What did Christopher Nolan think of the other Batman movies?

[Lord]

So is there any interview where he says he liked or hated any of the previous Batman films made before Batman Begins?

 

[ShrinkingMan]

Nolan on Why the “Batman” Franchise Stalled: “I think that when Tim Burton made his film in 1989, which was a brilliant film, visionary and extraordinarily idiosyncratic, it’s a very, very stylized movie and when you go down that road… I mean to get to four films is pretty impressive because you’re going to hit a dead end at a certain point. I mean it’s so extreme in its approach it’s bound to.”

Source: http://movies.about.com/od/batman/a/batmancn060805.htm

 

[Lord]

I think he also said something about batman returns and penguin but i don't remember what

 

[akfj]

http://www.craveonline.com/film/interviews/151430-director-christopher-nolan-on-the-dark-knight

Nolan on Burton's Penguin:

Crave Online: Do you think you could ever push it too far with a franchise like this?

Christopher Nolan: Well, you certainly can push it too far, but interestingly there are different ways to be disturbing. I mean, I don't talk a lot about the previous films because I didn’t make them and they're not mine to talk about. But certainly if you look at Batman Returns with Danny DeVito as The Penguin, eating the fish and everything, there are some extraordinarily disturbing images in that movie. But they're coming it at from a surreal point of view.

I also remember Nolan saying in an interview that Burton's Penguin was the best version of the character, but I can't find the article where he said that online.

 

[GothamAlleys]

All the quotes from Nolan, Bale and Goyer on past movies are collected here - http://gothamalleys.blogspot.com/2010/11/their-comments-on-others-work.html

 

[Bat-Mite]

All the quotes from Nolan, Bale and Goyer on past movies are collected here - http://gothamalleys.blogspot.com/2010/11/their-comments-on-others-work.html

I just gotta say.. I love the picture that you used for Schumacher and how he has the same expression on his face as the muppets do. Lmao!

 

[GothamAlleys]

I just gotta say.. I love the picture that you used for Schumacher and how he has the same expression on his face as the muppets do. Lmao!

Lol everyone who reads that tells me the same thing

 

[NBlackestKnight]

I imagine Nolan doesn't think about them. lol

 

[GothamAlleys]

Theres also one quote from Nolan that I didnt include in my blog because I couldnt trace it back, and its Nolan saying how he took the idea of interchanging past and present in BB from Burton's movie. If anyone has that quote and its source, please share

 

[The Joker]

Theres also one quote from Nolan that I didnt include in my blog because I couldnt trace it back, and its Nolan saying how he took the idea of interchanging past and present in BB from Burton's movie. If anyone has that quote and its source, please share

What did he mean by interchanging past and present?

 

[El Payaso]

I imagine Nolan doesn't think about them. lol

It's good that you can check here that you're wrong, lol.

 

[Holiday]

All the quotes from Nolan, Bale and Goyer on past movies are collected here - http://gothamalleys.blogspot.com/2010/11/their-comments-on-others-work.html

Bookmarked.

 

[frodawgg]

It's good that you can check here that you're wrong, lol.

Well, he probably doesn't think about them when making his own movies, but shares his opinion/view when asked.

 

[GothamAlleys]

What did he mean by interchanging past and present?

Simply intercutting past with present story, so presenting past as flashbacks rather than going chronologically. I know its nothing unique or signature to the 89 movie only, but he mentioned he took the idea from it. Ive read that quote well after the movie was on DVD already, probably '09 or '10, but then when looking for it again for the blog I spent 2 days and 100 different keywords to find it but couldnt. All I remember that it was a yellow font on a black background

 

[Lord]

Anybody has a link where Nolan says his favourite comics or something like that?
Most of the time it seems like he doesn't read any comics anymore

 

[GothamAlleys]

Well, he wasnt a comic reader to begin with by his own admission. He knew and liked the Batman character but didnt read comics. As of now, I dont know

 

[NolansKnight]

Well, he wasnt a comic reader to begin with by his own admission. He knew and liked the Batman character but didnt read comics. As of now, I dont know

Just like Burton ... but with that said Nolan (and his brother) do have admiration for the actual character and his stories. Burton however, in typical fashion, was just attracted to the "image".

Nolan talked about a few years back of reading some of the hallmark graphic novels (like Bale), but was never like an avid comic book reader.

I think the book he talked about borrowing and/or reading with his brother was TDK Returns. Oddly, the inspiration for TDK Rises.

Why the “Batman” Franchise Stalled: “I think that when Tim Burton made his film in 1989, which was a brilliant film, visionary and extraordinarily idiosyncratic, it’s a very, very stylized movie and when you go down that road… I mean to get to four films is pretty impressive because you’re going to hit a dead end at a certain point. I mean it’s so extreme in its approach it’s bound to.”

He's absolutely right. With such a stylized and ultimately flawed approach (from a franchise, multiple movie, and story perspective) it was the wrong way to go. For instance, B89. As a one off movie, it's fine. A triumph of style of substance.

But, Burton also limited himself by basing the mythos off the early 1930's Bob Kane stuff. The characters, story, and mythos wasn't as fleshed out and layered yet ... so it didn't lend it self off those circumstances alone to making many movies or compelling stories.

It was a mistake IMO to base the story off the 1939 stuff in 1989. Batman was presented as mysterioso to us as readers in 1939 because they were still coming up with his story. Even if in 1989 if the general audience still knew him as a goofy, camp character, you didn't have to go to the underdeveloped and basically infancy stages of the Batman mythos to base your story off of. It has too low of a ceiling.

And that shows in the sequels. The audience is supposed to be rooting for BRUCE WAYNE, but there is such limited character arc, growth, and peril to put Bruce Wayne through to MAKE him a HERO to root for in the film ... it makes everything ultimately really boring, and lacks any kind of tension. There isn't enough pathos and backstory given for us to care about the damn protagonist haha ...

We end up getting more character development and screen time, through both B89 and Returns to the people he faces. Which ultimately leaves the viewing experience polarizing. Those are supposed to be the monsters or threats of the movie. You're supposed to give those people less development, and more for your protagonists. The person we the audience are rooting for to overcome obstacles has to be given more rapport and care.

As they say if something is too much of an image (whether its a movie, just a good looking woman you lust after) ... but you don't actually love, or have depth to ... if it's just an image, it loses its VISCERAL impact.

Case in point, Burton's fancy and interesting looking ... yet totally hollow and boring Batman films.

 

[バット人]

Hmm, there's something familiar about the above users posts. Are members allowed to make new user names if they're banned? Isn't that like, against the rules?

 

[El Payaso]

Hmm, there's something familiar about the above users posts. Are members allowed to make new user names if they're banned? Isn't that like, against the rules?

Pretty much.

 

[Two-Face]

http://www.craveonline.com/film/interviews/151430-director-christopher-nolan-on-the-dark-knight

Nolan on Burton's Penguin:

I also remember Nolan saying in an interview that Burton's Penguin was the best version of the character, but I can't find the article where he said that online.

Penguin eating raw fish that's one of the things I find disturbing as well but yet I like it in a Burton film you won't see that in a Nolan film. I like Burton Films I appreciate them more I think they are great as Nolan films.

 

[Lord]

Hmm, there's something familiar about the above users posts. Are members allowed to make new user names if they're banned? Isn't that like, against the rules?

What do you mean?
None of the above posters was banned

 

[El Payaso]

What do you mean?
None of the above posters was banned

Obviously none appear like banned. But days ago mods found out that one poster had been already banned and came back with a different username. And apparently the same user has come back again under yet another different username. And his posts sound way too similar.

 

[Lord]

I see, back to the subject, i allways found Nolan to not be a big fan of comics, now he seems to take an interest in Superman too, which is kind of strange

 

[GothamAlleys]

while Nolan admits he wasnt into comics, Goyer is a real spec in this area. I think its a great mix - a director who isnt familiar with comic book world and a writer who is

 

[El Payaso]

I see, back to the subject, i allways found Nolan to not be a big fan of comics, now he seems to take an interest in Superman too, which is kind of strange

Comics fan or not, he knows something few directors know: how to take a character from one source to a different medium.