The utility belt

[ALP]

Most people are not big fans of the utility belt used in the Burton/Keaton movies. There's absolutely nothing on it yet all of Batman's gadgets seem to come off of it. But we do know that in context of the film and in real life things like the bat grappler were kept on the utility belt behind Batman's cape and then a real mini-motor would slide things to the front. But does anyone have a good picture of the motor that was used? You can only see it very very briefly in the films whenever there are close ups of Batman grabbing the grapple gun from his belt.

Also the concept drawings and illustrations of the belt in the official movie guide showed off a belt that had many gadgets and many different parts to it yet in real life there was clearly no way the utility belt Keaton wore had any of those gadgets or things on it. I'll look for some good pictures. Thoughts or anything?

 

[GothamAlleys]

Well like you said, most people didnt notice that all those bigger things like Batarang, Grappling Gun and Batmobile communicator are behind the belt and are sliding upfront on a motor device. I think its an interesting take on the fact that in comics and cartoons the heroes always pull something out from behind. The gas ampules are most likely kept in those golden ampules, like in the comic books

http://www.betterthaneveryone.com/images/Mybatmanutilitybelt_D2D6/utility_belt.jpg

 

[GothamAlleys]

As for the pic, thats the best I could find. The device is still hidden behind the grappling gun

 

[ALP]

Well like you said, most people didnt notice that all those bigger things like Batarang, Grappling Gun and Batmobile communicator are behind the belt and are sliding upfront on a motor device. I think its an interesting take on the fact that in comics and cartoons the heroes always pull something out from behind. The gas ampules are most likely kept in those golden ampules, like in the comic books

http://www.betterthaneveryone.com/images/Mybatmanutilitybelt_D2D6/utility_belt.jpg

That picture is a very good example of what I mean. It shows a terrific idea: that Batman keeps pellets and different things in the golden ampules. However on the actual practical utility belt, it is not that way. It looks like plastic. The tips of the ampules do not even look like they could pop off to form gas pellets for example.

Spoiler

Have you seen the concept designs for the belt? I'm still searching for them. They look brilliant on the conceptual drawing- there is even one drawing of the '89 belt that shows a compartment with a first aid kit. But like I said, nothing like that can obviously be on the real practical belt.

I'm going to find those concept pics if it kills me dammit

 

[GothamAlleys]

I think its apparent that the actual prop doesnt have the practical compartments, but Im sure the idea in the movie was that those ampules were filled with accessories

 

[The Joker]

I love the utility belt. It's just from a logical standpoint, you wonder why would a guy who hides in the shadows wear a big yellow belt on a costume drenched in dark colors?

 

[GothamAlleys]

Yeah but the same thing can be said about having a logo - it makes no sense to have one at all, but - looks cool

 

[ALP]

Found 'em

Best I could do

(there is the first aid kit in the first pic)

Badass!

 

[Blitzkrieg Bop]

I'm still waiting on a live-action pouches belt.

 

[ALP]

I love the utility belt. It's just from a logical standpoint, you wonder why would a guy who hides in the shadows wear a big yellow belt on a costume drenched in dark colors?

The yellow belt looks nice when he has a yellow symbol like in the Burton films though. There is some visual symmetry. It makes less sense for Nolan's films as there is no other yellow on the suit(or gold). I think the belt should be yellow when the symbol is yellow and the belt should be black when the symbol is black.

Yeah but the same thing can be said about having a logo - it makes no sense to have one at all, but - looks cool

Do you mean having the logo on the belt or just in general? The chest is the only place the symbol needs to be. Schumacher made it incredible cheesy by placing the symbol all over the belt, the boots, the batmobile, the gadgets, everywhere. I'll get to his utility belts next.

 

[Blitzkrieg Bop]

Schumacher made it incredible cheesy by placing the symbol all over the belt, the boots, the batmobile, the gadgets, everywhere. I'll get to his utility belts next.

Batman Returns is a little guilty of the same thing, as the logo was on the Bat-CD player.

 

[GothamAlleys]

The yellow belt looks nice when he has a yellow symbol like in the Burton films though. There is some visual symmetry. It makes less sense for Nolan's films as there is no other yellow on the suit(or gold). I think the belt should be yellow when the symbol is yellow and the belt should be black when the symbol is black.

I was just about to post that, I fully agree. The logo makes sense for the visual aesthetics/balance. I was an art student and I gotta tell you the yellow logo (which I always thought of as a moon - Batman is the night, and the oval is his full moon) brings a perfect balance with the belt. However Nolan's Bat still works because the belt is so dark. I would hate him to be all in one color like Schumacher's dolls, looks so dull

Do you mean having the logo on the belt or just in general?

In general. Batman isnt a company or a product so in reality having a logo is kinda silly and it doesnt have a purpose. But - it looks great

Oh and thanks for the belt schematics, theyre awesome and will be very helpful since Im writing about the movie belts

 

[Pfeiffer-Pfan]

Of course, the belt looks incredibly cool... just not practical or realistic in any way.

But then again, it's Burton... so it's all about visual flair. I dont think anyone would be scrathing their heads while watching the movie.

 

[ALP]

Batman Returns is a little guilty of the same thing, as the logo was on the Bat-CD player.

Don't remind me! That was the one instance where it just felt so out of place. The symbol on a cd-player? Really!?

I was just about to post that, I fully agree. The logo makes sense for the visual aesthetics/balance. I was an art student and I gotta tell you the yellow logo (which I always thought of as a moon - Batman is the night, and the oval is his full moon) brings a perfect balance with the belt. However Nolan's Bat still works because the belt is so dark. I would hate him to be all in one color like Schumacher's dolls, looks so dull

In general. Batman isnt a company or a product so in reality having a logo is kinda silly and it doesnt have a purpose. But - it looks great

I like the idea of the night and the moon. As for Schumacher, I actually quite liked the first suit in Batman Forever and it had the yellow logo on it. But after that, every other suit was bad. The sonar suit was gawdy and looked like garbage.

Oh and thanks for the belt schematics, theyre awesome and will be very helpful since Im writing about the movie belts

No prob. Sounds cool!

 

[Blitzkrieg Bop]

Don't remind me! That was the one instance where it just felt so out of place. The symbol on a cd-player? Really!?

I'm more concerned with how was Bruce able to scratch the disc like Jam Master Jay, since CD's don't play on needles.

 

[Elevator Man]

I'm more concerned with how was Bruce able to scratch the disc like Jam Master Jay, since CD's don't play on needles.

Oh get over that scene already. It's just a movie. A movie (based on a comic book about a man who dreses as a bat to fight criminals that dress like cats and act like penguins that live under the sewers of Gotham with his own circus gang and remote control penguins) directed by Tim Burton. Anyways,I'm tired of people whining about that scene. Again it's just a movie.

 

[Two-Face]

I don't like any of the Burton/Schumacher/Nolan Bat utility belt I prefer BAA.

 

[Elevator Man]

Double post.

 

[Elevator Man]

I don't like any of the Burton/Schumacher/Nolan Bat utility belt I prefer BAA.

Meh.

 

[ALP]

Not the best shot but I really like the utility belt here.

 

[Blitzkrieg Bop]

Oh get over that scene already. It's just a movie. A movie (based on a comic book about a man who dreses as a bat to fight criminals that dress like cats and act like penguins that live under the sewers of Gotham with his own circus gang and remote control penguins) directed by Tim Burton. Anyways,I'm tired of people whining about that scene. Again it's just a movie.

You're more passionate about it than I am, coming at it's defense like you're Batman. I just think it's funny that someone came up with that idea and Burton had it filmed and left it in, considering there's no possible way to explain it.

 

[d_osborn]

ALP- thanks for posting the pics! i remember seeing some costume design concepts from B89 that had a completely different design for the belt. it was more in-line with what was in the script... it even had a little control panel with small buttons and lights on the front.

 

[ALP]

That sounds really cool! Did you see those pics online? If so I'll have to scour for them lol

 

[d_osborn]

i want to say it was in an old issue of starlog, but i'm sure the image is online somewhere.

there are a few better versions of the images you posted earlier on this site...
http://gothamalleys.blogspot.com/2010/11/utility-belts.html

i'm fairly certain those drawings aren't from pre-production designs... more like artist renderings that were used in an "art-of" or gadgets book. i could definitely be wrong, though.

 

[ALP]

Yes I think they are from one of the Batman art books. Anyway nice write up.