Last week shooting at one of Sydney's major transport hubs literally stopped traffic and caused all sorts of excitement. Now, 'Glebe Boy' drops in his report from that action which is looking to be repeated again this weekend but on a smaller scale:
"I was an extra this week in scenes for SUPERMAN RETURNS, being shot in downtown Sydney. One of the many extras, mind you. It's only my second ever gig - after a bit in ATTACK OF THE CLONES - but it's fun stuff. I thought you might like a quick run-down. I was hired to play one of the many people standing outside the Metropolis hospital - where we had to cry and pray for Superman to become well. The place where I usually get public transport home is now, well, a film-set.
We were informed to dress-down, and wear rain coats, because they wanted to get some rain machines going on in the scenes at times. It's a sad scene were Superman is on his death bed....we're not told why....and where we, the people of metropolis, band together to pray for his recovery. Originally we were told it was a death scene for one of Superman's friends - but when we got there, we were handed banners, and told to cry for "Superman"! News-reporters hover about (Lois Lane is, of course, 'on the scene'), cameramen, and little kids everywhere - who are blubbering over Superman dying. A lady had to stand next to me, looking like she was my wife, and had a sign wavering about saying 'Save our Hero!'.
I'm not sure whether or not he does cark it in this scene, but another of the extras tells me he heard he does - but is reincarnated as a stronger version of himself, something from the comics, which I have never read. Shamefully. There is a mass of floral around the scene - roses, daisies, posies etc, left for Superman - and we did spot several bunches in the transport trucks that were dead, almost black. We wondered whether they might have been 'dried out' on purpose - say, for a scene later (when we're gone), where he does indeed die? I think this is a scene at the start of the movie, so I guess that explains why he would 'go away for a while' and not come back for several years?
We never got to see Brandon Routh, he wasn't even on-set. I think he was shooting later in the week, in Fox Studios, in the scene with Richard Branson. But he definitely wasn't here either day. At lunch, Bryan Singer came over to say hello to some of us. He's a really nice guy - softly spoken (so hard to hear at times) but pleasant. He hopes to do most of the Superman sequels apparently, if "they have him", he joked. And joked that he's going to "Stick with Brandon". He is going to do "Logan's Run" after this. He wants to do it in Sydney too - which will be great for us."
Thanks to again to 'GB'
