Are you a fan of the dark & eerie vibe and the depressing look of Batman Returns

[gordonblu]

The monorail was also a nice element of fantasy that that they foolishly discarded in their second outing.

You ever notice how all of the directors kind of tone their angle down on their first film, and then go full bore with their personal style in their second?

[The Dark Knight]

While that's certainly true of DK, I'd suggest rewatching the BB scenes where Batman is in the narrows. The streets may not have the gothic architecture of '89 but they certainly are stylized enough to place the viewer in Gotham.

I agree with that. It's just that there isn't enough of it. It's one little section of the City.

[GothamAlleys]

As for the topic, this "eerie vibe" and the macabre style have always been my favorite things about BR (or Batman - the character - in general).

Agreed. Minus Batman in the Nolan films and you basically have an episode of Law & Order. And the very existence of Batman in the real world utterly destroys the "realism" illusion anyway. What I like about Burton is that he employed a very stylized setting for Gotham City. It's natural to see Batman in a place like that because he fits in it. It feels like a place where you'd find Batman. Nolan's world is basically Chicago.

Paul Dini certainly agrees with you
Paul Dini: Tim Burton's vision was very over the top; a little bit Gothic but at the same time sort of like Fritz Lang's Metropolis. Christopher Nolan's Batman was very modern day; it almost got to the point where I was watching the movie and I was noticing landmarks as I'm a native of Chicago where it was shot. To some degree I don't think Batman works in a completely modern city; I think Gotham has be reflective of his personality and those of his enemies.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/video-games/6126146/Batman-Arkham-Asylum-interview-with-Paul-Dini.html

[The Dark Knight]

Paul Dini is correct.

A stormy night personifies Batman himself. Just as Superman's symbolism is being bathed in light. But stopping there is not enough. I believe the entire City has to reflect their different personalities. In Metropolis it's one way, in Gotham it's the exact opposite.

The blatant Chicago look is more in line with Superman, IMO. Gleaming towers of glass that look forward with hope and prosperity. Gotham should consist of dirty, gothic citadels and spires. Hell, Wayne Manor is literally a castle that overlooks the City. How fairy tale can you get?

It has to be a City in need of saving. But with Nolan's Gotham, it's pretty much a run-of-the-mill, business as usual City with one trouble spot. To me, that is not GOTHam City. Because that's not what we're getting. It's pretty much Gotham in name only.

[Бетманијак]

I've always loved it and will, regardless of how other people feel about it. I must have watched it a bijilion times when I was a kid, so much so that now I can just "play" the thing inside my head.   I just love how messy and chaotic the architecture of Gotham is, with all those Socrealist statues and Disney-like mascots on the Plaza.

And, having grown up in rather nasty times, I can confirm that Burton?s approach is the most realistic. The medieval urbanism of Gotham is something that?s symptomatic of most corrupt societies, so I never really got the whole "Batman?s story is supposed to take place in our world" mantra.

[Batmoney]

Yeah Chicago as it is isn't even a good stand in for Gotham. If they had to go super realistic New York or something nearby probably would have served better, because I've also always pictured Gotham as a bit of a New York, and therefore, a relatively coastal city. The wind in Chicago would be good for the flapping cape though, haha.

[GothamAlleys]

Thats right actually. Since Gotham was based of NY, and even Nolan;s Gotham is part Island, I dont see why they didnt pick NY. Probably filming costs/permits

[johnnygobbs]

Yeah Chicago as it is isn't even a good stand in for Gotham. If they had to go super realistic New York or something nearby probably would have served better, because I've also always pictured Gotham as a bit of a New York, and therefore, a relatively coastal city. The wind in Chicago would be good for the flapping cape though, haha.

I agree.  I always saw Gotham as the equivalent of New York, whereas Metropolis seems closer to Chicago.

[phantom stranger]

Thats right actually. Since Gotham was based of NY, and even Nolan;s Gotham is part Island, I dont see why they didnt pick NY. Probably filming costs/permits

Well, I think Nolan always envisioned Gotham as Chicago. He's probably the only one that has that sentiment, but still...

Plus, Chicago can pass as any large urban city. I've never been there but from many scenes it looks no different than Houston or other similarly-large American cities. The only exception would be New York, which has a distinctive look unlike any other in the U.S.

[GothamAlleys]

Thats right actually. Since Gotham was based of NY, and even Nolan;s Gotham is part Island, I dont see why they didnt pick NY. Probably filming costs/permits

Well, I think Nolan always envisioned Gotham as Chicago. He's probably the only one that has that sentiment, but still...

Plus, Chicago can pass as any large urban city. I've never been there but from many scenes it looks no different than Houston or other similarly-large American cities. The only exception would be New York, which has a distinctive look unlike any other in the U.S.

Thats true, although NYC does have places that look identical to the scenery in TDK. The "Hit me!" bat pod scene happened on a street that is almost a duplicate of one in NYC, down to the same looking building on the end

Anyway, I still prefer the bland Chicago over Schumacher's Barbie city