Batman (1989)Comic books have occupied a strange and unique place in the cultural zeitgeist over the last several decades. Once relegated to cheap newsprint, three-panel episodes ultimately used to line bird cages, comics had often been an afterthought at best, save for those dedicated fans who kept the spirit of the craft alive. Fast forward to today (and not so long ago), and the overflowing kettle of ideas and stories ripe for plundering from a stable of characters under the wing of publishers like DC Comics, the possibility for comics to enjoy widespread mainstream success. a reality And leading the vanguard of a new style of Silver Age to silver screen comic book adaptations was Batman (1989).
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Batman has become a legend, his story and legacy a myth not unlike that of Hercules or Odysseus. But for ages, most people's exposure the "dark knight" was likely in the form of a television adaptation in the 1960s, which was more of a comedy than a dramatic series. So when Batman debuted at the end of the Eighties, carrying a unique aesthetic and more serious approach to the character, it was a revelation for those who had only known Batman from the Adam West days. Much could be said about why Batman was made at this precise time, but chronologically and commercially, I suspect it had much to do with the acclaimed release of "The Dark Knight Returns" by Frank Miller, a serious revisiting of the character which challenged popular perception of Batman and also had the benefit of being a really good story. Batman is not a mere adaptation of the origins of the shadowy crimefighter--that said, it is an origin story--but it is a condensed primer to the character and the elements which afforded a resurrection of the character's appeal fifty years after his creation. In fact, elements of the film would influence the comics, in a kind of feedback loop of commercial appeal, a trend which has not only continued today, but is the business model for publishers and studios like Marvel. The story of Batman opens without lengthy exposition about why Batman/Bruce Wayne (Michael Keaton) fights crime, although this is revealed in the course of the story--in part due to the investigative photography of Batman-enthusiast and lover to Bruce, Vicki Vale (Kim Basinger)--and also the formation of the most well-known member of his rogue's gallery of villains, The Joker (Jack Nicholson). For as much definition given to Batman, an equal (or greater) degree is given for his enemy. The Joker starts as a high-ranking lieutenant in the mob, under the control of Carl Grissom (Jack Palance. He is an arrogant, cruel, and even misogynistic low-life named Jack Napier, a man who already has a penchant for purple suits and playing cards. After an incident and subsequent shoot-out at Axis Chemicals--a front company for Grissom--Jack finds himself submerged in a vat of toxic chemicals, emerging from his presumed death with a ghastly pallor, green hair, and a sinister grin, a transformation which tips his already vicious side into full-blown madness. And as The Joker inflicts his own brand of macabre terror upon Gotham City, only Batman has the skills necessary to thwart the "clown prince of crime".
Batman is directed by Tim Burton, whose repertoire of films are often simultaneously expressionistic and dreamlike in their vision, and carries the director's signature aesthetic. Gotham City is a setting that is a melting pot of time and style. Although ostensibly set in a modern era, where musical selections by Prince are commonplace, the manner of dress and vehicles--even the highly-industrial look of the city--gives it the sense that it is both contemporary, but also recalls the origins of the titular character, where gangsters in fedoras with "Tommy Guns" are also not out of place. The city is as much a character in the story as Batman or The Joker, a grimy metropolis with painted backdrops and steam rising from sewer vents, where one does not walk down a dark alley and not expect trouble. Batman establishes that a comic book movie does not necessarily have to be wholly realistic to be entertaining, since the source material is itself an artistic expression. (Speaking of artistic expression, take note of one of the Gotham Globe's artistic representation of "the bat man", and you can see Batman creator Bob Kane's signature on the rendering.) As important to the visual style of Batman is the composition of the score by Danny Elfman, a theme which would become synonymous with the character going forward, especially in the excellent "Batman: The Animated Series" which would follow the success of this film.
Art is a key theme of Batman, represented best (and worst) of all by The Joker. As it is revealed, Jack Napier was a brilliant but sadistic young man, with a penchant for chemistry and art; his brush with death effectively frees his terrible creative spirit, and sets him on the path of redesigning Gotham in his image. He performs this superficially when he and his Joker Gang storm the art gallery and deface the work there, but more so, he reinvents himself piece by piece. After all, what is a clown but a kind of performance art? If you notice, parts of his wardrobe transition over the film from "gangster" to "jester", as his black comedy and parlor tricks escalate with a lethal edge. Jack's selfishness and bitterness toward the world which, in his eyes, has betrayed him, also makes his transformation into the joker a subversive act. He is a living mockery of Gotham City and its inhabitants, his own critique of the world, who he lures in with a celebration of the city, tastelessly throwing money around, but secretly looking to destroy the people he detests. In a way, this makes The Joker a certain kind of dangerous politician, exploiting those around him merely for his depraved amusement. And there is the sense that The Joker is the only character who is aware that he is in a comic book movie, with frequent one-liners and absurd references and jokes for the benefit of the audience. And just as art is a key theme for Batman, one of the most consistent themes in the character mythos--as well as for superheroes in general--is that of identity. Bruce is remembered in newsprint as the "survivor" of the murder of his parents, but in effect, Bruce Wayne died that day, and "Batman" was born. While this origin is kept in the shadows and subtext of Batman, it is always there, in flashbacks and in an annual memorial visit to the place of their death. But because Batman cannot exist in the world of light, he assumes the mantle of Bruce Wayne in public. This argument about "who is Bruce Wayne?" is made abundantly clear early on when Vicki Vale bumps into a man at the charity event at Wayne Manor, asking him who Bruce Wayne is, only to be met with, "I'm not sure". Would that this were anyone else it would mean nothing; it is because the answer comes from the as of yet unintroduced Bruce Wayne that this response rings with an ironic resonance. The truth is that he's not simply being playful, but that Vicki managed to catch him in a rare moment where his introspective nature gets the best of him. Perhaps this is, in part, a reason that he (reluctantly) lets her into his life so quickly, although with much strain to do so and failure to make the reveal himself, a surprising bit of apprehension from a man unafraid to step into body armor and get shot at every night. But it reveals a modesty and sense of responsibility which become the virtue of the terrifying figure which strikes fear into the hearts of evildoers, versus the vain, egocentric posturing of his nemesis, their mutual presence on the screen heralding a new era of costumed dramas forevermore.
Recommended for: Fans of comic books, stylish action movies, and anywhere in between. Batman was a commercial blockbuster, and solidified the presence of comic book movies with a vibrant look and sound, with a talented cast and a visionary director to give it a unique identity.
Batman is directed by Tim Burton, whose repertoire of films are often simultaneously expressionistic and dreamlike in their vision, and carries the director's signature aesthetic. Gotham City is a setting that is a melting pot of time and style. Although ostensibly set in a modern era, where musical selections by Prince are commonplace, the manner of dress and vehicles--even the highly-industrial look of the city--gives it the sense that it is both contemporary, but also recalls the origins of the titular character, where gangsters in fedoras with "Tommy Guns" are also not out of place. The city is as much a character in the story as Batman or The Joker, a grimy metropolis with painted backdrops and steam rising from sewer vents, where one does not walk down a dark alley and not expect trouble. Batman establishes that a comic book movie does not necessarily have to be wholly realistic to be entertaining, since the source material is itself an artistic expression. (Speaking of artistic expression, take note of one of the Gotham Globe's artistic representation of "the bat man", and you can see Batman creator Bob Kane's signature on the rendering.) As important to the visual style of Batman is the composition of the score by Danny Elfman, a theme which would become synonymous with the character going forward, especially in the excellent "Batman: The Animated Series" which would follow the success of this film.
Art is a key theme of Batman, represented best (and worst) of all by The Joker. As it is revealed, Jack Napier was a brilliant but sadistic young man, with a penchant for chemistry and art; his brush with death effectively frees his terrible creative spirit, and sets him on the path of redesigning Gotham in his image. He performs this superficially when he and his Joker Gang storm the art gallery and deface the work there, but more so, he reinvents himself piece by piece. After all, what is a clown but a kind of performance art? If you notice, parts of his wardrobe transition over the film from "gangster" to "jester", as his black comedy and parlor tricks escalate with a lethal edge. Jack's selfishness and bitterness toward the world which, in his eyes, has betrayed him, also makes his transformation into the joker a subversive act. He is a living mockery of Gotham City and its inhabitants, his own critique of the world, who he lures in with a celebration of the city, tastelessly throwing money around, but secretly looking to destroy the people he detests. In a way, this makes The Joker a certain kind of dangerous politician, exploiting those around him merely for his depraved amusement. And there is the sense that The Joker is the only character who is aware that he is in a comic book movie, with frequent one-liners and absurd references and jokes for the benefit of the audience. And just as art is a key theme for Batman, one of the most consistent themes in the character mythos--as well as for superheroes in general--is that of identity. Bruce is remembered in newsprint as the "survivor" of the murder of his parents, but in effect, Bruce Wayne died that day, and "Batman" was born. While this origin is kept in the shadows and subtext of Batman, it is always there, in flashbacks and in an annual memorial visit to the place of their death. But because Batman cannot exist in the world of light, he assumes the mantle of Bruce Wayne in public. This argument about "who is Bruce Wayne?" is made abundantly clear early on when Vicki Vale bumps into a man at the charity event at Wayne Manor, asking him who Bruce Wayne is, only to be met with, "I'm not sure". Would that this were anyone else it would mean nothing; it is because the answer comes from the as of yet unintroduced Bruce Wayne that this response rings with an ironic resonance. The truth is that he's not simply being playful, but that Vicki managed to catch him in a rare moment where his introspective nature gets the best of him. Perhaps this is, in part, a reason that he (reluctantly) lets her into his life so quickly, although with much strain to do so and failure to make the reveal himself, a surprising bit of apprehension from a man unafraid to step into body armor and get shot at every night. But it reveals a modesty and sense of responsibility which become the virtue of the terrifying figure which strikes fear into the hearts of evildoers, versus the vain, egocentric posturing of his nemesis, their mutual presence on the screen heralding a new era of costumed dramas forevermore.
Recommended for: Fans of comic books, stylish action movies, and anywhere in between. Batman was a commercial blockbuster, and solidified the presence of comic book movies with a vibrant look and sound, with a talented cast and a visionary director to give it a unique identity.