For All Those Who Hate Keaton As Batman.....

[fabman]

ridiculous... keaton fat - lol

 

[inspiritonly]

Keaton was Batman!! I would not have chosen him for the part, but damn if he didn't make me a believer. As for size, True Keaton is short but he wasn't out of shape when he made Batman. You need to look at some of his stills other than Beetlejuice and Mr. Mom.

(Keaton in Desperate Measures)

Keaton got in shape for Batman and stayed in shape to make Desperate Measures.
As for Kilmer, it was his worse role to date. He spent the whole film speaking in a low whisper with all the emotion of a dead fish. Clooney didn't stand a chance. By the time he got the part it had been camped up by Schumacher to the levels of the 60's TV show. Just remember that it was Tim Burton that revived the "Dark Knight" version of Batman. I leave you with this quote:

1995 was most notable for a film that Keaton did not appear in. He was offered the chance to return to the role of the Dark Knight (along with a hefty paycheck) in Joel Schumacher's "Batman Forever". Perhaps sensing that he would once again be fighting for screentime with big name villains, and without the artistic vision of the first two films to make up for it, Keaton wisely turned the film down. This allowed the producers to cast a younger, "sexier" actor in the role, Val Kilmer. The film turned out to be marginally more successful than it's predecessor at the box office, but was arguably a failure in every other department. Kilmer in particular did not compare favourably with Keaton in the role - his Batman was too light and his Bruce Wayne too dark. However, it still seemed for or a while that the Batman franchise would carry on successfully without the original dream team of Keaton, Burton and composer Danny Elfman. That was until the massive failure of "Batman & Robin" (which was as different from Burton's films as neon is from gothic) put the final nail in the coffin.

 

[Kevin Roegele]

the original dream team of Keaton, Burton and composer Danny Elfman

Whilst some may doubt their contribution to the Batman mythos, I don't think you can deny that those three went together absolutely perfectly. Keaton, like Johhny Depp, is a muse for Burton, and Elfman seems to be psychically linked to Burton the way he scores his films exactly right.

There's a promosing synergy between Nolan and Bale - they are on exactly the same page and could probably finish each other's sentences about Batman.

 

[Lead Cenobite]

Wow, people were insane back in 2004. =P

 

[ab38416]

Keaton has a rubber suit because that's what Tim Burton and the costume designer wanted. Armor. Something to protect him, and make him look imposing, not ridiculous, as tights almost certainly would have. That's probably also why the Batsuit is black, not blue and gray. That's what early costume designs show, that's what Burton and Keaton and Ringwood have said for a long time. It was the plan from the get-go to have whoever Batman wearing a kind of "armor".

Here's some trivia. Bob Ringwood's initial designs for the batsuit in Batman didn't have rubber muscles. It looked more like mechanical armor. This later became the inspiration for the Returns suit.

When Keaton was cast, the producers wanted a muscular armor design to make up for his small build.

 

[SelinaAndBruce]

I can't get over all the praise Val Kilmer is getting. Val only looked the part. He absolutely sucked in Batman Forever mostly because the script sucked. I mean when your first line in the film is "I'll Get Drive Thru" there's not a lot of hope there.

But he turned in a very wooden performance as Bruce Wayne. He didn't even really seem that interested in his female lead outside of the suit. I got the feeling Batman wanted her slightly more. And the whole "I'm Batman" scene at the circus, sucked.

IMO the only Batman/Bruce Wayne that was ever worth a damn is Keaton and Bale.

Kilmer sucked. Less than Clooney but he still stank up the joint.

 

[captain_jimbo]

Keaton was Batman!! I would not have chosen him for the part, but damn if he didn't make me a believer. As for size, True Keaton is short but he wasn't out of shape when he made Batman. You need to look at some of his stills other than Beetlejuice and Mr. Mom.

(Keaton in Desperate Measures)

Exactly, I totally agree. I don't think I would have chosen him either, but Keaton will always be Batman to me.

 

[DieSmiling]

The fact of the matter is that I just hate Michael Keaton as Bruce Wayne. I like him as Batman... But he's just so not Bruce Wayne. He comes off like a doofus, a weirdo, a social reject/cripple, and a recluse. That's not Bruce Wayne. There's no explanation or obvious reason why Vicky Vale would even be remotely into this guy save his money. It's just not the character.

And he just looks like a little twerp I could kick the crap out of.

That said, I don't just blame Keaton -- it has just as much to do with the writing, direction, etc.... But I just don't like the presentation of the Batman/Bruce Wayne character in the Burton films.

Bale's is exactly what I envision Batman being like, and I'd give Kilmer the nod for second place.

 

[GoogleMe94]

whats wrong with his bruce wayne? he had more friggin wit and humour then bale, clooney and kilmer combined. there were some scenes where keaton just made me burst out in laughter as bruce wayne, hes just so good! if bruce is just uber serious all the time, it gets boring. but keaton had it all, the serious tone, the humouress moments, the emotional moments even! he was just all around good. sure, he may not LOOK like the comics bruce wayne, but if i wanted that, ill just read a COMIC BOOK. lets just say, seeing batman89 and Returns, if i had a choice between getting a no-name "accurate" bruce wayne and keaton as bruce, i would choose keaton in a heartbeat, no question. we got the "accurate" version with bale, kilmer, and clooney, but there batmans sucked ass and there bruce waynes were either major dorks or overly serious and wooden.

whos kilmer, or bale, or clooney? Keaton IS Batman.

 

[fabman]

And Bale IS Batman, too.

Also, you should express your opinions better. You ain't saying much with "bale, kilmer, and clooney, but there batmans sucked ass" (also, it's "their," not "there," same with your sig, dude).

 

[Darkest Knight]

Bale was so diverse in his role as Bruce Wayne, that even comparing him to Keaton's 2-dimensional interpretation is insulting to knowledgeable movie fans.

Bale plays the confused lost soul, the angry / vengeful young man, the driven idealist, the rich savvy business man, the billionaire playboy ladies man, the introspective son, the giving and caring citizen, and the occasional drunken Paris Hilton-esque snob. THAT as a whole is Bruce Wayne. Bale was utterly BRILLAINT in the role. To me, while Keaton was a great Batman, he didn't encompass ANY of these characteristics as Bruce Wayne.

Don't ge me wrong, Keaton was OUTSTANDING in the part ... but Bale's character is on a whole nother playing field. So much of the movie relies on Bale's acting abilities and range, that they can't even be compared. The weight of BEGINS rested on Bale's shoulders, and he not only carried it, but exceled in the role. Keaton played apart in a cast of people that as a whole put together a great pair of movies. The success of BEGINS primarily rested on the abilities of ONE ACTOR, not several.

Bale's performance is by far and away the best of the series ... and check it, he's only been in ONE Batman movie. Let's see where he takes it now.

 

[The Chris]

Yeah, Bale was like five or six different Bruce Waynes.

It also helps that unlike Keaton, Batman Begins was Christian Bale's film.

I still Like Mike though, just not as much.

 

[BurtonBegan]

I cannot believe that anyone could rate Kilmer over Keaton

 

[larryfilmmaker]

I remember back in 88 when he was casted and everyone was like no way, he a comic actor, I was the same way, and then I saw it when it came out and was happy. Still am today. I liked Val alot better, due that the costume was better fitting and he was a colder Bruce. But Keaton was good there to, sitting in the cave waiting with sadness. The ? is George was the worst!

Val kilmer was a colder Bruce than Keaton was? .....

 

[larryfilmmaker]

And Bale IS Batman, too.

Not to me, he's not. He does a good job, but I won't look at him and think "Batman". I look at him and think "try a role that isn't gritty already for God's sakes. It won't hurt your precious cult following".

 

[Damiean Dark]

"try a role that isn't gritty already for God's sakes. It won't hurt your precious cult following".

This is sooooo true Bale is great in american psycho (still his best acting role) but i dont think he has the range to play the roles the likes of keaton has played (beetlejuice, multiplycity, much ado about nothing, desperate measures, mr mom etc) or kilmer for that matter (doc holiday, jim morrisson, madmardigan ect) Bale continuisly plays grim troubled characters and in his attempt to play more light hearted roles he looks uncomptfortable (midsummer nighs dream).

 

[Dr. Fate]

I can't get over all the praise Val Kilmer is getting. Val only looked the part. He absolutely sucked in Batman Forever mostly because the script sucked. I mean when your first line in the film is "I'll Get Drive Thru" there's not a lot of hope there.

But he turned in a very wooden performance as Bruce Wayne. He didn't even really seem that interested in his female lead outside of the suit. I got the feeling Batman wanted her slightly more. And the whole "I'm Batman" scene at the circus, sucked.

IMO the only Batman/Bruce Wayne that was ever worth a damn is Keaton and Bale.

Kilmer sucked. Less than Clooney but he still stank up the joint.

Is it so wrong that some people actually liked Kilmer in the role?

 

[GoogleMe94]

Yeah, Bale was like five or six different Bruce Waynes.

umm what? diverse? how so? IMO bale was the one that played bruce wayne in a very cliche'd 2 demensional way. i only remember him being a smartass and then being "serious" bruce, and then being batman. ummm thats what keaton did to, and better. these 6 bruce waynes you speak of dont exist, cuz bale just did the same stuff keaton was doing. just different dialogue. i think the nolan fans are looking too much into begins then is there. you dont have to agree with me, but i found keaton much more convincing then bale. IMO he was the better actor. that scene at the bat computer in B89 showed keatons range, and there were times in Returns where i truly felt connected with keaton's character. bale just looked constipated half the time. and his "playboy" act was lame too. i liked keatons serious, slightly offbeat bruce wayne, made him much more real to me then anything bale did. bale was just wood. didnt make me laugh, cry, or anything. he was too dry.

to fabman, thanks for the grammer lessons, but i could care less about how i misspelled a word in my post. if it really bugs you that much, then dont read my posts. you already dont agree with me, so it shouldnt be that difficult.

 

[David Rice]

umm what? diverse? how so? IMO bale was the one that played bruce wayne in a very cliche'd 2 demensional way. i only remember him being a smartass and then being "serious" bruce, and then being batman. ummm thats what keaton did to, and better. these 6 bruce waynes you speak of dont exist, cuz bale just did the same stuff keaton was doing. just different dialogue. i think the nolan fans are looking too much into begins then is there. you dont have to agree with me, but i found keaton much more convincing then bale. IMO he was the better actor. that scene at the bat computer in B89 showed keatons range, and there were times in Returns where i truly felt connected with keaton's character. bale just looked constipated half the time. and his "playboy" act was lame too. i liked keatons serious, slightly offbeat bruce wayne, made him much more real to me then anything bale did. bale was just wood. didnt make me laugh, cry, or anything. he was too dry.

to fabman, thanks for the grammer lessons, but i could care less about how i misspelled a word in my post. if it really bugs you that much, then dont read my posts. you already dont agree with me, so it shouldnt be that difficult.

Ummmm, no he really didn't. Keaton was not a smartass, he was a more "serious" Bruce, but that is what worked for the him and film.

 

[GoogleMe94]

you dont remember him in B89 when he first met vicky vale? he was being a total smartass to knox. even some of his scenes with pfieffer were him being snobby rich guy, like when they first met. he wasnt ALWAYS serious, but yes, for the most part he was more serious then bale, which is why i like keatons interpretation more. i never liked the jokey bruce anyway, or the playboy one either. always annoyed me in the comics. i know its an act an all, but i still thought they were dumb. i could have done without those babe antics at the resturaunt, or that fake drunk thing at the party, those IMO were bales worst scenes. i liked it more when he was just more serious, cuz obviously bale isnt good at bein funny. even sean connery's funny scenes as james bond were funnier.

 

[DocLathropBrown]

Google, you're embarassing yourself. Please stop.

 

[SHADOWBAT69]

when was Keaton a smart ass to Knox?

"Alexander Knox"

"Oh, I read your work, I like it. I like it alot."

"Thanks. Can I have a grant?" both chuckle

blah,blah,blah
"...oh, and give Knox a grant." pats Knox on the back and leaves.

and snobby rich guy when he first met Selina? Where?

 

[Assassin32]

BUMP for a classic.

 

[Superhobo]

Reading Mr. Parker's and Bakerboy's posts were just - wow. The mind boggles.

 

[Catman]

Reading Mr. Parker's and Bakerboy's posts were just - wow. The mind boggles.

lol. I know. My theory has always been that they, along with Spiderfreddie, were just messing with you. It was all a big joke.