Batman (1989)

[JDFP]

Carried over the WWZ thread that degenerated into anything but WWZ...

Last night I watched "Batman" (the only real Batman movie, 1989 version) and really enjoyed it. I hadn't watched it in quite some time. Just a fun-filled flick even with all the "Yeah, that wouldn't happen" moments all the same. I guess when we were all 8-12 years old watching the film for the first time watching this none of this stuff really stands out to you so much ("Wow, Joker is throwing out 20 million in money and there aren't any cops around and man, where'd he get and store those massive balloons and get the gas into them?").

It's just a fun movie though, as comic book films (IMO) should be -- not so serious, bleak, depressing, etc. Nolan did these things (bleak, depressing, serious) extremely well and the two new flicks are great but it's just not my idea of a comic movie really.

Anyway, I was dancing along to Prince along with Jack Nicholson as they are on the balloon float going through the Gotham street and he's throwing money everywhere. Man, you can tell he had a hell of a good time in that role and making that film. He really got into it and was able to get all of us into it as well (and I had to re-wind it a few times perfecting the dance with him in the restaurant and the float).

EDIT: Any film with Billy Dee Williams gets a major thumbs up for me too, even though he seemed woefully miscast as Harvey Dent. What exactly was his purpose in this film again? Were they originally wanting to use him to greater purpose? Correct me if I'm wrong, but it just seemed kind of like: "Hey, we need a minority actor with all these other white people in here, let's cast Billy Dee!". Not like that ever took place in Star Wars either... :shifty:

j.p.

[bassman]

Nolan did these things (bleak, depressing, serious) extremely well and the two new flicks are great but it's just not my idea of a comic movie really.


Serious? Yes. Bleak and depressing? No.

The messages of BB & TDK are both inspiring. "Why do we fall, bruce?". "You either die a hero, or live long enough to become the villian". Both films are intended to be inspirational in the sense that Wayne can and will become whatever he has to become in order to save his city. Whether it be to face his fears and save everyone from suffering the same fate as his parents, or to become the bad guy in order to keep the city's hope alive. Batman is the only superhero that anyone can become and these two films nailed that.


This isn't to say Batman 89 isn't good. I love Batman and as I've said before, I just prefer Nolan's take on the character because it's the one that takes the source material from page to screen without major alterations. Llike Burton making Penguin some goo-spitting obese midget in Returns.:rolleyes:


And now for some laughs...

u3Bj_So1PuA&hl=en_US&fs=1

[rongravy]

I had a hard time buying Keaton as Batman.
A balding, middle aged Batman...

I like the newer ones better, too, but I still don't think they've ever nailed down the Batman in my mind's eye. I know what he looks like(to me), no one's even come close.

[acealive1]

this is what started it all. the end of the action star.

[Legion2213]

I didn't think I'd enjoy The Dark Knight...so much hype, so much gushing over Ledger. :rolleyes:

Several months later I sat down and watched it...with a big fat helping of humble pie! Because Ledger was fucking brilliant, it got to a point where every time he was on screen I was expecting my house to blow up or something. :confused:

Far far FAR better than the Keaton versions IMO.

Nobody has nailed Batman for me yet BTW, it's pretty hard to do when comics present such a mythical animal.
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_9s8iqcCd0DY/SDAEmpFYh0I/AAAAAAAACrU/ykHruA0VnSc/s400/darkknight.jpg

[rongravy]

I didn't think I'd enjoy The Dark Knight...so much hype, so much gushing over Ledger. :rolleyes:

Several months later I sat down and watched it...with a big fat helping of humble pie! Because Ledger was fucking brilliant, it got to a point where every time he was on screen I was expecting my house to blow up or something.

Ehhhh, he was ok. I thought crazy Crispin Glover would've been the perfect Joker.

[bassman]

Nobody has nailed Batman for me yet BTW, it's pretty hard to do when comics present such a mythical animal.
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_9s8iqcCd0DY/SDAEmpFYh0I/AAAAAAAACrU/ykHruA0VnSc/s400/darkknight.jpg

If you're a fan of Frank Miller's gritty Batman, next year DC is releasing Batman: Year One on DVD. It will be a cartoon much like Gotham Knight and this years Batman: Under the Red Hood. I'm definitely looking forward to seeing year one come to life. Then they should move on to Dark Knight Returns.:elol:

[JDFP]

Part of what made Nicholson and Ledger so good at being evil was their natural charisma, something that's sorely lacking from too many superhero flicks... as far as new Batman films in the future, there's a couple of recommendations I could think of...

Victor Fries/Mr. Freeze: Tobin Bell.

Harley Quinn/Harlequin: Ellen Page.

Edward Nigma/The Riddler: Gary Busey.


What are your thoughts/personal recommendations on some good villains?

j.p.

[bassman]

None of the above. Freeze wouldn't work in Nolan's world, Harley would be possible but hard to pull off without joker imo, and Gary Busey?!? Seriously, dude? I could maybe see his son Jake, but Gary? That sounds about as good as those Eddie Murphy/Cher rumors that were thrown around a while back.:lol:

Whoever we see....I hope they're not just the usual stable of villains we've already seen on screen. Throw one "popular" baddy in there for the fans, but also have someone less known by the general audience like Deadshot, Hugo Strange, or Hush. I could see all of those working within Nolan's realistic approach. And Batman's rogue gallery is HUGE so the possibilities are endless.

And of course....Crazy Quilt! :lol:
http://www.asitecalledfred.com/comics101/images/2005/jul20/crazyquilt.jpg

[JDFP]

None of the above. Freeze wouldn't work in Nolan's world, Harley would be possible but hard to pull off without joker imo, and Gary Busey?!? Seriously, dude? I could maybe see his son Jake, but Gary? That sounds about as good as those Eddie Murphy/Cher rumors that were thrown around a while back.:lol:

Ah c'mon Basscunt, Gary Busey is crazy as hell, he'd be perfect as The Riddler! He wouldn't even have to do much acting... even better...

j.p.

[bassman]

Ah c'mon Basscunt, Gary Busey is crazy as hell, he'd be perfect as The Riddler! He wouldn't even have to do much acting... even better...


Well....the Riddler isn't crazy. At all. Despite what the 60's TV show and Batman Forver may have shown. They made him out to be a Joker rip off, but that's not really what the character is. He has yet to be portrayed correctly on film.

The riddler is actually a brilliant narcissist with a huge ego. He leaves puzzles in an attempt to actually get caught by the batman. He is not a psychopathic murderer as some would think, but a smooth talking criminal that commits non-violent crimes in an attempt to out smart the city.

[rongravy]

Yeah, I don't wanna see Gary Busey in anything...
'Cept a bodybag.
Kidding, geez.
Still would hate to see The Riddler as some wierd, annoyingly uninhibited, energetic sack of lard with horseteeth. In a skintight green suit, no less...
Although he does raise question marks to me everytime he opens his mouth.:sneaky:

[Mr.G]

Patrick Stewart as Mr. Freeze.....make it so.

[Danny]

The guy who plays sheldon from the Big Bang theory as the riddler.

[BillyRay]

Ahhhh.....discussions about theoretical casting for the next Batman film.

The fuel that's been keeping the Intertubes going for the past 15+ years...

https://secure.seabreeze.com.au/img/photos/windsurfing/2359358.jpg

[JDFP]

Here's a new addition for a good Batman villain:

Michael Ironside.

He can play any villain he wants, I don't care. He could just be in the movie staring as "Mick Ironside" or something -- a washed up actor who decides he diabolically wants to take over Gotham.

Doesn't matter, the man is a national treasure to all bad guys in the world. Right up there with the great Rutger Hauer.

(On a side note, I should probably get out more often :)).

j.p.

[SymphonicX]

Carried over the WWZ thread that degenerated into anything but WWZ...

Last night I watched "Batman" (the only real Batman movie, 1989 version) and really enjoyed it. I hadn't watched it in quite some time. Just a fun-filled flick even with all the "Yeah, that wouldn't happen" moments all the same. I guess when we were all 8-12 years old watching the film for the first time watching this none of this stuff really stands out to you so much ("Wow, Joker is throwing out 20 million in money and there aren't any cops around and man, where'd he get and store those massive balloons and get the gas into them?").

It's just a fun movie though, as comic book films (IMO) should be -- not so serious, bleak, depressing, etc. Nolan did these things (bleak, depressing, serious) extremely well and the two new flicks are great but it's just not my idea of a comic movie really.

Anyway, I was dancing along to Prince along with Jack Nicholson as they are on the balloon float going through the Gotham street and he's throwing money everywhere. Man, you can tell he had a hell of a good time in that role and making that film. He really got into it and was able to get all of us into it as well (and I had to re-wind it a few times perfecting the dance with him in the restaurant and the float).

EDIT: Any film with Billy Dee Williams gets a major thumbs up for me too, even though he seemed woefully miscast as Harvey Dent. What exactly was his purpose in this film again? Were they originally wanting to use him to greater purpose? Correct me if I'm wrong, but it just seemed kind of like: "Hey, we need a minority actor with all these other white people in here, let's cast Billy Dee!". Not like that ever took place in Star Wars either... :shifty:

j.p.


Hmm, Billy Dee looks too much like David Early to me...

(IF YOU LIKE BATMAN MOVIES DO NOT READ ON!)

I can't stand the original batman movies - I mean, I really don't get them. I hate the Tim Burton feel to it, I really intensely dislike Nicholson's Joker - and I really, really get offended by Micheal Keaton as Batman - whoever thought of putting the world's most uninspiring face into a suit like that has me beat, I can't figure the reasoning for it. He is so bland, so boring, so UGH....

And the thing that always makes me uncomfortable about these movies - Batman can't move his neck. It just looks awkward and silly and you'd think anyone really in a suit like that would get the shit pounded out of them by a thug just out of his peripheral vision.

The Batmobile does NOTHING in those movies either, it's just eye candy - as is the, deep breath, Batplane. I just hated it, I think I'd go as far as to say it's one of the worst films I can think of, outright - I just don't get it.

Now I've paid the orignal some lip service, let me move onto the sequels.

Batman returns is fucking awful. Michelle Pfieffer is fucking terrible as Catbitch, her annoying, always open mouth and eyes pierce through my brain like a fucking greased up harpoon. Devito is creepy as The Penguin - but wtf is that character meant to be anyway? It's ridiculous. It was stupid in the comics but as a real life character, it's nothing short of pathetic. The whole underground lairs, over-the-top set pieces and playing for tricks actions scenes are awkward, boring and tiresome. And did I mention the story sucks too?

Now the other two movies are beyond pathetic that they don't really deserve a mention other than to absolutely lambast Clooney and Kilmer's wooden portrayals of what's meant to be a tortured vigilante. Jim Carey as The Riddler perfectly places Carey's comedy style into the category which it is most deserving of: shit. Poison Ivy ala Uma Thurman is embarassing, these so called characters are as one dimensional as anything else that's come from hollywood. Two Face Tommy Lee Jones? No thanks. And Chris O'Donell is still recovering from these movies - although the ONE saving grace from him was the following line:

"Holy rusted metal batman!"
"what?"
"this metal, it's rusted, and has holes in it"

Other than that I hate, hate, HATE the style of these films. They're meant to be fun but it comes off as nothing more than a live action version of Nightmare Before Christmas except none of technical abilities which made a movie like that possible.

Sorry if that offended anyone, I really needed to get that off my chest!!!!

*calms down*

[bassman]

And the thing that always makes me uncomfortable about these movies - Batman can't move his neck. It just looks awkward and silly and you'd think anyone really in a suit like that would get the shit pounded out of them by a thug just out of his peripheral vision.

:lol: The infamous Bat-Turn. This wasn't remedied until 2008 in TDK. You would think over the course of 20 years they could solve that problem a bit sooner...


Devito is creepy as The Penguin - but wtf is that character meant to be anyway? It's ridiculous. It was stupid in the comics but as a real life character, it's nothing short of pathetic.

The Penguin in Batman Returns is NOT the Penguin from the comics. The character in Returns is nothing more than a bullshit idea from the mind of Burton. Same with Catwoman. After the first film was a success, the studio let Burton make it...well....more Burton-like.

The comic character of the penguin is nothing like the bullshit sewer-dwelling, cold-blooded, black goo-spitting abomination Burton put on film. The comic penguin is a realistic character with ties to the mob.

And yes....Returns is shit. Worse than Forever, imo. I can watch Forever for a fun ride, but Returns is just dreadful.

[JDFP]

Eh, while I agree all the Batman sequals to Batman ('89) are pure crap, I'll forever defend Batman ('89) as being a fun movie which I put on the equal grouping with BB and TDK as Nicholson/Keaton being incredible in it for their roles. To each their own. :)

j.p.

[bassman]

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_2kjisMm3M9Y/S09fS3oB5OI/AAAAAAAALX0/xteN265HZeQ/s400/jack-nicholson-joker.jpg


:lol:

[Danny]

batman and robin aint bad, neither is forever really, but robin gets a bad rep, it was a 90's comic book flick and tommy lee jones and the riddler where good for the time, i still think a serious nolan universe villain could be done by either of them.

[bassman]

batman and robin aint bad, neither is forever really, but robin gets a bad rep, it was a 90's comic book flick and tommy lee jones and the riddler where good for the time, i still think a serious nolan universe villain could be done by either of them.

Batman & Robin aint bad? Or it's so bad its entertaining? I can't imagine anyone thinking B&R is actually a good film...

As for Robin, I always kinda liked Chris Odonnell in the role. If given a better approach to the material, he would have been a great Robin. He was good for what he had to work with, anyway...

I've always wondered what it would've been like if they had stuck with Billy Dee Williams as Two Face. I think he says on the Batman documentary that when he was bought out of his contract for Batman Forever, he was actually paid more than he received for his on screen role in the first film. They really wanted Tommy Lee Jones....

[Legion2213]

Here's a new addition for a good Batman villain:

Michael Ironside.

He can play any villain he wants, I don't care. He could just be in the movie staring as "Mick Ironside" or something -- a washed up actor who decides he diabolically wants to take over Gotham.

Doesn't matter, the man is a national treasure to all bad guys in the world. Right up there with the great Rutger Hauer.

(On a side note, I should probably get out more often :)).

j.p.

In the words of Plato "fuck yes!" Michael Ironside rules.

[Danny]

Batman & Robin aint bad? Or it's so bad its entertaining?


bit of both, the whole mind reading bollox was, well, it was bollox, but the acting was entertaining in an over the top way- i mean its jim carrey being 90's jim carrey. i wouldnt go out of my way to watch it, but if it was on once in a blue moon i wouldnt change the channel because i disliked it so much yknow?

[bassman]

ah...you mean Batman Forever. Forever is the one with the Riddler, Batman & Robin is the one with Mr Freeze. I like Forever too, but I thought you were saying you like Batman & Robin. I just can't see anything redeeming in that heap. Well...except for a laugh.

[Danny]

ah...you mean Batman Forever. Forever is the one with the Riddler, Batman & Robin is the one with Mr Freeze. I like Forever too, but I thought you were saying you like Batman & Robin. I just can't see anything redeeming in that heap. Well...except for a laugh.

wait. so which was the piece of shit with batgirl in then?

[bassman]

wait. so which was the piece of shit with batgirl in then?

Batman & Robin. In order they were:

Batman(Joker)
Batman Returns(Penguin, Catwoman)
Batman Forever(Two Face, Riddler)
Batman & Robin(Freeze, Ivy, and as you said....batgirl)

It can get confusing with the generic titles they used....

[Danny]

Batman & Robin. In order they were:

Batman(Joker)
Batman Returns(Penguin, Catwoman)
Batman Forever(Two Face, Riddler)
Batman & Robin(Freeze, Ivy, and as you said....batgirl)

It can get confusing with the generic titles they used....

oh, then forevers the one i like. bit more than returns actually. but i cant take a film with cree-sto-fa-wa-ken as a villain seriously.

[bassman]

but i cant take a film with cree-sto-fa-wa-ken as a villain seriously.



http://www.wearysloth.com/Gallery/ActorsW/17789-20093.gif

You're a cantelope.

[Mr.G]

ah...you mean Batman Forever. Forever is the one with the Riddler, Batman & Robin is the one with Mr Freeze. I like Forever too, but I thought you were saying you like Batman & Robin. I just can't see anything redeeming in that heap. Well...except for a laugh.

Someone cue Seal's Kiss from a Rose...

[bassman]

Someone cue Seal's Kiss from a Rose...

Dude....Seal and Kiss From a Rose were a blessing compared to what would come with the next film....

nt5nZf5XoHg&hl=en_US&fs=1

:barf:

[Mr.G]

Dude....Seal and Kiss From a Rose were a blessing compared to what would come with the next film....

nt5nZf5XoHg&hl=en_US&fs=1

:barf:

I know! Who do you think bought the soundtrack the day it came out?

[JDFP]

Someone cue Seal's Kiss from a Rose...

Agghhh!!!

Damnit, G, now you've got it stuck in my head!!!

Freakin' chorus.. ba-da-da-dahhhh... ba-da-da-da-dahhhh...

:annoyed:

j.p.

[Mr.G]

Agghhh!!!

Damnit, G, now you've got it stuck in my head!!!

Freakin' chorus.. ba-da-da-dahhhh... ba-da-da-da-dahhhh...

:annoyed:

j.p.

Sorry. Hope this helps:

This is the song that never ends, yes it goes on and on my friend. Some people started singing it, not knowing what it was, and they'll continue singing it forever just because...This is the song that never ends, yes it goes on and on my friend. Some people started singing it, not knowing what it was, and they'll continue singing it forever just because...