11 Classic Movies With Amazing Symbolism That You Never Noticed

8. The X-Men Trilogy/X-Men: First Class - Civil & Gay Rights

The civil rights campaigns were highly prominent when the original X-Men series was in development during the 60s. This becomes problematic when adapting a variation of the iconic characters for the early 21st century. By 2000 civil rights debates had become a relic of the past and segregation is now unanimously viewed as appalling. In order to make the classic characters current director Bryan Singer was going to have to insert new symbolism to take the place of civil rights in the series. What he did was nothing short of brilliant. He, and screenwriter David Hayter, drew on their experiences of living as gay men and the oppression that they had to deal with. This not only rejuvenated the franchise but also made the X-Men just as relevant as they had been originally. Some of the thanks for modern superhero movies being so omnipresent has to go to Singer and Hayter for proving they can be bankable and important. An example of this can be found in the scene where Iceman reveals to his parents that he is a mutant, which prompts their reaction of "have you tried not being a mutant?" Yes, this is an incredibly obvious moment that can barely be classified as something you didn't notice unless you fell asleep during that scene. Where it gets really interesting is in the similarities between being a mutant and homosexuality. First off, being a mutant is a huge social issues that prompts a rather extreme reaction even though it is perfectly ok to be a mutant. The "save our children" outcries from politicians in the film add a rather current facet to when people "come out" as being mutants. Don't forget that the majority of the X-Men find that their powers manifest themselves when they are adolescents. Think of when Rogue realized she was more than ordinary the first time she kissed a boy as a teenager. If you've ever found yourself doubting the idea that superhero movies can be more than just dumb, summer blockbusters look no further than the X-Men franchise.