The Dark Knight The Christian Bale/Bruce Wayne thread

[Crook]

Why would Bale try to copy a voice actor? Bale's mark on the character and spin to it is much stronger than Kevin Conroy's simpleton Batman voice.

If Bale's Batman voice is so vastly superior, it wouldn't have split the fans over it.

 

[the GRIN Reaper]

If Bale's Batman voice is so vastly superior, it wouldn't have split the fans over it.

That's not true at all, bro. They have built this Kevin Conroy / Mark Hamill crap so much in their brains, nothing could ever top them. Hell, I bet you some fools would hold onto the past to even say Hamill is better than Ledger.

They have too much nostalgia appreciation for them, that they naturally overrate the living hell out of them. I mean seriously. What is so great about what Kevin Conroy did ? ... REALLY? Bale's voice to me is superior, and I'm not hammpered down by having a bias towards a cartoon that I've held all my life. Judging them on their merits, I very much think Christian Bale has a superior Bat voice. And even so ... we're comparing apples and oranges. Christian Bale's need for his believable Batman character is much more difficult to do then what Kevin Conroy had to do. Christian Bale has to make a threatning, real world, live action Batman on motion picture ... Kevin Conroy is just like a psuedo deep voice for a cartoon image. So yeah, for people who don't have such affinity and connection to the cartoon ... it's quite easy to decipher what is what.

 

[Leenie]

People shouldn't be comparing the two voices.

In my opinion, both actors worked with what they had. Kevin Conroy would have sounded ridiculous with the growling, and Christian Bale would have sounded bland with only a deeper voice.

 

[Crook]

That's not true at all, bro. They have built this Kevin Conroy / Mark Hamill crap so much in their brains, nothing could ever top them. They have too much nostalgia appreciation for them, that they naturally overrate the living hell out of them.

Really? Last I checked Ledger obliterated the hell outta all the previous Jokers. Live-action or animated. Does that not contradict what you just said?

I mean seriously. What is so great about what Kevin Conroy did ? ... REALLY? Bale's voice to me is superior, and I'm not hammpered down by having a bias towards a cartoon that I've held all my life. Judging them on their merits, I very much think Christian Bale has a superior Bat voice. And even so ... we're comparing apples and oranges. Christian Bale has to make a threatning, real world, live action Batman on motion picture ... Kevin Conroy is just like a psuedo deep voice for a cartoon image. So yeah, for people who don't have such affinity and connection to the cartoon ... it's quite easy to decipher what is what.

I'm not interested in your preference description of what a Batman voice should be. You're just proving my point that tastes are the only thing in question here.

As for Conroy, if you honestly think his voice only works in a cartoon, then I don't know what to say. His voice is naturally deep and from the instant you hear it, you just know it fits for the character. Just like when I first heard Ledger in the teaser trailer. It was a voice completely unlike what I've heard associated with the character to that point. Yet, it "felt" right, like it was existing all along. There's a reason why people hail him so much, even now. And to chuck it out as nostalgia is plain ignorance and disrespectful to pretty much anyone. You're intentionally looking down on their opinion.

Bale did have the potential to beat out Conroy (in my eyes) with the sequel. There were certain instances in BB where I just thought, "man, if Bale worked this voice out a bit more, I think he could really nail it". But seeing TDK, it just was not the direction I cared for in the least.

And we should really leave it at that. Some like Conroy, some like Bale. At the end of the day, we all like Batman. It's utterly pointless bickering about each other's favorites. Even more ridiculous is the implication of "I'm right, you're wrong" behavior going on in the last few pages.

 

[The Batman]

Honestly, its not about people liking conroy...its just the fact that bales voice just dosent do it...its about the fact that i laugh everytime bale's batman has a normal conversation with someone. I'm all for something different, not something forced. Bale's Batman voice is forced and often awkward.

Honestly, some scenes in TDK were hysterical. When he said "He must have friends" to Maroni, he reminded me a drunk cabaret singer or something. When he talks to joker near the end about how good gothams citizens were, he sounds funny again...and barring adam west, batman shouldnt sound funny

 

[MasterOgami]

Honestly, its not about people liking conroy...its just the fact that bales voice just dosent do it...its about the fact that i laugh everytime bale's batman has a normal conversation with someone. I'm all for something different, not something forced. Bale's Batman voice is forced and often awkward.

Honestly, some scenes in TDK were hysterical. When he said "He must have friends" to Maroni, he reminded me a drunk cabaret singer or something. When he talks to joker near the end about how good gothams citizens were, he sounds funny again...and barring adam west, batman shouldnt sound funny

I like Bale's batvoice, even if it isn't always "perfect"; I certainly wouldn't call it funny. When its great, its great, and when its not, it still services. I thought his "normal batvoice" conversation with Fox in R&D was fine, and I thought he took some good beats during the last act of the movie to illustrate his fatigue.

As for it being "forced", it kinda has to be. Its Bruce forcing a certain voice that isn't naturally his own. He shouldn't just show up ready to go with a "perfect batvoice".

 

[Crook]

That's really not a good excuse.

Just because we know it's a "forced" voice, does not mean it has to sound like it. In the same way that had Ledger done a terrible job with his voice, I would not advocate defending it. But thankfully, Heath pulled his end.

 

[the GRIN Reaper]

Bale pulls his weight. Both in and out of the costume.

 

[MasterOgami]

That's really not a good excuse.

Just because we know it's a "forced" voice, does not mean it has to sound like it. In the same way that had Ledger done a terrible job with his voice, I would not advocate defending it. But thankfully, Heath pulled his end.

That's not a fair comparison. The voice The Joker uses, with all of its changes and shifts, appears to be his -real- voice. Its only being "forced" by the actor, not the character (and its a testament to Ledger's ability that it sounds like nothing we know of him).

The batvoice, on the other hand, is being created by the character. Its an obvious disguise, same as the costume he wears.

 

[the GRIN Reaper]

Exactly ... haha. Batman is a character created by Bruce Wayne. Not his natural voice. Totally different. Someone else who gets it per se, and doesn't resort to saying the voice is "forced" ... yes it's forced. BY BRUCE WAYNE .. not Christian Bale the actor.

 

[Crook]

That's not a fair comparison. The voice The Joker uses, with all of its changes and shifts, appears to be his -real- voice. Its only being "forced" by the actor, not the character (and its a testament to Ledger's ability that it sounds like nothing we know of him).

The batvoice, on the other hand, is being created by the character. Its an obvious disguise, same as the costume he wears.

You're missing my point. I KNOW it's a guise put on by the character. My point was that it doesn't necessitate looking/sounding like it. All that translates to is a bad performance.

In the same way when you see Reeve as Clark and Superman. You know as Clark that it's all a performance, but he MAKES it look like that it's actually him. Otherwise, the disguise would not work in the context of the movie.

Or for a better example, if any of you had the "pleasant" experience of boot camp, then you know what I mean when I refer to those disgruntled drill instructors. I think everyone is aware by now that it's just a tough image they put on to scare the trainees into shape. But I'd be hard-pressed to find anyone that doesn't find them convincing, regardless of that fact.

Exactly ... haha. Batman is a character created by Bruce Wayne. Not his natural voice. Totally different. Someone else who gets it per se, and doesn't resort to saying the voice is "forced" ... yes it's forced. BY BRUCE WAYNE .. not Christian Bale the actor.

Wrong.

 

[0neW0manSh0w]

ill admit, i found it awkward at first also.. but i did get into it, and now i love it.. its great!

 

[0neW0manSh0w]

Exactly ... haha. Batman is a character created by Bruce Wayne. Not his natural voice. Totally different. Someone else who gets it per se, and doesn't resort to saying the voice is "forced" ... yes it's forced. BY BRUCE WAYNE .. not Christian Bale the actor.

i agree.

 

[MasterOgami]

You're missing my point. I KNOW it's a guise put on by the character. My point was that it doesn't necessitate looking/sounding like it. All that translates to is a bad performance.

Preference and taste, yeah? The batvoice can't help exposing itself as a disguise because of the nature of what it -is-. Its meant to hide the real voice and carry with it a certain rage and anger, and that's always, to a degree, going to sound "put on", no one would confuse it with something 100% natural.

Its like the drill instructors you mention, everybody knows that they (hopefully) don't use that tone/volume/language with their loved ones. While it may be an effective method, its still a pretty obvious -technique-, and it can't be helped.

 

[Crook]

Preference and taste, yeah? The batvoice can't help exposing itself as a disguise because of the nature of what it -is-. Its meant to hide the real voice and carry with it a certain rage and anger, and that's always, to a degree, going to sound "put on", no one would confuse it with something 100% natural.

Would you consider Heath's Joker voice to be natural? Andy Serkis as Gollum? Depp as Wonka? It's nothing new to put on a fake voice, even one that is unnatural or odd. The challenge is in making the audience believe in it.

Its like the drill instructors you mention, everybody knows that they (hopefully) don't use that tone/volume/language with their loved ones. While it may be an effective method, its still a pretty obvious -technique-, and it can't be helped.

Obvious, yes. Convincing, also yes. The 2 don't have to contradict with each other to co-exist.

 

[The Batman]

so, its ok to have an inconsistent, sometimes humoress sounding voice because bruce is trying to create a persona...

thats like saying its ok for a c list actor to continue being mediocre because hes obviously playing a role...

and most people get it just fine...you dont have sycophantically love everything about bale to get it....Its really not hard to understand what hes trying to do...his execution is just off

 

[0neW0manSh0w]

obviously tons of people love it.. so theres no need to fix what isnt broken.. Its just a matter of opinion.. And majority loves it.

 

[0neW0manSh0w]

http://www.filmschoolrejects.com/news/batman-to-batman-who-is-the-best-batman-of-all-time.php

 

[MasterOgami]

Would you consider Heath's Joker voice to be natural? Andy Serkis as Gollum? Depp as Wonka? It's nothing new to put on a fake voice, even one that is unnatural or odd. The challenge is in making the audience believe in it.

I would consider them the natural voices of those characters. The batvoice is not Bruce's natural voice, which, as far as I'm concerned, makes it okay that it doesn't sound completely real. Could Bale work on it to make it sound a bit more natural? Sure, but at the same time it would risk losing some of its, how to put it....slightly over the top gruff charm.

Obvious, yes. Convincing, also yes. The 2 don't have to contradict with each other to co-exist.

But sometimes when they coexist, the obviousness takes a bite out of the effectiveness. I'd be a bit more intimidated by Batman's growl than something like a drill sergeant barking at me simply because I'd be familiar with the drill sergeant's routine, while I'd have no idea who the Batman was or what he intended to do.

 

[0neW0manSh0w]

I mean.. for the people who dislike the batman voice... whats the point of this argument? I mean, what are you trying to prove? And better question.. why? Whats the point? Who cares? You dont like it.. alright.. well fans everywhere love it.. and if you dont like it, dont watch it? We arent in control of the batman voice department.. its not like were going to go and say " oh, this guy on the super hero hype board doesnt like the batman voice.. better fix that.. " lol.. were just in the same boat as you.. ANd i think his voice is sexy as batman.. if you want my opinion.. And like i said.. its getting good reviews.. so you might be the lone few with this feeling towards his voice.

 

[batman497]

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/article1458119.ece

I really want this picture can anyone tell me where I can get it from. It won't let me take it off the site and it is the best pic I've seen of bale as batman. Someone please help.

 

[batman497]

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/article1458119.ece

I really want this picture can anyone tell me where I can get it from. It won't let me take it off the site and it is the best pic I've seen of bale as batman. Someone please help.

 

[Crook]

I would consider them the natural voices of those characters. The batvoice is not Bruce's natural voice, which, as far as I'm concerned, makes it okay that it doesn't sound completely real.

I'm not sure why you keep going back to this. If it'll sound "fake" to the audience, then logically it should sound "fake" to the characters in the movie.

But sometimes when they coexist, the obviousness takes a bite out of the effectiveness. I'd be a bit more intimidated by Batman's growl than something like a drill sergeant barking at me simply because I'd be familiar with the drill sergeant's routine, while I'd have no idea who the Batman was or what he intended to do.

That's being intimidated by the routine, not the voice.

I mean.. for the people who dislike the batman voice... whats the point of this argument? I mean, what are you trying to prove? And better question.. why? Whats the point? Who cares? You dont like it.. alright.. well fans everywhere love it.. and if you dont like it, dont watch it? We arent in control of the batman voice department.. its not like were going to go and say " oh, this guy on the super hero hype board doesnt like the batman voice.. better fix that.. " lol.. were just in the same boat as you.. ANd i think his voice is sexy as batman.. if you want my opinion.. And like i said.. its getting good reviews.. so you might be the lone few with this feeling towards his voice.

1) Plenty of reviews about how it's a good movie. Plenty of other reviews that mention Bale's Batman voice being "iffy"

2) This is a discussion board. We are free to discuss these differing opinions. Would be a boring place if all we ever did was agree on everything.

3) If you've been on these boards, you'd know Bale's voice has been a point of contention since BB. That's 3 years ago.

 

[0neW0manSh0w]

my gift to you. lol

 

[0neW0manSh0w]

I'm not sure why you keep going back to this. If it'll sound "fake" to the audience, then logically it should sound "fake" to the characters in the movie.


That's being intimidated by the routine, not the voice.


1) Plenty of reviews about how it's a good movie. Plenty of other reviews that mention Bale's Batman voice being "iffy"

2) This is a discussion board. We are free to discuss these differing opinions. Would be a boring place if all we ever did was agree on everything.

3) If you've been on these boards, you'd know Bale's voice has been a point of contention since BB. That's 3 years ago.

LOL. ok. Dont think im going to bother to argue. .. im sure we could go back and fourth all day.. and theres no point in that.