Your Version of B89

[zDBZ]

This is unconfirmed as far as I know, but a book called The Batman Filmography claims that, before the insertion of the cathedral climax, Batman defeated the Joker by somehow sicking thousands of bats upon him. That is a beautiful operatic image, though it would have been difficult to pull off with the technology of the day.

I'd add a moment where it's made clear that the Joker poisoned the police department prior to his parade, and that the men Gordon brings are the few survivors he's been able to round up. I'd also have Harvey on the scene with Gordon.

[BatmAngelus]

This is unconfirmed as far as I know, but a book called The Batman Filmography claims that, before the insertion of the cathedral climax, Batman defeated the Joker by somehow sicking thousands of bats upon him. That is a beautiful operatic image, though it would have been difficult to pull off with the technology of the day.

This is in the original Sam Hamm draft:

INT. BELLTOWER

     The JOKER makes a futile grab at the rope ladder, almost
     losing his purchase on the archway parapet. He gestures
     wildly for the copter to make another pass. 0:12 to go.

     EXT. BELLTOWER

     A maelstrom of swirling leaves. And now, among the leaves
     -- roused from their resting place in the rotten rafters of
     the old cathedral --

     -- A HORDE OF SQUEALING, CHITTERING BATS!! Filling the air
     like a black cloud, HUNDREDS OF THEM, taking flight in
     blind uncomprehending fury --

     INT. BELLTOWER

     The JOKER leaps into empty space, grabs hold of the ladder,
     cackles in mad triumph --

     -- AND SUDDENLY THE BELLTOWER IS FULL OF BATS. A SCREECHING
     SWARM, HIDEOUS, BLACK-WINGED -- SWOOPING THROUGH THE
     ARCHWAYS DIRECTLY AT THE JOKER --

     -- WHO SCREAMS IN TERROR -- LETS GO OF THE LADDER --

     -- and plunges into the night.

http://www.screenwritersutopia.com/scriptdb/media/732.html

[The Dark Knight]

I'd add a moment where it's made clear that the Joker poisoned the police department prior to his parade, and that the men Gordon brings are the few survivors he's been able to round up. I'd also have Harvey on the scene with Gordon.

If I were to add something to B89, it would be this. A small scene of Joker's goons poisoning Gotham police officer's coffee, etc. And as the festival was called off, a small scene of them stealing the parade floats. The novlisisation has this stuff as background information, but actually seeing it wouldn't have hurt.

As for Joker's death - I find the gargoyle version superior.

[Edd Grayson]

Have Harvey Dent and Gordon be more involved in the story. They appear in the beginning but then the whole focus in on Joker and Batman.  I usually get so wrapped up that at the end I'm like "Oh, Gordon and Dent were in this too". I don't think the movie suffers because of this, but having them to actually work with Batman to stop Joker would've been nice. 

[The Dark Knight]

but having them to actually work with Batman to stop Joker would've been nice.

Disagreed here in terms of B89's story. Batman doesn't earn Gotham's trust until the very end, during the signal reveal.

[Edd Grayson]

Well, Harvey Dent and the Commissioner were all talk. They didn't actually do anything to stop the Joker. Gordon even knew the Joker was supposed to be at the festival and yet he arrived late 

[johnnygobbs]

Well, Harvey Dent and the Commissioner were all talk. They didn't actually do anything to stop the Joker. Gordon even knew the Joker was supposed to be at the festival and yet he arrived late 

Good point Edd Grayson.  I do agree with Dark Knight that Batman shouldn't be seen teaming up with Batman as an ally until the film's climax but the film might have benefited from more screentime featuring Gordon and Dent and the sense that they weren't merely ineffectual bluster.  Plus, like you said, we should have seen Gordon at least trying, if failing, to maintain order at the 200th Anniversary parade.

[The_Batman_of_1989]

just some random stuff i've thought of watching the film:
- keep Jack in his classic purple suit rather than the plaid pants (gave Joker a bit too much of a cartoony vibe i always thought)
- i probably would've spent a bit more time perfecting the batsuit, as classic as the 89 one is - just in terms of fit, really; the cowl was a bit loose on Michael & you can tell how much it had improved by Batman Returns a few years later
- (here's an obvious one) rather than having Alfred just bring Vicki into the batcave on a whim, have him inform Bruce that she's arrived, let Bruce deliberate over whether or not he should let her in; when he does let her in, tone down the romantic melodrama stuff
- tone down the cutesy/sentimental vibe when Bruce & Vicki are having a glass of wine with Alfred
- cut the music when Jack starts jumping around shooting Grissom in his office - it struck me recently that without humorous background music, that would stand as one of the most chilling scenes in any Batman flick
- (another obvious one) i probably would've cast a slightly younger, less benign Gordon (no disrespect to Pat Hingle), given him a larger part in the film and developed his and Batman's personal relationship a bit
- again, no disrespect to Billy Dee Williams, but with any number of actors in Hollywood in the late 80s who would've made a classic Harvey Dent, i would've gone with less adventurous casting & given the character a bigger part in the film

beyond those details, i find the film to be pretty much great - certainly the best batman film so far - other than the couple of Vicki/Bruce scenes i mentioned, the script is top-notch (one of the main strengths it maintains over the wordy silliness of the Nolan/Goyer films), the acting is generally strong & nuanced (again, something absent from the Nolan pictures), & Anton's Furst's dream-like sets are (& always will be) the definitive Gotham.