logo Sign In

Batman Begins — Page 3

Author
Time
Post link
This is the post I made to another forum. Jim is a friend of mine I talked to online a day before it came out.
______________________________
Well I saw it Thursday(would've been Wednesday, but dad wore me out the day before and saw it with out me). I'm happy to say that the Shumacher films pretty much no longer exist to me now. It made up for Batman and Robin.

I had a few complaints, mostly being Bale's Batman voice. It sounded like he had a cold, and one scene where he's questioning someone had my sister laughing. We take serious films seriously, if it made her laugh unintentionally, it's pretty bad.

Still, with only about two problems in a 140 minute film, that's excellent. That's beyond excellent.

Did it make me forget the Burton films, like Jim hoped? Sorry man, no it didn't. It's just the way I am. I'm not a big comic fan. I never knew what to buy, so I never bothered. So the film/TV versions ARE Batman to me. The 89 Batman is pretty much how I see it. That hasn't changed. Still, I loved this film as it was closer in tone to that film than the last two. Begins not surpassing it is not a failure on it's part, since that's asking it to surpass a six year old's first look at his eventual favorite super hero. It's just not possible.

I think this film is better than Episode III. I enjoyed them about the same, but in makeup, this is the better film. Plot, story, character, etc. Even the effects served the film better and not vice-versa.

Hell, Fantastic 4 sucks in comparison, and it's not even out yet.

Now, to get Andrew Koenig for the sequel. ^_^

______________________________


My top 3 (though never definitive)

Batman
Batman Mask of the Phantasm
Batman Begins

THough I am partial to Batman the Movie, I just can't compare the West Batman to the others. It's not a fair comparison. I also haven't seen Returns for some time.


Made for IE Forum's Episode III theme month - May 2005.

Author
Time
Post link
Quote
Originally posted by: TheSessler
A Joker line in the sequel to Batman begins:

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAA! Its all over now, Batman! Its time to meet your density!"


Maybe Batman will torture him with a Van Halen tape.

http://i.imgur.com/7N84TM8.jpg

Author
Time
Post link
Harley: OK, now if Batman escapes what do you say?

Joker: #@!$ you, Batman! ... I don't know, do you really think I should swear?

Harley: Yes, *&$*#@#!*-it Mr, Jay, swear.

4

Author
Time
Post link
what about Crispin Glover as the body and Mark Hamil as the Voice of the Joker in the next movie?


Greencapt: I couldn't disagree with you more about Jack Nicholson's performance as the Joker. I thought it was great! Easily the best performance of anyone in those four Batman movies. No one else could play that role like he did. NO ONE.
Author
Time
Post link
took me a while, but i finally found that article.

here is a sample

Quote
I can confirm that the Lachy Hulme ("Sparks" from THE MATRIX films) rumor was dead on the money. That certain office in Burbank has even gone so far as to do mock-ups of the Aussie in white-face and green-hair, which apparently look pretty good (I haven't seen them). One definite (I have three sources on this) is that whenever The Joker does appear, they (Warners and Nolan) will be looking for a deadly serious match for Bale's Batman -- which is a big call. That means someone taller than Bale, someone very menacing, and someone who can actually kick Batman's ass. Nice work if you can get it.



Taken from here...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v170/Kingsama/samasig.jpg
Author
Time
Post link
OK, OK, what about this one... Adam West IS the Joker in "Batman Begins Again".
“Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country.” — Nazi Reich Marshal Hermann Goering
Author
Time
Post link
Just saw it last night. Excellent film. Very true to the comic, with some minor nit-picks. Bale was perfect, the cosume/makeup was dead on, the voice was perfect, the cast was perfect...especially Liam Neeson. The effects were good without being too overpowering. The thing with the jumpy camera was a tad over-used. HOWEVER, and many people seem to be saying this...Katie Holmes. Nice eye candy, totally useless. I don't necessarily want her fighting criminals, but give her some more to do for God's sake. Also, I laughed out loud when...

****minor spoilers****

...they were pulling back the bridges and the cop stops her and she says "I'm a District Attorney", and the cop is like "Oh, ok" and lets her in. I guess the office of DA is enough to get you access to a cataclysmic event.

Also, the scene at Wayne manor when Ras has Bruce where he wants him, then we get the obligatory "But to show you just how evil I really am, and that you pose no threat to me, I'm going to leave you alive" bad guy mistake.

Going to see it again next week. Hopefully there'll be a sequel on the way, followed by Bats vs Supes.
Nemo me impune lacessit

http://ttrim.blogspot.com
Author
Time
Post link
Quote
Originally posted by: Warbler
what about Crispin Glover as the body and Mark Hamil as the Voice of the Joker in the next movie?


Again no knock against Hamill but I think Glover could pull the entire package. And folks, he *has* done other work than BTTF. Plus is really really is a seriously creepy wired guy and could bring lots to the role.

Quote
Greencapt: I couldn't disagree with you more about Jack Nicholson's performance as the Joker. I thought it was great! Easily the best performance of anyone in those four Batman movies. No one else could play that role like he did. NO ONE.


Best performance of the first four films? Sure probably (though Alfred was pretty good throughout). Was he a good Joker? Not really in my opinion- he was Jack Nicholson. Maybe they should have called him the Jacker? As a reader of the comic that was not the Joker that many creators worked hard to define. And I just plain had a hard time looking at him. Then again I had a hard time looking at Keaton as Batman.

Quote
Originally posted by: Kingsama
took me a while, but i finally found that article...


Batman-On-Film is a great site, but if you look at the Recent News section you'll find this:
Quote
Got a new name to add into the mix for The Joker in the BATMAN BEGINS sequel: Paul Bettany. Bettany joins Lachy Hulme and Crispin Glover in the mix to play The Crown Prince of Crime. The same source who passed along Bettany's name informed us that there is "no truth" behind Mark Hamill being up for the role. He also told us that Mr. Hamill is "a little old" for this new take on The Joker. Mr. Hamill is in his mid-fifties I believe. I'm digging into more sequel rumors, so stay tuned....


I *really* like Paul Bettany as well. He was great in 'A Knight's Tale' and should be interesting as the albino villain in 'The DaVinci Code'

Author
Time
Post link
Well seeing how most of the cast in Batman Begins is British, it wouldn't surprise me if this guy Paul, got the part!
He seems to be in every other film made that I've seen recently, so there you go.

I saw the film last night and I thought it was ok. I too loved the 89 Batman film and I kinda really like Batman Returns for some reason. I think it may be the music, I really like the music in Returns. Dunno why?

Anyway, I thoght it was ok. Not brilliant, just ok.

Was it me, or did Batman look like he was wearing make up? He looked a little orange?!!



http://www.facebook.com/DirtyWookie

Author
Time
Post link
What did you think of Batman and Robin.
"A Jedi can feel the force flow through him".
Author
Time
Post link
Me??

I thought it was just the biggest pile of shit!
My mate is to Batman what I am to Star Wars...I love it. His face when the Dynamic Duo clicked their heals and out popped some ice skates was priceless.

http://www.facebook.com/DirtyWookie

Author
Time
Post link
fuck that was one of the gayest films ever made.
"A Jedi can feel the force flow through him".
Author
Time
Post link
Even better than Revenge of the Sith. I command you to go see it now.

4

Author
Time
Post link
Quote
Originally posted by: greencapt
. Was he a good Joker? Not really in my opinion- he was Jack Nicholson. Maybe they should have called him the Jacker? As a reader of the comic that was not the Joker that many creators worked hard to define. And I just plain had a hard time looking at him. Then again I had a hard time looking at Keaton as Batman.


well, I am not expert on the comic, so I can't tell how close he got to the comic strip Joker. I all I can say is that I thought it was a great. As for Jack just playing Jack, just remember Jack is accustomed to playing crazy people. And to me since the Joker is crazy, that is who I want for the part. Someone who is great a playing a crazy person.
That is Jack Nicholson.

Author
Time
Post link
I visit the "Batman-on-film" site quite a bit. It's an excellent site for Batman related movie information. They've already reported on potential actors for the Joker and made some good points about the Joker character. I hope in the next movie they make the Joker truly twisted, evil, with a little bit of scary thrown in. The Joker isn't really "funny". Yes, he may make some amusing comments/quips, but when he really turns it on, it's psychotic. Jacks' Joker in 1989 was ok, but to me he never seemed to capture the Joker from the comics. He was just playing his regular "crazy Jack" role. Also, if you think about it , he was probably indirectly responsible for the rest of the Batman flicks villians being "over the top" and not true to the comic character. Devitos' Penguin...come on. Jones' Two Face...too Jack like. Ahnulds' Freeze...who knows what the hell happened there. I always thought if he would have played it like the Terminator, cold and straight, ihe would have done a nice job with Freeze. All of them were trying to be like Jack in a way.
Author
Time
Post link
I've read that Ray Liotta was Tim Burton's first choice for the Joker back int eh 1989 film, but he opted to do Goodfellas instead. Perhaps Liotta could be a good choice for the Joker... He wouldn't be fisically menacing, he would be more of a twisted, sick, demented version of the Joker, like Jack Nocholson's mixed with Joe Pesci's characters from Goodefellas and Casino...
“Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country.” — Nazi Reich Marshal Hermann Goering
Author
Time
Post link
I finally saw BB today. This is, hands down, the finest movie I have seen in years. It's got the visual depth of Harry Potter 3, twice the emotional resonance of Spidey 2 (and that is saying something), and was powerful enough to have me seriously, literally, CONSIDER burning my Batman DVD collection in effigy.

I remember all of the hype leading up to Batman in '89, only to leave feeling disappointed in a movie that had little to do with Batman and that should have been named "The Joker." When it came out on video, the AV place where I worked kept it in the VCR 24/7, and I quickly realized how annoying the movie became in the second hour with Vicky Vale's incessant screaming (this from a woman who supposedly photographed smouldering bodies on the front lines of war). I remember hating Batman Returns upon its release, only to gain respect for it over the years as I've grown to appreciate Tim Burton's work. And with the revolving door around the man in the suit, I watched B&R become the biggest pile of crap in recent movie history.

I think it's awesome that they rebooted the whole damn franchise. I had a good vibe on this film from the day it was announced, and now that I've seen it, it ranks with Superman: The Movie as the greatest comic adaptation of all time.

Hans Zimmer's score only reminds me how lame Danny Elfman's Spider-Man score is, and it even eclipses Elfman's old Batman score. While the old theme had a more striking melody, this one is simple, riviting, emotional. The music has been stuck in my head all day, something that Elfman's scores have never done, even when I played them in marching band 13 years ago. A score can make or break a film, and Zimmer does not disappoint in this film.

Nolan is an artist, and this will be the pivotal moment in his career, as Jaws was for Spielberg. The press I read leading up to this talked about how Nolan effortlessly pulled the whole thing together, turning in the film on time and on budget, as though already he had years of experience directing big budget epics. Clearly his confidence and lack of pretentiousness in what he was doing allowed the actors to deliver pitch-perfect performances. If the cast isn't strained, that comes through in a film.

Regarding Katie Holmes, her only debit at the moment is Tom Cruise. It's not her ability to act or to get rid of that teeny bopper stigma. As one who never watched an episode of Dawson's Creek or any of her films, I was able to judge her performance quite objectively. I didn't know why she'd been cast when the announcement was made, but whatever the case, she rose to the challenge of her more seasoned costars. Excellent performance, and hopefully a female in the Batman universe who'll actually return. I sincerely hope they plan to use her as the catalyst for the Batman vs. Superman premise, which hopefully will come to fruition. But more on that later ...

I stayed away from this thread until I saw the movie, but I've gone back and read through. What I find curious is all of the bellyaching about continuity with the previous four films. As if those films were ever concerned with continuity towards the 60's show (and movie from 1970) which were firmly implanted in our psyches from childhood in 1989. I had no trouble making the mental shift from Caesar Romero to Over-The-Top Jack, so I'm not terribly worried if he gets recast again. I would only find it unfortunate for the franchise to rehash old villains when there are still untapped ones to go on. Best thing they did was not off Scarecrow. There is so much additional room for his character to expand.

I do NOT have the kind of vibe for Superman that I had for this flick. Singer knows what he's doing in the director's chair, but I have zero confidence in the Clark and Lois that have been picked for that franchise. Singer now has his reputation on the line not only to deliver a Superman movie that rises to the level of Batman Begins, but he must deliver a franchise that can and will be worthy of melding with this new Batman franchise. If Warner Bros. has their s#!t together they will have already planned how to get the cast together for this eventual merger. But before today, I haven't been terribly confident in WB for thinking past their own wallets on a given day.

Whatever the case, I reiterate, this is the finest movie, end to end, that I've seen in ages. I've come to accept mediocrity in small and large doses lately, seeing imperfections everywhere I look. I didn't experience a single cringeworthy moment in the entire film. Not one. I have not been so throroughly entertained at the movies in years. The Matrix sequels, The Harry Potter movies, Lord of the Rings, the X-men movies, the Spider-Man movies. These are all films that I've loved in this decade and watched again and again. But Batman Begins blew them all away for me. If those movies were home runs in their own rite, Batman Begins is a grand slam.

And what is the unkindest cut of all? Oscar will ignore this film in all but sound and visual effects.
I am fluent in over six million forms of procrastination.
Author
Time
Post link
And for 3(or 6 depending on your own POV)?

For Batman, though, I think there is also more "love for the character" and the feeling of having that character transfer from the page to the screen so perfectly mixed in.
"I don't mind if you don't like my manners. I don't like them myself. They're pretty bad. I grieve over them during the long winter evenings."
Author
Time
Post link
Yeah. I've always thought the '89 Batman film was too dark, even for Batman. Batman Begins captured if flawlessly: Dark, but not so dark you feel uncomfortable watching it.

If only Christian had sounded more like Kevin Conroy, it would have been perfect.

4

Author
Time
Post link
Burton's Batman wasn't dark, it was kind of silly actually.

IMO he just got the character completely wrong(Batman doesn't kill)
"I don't mind if you don't like my manners. I don't like them myself. They're pretty bad. I grieve over them during the long winter evenings."
Author
Time
Post link
I was talking about like in the restaurant where Joker killed all those people with the gas and stuff. Also, Batman didn't kill Joker: the fall did.

4

Author
Time
Post link
Quote
Originally posted by: Darth Chaltab
I was talking about like in the restaurant where Joker killed all those people with the gas and stuff. Also, Batman didn't kill Joker: the fall did.


Actually the gassing was one of the few scenes that was right in line with the comic book version of the Joker at the time. For reference, check out if you get the chance:

The Dark Knight Returns



The Killing Joke



and maybe

The Greatest Joker Stories Ever Told



For the book that sorta gave birth to 'Batman Begins' you should definately pick up:

Batman: Year One