More defense of Schumacher's films (video)

[The Dark Knight]

I completely disagree. I don't see how him screaming "SWEAR TO ME" sounded any better than shouting "WHERE'S THE TRIGGER?.' Both moments were ridiculous, but what makes the Flass scene a little worse is Bale's overexaggerated facial expressions and hissing. It made the scene unintentionally awkward.

The voice in the sequels might have sounded a little deeper, but it was always the same overdone, goofy cookie monster voice. The claim that he sounded better in BB never made any sense to me.

Gotta disagree, Funny Fish. Bale's voice isn't my preference or anything, but it's much better in Begins compared to the sequels. The Flass interrogation sequence isn't a representation of his whole vocal performance in Begins.

[The Laughing Fish]

I beg to differ. Even when he tries to speak in a low voice, like whenever he speaks to Gordon and Ra's al Ghul, he still sounds ridiculous. Mumbles and grumbles, as if he sounds constipated. Which wasn't the intention of course, but that shows how bad he sounds. The times when his voice sounds decent in these films are very rare.

We'll just have to agree to disagree on this instance.

[Silver Nemesis]

I actually appreciate what Bale had in mind for his voice. It's a big attempt at getting into character and changing his persona. His Begins voice was rather good. But indeed, it became a parody in the sequels.

No. The voice in Begins was fairly restrained compared to TDK\TDKRises and the rain scene with Flass was seen as quite powerful in 2005. It's a bit silly only now, in hindsight, well after the growl was overdone in The Dark Knight and became a meme.

A part of me admires Bale for sticking with the gravel voice in TDKR, despite all the stick he took for it in TDK. For better or worse, that voice was part of the characterisation he established for his Batman. It was part of his method for getting into character. And that's something he refused to compromise. I can sort of respect that.

But I do wish he'd stuck with his Batman Begins voice. Every time I go back and watch BB I'm always surprised by how good he sounds there. I don't think his bat-voice was ever as effective as Keaton's, Kilmer's or Affleck's, but it was perfectly serviceable in his first outing. Particularly when compared to the voice he used afterwards.

Another thing I'll say for Bale in BB is that he had the best physique of any live action Batman actor. West and Affleck are closer to the comic book Batman in terms of height, facial features and overall look, but Bale definitely had the best proportioned balance of muscle mass and body fat relative to his height and frame.

[The Dark Knight]

But I do wish he'd stuck with his Batman Begins voice. Every time I go back and watch BB I'm always surprised by how good he sounds there. I don't think his bat-voice was ever as effective as Keaton's, Kilmer's or Affleck's, but it was perfectly serviceable in his first outing. Particularly when compared to the voice he used afterwards.

I agree. He took the concept he established in Begins and took it a little too far. His whole speech to the Joker while he's dangling from the wire is a good example. Begins featured a clearer voice and still achieved what Bale was looking for.

[Azrael]

Yes. This is why if he kept the Begins voice and the growl was used sparingly, only in certain moments (i.e. when he grabs and terrorizes a crook to get answers, like with Flass and Maroni) it would be effective, and not too over the top.

[Wayne49]

For me Keaton played it perfectly because his voice was so low key as Batman it was barely part of his makeup. With Bale he projected so much, it felt like a performance. I think that really shows when he's lecturing the Joker near the end of Dark Knight. I think him gasping for air kind of exposes that. Here he's gassed and he's still trying to put on this voice to give a lecture that he's clearly not physically equipped to be doing at the moment. As Keaton always said,"He should be seen, not heard." That's kind of the point to the outfit. The Batman persona and outfit are a state of mind, not an evening out on the town.