Batman (film)

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For the 1966 Batman film, see Batman (1966 film)


Batman
Directed by Tim Burton
Written by Sam Hamm (screenwriter)
Warren Skaaren (screenwriter)
Sam Hamm (story)
Bob Kane (comic book)
Starring Jack Nicholson
Michael Keaton
Kim Basinger
Robert Wuhl
Pat Hingle
Billy Dee Williams
Michael Gough
Jack Palance
Jerry Hall
William Hootkins
Tracey Walter
Produced by Peter Guber
Jon Peters
Distributed by Warner Brothers
Release date June 19, 1989
Runtime 126 min.
Language English
Budget $35,000,000
IMDb page

Batman was released in U.S. theaters on June 23, 1989 by Warner Bros. and soon became the highest grossing movie of the year. It was directed by Tim Burton and starred Jack Nicholson as the Joker, Michael Keaton as Batman, and Kim Basinger as reporter Vicki Vale. Although Keaton played the nominal hero of the film, Nicholson received top billing.

This movie helped usher a return to the "dark" roots of the Batman of the original comics and away from the campy 1960s Batman television series and cartoon Super Friends. Like many film versions of comic book heroes, the Batman movie told its own version of his origin, and how The Joker figured in that origin.

Many people who recognized Batman from the 1960s television series reprehended the film for being too solemn and humorless; however, it should be noted that the character's original tone was serious-minded and not comedic or mirthful. Another complaint, one that long plagued the Batman films made between 1989 and 1997, was that the films tended to focus too much on the villain and not enough on Batman himself.

Numerous comic book fans were displeased to learn that Michael Keaton (who was better known for his comedic roles at the time) was cast as the title character, and assumed that it was a sure sign of the production taking the same tone of the 1960s television series. The producers hurriedly released a teaser trailer to prove they were treating the character faithfully. The marketing move was successful and since the film's successful release, many fans consider Keaton as one of the best actors to have played Batman in a live-action film, along with Christian Bale of 2005's Batman Begins.

The minor-key score was written by Danny Elfman, with songs by Prince. Two animated series (Batman: The Animated Series and The Adventures of Batman and Robin) were created in the wake of the film's success, and three sequels --Batman Returns (1992), Batman Forever (1995), and Batman and Robin (1997)-- were produced. Batman: Mask of the Phantasm a spin-off of the animated television series, was released in 1993. Batman Begins, a successful restart of the saga (but often mistakenly called a prequel), was released in 2005. A new 2 disc special edition of the first four films will be released on Tuesday, October 18, 2005. All movies include commentary along with other special features.

Contents

Plot summary

The main story of the movie is that of Jack Napier, an arrogant hitman working for Boss Carl Grissom, and who years before, killed Thomas and Martha Wayne, the wealthy parents of Bruce Wayne. Grissom assigns Napier to break into Axis Chemicals to destroy legally incriminating files, but it turns out to be a set-up. Out of jealousy of Napier's affair with his girlfriend, Grissom hires the corrupt Lt. Max Eckhardt of the Gotham City Police Department to kill Napier.

Napier kills Eckhardt, but Batman has learned of the break-in and confronts Napier, who winds up falling on the edge of a catwalk over a vat of chemicals. When his hand slips from Batman's, he falls into the vat. The chemicals ingrain him with permanent grotesque features, which changes his appearance to that resembling a clown. Naming himself The Joker, he tracks down and murders Grissom and takes over the criminal gang. The violent takeover attracts the attention of both Batman and newspaper reporter Alexander Knox and photographer Vicki Vale. The rest of the film involves Batman trying to stop the Joker, Bob the Goon and their henchmen from terrorizing the city with shootouts, assassinations, and a deadly chemical which poisons its victims with uncontrollable laughter that eventually leads to death.

Response and legacy

Batman was the most successful movie of 1989, earning $251,188,924 domestically and over $160 million abroad. As a result, the movie spawned all sorts of merchandise: action figures, t-shirts, beach towels, trading cards and even a cereal. The movie received mostly positive reviews, with Erik Preminger of San Francisco's KGO-TV hailing it as "the movie of the decade". Jack Nicholson was widely praised as ruthless thug Jack Napier and the even more ruthless Joker, while Michael Keaton won over many viewers with his portrayal of a conflicted Bruce Wayne and Batman. Danny Elfman's score received positive feedback, leading to nominations in various institutions (although not for an Academy Award). The film was criticized, though, for its dark, grisly nature in comparison with the campy 1960s TV show, and for a Prince-dominated soundtrack which was seen as an obvious marketing tie-in. While applauded for its efforts to return to the staid nature of the character, the movie was attacked by many comic book purists who claimed that the film took too many elective liberties with the original character's established backstory and ideals, most notably in Batman's lethal tactics in the film.

On DVD

Cover of the 2-disc Special Edition DVD
Enlarge
Cover of the 2-disc Special Edition DVD

Batman was given a "bare bones" DVD release when the medium was introduced in 1997-98. However, in 2005, the newest feature film, Batman Begins, spawned Warner Bros. to release a Two-Disc Special Edition set of all four Burton-Schumacher films in Batman: The Motion Picture Anthology 1989-1997.

Features of the original Burton film include:

  • Digitally Remastered Anamorphic Widescreen Transfer
  • English Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Track
  • English DTS 5.1 Surround Track
  • Audio Commentary with Director Tim Burton
  • Legends of the Dark Knight: The History of Batman Documentary
  • Shadows of the Bat: The Cinematic Saga of the Dark Knight Parts 1, 2 & 3
    1. The Road to Gotham City
    2. The Gathering Storm
    3. The Legend Reborn
  • Beyond Batman Documentary Gallery Including:
    • Visualizing Gotham: The Production Design of Batman
    • Building the Batmobile
    • Those Wonderful Toys: The Props and Gadgets of Batman
    • Designing the Batsuit
    • From Jack to Joker
    • Nocturnal Overtures: The Music of Batman
  • "Batdance", "Partyman" and "Scandalous" Music Videos by Prince
  • The Heroes and The Villains Profile Galleries
  • Batman: The Complete Robin Storyboard Sequence
  • On the Set with Bob Kane Featurette
  • Batman Theatrical Trailer

External links


The Batman movies
Batman serials
The Batman | Batman and Robin
Adam West TV series continuity
Batman
Tim Burton-Joel Schumacher series continuity
Batman | Batman Returns | Batman Forever | Batman and Robin
Bruce Timm TV series continuity
Batman: Mask of the Phantasm | Batman & Mr. Freeze: SubZero
Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman | Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker
Christopher Nolan series continuity
Batman Begins


Films Directed by Tim Burton
The Island of Doctor Agor | Stalk of the Celery | Vincent | Frankenweenie | Pee-wee's Big Adventure | Beetlejuice | Batman | Edward Scissorhands | Batman Returns | Ed Wood | Mars Attacks! | Sleepy Hollow | Planet of the Apes | Big Fish | Charlie and the Chocolate Factory | Corpse Bride
Films Produced by Tim Burton
The Nightmare Before Christmas | James and the Giant Peach
Personal tools
In other languages