Batman Returns Unmasking Scene

[THE BAT-MAN]

Before Batman rips off his mask to reveal his identity to Selina. It is made visibly clear that Batman's eye makeup is removed.  Now, this isn't news to anyone who's watched the movie over a dozen times,  but what's interesting is that someone made an effort to fix the scene and keep the continuity of the eye makeup. Right up to the point when Bruce's face is revealed.  Personally, I wish this was how it was done originally.  What do you guys think?

[GBglide]

Much improved!      The original version stuck out like sore thumb and ruined the scene.

[The Laughing Fish]

That's very well done.

Much improved!      The original version stuck out like sore thumb and ruined the scene.

As annoying as it may have been, I guess back then, there was no way they could've pulled off that scene while Keaton was wearing black eye make-up. Not unless the camera cuts back to Catwoman just before he completely unmasked himself.

I guess, in Burton's mind, the continuity error was an acceptable compromise to achieve the shot he wanted. 

[THE BAT-MAN]

That's very well done.

As annoying as it may have been, I guess back then, there was no way they could've pulled off that scene while Keaton was wearing black eye make-up. Not unless the camera cuts back to Catwoman just before he completely unmasked himself.

I guess, in Burton's mind, the continuity error was an acceptable compromise to achieve the shot he wanted. 

Another alternative way Burton could have filmed the scene would be for the camera to shoot from behind Batman's head while he begins to unmask. The camera then pans to a low shoulder angle from behind then cuts to Selina and Max's reaction before Batman's face is revealed to the audience. I believe that this version would actually keep Batman's unmasking more mysterious.  A good reference for this would be from watching the unmasking scene in Batman the animated series episode Robin's Reckoning Part II. Where Batman brings Dick Grayson back to the bat cave and asks him just how badly he wants Tony Zucco? The scene doesn't directly reveal Batman face as he reveals his identity to Dick Grayson.

[KeatonisBatman]

Personally, I wish this was how it was done originally.  What do you guys think?[/color

Wow... looks pretty damn good, actually.  *thumbs up*

[Silver Nemesis]

This is a huge improvement. I've always felt Batman Returns could benefit from a special edition. This is one of the changes I'd implement.

I'd also dub Selina's "last night" line during Bruce's meeting with Max to replace it with "the other night", thereby eliminating the timeline problem regarding the number of nights that had elapsed since her defenestration. That would also allow for the restoration of the deleted scene where Bruce inspects the window by Selina's desk and notices the glass is on the outside, thus disproving Max's claim that a rioter broke the window from without. I'd also fix the matte shots looking down on Gotham plaza to correct the spatial continuity errors – particularly the shot of Batman dangling from Catwoman's whip where you can see Shreck's undamaged department store down below, despite it being blown up a minute earlier. I'd cut some of the more cumbersome lines of dialogue, like Batman's "high fibre" line or Penguin's "French flipper trick" line. And I'd add some extra scenes with Bruce (if they exist) and restore the missing answering machine message from Selina's self-defence instructor explaining that she'd previously trained in martial arts.

But the eye makeup thing is one of the most important changes that would need addressing. The unmasking scene in The Phantom (1996) competently circumvents the same problem.

[KeatonisBatman]

That would also allow for the restoration of the deleted scene where Bruce inspects the window by Selina's desk and notices the glass is on the outside, thus disproving Max's claim that a rioter broke the window from without.

I had no idea this scene existed.  Is it online anywhere?

[Silver Nemesis]

Unfortunately not. Here's the scene as written in the script.

I'm fairly certain it was filmed. There's a publicity still that shows Walken looking out of the broken window during daytime, as he's described doing in the script.

Watch when Bruce and Max enter the latter's office in the finished film and you'll notice they enter the door from stage right, where Selina's desk and the broken window are, as opposed to stage left where the elevators are.

So I'm confident the footage exists somewhere. But whether Warner Bros will ever release the deleted scenes from this and Batman 89 is anyone's guess.

[KeatonisBatman]

Haha I love how it shows Bruce's disdain for Max right from the very start, and his detective skills.

[Silver Nemesis]