Comic Creators Comment on Batman Movies

[Silver Nemesis]

Thanks for posting Rucka's opinions. I didn't know he'd commented on the films.

Is it funny how George Clooney, perhaps the most maligned Batman actor, is the only live action Batman from the WB movies to not kill anyone?) and that he couldn't see that version of Batman as a hero.

There's a troubling thought: from a moral standpoint, Clooney's Batman is actually the closest to the comics.

I was going to say that West never killed anyone, but he and Robin did accidentally turn those rehydrated pirates into antimatter in the '66 movie. Though that was more the Penguin's doing than theirs.

I think even he knows it'd be tough for him to bash a Superman vs. Batman story since he's famous for writing one in Red Son.

And Millar can't very well criticise the casting of an older actor to go up against Cavill, since he portrayed the Red Son Batman as being about fifteen years younger than Superman. Snyder's just inverting the disparity so it's Batman who's older.

Does anyone know what Alan Moore thought of the 89 movie? I thought someone on this site once said something about him phoning Burton to compliment him on the film, but I can't find any evidence of that. I know he described Sam Hamm as "an excellent screenwriter" and was happy to have him write the Watchmen movie: http://www.televisionwithoutpity.com/mwop/moviefile/2008/10/alan-moore-endorsed-watchmen-m/

But that was in 1987. Did his opinion of Hamm change after he saw the 1989 Batman film?

[Azrael]

"I expect audiences will still be applauding Tim Burton's Batman in whatever the world will become in the next fifty years" - Dennis O'Neil, 1992

EDIT: Adding a link to the beginning of this discussion (Matt Wagner's opinion on Burton's Batman)

LINK - YOUR VERSION OF BATMAN BEGINS

[Silver Nemesis]

Yes! That's the one! Great job finding it, Enigma. This quote in particular is what I was thinking of:

"Burton found film equivalents for the best work of the comics' artists and writers and then realised them brilliantly [...] I expect audiences will still be applauding Tim Burton's Batman in whatever the world will become in the next fifty years."

Whatever O'Neil may have said about Burton's movies in recent years, he clearly wasn't so disdainful towards them at the time.

[BatmAngelus]

I haven't read O'Neil's thoughts on the Burton films in recent years.  What did he say that indicated he changed his tune?

[zDBZ]

Several of the BOF crew are very pleased with Scott Snyder's recent work with Batman, so Snyder's choice in Bat-films struck me as very amusing.

[Cobblepot4Mayor]

Yes! That's the one! Great job finding it, Enigma. This quote in particular is what I was thinking of:

"Burton found film equivalents for the best work of the comics' artists and writers and then realised them brilliantly [...] I expect audiences will still be applauding Tim Burton's Batman in whatever the world will become in the next fifty years."

Whatever O'Neil may have said about Burton's movies in recent years, he clearly wasn't so disdainful towards them at the time.

Those words from Dennis O' Neil came from I believe a Batman Returns souvenir magazine to which he wrote the intro. Just like to add he also wrote a piece for the Batman Forever book in which he rather shockingly considered in regards to the script that this is: "...maybe the best Batman movie". Do I sense your eyebrows raising at reading that last sentence? lol Go and find this article and take a look.

Just goes to show that while O'Neil is a fine writer and a true "ambassador" for all things Batman he's nevertheless a very confused guy just like us mere fan boys and can't seem to make up his mind what he truly thinks about matters. I personally love Batman Forever and for a little while in the nineties it truly was the best Batman movie for me and my dad. Certainly the biggest. I take it fans would take a slight issue with this quote nowadays.

[johnnygobbs]

Cobblepot4Mayor, where would you place 'Batman Forever' in relation to 'Batman '89' and 'Batman Returns' these days?

[zDBZ]

I haven't read O'Neil's thoughts on the Burton films in recent years.  What did he say that indicated he changed his tune?

I'd like to see that quote as well.

[BatmAngelus]

Man, I hope Silver Nemesis didn't leave us due to Caviezel not getting the Batman part 

[The Dark Knight]

Man, I hope Silver Nemesis didn't leave us due to Caviezel not getting the Batman part 

He's in my basement. If there wasn't tape around his mouth, he'd say hi.