Beyond The Films - Expanded Sequences

[batass4880]

Why did Bruce decide to move into a new mansion in Returns? Was the other one not lonely enough? I wonder what he asked the realtor when he was looking--"Nice house! Is there a huge cave underneath?" "Why yes! Are you Batman?"

Also, was the Gotham Plaza set in Returns supposed to be where Gotham Square/Broad Avenue was in '89 or was it in another part of town, like Times Square and Rockefeller Center in NYC? I just assumed it was Broad Ave. with other stuff built on and around it.

[DocLathropBrown]

It's just supposed to be the same city and locations. But because of Burton's revisionism, they changed the designs, which I never liked.

Basically, if you want to look at it this way, BR takes place in an alternate universe from B89, where B89 did happen the exact same way, but the city looked like the BR iteration.

Same for the Schumacher films. B89 and BR happened, but in Schumacher's Gotham.

[Dark Knight Detective]

It's just supposed to be the same city and locations. But because of Burton's revisionism, they changed the designs, which I never liked.

What's wrong w/ the revisionism? I loved it.

Basically, if you want to look at it this way, BR takes place in an alternate universe from B89, where B89 did happen the exact same way, but the city looked like the BR iteration.

Alternate universes?

Same for the Schumacher films. B89 and BR happened, but in Schumacher's Gotham.

BATMAN & Batman Returns took place in Schumacher's Gotham? What exactly are you talking about? I'm a little confused. 

[batass4880]

It's just supposed to be the same city and locations. But because of Burton's revisionism, they changed the designs, which I never liked.

Basically, if you want to look at it this way, BR takes place in an alternate universe from B89, where B89 did happen the exact same way, but the city looked like the BR iteration.

Same for the Schumacher films. B89 and BR happened, but in Schumacher's Gotham.

Great thoughts, I never thought of it that way!

[DocLathropBrown]

Burton's second Gotham certainly looks great, but I would have liked that continuity to be there once more. The Anton Furst sets are glorious and most importantly, look like a real city. BR looks like it was shot on a soundstage, which it was, and I suppose that was something Burton wanted to get across through expressionism (Gotham being a cramped Hell, among other things). I have a deep attachment to the 1989 Gotham, ever since I was a child, I dreamed of living in that beautifully ugly world. So I just wanted to see more of THAT Gotham, that's all.

Batman Forever is absolutely in-continuity with Burton's films. The flashback with an obvious young Naiper stand-in, Burce telling dick that his "parents were killed by a maniac" (Joe Chill isn't a maniac), and "Skintight vinyl and a whip."

Or, if that's not what you were refurring to, I was talking about how I personally see the films, continuity-wise. It explains the events being relevent despite the change in look for Gotham City in the three films (if you're inclined not to ignore the obvious changes, that is). Since the cities change, invariably, we must be looking at different universes in each film, but the events play out the same, the only difference in each universe is the design/look of Gotham City.

Y'know, unless you want to believe that Gotham completely remodeled their entire city two times within the span of 10 years...

[The Dark Knight]

Burton's second Gotham certainly looks great, but I would have liked that continuity to be there once more. The Anton Furst sets are glorious and most importantly, look like a real city. I have a deep attachment to the 1989 Gotham, ever since I was a child, I dreamed of living in that beautifully ugly world. So I just wanted to see more of THAT Gotham, that's all.

That's fair enough. I would have loved to see it again as well, but I think of it as having two different worlds. A bit of variety from Burton, who didn't like doing sequels because they were essentially the same but just bigger. Therefore he wanted to make a completely different movie.

Batman Forever is absolutely in-continuity with Burton's films. The flashback with an obvious young Naiper stand-in, Burce telling dick that his "parents were killed by a maniac" (Joe Chill isn't a maniac), and "Skintight vinyl and a whip."

Yes, indeed. I'm right with you. They have the references and plot points intact. It's just that the tone is way different. That's why people find it hard to accept or believe. Just imagine the exact events of the Burton films, yet happening in the Forever world and with the Forever tone. It's a completely different universe, but with the same past events.

Y'know, unless you want to believe that Gotham completely remodeled their entire city two times within the span of 10 years...

Exactly.

[The Dark Knight]

I wonder what came of the ruins of the batwing on the Cathedral steps. And the same question goes for the jetisonned side parts of the Batmobile in Returns.

I think I remember a plot point in an un-used Returns script, with people selling parts of it or something. Could be wrong, though.

[Dark Knight Detective]

One thing I'd like to know is how the Penguin managed to get all of those bats into Gotham Plaza's Christmas tree w/o no one noticing.

[The Dark Knight]

One thing I'd like to know is how the Penguin managed to get all of those bats into Gotham Plaza's Christmas tree w/o no one noticing.

Ha, yes. I don't think things like that need to be explained, it just is.

[thecolorsblend]

One thing I'd like to know is how the Penguin managed to get all of those bats into Gotham Plaza's Christmas tree w/o no one noticing.

I always kinda figured that's where Shreck got involved.  The plot against Batman was Penguin and Catwoman's brain child but there's no reason to assume they didn't take advantage of Shreck's connections to do it (esp since he seemed to know perfectly well that Cobblepot was behind it).  10:1, he probably provided the tree for the Plaza so he would've already had access to it.  Just arrange for someone to put the bats in there in the middle of the night and have done with it.