Mask Of The Phantasm Appreciation Thread

[BatLobster]

I think a big reason MOTP is deservedly in the conversation for GOAT Batman film is the fact that it's the true classic film noir Batman movie, and the character has always been steeped in noir. It just fits like a glove.

At the same time, I think what TDK has going for it is it's a very definitive exploration of the Batman/Joker relationship, which is such a crucial part of the mythos. Joker is utilized perfectly well as a supporting character in Phantasm in a world where they already share history. But there is something to be said about pitting those two icons head to head and exploring what makes that relationship tick.

End of the day, Batman has had a rich cinematic history. I can't think of another character that has had so many great and iconic live action films and yet some of the animated ones are still part of the conversation for which are the best.

 

[InfinityWar]

I think a big reason MOTP is deservedly in the conversation for GOAT Batman film is the fact that it's the true classic film noir Batman movie, and the character has always been steeped in noir. It just fits like a glove.

At the same time, I think what TDK has going for it is it's a very definitive exploration of the Batman/Joker relationship, which is such a crucial part of the mythos. Joker is utilized perfectly well as a supporting character in Phantasm in a world where they already share history. But there is something to be said about pitting those two icons head to head and exploring what makes that relationship tick.

End of the day, Batman has had a rich cinematic history. I can't think of another character that has had so many great and iconic live action films and yet some of the animated ones are still part of the conversation for which are the best.

Cant argue this. Star Wars has iconic films and Rebels / Clone Wars animated which is good. But Batman still ahead, imo.

 

[DeadlyWest]

At the same time, I think what TDK has going for it is it's a very definitive exploration of the Batman/Joker relationship, which is such a crucial part of the mythos. Joker is utilized perfectly well as a supporting character in Phantasm in a world where they already share history. But there is something to be said about pitting those two icons head to head and exploring what makes that relationship tick.

End of the day, Batman has had a rich cinematic history. I can't think of another character that has had so many great and iconic live action films and yet some of the animated ones are still part of the conversation for which are the best.

I feel like a major problem with TDK's version of Batman/Joker is that while a lot of the talk in the movie definitely applies to the Batman/Joker relationship as a whole (i.e. "We're destined to do this forever") there isn't really a lot of that in the movie. Obviously that's a result of Ledger's unfortunate passing, but I feel it's also a result of Batman retiring at the end of TDKR. In TDK universe, Joker was still alive. If TDKR ended in a way similar to 1989, I feel like it'd leave the door open for them to continue that dance, as it were. To be honest, talk like that I feel should be kept until after the movie's done by the people watching it. Not the people in the movie.

Mask of the Phantasm on the other hand simply provides another example of Batman and Joker having that same dance. To be honest? I prefer the latter.

 

[DeadlyWest]

I go backwards and forwards on this. Some days I'd rate MotP as my #1 Batman animation and Under the Red Hood as my #2, other days I'd swap them around

To be honest I don't really count comic adaptations when ranking Batman movies. I feel if an animated movie that's a comic adaptation is good then it more shows how good the original comic was than how good the animated movie is. Obviously, making a comic adaptation for an animated movie is still a hard task. But it's one thing to base a movie off something else and it's another thing to make it completely from scratch. MOTP was made completely from scratch (and some elements of MOTP I feel were taken for Under the Red Hood), so if anything I rank it higher than Under the Red Hood.