Mary-Rose MacColl’s Novel, Killing Superman Essay -- Killing Superman

As a new light begins to dawn on the Vietnam War era, revealing several stories about the effects of PTSD on veterans and their children, it is time that the story about Australian Vietnam veterans and their families is told. Good Morning Ladies and Gentleman of the Film Institute, today I’m going to convince you to turn Mary-Rose MacColl’s brilliant novel, Killing Superman, into a movie. Killing Superman focuses on the story of Scott, the son of a Vietnam War Hero who died in mysterious circumstances. Killing Superman is a brilliant depiction of the life of Scott whose father deserts him and then dies after a few years without contact. Scott discovers the dead man is nothing like the father he knew and without necessary closure Scott goes on a hunt riddled with lies and mysteries to find out what really happened to his father. The main themes present in MacColl’s novel are the effects of the Vietnam War on the soldiers and their children, the much larger theme of the impact a father’s absence and a lack of communication in the family can have on a son and also the hypermasculine image created by some Australian men so that they can hide behind it. The Vietnam War veterans had the highest rate of suicide of all modern day wars. When the veterans came back many were abusive to or distant from their families which had devastating effects on their psyches. The film also shows how poor communication between parents and children can have huge consequences for the children. This is evident in how the poor communication in Scott’s family and the absence of his father result in his break down. The film also highlights the men in Australian cultures who masquerade as hypermasculine individuals to impress other people and often hide... ...ll become more and more nervous until the music is broken off by the assistants voice. This music will help to create tension and fear in the audience. However the music will feature more light heartened tones than The Dark Knight music so as to fit in with the rest of the soundtrack. This scene will create a lot of tension and demonstrates to the viewer how desperate Scott is to see his father again. This film will help to push Australia’s film industry towards a different type of film where Australian larrikinism is traded in for more stories on the silences of Australian culture. This film is also very relevant to today’s society as it highlights how the effects of the Vietnam War and a lack of communication can destroy a young boy’s life. If this novel was made into a film it would reveal another side of Australian culture and hopefully further the industry.