BATMAN V SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE

FIREWOOD

Pan up from a standing log to a low-angle shot of Alfred, bringing an axe down to chop the log in two.

Cut to one of the fresh slices that Alfred positions upright. Pan up to watch him raise the axe and bring it down to chop it further. We get a better look at his environment, an autumnal forest setting with a trailer in the background. Presumably, this is where Alfred lives. This dramatic change in environment is such a stark contrast to the urban, loud, chaotic setting of Washington and the Capitol.

“I just like axes. They are cool. I have axes at home that I cut wood with, but these are my special ones.”

Zack Snyder, Bloomberg, 1 March 2016

Shoulder shot from Alfred, carrying the firewood on his back towards the Glass House. Cut to him opening the glass door to enter the lounge, in which we can see what looks like a Greek volute krater, a type of ancient ceramic vase designed to dilute wine with water. This was employed to limit the amount of intoxication at a Greek symposium.

Alfred calls, “Master Wayne!” He places the bag of wood beside the fireplace. Looking frustrated, he calls again, “Mister Wayne!”

Then we hear a news reporter (Kerry Birmingham as herself), saying, “…in the Senate hearing room where Superman was testifying.” This voiceover is muffled and echoed, adding a dream-like quality to the scene that creates a sense of lingering trauma after the horrific bombing.

Alfred turns the corner to the bedroom, noticing something below his eye line. He sets forward.

“This is a catastrophic situation at our nation’s capitol.”

Entering the bedroom, he reaches down to the small glass table.

“We don’t have exact numbers yet, but I can tell you that more than a dozen people have died in this explosion.”

Alfred picks up one of the checks from Keefe. This one depicts Capitol Hill on fire.

“First responders are at the scene.”

Alfred turns to see the three televisions on the bedroom wall, each one covering the storm of chaos and uncertainty on different channels. Bruce has been surrounding himself in the destruction.

The reporter speaking is on the far left screen. “They are still bringing victims out. Now initially, Superman was helping bring victims out after the blast, but he seems to have disappeared, raising questions.” Despite the seriousness of this tragedy, the reporter says this with a very accusatory tone.

Alfred adjusts his glasses. He looks shaken.

“Kerry Birmingham, reporting live from the nation’s capitol.”

We hear another reporter go on, “Capitol police are now confirming that the blast was caused by an explosive device inside the hearing room…”

At the same time, Alfred turns and walks to the window, looking out at the lake. We hear the rustle of paper in his hands, and he looks down at the returned check. Juxtaposed against the news report, Alfred then looks up in realisation.

SCENE OVERVIEW

Alfred returns home to learn of the disaster, Keefe’s disturbing messages strewn about and Bruce nowhere to be found.

SCENE ANALYSIS

This scene gives us a glimpse at the life Alfred leads outside his partnership with Bruce. A humble man, he lives a simple existence in a trailer in the forest around the Glass House. Like Martha, Alfred is a moral support character who feels a connection with nature.

“I really like this. We had this thing that Alfred lives in this old, cool trailer and then Bruce lives here [in the Glass House]. It was like this interesting rustic concept that Alfred doesn’t need a lot of creature comforts. He’s able to live with not a lot of extra stuff. Also, the Glass House is pretty simple, even though [Bruce] is a billionaire. He doesn’t have a lot of stuff other than everything that’s underground. Their whole world is underground, and I really wanted to emphasise as much as I could this idea that their normal life, the life that’s above ground, is the most minimal. The life below ground is where all their energy is and attention. I think that, visually, with the Glass House and Alfred’s trailer being so simple, and then what they have underground being so complicated and so massive, I think that is a great piece of visual storytelling.”

Zack Snyder, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice Watch Party, 29 March 2020

“It was fun doing this sequence with Alfred, because we had to figure out where Alfred lived and what was his deal. We had the idea that he had a trailer parked out in the woods and lived there even though they were billionaires, just chopping wood, very salt of the Earth kind of character, didn’t rely on luxury.”

Zack Snyder, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice Remastered, Director’s Commentary, 2021, 1:32:57

The first music track in this scene is unknown, consisting of a piano rendition of the Flight melody from Man of Steel on the casualty-laden steps of the Capitol and droning strings as Alfred returns to the Glass House. It cannot be found in any version of the score.

BEHIND THE SCENE

The Glass House was constructed and filmed at Otsikita Lake at a former Girl Scout camp off Caley Road, Metamora Township, Michigan (Source). County Press first reported the site as a filming location on 12 January 2014, and the Flint Journal confirmed the site for “Sage and Milo” on the 17th, by which time construction was underway. As residents speculated, the location was officially confirmed for Batman v Superman in early March. You can find more information on the technical details of the building here, and Google Street View has several photos of the house. It was inspired by the Farnsworth House, designed and constructed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, which Snyder most likely visited with assistant location manager Adam Boor around 22 October 2013 when he posted this photo of the building. Mies van der Rohe also designed the building at 111 East Wacker Drive, Chicago, Illinois, where the Daily Planet entrance was filmed. Snyder visited the house while shooting Man of Steel in 2011 near the Kent Farm location. He described his tribute as “a black version of the Farnsworth House.” Some photos of Otsikita Lake were taken by director of photography Larry Fong, set photographer Clay Enos, and additional second assistant director Maggie Callis [1/2]. Art director Lorin Flemming designed the house, and you can find detailed photos of the structure’s conceptualisation plus a construction time-lapse at her website. Set costumer Kate Abraham posted this photo of the lake on 29 June.

The Glass House sequences were likely filmed on the 22nd, 23rd, and 24th of October 2014. Scooper Scott Atkinson got several photos of the Batmobile, which he felt bad about in hindsight, but considering its only scene at the location was pure CGI, I cannot confirm its purpose. During filming, County Press documented the community’s thoughts. Mike Abeare, an employee of Greg’s Pizza Co & Lounge, was tasked with delivering 35 pizzas to the site, though some dramatic elements make me question his story. Base camp was set up nearby on Caley Road, of which Pacman Cherveny recorded some footage. The site was deserted by 28 October 2014, presumably after dismantling the Glass House. The structure was rebuilt for Zack Snyder’s Justice League on a soundstage at Warner Bros Studios Leavesden, whereby the exterior was largely green screen.