as long as we all agree that Batman & Robin sucks.

Alfred: Let's not forget the repair of the Batmobile. It's not like we can take it to any old "Joe's bodyshop, " now is it, sir? There's certain security to consider.

Bruce Wayne: Security? Who let Vicki Vale into the Batcave? I'm sitting there working; I turn around, there she is. "Oh hi, Vick - come on in."

I'd forgotten. Still doesn't mean she didn't know.

Ahh but if she did know where is the security risk?

well she didn't know 100%, and Alfred could've been like "I don't know what you're talking about, go away Ms. Vale." And it's not like she knew how to get to the batcave.

I take it as Bruce just giving Alfred a hard time (since Bruce was gonna tell her anyway).

I've always thought that Tim Burton's Batman was overrated.

It's a good movie, but it isn't "Biggest hit of the year," good. It's weird - and I never could buy into this futuristic past setting. Some futuristic technology with old architecture and 1940's cars - WTF???

Like I said, I think it's good, but I've never had this one on DVD, and I don't really think I ever will (not on DVD or Blu Ray - unless someone gives it to me).

I still love Batman (for Keaton, Jack, Elfman, and that production design), but I love Batman Returns even more. All flaws of the first movie are avoided in the second.

returns > this

Speaking of overrated...

Superman is a fine film for it's time, and the fact that it was THE superhero movie for as long as it was wasn't so much a compliment to the movie when you saw a steady stream of crap coming out for so many years afterwards.

Christopher Reeve was fine, but I simply did not care for Margo Kidder (even much less so than Kate Bosworth) and I hated their portrayal of Lex and don't get me started on his stupid side kick. Superman Returns didn't fix Lex nearly enough for me (I much prefer the Lex from the Superman animated series by Bruce Timm) but I think Superman Returns was better than the old Superman movies in many ways.

no love for Ned Beatty? sheesh.

Burton was the wrong choice for the batman films. He even said that he never read a batman comic before, so why the hell was he even given it. It was average superhero movie but it's not in my top ten.

I like "Batman Returns" more than "Batman" but I can't stand Penguin at all. If the movie had focused more on Batman/Catwoman and ditched the silly and needlessly over the top Penguin, the movie would have been much much better.

I remember when Burton was considering using John Malkovich to play Riddler. Then he got replaced by that hack director cause they wanted a lighter more family friendly tone for Batman. Now they want the old dark Batman again. They should've just let Burton do the whole series to start with.

There are directors making Marvel films nowadays that have never read a comic book of the hero they're bringing to the screen. Obviously, Batman is a bit more iconic than pretty much any Marvel character not named Spider-Man but still. I wouldn't fault Burton for not reading the comic books as it still happens.

For a superhero like Batman, it would be a neccessary need to know the character a little bit. I would love Frank Miller and zack snyder to do a Batman movie. Miller knows him best. Burton is a great director, one of my favorite directors but comic book movies aren't his nitch. personally, I would love a Nightwing movie. but since his rogue gallery is very weak, we never will.

The part that bugged me when I rewatched it for the first time in years was The Joker's goons being at the top of the church.

Batman's plane crashes in front of a seemingly random building. Joker radios his people and tells them to meet him at the top in 10 minutes. Then he knocks down the bell, demolishing the stairs. Batman gets to the top and has to face several of Joker's guys. When did they get there? Did the Joker just have goons stationed on the top of every building in Gotham?

I still enjoy it, what can I say? The only part that really takes me out of the movie is the model work during the Batwing crash.

I hope a lot of the people here criticizing it for it's look and age aren't any of those clamoring for the '60's Batman to come out on DVD!

Read "The Dark Knight Strikes Again" or "All Star Batman and Robin" and then say that again with a straight face (after you've gotten the bleach out of your eyes, mind you).


Don't get me wrong, Miller reinvented Batman back in the 80s... but now he's kinda like your crazy uncle who still sees Charlie in every tree...

The man lost Batman's pulse twenty years ago.


That said, Batman is still fun, but it hasn't held up well, and I never thought it was fantastic to begin with.

Batman Returns would be a great movie if it had absolutely nothing to do with Batman. As it stands, it raped the charicterization of two iconic characters (Penguin and Catwoman) and made Batman a multi-murderer. Bonus points for Christopher Walken, though...


And as for the Elfman score at sporting events... Citizen's Bank Park plays the opening March whenever Pat "The Bat" Burrell steps to the plate in a clutch situation.




-Doc

Please, this is the least of the plotholes in that sequence. How can the Joker even headline a parade through downtown Gotham after he's murdered countless people? Wouldn't the entire police department be waiting for him after he announced on live TV when and where he'd be that night?

Batman 1989 is still the definitive Batman movie, at least until TDK comes out. Begins is vastly overrated by the fans, and is not as good of an adaptation of the Batman comics as many claim. It also doesn't help that Bale's Batman voice and persona were flat out awful.

I'm not.

I have a sentimental view of Batman and Batman Returns, because I really loved them when they come out, but I agree that they (especially the former) haven't aged all that well.

One great thing about Burton's Batman is that Batman: The Animated Series would probably not have been made without the movie's success and that show has aged much better than the movies.

What I liked about Keaton/Burton's Batman character was that he always seeemed to truly be a reluctant hero. He was a man who did it because he truly felt he had to. He was very quiet, a Batman of few words. There's times when Vikki Vale or Selina Kyle would say something to him, and his only response was a deep glare. I liked that. It just always felt very introspective to me. To me, that's how I feel the character of Batman really would be if Bruce Wayne went through what he did in his life. Having a loner, almost stand-offish aspect to his personality, but feeling a more overpowering aspect to do good deeds rather than be passive.

I also liked how it was somewhat similar when he was Bruce Wayne. To me, both Wayne and Batman never felt comfortable in either setting of their separate lives. Wayne didn't feel completely comfortable or satisified when he was filthy rich, and Batman didn't seem to take much enjoyment at all in saving human lives and the city at large.

I can honestly say in all of my years as a Batman fan (the comics and character in general), looking back now I can't say I'd ever envision The Joker listening to Prince.

Surprised it took this long for someone to bring up B:TAS, considering that a majority of fans feel that the animated version is the best incarnation of Batman.

Batman '89 still holds up for me because it's always a joy to check out the best Gotham City I've ever seen. A dazzling combo of Medieval/Art Deco architecture dressed up in a conglomerate 1940's/1980's world. The fanboy in me also never tires of seeing Batman taking out baddies who are dressed like Al Capone's goons (Grissom's henchmen, for example) with their trenchcoats,hats,etc...(Something that the B:TAS viewers are accustomed to seeing)

I expected Nolan's films to top the art direction & costume design from the Burton films, but that hasn't been apparent. Sure, Nolan wants this Batman Universe to be taking place in a "real" universe, which is fine. But as far as my preference of the Batman Universe goes, I'll always have the '89 film to rely on.

Okay, I broke down and popped in my old VHS copy, which is still in pretty good condition.

While it certainly isn't perfect (yeah, where were the cops during the parade?), it's still a lot of fun. The characters are well defined, the costumes and sets are terrific, and the one-liners are still funny.

I'll never forget:

"Bob? Gun." *BANG!*

I agree about Batman: TAS. Probably one of the last few weekday cartoons that were just terrific.