Hot Toys - Batman 1989 - Michael Keaton

[aussieinnyc]

Re: HT Batman 1989 Coming

I don't mean to offend, but when did a debate over "was Batman Forever good?" ever begin in the first place?

I saw that (as Sgt Barnes would say) "lump of sheeit" in the theater when I was 15 with my brother and we both walked out knowing that it was all over for the franchise. Apparently Keaton knew it too...hence, Val Kilmer.

A quick look at the "top critics" ratings on Rotten Tomato gives it a very respectable 71% rating (all reviewers included it plummets to 43% but I wanted top try and eliminate the benefit of hindsight, and the top critics pieces are usually of the same period as the film's first release). Looking at the box office gross it out-performed Batman Returns. You won't ever get me trying to argue it was a cinematic triumph, but I think a lot of what splattered all over Batman and Robin managed to get on Batman Forever retroactively.

 

[RJMacReady16]

Re: HT Batman 1989 Coming

Ahh, I gotcha.

I always figured what drove up the box office for Forever was the anticipation of fans after the success of Returns. Not unlike the drastic spike between Begins and Dark Knight.

I think in 95 moviegoers weren't yet accustomed to people taking over a franchise from someone else in midstream and then pissing all over it.

 

[Frank]

Re: HT Batman 1989 Coming

If they go through with an '89 batmobile, that will be my diorama!

While 1989 Batman is my the best stand alone movie, I feel the Nolan films pull right up behind it. Returns was a bit of a letdown when I was a kid. The character designs were tops, but it started to take on a much goofier tone (I blame the rocket-mounted penguins and midgets in penguin costumes for the most part). The story? Good enough for a sequel but you could start to see where Burton was running out of ideas. The less said about the third and fourth films, the better. Especially the fourth.

The way Nolan set it up, there's alot to build on. He makes intelligent choices in his storytelling. The plot twists are inventive and believable. When I found out the he was directing Begins, I knew that at the very least he wouldn't embarrass the fans the way Schumacher did. Then he put on a clinic with TDK.

But you just can't beat the excitement of seeing a fully realized Batman on screen for the first time! I remember seeing the original preview in theatres and hearing the roar from the audience after we all saw Jack as the Joker, smearing blood across the newspaper.

That is still the coolest damn Joker scene ever.

 

[Kamandi]

Re: HT Batman 1989 Coming

I loved the first Burton Batman film. It probably would have been better if he had stopped with one.

Batman Returns always felt (to me) more like a sketchbook of ideas than an actual film. I could deal with the more surreal and weird parts of the film if it weren't so goofy and campy as well. It borders on comedy. Most of all it lacks a clear plot thread. It's a bunch of detached ideas that never fully overlap.

I didn't like how cheap they made Batman's tech look. The Batmobile has a cardboard undercarriage you can punch through. The engineering blueprints are public domain. His armor is clearly shown to be rubber and worthless against the tiny needles on Catwoman's fingertips. Even his cowl can be easily town off.

The biggest sin of 'Returns' is it's hardly about Batman. He's just someone who's in the film.

The two Shumacker films aren't in my collection. I've never watched Batman and Robin in one sitting. I've seen it in bits and pieces over the years. garbage.

 

[cokebabies]

Re: HT Batman 1989 Coming

I loved the first Burton Batman film. It probably would have been better if he had stopped with one.

Batman Returns always felt (to me) more like a sketchbook of ideas than an actual film. I could deal with the more surreal and weird parts of the film if it weren't so goofy and campy as well. It borders on comedy. Most of all it lacks a clear plot thread. It's a bunch of detached ideas that never fully overlap.

I didn't like how cheap they made Batman's tech look. The Batmobile has a cardboard undercarriage you can punch through. The engineering blueprints are public domain. His armor is clearly shown to be rubber and worthless against the tiny needles on Catwoman's fingertips. Even his cowl can be easily town off.

The biggest sin of 'Returns' is it's hardly about Batman. He's just someone who's in the film.

The two Shumacker films aren't in my collection. I've never watched Batman and Robin in one sitting. I've seen it in bits and pieces over the years. garbage.

Agreed about almost everything. I actually don't really like B89. My wife really does, so I've seen it plenty of times. I like it enough to not leave the room when it's on, but I'd never put it on myself. I definitely see the appeal as to why so many people really like it (and prefer it to Nolanverse), I just 100% don't feel the same way. This is without going down the long and dangerously argumentative road of getting into hating Nicholson's performance.

As for returns, I definitely agree. I also haven't seen B&R in its entirety, I've pretty much just seen the compilations of the worst lines/scenes on Youtube. It's just one of those movies you don't actually have to see to be able to declare with authority that it's garbage.

 

[jye4ever]

Re: HT Batman 1989 Coming

I loved the first Burton Batman film. It probably would have been better if he had stopped with one.

Batman Returns always felt (to me) more like a sketchbook of ideas than an actual film. I could deal with the more surreal and weird parts of the film if it weren't so goofy and campy as well. It borders on comedy. Most of all it lacks a clear plot thread. It's a bunch of detached ideas that never fully overlap.

I didn't like how cheap they made Batman's tech look. The Batmobile has a cardboard undercarriage you can punch through. The engineering blueprints are public domain. His armor is clearly shown to be rubber and worthless against the tiny needles on Catwoman's fingertips. Even his cowl can be easily town off.

The biggest sin of 'Returns' is it's hardly about Batman. He's just someone who's in the film.

The two Shumacker films aren't in my collection. I've never watched Batman and Robin in one sitting. I've seen it in bits and pieces over the years. garbage.

 

[HottoyzJoker]

Re: HT Batman 1989 Coming

I dont agree Batman and Batman Returns are both better then Batman Begins... The Dark Knight is better then all of them...

 

[jye4ever]

Re: HT Batman 1989 Coming

How about this, lets just make this easy for everyone

EXCELLENT:
Batman89
Batman Begins
The Dark Knight

CRAP:
Batman Forever
Batman and Robin

NOT GOOD ENOUGH TO BE PLACED ON THE EXCELLENT LIST BUT MUCH MUCH BETTER THAN THE CRAPPY OTHER 2 MENTIONED ABOVE:
Batman Returns

YOU'RE ALLOWED ONE SPECIAL CREDIT THAT CAN BE USED IF YOU WANT TO SAY THAT BATMAN FOREVER DOESN'T BELONG ASSOCIATED WITH BATMAN AND ROBIN.

See, Batman movies made simple

 

[cokebabies]

Re: HT Batman 1989 Coming

Except for the hardcore Returns fans, I think that's a list most could get behind.

 

[robbiethepainter]

Re: HT Batman 1989 Coming

How about this, lets just make this easy for everyone

EXCELLENT:
Batman89
Batman Begins
The Dark Knight

CRAP:
Batman Forever
Batman and Robin

NOT GOOD ENOUGH TO BE PLACED ON THE EXCELLENT LIST BUT MUCH MUCH BETTER THAN THE CRAPPY OTHER 2 MENTIONED ABOVE:
Batman Returns

YOU'RE ALLOWED ONE SPECIAL CREDIT THAT CAN BE USED IF YOU WANT TO SAY THAT BATMAN FOREVER DOESN'T BELONG ASSOCIATED WITH BATMAN AND ROBIN.

See, Batman movies made simple

Thanks for the list Jye. I think that can really clear things up for everyone.

 

[jye4ever]

Re: HT Batman 1989 Coming

Except for the hardcore Returns fans, I think that's a list most could get behind.

This is what I have to say about Batman Returns:

____ those stupid ass penguins and their rocket back packs, ____ them sideways!

 

[TheObsoleteMan]

Re: HT Batman 1989 Coming

The biggest sin of 'Returns' is it's hardly about Batman. He's just someone who's in the film.

That's because Returns isn't a Batman movie, it was Burton doing his old goth fairy tale schtick with his gruesome new Penguin as the star.

 

[jye4ever]

Re: HT Batman 1989 Coming

That's because Returns isn't a Batman movie, it was Burton doing his old goth fairy tale schtick with his gruesome new Penguin as the star.

True true.....Burton with his damn father issues.........sheesh...like he's the only one in the whole world who was locked in a dark closet and beaten.

I mean...look at me...I was also.....and I turned out just fine.....

Hold on, my kids are calling me from the basement crawl space...i'll be right back.

 

[jye4ever]

Re: HT Batman 1989 Coming

Thanks for the list Jye. I think that can really clear things up for everyone.

Glad I could help

I aim to please

 

[snoop101]

Re: HT Batman 1989 Coming

That's because Returns isn't a Batman movie, it was Burton doing his old goth fairy tale schtick with his gruesome new Penguin as the star.

You could definitely tell Burton had full control in making Returns, thats why it was retarded.

 

[turtlepower73]

Re: HT Batman 1989 Coming

now were getting the coolest batman of them all. not christian one dimensional bale actor. he plays all his characters the same..

 

[snoop101]

Re: HT Batman 1989 Coming

now were getting the coolest batman of them all. not christian one dimensional bale actor. he plays all his characters the same..

yeah, he's not a very good or diverse actor at all

 

[Customikey]

Re: HT Batman 1989 Coming

I'm not gonna debate which movies are better. I have a special place in my heart for the Burton Batman films.

I'm down for Bats, Joker, Penguin, and Catwoman.

 

[Darth Waller]

Re: HT Batman 1989 Coming

now were getting the coolest batman of them all. not christian one dimensional bale actor. he plays all his characters the same..

yeah, he's not a very good or diverse actor at all

But he's a good dancer.

 

[batfan08]

Re: HT Batman 1989 Coming

I don't think Bale's a bad actor.