ThePhantasm
2 sexy 4 a stormtrooper
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As far as Batfilms go, Burton films and Nolan films are often pitted against one another. Fans seem divided over Burton's more gothic, noir, darkly comic interpretation of the character and Nolan's more hyper-realistic, tech-driven, "grounded" view of the character. Recently, however, I watched through all the Batfilms as a sort of marathon, and I noticed a great deal of similarity between the two franchises, particularly between Batman Returns and the Dark Knight Rises. Consider the following similarities.
Both films begin with a Bruce Wayne who has lost his way. In BR, Bruce has lost Vicki, who abandoned him, unable to deal with his "duality" (duality is, of course, a major theme of the film). In TDKR, Bruce has lost Rachel, his "only hope for a normal life" (and his final reclamation of said life is a major theme of the film). In BR, Bruce has sunk deeper into the Batman role. He is literally just sitting around in Wayne Manor, waiting for the call to be Batman. He has no other life outside of this. In TDKR, Bruce has sunk into neither the Batman role nor the Bruce Wayne role... he is lost somewhere in-between, without a purpose. So here we see a plot similarity and a thematic contrast: both Waynes have lost their way, but in BR Wayne has become obsessed with being Batman as his "purpose", whereas in TDKR Wayne seems to have no purpose at all.
Both films feature a villain who rises from the sewers, and is aided by a corrupt corporate figure. In BR, this evil is the Penguin. His parents attempted to be rid of him by casting him into the sewers. They represent Gotham's elite, and so he we find a theme of evil rising from where others tried to bury it. It is worth noting that the Penguin isn't just misunderstood... he is a monster from the beginning (remember, he kills that cat?). He isn't born in darkness like Bane, but he is certainly raised there. In TDKR, the evil is Bane. He comes from a dark pit far away to hide in a dark pit (a sewer) beneath Gotham.
Both villains are supported by a corrupt corporate figure. In BR, this figure is Max Schreck, who aids the Penguin because Oswald is blackmailing him. In TDKR, this figure is Dagget, who aids Bane because he wants to take over Wayne Enterprises. In both cases, these figures are Wayne's corporate rivals. In both cases, these figures are eventually betrayed by the villain, whom they underestimated.
Both villains have similar evil schemes. In BR, the Penguin attempts to frame Batman. Part of this scheme involves taking over the batmobile and using it against the people of Gotham. In TDKR, Bane attempts to "break" Batman. Part of his scheme involves taking over Wayne's Tumblers and using them against the people of Gotham. In both cases, it is strangely unexplained how the villain accomplishes this. In BR, the Penguin just happens to find some Batmobile schematics in the sewer. In TDKR, Bane just happens to learn the location of the secret armory which only Lucius and Bruce are supposed to be aware of (Talia is never let in on that secret).
In both films, the corrupt corporate figure betrays Selina, who then takes her revenge as Catwoman. In BR, Schreck pushes Selina out of a window after she stumbled across confidential files. In TDKR, Dagget promises to give Selina the "clean slate" in return for Wayne's fingerprints, but then betrays her. Both of these events result in a major character turn for Selina. In BR, she becomes Catwoman. In TDKR, she becomes even more desperate. Both events are the catalyst for her conflict with Batman.
In both films, the villain and Catwoman set a trap for Batman. In BR, this trap occurs at the unveiling of the Christmas tree, and results in Batman being framed for murder. In TDKR, this trap occurs in the sewers, and results in Bane breaking Batman's back. Both cases serve as the catalyst for Catwoman turning against the villain. In BR, she turns against the Penguin because he murdered the ice princess (she thought the princess would just be threatened). In TDKR, she turns against Bane because she discovers that Bruce is Batman.
In both films, Bruce and Selina dance at a Masquerade party.
In both films, the villain's final plot involves a bomb threat against Gotham, and a trigger that has its signal interrupted. In BR, this threat is the penguin rockets. Bruce blocks the signal and turns the explosives against the penguin's own lair. In TDKR, the threat is the nuclear device. Bruce gives Gordon the ability to block the signal.
Both films involve a "redemption" arc for Catwoman. In BR, Bruce falls in love with Catwoman and tries to redeem her by exposing that they are the same... both struggle with duality. In the end, she rejects him, and becomes obsessed with the Catwoman persona in an even greater way than Bruce was obsessed with the Batman persona at the start of the film. Bruce, meanwhile, is able to escape his own obsession... in attempting to redeem Selina, he himself is redeemed. In TDKR, Bruce falls in love with Catwoman and tries to redeem her. He is successful, perhaps because duality is not the theme of this film, but rather "reclaiming a normal life."
Both films involve a winter-themed finale. In BR, the entire film is set at winter, Christmas-time specifically. In TDKR, the final part of the film is set at winter.
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These are not the only similarities between the franchises. Of course there are some similarities between Heath's Joker and Jack's (the "hit me" scene, the fall from the tower). It is interesting to note, however, the heavy similarities between Returns and Rises, and yet in the midst of these similarities some major thematic differences become apparent as well. It is almost like two different interpretations of the same plot, in many respects.
Both films begin with a Bruce Wayne who has lost his way. In BR, Bruce has lost Vicki, who abandoned him, unable to deal with his "duality" (duality is, of course, a major theme of the film). In TDKR, Bruce has lost Rachel, his "only hope for a normal life" (and his final reclamation of said life is a major theme of the film). In BR, Bruce has sunk deeper into the Batman role. He is literally just sitting around in Wayne Manor, waiting for the call to be Batman. He has no other life outside of this. In TDKR, Bruce has sunk into neither the Batman role nor the Bruce Wayne role... he is lost somewhere in-between, without a purpose. So here we see a plot similarity and a thematic contrast: both Waynes have lost their way, but in BR Wayne has become obsessed with being Batman as his "purpose", whereas in TDKR Wayne seems to have no purpose at all.
Both films feature a villain who rises from the sewers, and is aided by a corrupt corporate figure. In BR, this evil is the Penguin. His parents attempted to be rid of him by casting him into the sewers. They represent Gotham's elite, and so he we find a theme of evil rising from where others tried to bury it. It is worth noting that the Penguin isn't just misunderstood... he is a monster from the beginning (remember, he kills that cat?). He isn't born in darkness like Bane, but he is certainly raised there. In TDKR, the evil is Bane. He comes from a dark pit far away to hide in a dark pit (a sewer) beneath Gotham.
Both villains are supported by a corrupt corporate figure. In BR, this figure is Max Schreck, who aids the Penguin because Oswald is blackmailing him. In TDKR, this figure is Dagget, who aids Bane because he wants to take over Wayne Enterprises. In both cases, these figures are Wayne's corporate rivals. In both cases, these figures are eventually betrayed by the villain, whom they underestimated.
Both villains have similar evil schemes. In BR, the Penguin attempts to frame Batman. Part of this scheme involves taking over the batmobile and using it against the people of Gotham. In TDKR, Bane attempts to "break" Batman. Part of his scheme involves taking over Wayne's Tumblers and using them against the people of Gotham. In both cases, it is strangely unexplained how the villain accomplishes this. In BR, the Penguin just happens to find some Batmobile schematics in the sewer. In TDKR, Bane just happens to learn the location of the secret armory which only Lucius and Bruce are supposed to be aware of (Talia is never let in on that secret).
In both films, the corrupt corporate figure betrays Selina, who then takes her revenge as Catwoman. In BR, Schreck pushes Selina out of a window after she stumbled across confidential files. In TDKR, Dagget promises to give Selina the "clean slate" in return for Wayne's fingerprints, but then betrays her. Both of these events result in a major character turn for Selina. In BR, she becomes Catwoman. In TDKR, she becomes even more desperate. Both events are the catalyst for her conflict with Batman.
In both films, the villain and Catwoman set a trap for Batman. In BR, this trap occurs at the unveiling of the Christmas tree, and results in Batman being framed for murder. In TDKR, this trap occurs in the sewers, and results in Bane breaking Batman's back. Both cases serve as the catalyst for Catwoman turning against the villain. In BR, she turns against the Penguin because he murdered the ice princess (she thought the princess would just be threatened). In TDKR, she turns against Bane because she discovers that Bruce is Batman.
In both films, Bruce and Selina dance at a Masquerade party.
In both films, the villain's final plot involves a bomb threat against Gotham, and a trigger that has its signal interrupted. In BR, this threat is the penguin rockets. Bruce blocks the signal and turns the explosives against the penguin's own lair. In TDKR, the threat is the nuclear device. Bruce gives Gordon the ability to block the signal.
Both films involve a "redemption" arc for Catwoman. In BR, Bruce falls in love with Catwoman and tries to redeem her by exposing that they are the same... both struggle with duality. In the end, she rejects him, and becomes obsessed with the Catwoman persona in an even greater way than Bruce was obsessed with the Batman persona at the start of the film. Bruce, meanwhile, is able to escape his own obsession... in attempting to redeem Selina, he himself is redeemed. In TDKR, Bruce falls in love with Catwoman and tries to redeem her. He is successful, perhaps because duality is not the theme of this film, but rather "reclaiming a normal life."
Both films involve a winter-themed finale. In BR, the entire film is set at winter, Christmas-time specifically. In TDKR, the final part of the film is set at winter.
----------------------------------------------
These are not the only similarities between the franchises. Of course there are some similarities between Heath's Joker and Jack's (the "hit me" scene, the fall from the tower). It is interesting to note, however, the heavy similarities between Returns and Rises, and yet in the midst of these similarities some major thematic differences become apparent as well. It is almost like two different interpretations of the same plot, in many respects.
