Batman & Robin (and the other pre-Nolan bat films)

MJ23

just watching this terrible, awful film for the first time here now. I heard it was bad, but its so bad that i cant turn it off. The cheesey lines, the horrible special effects, Chris o donnell saying cowabunga, that creature Bane. My god I've never seen anything so bad. Thank god Christopher Nolan did an excellent reboot, cant wait for the new film.

corcaigh07

dont forget Ar-nold:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNaDZIrxh-0

Savman

This comes into the "so bad it's good" category for me. I mean, the dialogue is excruciatingly hammy you can only laugh.

It's nearly a Batspoof.

Skerries

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRH-Ywpz1_I

"there's a freeze coming!"

tvnutz

You do wonder what kind of drugs the writers were on when they put this script together!

Nolanger

The showed that movie one night in The Village nightclub in Camden Street
before the music started!

paddy kerins

I always thought it was a brilliant deconstruction of the super-hero genre

WoundedRhino

Dreadful film. Completely killed the franchise. Just an awful pun-fest. YOU AH NOT TAKIING ME TO DA COOLAH!

Still. Alicia Silverstone in tight black PVC, so not all bad.

krudler

this is more entertaining than the movie itself

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jj2KcFj1jbE

Niles

Batman Forever wasn't much better, but yeah it's pretty dire. A pity really as the first two films were okay (I still prefer Batman (1989) over any of the Nolan films).

There seems to be a trend in the Burton/Schumacher era that all Bat-villains are unhinged, manic reiterations of the Joker, when really villains like the Penguin, Two Face, Mr.Freeze should be treated as more serious characters. As a kid I used to watch the 90s animated series and found its portrayal of Mr Freeze (basically a good man who became obsessed with saving his wife) far more compelling than the film version.

But yeah basically this film was more a parody of itself than anything else.

da_hambo

I agree the keaton movie is my favourite too.so dark and broody and the batsuit from that is the definitive one for me.

Niles wrote: »

Batman Forever wasn't much better, but yeah it's pretty dire. A pity really as the first two films were okay (I still prefer Batman (1989) over any of the Nolan films).

There seems to be a trend in the Burton/Schumacher era that all Bat-villains are unhinged, manic reiterations of the Joker, when really villains like the Penguin, Two Face, Mr.Freeze should be treated as more serious characters. As a kid I used to watch the 90s animated series and found its portrayal of Mr Freeze (basically a good man who became obsessed with saving his wife) far more compelling than the film version.

But yeah basically this film was more a parody of itself than anything else.

Niles

da_hambo wrote: »

I agree the keaton movie is my favourite too.so dark and broody and the batsuit from that is the definitive one for me.

Indeed, despite Nolan having access to more technological developments there's quite an atmosphere in the 1989 film that you just don't get in the Nolan series.

krudler

Niles wrote: »

Indeed, despite Nolan having access to more technological developments there's quite an atmosphere in the 1989 film that you just don't get in the Nolan series.

and a kick ass soundtrack:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MR_X6GunOlQ

Prince may be a creepy little sex dwarf, but man he can write a funky tune

Niles

krudler wrote: »

and a kick ass soundtrack:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MR_X6GunOlQ

Prince may be a creepy little sex dwarf, but man he can write a funky tune

Yes indeedy. Speaking of the soundtrack, the Danny Elfman Batman theme itself is another point on which I think the 1989 film trumps the 2005/8 ones. For me this will always be the Batman theme:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4ydxgekFls

PWEI

Niles wrote: »

Indeed, despite Nolan having access to more technological developments there's quite an atmosphere in the 1989 film that you just don't get in the Nolan series.

I agree, much prefer the 1989 film.

Never had the pleasure of seeing Batman and Robin, I think it was the imdb rating that put me off. It has an even lower rating than Highlander 2; :eek:


http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118688/

Oafley Jones

Loved the 89 film as a kid, but time hasn't been kind to it at all. Revisited it for the first time in a decade over the Christmas and was surprised by how naff the whole thing was, it really is a incredibly mixed bag. Still love Keaton and it's a shame that he doesn't get more work, but Burton hadn't really a clue what to do with him or his title character. Batman is even less a presence in the sequel.

I'm all up for different interpretations of the character, but Burtons take is more an art project for his particular aesthetic and less of an examination of the comic book characters. The directors commentary is interesting as well as it consists of Burton wondering wtf he was doing as well as pondering how he scored the gig.

Still like Furst's take on Gotham, but the execution isn't great and the Gotham feels like it spans a particularly small sound stage.

krudler

Batman was the first movie I saw in the cinema and seeing the opening credits for the first time will stay with me forever. aside from John William's Superman march the Elfman theme is the best comic movie theme ever. especially here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sk4v5dZrwDY

perfect.

Oafley Jones

krudler wrote: »

Batman was the first movie I saw in the cinema and seeing the opening credits for the first time will stay with me forever. aside from John William's Superman march the Elfman theme is the best comic movie theme ever. especially here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sk4v5dZrwDY

perfect.

Decent into Mystery is the track I go back to most. Love the start of it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2iK7KKsO3BY

krudler

Oafley Jones wrote: »

Loved the 89 film as a kid, but time hasn't been kind to it at all. Revisited it for the first time in a decade over the Christmas and was surprised by how naff the whole thing was, it really is a incredibly mixed bag. Still love Keaton and it's a shame that he doesn't get more work, but Burton hadn't really a clue what to do with him or his title character. Batman is even less a presence in the sequel.

I'm all up for different interpretations of the character, but Burtons take is more an art project for his particular aesthetic and less of an examination of the comic book characters. The directors commentary is interesting as well as it consists of Burton wondering wtf he was doing as well as pondering how he scored the gig.

Still like Furst's take on Gotham, but the execution isn't great and the Gotham feels like it spans a particularly small sound stage.

wasnt it shot on the 007 stage at Pinewood? its the biggest soundstage in the world, or was at least

LighterGuy

Yeah, Batman and Robin is terrible.
Looking back, they were clearly going for the 60s tv show vibe. Bad mistake.

Galvasean

I think they took their inspiration from the Adam West show and tried to make it as silly as possible to market it to kids. Of course kids had already been watching the Animated Series which was really well put together. It's like the tones were reversed.
I mean honestly, what the heck is this?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FzhISE-r5ps

nyarlothothep

WoundedRhino wrote: »

Dreadful film. Completely killed the franchise. Just an awful pun-fest. YOU AH NOT TAKIING ME TO DA COOLAH!

Still. Alicia Silverstone in tight black PVC, so not all bad.

Terrible puns and Alicia Silverstone, what's not to like?

Niles

Galvasean wrote: »

I think they took their inspiration from the Adam West show and tried to make it as silly as possible to market it to kids. Of course kids had already been watching the Animated Series which was really well put together.

Yeah, that Animated Series was probably a rare example of a tv spin-off being superior to the film series (I say spin-off in that it arguably takes some influence from the 1989 film, the score, the 40s/noir style Gotham, though obviously not sharing in the same continuity). Hamill's performance as the Joker is probably the best there is, personally I preferred it to that of Ledger.

Another thing I've wondered about Batman & Robin was why they saw fit to make Barbara/Batgirl Alfred's niece, rather than Commissioner Gordon's daughter as is the more common version. Seemed a kind of needless change, other than I suppose it gives her more credence to go snooping about the mansion.

DirkVoodoo

Uma Thurman, that is all:



Ah the batman credit card, expiration date: forever!



That's up there with bat shark-repellent.

Yeah, sure Joel!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ow2SVDpd8YA

At least Schumacher had the decency to apologise.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6epsGrcuTs

As much as I like Keaton's Batman I think that Kilmer is the definitive version. He nails the whole psychotic aspect of Batman, kinda helps when youre a psycho in real life but his Batman is just a cold, calculating bastard.

Lanaier

Niles wrote: »

As a kid I used to watch the 90s animated series and found its portrayal of Mr Freeze (basically a good man who became obsessed with saving his wife) far more compelling than the film version.

Same, I used to watch the 90's cartoon and Freeze was one of my favourite villains.
It's not even the same character in that movie.

If you're into gaming, Arkham City does Freeze justice.

Handsome Bob

I think that fanboys secretly love B&R, they know every line off by heart. :eek: :pac:

Galvasean

Deleted User wrote: »

At least Schumacher had the decency to apologise.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6epsGrcuTs

Apparently George Clooney still gives people seven bucks if tehy say they saw B&R in the cinema.

Galvasean

Galvasean wrote: »

Apparently George Clooney still gives people seven bucks if tehy say they saw B&R in the cinema.

I don't think 7 dollars would cover the psychological damage that the film inflicted upon me. It managed to destroy so many childhoods that the producers could face a class action suit for the damage it inflicted.

Penn

It was just the world's longest toy commercial. I mean, they defeat Poison Ivy, then go back to the Batcave and put on Batsuits which have white/silver designs. Errr... why? Then they drive to Gotham Observatory in a Baticemobile, Bathovercraft and Batbikethatcangoonice. Well, how did they get from Ivy's to the Batcave to get them?

krudler wrote: »

this is more entertaining than the movie itself

Can't believe that list doesn't include the bit where Mr.Freeze grabs a vine, then does an incredible jump the length of the room without any kind of run up or anything. No need for the vine at all, just a huge leap without bending his knees or some propulsion system built into his suit.... Mr.Freeze can f*cking fly and likes to hold a vine while he does it.

Niles

Deleted User wrote: »

At least Schumacher had the decency to apologise.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6epsGrcuTs

He apologises to people who enjoyed Batman Forever... wait, people enjoyed Batman Forever? I'll admit to being a fan of Jim Carrey but that's not really a factor that should come into play when rating a Batman film...

Nervous Wreck

Niles wrote: »

He apologises to people who enjoyed Batman Forever... wait, people enjoyed Batman Forever? I'll admit to being a fan of Jim Carrey but that's not really a factor that should come into play when rating a Batman film...

I'd say the only person who enjoyed Batman Forever was Chris O'Donnell.

Niles

Niles wrote: »

He apologises to people who enjoyed Batman Forever... wait, people enjoyed Batman Forever? I'll admit to being a fan of Jim Carrey but that's not really a factor that should come into play when rating a Batman film...

Batman Forever is far from a bad film. It may not be a patch on the first two but it's quite entertaining and Kilmer's Batman is one if the best.

Daftendirekt

nyarlothothep wrote: »

Terrible puns and Alicia Silverstone, what's not to like?

The Batnipples :eek:

Mark Hamill

krudler wrote: »

this is more entertaining than the movie itself

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jj2KcFj1jbE

Lol at number 12, it looks like Batman Bat-roofied Freeze :pac:

Temaz

Cult classic!!

WatchWolf

Temaz wrote: »

Cult classic!!

This is why Superman works alone.

Galvasean

Penn wrote: »

It was just the world's longest toy commercial.

speaking of toys what the hell were they thinking when they made this?

willies

I know what you're thinking, "What's so naff about that?"
Look at it when it's assembled...

Rabies

his cape doubles in length too

Professey Chin

The Batman Forever Batcave toy was awesome though

krudler

Deleted User wrote: »

Batman Forever is far from a bad film. It may not be a patch on the first two but it's quite entertaining and Kilmer's Batman is one if the best.

I do like the whole psychological aspect of why he became Batman, the cave and giant bat, there's some good themes under all the neon nonsense.

this is the only pic of it I can find but there was some deleted scene where Bruce confronts a giant nightmarish bat that was deleted

Galvasean

^^ Good call on the deletion!

krudler

Galvasean wrote: »

^^ Good call on the deletion!

ha, it does kinda look like a fuzzy version of the bat gremlin in Gremlins 2

Underdraft

Deleted User wrote: »

At least Schumacher had the decency to apologise.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6epsGrcuTs

I think Schumacher even said that he hadn't realised he had signed up to basically do a 2hour toy commercial. I get the impression that lot of how it turned out was out of his hands before the get go.

Sadly I'm sort of a completist and so I have B/R in my collection. I think the ultimate indictment of the film is that I can really remember the plot or what Freeze's objective was after he got out of prison. If you can't even recall the A to Z of a blockbuster then it probably wasn't that interesting in the first place.

B/R = Great visuals and enjoyably stupid puns, but easily the worst movie in the 4x franchise.

Mellor

Underdraft wrote: »

I think the ultimate indictment of the film is that I can really remember the plot or what Freeze's objective was after he got out of prison. If you can't even recall the A to Z of a blockbuster then it probably wasn't that interesting in the first place.

Pretty much steal all the diamonds (to power the suit) and freeze gotham.

Mellor

While I agree that Batman and Robin is far worse than Batman:Forever, I still dislike forever for being the start of the end.

Burton was actually signed on for the third movie.
With most of the cast remaining, Keaton as Batman, Billy Dee Williams as Harvey Dent. The riddler was still to be the villain, and there was supposed to be something that leaves the door open for two face in a sequel.

The studio thought it was two dark. I'd of loved to see Burtons take on it.

Galvasean

Am I the only one who thinks Batman Returns was fairly crap? I mean honestly, the Penguin's army of penguins in the sewer is almost as naff as the weird crap they stuck into Batman & Robin.
The franchise got more and more wacky (and by wacky I mean dodgy as hell) with each sequel. Even the first film had that stupid scene with the bat plane.
I don't really see this dividing line where we have Burton's films = good on one side, with Forever and B&R on a polar opposite. I think the franchise started well (but far from perfect) and deteriorated a good bit with each movie.
I really don't think the drop in quality between Forever and B&R is any more than the drop in quality between Batman and Batman Returns.

Marty McFly

Have to say im not a huge fan of any of the early Batmans I was at the time but I think Nolans interpertation of it is miles better, but Batman and Robin was truly shockingly bad. The first time I saw it I was a 14 yr old teenager in the cinema and I can still remember being disgustingly dissapointed by it, im glad to see even my 14 yr old self had some taste in films.

For me it doesnt fall into so bad its good category its just pure and utter crap of the highest order, maybe I still havent got over that dissapointment .

sxt

Michael Keaton > all other people that have played batman

applehunter

Batman and Robin was basically a comedy.

The Batman credit card and Bat-ass shot were head in hands moments.

There was no way back after this.

Lanaier

luvbulmers01 wrote: »

Have to say im not a huge fan of any of the early Batmans I was at the time but I think Nolans interpertation of it is miles better....

Yes I watched the 1989 Batman again just a few days ago (the missus had never seen it) and while it was good fun it doesn't really compare to the newer iterations imho.

I guess at the time they were trying to bridge the gap between the campy tv-series and the darker roots, so it comes off as more of a theatrical style.

It's as good as a Batman movie made in 1989 could have possibly been really.