Keaton's Best Batman performance?

[Dr. Fate]

B89, hands down. In B89, it was just natural, and he was going with the character. In Returns, he is kind of bland and seems to be a shell of his former performance. In B89, he has an edge and an aura. I don't think he has that at ALL in Returns. He's just "there". In B89, he has a mighty presense, but in Returns he doesn't.

I seem to remember Keaton saying in an interview that he found working on "Returns" to be a lot harder than the original because in "Returns" he felt like he was impersonating himself, which, to quote Keaton, "besides being next to impossible, is really weird." Furthermore, he said he thought Returns would be easier because him and his director buddy Tim Burton spent so much time talking about it in depth, discussing and dissecting the first movie, what they had done, didn't do, should do again, should not do again, etc, so he figured they had it pretty well wired, but once he started working on the film, he kept getting these actor blocks where he'd step back and say "Well this seems like what the character would do, but it doesn't feel right."

That, my friends, is far and away one of the most interesting actor insights into the realm of sequels I've ever heard. Perhaps THE most interesting.

 

[SHADOWBAT69]

I seem to remember Keaton saying in an interview that he found working on "Returns" to be a lot harder than the original because in "Returns" he felt like he was impersonating himself, which, to quote Keaton, "besides being next to impossible, is really weird." Furthermore, he said he thought Returns would be easier because him and his director buddy Tim Burton spent so much time talking about it in depth, discussing and dissecting the first movie, what they had done, didn't do, should do again, should not do again, etc, so he figured they had it pretty well wired, but once he started working on the film, he kept getting these actor blocks where he'd step back and say "Well this seems like what the character would do, but it doesn't feel right."

That, my friends, is far and away one of the most interesting actor insights into the realm of sequels I've ever heard. Perhaps THE most interesting.

Because Keaton is God.

 

[Whack Arnolds]

I seem to remember Keaton saying in an interview that he found working on "Returns" to be a lot harder than the original because in "Returns" he felt like he was impersonating himself, which, to quote Keaton, "besides being next to impossible, is really weird." Furthermore, he said he thought Returns would be easier because him and his director buddy Tim Burton spent so much time talking about it in depth, discussing and dissecting the first movie, what they had done, didn't do, should do again, should not do again, etc, so he figured they had it pretty well wired, but once he started working on the film, he kept getting these actor blocks where he'd step back and say "Well this seems like what the character would do, but it doesn't feel right."

That, my friends, is far and away one of the most interesting actor insights into the realm of sequels I've ever heard. Perhaps THE most interesting.

Yeah, I remember hearing him say that on the Returns dvd. I just felt his performance doesn't stack up even close to B89 in terms of how BATMAN would act or be potrayed. Not to say that his potrayl wasn't interesting, or that the man himself isn't an interesting actor...I just felt it didn't have that 'kick' his original performance had.

 

[XCharlieX]

Keaton is the master of old school batman. I love 89's Batman but Burton got kinda odd with Batman Returns. If they reworked the penguin it wouldve been fantastic. Still it was very good. Keaton delivered each time.

 

[Whack Arnolds]

Keaton is the master of old school batman. I love 89's Batman but Burton got kinda odd with Batman Returns. If they reworked the penguin it wouldve been fantastic. Still it was very good. Keaton delivered each time.

Exactly. While an interesting film, it just doesn't feel like Batman. You should have seen how psycho he was going to go with Superman Lives. He was going to can the aspect of Superman flying, and make it so he can teleport instead... plus he looks like a zombie. Burton is a weird bird, but is incredible with visuals.

 

[XCharlieX]

lol exactly... Burton is a sucker for the gothic look everytime..eh... by part 2 he overwhelmed the movie with it.

Keaton though... i like the calm method he used for batman. Hed stand there expressionless until the right time and then BAM lol And theres Bruce Wayne wasnt the ideal looking guy to be Gothams defender... he was clumsy! all cool stuff.

 

[Whack Arnolds]

The reason why B89 was so good...was cause Burton was kept in check, so he couldn't completely over run things with his ultra gothic and weird imagination. Burton was the first to bring the naked men statues to Gotham, via Batman Returns.

 

[Dr. Fate]

The reason why B89 was so good...was cause Burton was kept in check, so he couldn't completely over run things with his ultra gothic and weird imagination. Burton was the first to bring the naked men statues to Gotham, via Batman Returns.

So is that one less complaint to throw at Joel Schumacher?

 

[El Payaso]

One less merit to take out of Joel Schumacher.

 

[batmaluco]

lol

 

[XCharlieX]

Truthfully i do think Burton sort of nudged Schumacher into of the wall territory true..but schumacher took it all the way to town hehe. I think Nolan has effectively spotted this pattern and smartly started with a super realistic setting.

 

[Sabotage8475]

You people seriously harp over the dumbest things. Ah yes, the naked statues, Joel Schumacher's sexuality, and Burton's gothic
tendencies.. Is this the limit of your vision? No wonder I stopped posting here. You people are nothing but brainless bigots. Good day..

 

[Whack Arnolds]

You people seriously harp over the dumbest things. Ah yes, the naked statues, Joel Schumacher's sexuality, and Burton's gothic
tendencies.. Is this the limit of your vision? No wonder I stopped posting here. You people are nothing but brainless bigots. Good day..

No, you got it entirely wrong...


BURTON STARTED THE NAKED MEN GRASPING PHALLIC OBJECT STATUES...

 

[Jack Napier]

In Batman Returns, he got to balance his act with Michelle Pfeiffer's Catwoman instead of playing second fiddle to Nicholson's Joker from the first one. However, for all of Nicholson's scene-chewing in Batman '89, Keaton evokes an omnipotent presence in that movie. The scene where he straps on the utility belt, sways the cape back to reveal the symbol, and looks upward captured the essence of Batman.

Batman '89.

 

[Whack Arnolds]

Yeah, good scene. B89 was the best of the first four, by far and away. Captures the essence of Batman, perfectly.

 

[Superman79]

Keaton WAS Batman for two whole movies...I can't call one better than the other...I can only say they were fantastic

 

[ab38416]

edit

 

[Eagle_23]

He gives the same performance in the 2 movies.

 

[Gianakin_]

I'll have to say Batman Returns, although there is not much difference in his performance between films. However, I strongly believe that his chemistry with Pfeiffer really assisted his performance, especially as Wayne.

 

[GoogleMe94]

i actually thought he was more interesting in Returns, although he was very badass in Batman. i....dont....know!!!

 

[Cassandra]

I think he gives strong performences in both, though B89 naturally feels fresher as it was the first.

Keaton's Wayne is still my favourite. He makes Bruce seem so real and human to me. I can just feel Bruce's despair and inner drive oozing out whenever Michael Keaton is on screen.

 

[November Rain]

returns for me, i'm a big returns fan...

 

[Two-Face]

I say both.