20 Years of Batman Returns: A Kult Klassic!

[Dark Knight Detective]

Wow, so the long awaited event has finally come ladies & gentlemen. Thought it'd be perfect to step out of the shadows to confess my love to the inspirational, diamond in the rough, Gothic comic book film that is Batman Returns.

Now to as how far back as to when I first saw BR, I believe it was on VHS or one of the movie channels (HBO & etc.) back in the 90's. Of course I saw 89 first (with the Looney Tunes short, sweet memories), & from then, along with the comics & B:TAS, I was totally hooked on Batman, to the point where he became my favorite superhero. Seeing references to the movie on Tiny Toons & the TV specials got me hyped for BR even more, especially seeing how sexy Michelle looked as Catwoman. Finally the time comes, and on goes Batman Returns....

I don't whether or not if I was a kid & at the most impressionable point in my life or had artistic taste at such an early age, but the movie - from start to end - just absolutely blew me away. Seeing the Penguin as an outcast of society & left to drown in the sewers by his parents, I already felt a connection to the character & was sorry for him in a way. From then on there, he lived in an abandoned zoo, was a circus freak at one point, ate raw fish like an animal, only had penguins & the RTCG as friends & family/cronies. Such a departure from the original comic version who, while an outcast, didn't have the same difficulties as his movie counterpart. His parents, while trying to make him look less like a freak in the public eye, at least allowed him to live relatively normal, even with his strange obsession with birds. Other than that, comic Penguin was just one of the regular, sane crooks who ran a shady club. A bit boring if you ask me.

Like Penguin, Catwoman herself got a bit of a re-imagining, of course, for the best. Now, in the comics, Catwoman is a sexy, femme fatale cat burglar with an anti-heroine morality & has a longtime love/hate/flirty relationship with the Batman. For the film, since this time around a psychological element was added, she needed to become more than just your neighborhood thief. What the movie gives us is a timid, overwhelmed-by-male-authority Selina Kyle, personal assistant of the devious Max Shreck. Everything in Selina's life seems to never work out for her, with her cat (Isis I'll call her after B:TAS) as the only positive light in life. One night, as Selina goes through Max's secret files, Shreck catches her in the act & so to keep a lid on any exposure, knocks her out of a window sending her to an untimely, tragic death. Just as things look bleak, a cat & several others gather around Selina's body, as though if performing a resurrection. With the cats' help, Selina awakens from the brink of death, takes out her frustrations on her apartment & makes her suit of destiny. With this, she becomes the Catwoman, a fierce force that will bring men to their knees, complete with 9 lives, catlike reflexes, & a whip! Now I've read on forums & seen reviews that some have issues with the 9 lives thing, but I strongly believe it added Catwoman a stronger edge, & a much better execution than the Catwoman movie.

Last, but certainly not least & my favorite, the Batman. Now I know a lot of people bash this movie b/c Batman isn't out at EVERY second, but I feel that doing so would only kill the character's purpose. Batman's a man of mystery, a creature of the night, he doesn't need to be out all the time! The way Batman's done in this film & its predecessor is that he comes out from nowhere like a silent force, & given Batman's training in Ninjutsu & keeping up with the batlike nature, wouldn't this be THE Batman any fan would want? Before I forget to mention, the part when Bruce rises upon the bat signal shining in his dark room is not only such a pivotal, awesome moment, but stays true to the character by having him seemingly obsessed with fighting crime that until he sees the signal he's truly like a bat, in the shadows in tranquility until the time calls.

I could go on about the supporting characters, but I dunno what's the limit to these posts, but I'll just say they were all brilliant. The late Michael Gough, of course, my favorite Alfred (with Efrem Zimbalist Jr.); the late Pat Hingle, while we didn't see him that much during the film, was awesome (reminds me alot of the Golden Age Gordon); Walken as Shreck is ever so devious, backed up with a wicked sense of humor; the Ice Princess was sexy, & etc. I'm not sure if people realize this, but these two films have a legacy that can be seen in films like The Crow, Blade, Sin City, & of course gave B:TAS the green light. Before I finish, I'd just like to say, "Batman Returns, you continue to be one of my all time favorite movies. I wish more Batman/movie fans would give you a chance & realize how much of a diamond in the rough you really are, but with fans such as myself & the rest of your cult following, your legacy won't go unrecognized. Happy 20th."

[Paul (ral)]

Good thoughts...and the basis for a retrospective feature :-)

[Dark Knight Detective]

Thanks a lot,it feels great to be back. Been waiting for this for a long time now (I dunno if some people thought I was "dead", ie Johnny Gobbs who I spoke to alot), & killer sig btw. Now is it possible for B:TAS to get an anniversary spotlight later in September?

[Paul (ral)]

Hmmm, ok

[bobbym]

I think it would be pretty cool to do something for the B;TAS anniversary.