The Bat Summer of '95

[Cain]

I was hating on the movie while it was in production. I thought O'Donnell was too old and Kilmer too young and I was mad that Burton & Keaton left. The only thing I liked beforehand was the casting of the villains. Then I saw the trailer on EXTRA and it completely sold me. It was probably the most solid trailer of any of the older Batman movies. It looked like it will be more action packed and within the context of the trailer I thought the production design looked very good. I remember the Mickey D's campaign ("I'll get drive-thru" didn't think that line will actually be in the movie though) and I bought all the glasses. I bought BF folders with the question mark oval and binders to use in school that fall in 7th grade. DC released a Two-Face one-shot as well as a Riddler one to coincide with the film's release. That's when I was beyond hyped I figured the characterization in the film will be similar to what the one-shot's presented. Boy was I ever wrong.

I went there opening day and my best friend who is a major Batman Returns fan but not a comic book reader came with me. The moment we saw the "I get drive-thru" line in the final cut we both cringed simultaneously. Then Two-Face said "let's start this party with a bang" and started acting a fool and I was severly pissed. Two-Face is my favorite Bat villain so the opening sequence left a bad taste in my mouth. The only thing I remember liking from the whole bank scene was the way the action was shot. I thought it was a definite improvement over the previous 2 film's. By the end of it all I was mad at Riddler and Two-Face's cartoony antics but O'Donnell was better a Robin than I thought he would be, I liked Kilmer's Bruce Wayne a whole lot and thought his Batman was pretty good outside a couple of cheesy moments. I also liked as I said the way the action was shot and at the time I thought the cinematography was very good and I liked Goldenthal's score too even though he was no Elfman.

Despite the initial dissapointment I went to see it again another time. My friend loathed the movie so he didn't come along but I saw it on a school trip I suggested to my Global studies teacher. I was a kid back then so I couldn't afford to watch the same movie twice other wise. I needed to see it again to make sure I soaked it all in because I just felt there was a really good movie there somewhere. I enjoyed it more the second time but moreso because the entire 6th grade was there with me and we all interacted with the movie like crazy I'll never forget the "whoooos" when Grayson hung his laundry lol. Funny that it's the only Batman film I've seen in theatres more than once and I've seen them all from 1992 to today.

 

[yellowbelt]

i remember the movie coming into yhr cinema very well, i had just bought my first house with my future wife and it was a public holiday on the opening friday from where i come from, the weather was a hot and balmy day with the threat of thunder and lightning storms, my wife and i were all dressed up to go and get a meal and a movie and she knew i was a big batman fan and that this was a great day for batfans, new take on the franchise and all that stuff, we went to see the movie both loved it and i went to see it another 2 times at the cinema,i remember taking my younger brother who was 14 at the time and he also loved it. yes it was a good experience, also remeber buying the video, yes batman forever was a great experience!

 

[Joker]

This is probably going to be tough to explain because most Bat-fans can't stand the villians in this movie, and maybe rightly so.

I don't know, I just really liked what Jim Carrey did with The Riddler. I remember him talking about sort of channeling Frank Gorshin, but adding his own spin to it and I just really liked that blending of styles he came up with.

I especially love the scene when he blows up the Batcave and Batmobile. Just the way that he speaks the dialogue, sort of with a stop-and-go motion.............it just was kind of fun to watch. And the way I'd like to see The Riddler portrayed. Sure, its completely over-the-top, but so is The Riddler.

Plus, Tommy Lee Jones really went psychotic with Two-Face and I liked that. I liked that he was slave to his coin and I know thats in the comics as well, but I though Jones really showed how psychotically hypnotized by the coin he really was.
Plus, he looked great as Two-Face. The make-up was veddy nice!


I know that isn't the best explanation, but it sort of shows my personal taste in my opinion.

But Riddler in the comics has NEVER been over the top, and he was never, ever gay for Bruce Wayne...he was always more of a cold, calculating type of character...and Two Face in the movie was NOT a slave to the coin...he flipped it like, 10 times trying to get bad heads so he could kill Wayne in the end scene...what's the point of even flipping the coin if you just keep flipping it till it gives you what you want? And that totally destroyed the split personalities, as it was like they were evil and then slightly more evil...the villains were horrible...

 

[Lazlo Panaflex]

Maybe I was sitting too close to the screen but at first I thought that the infamous "butt shot" was Batman's shoulder.

 

[BatBruce]

My parents took me to see it cuz I was bummed that my baseball team had lost the championship game (they were taking me anyways but they had an excuse this way)

 

[The Shredder]

I remember buying quite a few BF related products that summer, as well as taping anything remotely related to BF. Like the U2, and Seal videos. And a E! interview with Gorshin's thoughts on Carrey's portrayal of The Riddler. Hell, I even recorded the premiere. Might still have that tape somewhere. Got the Genesis version of the game, but could only get so far. Damn, was that a hard game. But it was indeed a great summer for me. My parents and I had just recently moved, and I remember it was basically a summer of alot of swimming, watching MTV's The Maxx over and over, finding a pretty good, but cheap copy of ASM Annual #1, and of course Batman Forever.

 

[Genosha]

But Riddler in the comics has NEVER been over the top, and he was never, ever gay for Bruce Wayne...he was always more of a cold, calculating type of character...and Two Face in the movie was NOT a slave to the coin...he flipped it like, 10 times trying to get bad heads so he could kill Wayne in the end scene...what's the point of even flipping the coin if you just keep flipping it till it gives you what you want? And that totally destroyed the split personalities, as it was like they were evil and then slightly more evil...the villains were horrible...

I'm sorry you hated them so much. I just happened to like them.

Sure, were they completely comic accurate? Probably not. But I really enjoyed the performances.

And I really don't understand this whole Riddler is "gay" for Bruce Wayne stuff that some people are spouting.
There didn't seem to be any underlying homosexual themes in this from my viewpoint. I thought Nygma was more interested in being Bruce Wayne himself, to take on his characteristics and be as respected and admired as him.
I don't see anything remotely homosexual in that.

And if you are using the "gay" word to just describe any man who does what Nygma does, then I'm not quite sure if that is the right word to use to make that point. It certainly confused me.

As for Two-Face, good point about him always flipping the coin till he got what he wanted. Two-Face is probably much more interesting when he has the split personalities fighting for control over his actions. Something that we will probably get from Nolan's version next year.

 

[Joker]

I'm sorry you hated them so much. I just happened to like them.

Sure, were they completely comic accurate? Probably not. But I really enjoyed the performances.

And I really don't understand this whole Riddler is "gay" for Bruce Wayne stuff that some people are spouting.
There didn't seem to be any underlying homosexual themes in this from my viewpoint. I thought Nygma was more interested in being Bruce Wayne himself, to take on his characteristics and be as respected and admired as him.
I don't see anything remotely homosexual in that.

And if you are using the "gay" word to just describe any man who does what Nygma does, then I'm not quite sure if that is the right word to use to make that point. It certainly confused me.

As for Two-Face, good point about him always flipping the coin till he got what he wanted. Two-Face is probably much more interesting when he has the split personalities fighting for control over his actions. Something that we will probably get from Nolan's version next year.

Riddler was totally a homosexual. He had pictures of Bruce all over his house, when he met him he was drooling over him like a schoolgirl for Justin Timberlake, he wore massive amounts of make up (looked like a drag queen most of the time), and for gods sake, just look at him in the last scene on the island. He has big red hair, looks like a drag queen right down to the outfit, a skin tight white bodysuit with flashing lights all over it. He was like the girl from the movie Swimfan. He couldn't have his crush, so he decided to destroy him. It's a decent motivation, but it's not the Riddler.

 

[Penismightier]

Riddler was totally a homosexual. He had pictures of Bruce all over his house, when he met him he was drooling over him like a schoolgirl for Justin Timberlake, he wore massive amounts of make up (looked like a drag queen most of the time), and for gods sake, just look at him in the last scene on the island. He has big red hair, looks like a drag queen right down to the outfit, a skin tight white bodysuit with flashing lights all over it. He was like the girl from the movie Swimfan. He couldn't have his crush, so he decided to destroy him. It's a decent motivation, but it's not the Riddler.

Let's not forget the tiara in the jewelry heist. And that scene at Wayne Enterprises where he says "I'll make you understand" was like the speech of a woman scorned. And notice in the big part scene he has Drew Barrymore half-naked on his arm and he can't keep his eyes off of Val Kilmer. Then he dances with Nicole Kidman and can't so much as look her in the face without being disgusted. There's no way around it, The Riddler was gay.

 

[Carusos Shades]

I remember thinking,whats with the gratuitous bat butt and bat crotch shots?!!

 

[Darkness Falls]

Let's not forget the tiara in the jewelry heist. And that scene at Wayne Enterprises where he says "I'll make you understand" was like the speech of a woman scorned. And notice in the big part scene he has Drew Barrymore half-naked on his arm and he can't keep his eyes off of Val Kilmer. Then he dances with Nicole Kidman and can't so much as look her in the face without being disgusted. There's no way around it, The Riddler was gay.

The riddler was not gay
ever heard of ocd
he idolised bruce wayne but was brushed off which created his hatred
(kind of like in the incredibles: syndrome's obsession with Mr incredible which turned to hatred the same way)

and as far as watching bruce instead of chase
the way i interpret the look was
"**** you bruce"

Nygma was more interested in being Bruce Wayne himself, to take on his characteristics and be as respected and admired as him. wayne enterprises = Nygmatech

I don't see anything remotely homosexual in that

I remember thinking,whats with the gratuitous bat butt and bat crotch shots?!!

yeah what the f*** was up with dat

 

[michael]

I was nine years old when it was released. I distinctly remember feeling like a stud because I paid for the girl that went with me to see it. I loved the film. Mostly because Jim Carey was in it, I think. That and Nicole Kidman. At the end of the movie, a couple kids threw their drinks at the screen.

 

[The Shredder]

I remember thinking,whats with the gratuitous bat butt and bat crotch shots?!!

I remember Schumacher commenting about how in comics, theres a certain sexuality to it with the way superheroes are built as anatomically perfect in one of the SE DVD's, so I would theorize he wanted to glamourize that aspect, even if it was done in a very cheesy way. Plus he thought Kilmer was hawt.

 

[Penismightier]

I remember thinking,whats with the gratuitous bat butt and bat crotch shots?!!

That is a hilarious user name.

 

[Penismightier]

The riddler was not gay
ever heard of ocd
he idolised bruce wayne but was brushed off which created his hatred
(kind of like in the incredibles: syndrome's obsession with Mr incredible which turned to hatred the same way)

The guy in The Incredibles was dating that other white haired girl. The Riddler had no female interests. Even with Drew Barrymore and Nicole Kidman hanging on him all he could concentrate on was Bruce Wayne. And the villain in The Incredibles never wore a tiara. Also, he says "I'll make you understand" with all the feeling of a woman scorned. The Riddler really, really wanted an inside look at "Wayne Enterprises".

 

[K.B.]

Originally Posted by Darkness Falls
The riddler was not gay
ever heard of ocd

OCD= Obsessive Compulsive Dissorder and has NOTHING to do with being obssesed with someone. He was gay.

 

[Darkness Falls]

The guy in The Incredibles was dating that other white haired girl. The Riddler had no female interests. Even with Drew Barrymore and Nicole Kidman hanging on him all he could concentrate on was Bruce Wayne. And the villain in The Incredibles never wore a tiara. Also, he says "I'll make you understand" with all the feeling of a woman scorned. The Riddler really, really wanted an inside look at "Wayne Enterprises".

Oh that's right i forgot every villian must have a female intrest if not they're gay
how blind of me to forget

actually as far as Drew goes the riddler had her on his arm to show up bruce he then stole chase from bruce

Like they say in the prestige
"Obsession is a young mans game"

He was not gay accept it

 

[Joker]

Oh that's right i forgot every villian must have a female intrest if not they're gay
how blind of me to forget

actually as far as Drew goes the riddler had her on his arm to show up bruce he then stole chase from bruce

Like they say in the prestige
"Obsession is a young mans game"

He was not gay accept it

what about the tiara's? and him and two face hugging and jumping up and down while giggling like little school girls? and the tight whtie outfit with his hair done up like a drag queen with a little jeweled crown on?

he was gay, accept it.

 

[CFE]

what about the tiara's? and him and two face hugging and jumping up and down while giggling like little school girls? and the tight whtie outfit with his hair done up like a drag queen with a little jeweled crown on?

he was gay, accept it.

That's not being gay necessarily.

Don't forget, Nygma's a lunatic.

And his costumes were throwbacks to David Bowie. As I recall David Bowie isn't gay, he's just eccentric.

like Riddler.

CFE

 

[Joker]

That's not being gay necessarily.

Don't forget, Nygma's a lunatic.

And his costumes were throwbacks to David Bowie. As I recall David Bowie isn't gay, he's just eccentric.

like Riddler.

CFE

Bowie is bi, actually. And why would Riddler be dressing like David Bowie? He have a thing for 70's glam rock or something?

 

[CFE]

Bowie is bi, actually. And why would Riddler be dressing like David Bowie? He have a thing for 70's glam rock or something?

The Bowie angle isn't from the context of the film.

It's something Jim Carrey thought to bring to the table during pre-production.

I believe he states it in the Riddler Villains featurette on the BF SE DVD.

CFE

 

[Joker]

The Bowie angle isn't from the context of the film.

It's something Jim Carrey thought to bring to the table during pre-production.

I believe he states it in the Riddler Villains featurette on the BF SE DVD.

CFE

then Jim Carrey is an idiot...although him being stupid does explain most of his recent film choices...

 

[Darkness Falls]

what about the tiara's? and him and two face hugging and jumping up and down while giggling like little school girls? and the tight whtie outfit with his hair done up like a drag queen with a little jeweled crown on?

he was gay, accept it.

I will not accept bashing about a film that is part of my childhood
and as for the tiara (which is a pretty lame observation in the first place)
they just robbed a jeweller
GO FIGURE

saying crap like the riddler was a drag queen is just piss weak
as his hair was only up in the final confrontation
the rest of the movie was short coral hair
His riddler characteristics as carrey has said
were a tribute to Frank Gorshin (R.I.P)



Like the joker said in tkj
All it takes is one bad day...

That's not being gay necessarily.

Don't forget, Nygma's a lunatic.

And his costumes were throwbacks to David Bowie. As I recall David Bowie isn't gay, he's just eccentric.

like Riddler.

CFE

Finally someone who understands
t:

 

[Carusos Shades]

I always cringed at the way the actor delivered the line "Oh no its boiling acid". Don't know why but it bugged the hell out of me. I think I read somewhere that Newman from seinfeld was offered that role.

 

[Bat Attack]

Oh yes! Finally a Bat-summer I can remember a little bit of. I remember going to the theater and seeing the film after the 4th of July parade in my town with my mom and her friends kids, and buying the glass McDonald's cups a few weeks earlier and getting some of the Batman Forever pogs from my cousins.