The Dark Knight Michael Keaton on TDK

[Paste Pot Pete]

My cousin just worked a day as a P.A. on a new film he's shooting at UCLA. She didn't get to interact with him, but she just thought it was amazingly cool to be around Batman!

I would still love a Beetlejuice 2. Though I can't believe Beetlejuice Goes Hawaiian actually existed. I always half figured Kevin Smith made it up; it sounds like something from "The Critic".

 

[BatmanFanatic]

I remember Keaton saying he was retired a few years ago because he didn't want to do bad films and he didn't like any of the scripts being passed around. He decided to spend more time with his daughter. That shows what kind of a person he is, and his values as an actor. He's not just in it for the paycheck, he doesn't want to do horrible films - thats why he turned down Batman Forever.

I'm glad he's back now and directing his own project because he's a fabulous actor ... I mean talk about range. From Beetlejuice to Multiplicity to Batman and Desperate Measures... wow.

As for comparing BB and B89 -- I enjoy both for what they are. From a "modern fan of film" point of you, you could definitely say that BB was "smoother" and "more realistic." However, from my amateur-film-maker point of view, I admire what Burton did far more because I know the back story. Like Keaton mentioned, you guys don't know how hard it was to make that film ... they had no budget, and no support, and everyone thought it would tank. Burton was a big nobody at the time, unlike Nolan who was prince of the hype coming from Memento and Hollywood just couldn't wait to use his for some big-budget thing. No one understood why the hell Burton wanted to make Batman "dark" "all of a sudden" ... they were thinking of the TV show only. Nolan is just stepping up a notch on what Burton had already begun, after *****maker ruined it.

The fact that ANY of B89 it is relevant and plays today is amazing. Sure it looks like it's on a set... because unlike Nolan they couldn't CGI a cityscape, and sure Batman looks silly with wings that have springs ... because unlike Nolan they couldn't CGI a cool bat-cape ... Nolan had 160 million and 300 cgi shots and Burton had d**k-all to make that film with.

So that's why I admire what he did, from that perspective GREATLY.

Peace.

 

[Matchbox]

Heh heh... Trust me, there's no argument.

 

[The Battousai]

I don't remember the cape being CG

 

[Mr. Socko]

IYO, right? Because that's all it is.

Naturally.

Well. That and the box office takes. B89's worldwide gross is $411,348,924.

BB's worldwide gross is $371,853,783.

Those figures speak for themselves. Especially when you consider that they aren't inflation adjusted, and if they were, B89 would be CONSIDERABLY higher, as if it's DOMESTIC ALONE is adjusted, you get a figure of $412,500,000. 40 million more than BB's WORLDWIDE gross.

SO I guess, uh, it's mine and a lot of other people's opinion that B89 is better.

Correct me if I am wrong but during the time of Batman'89, blockbusters themselves, and especially superhero films were quite rare. Before B'89, the last prolific superhero films was Superman:TM, or some may argue Superman II, even the latter of which was released in 1978. I'm sure the audience was looking looking for any big superhero at this point. And then we again can bring up the vast amount of marketing the movie received. Batman '89 is also my favorite Batman film but it's box office does not make it so. The only thing I need to show when saying B'89 as the best is a simple "IMO"...and every opinion differs.

As Hunter said, comparing Box office intake for films released 16 years apart does not prove anything. And even then, there's nothing to prove in the first place.

 

[BatmanFanatic]

I don't remember the cape being CG

BB had CG flying cape, and CG to make the cape go from "normal" to "Batman mode." Check the CGI thread. It's how they did all that stuff were supposedly the cape would go rigid from an electric current yada yada.

 

[Conebone69]

Sounded like keaton didnt know any of the names of the nolan batman movies

 

[The Battousai]

BB had CG flying cape, and CG to make the cape go from "normal" to "Batman mode." Check the CGI thread. It's how they did all that stuff were supposedly the cape would go rigid from an electric current yada yada.

Maybe the transition between the two, but the way you stated it so simply made me think you were referring to just wearing or using the cape

 

[Spider-Bat]

It's good to hear his support.

 

[BatmanFanatic]

Maybe the transition between the two, but the way you stated it so simply made me think you were referring to just wearing or using the cape

When using the cape for anything other than walking around or punching people it was CGI. I mean they even had a 100% CGI batman in a few scenes, so he could fly.

 

[The Battousai]

When using the cape for anything other than walking around or punching people it was CGI. I mean they even had a 100% CGI batman in a few scenes, so he could fly.

I asked because they used a physical "gliding" cape for some of the final scenes in the Narrows

 

[Hole Shot]

I remember Keaton saying he was retired a few years ago because he didn't want to do bad films and he didn't like any of the scripts being passed around. He decided to spend more time with his daughter. That shows what kind of a person he is, and his values as an actor.

he made multiplicity.

 

[General Vulcun]

Nice interview. Glad to see he supports Nolan and Bale.

 

[DaddyGrayson]

I don't mean to come across badly. My point was that Begins had a relatively low box office take. Yes, this was due to batman and robin in part.

But I'm just saying that it reflected the popularity of the film at the time.

Don't forget B89 had to overcome adam west. Decades of adam west syndication.

And don't forget B89 was the first time Batman was ever made into a movie. Everyone was gonna go see it whether it sucked or not. All the comic book fanboys of the time we're gonna see it no matter what. Even non fanboys were gonna go.

BB followed mediocre and sometimes terrible sequels to B89. There was also very bad promotion for the movie. I'm not sure how the promotion was for B89 (I was 3), but I hear it was pretty good.

So box office intake is not a way to judge performace. Spider-Man 3 broke box office records, and that movie blew. So don't use that as a way to prove a point. Fact is, it's YOUR opinion. NOT fact. Drop the elitist, I'm-always-right attitude, please.

 

[DeaDheaD]

Keaton is awesome.

 

[DaddyGrayson]

Keaton is awesome.

QFT

 

[Mr. Socko]

And don't forget B89 was the first time Batman was ever made into a movie. Everyone was gonna go see it whether it sucked or not. All the comic book fanboys of the time we're gonna see it no matter what. Even non fanboys were gonna go.

BB followed mediocre and sometimes terrible sequels to B89. There was also very bad promotion for the movie. I'm not sure how the promotion was for B89 (I was 3), but I hear it was pretty good.

So box office intake is not a way to judge performace. Spider-Man 3 broke box office records, and that movie blew. So don't use that as a way to prove a point. Fact is, it's YOUR opinion. NOT fact. Drop the elitist, I'm-always-right attitude, please.

Well said JG!

 

[Cain]

Keaton is awesome.

Lest ye forget that he is an ass.

 

[Commodore Schmidlapp]

It's one of those thing. Alot of people around here weren't old enough (or born for that matter) to know the anticipation of B89. I know alot of people were pumped for BB (myself included) and it is an incredible take on Batman, but so was B89. Both films mirror the times and the way The Batman was portrayed in the comics. I prefer BB but B89 was just so huge and changed the way blockbuster movies worked. It was the most expensive movie ever made at the time and the marketing was huge. Again I prefer BB, but the atmosphere around B89 to this day has never been topped IMO.

 

[DieSmiling]

That's what I'm saying it's laughable that the kids who prefer the new vision over everything else even feel threatened by some old ass movies that could be seen on the goddamn CW on sunday afternoons to the point that they try to defend their movie of choice like the Army does the US. By the same token it's hilarious to see people not able to move on and realize that Christian Bale is now Batman and that there is a series of movies being made that thanks to the mistakes committed by the previous ones inspires and even richer series of Batman films and it's not going to go anywhere. Stop trying to force your preference on the next man you will never change his mind. Just learn to appreciate that at least us Batman fans have more than one great interpretation of the mythos to enjoy. You really can't say that about any other superhero

Fantastic post, couldn't agree more.

 

[deathfromabove]

I remember Keaton saying he was retired a few years ago because he didn't want to do bad films and he didn't like any of the scripts being passed around. He decided to spend more time with his daughter. That shows what kind of a person he is, and his values as an actor. He's not just in it for the paycheck, he doesn't want to do horrible films - thats why he turned down Batman Forever.

I'm glad he's back now and directing his own project because he's a fabulous actor ... I mean talk about range. From Beetlejuice to Multiplicity to Batman and Desperate Measures... wow.

As for comparing BB and B89 -- I enjoy both for what they are. From a "modern fan of film" point of you, you could definitely say that BB was "smoother" and "more realistic." However, from my amateur-film-maker point of view, I admire what Burton did far more because I know the back story. Like Keaton mentioned, you guys don't know how hard it was to make that film ... they had no budget, and no support, and everyone thought it would tank. Burton was a big nobody at the time, unlike Nolan who was prince of the hype coming from Memento and Hollywood just couldn't wait to use his for some big-budget thing. No one understood why the hell Burton wanted to make Batman "dark" "all of a sudden" ... they were thinking of the TV show only. Nolan is just stepping up a notch on what Burton had already begun, after *****maker ruined it.

The fact that ANY of B89 it is relevant and plays today is amazing. Sure it looks like it's on a set... because unlike Nolan they couldn't CGI a cityscape, and sure Batman looks silly with wings that have springs ... because unlike Nolan they couldn't CGI a cool bat-cape ... Nolan had 160 million and 300 cgi shots and Burton had d**k-all to make that film with.

So that's why I admire what he did, from that perspective GREATLY.

Peace.

wow. you really you are condescending.

you do realize that you are on the batman boards right? do you think you are the only person who has seen the special features, listened to the commentary and read the making of book back to back so many times it was held together by scotch tape? you need to get over yourself already.


and while we are at it burton and nolan were in almost the exact same place as directors when they made their movies. in fact burton had already made the studios some money with beetlejuice and pee wee so he wasnt exactly a nobody. he was the hot new kid. sure there was tons of pressure on him but it was nothing compared to what, lets say, cameron or fincher had to deal with making the aliens sequels. nolan was far more of an unknown director when he was making begins.

the biggest difference was christopher nolan made his film in 2004 when studios where far more likely to respect a directors creative space than back in 1988. burton had the bros.warner breathing down his neck (actually jon peters and peter gruber) and i know first hand that nolan was pretty much left alone while making begins. nobody really cared about a new batman film back in 2003/4 and the studio had little to lose. so on that front burton had his hands full. creatively he was fighting against his producers constantly.

and batman '89 was not low budget. it had a budget around $35-40 million. in fact anton furst had a budget of over $5million just for production design. and just for comparisons sake indiana jones 3 also came out that year and its budget was $36 million. batman was a very expensive movie that ran over budget and was a huge gamble for wb. not "no budget".

get your facts straight especially if you are going to condescend to everyone. in other words if you are going to act like a know-it-all you better know-it-all, especially in a room of self professed obsessives and movie geeks.

and just for the record i love tim burton and batman so dont even go there.

 

[combusticator]

he made multiplicity.

...and White Noise. Ugh! But at least in multiplicity, I laughed my crack off at him! Keaton is best playing a crazy guy though!

 

[BatmanFanatic]

Congratulations death, you just made my ignore list - now if you don't like my opinions, I suggest you do the same in kind.

 

[BatmanFanatic]

...and White Noise. Ugh! But at least in multiplicity, I laughed my crack off at him! Keaton is best playing a crazy guy though!

He does do a rather awesome nutjob t: But you know I also like his villains. He can be very scary and creepy. He's so intense!

 

[Solidus]

Congratulations death, you just made my ignore list - now if you don't like my opinions, I suggest you do the same in kind.

He was not attacking your opinions. He was editing your "facts". I would not take it too personal, death is a good guy.