Rank the 8 batman films

[thecolorsblend]

Picture this. You upload a video about the Batwing which has nothing to do with Burton vs. Nolan comparisons, just B'89 footage, a little tribute to something you like. And, some guy jumps in to say how this showcases the difference between the "old" and the "new" Batman, and how "silly" the '89 Bruce was in his design for the Batwing, and how he wasn't able to hit the Joker etc. etc. Then you say something like "it's movie vehicles, it's their design and not their supposed functionality that really counts, they couldn't exist anyway" and that "this new Bat is just a prop hanging on a crane, it's how good it looks on screen that matters", and you receive 40 negative votes. Can't win with these people, my guess is that some see it like football, you either support Liverpool or Manchester United, you can't both, LOL.

Yep. Well, I can't say I relate to the soccer analogy because I'm not into sports but I get the point.

It just bothers me that the Coke/Pepsi mentality comes into it. It makes sense with Coke/Pepsi because Pepsi sucks but Batman has always been more dynamic than a drink and his strength of adaptability should be celebrated. It's a crucial hallmark of the character that there are so many interpretations and flavors and permutations. Even during "stable" periods, you have different approaches. In the 90's, Chuck Dixon and Graham Nolan did a post-Knightfall trilogy Batman that was fairly well adjusted and more of a swashbuckler/adventurer/detective kind of character while the Dough Moench/Kelley Jones Batman was uber-dark. And then there was Alan Grant/[insert artist here] on Shadow of the Bat with their almost continuity-agnostic, character-driven stories. It all fit together in one era and all of 'em are perfectly valid for their time.

It just bugs me that as a fanbase, we seem to understand that when it comes to comics but somehow it always gets lost in media adaptations. The Batwing thing you mention is a brilliant example of missing the point.

[riddler]

I don't think it's that simple that you can only like one or the other. There's plenty of batman fans such as myself; i like the dark knight better than both Burton films, like both burton films better than the dark knight rises and put begins between batman and batman returns.

Though it seems if you're a fan of any of the batman films you are either a Nolanite or hate the nolanites.

[Bobthegoon89]

My beef there is, yeah, those obnoxious fans have kind of ruined the Nolan films for me. I mean, I was never going to be a devotee to begin with but I might've been more hip to them if the douchebags hadn't constantly been trolling the Internet telling all and sundry they're the greatest movies to ever be filmed and any opinion to the contrary will include the gusher questioning your genetic ancestry, your personal hygiene and the nature of your relationship with your own mother while opening your most probable destination in the afterlife up for speculation... and urging you to make peace with it because your life will very shortly be coming to an end if they have anything to say about it.

Picture this. You upload a video about the Batwing which has nothing to do with Burton vs. Nolan comparisons, just B'89 footage, a little tribute to something you like. And, some guy jumps in to say how this showcases the difference between the "old" and the "new" Batman, and how "silly" the '89 Bruce was in his design for the Batwing, and how he wasn't able to hit the Joker etc. etc. Then you say something like "it's movie vehicles, it's their design and not their supposed functionality that really counts, they couldn't exist anyway" and that "this new Bat is just a prop hanging on a crane, it's how good it looks on screen that matters", and you receive 40 negative votes. Can't win with these people, my guess is that some see it like football, you either support Liverpool or Manchester United, you can't both, LOL.

Glad you mentioned that. My own family who are merely casual Batman viewers hated the design of the upsettingly named "The Bat". They felt it looked more bug-like than Batwing. I was not impressed myself.

I mean it had propellors to fly didn't it? What's that about? It reminded me of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang who also required flight from such mundane means LOL

Then you look at Keaton's simple 89 model and it looks more Bat-like, cooler and aircraft-like than Nolanites can dream. So next time somebody gets you mad just use my Chitty Chitty reference LOL Hey a video showcasing it and The Bat would be a laugh!!

[Azrael]

tcb

Yeah, the definition of close-mindedness. Those that love both versions seem to be either a small minority, or much less vocal

[riddler]

tcb

Yeah, the definition of close-mindedness. Those that love both versions seem to be either a small minority, or much less vocal

Never realized this but after my initial post, the next 8 replies had the 2 burton films first so maybe this is the burtonite board

only myself and 1 other poster put a nolan film first and one person put a Schumacher film first. I guess it's hard not to make comparisons; same character but told basically 3 completely different ways. Maybe even more than that. Other than possibly the dark knight rises, every bat film has its own identity

Batman 66, batman and robin; the comedic silly versions
Batman 89; the gangster film noir
batman returns; the dark, horrific freak show
batman and forever; the hybrid. Something for everyone
batman begins. the story driven origin journey
the dark knight; the gritty crime drama
TDKR kind of blends half begins and half the dark knight. Maybe thats why I don't like it; it basically didnt do many things we hadnt seen before besides the ending. The beginning was interesting in the sense that it's common in superhero movies for the hero to give up their mantle (superman 2, spider-man 2, ghost rider spirit of vengance) but this was the first time he did it for a prolonged period of time. But it also felt like a rehash of begins with him becoming batman. The entire bane plot felt like a rehash of the jokers plot in the dark knight.

[DallyWhitty]

Batman Returns
Batman 89
Batman Forever
Batman Begins
Batman & Robin
The Dark Knight Rises
The Dark Knight

Call me crazy, but I'm not the biggest fan of the second and third entries in Nolan's trilogy. Rises is alright, but I can't even watch The Dark Knight any more. The pacing and pseudo-philosophical dialogue make it a real chore.

[gordonblu]

my favorites in order by (favorite) quote:
"Lieutenant, is there a six-foot bat in Gotham City? And if so, is he on the police payroll? And if so, what's he pulling down... after taxes?"
"You're not the Devil. You're Practice."
"Why is there always someone who brings eggs and tomatoes to a speech?"
" I just want my phone call."
"Somedays you just can't get rid of a bomb!"
"She wants to kill you, Dick!" (his name or an insult?)
"Do you feel in charge?"
"You really are quite bright sir, despite what some people say."

[thecolorsblend]

tcb

Yeah, the definition of close-mindedness. Those that love both versions seem to be either a small minority, or much less vocal

Yep. There doesn't seem to be a way for someone to be "stridently ecumenical"... but you hear "stridently divisive" stuff all the time from the usual suspects... many of whom have probably never heard of this forum.

[DocLathropBrown]

I'm gonna rank all of the animated ones, as well. "You wanna get nuts? C'mon! Let's get nuts!"

01. BATMAN
02. Batman: Mask of the Phantasm
03. Batman Returns / Batman Forever
04. Batman: The Movie
05. Batman & Robin (1997)
06. Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker (Uncut)
07. The Batman (1943)
08. The Batman Vs. Dracula
09. Batman & Mr. Freeze: Subzero
10. Batman: Year One
11. Batman: The Dark Knight Returns (Both Parts)
12. Batman: Under the Red Hood
13. Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman
14. Batman Begins
15. Batman: Gotham Knight
16. The Dark Knight Rises
17. The Dark Knight
18. Batman and Robin (1949)

*whew* 20 films. Batman has 20 films. Crrrr-a-zy!!

[The Dark Knight]

Revised list:

Batman Returns
Batman (1989)
Mask of the Phantasm
Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker
Batman: The Movie

Batman Forever
Batman and Robin
The Dark Knight
Batman Begins
The Dark Knight Rises