Masquerade Ball

[The Dark Knight]

I love the masquerade ball sequence in Batman Returns. Great concept.

Bruce turns up to the event simply in a tuxedo ? the image the public is accustomed to but rarely sees.

This is his mask and other half. The ball is all about presenting your other side. People think Bruce didn?t go to any effort, but we know better. The party goers don?t get the irony of it all.

The irony is, Bruce must dress up as a bat to be his true self, whereas everybody else in the room minus Selina get around in regular clothing to be their true self.

Bruce and Selina literally live the fantasy world out for real, and treat it as such, whereas the rest are merely playing dress up.

The most serious cosplay addicts are walking among them, but they are oblivious and most likely looking down upon them for not "getting into the spirit".

[Catwoman]

yup. if i could have just one shred of tim burton's symbolic irony my stories would kick all kinds of ass lol.

[The Dark Knight]

And then we have The Penguin crashing the party, a genuine freak who does not require a mask. A living, breathing and scary embodiment of the unreal characters the guests are dressing up as.

[Paul (ral)]

wasn't it the "Max-uerade Ball"?

[The Dark Knight]

wasn't it the "Max-uerade Ball"?

No, it was actually billed as the "Max-squerade Ball".

I just called the thread the blanket term Masquerade Ball, which is what's going on.

[johnnygobbs]

The most serious cosplay addicts are walking among them, but they are oblivious and most likely looking down upon them for not "getting into the spirit".

Great analysis The Dark Knight.  You can see from the haughty looks on some of the revellers faces that they are not too impressed by Bruce and Selina's 'costumes'.

[gordonblu]

I was impressed by Selina's! Yowza!

[The Dark Knight]

Yep, she looked great.

When the opening strains of Face to Face soothe out, Bruce turns his head and Selina appears, it's one of the best moments in Batman history.

[johnnygobbs]

I agree.  Selina looked her best in that scene.

[The Joker]

I agree.  Selina looked her best in that scene.

Yes. Absolutely stunning!