Batman Forever The Official Batman Forever Thread - Part 2

[Milk Tray Guy]

has anyone ever seen the Red Book edition? I've been trying to track it down but its no where to be found

Sadly, no. I've also been looking for a copy for some while.

 

[Herofan]

Can Batman Forever actually be considered a big influence on subsequent superhero films? I'm thinking in particular the Raimi Spider-Man films and Iron Man and therefore the rest of what came later.

Of course most directors just claim they're mainly influenced by Superman 78, and critics tend to claim Superman 78, Batman 89 and maybe/kind of X-Men are the biggest influences on what came later. But while B&R is rightfully seen as the kind of comic book movie to not make, BF can be seen as an effective mixing of, combining of, Burton's approach and that of the Adam West show, especially of making a film that was very commercial, mass-market and family-friendly without turning itself into a joke, pretty light and comical, feel-good, without being self-parody.

 

[Travesty]

Can Batman Forever actually be considered a big influence on subsequent superhero films?

 

[Herofan]

I think the reference to Catwoman and the playful way the line was delivered implies that Catwoman was captured and in jail or Arkham rather than still at large or presumed dead. The playful tone is you once liked a thief, not critical like You once liked a thief and let her get away, and it would be pretty insensitive if she was presumed dead.

 

[Blitzkrieg Bop]

"Batman Forever was really the Genesis of the MCU." -Kevin Feige

"As proud as I was of Heath, I thought he down right sucked compared to Jim Carrey's Riddler." -Christopher Nolan

"I hate all superhero movies because they're not as good as Batman Forever. I cried because I knew I could never write something as good as that." -Alan Moore

 

[Rorschach2012]

I get why people hate it, but Batman Forever is one of my all time favorite movies. Mainly because of nostalgia. My 3 favorite Batman movies are Batman, Batman Forever, and The Dark Knight

 

[Captain Tired]

I think people are over the top in their dislike of Batman Forever. To my mind it's only derided because of the absolute horror show that it led to. Thus it gets unfairly lumped in with it.

 

[TheGuy]

BF has the best handle of Bruce/Batman's duality IMO.

 

[Milk Tray Guy]

I think people are over the top in their dislike of Batman Forever. To my mind it's only derided because of the absolute horror show that it led to. Thus it gets unfairly lumped in with it.

Couldn't agree more. It was massively successful too. I think the Batman Forever baby routinely gets thrown out with the Batman & Robin bathwater.

 

[Milk Tray Guy]

BF has the best handle of Bruce/Batman's duality IMO.

They really tried to explore that aspect. From the deleted footage I've seen I really wish Schumacher had been allowed to run with it.

 

[Spider-Aziz]

I'm watching this movie now in preparation for its 25th anniversary 11 weeks from now, and I don't think I noticed the mirror before today when he wears his cape in the opening scene of this movie.

 

[Rorschach2012]

This is objectively not the best Batman movie... but I think it is my favorite. This, Batman 89, and TDK are my absolute favorites. All three totally different, but those are peak Batman IMO.

 

[I Am The Knight]

Yeah, those three are the Batfilms I've rewatched the most. And BB, of course.

 

[BaelaTargaryen]

Val Kilmer Gets Candid About His Decision to Walk Away From Batman

Val Kilmer is shedding more light on his decision years ago to walk away from the Batman franchise after playing the Caped Crusader only once in 1995's Batman Forever.

The actor for years has maintained he did not return to the role for Batman & Robin (which was the initial plan when he took over for Michael Keaton) due to scheduling conflicts with another project he was working on, 1997's espionage thriller The Saint. Of course, there were plenty of stories from the Batman production that painted Kilmer as unbearable to work with. ("He wanted to do Island of Doctor Moreau because Marlon Brando was going to be in it. So he dropped us at the eleventh hour," Batman Forever and Batman & Robin director Joel Schumacher previously told The Hollywood Reporter.)

However, in a New York Times profile published Wednesday, Kilmer alludes to a bigger reason he was unimpressed playing the character, which occurred after a visit to the set from billionaire businessman Warren Buffett and his grandkids. (He also maintains the scheduling component.)

In the lengthy profile, which is peppered with Kilmer quotes (but they are few and far between as the actor has a difficult time talking after a procedure on his trachea due to throat cancer), the onetime superstar says he relished playing characters with depth, such as Doc Holliday in Tombstone. And if he wasn't going to do that, he wanted to have fun playing entertaining characters, noting, "I would’ve loved to have been on Saturday Night Live as a regular." And on the set of Batman Forever, Kilmer had a profound moment of realization that the character of Batman, for him, was neither special nor fun.

The actor explained to the Times' Taffy Brodesser-Akner that one day during production he remained in the Batsuit (which he is on record numerous times saying he hated wearing) because he heard some special guests were stopping by the set: Buffett and his family. However, the kids had no interest in talking to Kilmer, they just wanted to play with props and ride in the Batmobile, the actor noted. That's when Kilmer realized anyone could wear the mask. “That’s why it’s so easy to have five or six Batmans,” he told Brodesser-Akner. “It’s not about Batman. There is no Batman.”

As for those stories that he torpedoed a lot of future projects for himself by being a terror on sets, including Batman Forever, Kilmer said, “Everyone has to work out their own salvation. How to live and by what morality, and I found that the part that I feel bad about is hurting somebody in the process.”

 

[Milk Tray Guy]

Interesting.

 

[DarthDaveBanner]

I feel Keaton made a pretty decent Batman who was let down significantly by the material. With a better script he could have maybe given Keaton a run for his money.

 

[The Batman]

Val Kilmer Gets Candid About His Decision to Walk Away From Batman

...Why do I feel like this explains how "meh" his portrayal was?

Anyway, happy 25th Anniversary, BF. Far from the best Batflick, but fun in a light 90's flick kind of way.

 

[The Caped Knight]

Happy 25th, I still enjoy certain aspects of Batman Forever as a film. It wasn’t a totally failure.

 

[Milk Tray Guy]

Happy 25th Anniversary to Batman Forever. I like the film, and I think Kilmer was a great Batman.

 

[BaelaTargaryen]

 

[TheBattinson]

...Why do I feel like this explains how "meh" his portrayal was?

Anyway, happy 25th Anniversary, BF. Far from the best Batflick, but fun in a light 90's flick kind of way.

His performance as Batman and Bruce was all kinds of meh. Stiff. Wooden. Boring. He’s a good actor but no. I liked his bat voice but the poses were bland super heroic. Hands at waist etc.

 

[Rorschach2012]

Love your avatar Battinson.

I had no problem with Val Kilmer’s performance but I’ll admit it was a little bland. I don’t think we’ve gotten a bad performance yet though. Honestly I might’ve liked Clooney’s performance better. He had mor charisma. And I like the Adam West type of Batman.

 

[Kane52630]

Joel Schumacher, Director of Batman Films and ‘Lost Boys,’ Dies at 80

 

[Milk Tray Guy]

RIP Joel Schumacher. I like Batman Forever. And I love Falling Down.

 

[Captain Tired]

That sucks. I actually let out an 'aww' when I saw the news. Batman Forever (and yes, for a time, even Batman & Robin) gave me many innumerable hours of entertainment when I was a kid. And like Milk Tray Guy, I too enjoy Falling Down. Also loved 8mm.