Rewatching the Batman movies

[R_J_K75]

One reason might be that Jack decide to take ALOT less in base base, but take a percentage of the box office instead. WB quickly accepted, not knowing how big Batman did become, and how big a paycheque they had to give Nicholson in the end.

Think youre right. Devito tried to get the same deal and WB only gave him a portion of the merchandising iirc.

 

[cbwjm]

Tim Burton wanted Jack Nicholson for the Joker, but he wanted too much money or just wasnt interested. For what ever reason, he only took the part after WB was going to cast Robin Williams, who genuinely wanted the part. Fast forward 5 or so years same story with Batman Forever. They wanted Jim Carey for the Riddler but considered Robin Williams only until Jim Carrey took the part. Now honestly I dont know the particulars or the ins and outs of how Hollywood works but things Ive read about it over the years seems like Robin Williams got screwed, was used as a pawn and in my opinion would have filled both those roles way better than Nicholson or Carey. I watched the 1989 Batman a few years back, it didnt really hold up and Jack Nicholsons performance was too over the top and over rated IMO.

Had they used him, Robin Williams would have been great as the clock king. Williams had some great roles which were more serious and I think he would have been great in the role. Of the two villains you mention he was considered for, I think he'd work best as the riddler than the joker.

 

[R_J_K75]

Had they used him, Robin Williams would have been great as the clock king. Williams had some great roles which were more serious and I think he would have been great in the role. Of the two villains you mention he was considered for, I think he'd work best as the riddler than the joker.

Agree he'd probably have made a better Riddler but then again he had some good chops as a dramatic actor as well and could have gone all One-Hour Photo if cast as the Joker.

Think I read somewhere a few weeks ago Bill Murray was approached at one point for the Joker in '89. Its fun to think how that wouldve turned out but alas the closest we got was Quick Change.

 

[ccs]

Same general order.
'89 & Returns - i like these almost equally, though with just a slight edge to Returns. They share 1st place in this series for me.
+: Keaton, Burton, Elfman, the look, the music/score, the car.
Original movie poster for '89 - Batsymbol & the date. Done, sold.
The opening sequence of '89 where it traces the symbol to the Elfman theme.
The opening action sequence of Returns.
-: Batman's body count in both. Killing off the main villains.
* And, like everyone else on the planet, when it was learned who was cast as BW/Batman my response was "Keaton? Really??"
At that point I'd only seen him in two or three things. And even though one of those was Beetlejuice I'd not have thought of him dressed in the bat suit.
But good choice.
Other than Adam West he's my favorite live-action Batman to date.

Forever - eh, its ok. Not as good as Keaton's outings, but....
+: other than the two main villains I liked most of it well enough. Or didn't dislike it.
I even sort of like the car..
-: the villains. Neither of these guys are {my} favorites from the comics, but i can see using them in a movie. Jones & Carey were utterly wasted in these roles however.

Batman & Robin.....
+: the coolest thing about this movie was its intital teaser/trailer. The one where you see a snowy Gotham & the camera slowly pulls back to reveal Mr. Freeze holding a Gotham snow globe.
-: Of all the merchandising for this one (and there was alot)? They never sold the damned Gotham snow globe.
- -: Gah! What the #&$#* did they do to the car??

 

[trappedslider]

Batman (1989)
And Batman's code of not killing, when in the film Batman's body count was high, including The Joker at the end of the film.

I suggest doing a google search for times batman has killed.....the oldest body would be from Batman #1, 1940 where he hung a guy from his batplane....and it just goes from there on and off....it's more of a "most of the time" code lol

 

[Ryujin]

I suggest doing a google search for times batman has killed.....the oldest body would be from Batman #1, 1940 where he hung a guy from his batplane....and it just goes from there on and off....it's more of a "most of the time" code lol

Yes, the Batman thing definitely goes back and forth over the more than 80 years he's appeared in comics. Hell, he used guns in the wartime movie serials, runs cars off the road, etc..

Superman is far more rigid in his "no kill" rules, though he has also gone off the rails on rare occasions. That's one of the reasons I so dislike "Man of Steel"; it goes with the exception, rather than the rule.

 

[Ath'kethin]

I absolutely love the 60s Batman series and I feel Adam West is hugely underrated as an actor overall, and the show is gloriously clever.

So my absolute favorite part of Batman & Robin was when Robin said "Holy Rusted Metal, Batman!" then awkwardly trying to explain the phrase so it made sense in context. I thought that bit was brilliant.

Also, and this goes throughout the Burton films as well, there are a surprising number of nods to the 60s show in the movies.

 

[R_J_K75]

So my absolute favorite part of Batman & Robin was when Robin said "Holy Rusted Metal, Batman!"

I havent seen it in quite awhile but I think that was in Batman Forever actually. Only reason I remember, or at least Im pretty sure, was because the 89' Batman and Forever were the only two I saw in the theater; or all the way through for that matter. I dont think Ive ever saw all of Returns or Batman and Robin, just bits and pieces over the years.

 

[Ath'kethin]

I havent seen it in quite awhile but I think that was in Batman Forever actually. Only reason I remember, or at least Im pretty sure, was because the 89' Batman and Forever were the only two I saw in the theater; or all the way through for that matter. I dont think Ive ever saw all of Returns or Batman and Robin, just bits and pieces over the years.

You could be right. It's been ages since I've seen any of them, too, but I've always associate that bit with Batman & Robin.

Edit: verified, you are correct. Oops!

 

[R_J_K75]

You could be right. It's been ages since I've seen any of them, too, but I've always associate that bit with Batman & Robin.

Edit: verified, you are correct. Oops!

That part was funny because it came out of nowhere. I remember me and my friends laughing about that for quite awhile afterwards.