracy is an excellent example of the use of journalists and journalism as a plot device employed by filmmakers and writers in order to further the story. This section looks at certain films that have employed journalism in order to further their plot. This takes in such films as Dick Tracy, Fantastic Four, Hellboy and the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.
Dick Tracy begins with the above radio news report immediately evoking the setting and revealing a small part of the plotline. Accompanied by the picture of a classic wireless we are immediately aware that Dick Tracy is firmly set in the 1930s and of the situation of gangland superiority in the city. However, as the news report continues we also become aware that sensationalism is not a modern invention:
“...lunchtime crowds were paralysed by the sudden violence. Not a hand was raised in protest.”
The use of the word 'paralysed' certainly adds to the story, implying that the bystanders are just as guilty as the perpetrators – an example of the journalistic trend to point to the finger at the lack of any resistance to the gangland activity. More news stories of gangland incidents follow and introduce the viewer to exactly what Dick Tracy himself will have to deal with.
The journalists themselves are very much of their time and perhaps a tad stereotypical – in line with their comic book origins, where everything is an exaggerated version of real life. An artist’s interpretation of journalists in the same period would no doubt portray them as they are in Dick Tracy – clad in trench coats with their press cards prominently displayed in their hats. We first meet them as they question 'Big Boy Caprice' (Al Pacino) the gangland leader after his arrest. However it is clear that in this town the press don’t interfere with the mob:
Big Boy Caprice: “It's all Dick Tracy's fault. The city should get rid of him.”
Journalist [mumbling] “Maybe you'll get rid of him first.”
The journalist then sheepishly plays the fool as Big Boy Caprice angrily asks him to repeat his comment.
What is common, not only in the montage that follows, but throughout the movie and in many of the others is the majority of the journalists in comic book films as almost universally white males. This is due to the comic book origins of all these films. At the time most were created, in Dick Tracy's case 1931, this is how it was in journalism and certainly American culture at the time. This is seen clearly in the next montage scene where a series of news announcers, all very well-dressed white men, report on the heroics of Detective Dick Tracy.
There then follows a technique that is not solely featured in comic book films but is employed throughout films of all genres – the spinning newspaper. A mass of spinning newspapers accompany a song by Madonna, who stars as 'Breathless Mahoney', and move the plot through Tracy's attempts to bring the mob to justice by bringing them to the audiences attention. We are shown various front pages of the Daily News, surely the most generic name for any newspaper, by following these we can follow Tracy's attempts to bring down 'Big Boy' Caprice. “Tracy Battles Mob!” and “Tracy triumphs: Bad Night for Big Boy” accompany shots of Beatty as Tracy crashing through doors and firing his Tommy gun. However, they are then used to show us the consequences of Tracy being framed for the murder – described entirely through newspaper headlines -
“Dick Tracy Arrested for murder of DA Fletcher: Evidence of Blackmail: No bail set”.
These newspaper headlines convey the plot without any additional dialogue. They are the plot device moving it forward for the viewer but they can also be considered as a device to aid in the film making process itself – by conveying the plot in this way it saves the director, in this case Beatty himself, from having to spend part of the budget on a court room set and then extras to fill it. A spinning newspaper gets this part of the plot across just as easily and perhaps more effectively.
In Fantastic Four (2005), we are introduced to the leader of the titular group via a front cover story from Wired magazine - “Reed Richards Bankrupt: Announces Grant Cutbacks”. This introduces Reed Richards, eventually Mr Fantastic, in one shot and is another example of how the use of journalism is employed as an excellent plot device.
The press are shown prominently throughout the film. Even going so far as being credited with calling the group the 'Fantastic Four' , their first public appearances involving them and their newly found 'super powers' is televised live on national TV – 'Crisis on the Bridge', 'Heroes with Strange Powers' among the subtitles used by the varying news channels. The film also examines the portrayal of people on the news, as Reed Richards/Mr Fantastic says "We're scientists, not celebrities.” However, as one policeman points out “It's too late son. Look.” as the media circus descend on the 'Four'.
This media circus is also seen from another point of view – that of Victor Von Doom, the villain of the piece, trying to resurrect his reputation and career after his involvement in the same incident that makes the 'Four' fantastic.
"Get me on the AM shows, Larry King and the cover of 'the journal'."
He sees the press as the prime vehicle in order to rebuild his reputation and fortune. But as news of the 'Crisis on the Bridge' becomes a media phenomenon, his assistant has to break to the news:
“Sir, Larry King just cancelled. Apparently there's a bigger story.”
As Von Doom's career, fame and fortune disintegrates his monetary problems are shown through more headlines – the New York Post - “Doom for Von Doom: Bank Plans Hostile Takeover” and Business Week - “Space Disaster Crashes Doom Industries”. Again this moves the plot on in a quick and easy manner for both the film maker and the audience.
In Guillermo del Toro's Hellboy (2004), the entire title sequence which is used to introduce the hero himself consists of various newspaper headlines. The Daily Telegram - “The Government denies he exists” accompanies a blurry photograph of a shapeless black form while a radio announcer discusses the phenomenon of the sightings of the so-called 'Devil-boy'. There is an insight into the reluctance of authority to comment - “'Ridiculous' says FBI Chief, 'It's a hoax'.”, immediately followed by a magazine cover story “Exclusive Interview reveals FBI made deal with Devil-Boy”. The television news footage that follows of 'Hellboy' is a direct homage to the infamous video of Bigfoot walking in a forest! The film itself then opens with a Larry King style current affairs presenter discussing exclusive footage with 'Tom Manning, Head of Special Ops @ FBI' who unsurprisingly enough is reluctant to comment - “UFOs, Aliens, the Yeti, this. Why is it they're always out of focus?” After his strong denial it emerges that he is actually personally in charge of 'Hellboy' himself. The authority here is understandably more than keen to keep this story from the media, no doubt due to the sensation it would cause.
Finally, Stephen Norrington's League of Extraordinary Gentlemen uses newspaper headlines in its opening scenes in order to introduce the reasoning behind forming such a 'League'. In the League... a master criminal tries to provoke a world war by causing a conflict between Britain and Germany. The headlines shown portray the press as quite one-sided and clearly not partisan -“Britain accuses German army of bank theft”, "Is German's arsenal greater than ours?" and “Europe on brink of war: more German lies.” Once again these allow the plot to flow with viewer quickly introduced to the situations involved within the story.
The Newspaper Establishment
“Why am I paying you $40 a week when I should have you arrested for loitering. Get Mr Kent a towel and make mine black with no sugar…and don't call me sugar.”
Perry White, Editor, Daily Planet
This particular section focuses on the journalism establishment itself in the forms of the newspapers and the editors behind them, particularly in the movies Spiderman 1 and 2 and the complete Superman series.
Both series of films feature strong editorial characters although their ethics and judgement are as questionable as the stories their newspapers produce. In the world of Spiderman we have the Daily Bugle, a tabloid with its headquarters prominently in the centre of New York, and judging from its presentation is central to the comic book world of Spiderman and is widely read by the characters involved. The offices are chaotic and very busy – typical of a metropolitan newspaper. Its editor-in-chief is J. Jonah Jameson, played with great vigor by J.K Simmons.
J. Jonah Jameson features as prominently in the Spiderman films as any of its villains. In fact, the Daily Bugle with J. Jonah Jameson behind it is just as much an antagonist to Spiderman himself as the Green Goblin in the first film or Doc Otto Octavius in the sequel. When the Green Goblin attempts to form an allegiance with Spiderman, he refers to the negative way the Bugle has been portraying our hero:
“There’s nothing the people like more than to see the hero fail.”
In fact, the first encounter with the editor-in-chief shows him discussing the recent phenomenon of “Who is Spiderman?” Cut to J. Jonah smoking a cigar:
“He’s a criminal that’s who he is. A vigilante. A public menace. What’s he doing on my front page?”
Assistant: “He pulled 6 people from that subway car.”
J. Jonah: “From a wreck he probably caused. Something goes wrong and that creepy-crawler’s there. He’s fleeing the scene. What does that tell you?”
Instantly his reluctance to recognise Spiderman as a force for good can be seen through his questioning of why it is worthy of a front page story. However, this soon changes when he learns that the morning issue which carried the story on the front page had sold out of 4 printings. Spiderman is now deemed news worthy:
“Tomorrow morning page 1 – Spiderman! With a decent picture this time.”
However, obtaining a decent picture poses a problem but J. Jonah spots a story in this too:
“Aww. Is he shy? If we can get a picture of Julia Roberts in a thong we can sure as hell get a picture of this weirdo! Fine, make it front page ‘Cash money for a picture of Spiderman’. He wants to be famous, I’ll make him infamous.”
Although this is highly unethical for a newspaper to offer money for material that is to be published as news. The encouragement of citizen journalism is a widely discussed topic and is questionable as to whether it encourages people to put themselves in danger and could certainly change journalism itself for the worse.
Peter Parker/Spiderman, in order to earn this money, takes pictures of himself for the Daily Bugle and soon learns that J. Jonah Jameson plans to report on Spiderman anyway he wants no matter what has actually taken place:
“Tear up page one, we’ll run with that photo instead. Run with ‘Spiderman: Hero or Menace? Exclusive Daily Bugle photos.’”
Peter Parker: “Menace?”
J. Jonah: “You take the pictures I’ll make up the headlines ok? Alright? That ok with you?”
J. Jonah Jameson represents the worst of journalism in not only comic book movies but in comic books themselves. Perhaps due to the period in which he and the Spiderman comic itself were conceived. The portrayal of journalists at the time wasn’t one of the positive journalist working for the people as it was at the time of the conception of Batman and Superman. The journalist characters such as J. Jonah wouldn’t be out of place in other negative portrayals such as Ace in the Hole or Network. The main aim of his job is not to provide a public service – far from it. His aim is to make money:
“The Green Goblin. You like that. Made it up myself. These weirdoes all have to have a name now. Call the patent office and register the Green Goblin. I want a quarter every time someone says it.”
J. Jonah Jameson is a character with financial ideas dominating his editorial decisions:
“What do you think? ‘Times Square! Spiderman & Green Goblin attack city’.”
Peter Parker: “Spiderman wasn’t attacking the city. That is slander.”
“It is not. I resent that. Slander is spoken. In print its libel.”
Peter Parker: “You don’t trust anyone that’s your problem.”
“I trust my barber. What are you? His lawyer? Get out of here! Let him sue me and get rich like a normal person. That’s what made this country.”
His, lets call it, hatred of Spiderman comes to a head after he is attacked by the Green Goblin – he becomes the news as it takes place at the Bugle offices – Daily Bugle headline “Spiderman and Green Goblin terrorise Bugle; Editor-in-chief braves attack.” In fact, this almost prevents Spiderman from saving the day as the Green Goblin quotes various unflattering and demoralising headlines at Spiderman and almost succeeds in turning him from the path of good.
By Spiderman 2 J. Jonah hasn’t changed much. When presented with a portfolio of non-Spiderman related photographs by Peter Parker he rejects them:
“I pay you because for some reason that psycho Spiderman will pose for you.”
When confronted about the possibility he might be turning the public against Spiderman he isn’t fazed:
“That I’m very proud of. Now, get your portfolio out of here before I have a diabetic coma.”
Next day Peter Parker’s latest picture accompanies the headline “Masked Menace Terrorises Town.”
After the incident that provides the film with its main villain, J. Jonah shows little sympathy, in fact he is completely apathetical not only to our new villain but to the world in general:
“We’re lucky. Crazy scientist turns himself into some kind of monster. Ends up with mechanical arms welded right onto his body. Ha! Guy called Otto Octavius ends up with 8 limbs. What are the odds?”
He clearly enjoys his role as a public figure as well. This is best shown when he orders Peter Parker to take pictures at the benefit for his astronaut son for the society pages, even going as far to telling Parker who to photograph and feature.
After the constant barrage of negativity from the Bugle in the first film, a Bugle headline is shown to be the final straw for Peter Parker – Spiderman is no more. When the distinctive red and blue outfit is brought to J. Jonah he can’t help but be delighted:
“He must have given up. The power of the press triumphs!”
The next day the Daily Bugle headline reads “Spiderman no more”
However, despite his victory J. Jonah can’t help but be a hypocrite. His headlines say it all: “Crime up 75%; Where is Spiderman now?” In the course of one scene we see the many sides of J. Jonah Jameson – whatever sells the most newspapers is the moral standpoint he will take. With the Spiderman outfit prominently mounted on his wall he begins to realise what he’s done:
“It’s all my fault. I drove Spiderman away. Spiderman was a hero, I just couldn’t see it. He was…”
He notices that the outfit is gone, in its place is a note ‘Thanks – your friendly neighbourhood Spiderman!’
“… a thief! A criminal! He stole my suit! He’s a menace to the entire city. I want that wall crawling arachnid prosecuted. I want him strung up by his web. I want Spiderman!”
Yet despite all this negativity and the poor ethics the character of J. Jonah Jameson is highly entertaining and steals every scene. Not the best of journalistic portrayal but one that is not easily forgotten.
Perry White, played by Jackie Cooper, is editor-in-chief of the Daily Planet – a newspaper whose importance in the comic book is apparent immediately from the beginning. Superman begins in black and white with a child reading from Action Comics No.1 (published in June 1938):
“In a time of fear and confusion the job of informing the public was the responsibility of the Daily Planet. A great metropolitan newspaper, whose reputation for clarity and truth had become a symbol of hope for the city of Metropolis.”
It then cuts the Daily Planet building in central Metropolis with its distinctive globe logo atop it. Immediately the importance of the Daily Planet is shown – it sets the scene, it introduces the audience to what the film is – the world of the Daily Planet, the world of Superman!
The Daily Planet is a classic broadsheet with the typical masthead. The newsroom shown is not dissimilar to that seen in All the Presidents Men, very much of that time and period albeit fitting the stereotype – typewriters constantly ticking away in the background, phones ringing off the hook in the huge office. The journalists themselves are shown to object to their careers – Clark Kent’s only complaint is that he works longer hours than he expected while in one scene a staff member is seen shaving in his office while reading the latest morning issue – perhaps an indication of the journalists way of life, their social life very much having to be set aside.
Perry White, not unlike J. Jonah Jameson, is an eccentric character and his power in the Daily Planet offices is absolute and quick to bring up his life experience. He remarks on his 40 years in the business “I was a reporter before most of my friends were copy boys.”
After Superman’s first appearance in Metropolis it is through White that the importance of the story is conveyed:
“The [Metropolis] Post: 'It Flies!', The [Daily] News; 'Look Ma, No Wires!', The [Metropolis] Times; 'Blue Bomb buzzes Metropolis', The [Daily] Planet; 'Caped Wonder Stuns City'. We're sitting on top of the story of the century here. I want the name of this flying what-cha-ma-call-it to go with the Planet like bacon and eggs, franks and beans, debt and taxes, politics and corruption.”
White is prepared to go to any lengths in order to get this story for his newspaper. Unlike J. Jonah Jameson his first priority is the newspaper and, as becomes apparent in Superman IV, not making money. He wants to be the best newspaper in Metropolis and isn’t keen to underplay this story and in scooping it for the Daily Planet:
“Whoever uncovers this is going to have the single greatest interview since God talked to Moses.”
However, he does push some of his staff too hard – in Superman III, he puts pressure on the young photographer Jimmy Olson, trying to encourage him to produce better work after Olson misses out on photographs of a Superman rescue:
“A photographer eats with his camera, a photographer sleeps with his camera.”
However, this leads Olson to endanger himself when attempting to take pictures of a chemical factory fire:
“Danger? That goes with the territory Mr Kent.”
He is going out of his way to impress which in the end backfires on the editor as White concedes:
“I get the chance to have exclusive pictures of the biggest chemical factory fire in history and what happens? He comes home with a broken leg and 12 melted rolls of film.”
Yet by Superman IV: The Quest for Peace, Perry White is a much more sympathetic character. By IV the Daily Planet offices have also completely changed with computers now at every desk.
Superman IV deals with mass media ownership as the Daily Planet is purchased by “sleazy tabloid” owner David Wharfield. For Wharfield and his daughter Lacy there is only one thing to aim for with the Daily Planet:
David Wharfield: “The Daily Planet hasn't made money in three years.”
Lacy Wharfield: “And the name of the game is making money.”
The new Daily Planet layout is that of a tabloid, the Wharfield Publications corporate logo more prominently featured than the Daily Planet masthead with a scantily clad woman on the front page and a new policy of inventing stories for sensationalism as seen in the first tabloid issue: “Summit Kaput! - Is World at Brink?”
Clark Kent: “Excuse me Mr Wharfield, the world isn't really at the brink. Isn't that irresponsible?”
DW: “Maybe. But it'll sell a lot of newspapers.”
Perry White tries to raise an objection:
White: “If you think i'm going to let you turn this grand old lady into one of your bimbos...”
But when his contract is questioned he has to admit defeat. Superman IV is very clearly against mass media ownership and portrays owners to be heartless and prepared to invent the news. For example, when the newsroom awaits a live announcement from the President, Wharfield comments to Lois Lane:
“Hopefully it's very terrible Ms Lane. We could double our circulation with a good international crisis.”
Like J. Jonah Jameson, David Wharfield sees there to be more money to be gained from portraying the hero in a bad light. He gives Lois a list of questions to ask Superman that includes - “Are you or are you not part of a plot to weaken our national defence?”
“Why am I paying you $40 a week when I should have you arrested for loitering. Get Mr Kent a towel and make mine black with no sugar…and don't call me sugar.”
Perry White, Editor, Daily Planet
This particular section focuses on the journalism establishment itself in the forms of the newspapers and the editors behind them, particularly in the movies Spiderman 1 and 2 and the complete Superman series.
Both series of films feature strong editorial characters although their ethics and judgement are as questionable as the stories their newspapers produce. In the world of Spiderman we have the Daily Bugle, a tabloid with its headquarters prominently in the centre of New York, and judging from its presentation is central to the comic book world of Spiderman and is widely read by the characters involved. The offices are chaotic and very busy – typical of a metropolitan newspaper. Its editor-in-chief is J. Jonah Jameson, played with great vigor by J.K Simmons.
J. Jonah Jameson features as prominently in the Spiderman films as any of its villains. In fact, the Daily Bugle with J. Jonah Jameson behind it is just as much an antagonist to Spiderman himself as the Green Goblin in the first film or Doc Otto Octavius in the sequel. When the Green Goblin attempts to form an allegiance with Spiderman, he refers to the negative way the Bugle has been portraying our hero:
“There’s nothing the people like more than to see the hero fail.”
In fact, the first encounter with the editor-in-chief shows him discussing the recent phenomenon of “Who is Spiderman?” Cut to J. Jonah smoking a cigar:
“He’s a criminal that’s who he is. A vigilante. A public menace. What’s he doing on my front page?”
Assistant: “He pulled 6 people from that subway car.”
J. Jonah: “From a wreck he probably caused. Something goes wrong and that creepy-crawler’s there. He’s fleeing the scene. What does that tell you?”
Instantly his reluctance to recognise Spiderman as a force for good can be seen through his questioning of why it is worthy of a front page story. However, this soon changes when he learns that the morning issue which carried the story on the front page had sold out of 4 printings. Spiderman is now deemed news worthy:
“Tomorrow morning page 1 – Spiderman! With a decent picture this time.”
However, obtaining a decent picture poses a problem but J. Jonah spots a story in this too:
“Aww. Is he shy? If we can get a picture of Julia Roberts in a thong we can sure as hell get a picture of this weirdo! Fine, make it front page ‘Cash money for a picture of Spiderman’. He wants to be famous, I’ll make him infamous.”
Although this is highly unethical for a newspaper to offer money for material that is to be published as news. The encouragement of citizen journalism is a widely discussed topic and is questionable as to whether it encourages people to put themselves in danger and could certainly change journalism itself for the worse.
Peter Parker/Spiderman, in order to earn this money, takes pictures of himself for the Daily Bugle and soon learns that J. Jonah Jameson plans to report on Spiderman anyway he wants no matter what has actually taken place:
“Tear up page one, we’ll run with that photo instead. Run with ‘Spiderman: Hero or Menace? Exclusive Daily Bugle photos.’”
Peter Parker: “Menace?”
J. Jonah: “You take the pictures I’ll make up the headlines ok? Alright? That ok with you?”
J. Jonah Jameson represents the worst of journalism in not only comic book movies but in comic books themselves. Perhaps due to the period in which he and the Spiderman comic itself were conceived. The portrayal of journalists at the time wasn’t one of the positive journalist working for the people as it was at the time of the conception of Batman and Superman. The journalist characters such as J. Jonah wouldn’t be out of place in other negative portrayals such as Ace in the Hole or Network. The main aim of his job is not to provide a public service – far from it. His aim is to make money:
“The Green Goblin. You like that. Made it up myself. These weirdoes all have to have a name now. Call the patent office and register the Green Goblin. I want a quarter every time someone says it.”
J. Jonah Jameson is a character with financial ideas dominating his editorial decisions:
“What do you think? ‘Times Square! Spiderman & Green Goblin attack city’.”
Peter Parker: “Spiderman wasn’t attacking the city. That is slander.”
“It is not. I resent that. Slander is spoken. In print its libel.”
Peter Parker: “You don’t trust anyone that’s your problem.”
“I trust my barber. What are you? His lawyer? Get out of here! Let him sue me and get rich like a normal person. That’s what made this country.”
His, lets call it, hatred of Spiderman comes to a head after he is attacked by the Green Goblin – he becomes the news as it takes place at the Bugle offices – Daily Bugle headline “Spiderman and Green Goblin terrorise Bugle; Editor-in-chief braves attack.” In fact, this almost prevents Spiderman from saving the day as the Green Goblin quotes various unflattering and demoralising headlines at Spiderman and almost succeeds in turning him from the path of good.
By Spiderman 2 J. Jonah hasn’t changed much. When presented with a portfolio of non-Spiderman related photographs by Peter Parker he rejects them:
“I pay you because for some reason that psycho Spiderman will pose for you.”
When confronted about the possibility he might be turning the public against Spiderman he isn’t fazed:
“That I’m very proud of. Now, get your portfolio out of here before I have a diabetic coma.”
Next day Peter Parker’s latest picture accompanies the headline “Masked Menace Terrorises Town.”
After the incident that provides the film with its main villain, J. Jonah shows little sympathy, in fact he is completely apathetical not only to our new villain but to the world in general:
“We’re lucky. Crazy scientist turns himself into some kind of monster. Ends up with mechanical arms welded right onto his body. Ha! Guy called Otto Octavius ends up with 8 limbs. What are the odds?”
He clearly enjoys his role as a public figure as well. This is best shown when he orders Peter Parker to take pictures at the benefit for his astronaut son for the society pages, even going as far to telling Parker who to photograph and feature.
After the constant barrage of negativity from the Bugle in the first film, a Bugle headline is shown to be the final straw for Peter Parker – Spiderman is no more. When the distinctive red and blue outfit is brought to J. Jonah he can’t help but be delighted:
“He must have given up. The power of the press triumphs!”
The next day the Daily Bugle headline reads “Spiderman no more”
However, despite his victory J. Jonah can’t help but be a hypocrite. His headlines say it all: “Crime up 75%; Where is Spiderman now?” In the course of one scene we see the many sides of J. Jonah Jameson – whatever sells the most newspapers is the moral standpoint he will take. With the Spiderman outfit prominently mounted on his wall he begins to realise what he’s done:
“It’s all my fault. I drove Spiderman away. Spiderman was a hero, I just couldn’t see it. He was…”
He notices that the outfit is gone, in its place is a note ‘Thanks – your friendly neighbourhood Spiderman!’
“… a thief! A criminal! He stole my suit! He’s a menace to the entire city. I want that wall crawling arachnid prosecuted. I want him strung up by his web. I want Spiderman!”
Yet despite all this negativity and the poor ethics the character of J. Jonah Jameson is highly entertaining and steals every scene. Not the best of journalistic portrayal but one that is not easily forgotten.
Perry White, played by Jackie Cooper, is editor-in-chief of the Daily Planet – a newspaper whose importance in the comic book is apparent immediately from the beginning. Superman begins in black and white with a child reading from Action Comics No.1 (published in June 1938):
“In a time of fear and confusion the job of informing the public was the responsibility of the Daily Planet. A great metropolitan newspaper, whose reputation for clarity and truth had become a symbol of hope for the city of Metropolis.”
It then cuts the Daily Planet building in central Metropolis with its distinctive globe logo atop it. Immediately the importance of the Daily Planet is shown – it sets the scene, it introduces the audience to what the film is – the world of the Daily Planet, the world of Superman!
The Daily Planet is a classic broadsheet with the typical masthead. The newsroom shown is not dissimilar to that seen in All the Presidents Men, very much of that time and period albeit fitting the stereotype – typewriters constantly ticking away in the background, phones ringing off the hook in the huge office. The journalists themselves are shown to object to their careers – Clark Kent’s only complaint is that he works longer hours than he expected while in one scene a staff member is seen shaving in his office while reading the latest morning issue – perhaps an indication of the journalists way of life, their social life very much having to be set aside.
Perry White, not unlike J. Jonah Jameson, is an eccentric character and his power in the Daily Planet offices is absolute and quick to bring up his life experience. He remarks on his 40 years in the business “I was a reporter before most of my friends were copy boys.”
After Superman’s first appearance in Metropolis it is through White that the importance of the story is conveyed:
“The [Metropolis] Post: 'It Flies!', The [Daily] News; 'Look Ma, No Wires!', The [Metropolis] Times; 'Blue Bomb buzzes Metropolis', The [Daily] Planet; 'Caped Wonder Stuns City'. We're sitting on top of the story of the century here. I want the name of this flying what-cha-ma-call-it to go with the Planet like bacon and eggs, franks and beans, debt and taxes, politics and corruption.”
White is prepared to go to any lengths in order to get this story for his newspaper. Unlike J. Jonah Jameson his first priority is the newspaper and, as becomes apparent in Superman IV, not making money. He wants to be the best newspaper in Metropolis and isn’t keen to underplay this story and in scooping it for the Daily Planet:
“Whoever uncovers this is going to have the single greatest interview since God talked to Moses.”
However, he does push some of his staff too hard – in Superman III, he puts pressure on the young photographer Jimmy Olson, trying to encourage him to produce better work after Olson misses out on photographs of a Superman rescue:
“A photographer eats with his camera, a photographer sleeps with his camera.”
However, this leads Olson to endanger himself when attempting to take pictures of a chemical factory fire:
“Danger? That goes with the territory Mr Kent.”
He is going out of his way to impress which in the end backfires on the editor as White concedes:
“I get the chance to have exclusive pictures of the biggest chemical factory fire in history and what happens? He comes home with a broken leg and 12 melted rolls of film.”
Yet by Superman IV: The Quest for Peace, Perry White is a much more sympathetic character. By IV the Daily Planet offices have also completely changed with computers now at every desk.
Superman IV deals with mass media ownership as the Daily Planet is purchased by “sleazy tabloid” owner David Wharfield. For Wharfield and his daughter Lacy there is only one thing to aim for with the Daily Planet:
David Wharfield: “The Daily Planet hasn't made money in three years.”
Lacy Wharfield: “And the name of the game is making money.”
The new Daily Planet layout is that of a tabloid, the Wharfield Publications corporate logo more prominently featured than the Daily Planet masthead with a scantily clad woman on the front page and a new policy of inventing stories for sensationalism as seen in the first tabloid issue: “Summit Kaput! - Is World at Brink?”
Clark Kent: “Excuse me Mr Wharfield, the world isn't really at the brink. Isn't that irresponsible?”
DW: “Maybe. But it'll sell a lot of newspapers.”
Perry White tries to raise an objection:
White: “If you think i'm going to let you turn this grand old lady into one of your bimbos...”
But when his contract is questioned he has to admit defeat. Superman IV is very clearly against mass media ownership and portrays owners to be heartless and prepared to invent the news. For example, when the newsroom awaits a live announcement from the President, Wharfield comments to Lois Lane:
“Hopefully it's very terrible Ms Lane. We could double our circulation with a good international crisis.”
Like J. Jonah Jameson, David Wharfield sees there to be more money to be gained from portraying the hero in a bad light. He gives Lois a list of questions to ask Superman that includes - “Are you or are you not part of a plot to weaken our national defence?”
And in the end when even his daughter turns against him the screen writers ensured he continued as an unpopular figure:
David Wharfield: “Less sensational papers go broke. I thought I taught you long ago that the business of newspapers is business.”
Lacy Wharfield: “No, daddy. Our business is journalism.”
Heroically, our classic editor Perry White manages to buy up all the shares so that Wharfield becomes a minority shareholder. The classical newspaper and good, honest journalism win through against the evil of big business. Here again we also see the comic book exaggeration, while making the point of mass media ownership destroying ethics and responsibility, the film ensures the David Wharfield character comes across as the most dirty, low-brow character possible.
The Journalists
“Lieutenant is there a 6ft bat in Gotham City and, if so, is he on the police payroll? And if so what's he pulling down, after taxes?”
Alexander Knox, The Gotham Globe, Batman
Previously I was looking at the portrayal of the newspaper establishment itself through its editors and their newspapers. Now I will be looking at the representation of some journalists themselves – in this case Alexander Knox (Robert Wuhl) in Batman and Ben Urich (Joe Pantoliano) in Daredevil: Director’s Cut.[11] And then in a look at the portrayal of female journalists through the characters of April O’Neill (Judith Hoag) in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Vicki Vale (Kim Basinger) in Batman and Lois Lane (Margot Kidder) in Superman.
There is a link between the two male journalists straight from our first introductions to them. Both slip a cop a few dollars on their arrival for the tip-off. Both are immediately met by reluctance to comment by the lead officer at the scene – in Batman:
Eckard: “Christ, Knox”
Knox: “Hello Lieutenant Eckard I hear we just had ourselves another bat attack. That's, what, 8 sightings now in just under a month. I hear the Commissioner has even opened a file. True?”
Knox then produces a Dictaphone and shoves it into Eckard’s face.
“Sorry Knox. These two slipped on a banana peel.”
Criminal being led away: “I'm telling you man. A giant bat!”
Eckard: “Don't be writing this stuff in your newspaper Knox, or it'll ruin your already useless reputation.”
While in Daredevil:
Detective Nick Manlis: “You're wasting your time Urich. You keep running those stories and we're going to end up with a bunch of copycat vigilantes who're going to get themselves killed.”
Ben Urich: “Are you here to confirm that the Daredevil is responsible for this, Detective?”
“Come on Urich, stop bustin' my...”
Urich produces a Dictaphone,
“...There is no proof that your so-called Daredevil was involved nor that he even exists, got it?”
Both are shown to be investigative journalists well known to the police department to be working on their specific stories. They are both shown pestering the police officers involved in the investigations. In fact they receive a lot of hostility in trying to conduct their investigations. Especially Knox:
“Lieutenant, every punk in this town is scared stiff. You know what they say? They say he can't be killed. They say he drinks blood. They say...”
Eckard: “I say you're full of shit Knox. And you can quote me on that.”
However, Urich seems to be more on top of the investigation in Daredevil than the police force, when leaving the scene he throws his cigarette to ignite the distinctive DD symbol left behind by Daredevil. He already knows who was involved.
If anything they are both consistent in their pursuit of the story and realising that some people know more than they are letting on. Knox crashes a benefit party where he corners Commissioner Gordon and the District Attorney Harvey Dent with a Dictaphone but again comes to a dead end:
Dent: “We have enough problems in this city without having to deal with ghosts and goblins.”
In Daredevil when a prominent businessman is murdered, Urich is blamed because of his “crazy” stories:
Detective Nick Manlis: “What do you want Urich? Does all this make you happy? Looks like you got your story.”
It is remarked that he has “blood on his hands” and links into the power of the press, here Urich's stories may have encouraged other vigilantes to take up arms.
Urich is also bribing an assistant at the coroner’s office. Urich is not the best portrayal of a journalist ethically but he definitely gets the job done as his discovery at the coroners office allows him to make the link between Daredevil and his alter ego, the blind lawyer, Matt Murdoch. Urich has the chance to scoop the story of the true identity of the Daredevil and confronts Murdoch:
Ben Urich: “See there's this other story I've been working on. I wanted to tell you about it before it hit the paper. I know the truth about Daredevil. Justice is blind.”
Matt Murdoch: “Ben, if you run that story. I'm finished.”
Ben Urich: “I'm a reporter kid. It's what I do.”
Urich finishes his story “Daredevil Revealed” but lingers over the print and delete buttons. In this case he chooses to not reveal Murdoch’s identity. Perhaps the correct ethical decision – ensuring Daredevil can fight another day can be said to be in the public interest:
“Go get them, Matt.”
Ben Urich is a significant character in the comic universe. Daredevil exists in the same New York as Spiderman. In the Ultimate Spiderman comic series Urich worked for the Daily Bugle and was on the trail of Spiderman for J. Jonah Jameson.
In the case of the portrayal of female journalists these can be seen to be more influential and of greater importance to the audience. In fact, I know of several female student journalists who claim to have been influenced by the journalist character April O’Neill from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles films and subsequent spin-offs.
O’Neill is one of the strongest female characters shown in comic book movies. It speaks volumes that in the new incarnation of the Turtles the April O’Neill character has been changed to a scientist, the TV news reporter perhaps not seen as such an important career as it was in the early 90s. This is as clear a sign of the loss of trust in journalists then anything that can be shown in any facts and figures.
We meet Ms O’Neill through her reporting on Channel 3 Eyewitness News – in the film she has only a yellow trench coat, not the bright yellow ski suit of the cartoon series to ensure she catches the eye and stays prominently on screen. She is a strong female character despite attempts by the many male characters of the film to undermine her. Her reporting on an “organised criminal element at work” works as a plot device in order to set the scene of the situation. It’s New York in the early 1990’s and the New York Post headlines further the situation – “City Crime Escalates”. After the Turtles have to rescue her while being mugged, her station chief Charles insists she be escorted by security. Shown to be a strong character by refusing, she has to be warned to take it easy by Charles when interviewing the Chief of Police for the evening news.
This interview shows April as a very competent journalist as she is the first to put a name to those responsible for the crime wave -“The Foot Clan”. She is also willing to ask the Chief of Police the difficult questions. That she is shown being warned off asking the tough questions but does so anyway reinforces that she is a strong and positive representation of journalism. She is even shown to fight back when attacked by thugs and it’s through her discovery of the turtles that we in turn discover their background and origins. However, this allows her to be too close to the story as she provides them a home after their master, Splinter, is abducted. How can she be considered to be a partisan journalist when she is providing a home to the arch-enemies of the crime wave she is reporting on?
However, when she is warned off the story by Charles, who is being blackmailed about his son we can understand her reasons for continuing with it as he does so patronisingly:
“It’s too dangerous for you. Look at you you're exhausted.”
Instead she continues, revealing information she obtained from the turtles and Splinter revealing that the crime wave is similar to that run by the 'Foot Clan' in Japan. Eventually the turtles come to rely on her to reveal the truth behind Splinter’s disappearance:
Leonardo: “April's our only link to this; we need to wait for her to come up with something.”
But she then loses her job after the powers that be put pressure on Charles, her boss, after her stories reveal too much. Put simply she is sacked for telling the truth. She continues to report, although in a more personal way, in her diary. As the audience hear these diary entries, she is reporting for the viewer allowing them to stay connected with the film’s plot and how each particular character is dealing with it.
The film ends with a continuation of April as a strong representation, even getting involved in the fighting that goes on around her - although hitting someone on the head from above might not count. But when all is said and done the strength of her journalistic skills are shown by how desperate Charles is to re-hire her:
Charles: “April i told you there were circumstances. I really need you to cover this.”
April: “I don't know Charles. Do you know that May Williams on Channel 5 has her own office?”
Charles: “You can have an office.”
April: “Yeah, well she has a corner office.”
Charles: “You can have a corner office.”
April: “She's also one of the highest paid field reporters in New York city.”
Charles: “Now you are.”
April: “You're a tough negotiator Charles.”
If April O’Neill got too close to the story by providing the turtles with a home then Vicki Vale takes it even further. However, compared to April, Vicki Vale doesn’t come across as a strong female representation of a journalist – despite having a reputation for her work.
We first encounter Ms Vale through the eyes of Alexander Knox: “Hello legs.” Vicki Vale comes across more like the helpless female characters of Hollywood’s ‘Golden Age’. Which could perhaps be the point as Gotham City seems to be in an almost ‘time-warp’ of technology – in the same timeframe as modern television technology and such contraptions as the ‘Bat-Wing’, newspaper photographers still use old flashbulb cameras.
Vicki Vale’s reputation precedes her although Knox does condescend her:
“Hey, yeah Vogue, Cosmo. If you want me to pose nude you’re going to need a long lens.”
She has a quick reply and shows herself to be very competent showing her photography work on the front cover of Time magazine - “CortoMaltese Revolution; Pictures by Vicki Vale”
And although Knox thinks she is there just to wind him up it turns out she is very much interested in his work:
“I just loved your story and I like bats. My pictures, your words. Pulitzer prize winning material. Just think!”
Knox “You're a visionary. You're also the only one who believes me.”
Her reputation aids in meeting Bruce Wayne, who knows of her from Time magazine. Vicki Vale is positive representation of journalism, especially in terms of female journalistic representation. She has a renowned reputation for her photography work which allows Knox to continue working on the story. She even puts her life in danger to take pictures of Batman while he fights off the Joker’s henchman. The flash of her camera attracting the criminal’s attention. Batman then provides Vicki with details of safe cosmetic products to prevent the Joker from murdering anymore members of the public:
Batman: “Take that to the press.”
Vicki Vale: “I might have some trouble with that. Some people think you're as dangerous as the joker.”
But she manages to makes the evening edition with an exclusive for the Gotham Globe.
However, she becomes far too close to the story. She follows Bruce Wayne in order to discover more about him. Knox even warns her to not get personal. But when she learns Bruce Wayne and Batman is the same person she rejects her journalistic impulse and it isn’t revealed to anyone else. Her concern for Batman/Bruce Wayne soon means that she ends up in danger herself and is captured by the Joker – due to her unnecessary proximity to the story. Even with the end of the film and the Joker gone she still doesn't reveal the identity of Batman. Perhaps she’s covering up for her source or perhaps there was no going back after becoming so close to the story that she very nearly became part of it.
Lois Lane, is also not a strong female character – she is in a film called Superman after all. But she is most definitely the strongest representation of not only a female journalist but of all journalists. From her first appearance – as a young girl on a train – we’re left in no doubt as to what career will be most suiting to Lois Lane:
“Lois Lane, you have the writer’s gift for invention.”
The first appearance of Lois Lane as a reporter we are left in no doubt of her importance to the Daily Planet, however, she seems to struggle with her spelling:
Lois Lane: “How many t's in bloodletting?”
Jimmy Olson: “What are you writing Ms Lane?”
Lois Lane: “Ode to spring. How do you spell massacre?”
Jimmy Olson: “Gee, Miss Lane, how do you get all the great stories?”
Lois Lane: “A great reporter doesn't get great stories. They make them.”
For emphasis the last line is shown in synchrony with editor Perry White saying the exact same line to Clark Kent in his office. An indication that Lane learned from the best, her editor.
Lois pitches her story and is clearly always thinking about the big scoop. She fights her case as she goes for sensationalism:
Lois Lane: “It's got everything. It's got sex, it's got violence, it's even got the ethnic angle.”
Perry White: “So has a lady wrestler with a foreign accent.”
Lois Lane: “This could be a whole series of articles 'Making sense of senseless killing' by Lois Lane'.”
She is the personification of the hard-working journalist, always with an eye for a story and looking for the exclusive to hit the front page. She is entirely dedicated to her job, as Clark Kent says to her: “My god, don't you ever let up?”
In fact, the first appearance of Superman is due to her working after hours, having to be rescued by him after her helicopter crashes on her way to the arrival of Air Force One. She is a strong representation of the female journalist but not as a female character as she constantly requires to be rescued just like April O’Neill. And when she actually gets to interview Superman she struggles to stay professional coming across as nervous and flirty. Her journalistic distrust for those in authority comes through in her comments to Superman:
Superman: “I'm here to fight for truth, justice and the American way.”
Lois Lane: “You'll end up fighting every elected official in the country!”
However, she is also shown to be forcing the issue in other situations, for example, when reporting on the sale of Native American reservations she leads the story by asking the Chief if he minds “selling to a faceless person they’ve never met.”
In Superman II the plot immediately surrounds a major story for the Planet. The importance of Lois to the Daily Planet is shown when Perry White explains why Lois was sent to cover a terrorist situation in Paris:
Perry White: “If Paris is going to 'kablooie', I want my best reporter right in the middle of it. No offence Kent you're good but LL is better.”
Clark Kent: “Isn't it dangerous?”
Perry White: “If I know Lois Lane, not only will she come back with a Pulitzer prize winning story but also a one-to-one interview with a hydrogen bomb called 'What makes me tick'.”
We are shown Lois in Paris as she tricks her way directly into the danger zone. Her inspiration is then shown as she repeats 'Pulitzer Prize' and 'Nobel Prize' to motivate herself and keep going – her desire for accolade and to succeed puts herself in danger where only Superman manages to save the day. Later in the film she has to pose with Clark Kent as newly-weds to uncover a honeymoon racket in Niagara Falls:
Lois Lane: “What a waste of a great writer...writers.”
Clark is a mere afterthought to her own talents and aspiration.
Even in Superman III which barely features the character at all she still manages to steal the journalist plaudits from her editor:
Perry White: “Lois I've got to hand it to you. Who else could turn a three week vacation into a front page story that's going to blow the lid off corruption in the Caribbean?!”
Conclusion
David Wharfield: “Less sensational papers go broke. I thought I taught you long ago that the business of newspapers is business.”
Lacy Wharfield: “No, daddy. Our business is journalism.”
Heroically, our classic editor Perry White manages to buy up all the shares so that Wharfield becomes a minority shareholder. The classical newspaper and good, honest journalism win through against the evil of big business. Here again we also see the comic book exaggeration, while making the point of mass media ownership destroying ethics and responsibility, the film ensures the David Wharfield character comes across as the most dirty, low-brow character possible.
The Journalists
“Lieutenant is there a 6ft bat in Gotham City and, if so, is he on the police payroll? And if so what's he pulling down, after taxes?”
Alexander Knox, The Gotham Globe, Batman
Previously I was looking at the portrayal of the newspaper establishment itself through its editors and their newspapers. Now I will be looking at the representation of some journalists themselves – in this case Alexander Knox (Robert Wuhl) in Batman and Ben Urich (Joe Pantoliano) in Daredevil: Director’s Cut.[11] And then in a look at the portrayal of female journalists through the characters of April O’Neill (Judith Hoag) in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Vicki Vale (Kim Basinger) in Batman and Lois Lane (Margot Kidder) in Superman.
There is a link between the two male journalists straight from our first introductions to them. Both slip a cop a few dollars on their arrival for the tip-off. Both are immediately met by reluctance to comment by the lead officer at the scene – in Batman:
Eckard: “Christ, Knox”
Knox: “Hello Lieutenant Eckard I hear we just had ourselves another bat attack. That's, what, 8 sightings now in just under a month. I hear the Commissioner has even opened a file. True?”
Knox then produces a Dictaphone and shoves it into Eckard’s face.
“Sorry Knox. These two slipped on a banana peel.”
Criminal being led away: “I'm telling you man. A giant bat!”
Eckard: “Don't be writing this stuff in your newspaper Knox, or it'll ruin your already useless reputation.”
While in Daredevil:
Detective Nick Manlis: “You're wasting your time Urich. You keep running those stories and we're going to end up with a bunch of copycat vigilantes who're going to get themselves killed.”
Ben Urich: “Are you here to confirm that the Daredevil is responsible for this, Detective?”
“Come on Urich, stop bustin' my...”
Urich produces a Dictaphone,
“...There is no proof that your so-called Daredevil was involved nor that he even exists, got it?”
Both are shown to be investigative journalists well known to the police department to be working on their specific stories. They are both shown pestering the police officers involved in the investigations. In fact they receive a lot of hostility in trying to conduct their investigations. Especially Knox:
“Lieutenant, every punk in this town is scared stiff. You know what they say? They say he can't be killed. They say he drinks blood. They say...”
Eckard: “I say you're full of shit Knox. And you can quote me on that.”
However, Urich seems to be more on top of the investigation in Daredevil than the police force, when leaving the scene he throws his cigarette to ignite the distinctive DD symbol left behind by Daredevil. He already knows who was involved.
If anything they are both consistent in their pursuit of the story and realising that some people know more than they are letting on. Knox crashes a benefit party where he corners Commissioner Gordon and the District Attorney Harvey Dent with a Dictaphone but again comes to a dead end:
Dent: “We have enough problems in this city without having to deal with ghosts and goblins.”
In Daredevil when a prominent businessman is murdered, Urich is blamed because of his “crazy” stories:
Detective Nick Manlis: “What do you want Urich? Does all this make you happy? Looks like you got your story.”
It is remarked that he has “blood on his hands” and links into the power of the press, here Urich's stories may have encouraged other vigilantes to take up arms.
Urich is also bribing an assistant at the coroner’s office. Urich is not the best portrayal of a journalist ethically but he definitely gets the job done as his discovery at the coroners office allows him to make the link between Daredevil and his alter ego, the blind lawyer, Matt Murdoch. Urich has the chance to scoop the story of the true identity of the Daredevil and confronts Murdoch:
Ben Urich: “See there's this other story I've been working on. I wanted to tell you about it before it hit the paper. I know the truth about Daredevil. Justice is blind.”
Matt Murdoch: “Ben, if you run that story. I'm finished.”
Ben Urich: “I'm a reporter kid. It's what I do.”
Urich finishes his story “Daredevil Revealed” but lingers over the print and delete buttons. In this case he chooses to not reveal Murdoch’s identity. Perhaps the correct ethical decision – ensuring Daredevil can fight another day can be said to be in the public interest:
“Go get them, Matt.”
Ben Urich is a significant character in the comic universe. Daredevil exists in the same New York as Spiderman. In the Ultimate Spiderman comic series Urich worked for the Daily Bugle and was on the trail of Spiderman for J. Jonah Jameson.
In the case of the portrayal of female journalists these can be seen to be more influential and of greater importance to the audience. In fact, I know of several female student journalists who claim to have been influenced by the journalist character April O’Neill from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles films and subsequent spin-offs.
O’Neill is one of the strongest female characters shown in comic book movies. It speaks volumes that in the new incarnation of the Turtles the April O’Neill character has been changed to a scientist, the TV news reporter perhaps not seen as such an important career as it was in the early 90s. This is as clear a sign of the loss of trust in journalists then anything that can be shown in any facts and figures.
We meet Ms O’Neill through her reporting on Channel 3 Eyewitness News – in the film she has only a yellow trench coat, not the bright yellow ski suit of the cartoon series to ensure she catches the eye and stays prominently on screen. She is a strong female character despite attempts by the many male characters of the film to undermine her. Her reporting on an “organised criminal element at work” works as a plot device in order to set the scene of the situation. It’s New York in the early 1990’s and the New York Post headlines further the situation – “City Crime Escalates”. After the Turtles have to rescue her while being mugged, her station chief Charles insists she be escorted by security. Shown to be a strong character by refusing, she has to be warned to take it easy by Charles when interviewing the Chief of Police for the evening news.
This interview shows April as a very competent journalist as she is the first to put a name to those responsible for the crime wave -“The Foot Clan”. She is also willing to ask the Chief of Police the difficult questions. That she is shown being warned off asking the tough questions but does so anyway reinforces that she is a strong and positive representation of journalism. She is even shown to fight back when attacked by thugs and it’s through her discovery of the turtles that we in turn discover their background and origins. However, this allows her to be too close to the story as she provides them a home after their master, Splinter, is abducted. How can she be considered to be a partisan journalist when she is providing a home to the arch-enemies of the crime wave she is reporting on?
However, when she is warned off the story by Charles, who is being blackmailed about his son we can understand her reasons for continuing with it as he does so patronisingly:
“It’s too dangerous for you. Look at you you're exhausted.”
Instead she continues, revealing information she obtained from the turtles and Splinter revealing that the crime wave is similar to that run by the 'Foot Clan' in Japan. Eventually the turtles come to rely on her to reveal the truth behind Splinter’s disappearance:
Leonardo: “April's our only link to this; we need to wait for her to come up with something.”
But she then loses her job after the powers that be put pressure on Charles, her boss, after her stories reveal too much. Put simply she is sacked for telling the truth. She continues to report, although in a more personal way, in her diary. As the audience hear these diary entries, she is reporting for the viewer allowing them to stay connected with the film’s plot and how each particular character is dealing with it.
The film ends with a continuation of April as a strong representation, even getting involved in the fighting that goes on around her - although hitting someone on the head from above might not count. But when all is said and done the strength of her journalistic skills are shown by how desperate Charles is to re-hire her:
Charles: “April i told you there were circumstances. I really need you to cover this.”
April: “I don't know Charles. Do you know that May Williams on Channel 5 has her own office?”
Charles: “You can have an office.”
April: “Yeah, well she has a corner office.”
Charles: “You can have a corner office.”
April: “She's also one of the highest paid field reporters in New York city.”
Charles: “Now you are.”
April: “You're a tough negotiator Charles.”
If April O’Neill got too close to the story by providing the turtles with a home then Vicki Vale takes it even further. However, compared to April, Vicki Vale doesn’t come across as a strong female representation of a journalist – despite having a reputation for her work.
We first encounter Ms Vale through the eyes of Alexander Knox: “Hello legs.” Vicki Vale comes across more like the helpless female characters of Hollywood’s ‘Golden Age’. Which could perhaps be the point as Gotham City seems to be in an almost ‘time-warp’ of technology – in the same timeframe as modern television technology and such contraptions as the ‘Bat-Wing’, newspaper photographers still use old flashbulb cameras.
Vicki Vale’s reputation precedes her although Knox does condescend her:
“Hey, yeah Vogue, Cosmo. If you want me to pose nude you’re going to need a long lens.”
She has a quick reply and shows herself to be very competent showing her photography work on the front cover of Time magazine - “CortoMaltese Revolution; Pictures by Vicki Vale”
And although Knox thinks she is there just to wind him up it turns out she is very much interested in his work:
“I just loved your story and I like bats. My pictures, your words. Pulitzer prize winning material. Just think!”
Knox “You're a visionary. You're also the only one who believes me.”
Her reputation aids in meeting Bruce Wayne, who knows of her from Time magazine. Vicki Vale is positive representation of journalism, especially in terms of female journalistic representation. She has a renowned reputation for her photography work which allows Knox to continue working on the story. She even puts her life in danger to take pictures of Batman while he fights off the Joker’s henchman. The flash of her camera attracting the criminal’s attention. Batman then provides Vicki with details of safe cosmetic products to prevent the Joker from murdering anymore members of the public:
Batman: “Take that to the press.”
Vicki Vale: “I might have some trouble with that. Some people think you're as dangerous as the joker.”
But she manages to makes the evening edition with an exclusive for the Gotham Globe.
However, she becomes far too close to the story. She follows Bruce Wayne in order to discover more about him. Knox even warns her to not get personal. But when she learns Bruce Wayne and Batman is the same person she rejects her journalistic impulse and it isn’t revealed to anyone else. Her concern for Batman/Bruce Wayne soon means that she ends up in danger herself and is captured by the Joker – due to her unnecessary proximity to the story. Even with the end of the film and the Joker gone she still doesn't reveal the identity of Batman. Perhaps she’s covering up for her source or perhaps there was no going back after becoming so close to the story that she very nearly became part of it.
Lois Lane, is also not a strong female character – she is in a film called Superman after all. But she is most definitely the strongest representation of not only a female journalist but of all journalists. From her first appearance – as a young girl on a train – we’re left in no doubt as to what career will be most suiting to Lois Lane:
“Lois Lane, you have the writer’s gift for invention.”
The first appearance of Lois Lane as a reporter we are left in no doubt of her importance to the Daily Planet, however, she seems to struggle with her spelling:
Lois Lane: “How many t's in bloodletting?”
Jimmy Olson: “What are you writing Ms Lane?”
Lois Lane: “Ode to spring. How do you spell massacre?”
Jimmy Olson: “Gee, Miss Lane, how do you get all the great stories?”
Lois Lane: “A great reporter doesn't get great stories. They make them.”
For emphasis the last line is shown in synchrony with editor Perry White saying the exact same line to Clark Kent in his office. An indication that Lane learned from the best, her editor.
Lois pitches her story and is clearly always thinking about the big scoop. She fights her case as she goes for sensationalism:
Lois Lane: “It's got everything. It's got sex, it's got violence, it's even got the ethnic angle.”
Perry White: “So has a lady wrestler with a foreign accent.”
Lois Lane: “This could be a whole series of articles 'Making sense of senseless killing' by Lois Lane'.”
She is the personification of the hard-working journalist, always with an eye for a story and looking for the exclusive to hit the front page. She is entirely dedicated to her job, as Clark Kent says to her: “My god, don't you ever let up?”
In fact, the first appearance of Superman is due to her working after hours, having to be rescued by him after her helicopter crashes on her way to the arrival of Air Force One. She is a strong representation of the female journalist but not as a female character as she constantly requires to be rescued just like April O’Neill. And when she actually gets to interview Superman she struggles to stay professional coming across as nervous and flirty. Her journalistic distrust for those in authority comes through in her comments to Superman:
Superman: “I'm here to fight for truth, justice and the American way.”
Lois Lane: “You'll end up fighting every elected official in the country!”
However, she is also shown to be forcing the issue in other situations, for example, when reporting on the sale of Native American reservations she leads the story by asking the Chief if he minds “selling to a faceless person they’ve never met.”
In Superman II the plot immediately surrounds a major story for the Planet. The importance of Lois to the Daily Planet is shown when Perry White explains why Lois was sent to cover a terrorist situation in Paris:
Perry White: “If Paris is going to 'kablooie', I want my best reporter right in the middle of it. No offence Kent you're good but LL is better.”
Clark Kent: “Isn't it dangerous?”
Perry White: “If I know Lois Lane, not only will she come back with a Pulitzer prize winning story but also a one-to-one interview with a hydrogen bomb called 'What makes me tick'.”
We are shown Lois in Paris as she tricks her way directly into the danger zone. Her inspiration is then shown as she repeats 'Pulitzer Prize' and 'Nobel Prize' to motivate herself and keep going – her desire for accolade and to succeed puts herself in danger where only Superman manages to save the day. Later in the film she has to pose with Clark Kent as newly-weds to uncover a honeymoon racket in Niagara Falls:
Lois Lane: “What a waste of a great writer...writers.”
Clark is a mere afterthought to her own talents and aspiration.
Even in Superman III which barely features the character at all she still manages to steal the journalist plaudits from her editor:
Perry White: “Lois I've got to hand it to you. Who else could turn a three week vacation into a front page story that's going to blow the lid off corruption in the Caribbean?!”
Conclusion
“Can somebody tell me what kind of a world we live in where a man dressed as a bat gets all my press?!”
The Joker (Jack Nicholson) Batman
Journalism is no longer just a plot device for comic book movies today. Experience The Amazing Adventures of Spiderman in the Islands of Adventure at Universal Studios, Florida and you can see the importance of the Daily Bugle to the Spiderman series. The queuing area takes you winding through the newspapers offices, past the desks with ringing telephones and noted scattered across them. A video plays boasting of the Bugle’s reputation and are introduced to the latest in news-gathering technology – the Scoop. A new vehicle you soon experience as the ride puts you in the role of a journalist sent out on a story by J. Jonah Jameson. Journalism is so important to comic book universes such as Spiderman that it can be used to set the scene on theme park rides – the set and world that the ride takes place in can be established simply by introducing that world’s major newspaper. The importance of the Bugle to that world simply can’t be underestimated.
Hopefully, this piece has successfully analysed the representation of journalism in several comic book movies. By looking at journalism as a plot device, the representation of the newspaper establishment and of journalists themselves the reasons for how these are represented and why they are shown in a particular light will be a lot clearer. If not, hopefully, it will have at least encouraged you to perhaps consider that comic book movies are worthy of further analysis and enjoyment.
Filmography
Batman: The Movie (1966) Leslie H Martinson
Batman (1989) Tim Burton
Batman Returns (1992) Tim Burton
Batman Forever (1995) Joel Schumacher
Batman & Robin (1997) Joel Schumacher
Batman Begins (2005) Christopher Nolan
Daredevil: Director’s Cut (2003) Mark Steven Johnson
Dick Tracy (1990) Warren Beatty
Fantastic Four (2005) Tim Story
Hellboy (2004) Guillermo del Toro
League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (2003) Stephen Norrington
Once upon a time…the Superheroes! (2002) Arte France
Spiderman (2002) Sam Raimi
Spiderman II (2004) Sam Raimi
Superman (1978) Richard Donner
Superman II (1980) Richard Lester
Superman III (1983) Richard Lester
Superman IV (1987) Sidney J Furie
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990) Steve Barron
Bibliography
Curran, James & Seaton, Jean (2002) Power without Responsibility 5th Edition; Routledge
Ehrlich, Matthew C (2004) Journalism in the Movies University of Illinois Press
Goldstein, Tom (2001) Wanted: More Outspoken Views As published in the Columbia Journalism Review; November/December 2001
Hughes, David (2003) Comic Book Movies Virgin Books
Jones, Gerard (2004) Men of Tomorrow Random House
Pearson, Roberta E & Uricchio, William (1991) The Many Lives of the Batman Routledge
Sanders, Karen (2004) Ethics & Journalism Sage Publications
Tumber, Howard (1999) News: A Reader Oxford University Press
Footnotes
[1] Ehrlich, Matthew C. Journalism in the Movies Pg 1
[2] As published in Sanders, Karen Ethics & Journalism
[3] Ehrlich, Matthew C. Journalism in the Movies Pg 2
[4] Goldstein, Tom “Wanted: More Outspoken Views” CJR November/December 2001 Pg 145
[5] Ehrlich, Matthew C. Journalism in the Movies Pg 4
[6] Ehrlich, Matthew C. Journalism in the Movies Pg 14
[7] Boichel, Bill Batman: Commodity as myth Chapter 1 in The Many Lives of The Batman
[8] Pearson, Roberta E. & Uricchio, William Notes from the Batcave Chapter 2 The Many Lives of the Batman Pg 30
[9] Hughes, David Comic Book Movies Pg 1
[10] Once Upon a Time…The Superheroes! ©Arte France 2002
[11] From here on referred to as Daredevil.
(c) Michael Smith 2006
Posts
