Which film is darker...B89 or BR?

[batass4880]

On the Returns DVD, Burton said that he heard people who saw BR thought it was either lighter or darker than B89. Also, almost everyone I have ever talked to said they were turned off by the tone of both B89 and Returns.

Personally I think B89 was somewhat darker than Returns in that the people on the streets looked seedy such as homeless people, drug dealers, hookers, etc. Gotham City in general looked like it wreaked of corruption and crime and felt so oppressive. The overall tone of the movie was just gritty, as it was supposed to be. The part of the film which I would argue is the darkest is the scene where Bruce recalls the murder of his parents. This to me is the heart of the picture as well as the character.

As for Returns, it was darker in that the look was more black. Stefan Czapsky said it best when he quoted a film critic who said Returns looked like it was shot in an ink well. I did think that some of the locations of Returns looked just as seedy as B89 such as the churchyard where the Penguin visits, the alley where the Catwoman attacks that mugger, the street where Batman lands after gliding off that building, the alley where Batman looses the cops via Batmissile, and the background of the street where Batman knocks Catwoman off the roof into that kitty litter truck.

I would say Returns is lighter in contrast to B89 because the people in Gotham City looked more clean and welcoming like in a 1950's movie. Also some of the buildings looked cleaner than the buildings in B89, like the Shreck building and Gotham City Hall. The fact that it takes place at Christmas makes it a little lighter too.

Basically, I think both movies are dark as hell and they both feel like the same city, but if you made me choose which one is darker I'd have to say B89.

[The Dark Knight]

They are both dark. I'd say Returns is darker in tone though.

[Joker89]

I too, think they are both dark. The first film had some "dark" scenes. Including the flashback scene of Bruce's parents being murdered. I also think that the beginning of the first film showcases a gritty and dirtier version of Gotham city than the second film. The second film gives off a nicer "dark" tone, if that makes any sense. You get to see the Christmas season of Gotham, as well as Gotham's department stores, apartments with neon lighting, etc.

[DarkVengeance]

BR is most definitly darker in tone!

[Kamdan]

I think the snow in Returns makes the film llook ighter.

[Cocoboloboy]

I think Batman was the darker film. There's just something about the way they portrayed Penguin and his gang plus the fact that there were penguins with bombs on they're backs. That cheapened the tone of the movie for me when compared to B89.

[Sandman]

Returns is probably the darkest Batman movie made to date, and is way darker the Batman which was very dark on it's own. I'd say DeVito's Penguin has alot todo with it.

[Gotham Knight]

The cynical view point of the film makes me point to Returns, in addition to a lot of the content.

[DarkVengeance]

the overall look of BR is way way darker than 89, I know for fact from that Tim Burton video released a lil while back that Burton had ALOT of thing about 89 that he 100% did not like or agree with.

[The Dark Knight]

the overall look of BR is way way darker than 89, I know for fact from that Tim Burton video released a lil while back that Burton had ALOT of thing about 89 that he 100% did not like or agree with.

Indeed. Returns is my favourite Burton Batman film. I've put a BR avatar on my profile, just to get into the spirit of things on this forum.