Without a doubt, my favorite quotation from a movie is David Carradine’s “Superman monologue” that occurs at the end of Kill Bill, vol. 2. Here it is:
“As you know…
…l’m quite keen on comic books.
Especially the ones about superheroes.
I find the whole mythology
surrounding superheroes fascinating.
Take my favorite superhero, Superman.
Not a great comic book.
Not particularly well-drawn.
But the mythology…
The mythology is not only great,
it’s unique.
Now, a staple of the superhero
mythology is,
there’s the superhero
and there’s the alter ego.
Batman is actually Bruce Wayne,
Spider-Man is actually Peter Parker.
When that character wakes up
in the morning, he’s Peter Parker.
He has to put on a costume
to become Spider-Man.
And it is in that characteristic
Superman stands alone.
Superman didn’t become Superman.
Superman was born Superman.
When Superman wakes up
in the morning, he’s Superman.
His alter ego is Clark Kent.
His outfit with the big red “S” –
that’s the blanket he was wrapped in
as a baby when the Kents found him.
Those are his clothes.
What Kent wears – the glasses,
the business suit – that’s the costume.
That’s the costume Superman wears
to blend in with us.
Clark Kent is how Superman views us.
And what are the characteristics
of Clark Kent?
He’s weak…
…he’s unsure of himself…
…he’s a coward.
Clark Kent is Superman’s critique
on the whole human race.”