Theatrical Showings

[Slash Man]

I'm envious. Batman: The Movie, Batman 89, Batman Returns and Mask of the Phantasm are my four favourite Batman films, and I've never seen any of them on the big screen. That must be quite an experience. Hopefully one day I'll get the chance to attend a theatrical screening of at least one of them.

Even when you've seen a film dozens of times before and know every line off by heart, there's still something magical about seeing it in a theatre with an audience of likeminded cinephiles. I've been lucky enough to see a number of classic films rereleased on the big screen over the years: among them Metropolis (1927), Cinderella (1950), Vertigo (1958), To Kill a Mockingbird (1962), Jaws (1975), the Star Wars Trilogy (1977-83), Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982), Ghostbusters (1984), Back to the Future (1985) and Die Hard (1988).

I've got a long list of movies I've never seen in a theatre but would like to, and the 1966 and Burton Batman movies are near the top.

It sucks that it's such a niche thing where these showings are usually not advertised much, thus they're under-attended. Nowadays, I feel like a lot more people are invested in the theater experience by attending showings, knowing that streaming debuts will be following closely. Theatrical showings used to be much more commonplace and a huge moneymaker for studios from around the 30s-80s (but the flip-side to that was practically nonexistent home video options).

In my experience, Warner has been the most generous with Batman '89 showings. I think you'll get your chance with that one. In the past ten years, they've shown it three times; two were Tinseltown events, one was Fathom. Which, the Fathom showings included the other three Burton/Schumacher films, which was a pleasant surprise; I never would have imagined seeing Batman Forever and Batman & Robin on the big screen. Though I did notice the diminishing returns with each subsequent film, to the point where I was the only audience member of Batman & Robin.

I would have thought the Nolan films were a bigger moneymaker over the Burton/Schumacher series, but Warner has been giving those original films a lot of love. The last re-release I remember for the Nolan films was before the Dark Knight Rises. Meanwhile we've sadly exited from the Batman '66 renaissance it seems, which would have been the prime time for a re-release. It would be the perfect thing to coincide with the home video release, the comic series, and the new animated film. A new transfer would also be nice, since the last time we saw it was on an early Blu-Ray. Which was great for its time, but doesn't hold up to the strength of Warner's newer restorations.

[Silver Nemesis]

I've got a ticket for a 30th anniversary theatrical screening of Batman Returns on the night of December 23rd. I ask you, is there a more delightful Christmas movie to fill one's heart with festive cheer?

I can't wait!

[BatmanFurst]

I've got a ticket for a 30th anniversary theatrical screening of Batman Returns on the night of December 23rd. I ask you, is there a more delightful Christmas movie to fill one's heart with festive cheer?

I can't wait!

Is this your first time?

[Kamdan]

Please see if you can notice if they use the original sound mix or the new one. I know Batman '89 screenings now use the new sound mix but I'm curious about Returns.

[Silver Nemesis]

Is this your first time?

Yep. I was only six when BR first came out, and since it was rated 12 in the UK I was too young to see it. I've probably watched it more times on video and DVD than any other Batman film, but this'll be my first time seeing it on the big screen. No matter how many times you watch a movie on a TV set, there's still something special about experiencing it in a theatre. It's almost like seeing it for the first time.

Please see if you can notice if they use the original sound mix or the new one. I know Batman '89 screenings now use the new sound mix but I'm curious about Returns.

Will do. I expect it'll be the latest version, but you never know.

[thecolorsblend]

We saw BR in theaters back in 2012. I'd hoped for a vintage 1992 print but no such luck. Iirc, the projection was sourced from the same basic masters used with the 2005 DVD. In other words, very good image quality but very little of the original blue-toned color timing.

I've never been one for "the theatrical experience". But I have to admit, it was a blast seeing BR on the big screen with modern audio and all that.

Let us know how you enjoy the screening if you get time.

[The Joker]

I've got a ticket for a 30th anniversary theatrical screening of Batman Returns on the night of December 23rd. I ask you, is there a more delightful Christmas movie to fill one's heart with festive cheer?

Awesome! I'm sure the theatrical experience of seeing Batman Returns again since 1992, will be majestic to say the least. That's, at least from my own personal experience, how I felt when I finally got the opportunity to see Batman 1989 (once again since the only previous time was when I was a wee lad back in 1989) in 2015. Thanks to the local theater's weekly retro movie screenings.

For whatever reason, the local theater has never offered retro screenings for BR, BF, B&R, or any of the Nolan Batman films. Just B89, and that one's been shown plenty. Around twice a year since 2015 to be perfectly honest. Maybe one day .... 

I can't wait!

Who's jealous? THIS GUY! 

[Silver Nemesis]

I've got a ticket for a 30th anniversary theatrical screening of Batman Returns on the night of December 23rd. I ask you, is there a more delightful Christmas movie to fill one's heart with festive cheer?

I can't wait!

I just got back from seeing it. Another amazing theatrical experience to tick off my bucket list, along with Wrath of Khan and Jaws. I'd seen all three movies countless times on video, DVD and Blu-ray, and yet in all three cases seeing them on the big screen was almost like seeing them for the first time.

The version of BR they showed was the latest 4K print. I can't say I noticed the audio being different. There were one or two sound effects that stood out, like the bubbling noise when Bruce and Alfred discuss Vicki next to the fish tank, but those sounds might only have seemed conspicuous to me because I was hearing them through a theatrical sound system. If there were changes, they didn't distract me. Visually, the film looked stunning. It had that inky greenish tint that several critics noted in the original 1992 release. It was the best looking print of the film I've seen. I tend to vacillate concerning which Batman movie has the best cinematography, but right now I'd say it's BR.

I thought I'd analysed every single frame of this movie, and yet there were little things I spotted on the big screen that I'd never noticed before. For example, the post-it note fixed to Selina's desk lamp with the word 'obey' written on it. I'd never registered that before. The wobbling gravestone in the cemetery scene was also a lot more conspicuous on the big screen.

Batman Returns already ranked among my top five favourite Batman films – in fact it might be my favourite live action movie from the Warner Bros series – and this experience has only enhanced my admiration for it.

Now I just need to catch theatrical screenings of Batman: The Movie and Batman '89 and I'll have seen every live action feature length Batman solo film on the big screen.

[thecolorsblend]

I seem to recall seeing B89 at least three times in theaters back in 1989. The number could be as high as six. But three that I can swear to.

Then I had the unique pleasure of seeing an actual vintage 1989 film print back in 2003. Then in 2011 (I think) I saw digital screenings of both B89 and BR.

With BR, that's a lot easier to summarize. Once in 1992 and once in 2012. All were enjoyable.

As to BR itself, I'm regularly amazed by how well it's aged. The kinda sorta 1930's horror movie style was controversial in its day. But that's the element that keeps BR from being just another Batman movie. There's nothing else in the cinematic canon quite like it. I'm guessing the movie didn't sell a whole lot of Happy Meals. But at the same time, the people making the movie seem like they were in it to win it. By all rights, the sequel to B89 should've been paint by numbers. So, the amount of creative risks the movie takes is pretty shocking.

The cinematography is amazing as well. I'm more fond of the production design, personally. And the score, such an amazing score.

I'm surprised that you never caught B89 and BR in theaters. Is that because you were a bit too young?

[Silver Nemesis]

I'm surprised that you never caught B89 and BR in theaters. Is that because you were a bit too young?

Yeah, I was only 3 when Batman 89 came out and I was 6 when BR was released. Both movies were rated 12 in the UK, and this was long before the 12A system was introduced that allows under-12s to see 12-rated movies if they're accompanied by an adult. If you weren't 12 back then, you weren't getting in. Although I did have a friend the same age as me who somehow got to see Batman Returns during its theatrical run.

My family got me many of the toys relating to the Burton movies, including the Batcave, Batmobile and Batwing. I had a Batman 89 kid-sized batsuit and I collected the Batman Returns trading cards and stickers. I vividly remember the media hype surrounding both movies, but I was too young to see either of them at the time of their release. Some of my earliest memories are of Batmania in the summer of 1989. Even back then, at the age of 3, I already loved the character. But my perception of Batman at that time was largely shaped by reruns of the Adam West show and the various toys and story books I had. The first piece of Batman literature I ever read was a 1989 children's book titled Funhouse of Fear by Constance V Hatch. It was basically a kid-friendly version of The Killing Joke in which Batman had to rescue Gordon from the Joker's titular funhouse. I loved it.

I might create a separate thread about this book at some point. Along with the Adam West show, Funhouse of Fear helped define my earliest perception of Batman. It also helped me learn to draw, as I used to copy the art by Walter Howarth (better known for his work on the Doctor Who comics).

As a preschooler, this ^ and Adam West were Batman for me. At that age, I used to refer to the cinematic Michael Keaton version as "scary Batman". I didn't see Batman 89 until its UK TV premiere on Christmas Day 1991, and even then I only saw the first half of the film. I didn't see Batman Returns until the summer of 1995, when I was 9. By that point I'd started reading the comics, was regularly watching B:TAS and had seen Batman Forever on the big screen. I also got my VHS copy of Batman 89 that summer. Good times.

Since then, I've made sure to see every live action Batman solo movie in theatres. The only ones I haven't seen theatrical screenings of are B66 and B89. I'd also love to see Mask of the Phantasm on the big screen should the opportunity arise.