The Dark Knight Michael Keaton on TDK

[Dangerous]

Damn, I want Beetlejuice 2!

 

[guitarkhero311]

......BB did OK but it was nowhere near blockbuster status. i think ppl just remember it more because it seemed to go good for critics and fans.

And it was a better movie

 

[DocLathropBrown]

Keaton is, always has been and always will be... The Man.

A class act. And people tend to forget... he's not a Batman fan. He never read the comics as a kid, and didn't see any further films because it just didn't interest him. But he noted that he's seen parts of BB. Keaton isn't the kind to throw out words he doesn't mean. I've seen him get quite pithy in interviews if he thinks the situation warrants it. So the praise isn't hollow.

 

[DocLathropBrown]

And it was a better movie

In your opinion.

 

[BatmanFanatic]

Seeing Michael Keaton joke around about calling up Jack Nicklson and teasing him makes me sad that Bale and Ledger will never get to grow old and joke around about their time as superhero/supervillain together

Bale has said so many wonderful things about Heath, and he said they saw eye to eye about the character and the acting style, I liked the idea of them being friends for years to come after the films like Jack and Michael...

 

[Gianakin_]

even though the prequels sucked, ROTS trumped batman begins that summer. you couldnt escape it, it was like B89 marketing but for ROTS instead. now THAT was a blockbuster. BB did OK but it was nowhere near blockbuster status. i think ppl just remember it more because it seemed to go good for critics and fans.

You had to make it about BB again, huh? Jesus. If I wasn't shocked about Ledger's death, I'd go into full argument with you, but alas.

 

[Barney Stinson]

I'm actually going to watch both B89 and BR tonight. Keaton imo is still the best batman ever.

 

[Bruce_Wayne29]

A true class act. To me he will always be THE Bat.

 

[Nightwing1977]

Great interview. Glad Keaton act better than what Nicholson said one time. Not to mention he has full support for Nolan & Bale, where he didn't has one for Schumacher. No surprise thought. up:

 

[Spiderine]

Its nice to see respect for the francise has returned.

 

[TromaFreak64]

it really is

 

[That-Guy]

I'm interested to see this film that Keaton directed. Sounds like something artsy but also edgy.

 

[SuperBatman]

Great interview. Glad Keaton act better than what Nicholson said one time. Not to mention he has full support for Nolan & Bale, where he didn't has one for Schumacher. No surprise thought. up:

Dude Nichlson was just joking around. He was a former joker after all.

 

[batgirl2119]

i love keaton. i miss seeing him in the movies. mr. mom is always a favorite and the batman films.

 

[wootbaby]

Keaton is, always has been and always will be... The Man.

A class act. And people tend to forget... he's not a Batman fan. He never read the comics as a kid, and didn't see any further films because it just didn't interest him. But he noted that he's seen parts of BB. Keaton isn't the kind to throw out words he doesn't mean. I've seen him get quite pithy in interviews if he thinks the situation warrants it. So the praise isn't hollow.

michael keaton has made a career of being a cool dude IRL. keaton isn't particularly handsome or buff and hollywood never meant him to be a leading man, but his palpable charisma onscreen stole the movie from fonzie in Night Shift and that launched him into leading man status.

he's a good actor and has that cool everyman quality like bruce willis (although he predated bruce willis and probably lost a lot of roles to him in the 90s... for example die hard). he also has that suave everyman character like vince vauhn, except where vince will crack a joke keaton also brings a level of physical energy

you get the vibe that keaton is a very cool guy you could have a beer with at the neighborhood bar, but he's just also a little bit... off. everything looks normal on the surface but there's something is going on below the surface that wont put up with the bull**** that the everyman will put up with

go back and watch his 80s movies. he gives an awesome performance in even the silliest roles... Mr Mom or Gung Ho... he's funny, sarcastic, good hearted dude, who will punch his boss in the mouth if you push him too far and who his co-workers and friends can count on to stand up, even when everyone else is cowed.

it's exactly this that he brought to batman 89. unlike every other actor, keaton's tangible humanity redefines batman as a sort of ordinary dude who fate and circumstance has put in extraordinary circumstances, who has the inherent strength to rise to the challenges. In that way the ordinary becoming extraordinary proves what is best in humanity and the strength and nobility latent in seemingly "ordinary" human beings to rise up against the seemingly worst of us

what I find extraordinary about keaton's batman performance is how he seems to be BOTH bruce wayne and batman throughout the movie, even as different as the 2 characters are. watch the scene where he's throwing that party and meets vicki vale. you really do get the scene that he IS bruce wayne. he's casual and funny... just like any ordinary dude who's met a hot blonde at a party and is trying to make nice with her, and put her at ease. he's not even hung up on being BRUCE WAYNE, let alone The BATMAN. you really do get the sense that this is how this man was meant to be if tragedy hadn't struck him... and despite everything there is a part left of him untouched by that. he's an ordinary guy, doing what is most basic... picking up on a hot chick

now if keaton had only gotten that part down without finding a footing for batman the movie would suck. but when he SNAPS, he brings this entirely realistic energy to batman. when you see him sitting in front of the batcomputer superintense trying to figure out the joker venom, or see him watching joker for the first time you see that there's another side to the man. he IS batman, with or without the mask. i mean you could shoot that scene with him IN the batman costume or in street clothes and the intensity that he inhabits... he's BATMAN in that moment. not unhinged really... but a sort of steel focus of purpose that enables a man to do anything to protect that which he loves (gotham city). I think that idea that he is BOTH... and is BOTH at all times is something that no one, not even bale has been able to capture. there's this idea that wayne is a mask and whether he's wearing a wayne mask or (literally) the batman mask that you never get to actually see into the guy's actual soul... in batman 89 keaton brings that small glimpse in parts of the movie which is just extraordinary

i really dont like batman 89 as a movie... but IMO it's actually keaton's performance, and not nicholson's that will make that movie stand the test of time. it's a very interesting take on batman the character, which will likely never be reproduced on film... I think portrayals of batman will swerve between comic and very very dark and intense (like bale or DNR). the sort of ordinary man taken beyond ordinary circumstances will stand as a snapshot of the 80s and it's a very interesting and underrated performance

 

[Super_Ludacris]

I always liked his run in Desperate Measures and that other one where hes part of a group mentally ******ed patients on a road trip (cant remember the name, saw the movie like 17 years ago when I was like 5 or 6 lol)

 

[batmaluco]

Pretty cool read!

 

[coleyhinson]

I wish I saw Keaton in more stuff...he's great. Also, this is pretty good for Mtv stuff

 

[Ender Durden]

Anyone else get a little gaydar alert going on? i dunno, maybe its just a slight lisp...

 

[baTT]

Beetlejuice Begins

-TNC

HA ha, that would be funny!

 

[Rac]

Even Keaton admits B89 had imperfections. Where are all the burtonites now?

Is there no one else? Is there no one else?

Like BB didn't have imperfections.

 

[JBElliott]

Keaton isn't going to be in TDK, but Shatner is.

 

[Black Zodak]

I always wished that Keaton had done a 3rd Batman film. I would love it if DC used him in one of their Direct to DVD animated features, as the voice of Batman. And you know, if they ever have Frank Miller make "The Dark Knight Returns", they should use Keaton, as he would be the right age for the character.

 

[Bruce_Wayne29]

I always wished that Keaton had done a 3rd Batman film. I would love it if DC used him in one of their Direct to DVD animated features, as the voice of Batman. And you know, if they ever have Frank Miller make "The Dark Knight Returns", they should use Keaton, as he would be the right age for the character.

Definitly !

 

[CaptainClown]

we need Keaton to do a Beetle Juice 2