Batman (1989)

[Chedney Honks]

Having not seen this in thirty years, nor being interested in superhero, I picked it up because my wife mentioned that she loved it as a kid and I'd heard the 4K UHD Blu-ray was a great example of the format. I got it on sale from HMV, it arrived yesterday and I really enjoyed it.

Technically, it's a fantastic looking transfer. I hadn't realised as a kid (obviously) how much noir influence there is to the direction and the HDR really helps define all of that murky shadow detail. I don't remember seeing quite so many shades of black in another film. While it's not flashy with overdone specular highlights and blinding lights, there is some fantastic contrast in the reflections from Batman's suit and improbably brilliant car as well as the puddles and paving stones of Gotham City. Textures and detail are always at least very good but during the interior shots, they're pretty special. The materials on Vicki's various dresses and Bruce's suits look superb, as well as the galvanised rubber (?) of the Batsuit.

Much of the film could be in black and white and it would still look spectacular. And then The Joker arrives. The bursts of green and purple and orange and cyan are glorious and evoke both the early comic book palette and also the Adam West show. Everything from the purple smoke to the green toxic waste to Jack's assortment of suits, hats and waistcoats leaps off the screen. It reminds me of the Dick Tracy movie (which I also haven't seen for thirty years) and I think that larger-than-life element injects some cartoon energy and punch to an otherwise brooding atmosphere. I really think this is superhero done right.

The soundtrack is something else I could barely remember but that main Elfman theme is so strident and evocative, it instantly came back to me. The 4K disc has a brilliant Atmos mix but I think it would sound great through my phone. The Batwing (?), the car, gunshots, everything is spot on, loads of weight and impact to everything but also clear and individual sounds have chance to stand out. It's not a meaningless cacophony of crunching and explosions and blaring effects as I often find with modern popcorn films. The Prince soundtrack is also great when it appears, especially in the art gallery and the parade. I've never given it a fair crack over the years but I'll remedy that today.

It's pretty rare that I sit and watch a film all the way through without getting drink or going the bog but I was well into this from start to finish. Great pacing, a few shocks (Bob!), some decent action and pitch-perfect performances from Nicholson, Keaton and Basinger. I liked how goofy the latter two were, far from the snarky, smirking, cynical wisecracking that puts me off so many American movies these days. Nicholson obviously steals every frame he's on screen.

Has anyone else heard of this film?

[phantom_power]

Is this a sequel to Batman Begins?

[Gulftastic]

I've still got my ticket from the special preview showing I got for buying a T Shirt at Odyssey 6 in Leeds. It's bat symbol shaped.

[Small Man Big Horse]

This is one of those films that I don't really want to rewatch as my memories of it are so positive, I loved it to pieces when it came out, bought the soundtrack and played it relentlessly, and when it came out on video I watched and loved it many a time as a teenager. So if I didn't like it so much as an adult (as happened with Ghostbusters a couple of years ago) it'd tarnish all of the above as my brain is shit like that, hence why it's doubtful I'll revisit it, but I'm really glad you liked it so much Chedney.

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

Best superhero film ever?

[Butchers Blind]

It's not Batman (1966), which is the best Batman film.

Careful, careful, every one of them has a mother.

Some days, you just can't get rid of a bomb!

[13 schoolyards]

I rewatched it recently for the first time in at least 20 years and yeah, I'd agree that visually it definitely holds up and has a lot of great performances, but what stood out for me is the way that the story (well, plot) is really all over the place in a way you wouldn't get now. For long stretches it just feels like a collection of things that happen rather than a story going anywhere, which still works fine because the individual scenes and characters are great.

I know (from buying a lot of the tie-in books when it came out) they they clearly messed around with the script during filming, and it has that 'all over the place' feel that was pretty common with big effects films in the 80s and 90s when they'd get tinkered with a lot in editing. I'm guessing that in the last few decades the rise of CGI and having reshoots factored in as standard has really helped sand off the rough edges when it comes to shifting around scenes and plotlines in these kind of blockbusters.

You watch something like Die Hard and it still feels modern in a way that you can see its influence still on action movies, whereas nobody is sitting down today and saying "I want to make a superhero movie like Batman"

[Gulftastic]

And never forget it features Moxie out off of Auf Wiedersehn Pet. Got him onto a Prince album, too.

[Magnum Valentino]

I asked the screenwriter on Twitter if Alfred did in fact give Knox a grant after Bruce sort of tosses the line out when they're in the armour room and he said he would have, aye.

Agree with the above poster about Bruce and Vicki being such weirdos, I love how uncool they are.

I love this film to pieces but I prefer Batman Forever which is too often lumped in with the risible Batman & Robin like they were one and the same.

[dissolute ocelot]

Keaton is definitely the best Bruce Wayne, and is actually not a bad Batman (although obvs not Adam West).

Definitely the a great argument for throwing money at a director with a great visual sense and getting something that looks utterly fantastic. And if the plot makes no sense, the same criticism has been made of every other Batman film.

Controversial opinion: better than Batman Returns.

[Replies From View]

I don't wish to drag this into immediate discussion of Batman Returns, but I remember my dad really hating Batman Returns.  He thought Batman (1989) was great, somehow ended up seeing Batman Returns at the cinema with some colleagues, then spent what feels like the rest of my early teens berating it, saying it was a waste of his time and complaining about things like 'those stupid men spinning around at the end'.


Did anyone else's dad really hate Batman Returns?

[Replies From View]

I love this film to pieces but I prefer Batman Forever which is too often lumped in with the risible Batman & Robin like they were one and the same.

I can't forgive it for binning Billy Dee Williams.  Also it's impossible for anybody to watch Batman Forever without screaming WHAT A SURPRISE THAT JIM CARREY WOULD DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT every few minutes.

[mothman]

I didn't like Returns, and I'm someone's dad, but I don't think I've inflicted either of them with any rants about it. Returns always struck me as a bit TOO grimdark.

[Glebe]

I dream of having a 4K TV and player.

[Magnum Valentino]

No it's fine actually I checked because the 4K disc has the sound effects changed and dubbed over with modern wank instead of that deadly cowboy and western "BAWOW" the guns made in the original mix so if anything we're better off and Ched wants our old 2005 DVDs to be honest.

[Fambo Number Mive]

I love this film, it is my favourite Batman film. I know most people prefer The Dark Knight but even though I enjoyed that film as well I find Batman (1989) a lot more rewatchable. Particularly enjoy the silly scene at the art gallery and Joker's "advert". Love how grimy the city of Gotham is. The only annoying character is Knox, who adds nothing to the film.

Batman Returns is ok but it reminds me of Robocop 2 in how it grimly goes through the motions but lacks the story, charm and humour of the original.

I'm fascinated by how bad Batman Forever is and love listening to podcast reviews of the film. It's not as bad as Batman and Robin but it's a lot more interesting. Two-Face chewing the scenery loudly, Jim Carry and his crap riddles, "chicks dig the car" etc.

[Claude the Racecar Driving Rockstar Super Sleuth]

I rewatched it recently for the first time in at least 20 years and ... what stood out for me is the way that the story (well, plot) is really all over the place in a way you wouldn't get now. For long stretches it just feels like a collection of things that happen rather than a story going anywhere

I don't think I've seen either of the Burton ones in about 20 years and that is certainly my overriding impression of them. I remember Returns being even harder to follow (something about The Penguin kidnapping children, while Catwoman blows up a shop and Christopher Walken stands around).
Also, why did Penguin have a bunch of clowns as henchmen? You think they would work for The Joker.

[Johnny Textface]

I love this film to pieces but I prefer Batman Forever which is too often lumped in with the risible Batman & Robin like they were one and the same.

Wow. At least Batman and Robin knows what it wants to be. Batman Forever is somewhere between the Burton ones and the Schumacher ones, a bit schizophrenic. Speaking of which...Tommy Lee Jones is fucking wretched as Two Face.

[greenman]

I rewatched it recently for the first time in at least 20 years and yeah, I'd agree that visually it definitely holds up and has a lot of great performances, but what stood out for me is the way that the story (well, plot) is really all over the place in a way you wouldn't get now. For long stretches it just feels like a collection of things that happen rather than a story going anywhere, which still works fine because the individual scenes and characters are great.

I know (from buying a lot of the tie-in books when it came out) they they clearly messed around with the script during filming, and it has that 'all over the place' feel that was pretty common with big effects films in the 80s and 90s when they'd get tinkered with a lot in editing. I'm guessing that in the last few decades the rise of CGI and having reshoots factored in as standard has really helped sand off the rough edges when it comes to shifting around scenes and plotlines in these kind of blockbusters.

You watch something like Die Hard and it still feels modern in a way that you can see its influence still on action movies, whereas nobody is sitting down today and saying "I want to make a superhero movie like Batman"

I would say in retrospect it does kind of feel like that style of 80's blockbuster was entering its excessive double prog rock album phase by the end of the decade and the early 90's, a lot of good stuff still being made but it was tending to becoming excessive so I don't think its really supprising it fell prey to the big gloss CGI blockbusters of the mid 90's.

[phantom_power]

Wow. At least Batman and Robin knows what it wants to be. Batman Forever is somewhere between the Burton ones and the Schumacher ones, a bit schizophrenic. Speaking of which...Tommy Lee Jones is fucking wretched as Two Face.

Batman Forever is a Schumacher one. For me it hits the sweet spot campy without being over-the-top like B&R. I think it was the right way to go after the dour Returns but it should have been the end of that style rather than a jumping-off point

[Replies From View]

Wow. At least Batman and Robin knows what it wants to be. Batman Forever is somewhere between the Burton ones and the Schumacher ones, a bit schizophrenic. Speaking of which...Tommy Lee Jones is fucking wretched as Two Face.

I wonder if Schumacher is dyslexic and read Billy Dee Williams as Tommy Lee Jones when he was putting together his crib sheet.  They are sufficiently similar names in certain ways.

[kalowski]

Batman (1989)
Batman Begins
Batman (1966)
The Dark Knight Rises
Batman Returns
Batman Forever
The Dark Knight
Batman and Robin

Would be my order (I've not seen Affleck's The Batman)

[Magnum Valentino]

Wow. At least Batman and Robin knows what it wants to be. Batman Forever is somewhere between the Burton ones and the Schumacher ones, a bit schizophrenic. Speaking of which...Tommy Lee Jones is fucking wretched as Two Face.

Does it fuck, that film was made at the whims and mercy of salesmen and Tommy Lee Jones is deadly in Forever.

[Replies From View]

Tommy Lee Jones is dead........




.....shit in Batman Forever







bastard clickbait thread titles!  *furiously waves fist at internet*

[Ron Maels Moustache]

Don't get the complaints about Returns being humourless, the script is full of hilarious lines, particularly for DeVito. It also has a much more consistent tone than the first, no doubt due to Burton having more creative control. Having it be entirely studio-based felt like an odd choice at the time but it works in favour of the heavily-stylised expressionist feel he was going for(before he completely ran that style into the ground in subsequent films)

It does have the problem of Batman being a supporting cast member in his own film while Walken, Pfeiffer and DeVito camp it up and get the lion's share of the best moments. But I still rate it the best of that nineties run of films. Batman '89 still looks iconic but is all over the place story-wise and the acting is hammier than a meat market.

[Alberon]

Returns is fantastic. I remember it as being quite funny in its own weird way.

Keaton was great as Batman. Hope they don't mess his Batman up in the upcoming Flash film. Probably only be a cameo anyway.

[Glebe]

Michelle Pfeiffer as Catwoman is my big movie crush.

[monkfromhavana]

Loved Batman, but thought Batman Returns was shit. For Batman, the thing that sticks in the mind (for no reason whatsoever) is the line "Eckhardt, think about the future" before The Joker offs him. I think I just like the way it's delivered.

[Blumf]

Michelle Pfeiffer as Catwoman is my big movie crush.

Very sexyful, but I would have liked to have seen Sean Young do it too.

[Replies From View]

Michelle Pfeiffer as Catwoman is my big movie crush.

I remember at secondary school we were allowed to watch Batman Returns on tape - it must have been near the end of term or something, and one of our English teachers expressed quiet but tangible delight that the woman so many male adolescents had a crush on was this meek librarian type.

I don't think she was in the room for any of the post-transformation Catwoman scenes.  That's probably for the best as I would have felt terrible seeing her learn the crushing truth.