Favorite BatMovie?

[Joker85]

With Year 1 being talked about so much, what is your favorite Batman movie, including the Animated ones. Mine would have to be Mask Of The Phantasm, with the original Batman with Michael Keaton being a close second.

[Eve]

Yeah i liked batman and mr. freeze, even though i hate the charater freeze ewwww he is lame, and for the big movies i like Batman 1 it was simply the best (heh)

[The Flash]

MASK OF THE PHANTASM

[Man of Steel]

Hey:

My favorite Batman movie would have to be Mask of the Phantasm, Batman, Batman Returns, and Batman Beyond Return of the Joker.

[Beyond Batman]

Sub Zero and the Worlds Finest Animated Video release. I think the animated series seems to capture what Batman is all about better than the live action movies. Although Burtin's first Batman film was relatively better than the rest of them, any one of the animated series beats out those live action films combined. In a category of it's own, I think the Batman Beyond ROTJ UNEDITED is also a great movie.

-Beyond Batman

[Inque]

not technically a movie, but an animated video release. the 'disappearing inque" video of eps from batman beyond is the best.... too bad i don't own it

[Clayface]

Hmmm, tough call. I guess I'd say:

1) Mask of the Phantasm
2) BB: Return of the Joker (unedited version)
3) Batman (live action)

[Domino]

Mask of the Phantasm, followed by the 1966 Adam West movie. Before everyone jumps me, let me explain that in the mid-60s, the Adam West version was closer to the comic book at the time than Michael Keaton's was in 1989.

I will reiterate my opinion that the live action movies of 1989 and later are garbage. One of the central character traits of Batman (with the exception of 1939) has always been that he doesn't kill, and the Keaton character did it all the time; even to the point where in Batman Returns he does it for comic relief. I don't mind the costume, paunch, glasses, and all the minor trivia. You can chalk that up to artistic license. But when you change the fundamental character to that extent, it's not even the same character.

[James Harvey]

Mine would have to be:

1) MASK OF THE PHANTASM
2) BATMAN BEYOND: ROTJ (UNEDITED CUT)
3) BATMAN (1989)

Followed by the "not a real movie" movie, WORLD'S FINEST. I think those three have portrayed Batman the best in the media, and also did really well. While MOTP only made 5.9 mill at the box office, it killed with over $50 mill in video sales. ROTJ is also a runaway hit on VHS. The first Batman was just a great pic, even though that whole killing thing does sorta get on my nerves a bit. And BATMAN (1966) wasn't influenced the comics, it was vice-versa according to that BATMAN coffee table book my Chip Kidd. Still, MOTP remains the best.

[killercroc]

You hate Freeze? I mean he is a villian, but his reasons are more complex than most. He could just almost be a good guy. he's so conflicted, like the Bat. That's why I like him, as a villian.

[Domino]

Originally posted by DickGrayson
And BATMAN (1966) wasn't influenced the comics, it was vice-versa according to that BATMAN coffee table book my Chip Kidd.

Nonsense; the first several episodes were based on golden age Batman stories. The show influenced later comics, with Robin saying, "Holy this," and "Holy that," but the show was most definitely close to the comics of the time.

[Blight]

Here's my list of favs, from first to last:

1) Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker (both versions)
2) Batman: Mask of the Phantasm
3) Batman (the original Keaton film)

Well, there you have it!

See ya!
Blight

[Nightwing]

Originally posted by Domino

Batman refused to kill in the 60s versian, and even moreso in BTAS. But I think BTAS did it better considering the times that Adam West's show were in. Not just Batman, but EVERYONE seemed corny. I mean, I feel like I can't even compare them. I love Adam West's show, it was just campy and corny, but that's only if you look at it from the 21st century. I think it's too campy too, but if you're asked who was the one who saw the old show on the Sci-fi channel ONCE, and checked back EVERY day to find out if they gave it a timeslot, the answer is ME! And I'm still lookin!

Where else can you see Batman and Robin looking at a large key made of gold, and DG says: "Wholey key hole Batman!" Oh that brings me back.

Anyway, BTAS (and TNBA) is clearly the best interpretation of Batman because they handled the don't kill thing extremely well, with episodes like His Silicon Soul, Never Fear, and even Alfred's speaches about Bruce and his obsession in Mask of The Phantasm. You can really understand how Bruce's character is. He wants to avenge everyone hurt by crime and evil, and he does so with agression, BUT his greatest fear is to let his emotions and his past get the best of him, and become what he fights against. It's an EXCELLENT blend of Bruce being extremely dark, yet still a true hero, fighting for what should be fought for.

Although I believe the original Batman comics had Bruce killing people. I'm not completely against those comics, or the movies, but I do highly prefer how batman animated does it.

[optimal321]

My list:
1. BATMAN MASK OF THE PHANTASM
2. BATMAN BEYOND RETURN OF THE JOKER
3. SUBZERO/ BATMAN1 (tie)

And there ya have it.

[mxyzptlk]

1.batman
2.mask of the phantasom
3.batman returns

[Clayface]

Originally posted by Domino

I will reiterate my opinion that the live action movies of 1989 and later are garbage. One of the central character traits of Batman (with the exception of 1939) has always been that he doesn't kill, and the Keaton character did it all the time; even to the point where in Batman Returns he does it for comic relief.

I agree and disagree. In the first movie, I can only think of one time Bats reall "purposefully" kills - when he drives into the factory and drops the bombs outo f the Batmobile, blowing up the whole place, and taking the bad guys with. And, at the time I saw it in the movies, it didn't even register to me that he killed them - I never even noticed that until years after when someone pointed out to me. So, to me, the first movie was great - it was dark, it should be, and, for the most part, they kept everyone in character. Now the following movies, well, I'm not a big fan of them, but for other reasons.

[Fish]

Here is my top 3 Batman movie list

1) MOTP
2) ROTJ uncut
3)Batman Returns

I think the animated series is the only ones that really shows us the whole idea of Batman, and that is why I watch it religiously like so many other peeps in here. BTAS, TNBA and BB are truely made in the spirit of The Bat IMO

<>< F I S H ><>

[Domino]

Originally posted by Clayface



I agree and disagree. In the first movie, I can only think of one time Bats reall "purposefully" kills - when he drives into the factory and drops the bombs outo f the Batmobile, blowing up the whole place, and taking the bad guys with. And, at the time I saw it in the movies, it didn't even register to me that he killed them - I never even noticed that until years after when someone pointed out to me. So, to me, the first movie was great - it was dark, it should be, and, for the most part, they kept everyone in character. Now the following movies, well, I'm not a big fan of them, but for other reasons.

When he flies the Batwing at the Joker's gang and fires twin machine guns and surface-to-air missiles at the Joker, he was trying very hard to kill him.

How about the part where he grabs the guy around the head with his legs, clunks him into the bell in the cathedral and sends him plunging to his death? Would the Batman you know do that?

When he finally confronts the Joker, Batman says, "I'm going to kill you."

Dark is fine, but murderous?

[Eldermount]

Originally posted by Domino
When he flies the Batwing at the Joker's gang and fires twin machine guns and surface-to-air missiles at the Joker, he was trying very hard to kill him.

How about the part where he grabs the guy around the head with his legs, clunks him into the bell in the cathedral and sends him plunging to his death? Would the Batman you know do that?

When he finally confronts the Joker, Batman says, "I'm going to kill you."

Dark is fine, but murderous?

I'm not sure that campy is that much better of a representation of Batman. And there is a precedence in the comics for Batman getting "murderous". Batman: Year Two, and Death in the Family. Batman wanting to kill Joe Chill and the Joker respectively.

[Domino]

Originally posted by Eldermount


I'm not sure that campy is that much better of a representation of Batman. And there is a precedence in the comics for Batman getting "murderous". Batman: Year Two, and Death in the Family. Batman wanting to kill Joe Chill and the Joker respectively.

Wanting to and trying to are two completely different things. And I think that campy in 1966 was closer to the heart of the character at that time than murdering (how's that for a distinction?) was in 1989.

I'm not saying that Tim Burton's view of Batman is any less valid than any other; as anyone would tell you, there have been several different versions of the character. I'm saying that the one common thread that all of them shared until the Batman movie, (once again, excluding 1939) was that Batman does not cross that line, and I didn't care for it when the line was not only crossed, but obliterated.