Batman On Film: The Burton Years (1989-1992) - Written By Zach Frances

BATMAN (1989)

This film is awesome. As a life-long fan of the Caped Crusader, I have to say that if you want the real Batman, look no further. You found him. While my favorite Bat-Flick is The Dark Knight Rises, I will explore that later. Right now, let's take a look at 1989.

There is a certain kind of magic to Batman that no other film adaptation has been able to successfully match. The main difference between Chris Nolan's more recent Dark Knight trilogy, and Burton's 1989 version, is the visual style. The main difference is a place they call Gotham City.

Tim Burton is known for many things, but above all else, it is his bizarre visual eye, a gift that works wonders in Batman. This film looks incredible! Burton creates a Gotham City that the viewer can get lost in. As opposed to Chris Nolan's outings, Tim Burton gives us a Gothic Fantasy of the highest order. Every visual element in this film is perfect; Gotham, the Batmobile, Joker, Batman himself, green ooze-- all of it. Nolan had a way of probing deep into the psyche of his characters, he seems to be a very psychological filmmaker, and he came to with fantastic results. Nolan was obviously interested in different aspects of the Dark Knight than what Tim Burton was drawn to. That makes for two very good and very different films. But the 1989 version reigns best of them all. Tim Burton gave us a work of Pop Art, a visual feast. A masterwork of the highest caliber. Tim Burton gave us a classic. Although his characters were not as moving as Nolan's would be, and the plot was not as complex as later adaptations would prove the Caped Crusader capable of, the film was pitch-perfect, ages incredibly well, and knows what it is. A comic book movie. And what does Tim Burton do with his comic book movie? He elevates the medium of film. Yes. I believe Batman changed the face of film, altered the practice of filmmaking, and raised the bar indefinitely. I have no doubt whatsoever that Batman is one of the finest Blockbusters ever assembled, and one of the best films of 80s American Cinema.

This movie means a lot to me, and a lot to my childhood. The older I get, the more important this film becomes. Something else happens too. It becomes enormous. Powerful. An event every time I sit down to watch it. Classic Good vs. Evil, rich design, completely unforgettable. I appreciate Nolan's films, I like all of them quite a lot, but when Tim Burton made Batman he had something to prove. This is the only film I can use as concrete evidence to provide support to my claim that Tim Burton is in fact a genius. Sadly, the amount of good films he has made are dwarfed in size by the fleet of stinkers he has produced. But Batman is undeniably the work of a very talented filmmaker.

I wish that Criterion could somehow get their paws on this one. I know its impossible, but one can't help but dream. The film is such a powerful experience, a tour de force from beginning to end; Burton's Magnum Opus. Batman is so very important to a film fanatic like me. This should be taught in film schools around the country. A highly analytical dose of entertainment, the way Burton visually tells the tale is to be admired and studied for its precise tenacity and bold audacity. Tim Burton's Batman is a one of a kind experience that deserves to go down in film history as a pillar of 80s cinema.

BATMAN RETURNS (1992)

Tim Burton's first Batman picture was astonishing. I think of it as a glimmering masterwork of the 80s. He had a lot to live up to. Something's gotta give.

Batman Returns is not a worthy sequel to Batman, but it is still a decent flick.

Pros:

Danny DeVito as the Penguin - Perfect casting choice. Its not the Penguin I know from the books, but its the only Penguin I like. He is dark, menacing, sinister, and completely 'Burton'.

Michelle Pfeiffer as Catwoman - Once again, wonderful casting choice. Sexy, dangerous, crazy, and seductive. Alas, completely 'Burton'.

Christopher Walken as Max Shreck - One of my favorite ingredients in Batman Returns has to be this character. A great and welcome addition to Batman lore, and I wish other die hard Batman fans could warm up to him some more. Also... completely 'Burton'.

Nostalgia - I watched this film a lot as a child. I can't help feeling like a kid whenever I put this on. And its a good enough film to put on once every couple of months.

Cons:

This Is A Tim Burton Movie, Not A Batman Movie - This was supposed to be a Batman movie. The 1989 version understood this. Don't get me wrong, a lot of what you see in Batman is 'Burton' to the core. But in 1989 he seemed much more inspired and much more interested in the source material. Batman Returns is not really a Batman film. The characters you see here are similar to their comic book origins in name only, everything else about them had been changed, EVERYTHING. Its almost sickening to see them take an intelligent character like Catwoman and zap some supernatural 'Burton' nonsense into her. I like what they decided to do with the Penguin. The Penguin is rather lackluster in the books, but here he is truly villainous. The Production Design, although very creative, was lousy. Gotham City from the 1989 version is a classic movie world, whereas Gotham in Returns doesn't actually look like anyone really lives there. This time Gotham looks like a set. It looks like the 'Burton' standard we're still seeing today.

Batman May Return, But That Doesn't Mean Anyone Else Will - Tim Burton's first Batman film was populated by interesting and engaging background players. Robert Wuhl as Knox for example, I thought Knox was absolutely great! Nope. No Knox in Batman Returns, even though they re-wrote the script so he could survive the first film, which seems pretty damn stupid if you're not planning on having him return for the sequel. Billy Dee Williams is another example of a solid background character from the first film that was written out of the second. This doesn't just go for background characters, mind you, Vicki Vale sat this one out as well. Where the first film had a background full of personality and liveliness, its sequel has dead background characters, lifeless scenery, and a well-earned bad rep.

Really, Its Not A Batman Movie - I love Batman. I also love Michael Keaton as Batman. And in a film called Batman Returns, you'd think we'd probably see him a lot, right? Wrong. Batman was demoted to a supporting character in his own feature! He is completely underused here, and seems terribly unimportant.

Penguins - Exploding Penguin Assassins... need I say more?

But still, all the negative things I can say about the movie aside, its still pretty awesome, and I do like it. It is essential viewing to anyone who enjoys the now-burgeoning Superhero genre, and to the few but devoted 90s film fans. But I really have to recommend it to fans of Tim Burton the most. If you like Tim Burton, you'll like this movie. If you like Batman, you might be disappointed. But don't be too harsh on this film. It works on an entertaining level through and through, ages considerably well, and gives us a darker version of the Caped Crusader. Its also NOT Batman Forever.