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!