Batman Begins is the greatest Batman Film to me.

[Fudgie]

Begins was a novelty too cos it was like the first Batman flick to give Batman something to do in it besides react to nasty villains. That's all he did in Burton and Schumacher's ones.

[MQUIN SKYWALKER]

begins is one of my faves as well

[Rodrigo90]

Ok. I was watching Begins last night, since I got the trilogy on Blu Ray for crimbo

And in my head during the Asylum scene between Rachel and Crane, I reimagined the entirety of that scenario.

After Rachel and Crane get out of the elevator in the Asylum's bottom levels, he tells her to wait there as he goes down the corridor. After a moment, the lights shut off, and Rachel is surrounded in darkness. She starts calling out for Crane...then, the dim back up genarator lights kick in, and standing there is Scarecrow. Only this time wearing more of a costume than just his suit. He brandishes a giant scythe, covered in what appears to be dry blood. Rachel starts to panic, as the Scarecrow slams the scythe to the floor, and starts dragging it behind him moving slowly towards her.

"The...look...of fear in your eyes... It's beautiful"

At that, Rachel darts off in the other direction as fast as she can run. But Scarecrow still moves at his own slow pace, screeching the sycthe behind him.

"YOU'RE IN MY WORLD, MISS DAWES...YOU CAN'T ESCAPE IT"

Franticaly, Rachel tries every door she sees, but they are all locked. She hears the sound of Crane's shuffling feet and the scythe's screeching drawing closer, and continues further down the corridor. Now the sound of men snarling, screaming and crying can be heard

She comes to the end and barges through the double doors...where she's confronted by the sight of Arkham inmates chained to the floor with collars around their necks. Some are out of it, while the others attempt to reach for Rachel, some with hands ready to murder, with others, hands wanting to be saved. Rachel spots another door at the other side of the room, and now Scarecrow is almost on top of her. She braves her fear and splits, narrowly avoiding those inmates. As Scarecrow enter the room however, all the inmates cower as hard as they can to the walls., covering their ears to the sound of the scythe.

As Rachel bolts to the door though however, she finds it locked...she turns to face Scarecrow...his hands raised in the air, scythe at the ready -

"That's it...that's what I love to see from people...the fear...of knowing they're about to die"

Just at that moment however, before the scythe can be used, it's torn out of Scarecrow's hands by the quick line of a grapple...

Batman charges at him and knocks him down, but Scarecrow manages again to spray Batman in the face. While this has no major effect on him, it does allow Scarecrow to slip out of his grasp and run out of the room.
Batman gets to his feet and drags Rachel out the room, telling her to get out while he goes after the Scarecrow...

Batman is lead by Crane into the room at the other end of the corridor, where the other inmates are dwelling, creating the chemicals and dumping them into Gotham's water supply.
He is forced to fight them all...ending it all by blowing up several containers of the fear gas into the room, reducing the inmates to weeping children, along with Crane.
Outside he explains the situation to Rachel, and tells her to tell Gordon as soon as the police arrive, and supplies them both with the antidote.

I just wanted to see Scarecow in a creepy slasher/horror like scene

[BH/HHH]

The greatest scene for me us the scene at the docks where it's like something out of a horror movie, just awesome.

[Anno_Domini]

As with all three films, my favorite moment in BB is the ending. The Joker card, Gordon trying to thank Batman and then Bats flying off to end the film. Just packs a punch as much as TDK and TDKR's endings.

[RustyCage]

Originally Posted by Lead Cenobite

For all it's flaws, I find Begins more enjoyable than TDK. It feels like a Batman movie rather than a crime thriller which I consider a good thing.

I'm STILL waiting for the movie that gives us a healthy portion of both. Shockingly, Nolan played both extremes without ever merging them.

I think Tim Burton and Chris Nolan should have a clone baby together, and that baby can direct the next Batman films.

[RustyCage]

Originally Posted by BH/HHH

The greatest scene for me us the scene at the docks where it's like something out of a horror movie, just awesome.

Hell yes. We needed more of that sensation in the other two films.

[Anno_Domini]

Originally Posted by RustyCage

I'm STILL waiting for the movie that gives us a healthy portion of both. Shockingly, Nolan played both extremes without ever merging them.

I think Tim Burton and Chris Nolan should have a clone baby together, and that baby can direct the next Batman films.

If you're talking about a healthy portion of both Bruce Wayne and Batman, I felt that was Batman Begins. Essentially, BB has a nice dose of both while TDK felt Batman-heavy and TDKR obviously felt Bruce-heavy.

Originally Posted by RustyCage

Hell yes. We needed more of that sensation in the other two films.

Since the theme of fear did indeed return in TDKR, I wouldn't have mind that feeling like the dock's fight that had the shaky cam because of showing the fear idea and how the thugs felt while fighting Batman, or it could have just been in all three films, lol.

[RustyCage]

Originally Posted by Anno_Domini

If you're talking about a healthy portion of both Bruce Wayne and Batman, I felt that was Batman Begins.

I was talking about 'Batman movie' versus 'crime thriller'. I feel like Begins leaned toward the first a lot and could have used more of the second, while TDK leaned toward the second a lot and could have used more of the first.

Since the theme of fear did indeed return in TDKR, I wouldn't have mind that feeling like the dock's fight that had the shaky cam because of showing the fear idea and how the thugs felt while fighting Batman, or it could have just been in all three films, lol.

I've seen people say this before, and I guess I didn't pick up on it, so I'm going to ask: How did fear return as a theme in TDKR?

Would have loved shaky cam again period, for just one scene. It's an effective statement about Batman's character, and the Bane vs. Batman fights had awesome camera work and choreography, so there's no way it would have hurt.

[Anno_Domini]

Originally Posted by RustyCage

I was talking about 'Batman movie' versus 'crime thriller'. I feel like Begins leaned toward the first a lot and could have used more of the second, while TDK leaned toward the second a lot and could have used more of the first.

Ahh, I see. Did you think TDKR was a Batman movie or something else?

I've seen people say this before, and I guess I didn't pick up on it, so I'm going to ask: How did fear return as a theme in TDKR?

Scarecrow's return cameo really showed how fear was an overlapping factor in the trilogy and moreso in the threequel than the sequel with more time for Crane and his obsession with fear with being at such a high position as a "judge" while he had a high position as a doctor in BB.

Plus, Bane's acknowledgement to Dr. Pavel for being afraid and how that should come later....I think fear played a role, even if minor and not as bright as BB.

Would have loved shaky cam again period, for just one scene. It's an effective statement about Batman's character, and the Bane vs. Batman fights had awesome camera work and choreography, so there's no way it would have hurt.

True. I wouldn't mind if we get shaky cam when Batman took out thugs but not for the major villains who would have less fear in them than the "regular" thugs.

[BatLobsterRises]

Originally Posted by RustyCage

I've seen people say this before, and I guess I didn't pick up on it, so I'm going to ask: How did fear return as a theme in TDKR?

In addition to what Anno said, I think it's very important that fear was essentially the key to Bruce's rise. After years of being numb to fear and using it against his enemies, he had to finally allow it back in. He had to stare down into that abyss and feel the fear of death to give him that extra push back into the light he so desperately needed. It's how he was able to get out of the pit, regain his humanity and basically earn a second shot at life.

[Anno_Domini]

I totally forgot about the entire Pit plot of Bruce having to bring the fear "back in" and ultimately acknowledging that yes, he is fearful of dying and not just in the Pit, but even dying as Batman as he was seemingly planning on going out with by returning as Batman and probably being his last time doing so against Bane.

[BatLobsterRises]

Yup. Fear cured him of his death wish.

[RustyCage]

Originally Posted by BatLobsterRises

In addition to what Anno said, I think it's very important that fear was essentially the key to Bruce's rise. After years of being numb to fear and using it against his enemies, he had to finally allow it back in. He had to stare down into that abyss and feel the fear of death to give him that extra push back into the light he so desperately needed. It's how he was able to get out of the pit, regain his humanity and basically earn a second shot at life.

You know, you're right. And the best part is, this is legitimate as it draws on both Alfred and Bane's early dialogue to him. I like that. Adds punch.

It seems fear did have an important part to play, even if I wouldn't necessarily say it was the returning 'theme'.

The theme of the film, to me, seemed to be desolation.

[Anno_Domini]

I'd say hope is a major theme as well.

[RustyCage]

Originally Posted by Anno_Domini

I'd say hope is a major theme as well.

In that way, I felt like it touched on TDK's ending, regarding people's faith being rewarded.

[Anno_Domini]

Indeed. And with the hero dying which is alluded to by both Dent and Batman as well as Gotham finally having its hero with a face by having a statue of this face - Batman.

[redfirebird2008]

I agree with the thread title. BB and MOTP are pretty much tied for me, but I give a slight edge to BB.

[kvz5]

It has its flaws but BB is still the best Batman film for me. Even after countless views, I'm still surprised at how many things I love so much about that movie. If I can only watch one Batman film ever again, it will be BB for me.

[Anno_Domini]

BB indeed feels like one of those full-fledged Batman films and while TDK and TDKR are still great, Nolan's presence was all over them while Batman Begins had a more comic-like batsuit, went through the origin of Batman, even teased the Joker card that made it seem like Batman was going to be around forever and while TDKR finally ended the series and had Bruce move on, TDK even had small bits of the fact that Bruce was going to walk away from the cape and cowl. BB is the film in the trilogy that felt like Batman was everlasting, and not just as a symbol but as Bruce underneath the cowl.