"Can somebody tell me what kind of world we live in, where a man dressed up as a *bat* gets all of my press? This town needs an enema." -- The Joker
OK, before I get into it, I have to tell you the spooky coincidence that happened today. First of all, JC and I watched this a couple of weekends ago (we paired it with The Dark Knight for a Batman Double Feature). I just got around to writing about it today. So, I started reminiscing about seeing this movie on opening night back in '89. So, I wanted to look up when this movie actually opened. June 23. Spooky, right? Today is Tim Burton's Batman's 21st anniversary.
The smartest decision Tim Burton made in Batman (besides casting Jack Nicholson) was hiring production designer Anton Furst to create Gotham City. The sets literally look like something right out of a comic book or 1930s film noir. Gotham City was as much a character in the movie as Alfred or Commissioner Gordon.
The second smartest decision (besides casting Jack Nicholson) was hiring Danny Elfman to compose the soundtrack score. It was instantly iconic and set the stage for just about every comic book movie that followed.
I remember back in 1988 when it was announced that Mr. Mom was going to be my Batman, my first reaction was "he's not going to be MY Batman!" I was a little upset. Sure, I loved Michael Keaton as Beetlejuice, but this was freakin' Batman. Had there been an Internet back then, I'm sure the fanboys would have broken it. But as soon as we found out that Jack Nicholson would be putting on the clown make-up as the Joker, all was right with the world.
As a HUGE comic book nerd, I couldn't have been more excited about this movie. I had the Danny Elfman score on something called a "compact disc." Heck, I even had the Prince soundtrack of songs that were "inspired" by the movie. (In retropsect, "Batdance" is an awful song and should only be played for the purpose of torture.) I was there on opening night, in what had to have been the longest line that I had ever stood in for a movie. I was hooked from the opening scene where Batman foils a couple of muggers and utters the now, simplistically iconic line, "I'm Batman."
Don't get me wrong, this movie has its flaws. Jack Nicholson is fantastic as the Joker, but there are times when scenes are played out just a little too long. Specifically, when he and his thugs invade the musuem. My guess is that there was an agreement that at least one of Prince's songs had to be played in its entiriety. So, the Joker and his gang deface valuable works of art to the tunes of "Partyman." This is also the point of the movie when Vicki Vale (Kim Basinger) begins her non-stop screamfest. Just do what I do. Turn it into a drinking game. Get your favorite drink and take a swig every time she screams, screeches or squawks. You'll be so plastered by the end of the movie you won't even realize she's doing it anymore.
Another thing I realized after I first saw this movie, Michael Keaton wasn't such a bad casting decision after all. He was at least better than Val Kilmer and/or George Clooney. Keaton was able to turn Bruce Wayne into a troubled, brooding orphan with serious identity issues, which is exactly what the character should be. It would have been easy for him to resign himself to playing second fiddle to Nicholson's Joker in his own movie, but he stood his ground and was the best, in my opinion, Batman in the original franchise.
This movie is a must-see, especially if you're a comic book nerd, like me. Even if you're not, it's still a great action flick with lots of quotable lines ("Wait'll they get a load of me...") and outlandish visuals (choreographed mime attack, anyone?). It's a great comic counterpart to The Dark Knight, which is great to watch as a double-feature. Just do whatever you can to avoid Batman & Robin, one of the worst movies in American cinema history.
Did you know?: I wasn't the only angry comic book nerd. 50,000 protest letters were sent to Warner Bros. offices when it was announced that Michael Keaton was cast as Bruce Wayne/Batman.
Prince wasn't the first choice to write and perform songs for the movie. Michael Jackson was originally approached, but he had to turn it down due to his concert commitments.
Credits:
U.S./G.B. (Polygram, Warner Bros.) 126m Technicolor
Director: Tim Burton
Producer: Peter Guber, Jon Peters
Screenplay: Sam Hamm, Warren Skaaren, Bob Kane
Photography: Roger Pratt
Music: Danny Elfman, Prince
Cast: Michael Keaton, Jack Nicholson, Kim Basinger, Robert Wuhl, Pat Hingle, Billy Dee Williams, Michael Gough, Jack Palance, Jerry Hall, Tracey Walter, Lee Wallace, William Hootkins, Richard Strange, Carl Chase, Mac McDonald
Oscar: Anton Furst, Peter Young (art direction)
Why you should watch Tim Burton's Batman: it set the standard for what a great comic book movie should be.
Why you should skip it: you can't deal with Kim Basinger's screeching.
Up Next: The Dark Knight (2008)
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