What Movie Changes Were For the BETTER?

[Paste Pot Pete]

This thread is inspired by Doc's "Inaccuracies" thread, and in particular, a question posed by Kevin Roegele.

Are there any instances in the films (Burton, Schumacher and Nolan) that you found to be improvements on the source? Obviously, these are just personal preferences, and what works best for you.

I'll start with a controversial one with purists-

I TOTALLY prefer Burton's Penguin over his comic counterpart. The character never appealed to me, and I would always skip his issues. The only times I've enjoyed the traditional Penguin were in BTAS and the 60s show, and I attribute both to the great performances of Paul Williams and Burgess Meredith.

It's a testament to Burton and DeVito that they took a character who I had no interest in and made him the primary villain in a movie that became one of my favorite of all time. DeVito's so great, his lines are endlessly hilarious and quotable. The character is a blast.

 

[Superwoman Prime]

The murderer of Bruce's parents being Jack Napier was always a harmless change that contributed to the story of Batman as a movie; it made the animosity between Batman and The Joker very believable.

 

[Paste Pot Pete]

The murderer of Bruce's parents being Jack Napier was always a harmless change that contributed to the story of Batman as a movie; it made the animosity between Batman and The Joker very believable.

It only started bothering me after Begins came out. "Where's the Joker? Who the hell's Chill?"

If I had a nickel for every time I corrected someone...

 

[kooguy911]

the bat-nipples certainly were NOT for the better. I cant recall of any comic book in which batman had nipplies on his suit..

 

[DocLathropBrown]

the bat-nipples certainly were NOT for the better. I cant recall of any comic book in which batman had nipplies on his suit..

The movie adaptations of both Batman Forever and Batman & Robin.

 

[Kevin Roegele]

Some things work better in the movies, others in the comics. The decision to make Batman's costume all black was a very good one (Burton himself says there was no way it could be anything else), but the all-black doesn't work in the comic.

 

[cryptic name]

Burton's batmobile is better than any depicted in the comics. I also prefer the all black suit

 

[Ibn]

This thread is inspired by Doc's "Inaccuracies" thread, and in particular, a question posed by Kevin Roegele.

Are there any instances in the films (Burton, Schumacher and Nolan) that you found to be improvements on the source? Obviously, these are just personal preferences, and what works best for you.

I'll start with a controversial one with purists-

I TOTALLY prefer Burton's Penguin over his comic counterpart. The character never appealed to me, and I would always skip his issues. The only times I've enjoyed the traditional Penguin were in BTAS and the 60s show, and I attribute both to the great performances of Paul Williams and Burgess Meredith.

It's a testament to Burton and DeVito that they took a character who I had no interest in and made him the primary villain in a movie that became one of my favorite of all time. DeVito's so great, his lines are endlessly hilarious and quotable. The character is a blast.

Yessir. Dark, smart, and poetic. Still maintained the core of the character, but made it better. I HATE the comics version of penguin. Everything you said about him, I totally agree. Jack's Joker and Danny's penguin are the top two villain performances in comic adaptations ever to me. Also, I really wish they would give the black suit another run in the comics. Seeing what they did with Cassies garb makes me believe that the black suit can work.

 

[Ibn]

The murderer of Bruce's parents being Jack Napier was always a harmless change that contributed to the story of Batman as a movie; it made the animosity between Batman and The Joker very believable.

Thank god theres somebody else.

 

[dude stannis]

Some things work better in the movies, others in the comics. The decision to make Batman's costume all black was a very good one (Burton himself says there was no way it could be anything else), but the all-black doesn't work in the comic.

[Lex Luthor]Are you sure?[/Lex Luthor]

 

[Kevin Roegele]

[Lex Luthor]Are you sure?[/Lex Luthor]

Well, that's not all-black, is it? It's mainly grey.

The all-black was used in some issues of JLA in the late 90's.

 

[The Joker]

I definitely agree about The Penguin. I'm watching Batman Returns at the moment, and Danny DeVito just owns screen when he's on with his version of Penguin.

Real depth, emotion, and superb villainy. Heck, they're all great in Returns.

 

[CConn]

BATMAN

1). I actually think the Joker being the killer of the Waynes worked well in B89's encapsulated universe. It DID bring added tension and emotion to the end climax. Which was very much needed. If the Joker hadn't killed Waynes' parents, he would have needed to off Vicki or Alfred...or something to make it personally.

2). I also think the decision to make the Joker a gangster was fabulous as well. I mean, Jack is cool before he's even ever the Joker. He's not some no name comedian (not that I'm bashing the comics), he's not some regular joe. He's still a psychopath, but he's a classy, refined one. And I loved both Jack and Joker in the film.

3). The Batsuit in B89 is, IMO, the absolute perfect costume for that film's Batman. The way it was designed, the way Keaton looked in it. A comic costume wouldn't have looked anywhere near as good.


BATMAN RETURNS

4). Making The Penguin a mutated psychopath rather than a common gangster. While I wasn't too crazy about how dark Burton had made BR (The Penguin being a big part of that darkness), I can't disagree that The Penguin is eons more interesting and even enjoyable as the deeply layered, deeply scarred character Burton created rather that his comic persona; which is, IMO, a rather shallow and uninteresting characterization. I mean, the Penguin bores me in the comics. He bores me in TAS. But in BR...he's as interesting as Batman himself. And that makes BR all the better of a movie.


BATMAN BEGINS

5). Ra's training Batman in BB was a good move as well, I feel. I mean, given Bruce and Ra's reputations for being the best and having the best, it only makes sense they would find each other early in the game. Obviously - like B89 - it made the end battle emotional and personal for Bruce.

6). See Cain's post.

7). Making Jonathan Crain head of Arkham Asylum. Maybe it's not a very large aspect of the film, but I really dug it. Putting this mad, deranged man in charge of Arkham is entirely fitting with the spirit of the Asylum in the comics. It even made sense for Scarecrow's character. And it certainly saved time from having to explain the presence of Dr. Arkham.

 

[DocLathropBrown]

Well, that's not all-black, is it? It's mainly grey.

The all-black was used in some issues of JLA in the late 90's.

Batman switched to all-black for a time post-Prodigal until No Man's Land, I believe.

 

[GoogleMe94]

best changes:

jack napier shooting waynes

mostly all the Penguin changes (always hated the comics version)

catwoman being an oppressed woman out for revenge instead of simply a cookie cutter jewel thief (she had more of a purpose in the movies then in the comics, and just all around better and more intense).


batman killing here and there (made him more real and more of a badass)

 

[Kevin Roegele]

b

catwoman being an oppressed woman out for revenge instead of simply a cookie cutter jewel thief

In Year One she is a prostitute.

 

[Mr. Socko]

I'd say making Napier the killer of Wayne's parents. Changing the Pengun(i hate him in the comics) and the Batman Returns suit(greatest bat-suit of all time imo)

 

[Man on Fire]

i'd Say the joker killing bruce is parents

 

[El Payaso]

Jack Napier shooting the Waynes and The Penguin are the absolute best.

 

[Pumaman]

I TOTALLY prefer Burton's Penguin over his comic counterpart. The character never appealed to me, and I would always skip his issues. The only times I've enjoyed the traditional Penguin were in BTAS and the 60s show, and I attribute both to the great performances of Paul Williams and Burgess Meredith.

It's a testament to Burton and DeVito that they took a character who I had no interest in and made him the primary villain in a movie that became one of my favorite of all time. DeVito's so great, his lines are endlessly hilarious and quotable. The character is a blast.

And I totally agree with you. That is the first thing that comes to my mind. Return's Penguin totally overshadows the Joker, from the previous Burton flick.

Great casting, great makeup, great...changes...to the better.

 

[Cain]

Making Bruce Wayne a *****e for most of Batman Begins. He really was still that kid and by the last scene that's when he grew into a man and thus Batman Begins and he's got a nice signal too. It makes the contrast with Batman even greater and before someone mentions the comics it was pulled off more over the top in the movie than in the majority of the comics.

 

[CConn]

Making Bruce Wayne a *****e for most of Batman Begins. He really was still that kid and by the last scene that's when he grew into a man and thus Batman Begins and he's got a nice signal too. It makes the contrast with Batman even greater and before someone mentions the comics it was pulled off more over the top in the movie than in the majority of the comics.

Oh yeah, I agree with that. I've had debates defending that exact point. The progression and growth of Bruce is much more...natural in BB than it is in the comics.

I mean, in the comics, Bruce pretty much becomes a full-fledged adult the second his parents are shot. Cold and single-purposed, pretty much Batman without the training. While the cold part may actually happen in real life, no child (then later teenager) would ever be that emotionally stable after the death of his parents.

 

[DocLathropBrown]

I mean, in the comics, Bruce pretty much becomes a full-fledged adult the second his parents are shot. Cold and single-purposed, pretty much Batman without the training. While the cold part may actually happen in real life, no child (then later teenager) would ever be that emotionally stable after the death of his parents.

It's the stuff myths are made of.

But I think Keaton's Bruce Wayne is much more in tune with a realistic depiction of the "cold and single-purposed" Batman. He's evolved into a slightly scatter-brained person with SAD. He got problems.

 

[GoogleMe94]

In Year One she is a prostitute.

yeah that sucked too, and she was black thanks for reminding me.t:

 

[GoogleMe94]

It's the stuff myths are made of.

But I think Keaton's Bruce Wayne is much more in tune with a realistic depiction of the "cold and single-purposed" Batman. He's evolved into a slightly scatter-brained person with SAD. He got problems.

^agreed, totally. keaton nailed the serious, cold and calculating batman, which reminds me alot of the BTAS batman. bales wasnt dark enough as far as im concerned. i think they got the darkest they could go with keatons batman, so bale could only do so much i guess. bale felt more like kilmer meets keaton.