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58 of 60 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Tim Burton's Vision of Batman...at Last with Special Features!, November 20, 2005
The worldwide success of Christopher Nolan's "Batman Begins" has prompted Warner Bros. to finally release Tim Burton's 1989 "Batman" with an extra disc of special features...and this is an event worth cheering about!
A groundbreaking cinematic achievement (and one of the most expensive films ever produced, to that time), "Batman" was a tremendous gamble, and the story behind the ten-year struggle to bring it to the screen is fascinating! It is a tale of visionaries, beginning with Michael Uslan, a young student/Batman fan, who not only convinced his university to include comics in their curriculum, but, fired up by Richard Donner's "Superman", knew a Batman film could be just as powerful, and took the idea, with Batman creator Bob Kane's blessing, to Hollywood; of Peter Gruber and Jon Peters, who listened to Uslan, after every studio had passed on it, saw the potential, and decided to gamble; of Sam Hamm, who had a "Batman" script in his head, praying to get the chance to write it; and, most importantly, of Tim Burton, whose dark, quirky sensibilities made him THE director to film it, despite only two feature films to his credit.
This remarkable story, with archival footage and new interviews, is the highlight of disc two, but there is much, much more! Did you know that Robin was scripted to make an appearance in the first film? That Sean Young, not Kim Basinger, had been cast as Vicki Vale? That the Batmobile, designed by Oscar-winner Anton Furst, could actually do 95 mph (and that Tim Burton drove it, once?) That the room where disfigured Jack Nicholson received his unsuccessful plastic surgery was actually a studio prop room? Each chapter is a revelation!
Not that there aren't a few disappointments in the presentation; there is no chapter with deleted scenes (although a few moments are shown that never made it into the finished film...a little girl, seeing Batman, asks, in all seriousness, "Is it Halloween?", which causes him to pause, and grin); the 'History' of Batman, despite a wealth of photos and clips from the comics, serials, and graphic novels, does not offer a single visual from the campy 60s TV series (whether this was a refusal by 20th Century Fox, who produced the series, to permit their use, or an attempt to distance the movie from the "ZAP! BAM! POW!" silliness is not explained). Also, the brief appearance of screen legend Jack Palance, as 'Boss Grissom', is largely ignored, other than in Tim Burton's audio commentary, which is surprising. Still, many of the cast share their memories (Billy Dee Williams still expresses disappointment that he didn't get to play 'Two-Face'; Robert Wuhl, regret that after they rewrote his death scene to allow his character to survive, he never appeared in another film in the franchise).
I guess what I'm saying, is...chuck your old copy of "Batman", and replace it with THIS one!
You'll be glad you did!
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22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Modern Classic, October 18, 1999
This film proved to the world that comic book films could be much more than action-packed carnage festivals. This film (and the first sequel "Batman Returns") have so much more to it than that. "Batman" is a gripping and very moving exploration of the psyche; it peers into the souls of not only the Dark Knight, but also those of the people whose lives he changes with his presence. The film is brilliantly acted by its perfectly-chosen cast, which includes Jack Nicholson (the Joker), Michael Keaton (the Batman), Kim Basinger (Vicki Vale), Micheal Gough (Alfred Pennyworth), and Robert Wuhl (Alexander Knox). Tim Burton makes perfect use of his wonderful directorial talents, Anton Furst designs a gothic, beautiful Gotham City, and Danny Elfman's classic musical score further help make this a unique, thought-provoking, and very powerful modern classic, a masterpiece of film noir and grand opera. "Batman Returns shares these wonderful qualities, but, sadly, Joel Schumacher's "Batman Forever" and "Batman and Robin" lose all of that depth and meaning, and become little more than standard mindless action. But, we'll always have Burton's dark vision of a haunted and brooding Batman.
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13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
DVD Production At Its Finest, October 18, 2005
The original 'Batman' film holds, for all Bat-fans, a sacred title as the one true (and certainly best) film in the original saga. The mere fact that it grossed hundreds of millions of dollars and shattered box office records is a testament to its validity as a cinematic tour de force. Facts and figures aside, the original "Batman" film revolutionized the way that films were made in regards to scale, merchandising, and certainly publicity. The fueling monster of Warner Brothers garnered record deals with Prince for soundtrack options and locked away square merchandising deals for an infinite amount of Batman paraphernalia. Its near-$40 million budget (unheard of for 1989) was immediately returned in its opening weekend gross, all fueled by the massive media and publicity frenzy woven around this landmark blockbuster film. To that end, it is no surprise that Warner Brothers finally released a worthy DVD complement to the effort that went into the original production of their film. And thus begins the review of the newly-released 2-disc Special Edition of Tim Burton's "Batman"...
THE PACKAGE:
Coordinated beautifully with the DVD release of "Batman Begins", the original "Batman" and subsequent Batman DVDs look fantastic. Each DVD case features a brand new metallic type font of the title with the short list of the casts running just above it. The "Batman" cover features the glistening Batman logo in its full glory (not clipped at the wings like previous VHS and DVD formats.) A textured metallic frame also surrounds the front face. A comprehensive list of the special features on disc 2 of the collection appears on the back cover with several brief descriptions of each segment's content. The discs themselves are fantastically laid out, each featuring newly-formed collage art from the film. Disc 2 displays the classic image of Batman violently gripping the Joker's suit jacket in the film's climax in Gotham Cathedral. One drawback of this particular edition is that it does not feature an inlet, booklet, or leaflet of any kind in its inside cover. Where many viewers like the guide to the film's chapters, I feel that this mistake is easily forgivable once we are compensated by the discs' features.
THE LOOK AND SOUND:
The widescreen 16:9 aspect ratio captures practically everything Burton shot in '89. Dolby 5.1 and DTS Surround ensure that every unique sound effect in the film is heard perfectly. Essentially, the transfer is just as affective as the previous bare-bones "Batman" DVD release with the only notable changes being a slightly thinner 16:9 ration instead of the previous 1.85:1 and the inclusion of the new DTS Surround Sound factor. The digital transfer crystallizes every single visual effect and brings Gotham City into its full glory during every sweeping master shot.
THE EXTRAS:
This is where the true magic lies in this edition. Five extra gallery features translate to over 20 featurettes ranging from 5 to 35 minutes in length. The gem of them all is a marvelous half-hour documentary on the evolution of the Batman lore from its inception in 1939 to its reinvention for film in 1989 and beyond. "Legends of the Dark Knight - The History of Batman" features many prominent comic book icons such as Stan Lee, Kevin Smith, and Bob Kane himself, all creating fantastic insight into the psyche and appeal of the Caped Crusader. Also featured are several extremely relevant Batman writers and artists who are responsible for thrusting the Dark Knight into a more contemporary context for several generations. Among them are Dennis O'Neil, Neal Adams, and THE Frank Miller. A strongpoint of the documentary is its choice to focus predominantly on the evolution of the CHARACTER of Batman as opposed to getting bogged down into discussing the 40's serials, the 60's television series catastrophe, and even the later films themselves. Narrated by Mr. Mark Hamill, the documentary delves deep into the psychology of the Batman and his affect on America and vice versa.
Shadows of the Bat - The Cinematic Saga of the Dark Knight", a three-part documentary showing the process to get Batman onto the big screen, is the second best feature of the second disc. The first 2 segments focus on pre-production for "Batman" with the last installment focusing on the principal photography and after effects of the film. The most remarkable thing about this documentary is that it features dozens of interviews with integral members of the cast and crew. Tim Burton is at the helm, giving the bulk of the information. Following closely behind are Michael Keaton, Kim Basinger, Billy Dee Williams, Pat Hingle, Michael Gough, Robert Wuhl, and even Mr. Jack Nicholson himself! Notorious for his privacy, Nicholson graciously supplies dozens of glorious minutes explaining his role in the process and even the psychosis of the Joker. The only one drawback to the documentary is the fact that Michael Keaton's interview is recycled footage from an old "Batman Return" behind-the-scenes program that ran on television in the early 90's. All other cast and crew interviews are brand new!
Also on the special features menu is a "Beyond Batman" documentary gallery, housing 6 separate featurettes with subjects ranging from the production design of the film; to the creation of the batsuit, batmobile, and bat-gadgets; as well as the transformation of Jack Nicholson into the Joker among others. Each of these video bits, averaging around 13 minutes, expounds on the finer aspects of the production of the film. Truly an aspiring filmmakers dream, these featurettes hone in on what happens behind the camera in the art, sound, and script departments. The structural and architectural analysis of the design of Gotham City is especially fascinating to witness!
Rounding out the second disc are three music videos by Prince, a lost Robin storyboard sequence, and a short clip of Bob Kane reflecting on his creation on the set of the original film. Short character bios contain more interviews that delve into specific characters in both the `heroes' and `villains' categories. When the ads stress "18 Hours of New Extras", the aren't joking around!
In summation, the 2-disc Special Edition of "Batman" is a landmark DVD release of a great film. Each featurette reveals great insight into the lore of the Batman as well as the production of the first film. Thankfully, very little of the interview clips are repeated throughout different documentaries, giving each special feature a refreshingly unique feel. This DVD is a must-have for any Batman fan. The information is so comprehensive that you're guaranteed to walk away having learned something new you didn't know before. This DVD is the benchmark to which all other Special Edition DVDs should be measured!
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