MORE tinkering, additions, AND improvements in the 'Man-Cave'!

 

Yes, despite being NO kind of 'brainiac' of ANY sort--- the 'ol Loydster DOES get a 'bright idea' every now and then! As I've said before, here on the bloggy-woggy-thingy-thang-- The 'tiny cube of GEEKYNESS' that is the 'Man-Cave,' is something of an 'organic' beast!-- Meaning things can sometimes be added to... OR taken out of it here and there, as time marches on! Keep on doing the 'readin' and scrollin', to see just what I mean! SOME of it really DOES have to do... with an actual set of LIGHTS! And-- a VERY 'bright' idea!!-- though it wasn't MY original 'bright' idea! 

 

Yes indeedy-do-da!!-- Some goodies have been added to my teeny-weeny little 'Loydster Museum of unashamed NERDYNESS'-- in recent weeks! Of course, by it being such a 'confined' type of space, the additional items have either been on the small side, or just improvements to items and furnishings already in there! A perfect example to kick things off, on this here post-- is a surprise 'late B-day' gift I recently received from my life-long buddy, Mr. Jeff Arnold!----

A while back, my 'brutha-from-anutha-mutha', Jeff --made a trip to the area around the Hollywood hills-- out in So-Cal-- and managed to visit the ACTUAL filming location for the opening credits on the old 'Batman' classic TV show! Known as 'Bronson Cave', it's also been used for other movies and TV productions over the years. BUT--- he and I are all geeked-out about it, for the obvious ties it has with  the 'Bat-Cowled-Crusader' from our childhood!

He told me he'd also managed to pick up a rock or two from the spot, as goofy / nerdy souvenirs. After that, I hadn't thought much about his trip there---until THIS little NEAT-O item arrived in my mail a few weeks back!
Jeff made the little plaque that it's mounted to, and used his 'cricut' printer to do the lettering on it. Without a DOUBT, it deserved a place of HONOR within the 'Loydster-Cave'! What better spot could there be, than sitting right NEXT to the case that houses the Lego-'66 Bat-ride??!?

Speaking of the Lego-version of the '66 Batmobile--- the NEXT little item was actually inspired by a comment from my daughter, Shelby! On a recent visit, she was taking a quick tour of the 'Sanctum', and observed how surprising it was, that I hadn't yet put a 'driver' behind the steering wheel of the car! 'The Batmobile NEEDS a Batman to be driving it!', she said! 'Well, a 6 inch action figure should easily fit right in there!' I somewhat 'over-confidently' spouted-off! 

Within just a short time, I was scoring a 'loose' 6 inch figure of the 'Adam West-version' of 'ol Batsy, off of E-bay--- and then finding out just how MUCH --uh, shall I say-- 'customizing' I would have to do, to get the little guy to actually 'sit behind' the steering wheel!---

When I said 'customizing' up above, concerning the 'Adam West' / Bat-guy figure--- I actually pretty much meant 'RADICAL-SURGERY'! To get the figure to fit into the interior of the 'Lego-Bat-ride', it required chopping-off a section of not ONLY his back-side, but a good-sized chunk of the back of his upper legs --AND- removing the lower part of his legs just past the knee joints! Thank goodness for the 'ol faithful rotary tool!--Or I'd probably STILL be chopping-away at the poor little guy! (I know, I know----I'm sure there are hard-core collectors out there, SCREAMING and jumping up and down, this very minute-- at my BRUTAL mistreatment of this poor 'collectible'!) BUT-- the results were worth all that effort (AND all that 'surgery' on poor little 'Adam'!)-- at least I think so!

The next project I ended up tackling, was something I'd been kicking around, since not long after I finished-up the long-drawn-out process --that was setting the 'Man-Cave' up! A 'set-up' that was nearly 6 months worth of careful planning, and just sometimes TEDIOUS work! (ALL worth it though, no doubt in my mind!)

Another family member's remark, is what inspired the 'ol gears-in-Loydser's head to SLOWLY start turning! This time from my 'bonus-daughter', Chloe! On one of her earliest visits to check out my little secret-hide-out, she mentioned how VERY cool the room would look, if all the shelves and showcases were somehow lighted!

In the months since that conversation-- I kept returning in my thoughts, to how it WOULD definitely be a COOL thing-- to get lighting into all those shelves / cases! The question that kept stumping me was-- just HOW would I manage to do it???  I briefly considered the LED 'tape-style', and even the 'neon' tube-style LEDs-- but memories of the MAJOR hassle and amount of WORK it took to set that type of lighting up in the 'Cave before (ESPECIALLY the 'tube-lights'!!! ARRRRGH!), closed off  THAT possibility! 

A routine trip to a local 'Dollar Tree' store, turned out to hold 'the secret' to how it could actually be DONE!---

One of the 'stumpers' in my long-drawn-out thinking process about 'shelf-lighting', was just HOW to get lighting into each shelf-- without running seemingly MILES of electrical cords all over the already TINY amount of space in my little 'Cave! (One of the drawbacks to the LEDs I briefly considered!) Spotting a set of wireless / BATTERY-operated 'puck-lights' at a local 'Dollar Tree', I FINALLY started seeing a way to get the task done!

I sat down and figured up the amount of BOTH-- how many 'pucks' I would need for the shelf-spaces, as well as-- how many batteries it would take to power them all! It came to 60 'pucks' and nearly 200 batteries! Another couple of months went by, before I could even START on this task! I would have to wait 'til I got my next 'bonus-check' from my job, before I could afford ALL of those 'pucks' and batteries, for one thing!

Finally, after the necessary funds were available, I ordered-up ALL of those lights and batteries from good 'ol Amazon (if you're gonna do a CRAZY-sized project like THIS, ordering it all 'in bulk' online is pretty much the BEST way to go! Buying the lights alone, from either Wally-world or Lowes / Home Depot would've been INSANELY expensive!)-- then... after the wait (which seemed like an eternity!-- but, it was around a week or so!) for the 'snail-mail' to FINALLY deliver everything to my door--  I took a long, deep breath-- and went to WORK! 

                                       

The task took a few days to complete. BOTH-- because I wanted to do this RIGHT, as well as running into a few problems here and there. Mostly with getting the 'two-way' adhesive backing that came with the lights to actually STICK in a few spots! That's when a bit of super-glue, and even a few small screws helped things along!

At last though, the job was done! Boy-HOWDY-- it sure turned-out just about as NIFTY-NEAT-O-SPIFFY as I hoped it would! Below is the photographic PROOF! Unlike other times here, I'm just going to save my little goofy-geek-tastic comments for AFTER all the pics!--- (I'm assuming those faithful-few of you, who are checking this post out-- are of COURSE familiar with the lay-out of my little hidey-hole!)---

'Now Loydster,' you might be asking, 'aren't you the least bit worried about quickly burning-up ALL of the batteries for ALL of those 'puck-lights'?' The short & simple answer to that is--- 'nope'! This 'shelf-lighting' set-up, is just for occasional use. Mostly when, say-- company comes over. That's when I'll be utilizing them. So, when I want guests to be able to see ALL the 'goodies & gee-gaws' in the shelves and cases-- they'll be able to, with the simple popping of the button on a NIFTY little remote!

Like I was saying up above, the other recent additions to the stuff on display within the 'Sanctum, are pretty small! A perfect example: a couple of signs I put together, for setting up on the top of one the 'barrister' cases. They're BOTH only around 2 1/2 inches tall! Painted in nice, BRIGHT comic book-type 'primary colors' though,  you see them RIGHT away as you enter my little 'GEEK-out space'! In fact, they're straight ahead of you--as you enter the room!---

If you peek inside and to the immediate right within my little 'media-nook' (the room's former closet, remember?), you'll see yet ANOTHER little (6x6 inches!) sign I made and placed in there!  It's VERY simply made! Just a square piece of black foam-core posterboard, some ('bright blue') acrylic paint, and a few vinyl 'stick-on' letters! As well as a 'Bat-symbol' from an old toy package!---

In my post back in January, about the (MOSTLY) finished-up 'Man-Cave'-- I remember mentioning the space to the upper right of my teensy-weensy little desk. How it was going to have to be a 'rotating exhibit' type of space, for a number of posters and other framed images-- that my little 'cube-of-nerdiness' just does NOT have adequate room for! At least, not for ALL of them at once. 

I figure it's high time I threw the spotlight on those items! Although, if you've been following along here with me on the 'ol bloggy-thang-thingy-ma-rang for a while--you MIGHT 'sort-of' remember some of this stuff! I'm pretty sure I've shared pics of most of it, in old posts about my previous 'Man-Cave'--several years back! 

At any rate--here then, are a few images of those WAY-cool posters & framed goodies! Including the first few I've already had on display here in my little 'Crime-fighting Headquarters'!---

The first few posters / 'neat-stuff', that have been on display in the 'rotation-spot'! The little group in the third pic, is the most recent set of goodies to go up. In fact, I just put them up in the last week or so!

The next group of pics, feature the posters waiting in storage. My plan still, is to 'rotate' them into that same 'display-spot', in the 'Man-Cave'-- roughly every 6 months or so. Hey, stuff THIS neat-o, simply can NOT be left in a storage-shed, wrapped in cardboard! (I temporarily popped them out of their 'storage-state', to snap the pics below!--Am I a HOPELESS nerd-a-zoid, or WHAT!??)---

The last couple of 'things that are in storage-- but WILL be on display at SOME point!'--- A couple of (roughly) 8x10 images of Elvis and The Duke. These are 'art prints' of 'pencil portraits' I picked up at--- believe it or NOT-- an 'Everything-for-a-Dollar' store, (in the days BEFORE there was a chain of 'Dollar Tree' stores!) MANY years ago! Right at the moment, I don't even have frames for either of them! BUT-- the aforementioned 'Dollar Tree' will take care of THAT problem easy enough!---

The artist who signed these (just his last name) was a fellow named 'Adkins'. That's about ALL that I know about him! I do know that he HAD to be SUPER-talented though, because the likenesses on BOTH of these pieces is DEAD-ON! I will INDEED have these in the 'rotation-spot'--someday!

Truly the current version of the 'Man-Cave', and the on-going tinkering that goes on within it-- as I've said before-- has become something of a hobby in itself! It sure has been FUN seeing the results of the little ideas / 'brain-storms' that come into that over-sized 'block-shaped' Ferrell-head of mine! 

It DOES sometimes feel...as if the thrashing away to make some of these schemes and 'master-plans' happen, turns into what sometimes feels a LOT like, well-- WORK! As I was saying earlier in this post though.... ALL the work and thrashing is usually WORTH it! The BIG 'ol goofy-geeky-GRIN I get on my face, (sometimes, I even chuckle a little to myself!) most EVERY time I enter my little NERD-O-RIFFIC hidey-hole--- is PROOF of THAT!

 

See you NEXT time gang! Stay safe, sane, and HAPPY!

The AMAZING Mrs. Debbie and her outdoor-ART! (An update on the 'OTHER artist in the family'!)

 

Just so no one out there thinks the 'ol Loydster is the ONLY one who has 'brain-storms' and has all the creative thoughts and schemes-- in the 'Loyd & Debbie-combo'!--- Just a little graphic I put together, to show how my FAVORITE-girl-in-the-whole-wide-WORLD-- lets HER mind go 'into over-drive'! She truly has the GIFT of 'outdoor creativity'! Keep scrollin' & readin' to see just HOW creative this little lady can be!

It's been a few years now, (close to at least SIX, in fact!) since I've had a chance to put up a post, that focuses on the number ONE lady in my life and her passion for all things green, colorful, and growing! Her talent for putting in and arranging those wonderful splashes of color around the outside of our home-- that make it REALLY feel like, well--- HOME! I figure it's HIGH time I return to that subject, and throw some praise and appreciation her way, once again!

Mostly due to our odd-ball living situation, (whether we were going to just continue to rent, or FINALLY be able to actually PURCHASE a home, for one thing!) the past 4-plus years or so-- she hasn't really been able to focus on doing what she's ALWAYS loved doing-- that is, put in flower beds & plant arrangements around the outside of the house, as well as a small veggie garden. (out back, of course!)

Now that the whole 'where-we're-gonna-be-living' / home-purchase thingy-thang's all been settled --for a little while now---she finally decided that THIS was gonna be the spring and summer that she would once more take the SERIOUS plunge into doing some 'botanical-sprucing-up' of the outside, around the 'Cozy-Cottage' and 'Micro-Ranch'!

One of the things that's ALWAYS amazed me about Debbie-- once she starts a gardening or yard-fix-up-project, there's NO stopping her! She's like a little five-foot-four-inch, HIGH-horse-powered DYNAMO! What she's accomplished in just PART of this ONE season, would've taken some folks YEARS to get done!

I think that's just about enough of my blabbering-on for an introduction! Let's now get to the photographic PROOF of just WHAT this little lady of mine can do-- with some yard tools, plants and potting soil! Of course, I'll do a bit of 'slipping-in-of-GOOFY-GEEKY commentary' along the way here and there! (It just would NOT be MY blog, if I didn't do THAT!!)---

Right next to the steps going up to our porch, is this WAY-nifty set-up! There's also an old dryer 'barrel' under the plant-life to the right! That's one of my wifey's 'creative-gifts' too. Utilizing 'found objects' to really add some visual 'jazz' to her plant and flower displays!

An over-all look at the flower-bed / plant-set-up at the left-front of the 'Cozy-Cottage'. Deb put in a major amount of work and effort, into getting this area flat and level! Check out how even and EXTRA-straight everything is!

A mix of planted items, along with a few things in various-sized pots and buckets-- keeps this 'garden spot' from being ANY kind of boring!

The blooms on some of these plants almost look FAKE, they're SO colorful--don't they???

It takes a SERIOUS commitment (not to mention all of the DAILY up-keep and maintenance!) to keep all of this plant-life vital and growing! Deb doesn't hesitate to jump into ALL of that with BOTH feet! Once she starts in on a project like this, it's 110-percent for her, ALL-the-way!

Another spot, with a mix of just the RIGHT amount of green and beautiful colors!

I'll just let these next few pics do 'all the talking' for me!

This is the area around the base of the old giant elm tree in our front yard. Once again, Deb's utilized old wash-tubs and other 'found' stuff, to keep the viewer's eyes moving, all around this spot!

A vintage 'little red wagon,' under a couple of the potted items! Truthfully--- something I wouldn't have EVER thought of doing! Like I keep saying--- the 'ol Loydster isn't the ONLY 'creative-thinker' in this marriage of ours!

 Now that we've checked-out the sights around the front of the 'Ferrell-abode', let's have a peek at the goings-on around back, shall we?---

One segment of Deb's veggie-garden! Some KING-sized peppers, and other kinds of 'stuff that's good for you' thrives and grows healthy and strong back here, up against the property's fence-line!

This is just a SMALL part of 'the crop', from the tomato plants that my wife has put in this year! Needless to say, we'll soon have more tomatoes than the two of us can eat! (Don't get me wrong-- I absolutely LOVE tomatoes! Believe me-- I'll be gobbling-up a good amount of these babies!)

Yet another project that Deb's been working away on! Believe it or not-- these natural sandstone slabs, were buried just under the surface, in various areas-- around our front yard! Dozens and dozens of them! Deb's been gradually digging them all up, to utilize as a 'natural floor surface' in a little 'patio-area' she's been wanting to set up in our back yard. 
As things progress on THAT effort, you can count on an update in a (hopefully) near-future post!

                                                                                   

One more thing, before I finish-off this here post! I just want to say how VERY glad I am, to see my SPECIAL little lady diving off into what she loves so VERY much!  It's something I've missed. Witnessing that creative-energy flow from her, into all of the BEAUTIFUL plants, flowers, and other 'growing things'-- that she's once again working on surrounding our little house and property with!

 

You are truly my NUMBER ONE blessing, wife-o-mine! It's been GREAT seeing you be able to do what I know you LOVE to do so much! It also has added those previously mentioned 'splashes of color', that make this little 'micro-ranch' of ours, feel like a HOME! Loved you then, love you now, will love you ALWAYS, my FOREVER sweetie!

                              See you NEXT time around gang! 'Til then-- stay SAFE, SANE and HAPPY!!

Loyd's BONUS video-clip(s)!! --- # 52!! --- MORE classic 'Vette commercials!

 

God BLESS whoever the classic-car-GEEKS are, who just keep loading these kinds of things onto YouTube! Being a HUGE fan of the original, FRONT-ENGINE, rear-wheel drive-version of  Chevy's 2-seater-- I just about do a little 'nerd-happy-dance' whenever I stumble across little video-TREASURES like these old TV spots!----

Hopefully-- 'life-permitting', of COURSE-- I'll be putting up a FULL-length, complete post NEXT month! 'Til then-- stay SAFE, SANE and HAPPY gang!

Thoughts on my top-two-FAVE 'Bat-flicks'!

 

My fandom for the 'Caped Crusader' crosses over into a LOT of different kinds of media-- and a HOST of film and animated versions too! This time around though, I want to JUST focus on my top two favorite film versions of the character. AND-- why one version has actually recently took over the 'number ONE' spot from the other! It's STILL a pretty CLOSE race between the two though!

It's pretty much understood, if you visit my teensy-weensy little corner of the 'net here, on ANY kind of regular basis-- that I'm a life-long 'Bat-fanatic'! What I haven't really discussed much, is my top two favorite 'live action' adaptations of the character. 

Oh, I've talked about them a bit here and there-- including referencing them in an episode of the '...Ramblings' pod-cast a while back! But... now is as good a time as any (and just WHEN would it NOT be a good time, for me to rattle-on about my ALL-time FAVORITE fictional character?!?) to share some 'Loydster-brain-droppings' about these two movies!

First--- and this is only PARTLY because it premiered in theaters on my BIRTHDAY (which is in just a matter of days, by the way!--June 23rd!), oh-my-goodness!---36 YEARS AGO!--- Some thoughts and memories on the 1989 block-buster / MEGA-hit 'Bat-flick'!---

Like most ALL other 'Bat-geek-a-zoids' across the land way-back then--- I'd had my doubts about the casting of Michael Keaton in the lead role, as well as the choice of 'Mr. ODD-BALL-movie-guy', Tim Burton as the director! But-- Warner Brothers movie-execs were VERY smart! They put out TWO  things, that pretty much changed my mind! (This was in the days before there was an internet, remember!)

The first was an image. It was pretty much EVERYWHERE, around January of that year. but I didn't catch a glimpse of it, until visiting a local comics shop! Then, I started seeing it on seemingly about every other magazine cover around!---

 

Almost the instant that I saw this publicity shot of Mr. Keaton in full-on 'ALL-BLACK-Bat-suit-BADNESS'--- my worries about the movie being a GOOF-BALL-fest... pretty much evaporated! Even all these years later, the 'COOLNESS-factor-dial' still cranks (on a scale of 1-to-10!) to 12!

 

The second REALLY shrewd / smart thing that WB did, was release THIS trailer! There wasn't even ANY music to go with the scenes featured yet-- and it STILL had my little 'Bat-fan-boy'-heart nearly SKIPPING a beat!---

Believe it or not-- The 'ol Loydster actually went and watched 2 different movies, that I didn't even CARE about--- JUST to watch the above trailer a couple of more times, after I'd seen it the first time! That shows you how excited I was about this movie!

Once the movie was actually just about to hit theaters, the equally-NIFTY spots-for-TV started showing up! Needless to say, by that point... I was nearly foaming-at-the-mouth! 

At that point in my 'Bat-fandom', I was REALLY into the 'darker-and-more-gritty' Bat-guy! Comics stories like Frank Miller's 'Dark Knight Returns' and the prequel story 'Batman: Year One', Alan Moore's 'The Killing Joke'-- were what I was major-DIGGING-on back then. So-- from what I could tell... that's the kind of 'Caped Crusader' that would be up on the big screen! TV spots like the one below pretty much confirmed my expectations!---

Once the movie was in theaters, I was (of COURSE) in one of the FIRST lines to see it! Did I enjoy it? Well... the fact that I saw it at least 3 TIMES during it's run that memorable summer of '89... AND snagged a copy of it as soon as it came out on home video in the early fall of that year--- shouts out fairly loud-and-clear-- I really, REALLY got a MAJOR jolt out of this film!

First, the positive things I remember (and STILL dig!) about the movie!--- The production design, the tone (darker... but not depressing!), the GADGETS, that oh-SO-WICKED Batmobile (STILL one of my all-time favorite versions of 'ol Batsy's rides!), the Bat-wing, Jack Nicholson's scenery-chewing (he was clearly having fun in the role!) as the Joker! AND-- well, I've already said up above how 'EXTREMELY-bad-motor-scooter' I thought (and STILL think!) the 'Bat-suit' was! (and IS!)

 

All the above elements made this movie feel like something MORE than just a movie. It was like an EVENT! Like a big, giant carnival-ride or roller coaster-- that not ONLY 'Bat-fanatics' were jumping onto (there were hundreds of thousands-- just like me-- who went to see it multiple times in it's first run!) ... but now, the rest of the 'general public' was getting into it...and saying: 'hey! This is something BIG, over-the-top, and special'! 

For the FIRST time that I could remember too, in my life up to that point-- it was ok... considered COOL even, to be an unashamed, out-in-the-open 'comics fan'! Especially a 'Bat-fan'! (Not that I tried to hide my fandom too much! I've always been pretty open and unashamed when it comes to what I'm all GEEKY about!)

Second, the negative things I remember about it (some of this is from hindsight, not to mention repeated viewings over the years!)--- The script and WEIRD plot-choices are the MAIN problems with this movie! It's painfully obvious, in a few spots toward the end in particular--- that they were making this film without a finished script! 

The whole idea of The Joker turning out to be the killer of Bruce Wayne's parents feels like LAZY writing to me! Alfred just letting Vicky Vale into the Batcave is ALSO wrong on SEVERAL levels (including, yes-- LAZY script-writing!)! Bruce to Alfred: 'YOU'RE FIRED"!!

 

Oh, and let's not forget The Joker (AFTER Bats has unloaded rocket-launchers and heavy machine-gun fire at him! TOTALLY out-of-character too!) shooting down the Bat-wing--- with an extremely LONG-barreled gun, that he pulls out of his PANTS! URRRRGH!!!

There's also a couple of places (in the opening scenes, as well as right near the end!) where there's some REALLY goofy, obviously 'hand-drawn' animation used, instead of (like was later done in 'Batman Returns'!) at least somewhat more convincing special effects shots --like maybe stop-motion or even miniature-effects / puppets utilized somehow!

 With all of it's 'lumpy' moments and imperfections though, 'Batman '89' is STILL a classic movie, at least in my mind. It was also PROOF-positive -- to BOTH Hollywood and the movie-going public-- that a serious-take on the character was not ONLY possible... it was also capable of producing BIG box-office! 

'Batman Returns', the Burton-directed-sequel that hit theaters in 1992-- didn't do much for me! Bats was even MORE ruthless and brutal in his combat with the bad guys (he TORCHES a couple with the Batmobile's afterburner, and even blows-up another thug with a roll-of-TNT-to-the-gut-- just in the opening sequence!)-- that I then knew for certain and for sure... talented as the team was that made it.... they just didn't seem to understand what a character like Batman is REALLY all about! He's NOT 'Dirty Harry' or (WORSE!)-- 'The Punisher'!

 

Fast-forward close to 16 years later. A couple more 'Bat-sequels' came and went. 'Batman Forever' (1995), while fun and better written and plotted than the first (OR second) film... isn't a classic by any stretch! It's production design was GREAT though, and Val Kilmer did a bang-up job in his one-and-ONLY time in the Bat-suit. 

'Batman and Robin' (1997)--- well... that one just left me with a SPLITTING-headache! Another 8 years would pass, before another 'Bat-film' would hit the theaters! But---oh WHAT a film it would turn out to be!---

By the time 'Batman Begins' finally hit the screen-- in MY mind... it was HIGH time that a well-done, well-written, 'respectful-to-the-character' Bat-film should be done! AND-- this one, as I would soon discover--- 'checked ALL the boxes'! Needless to say, after seeing the following trailer-- I was pretty STOKED!!---

Unfortunately, the movie came out at a time when things were fairly scrambled and hectic around the Ferrell-household! So, I didn't get a chance to see it on the big screen. As soon as it was available on home video though-- I practically left 'burning-tire-tracks' (like the Delorean in 'Back to the Future'!) all the way to the local video-rental-store-- so I could snag a copy to watch!

I was not ONLY happy after watching this movie-- I  was practically floating up in the clouds! Here was a Batman movie that not only told a GREAT story (the origin of the character, no less!)--- but it also seemed that it's creative team seemed to... FINALLY, at LONG LAST--- 'get' / understand the character! The Batman from the comics, and the 'live action' version of him-- FINALLY seemed to 'line up' with each other!

Bruce Wayne was not only portrayed as a guy with a STRONG 'moral code' against taking life-- but the reasons for his beliefs on this were shown, explored--and made sense! The start of his relationship with Jim Gordon (and the Gotham City Police Department) was also well thought-out and equally well-written. The bad guys' plot to destroy Gotham City, while REALLY pretty scary and truly evil-- wasn't overly dark or depressing! 

A point was even made (and I think this is important, folks!)-- that little kids were NOT afraid of Batman! One little boy, in fact--actually looks up to him as a 'symbol of HOPE'!  What do you know?-- A modern movie-- with a thread of hope and positive ideals running through it! It was an EPIC movie, in ALL the BEST aspects of that word!

Notice I didn't have any 'down-sides' or major disappointing things to point out--in my above thoughts about the movie? That's because... all the way up to the present day-- I can't really seem to think of ANYTHING that bugs me about it! The folks who produced it, pretty much hit the bulls-eye! At least for THIS particular 'Bat-fan'!

Not long after that first rental, I (of COURSE) snatched-up my own copy of this CLASSIC film! It's STILL a treasured part of my collection, all these years later (can you believe it? 20 YEARS ago---since it first hit movie screens!!)! One that my son, Wade and I refer to... as a 'keeper'! Defined as: a flick you'll simply ALWAYS have around... to watch and enjoy over and over again!

The sequels that followed-- 'The Dark Knight', and 'Dark Knight Rises'-- were disappointments to me! While there indeed were a number of NIFTY elements--including a number of VERY cool vehicles (the 'Bat-Pod', the 'Bat' hover-craft for just two!) and gadgets (Batman's EMP weapon!)! It seemed to me, Though a LOT of the same creative folks were involved--- the two sequels almost seemed to be produced by different people, with VERY different ideas of Batman's character, as well as the world he lived in! 

Just a couple of examples: The first movie seemed to have a lot more thought and effort put into the production design-- in particular, how Gotham city was almost another 'character' in that film! The other two flicks just seemed to have the attitude of-- 'Oh well--- let's just make Gotham look pretty much like Chicago or New York!' (In fact, a LARGE chunk of location shooting was done in 'the windy city'!)

Also-- the bad guys in the two follow-ups, Joker and Bane-- were basically just portrayed as 'terrorists' or thugs! I can watch any edition of the nightly national and world-news, if I want to see that sort of thing! Gotham City and Batman's world-- does NOT have to be just like the 'world outside of our window'!

Additionally-- Batman / Bruce Wayne seems-- in BOTH movies-- to be nearly as brutal and 'mean-natured', as the character was in the Burton movies! Like beating people up & causing injury--was the ONLY approach he now had--to get through to / get info from hoodlums and bad guys! The scene where Bats beats-up on and throws the Joker around the interrogation cell in 'Dark Knight'-- to me, was just BOTH unnerving and kinda disturbing! 

So, over the years, I've grown to feel... like 'Batman Begins' is pretty much a 'stand-alone' movie! That the other two in the so-called 'trilogy'--- are flicks that exist maybe in some weird 'alternate universe'! In other words--- I don't feel the 3 movies make any kind of 'trilogy' at ALL! The first movie, is pretty much the BEST and ONLY movie!-- in my mind at least! Just this 'ol Batman-geek-a-zoids opinion gang! Your mileage and opinions may vary!

The two MOST treasured Super Hero flicks in the Loydster's video-library! (Outside of the '78 Superman film!-- I've GOT to do a post on that, at SOME point!) 'Bats '89'-- for it's 'sentimental value' to me! 'Batman Begins', for it's being the ALL-time BEST (my opinion, of course!) 'live-action' portrayal of the character to date!

Last-but-NOT least!-- An extra thought or two, about the two actors who portrayed my fave-character in these, my favorite two Bat-movies--- Michael Keaton and Christian Bale. ---

Two of the BEST actors to ever put on 'Cape-and-Cowl'! Two VERY different men, with VERY different acting styles! BUT-- they BOTH managed to get most EVERYTHING about the character of Bruce Wayne / Batman RIGHT!

While they have differences in their individual acting styles, both of these fine actors seemed to come to the same conclusions about the character of Batman. What 'makes him tick' / motivates him! In numerous interviews, both of them have pretty much said, in no uncertain terms--- that Bats is NOT  a 'crazy' person, ANY kind of 'nut-job' or even schizophrenic! (What a NUMBER of even comic book writers have alleged about him over the years! WRONG-headed, to say the least!)

Both men have reached the conclusion, in their portrayals of the character-- that in order to KEEP from becoming a 'crazy' person... Batman HAS to do what he does! He also feels compelled / obligated / obsessed-- with PREVENTING the crime & tragedy that happened to HIM, from happening to ANYONE else! He's one of the MOST 'sane' people, in a CRAZY and MESSED-up environment / world! That's what I would call getting the 'Bat-guy' role nearly EXACTLY right! The producers of these two films, couldn't have picked ANYONE better! Again, just one 'ol Caped-Crusader-fan's opinion!

One last shout-out-- to a VERY important young man in MY life-- who, in fact-- INSPIRED this post!!-- My son, Mr. Wade Ferrell! Our recent re-watching of 'Batman Begins' together, as well as our extensive discussion during watching it (we PAUSED the DVD-- a LOT!)-- not ONLY reminded me  EXACTLY... of several of the reasons the movie is now pretty much my FAVORITE 'Bat-film', but it also showed me for SURE (though I've always kinda known it!)-- that my son is JUST as much of a sincere, HARD-CORE Bat-fanatic as his old man! Lots of love, appreciation, and BIG HUGS, bub!---

Father-and-son Bat-geek-a-zoids! I'm VERY tickled that the LOVE of my all-time favorite character has been passed on to the NEXT generation! Loved you then, love you now, will love you ALWAYS buddy! (and it's NOT just because of our mutual love of  the 'Bat-guy'!)

                                      See you NEXT time around, gang! 'til then-- stay SAFE, SANE and HAPPY!