Batman Retrospective: Part 2 Batman

After the 1966 campy Batman movie, it took another 23 years before another live action Batman movie would be made.  And with then rookie director Tim Burton, nobody really knew what to expect.  Tim Burton's previous work while highly regarded, wasn't exactly mainstream action.  In 1985 he was the director for Pee-Wee's Big Adventure followed later in 1988 with the cult classic Beetlejuice.  The one thing these movies shared with Batman was an emphasis on disturbing atmosphere.

The memory of Batman came strongly from the Adam West televison series, but Tim Burton loved the comics.  Before the silver age of comics, the Batman comics were dark, bloody, and often disturbing and thought provoking.  And that's the Batman movie we got.  A Batman movie where the city itself is almost a character.  Gotham city had a gothic and scary makeover.  It looked like something out of a nightmare during the night.  And at night we had a Batman who took that fear and put it back into the criminals. 

Also similar to the 1966 movie, an incredible cast was assembled.  Michael Keaton was chosen to play the troubled playboy/caped crusader and then Kim Basinger for the hero's love interest Vicki Vale.  Lando Calrissian (Billy Dee Williams) even made a cameo as Harvey Dent.  But the real take away from this movie was Jack Nicholson as the Joker.  This was a role Jack has played his entire life. 

The Joker is easily the greatest villian Batman ever had.  In 1966, it was played by acting legend Cesar Romero. Romero played the character as more of a clownish figure.  Complete with squirting flowers and a purple suit.  He couldn't even be bothered to shave his moustache to put on the clown makeup.  Jack Nicholson's Joker is far more disturbing.  He played the Joker like he was still Jack Torrance in The Shining.  Every word he said was tainted with malice.  Every laugh had menace.  And you could tell Jack was having the time of his life.

If anything this was the movie that is and should be known for the tonal shift away from the brightly colored goof fest that was the Batman tv show and brought Batman back into the shadows.  For me, I've yet to see a better Batman movie.