Batman '89 The Michael Keaton Appreciation Thread

[Ponyboy]

^ haha yeah weird sort of relation between the two.

I've no faith in the remake either...

 

[Pfeiffer-Pfan]

Weird that Michael Keaton is now 61...

I wish all the greats from my childhood would stop aging.

 

[TruerToTheCore]

Happy birthday, Mr Mom.

 

[Two-Face]

Happy Birthday Batman








I mean Keaton.

 

[The Joker]

Happy Birthday, Michael.

Your Batman performance shall never be forgotten.

 

[Mace Dolex]

Weird that Michael Keaton is now 61...

I wish all the greats from my childhood would stop aging.

Heh I was thinking this the other day, all the actors I watched one I was a kid were awesome now they're just old farts like Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sly Stallone, Bill Murray, Eddie Murphy, Tom Cruise, Tom Hanks, or they're either dead like John Ritter, Christopher Reeve.

 

[Marx]

Happy Birthday Michael!

 

[EliteF50]

Happy birthday to arguably the best on-screen Batman!

 

[DaRkVeNgeanCe]

Happy Birthday Michael, without you batman wouldnt be what he is today!

 

[kewlmatto]

I would have loved Keaton to have a third go at Batman... shame how everything turned out.

I'd have him back in any capacity...

Yep, would love to see him in Batman Beyond - would be fantastic. And it's the right time to do it in terms of his age.

I am glad he never wore that ugly Forever suit though. He jumped ship at the right time.

Happy birthday Michael.

 

[Lily Adler]

Happy Birthday Michael, I have song for you...

[YT]dLz3ia7TFqM[/YT]

 

[American_Hobo]

I'd have him back in any capacity...

If Keaton gets little more older, I can see it happening.

 

[mjbull23]

Yep, would love to see him in Batman Beyond - would be fantastic. And it's the right time to do it in terms of his age.

I am glad he never wore that ugly Forever suit though. He jumped ship at the right time.

Happy birthday Michael.

Wow, incredible likeness when you put those two images side by side. You guys are right, he would work well in a Batman Beyond film.

Anyways, happy Belated Birthday to the Batman of my youth, and still the champ.

 

[Marx]

Yep, would love to see him in Batman Beyond - would be fantastic. And it's the right time to do it in terms of his age.

I am glad he never wore that ugly Forever suit though. He jumped ship at the right time.

Happy birthday Michael.

...but he does make the suit look better though in that manipped version above.

 

[spidermanJLA!~]

I feel Keaton could've been a perfect Bruce Wayne. But I think in Burton's vision he wanted him to be insane. I mean, he acts all normal sometimes, but then again he dresses up as a bat killing people. Not to complain years after the film, but I feel if the Batman persona was changed a little, BATMAN and BATMAN RETURNS could be a lot better.

 

[Marx]

I like my Batman with a bit of an edge. It makes him scarier.

 

[TruerToTheCore]

I feel Keaton could've been a perfect Bruce Wayne. But I think in Burton's vision he wanted him to be insane. I mean, he acts all normal sometimes, but then again he dresses up as a bat killing people. Not to complain years after the film, but I feel if the Batman persona was changed a little, BATMAN and BATMAN RETURNS could be a lot better.

+1. Not to say that the whole portrayal was not based on any comic book version.

 

[GothamAlleys]

A lot of it was taken from earliest comic books that Uslan shoved in Burtons hand, theres plenty of that. The vampirish presence, visuals of shadow, vengeaful personality. But also theres a lot , if not more, taken from Phantom of the Opera. And yes, the whole insanity and most of the aspects of a Gothic Literature character was an original invention. The only Batman that was not based on any version is Kilmer, i cant find any version that would be so sad and constantly calm all the time

 

[spidermanJLA!~]

Also I think Bruce's duality problem could've been handled better. In the Burton series, Bruce revealed his identity to every girl he kissed. His personal life was a big issue. I'm not a Nolan fanboy, but I like how in BB he struggled with being Batman. As Alfred put it: "You're becoming lost in this monster of yours." In these old movies he just dressed up to beat up some criminals.

 

[Pfeiffer-Pfan]

I think thats under selling it massively...

Burton was just a little more subtle at hitting those themes than Nolan was.

 

[spidermanJLA!~]

The only reason I'm saying this is because I love the series. I love the Gothic-looking Gotham, I love the Joker, can't say I'm a fan of the Penguin but hey, this was Tim Burton's vision, not mine. And I gotta say the Batman Returns suit is the best Batman suit in film. Sorry, I don't mean to sound like the movies are mediocre, which they're not, I just feel that with different choices it would've been better. And not to mention, but who gave us the Bat-grapple and B:TAS?

 

[GothamAlleys]

Also I think Bruce's duality problem could've been handled better. In the Burton series, Bruce revealed his identity to every girl he kissed. His personal life was a big issue. I'm not a Nolan fanboy, but I like how in BB he struggled with being Batman. As Alfred put it: "You're becoming lost in this monster of yours." In these old movies he just dressed up to beat up some criminals.

But thats not true. He was dismissive of Vicky until constant naggings from her and Alfred, and she figured out his identity herself, just like Silver St Cloud who was originally the Vicky character in earlier scripts. As far as Selina and Bruce, they realized who they are because of one quote, like Rachel did after Batman's line about :its not who you are underneath.."

 

[spidermanJLA!~]

Oh okay, sorry I haven't seen the original in a while.

 

[Marx]

I think thats under selling it massively...

Burton was just a little more subtle at hitting those themes than Nolan was.

I agree.

 

[Ponyboy]

In the Burton series, Bruce revealed his identity to every girl he kissed.

Don't be silly. He had a sexual relationship with Vicki. Not only that, but I think it's arguably clear that Vicki "figured out" that Wayne was Batman before he was able to tell her. Remember when Knox asked her "What do you suppose something like this does to a kid?" and the next thing you know she's showing up at the Batcave.

With Selina it was more plainly evident as to why he reached out to her, though not in the same way he did with Vicki. He was ready to point blank tell Vicki. This time he was reaching out to someone troubled just like himself. Batman even says it, "We're the same. Split... right down the center."

I don't know about you, but these identity reveals sit better with me than the way Gordon Levitt as Blake/Robin just "always knew" that Wayne was Batman.