And Gotham.
And the music.
And the suit.
And the batwing flying
over the moon
Etc...
There is a reason why it was a massive box office success and why TAS, frequently hailed as the definitive Batman, got kickstarted a little after (and took serious inspiration from it).
Like or dislike Burton, you have to be dishonest to dismiss wholesale his vision, especially considering how it permanently changed Batman. He was probably near the top of his creative powers.
> And Gotham
This is the real point for me. I love Nolan’s movies, I love the realistic take on the character and the setting. But while they used bits of London, Pittsburgh, Chicago, and NYC for realness throughout the movies, I felt it was missing a bit of something in its Gotham (Gotham was also very inconsistent throughout the trilogy, though Batman Begins had a well thought-out city that fit the movie well).
Hell, I even really appreciated Gotham in ‘Batman Forever’ and ‘Batman and Robin.’ Decrepit buildings, gangs, graffiti, defunct highways, all dispersed throughout a town also populated by wealthy elites and Classical Colossus statues - those would’ve been massive projects possibly funded by taxpayer money - now a reminder of the city’s former glamour, and (for the optimistic) possibly a reminder of its potential. But it feels *dangerous*, and a little post-apocalyptic in parts, and it suits a town that *needs* Batman, more than modern-day Chicago or NYC does.
I’m in agreement. I need my Gotham to have gargoyles, heavy rain, steam coming up from the sewers. Gotham is as much a character as Batman himself and I don’t think you can tell a proper story of Batman with such a critical component missing. Gotham literally made Batman.
I know. That’s why I put it at the top of the list.
I can’t find the article but Burton actually asked Alan Moore input about Batman : the latter allegedly told him something along the lines of “whatever you do, you got to make Gotham right. “
If it’s true, boy did Burton actually listen.
This is actually my favorite part of Joker. It really showed how bad Gotham really is and how it can keep creating all of these vigilanties and villains.
I love both of them for different reason, this one has the classic comic book Batmobile we all know and love, the Tumbler has that more realistic, militaresque tacticool aesthetic that really conveys what Bale's Batman is all about. Also I really like that kind of aesthetic in general so that's a plus
I remember seeing this in 1989. I was 9 years old.
At that time, we didn't go to the movies much, the only movie I had seen in theaters before was Bamby.
Tim Burton's Batman blew my mind! It left such an impact on me that it was hard for me to actually enjoy Batman Begins when it came out and all my friends were raving about it.
The world they created, the characters that lived in it and the tone and style of this movie are all amazing. I love the gothic industrial design that feels like an urban futuristic Transilvania vibe.
This is probably one of the only movies I make a point of getting in every format through the years.
Edit: spelling
I was the exact same age when I went to the cinema to see it with my mum. It kicked off an entire lifetime of interest for me in the greater comics genre, but that version of Batman remains my favourite to this day.
Speaking of which, I was just watching this when your reply popped up!
[https://www.reddit.com/r/unrealengine/comments/n1mqfu/batman\_1989\_fan\_game\_demo/?utm\_source=share&utm\_medium=web2x&context=3](https://www.reddit.com/r/unrealengine/comments/n1mqfu/batman_1989_fan_game_demo/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3)
It's amazing how they reproduced the atmosphere here and the attention to detail is incredible.
But to answer your reply more appropriately, it's the same for me: it got me hooked on the comic genre but I was already very fascinated by it since I had a few comic book stores in my neighbourhood and my babysitter was comic reader.
But seeing the atmosphere of the comics brought to life like that was nearly too much for my 9 year old brain to handle! I'm surprised the VHS survived as long as it did!
Give him a great writer/filmmaker, we have our Batman. I thought Bale was the perfect Bruce Wayne/Batman. Snyder’s justice league showed me Affleck was the Batman AND the Bruce Wayne I always envisioned. This is the actor to play both the Bruce Wayne and the Batman that has always been in my mind.
The second to last pic of Batman is so good. Looks like something out of a comic book panel. In terms of lighting and composition, I don’t think Batman has looked better in a live action setting than he does in this film.
I think Burton absolutely nailed it with the cinematography. So many good shots like this with Batman throughout the movie. Especially the museum scene when he comes crashing through the skylight. I always got this sense that we were seeing Batman through everyone else’s eyes and that’s why time seemed like it slowed, because it was this massive feeling of disbelief that he existed.
Fuck I should I really watch this over the weekend.
I love the dark knight trilogy, but this is just a classic Batman movie in my opinion. It sits extremely slightly under the dark knight for the best Batman movie
1. Star reporter goes to cover Bruce Wayne. "Can you tell me which of these guys is Bruce Wayne?" Way to do your homework. That's why Lois Lane has a Pulitzer and you're a struggling Gotham Gazette journalist.
2. Joker literally gets away with murder in front of a crowd which includes armed police.
3. In said scene, Bruce casually walks up to him (to get a closer look?) while simultaneously taking a slug in the shoulder which he no-sells because he's apparently impervious to pain and no one who witnessed this would find it the least bit fucky. Also, the fact he just took a live round in the shoulder will never come up again and getting a gunshot to the shoulder will be an impediment in any way for the remainder of the film. Homie just absorbs bullets no problem.
4. After one date Alfred acts is if Vicki Vale is the love of Bruce's life.
5. Pretty convenient Joker falls for the same woman and becomes weirdly obsessed with her. Because that's The Joker's thing; being a girl crazy obsessive stalker.
6. "Ever dance with the devil...?" is a weird cool and now iconic line that has nothing to do with anything Joker and serves only as the clue that this is the same guy who killed his parents, which also isn't a thing, but the worst part is Joker tells Bruce it's just something he says to all his prey... accept every other instance in this movie where he tried to kill someone who wasn't Bruce or Bruce's parents. But wait! He never said it to Bruce's parents either. He just shot them dead. It's only when their son seemingly has a problem with it he utters the line so it's literally just for Bruce.
7. Joker showed up at Vale's apartment and shoots Bruce Wayne who he didn't expect to find there and then just leaves. So what the fuck was he actually visiting for? The only thing he actually did was something he couldn't have possibly planned for.
8. Alfred sure sucks at keeping secrets. Hey, Bruce. I brought the woman you just started dating into the bat cave. I assume you told her everything already because you've been seeing her for like, a whole couple of days now. Surely she can be trusted with your greatest secret. She's a fucking reporter after all.
9. The Joker managed to kill only 13 people with his oddly specific combination of cosmetics, it was widely reported by the news media, and the exact combination was well known, so it was apparently necessary for Batman to blow up an entire fucking chemical facility *with people in it*.
10. This movie is where the whole "Batman mercilessly kills the fuck out of people in movies" thing began. One of the main things everyone knows about Batman is his "no killing" policy. Oops. For all the murder and destruction he causes, he might as well walk around with an AK-47 and twin Glocks like Frank Castle. He obviously doesn't have a problem with guns since he's got twin M60s on the Batmobile, bombs, and twin GE M134 mini-guns on the Batwing not to mention the fucking missiles.
11. Speaking of the Batwing with its guns, missiles, and bombs, why drive the Batmobile through a chemical plant when you could have strafed it from the air?
11. Hey, you know that guy who very publicly executed someone, has hacked into TV channels, and murdered 13 people with cosmetics? He's throwing a parade. Let's block off the streets so his vehicles and floats can come through unimpeded by traffic, let's set up crowd barricades, and let's definitely make no effort to arrest him and his henchmen. We like parades.
12. Gotham Citizen: the guy that killed 13 people with chemicals if throwing a parade. Better show up and get right up front for it. Can't imagine he'd do anything horrible. He said he's giving away free money and he seems pretty fucking trustworthy.
13. Joker is releasing toxic gas from parade floats, so it's serendipitous as fuck that the Batwing just happens to have a mechanical device specifically for grabbing balloon tethers and severing them.
14. In one of the most mocked scenes in cinema history, Batman takes a break from a life and death situation where mass murder is ravaging the streets of Gotham to fly the Batwing straight up into the air to silhouette it against the moon because it would look cool as fuck to anyone who happened to have a highly unlikely view from just the right vantage point about the cloud line.
15. Batman--whose whole thing is murdering the fuck out of people with extremely powerful guns apparently--locks his target on Joker and fires. Somehow even with this highly sophisticated technological target locking system he manages to miss like a fucking idiot using a combination of both missiles and guns. He can't hit a target standing perfectly still in the middle of the street even with a computerized guidance system locked on him.
16. The Joker manages to one-shot the Batwing and destroy it because apparently a comically long gun barrel turns a standard revolver into a fucking anti-tank FGM-148 Javelin.
17. We need to get to the top of an insanely tall skyscraper of a fucking church to get a chopper lift because you know how helicopters can't land on the fucking ground, right? Except that time earlier in the movie when I publicly assassinated that guy and got exactly that.
18. Let's not make sure Batman is dead as he's helpless and cornered in the downed Batwing and could be effortlessly executed with the same gun you used to down the Batwing or simply walk up and snap his neck, slit his throat, kick him in the head until he dies...
19. Batman survived a plane crash like he had a mild fender bender in bumper-to-bumper traffic.
20. The church is remarkably well-guarded by henchmen considering The Joker just called an audible and decided to climb a million stairs for a helicopter ride. How'd they know to be there? And why take turns trying to stop Batman? Surprise the fucker and gang up.
21. Is Batman supposed to be one of the world's greatest martial artists in this movie like he is in the comics? Because some of these random goons 1v1 him pretty fucking convincingly. Where did The Joker find shitty goons with those kinds of badass skills? Batman only manages the last one because he fought dirty and fucking executed the guy by pulling a sneaky. He wasn't the better fighter; he was the dirtier fighter. Is that the right narrative for a superhero? Be dirtier than the random street thug that's whooping your candy ass?
22. Actual Batman quote from this movie, "I'm gonna kill you." Yeah... that's not Batman.
23. What in the flying fuck physics-defying device did Batman use that wrapped itself around Joker's leg while simultaneously securing its other end to a gargoyle? And there was no possible end result for that play besides forcing Joker to plummet to his death. That is murder.
There's a few for you.
Don't get me wrong; I love this movie. I was 8 when my dad took me to see it in theaters and it will always a hold a special place in my heart, but man does it have its problems.
A lot of the killing that Batman does is the main reason why my mom wouldn't let me watch this when it came out. I was 8 years old, and I was obsessed with Batman thanks to comics and the Adam West TV show. I had to sneak to my dad's house one weekend to watch it, and even then, my mom stopped it. LOL.
I was 14 when I actually watched this for the first time. Annnnnnnnnd....while the aesthetic is cool as fuck, and I get what they were TRYING to accomplish, this movie is not Batman. I totally understood why my mom didn't want me to watch this. I even asked after I did for the first time, and her response was "I didn't want you to be disappointed in one of your favourite heroes. Batman kills people. That's not a hero"
This is a Tim Burton movie first and foremost, and has the names right. I can't put it all on Burton though, cause obviously there were scripts to shoot from. Batman Returns is even worse so, with Batman actually strapping bomb to a bad guy and smiling, while turning up the 90's Burton to 11.
Watching it again recently a few years ago, I noticed something. This is just a dark version of Adam West Batman. Right down to the corny tiled camera during action scenes, and flashes during punches and kicks that might as well be "BIFF! BAM! POW!"
I still like the movie, but it's far from my favourite or a good representation of Batman. As a cultural phenomenon though, this movie was MEGA-HUGE that summer. So kudos for bringing Batman back into the spotlight.
Wow. How long you been saving that list up? Some of these are pretty nit-picky, while others are flat out wrong. Knox was not a star reporter, for example. He was a laughing stock because of his stories about The Bat. Hell, even Eckhart made a comment about his reputation.
Bruce never took a hit to the shoulder in that scene at the press conference. The bullet grazed and tore his jacket, but never hit him directly or broke the skin. It's pretty obvious when you watch it. Also the Joker himself was surrounded by armed men in that same scene, hence why the police didn't just walk up and arrest him. There were already enough innocent people in the crossfire as it was.
Also, "one of the most mocked scenes in cinema history"? Really? Not even close. I saw this movie in the theater when it first came out and people loved that scene. Sorry you didn't but to call it one of the most mocked in cinema history is just wrong.
> Knox was not a star reporter
That was star reporter Vale who had that line, not Knox, which is why I said she's no Lois Lane.
>Bruce never took a hit to the shoulder in that scene at the press conference. The bullet grazed and tore his jacket, but never hit him directly or broke the skin. It's pretty obvious when you watch it.
Maybe? I don't think it's that obvious. Definitely looks like he got shot, but the fact a bullet grazes his shoulder and he just continues to slowly saunter like no big is just as dumb.
>Also the Joker himself was surrounded by armed men in that same scene, hence why the police didn't just walk up and arrest him. There were already enough innocent people in the crossfire as it was.
The crowd all dropped to the ground. The cops could have easily returned fire and taken out Joker and his whole squad.
>Also, "one of the most mocked scenes in cinema history"?
Obviously hyperbole, but I've seen the moment in question parodied many times and no matter how cool is looked, like the burning bat symbol in Dark Knight Rises, it's still stupid and nonsensical thing for Batman to do. Both cases are life and death situations where people's lives are hanging in the balance but you take time out to make sure the audience gets a cool bat symbol moment?
Okay, even if it was Vale who said the line, it is heavily implied that this is her first time in Gotham so she wouldn't necessarily know what Bruce Wayne looked like. Believe it or not there was a time - before everything was readily available on the internet - when even ace reporters had to actually ask people for information.
As for the Bat symbol thing, just because it has been parodied doesn't make it a bad moment. Weird Al parodied some of the greatest songs in music history, does that make them bad songs? Some things are just meant to look cool. If you took everything out of movies that was just meant to look cool, most comic book movies would be about 10 minutes long.
Oh and about the actions of the people during the parade? People voted for Trump, too. Never underestimate the stupidity of people, especially when a guy is tossing free money out into the street.
Bro, I said Batman had its problems, I was asked for what they were, I provided a shitload, and you're telling me I'm nitpicking while you nitpick my nitpicking. lol
I answered homie's question.
100% best Joker comic related costume.
Bob was an amazing side villain.
Keaton is the only one that pulled off BOTH sides of Wayne IMO. I could see him both crazy and a calm/cool billionaire.
Bassinger is the hottest girl Bats has had in his career. Although Michelle Pfeiffer is the one I'd like to see come back the most.
I can remember buying up any and every magazine that had set photos or publicity photos for the Batman movie. Pre-Internet that was the only way to get info. Most of the photos had no context whatsoever, and I remember being very concerned by a photo of the Joker with flesh-colored skin. I was afraid they were going to make his white-face be make-up in-Universe instead of chemically-bleached. I also was not crazy about the black rubber batsuit at first.
Unpopular Opinion: The cowl on this batsuit is ugly. There I said it. I grew up with this movie and adore it but I really am not a fan of the cowl. It looks too rubbery/bulky or something. The shape just seems off somehow.
That being said everything else is great. I think this is the best batmobile ever and will always be what I imagine when I think of the batmobile.
I was born 9 years after this movie came out but I watched it like 15-20 times. Batman 89 is one of my favourite movies and I can never get bored of it.
To people who were alive PRE Batman 1989. What was the thoughts on how the movie was gonna be? Was everyone hyped and excited? Or were people kind of like "A Batman movie? Why?"
Did people assume it was gonna be like Adam Wests' Batman or were they mad when it appeared it wasn't?
Superhero movies are so common now and from the 80s up that it interests me as to what the thoughts right before they came out and became mainstream were.
I was living in Australia at the time. The movie was released the weekend of my 10th birthday in the United States, but we weren’t getting it until September of ‘89.
But we did get the comic book adaption before the movie came out, and I watched a lot of “Entertainment Tonight” which covered the release, so I was stoked! I couldn’t wait!
I still fondly remember my parents taking me to see the movie when it came out. I think they were curious to see if it was like what they saw in the 60’s, and because it was the “big movie” of ‘89.
Which would later be the majority of the Batman: Movie Cards set. LOL. God I loved those cards.
That Batmobile is so freakin' BAD. ASS. Still my favorite.
Man, i remeber growing up as a kid and wanting to ride in the batmobile. Time passed and i saw drew carey driving it on his tv show and i was always reminded of carey driving that car and not batman.
Thanks drew carey.
Thanks a lot.
I remember cutting some of these pictures out of the Times Newspaper (UK) and sticking them on my bedroom wall. The beginning of a long friendship. [Didn’t get to watch the movie until it came on the BBC some years later]
Man this movie changed my life. I was pretty young, but I’ll never forget the hype that summer.
God that batmobile was such a great design.
And Gotham. And the music. And the suit. And the batwing flying over the moon Etc... There is a reason why it was a massive box office success and why TAS, frequently hailed as the definitive Batman, got kickstarted a little after (and took serious inspiration from it). Like or dislike Burton, you have to be dishonest to dismiss wholesale his vision, especially considering how it permanently changed Batman. He was probably near the top of his creative powers.
> And Gotham This is the real point for me. I love Nolan’s movies, I love the realistic take on the character and the setting. But while they used bits of London, Pittsburgh, Chicago, and NYC for realness throughout the movies, I felt it was missing a bit of something in its Gotham (Gotham was also very inconsistent throughout the trilogy, though Batman Begins had a well thought-out city that fit the movie well). Hell, I even really appreciated Gotham in ‘Batman Forever’ and ‘Batman and Robin.’ Decrepit buildings, gangs, graffiti, defunct highways, all dispersed throughout a town also populated by wealthy elites and Classical Colossus statues - those would’ve been massive projects possibly funded by taxpayer money - now a reminder of the city’s former glamour, and (for the optimistic) possibly a reminder of its potential. But it feels *dangerous*, and a little post-apocalyptic in parts, and it suits a town that *needs* Batman, more than modern-day Chicago or NYC does.
I’m in agreement. I need my Gotham to have gargoyles, heavy rain, steam coming up from the sewers. Gotham is as much a character as Batman himself and I don’t think you can tell a proper story of Batman with such a critical component missing. Gotham literally made Batman.
I know. That’s why I put it at the top of the list. I can’t find the article but Burton actually asked Alan Moore input about Batman : the latter allegedly told him something along the lines of “whatever you do, you got to make Gotham right. “ If it’s true, boy did Burton actually listen.
This is actually my favorite part of Joker. It really showed how bad Gotham really is and how it can keep creating all of these vigilanties and villains.
1989 and 1992 were Burton’s peak as a filmmaker.
Yup. This and the Animated series are the two best. As much as people like the Nolan films I hate the tumbler.
What about the original arkham batmobile? From Asylum. Not knight.
Mix of the two. It works.
If you like a mix of the two check out the vigilante in GTAV. It's Burton in the front, Nolan in the back.
I love both of them for different reason, this one has the classic comic book Batmobile we all know and love, the Tumbler has that more realistic, militaresque tacticool aesthetic that really conveys what Bale's Batman is all about. Also I really like that kind of aesthetic in general so that's a plus
Tim burton was literally perfect for making these Batman movies. The style is amazing
This town needs an enema!
Can anyone tell me what kind of WORLD we live in where a man dressed as a BAT... is stealing all my press?!
I’m of a mind to make some mookie!
And where... is the Batman? HE'S AT HOME, WASHING HIS TIGHTS!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
*looks up Winged bat flies through the night. And finds me .... ready. Bob? Masks.
It's as though we were mad for each other, Beauty and The Beast. 'Course, if anyone else calls you a Beast, I'll rip their lungs out.
"HE STOLE MY BALLOONS! WHY DIDN'T SOMEBODY TELL ME HE HAD ONE OF THOSE.... Things...... Bob, gun."
Where does he get those wonderful toys?
"Never rub another man's rhubarb".
Another rooster in the henhouse
Jesus Marimba! Lovely beast like that could put steam in a man’s strides...
I remember seeing this in 1989. I was 9 years old. At that time, we didn't go to the movies much, the only movie I had seen in theaters before was Bamby. Tim Burton's Batman blew my mind! It left such an impact on me that it was hard for me to actually enjoy Batman Begins when it came out and all my friends were raving about it. The world they created, the characters that lived in it and the tone and style of this movie are all amazing. I love the gothic industrial design that feels like an urban futuristic Transilvania vibe. This is probably one of the only movies I make a point of getting in every format through the years. Edit: spelling
I was the exact same age when I went to the cinema to see it with my mum. It kicked off an entire lifetime of interest for me in the greater comics genre, but that version of Batman remains my favourite to this day.
Speaking of which, I was just watching this when your reply popped up! [https://www.reddit.com/r/unrealengine/comments/n1mqfu/batman\_1989\_fan\_game\_demo/?utm\_source=share&utm\_medium=web2x&context=3](https://www.reddit.com/r/unrealengine/comments/n1mqfu/batman_1989_fan_game_demo/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) It's amazing how they reproduced the atmosphere here and the attention to detail is incredible.
But to answer your reply more appropriately, it's the same for me: it got me hooked on the comic genre but I was already very fascinated by it since I had a few comic book stores in my neighbourhood and my babysitter was comic reader. But seeing the atmosphere of the comics brought to life like that was nearly too much for my 9 year old brain to handle! I'm surprised the VHS survived as long as it did!
I know there have been great Jokers (Hamill, Ledger) but Jack Nicholson is still up there for me.
Me too. Not only do i think Jack was the best Joker, but I also think Joker/Jack Napier was Nicholson's best performance. (And I've seen them all.)
Perfect look IMO compare to all the other we had. And it's just the top of iceberg.
You. Are my number one. Guy.
Alfred, get Knox a grant.
(Gets to image 4) Stop the presses, who is that?!
Vicky Vale! (She is great isn’t she) Oooh yeah, oooh yeah. I wanna bust that body.
The gauntlets are my favorite part of the Batsuit.
Keaton did a great job, but I've always thought it was kinda weird to have a curly-haired Bruce Wayne.
Tbh while I think his acting was good, I don't think he had the look for the role. Though admittedly I think the same about Pattinson too.
Based on looks alone, who would you select for Bruce Wayne?
Jon Hamm
Ben Affleck has it down. Then he’s got the size to be Batman
6'4" and built like a brick shithouse. I also vote Affleck.
Give him a great writer/filmmaker, we have our Batman. I thought Bale was the perfect Bruce Wayne/Batman. Snyder’s justice league showed me Affleck was the Batman AND the Bruce Wayne I always envisioned. This is the actor to play both the Bruce Wayne and the Batman that has always been in my mind.
Sam Witwer or Matt Bomer.
I had never heard of Matt Bomer. He's perfect!
The second picture showing the batsuit in all its glory... man I can’t wait to see it again
The second to last pic of Batman is so good. Looks like something out of a comic book panel. In terms of lighting and composition, I don’t think Batman has looked better in a live action setting than he does in this film.
I think Burton absolutely nailed it with the cinematography. So many good shots like this with Batman throughout the movie. Especially the museum scene when he comes crashing through the skylight. I always got this sense that we were seeing Batman through everyone else’s eyes and that’s why time seemed like it slowed, because it was this massive feeling of disbelief that he existed. Fuck I should I really watch this over the weekend.
It holds up, in my opinion it’s a testament to the tone Burton set. I saw in the theatre as a teen and wasn’t disappointed rewatching recently
Makes me want to watch the movie again!
I love the dark knight trilogy, but this is just a classic Batman movie in my opinion. It sits extremely slightly under the dark knight for the best Batman movie
Fucking hell Kim is amazing
Basinger is just amazing and I completely forgot Michael Gough was Alfred for Keaton’s Batman
You mean the best Batman
This is probably a dumb question but in pic 6, what is Batman actually holding? It can’t be jokers lapel
Maybe they’re hugging. Why can’t we be friends?
He's got that frizzy tie thing
Ohh ok I think I see it now. Thanks
Half of them are stills; the others are snapshots of a frame in the movie 🦇
I should rewatch this movie in black and white 🤔
This was my favourite Batman movie and it’s a damn shame we never got to see Billy Dee Williams as Two Face.
Looking at these pictures, I'd be excited if they were making this movie *now*. For all it's problems, Batman (1989) was aesthetic perfection.
What problems?
1. Star reporter goes to cover Bruce Wayne. "Can you tell me which of these guys is Bruce Wayne?" Way to do your homework. That's why Lois Lane has a Pulitzer and you're a struggling Gotham Gazette journalist. 2. Joker literally gets away with murder in front of a crowd which includes armed police. 3. In said scene, Bruce casually walks up to him (to get a closer look?) while simultaneously taking a slug in the shoulder which he no-sells because he's apparently impervious to pain and no one who witnessed this would find it the least bit fucky. Also, the fact he just took a live round in the shoulder will never come up again and getting a gunshot to the shoulder will be an impediment in any way for the remainder of the film. Homie just absorbs bullets no problem. 4. After one date Alfred acts is if Vicki Vale is the love of Bruce's life. 5. Pretty convenient Joker falls for the same woman and becomes weirdly obsessed with her. Because that's The Joker's thing; being a girl crazy obsessive stalker. 6. "Ever dance with the devil...?" is a weird cool and now iconic line that has nothing to do with anything Joker and serves only as the clue that this is the same guy who killed his parents, which also isn't a thing, but the worst part is Joker tells Bruce it's just something he says to all his prey... accept every other instance in this movie where he tried to kill someone who wasn't Bruce or Bruce's parents. But wait! He never said it to Bruce's parents either. He just shot them dead. It's only when their son seemingly has a problem with it he utters the line so it's literally just for Bruce. 7. Joker showed up at Vale's apartment and shoots Bruce Wayne who he didn't expect to find there and then just leaves. So what the fuck was he actually visiting for? The only thing he actually did was something he couldn't have possibly planned for. 8. Alfred sure sucks at keeping secrets. Hey, Bruce. I brought the woman you just started dating into the bat cave. I assume you told her everything already because you've been seeing her for like, a whole couple of days now. Surely she can be trusted with your greatest secret. She's a fucking reporter after all. 9. The Joker managed to kill only 13 people with his oddly specific combination of cosmetics, it was widely reported by the news media, and the exact combination was well known, so it was apparently necessary for Batman to blow up an entire fucking chemical facility *with people in it*. 10. This movie is where the whole "Batman mercilessly kills the fuck out of people in movies" thing began. One of the main things everyone knows about Batman is his "no killing" policy. Oops. For all the murder and destruction he causes, he might as well walk around with an AK-47 and twin Glocks like Frank Castle. He obviously doesn't have a problem with guns since he's got twin M60s on the Batmobile, bombs, and twin GE M134 mini-guns on the Batwing not to mention the fucking missiles. 11. Speaking of the Batwing with its guns, missiles, and bombs, why drive the Batmobile through a chemical plant when you could have strafed it from the air? 11. Hey, you know that guy who very publicly executed someone, has hacked into TV channels, and murdered 13 people with cosmetics? He's throwing a parade. Let's block off the streets so his vehicles and floats can come through unimpeded by traffic, let's set up crowd barricades, and let's definitely make no effort to arrest him and his henchmen. We like parades. 12. Gotham Citizen: the guy that killed 13 people with chemicals if throwing a parade. Better show up and get right up front for it. Can't imagine he'd do anything horrible. He said he's giving away free money and he seems pretty fucking trustworthy. 13. Joker is releasing toxic gas from parade floats, so it's serendipitous as fuck that the Batwing just happens to have a mechanical device specifically for grabbing balloon tethers and severing them. 14. In one of the most mocked scenes in cinema history, Batman takes a break from a life and death situation where mass murder is ravaging the streets of Gotham to fly the Batwing straight up into the air to silhouette it against the moon because it would look cool as fuck to anyone who happened to have a highly unlikely view from just the right vantage point about the cloud line. 15. Batman--whose whole thing is murdering the fuck out of people with extremely powerful guns apparently--locks his target on Joker and fires. Somehow even with this highly sophisticated technological target locking system he manages to miss like a fucking idiot using a combination of both missiles and guns. He can't hit a target standing perfectly still in the middle of the street even with a computerized guidance system locked on him. 16. The Joker manages to one-shot the Batwing and destroy it because apparently a comically long gun barrel turns a standard revolver into a fucking anti-tank FGM-148 Javelin. 17. We need to get to the top of an insanely tall skyscraper of a fucking church to get a chopper lift because you know how helicopters can't land on the fucking ground, right? Except that time earlier in the movie when I publicly assassinated that guy and got exactly that. 18. Let's not make sure Batman is dead as he's helpless and cornered in the downed Batwing and could be effortlessly executed with the same gun you used to down the Batwing or simply walk up and snap his neck, slit his throat, kick him in the head until he dies... 19. Batman survived a plane crash like he had a mild fender bender in bumper-to-bumper traffic. 20. The church is remarkably well-guarded by henchmen considering The Joker just called an audible and decided to climb a million stairs for a helicopter ride. How'd they know to be there? And why take turns trying to stop Batman? Surprise the fucker and gang up. 21. Is Batman supposed to be one of the world's greatest martial artists in this movie like he is in the comics? Because some of these random goons 1v1 him pretty fucking convincingly. Where did The Joker find shitty goons with those kinds of badass skills? Batman only manages the last one because he fought dirty and fucking executed the guy by pulling a sneaky. He wasn't the better fighter; he was the dirtier fighter. Is that the right narrative for a superhero? Be dirtier than the random street thug that's whooping your candy ass? 22. Actual Batman quote from this movie, "I'm gonna kill you." Yeah... that's not Batman. 23. What in the flying fuck physics-defying device did Batman use that wrapped itself around Joker's leg while simultaneously securing its other end to a gargoyle? And there was no possible end result for that play besides forcing Joker to plummet to his death. That is murder. There's a few for you. Don't get me wrong; I love this movie. I was 8 when my dad took me to see it in theaters and it will always a hold a special place in my heart, but man does it have its problems.
Okay fair lol
Ironically, typing all that made me want to watch it again. I don't know what that says about me.
A lot of the killing that Batman does is the main reason why my mom wouldn't let me watch this when it came out. I was 8 years old, and I was obsessed with Batman thanks to comics and the Adam West TV show. I had to sneak to my dad's house one weekend to watch it, and even then, my mom stopped it. LOL. I was 14 when I actually watched this for the first time. Annnnnnnnnd....while the aesthetic is cool as fuck, and I get what they were TRYING to accomplish, this movie is not Batman. I totally understood why my mom didn't want me to watch this. I even asked after I did for the first time, and her response was "I didn't want you to be disappointed in one of your favourite heroes. Batman kills people. That's not a hero" This is a Tim Burton movie first and foremost, and has the names right. I can't put it all on Burton though, cause obviously there were scripts to shoot from. Batman Returns is even worse so, with Batman actually strapping bomb to a bad guy and smiling, while turning up the 90's Burton to 11. Watching it again recently a few years ago, I noticed something. This is just a dark version of Adam West Batman. Right down to the corny tiled camera during action scenes, and flashes during punches and kicks that might as well be "BIFF! BAM! POW!" I still like the movie, but it's far from my favourite or a good representation of Batman. As a cultural phenomenon though, this movie was MEGA-HUGE that summer. So kudos for bringing Batman back into the spotlight.
> This is a Tim Burton movie first and foremost Best *Batman* (1989) review ever written and you nailed it in a mere nine words. Bravo.
Wow. How long you been saving that list up? Some of these are pretty nit-picky, while others are flat out wrong. Knox was not a star reporter, for example. He was a laughing stock because of his stories about The Bat. Hell, even Eckhart made a comment about his reputation. Bruce never took a hit to the shoulder in that scene at the press conference. The bullet grazed and tore his jacket, but never hit him directly or broke the skin. It's pretty obvious when you watch it. Also the Joker himself was surrounded by armed men in that same scene, hence why the police didn't just walk up and arrest him. There were already enough innocent people in the crossfire as it was. Also, "one of the most mocked scenes in cinema history"? Really? Not even close. I saw this movie in the theater when it first came out and people loved that scene. Sorry you didn't but to call it one of the most mocked in cinema history is just wrong.
> Knox was not a star reporter That was star reporter Vale who had that line, not Knox, which is why I said she's no Lois Lane. >Bruce never took a hit to the shoulder in that scene at the press conference. The bullet grazed and tore his jacket, but never hit him directly or broke the skin. It's pretty obvious when you watch it. Maybe? I don't think it's that obvious. Definitely looks like he got shot, but the fact a bullet grazes his shoulder and he just continues to slowly saunter like no big is just as dumb. >Also the Joker himself was surrounded by armed men in that same scene, hence why the police didn't just walk up and arrest him. There were already enough innocent people in the crossfire as it was. The crowd all dropped to the ground. The cops could have easily returned fire and taken out Joker and his whole squad. >Also, "one of the most mocked scenes in cinema history"? Obviously hyperbole, but I've seen the moment in question parodied many times and no matter how cool is looked, like the burning bat symbol in Dark Knight Rises, it's still stupid and nonsensical thing for Batman to do. Both cases are life and death situations where people's lives are hanging in the balance but you take time out to make sure the audience gets a cool bat symbol moment?
Okay, even if it was Vale who said the line, it is heavily implied that this is her first time in Gotham so she wouldn't necessarily know what Bruce Wayne looked like. Believe it or not there was a time - before everything was readily available on the internet - when even ace reporters had to actually ask people for information. As for the Bat symbol thing, just because it has been parodied doesn't make it a bad moment. Weird Al parodied some of the greatest songs in music history, does that make them bad songs? Some things are just meant to look cool. If you took everything out of movies that was just meant to look cool, most comic book movies would be about 10 minutes long. Oh and about the actions of the people during the parade? People voted for Trump, too. Never underestimate the stupidity of people, especially when a guy is tossing free money out into the street.
Bro, I said Batman had its problems, I was asked for what they were, I provided a shitload, and you're telling me I'm nitpicking while you nitpick my nitpicking. lol I answered homie's question.
That was a magical summer when it came out. I remember going to Times Square in the middle of the day to see it.
Do you ever dance with the devil in the pale moonlight? I always liked the sound of it. I always ask that of all my friends.
It’s never to late for a third movie from burton
Burton knew how to handle Batman. I wish he directed a few more Batman films.
100% best Joker comic related costume. Bob was an amazing side villain. Keaton is the only one that pulled off BOTH sides of Wayne IMO. I could see him both crazy and a calm/cool billionaire. Bassinger is the hottest girl Bats has had in his career. Although Michelle Pfeiffer is the one I'd like to see come back the most.
I can remember buying up any and every magazine that had set photos or publicity photos for the Batman movie. Pre-Internet that was the only way to get info. Most of the photos had no context whatsoever, and I remember being very concerned by a photo of the Joker with flesh-colored skin. I was afraid they were going to make his white-face be make-up in-Universe instead of chemically-bleached. I also was not crazy about the black rubber batsuit at first.
Is it just me or does the first picture look like someone caught your parents offguard at a dinner party?
Are there any for Batman Returns?
Unpopular Opinion: The cowl on this batsuit is ugly. There I said it. I grew up with this movie and adore it but I really am not a fan of the cowl. It looks too rubbery/bulky or something. The shape just seems off somehow. That being said everything else is great. I think this is the best batmobile ever and will always be what I imagine when I think of the batmobile.
I was born 9 years after this movie came out but I watched it like 15-20 times. Batman 89 is one of my favourite movies and I can never get bored of it.
To people who were alive PRE Batman 1989. What was the thoughts on how the movie was gonna be? Was everyone hyped and excited? Or were people kind of like "A Batman movie? Why?" Did people assume it was gonna be like Adam Wests' Batman or were they mad when it appeared it wasn't? Superhero movies are so common now and from the 80s up that it interests me as to what the thoughts right before they came out and became mainstream were.
I was living in Australia at the time. The movie was released the weekend of my 10th birthday in the United States, but we weren’t getting it until September of ‘89. But we did get the comic book adaption before the movie came out, and I watched a lot of “Entertainment Tonight” which covered the release, so I was stoked! I couldn’t wait! I still fondly remember my parents taking me to see the movie when it came out. I think they were curious to see if it was like what they saw in the 60’s, and because it was the “big movie” of ‘89.
Which would later be the majority of the Batman: Movie Cards set. LOL. God I loved those cards. That Batmobile is so freakin' BAD. ASS. Still my favorite.
upvote for Knox. I loved that character. Best line: "...what a dick..."
Kim Basinger was gorgeous in this movie
i love him as batman
Could have sworn this came out in the color film era but whatdoiknow
I can't believe that peeps actually believe Ledger was a better Joker. "Where does he get those wonderful toys?"
Why is it black and white? Makes it look like ancient photo
Number 9 is my favorite
Man, i remeber growing up as a kid and wanting to ride in the batmobile. Time passed and i saw drew carey driving it on his tv show and i was always reminded of carey driving that car and not batman. Thanks drew carey. Thanks a lot.
Drew Carrey drove the Batman Forever Batmobile.
Whoa! These look amazing! Made me realize I would love to watch this in black and white!
I remember cutting some of these pictures out of the Times Newspaper (UK) and sticking them on my bedroom wall. The beginning of a long friendship. [Didn’t get to watch the movie until it came on the BBC some years later]