Burgess Meredith or Danny Devito?

[Dark Phantom]

Which Penguin did you like best? State a reason why.

I chose Burgess Meredith simply because he gave inspiration to every writer's idea of Penguin. Heck, he invented that sqawk that has defined Penguin in comics and film. While the 60s tv show was very campy, Burgess Meredith made that role his own. Now when ever I watch Twilight Zone epsiodes or Rocky, all I think about is "that's Penguin".

And besides fans don't give him the credit he deserves.

 

[Bat Attack]

Danny Devito all the way. He's the Penguin I grew up watching.

 

[The Shape]

Niether.





But I still voted for Burgess.

 

[Kevin Roegele]

They're both absolutely fantastic.

However, DeVito and Burton's Penguin encorporated all the dapper, squarking monocle and top hat persona of Meredith's Penguin - but added so much more. DeVito gave an absolutely incredible performance that encompassed comedy, tragedy, disgust and sympathy. He went from broad comedy ("groping people" line), to genuine pathos (the churchyard scene with his parents grave), to true wickedness (sending the Penguins to "Punish all of Gotham!"). Tell me another movie supervillain who has had so many facets.

 

[Lex Luthor]

Hmm....

This is tough.

I suppose I'll pick Danny Devito's Penguin as my favourite.
Nothing wrong with the Meredith Penguin, as it is classic and is what alot of people still think of when thinking of The Penguin, but ultimately it's a bit too campy to really take seriously. Devito's Penguin is much more tragic, which makes him a much more interesting character. As well as one with a tremendous amount of more depth as well. It's obvious that Burton's version of The Penguin definately left an impression on many people working at DC, as he is usually seen as something of a mixture of the Meredith Penguin, and the Devito version. And for good reason.

I like both. But Devito's Penguin wins this hands down.

 

[Kevin Roegele]

Nothing wrong with the Meredith Penguin, as it is classic and is what alot of people still think of when thinking of The Penguin, but ultimately it's a bit too campy to really take seriously.

Well....of course, you're not supposed to take it seriously. It's supposed to be camp.

 

[The Shape]

My only problem with DeVito's Penguin is that it's such a far cry from the real Penguin. I mean, I realize it does fit with Burton's world, but I didn't enjoy it so much. DeVito was still great, though.

 

[CConn]

They're both absolutely fantastic.

However, DeVito and Burton's Penguin encorporated all the dapper, squarking monocle and top hat persona of Meredith's Penguin - but added so much more. DeVito gave an absolutely incredible performance that encompassed comedy, tragedy, disgust and sympathy. He went from broad comedy ("groping people" line), to genuine pathos (the churchyard scene with his parents grave), to true wickedness (sending the Penguins to "Punish all of Gotham!"). Tell me another movie supervillain who has had so many facets.

 

[Kevin Roegele]

My only problem with DeVito's Penguin is that it's such a far cry from the real Penguin.

It really isn't. The 'real' Penguin, i.e. the comic version, is all there in DeVito's Penguin. The movie just elaborates on that to a great degree, adds so much to it. The waddling, dapper crimeboss of the comics is completely a facet, but just one facet, of the DeVito Penguin.

 

[The Chairman]

They're both absolutely fantastic.

However, DeVito and Burton's Penguin encorporated all the dapper, squarking monocle and top hat persona of Meredith's Penguin - but added so much more. DeVito gave an absolutely incredible performance that encompassed comedy, tragedy, disgust and sympathy. He went from broad comedy ("groping people" line), to genuine pathos (the churchyard scene with his parents grave), to true wickedness (sending the Penguins to "Punish all of Gotham!"). Tell me another movie supervillain who has had so many facets.

I utterly agree with you.

It really isn't. The 'real' Penguin, i.e. the comic version, is all there in DeVito's Penguin. The movie just elaborates on that to a great degree, adds so much to it. The waddling, dapper crimeboss of the comics is completely a facet, but just one facet, of the DeVito Penguin.

Once again, you're absolutely right.

 

[The Shape]

It really isn't. The 'real' Penguin, i.e. the comic version, is all there in DeVito's Penguin. The movie just elaborates on that to a great degree, adds so much to it. The waddling, dapper crimeboss of the comics is completely a facet, but just one facet, of the DeVito Penguin.

It's still a far cry from the real Penguin. Yes, certain aspects are present in DeVito's, but there was no need to make him an actual penguin-man, that was raised by penguins and spews black goo from his mouth.

If you think that's great, then that's your opinion. Like I said, it fits in Burton's world, but I would've preferred a darker take on the Penguin from the comics.

 

[The Joker]

I love them both so much. It's VERY hard to choose.

But I'll go with Meredith's version because I used to watch the 60's show all the time as a kid, and Meredith's Penguin was my fav villain on that show.

EDIT: A nice comparison pic here:

 

[Lex Luthor]

Well....of course, you're not supposed to take it seriously. It's supposed to be camp.

Even with the obvious camp aspects in much of comic-to-film adaptations, I can usually find something about the characters I could somewhat take seriously. My comment has more to do with The Penguin pre-Batman Returns in general rather than just Burgess Meredith's Penguin. Again, Meredith's Penguin is classic. And I enjoy it very much. But there wasnt much for me to take seriously as far as The Penguin is concerned in any media until Burton's Batman Returns made it's debut back in 1992. However, I am now aware that there were certain comics that attempted to give The Penguin a bit more depth than what was usually presented in Batman comics before BR, but unfortunately I wasnt able to get ahold of these issues until after the fact. Thankfully, Devito's interpretation of The Penguin wasnt too influenced by the Meredith Penguin. And that was a good thing I believe.

 

[Mee]

Waaaah waaaah waaaah!

Burgess.

 

[Spidey-Bat]

It's still a far cry from the real Penguin. Yes, certain aspects are present in DeVito's, but there was no need to make him an actual penguin-man, that was raised by penguins and spews black goo from his mouth.

If you think that's great, then that's your opinion. Like I said, it fits in Burton's world, but I would've preferred a darker take on the Penguin from the comics.

Penguin in Returns wasn't dark

 

[The Shape]

Penguin in Returns wasn't dark

He certainly was. I said I'd have preferred a darker take on the Penguin from the comics, not a half-man, half-penguin that spewed black goo.

 

[Spidey-Bat]

It was a darker take and Penguin is from the comics, so I don't know what you're unhappy about

 

[The Shape]

It was a darker take and Penguin is from the comics, so I don't know what you're unhappy about

Let me spell this out for you.

What I'm trying to say is that I would have preferred a dark take on the Penguin without all of the additions that were made in order to make him even more dark. Do you understand?

An eloquent and sophisticated mobster of sorts. Not a deformed psychopath.

 

[Matt.S99]

danny,im more into the gothic tim burton things but Burgess was still great

 

[Dark Phantom]

Let me spell this out for you.

What I'm trying to say is that I would have preferred a dark take on the Penguin without all of the additions that were made in order to make him even more dark. Do you understand?

An eloquent and sophisticated mobster of sorts. Not a deformed psychopath.

yes

You see most other fans won't realize this because they look at Danny Devito's Penguin as the definitive Penguin. But he's not. They're reading more recent Penguin stories that try to recreate the character.
Go back to reading some of the early Penguin stories from the 40s and 60s. That's the true character to develop on film. Just eliminate the camp and you have yourselves the ideal Penguin portrayl.

Meredith is closest to the ideal portrayl, if it wasn't for the fact that the 60s show was campy.

Mind you, I'm 15 years old. Yet, I still read the comics from yester year.

 

[Spidey-Bat]

Let me spell this out for you.

What I'm trying to say is that I would have preferred a dark take on the Penguin without all of the additions that were made in order to make him even more dark. Do you understand?

You originally said you wanted a darker take on Penguin which was in Returns.

An eloquent and sophisticated mobster of sorts. Not a deformed psychopath.

Penguin wasn't an eloquent, sophisticated mobster in the comics. He was a petty thief who stole bird-themed artifacts from museums and millionaires. Do you honestly think that could have carried a movie?

 

[The Shape]

It's still a far cry from the real Penguin. Yes, certain aspects are present in DeVito's, but there was no need to make him an actual penguin-man, that was raised by penguins and spews black goo from his mouth.

If you think that's great, then that's your opinion. Like I said, it fits in Burton's world, but I would've preferred a darker take on the Penguin from the comics.

That's what I originally said, buddy.

Penguin wasn't an eloquent, sophisticated mobster in the comics. He was a petty thief who stole bird-themed artifacts from museums and millionaires. Do you honestly think that could have carried a movie?

Obviously you know nothing about the Penguin. So check this out and learn:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Penguin

 

[The Shape]

yes

You see most other fans won't realize this because they look at Danny Devito's Penguin as the definitive Penguin. But he's not. They're reading more recent Penguin stories that try to recreate the character.
Go back to reading some of the early Penguin stories from the 40s and 60s. That's the true character to develop on film. Just eliminate the camp and you have yourselves the ideal Penguin portrayl.

Meredith is closest to the ideal portrayl, if it wasn't for the fact that the 60s show was campy.

Mind you, I'm 15 years old. Yet, I still read the comics from yester year.

Thank you.

 

[El Payaso]

It's still a far cry from the real Penguin.

That's the best part of it.

 

[Two-Face]

Danny DeVito played great Penguin but I didn't like how he was living the Gotham sewers pretty sick I think.