The Dark Knight Batsuit Discussion Thread

[Bathead]

I sincerely doubt that cloth-based costumes were not at least experimented with before both B'89 and Batman Begins. They never just outright decide on a single costume, they draw up plans, test different materials, and whatnot. For all we know, an expensive cloth costume was made up for Begins, and they realized it looked balls nasty, and went with armor.

Also, blue and grey works in the comics, but would you want to see that in the film?

"I sincerely doubt ...", "For all we know ..." ?
You're just guessing.
You don't know for a fact that they did try a grey-black costume (BTW , I never said anything about cloth) and rejected it. A speculation that is just as valid as yours is that Nolan wanted a traditional look, but was told by the WB suits he had to use a black rubber suit, as it was more familiar to movie-goers.
And personally, I prefer black and grey over the blue and grey any day, comics OR movies. No phony rationalizations, its just my preference.

 

[BatScot]

HOLY BAT THONG BATMAN!

... Doh!

HOLY BATMAN BEGINS THONG!

Ya know, if one were forced to wear a thong methinks one would choose the one made of cloth rather than the one made of rubber... unless, of course, you prefer your balz a bit on the sweaty side.

 

[Cobblepot]

The only thing I dislike are the dishwashing gloves, just give him some leather gloves.

 

[StorminNorman]

That Bat Thong however is the same color as the suit, so its not noticable.

Also - the Batman Begins suit is not rubber. It is made out of a material very similar to dive suits.

 

[batmaluco]

Almost two years ago:

Christian Bale Talks Batman
By James Wray
Sep 16, 2004, 19:00 GMT



IGN Filmforce have been speaking to Christian Bale on the set of Batman Begins...

On the Batsuit: "I'm not going to bit** about the suit, you know? There's a quote from me that some of the people had on the back of their t-shirt that said, 'It's hot, dark and sweaty and it gives me a headache,' which is absolutely true, but there's nothing more annoying than hearing actors bit** about their work and stuff like that. You know, I'm playing Batman, for gosh sakes. That's pretty fantastic. I'm not going to complain about getting a little bit sweaty..."

http://movies.monstersandcritics.com/news/printer_1486.php
t:

 

[batmaluco]

But we all know that everything can be improved.
Bale certainly also knows this.

 

[BatScot]

That Bat Thong however is the same color as the suit, so its not noticable.

A thong is a thong.

Also - the Batman Begins suit is not rubber.

And rubber by any other name...

"by the time you’ve put [the batsuit] on you’re almost 100% covered in neoprene or rubber."
http://www.batman-on-film.com/setreport3.html

"Neoprene polychloroprene IS an extremely versatile synthetic rubber..."
http://www.dupontelastomers.com/Products/Neoprene/neoprene.asp

... is rubber, as is the Begins suit.

 

[BatScot]

Over two years ago:

BOF BATMAN BEGINS set report #3--Day March and The Bat-suit!
by Paul J. Wares
Wednesday, January 5, 2005

Day Murch:

"I’m sure there are better materials other than neoprene it’s just that I didn’t get to find them in time."

http://www.batman-on-film.com/setreport3.html

Everything can be improved. And, moreover, somethings should be improved.
And the filmmakers themselves certainly know this.

 

[Boom]

Over two years ago:

BOF BATMAN BEGINS set report #3--Day March and The Bat-suit!
by Paul J. Wares
Wednesday, January 5, 2005

Day Murch:

"I’m sure there are better materials other than neoprene it’s just that I didn’t get to find them in time."

http://www.batman-on-film.com/setreport3.html

Everything can be improved. And, moreover, somethings should be improved.
And the filmmakers themselves certainly know this.

This is why I hope they actually try something new with this film. The costume designer flat out said there are better materials to use. Well, use them. You have plenty of time to find them.

 

[lujho]

... is rubber, as is the Begins suit.

Whether neoprene is rubber or not is besides the point though, really. It's the sculpted foam latex (also rubber) that you can see, not the neoprene. The neoprene is almost completely invisible - it's covered up. Which makes it a sculpted foam latex suit, from a visual standpoint. (I'm sure you know this BatScot, I was stating it for the benefit of others).

For it to be a neoprene suit, they'd have to remove the foam latex, or better yet put it under the neoprene.

 

[BatScot]

Whether neoprene is rubber or not is besides the point though, really. It's the sculpted foam latex (also rubber) that you can see, not the neoprene. The neoprene is almost completely invisible - it's covered up. Which makes it a sculpted foam latex suit, from a visual standpoint. (I'm sure you know this BatScot, I was stating it for the benefit of others).

For it to be a neoprene suit, they'd have to remove the foam latex, or better yet put it under the neoprene.

That's absolutely correct; the neoprene under-suit exists primarily as a support layer for the foam rubber appliqués which characterize the suit as it is generally known. The bottom line is that the Begins suit is a rubber suit, no matter how you attempt to describe it, or whether you are referring to the neoprene ‘wetsuit’ or the foam rubber, and it's astonishing to me that anyone would attempt to declare otherwise at this point in the discussion as that fact has been common knowledge from day one.

 

[Jager X]

i would like to see the batsuit with a more human look to it.for the first movie the plates on the suit worked since it was his first suit and the fact that he looked like a big ass demon to fear-gas induced gothamites only solidified fear into the hearts of men.but i want to see muscles underneath the suit that is more realistic and closer to the human body.

 

[Batty Belfry]

... Doh!

HOLY BATMAN BEGINS THONG!

Ya know, if one were forced to wear a thong methinks one would choose the one made of cloth rather than the one made of rubber... unless, of course, you prefer your balz a bit on the sweaty side.

Thankfully the way the movie was shot you never really saw the batawear. At least he didn't have his own face on his underpants.

My only complaint with the BB suit was the lack of storage space in the belt pouches. There was only what, 2? I bet I could barely get a pack of cigs in there.

 

[bunk]

That's absolutely correct; the neoprene under-suit exists primarily as a support layer for the foam rubber appliqués which characterize the suit as it is generally known. The bottom line is that the Begins suit is a rubber suit, no matter how you attempt to describe it, or whether you are referring to the neoprene ‘wetsuit’ or the foam rubber, and it's astonishing to me that anyone would attempt to declare otherwise at this point in the discussion as that fact has been common knowledge from day one.

The other drawback to foam rubber is the difficulty of getting a really dark black. If they could find another material that would be even darker it would be great. The rubber suit practically grey already compared to the cape.

 

[Boom]

The other drawback to foam rubber is the difficulty of getting a really dark black. If they could find another material that would be even darker it would be great. The rubber suit practically grey already compared to the cape.

My thoughts exactly.

 

[Steelsheen]

Almost two years ago:

Christian Bale Talks Batman
By James Wray
Sep 16, 2004, 19:00 GMT



IGN Filmforce have been speaking to Christian Bale on the set of Batman Begins...

On the Batsuit: "I'm not going to bit** about the suit, you know? There's a quote from me that some of the people had on the back of their t-shirt that said, 'It's hot, dark and sweaty and it gives me a headache,' which is absolutely true, but there's nothing more annoying than hearing actors bit** about their work and stuff like that. You know, I'm playing Batman, for gosh sakes. That's pretty fantastic. I'm not going to complain about getting a little bit sweaty..."

http://movies.monstersandcritics.com/news/printer_1486.php
t:

i've been looking over at some of the hi-res photos of Bale in the suit, and i notice that is some of those his eyes are bloodshot. i wonder just how bad those headaches are....

 

[BatScot]

The other drawback to foam rubber is the difficulty of getting a really dark black. If they could find another material that would be even darker it would be great. The rubber suit practically grey already compared to the cape.

One man's garbage is another man's treasure... Batman does not need to be decked out in the blackest of black in order to be dark.

 

[Wams]

One man's garbage is another man's treasure... Batman does not need to be decked out in the blackest of black in order to be dark.

Agreed.

 

[batmanbeginsboy]

yeah but if he wears things that stand out in the light then that defeats the purpose of batman being sneaky, take that scene when batman was in the apartment for example when he crouched he was invisible basically, however if you threw a little yellow or grey BAMMM. batman would've been seen immediately.

 

[Saint]

No it wouldn't have. He has a cape to cover that sort of thing.

See, I don't even want a yellow oval (I prefer the alternative), but people really need to stop coming up with lame rationalizations for their likes or dislikes, because as I always say, you can justify ANYTHING in fiction if you try hard enough.

 

[batmanbeginsboy]

yeah but if you're making a real-like movie then you want to be in dark clothing.dont get me wrong though u had a good point with the cape idea. i mean its true but i kinda like the all black suit im not the biggest fan of a grey suit with black in it jus IMO

 

[BatScot]

yeah but if you're making a real-like movie then you want to be in dark clothing.dont get me wrong though u had a good point with the cape idea. i mean its true but i kinda like the all black suit im not the biggest fan of a grey suit with black in it jus IMO

An evaluation of urban camouflage effectiveness conducted by The Federation of American Scientists (FAS) concluded that monotone grey and monotone black both performed well during night conditions.

http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/land/docs/warrior_96_may_camo.htm

In other words, monotone gray is no less realistic than black in terms of night camo effectiveness.

In other other words, Black is not the only color that blends into shadow.

 

[Bathead]

^^^Exactly, BatScot. For some reason though, some all-black costume fans ignore facts like that and act like grey is as bright as flourescent yellow. Personally I like an all black costume, I had that idea about 35-40 yrs. ago, but I also like the traditional grey-black as well. Purely aesthetic reasons. As has been said before, any screenwriter with an imagination can come up with as valid a reason for a grey uniform as for a black one.

 

[Fenrir]

All black simply looks infinitely more cool than grey-black. There, how's that for "justification"?

 

[Bathead]

That's your opinion, and that is very good justification.