Rate Your Favorite Batman Films

[Mikey]

I liked Batman Forever because of Jim Carry

I think Carry was a good choice for Riddler.

The only better Riddler (back then) would have been Robin Williams

[david_b]

"The Batman vs Dracula" funny I had forgotten all about this one it would certainly be at the lower end of my scale. That was the direct to video/tv movie for the WB "THE BATMAN" cartoon which was on in the mid 2000's after BAS was off the air.

if you like Batman the Animated series you have to see Mask of the Phantasm it's the only animated one which was a theatrical release and it is excellent. and it's like 5.00 at walmart I think in a double set with Sub Zero

I'm SO there.., picking it up hopefully today!

[madmarva]

I've been a Batman fan since the 70s. In one way of the other, i've appreciated every adaption of the character to the big and small screen. Obviously some more than others, but to me the best by far is the Timm Animated Series. Timm, Dini and all the other people who worked on the series mined the best of the comics, TV shows and movies for what to me is really the definitive version of the character. They got Batman better than the people at DC got Batman and far better than any of the movie adaptions.

I'll always love the 66 Batman series/ film, and the 89 Batman movie and the hype and scene surrounding the film was wonderful at the time and still holds up to a degree today. I think Nolan's done a great job of adapting Batman and finding a way to put a realistic as possible version on the screen for the time being.

But if I'm really in the mood to watch the essence of Batman, to me, there's nothing like Timm's animated version and Mask of the Phantasm to me is still the best Batman movie.

That's just one Batman fan's opinion, and viva la difference.

[The Bat]

if you like Batman the Animated series you have to see Mask of the Phantasm it's the only animated one which was a theatrical release and it is excellent. and it's like 5.00 at walmart I think in a double set with Sub Zero

Yes, those are both excellent Movies! I own them and they're well worth the purchase.

[david_b]

Must see[s] would be BATMAN: Mask of the Phantasm and BATMAN: Sub-Zero as it will give you an entirely different appreciation for Mr. Freeze.

I checked on Amazon yesterday and there's two-fer DVDs with both these movies. I'm planning on buying one to watch soon..

LOVE the TAS series, especially the first year. Very, very stylish.

[Mikey]

I always thought Nicholson was a little too old to play the Joker (even in '89)

Yes, Romero was old too, but if Burton wanted to really distance himself from the series he should have went for a younger joker.

[The Bat]

The thing I remember most about Batman89 was walking out of the theater and feeling sooooooo let down. The script was so weak...but Micheal Keaton was what totally ruined the movie for me. If you want the Audience to "suspend disbelief"...you have to give them something to work with. I shouldn't be able to look at Batman(Keaton)and know that I could beat the DOG CRAP out of him. At no time did I find him believable as Batman.

Jack Nicholson was the ONLY redeeming quality that movie had.

[jds1911a1]

Some of you have listed animated Batman movies in your post (which is perfectly AOK).

I have only seen part of one animated Batman movie (with a vampire or Dracula maybe?) on Cartoon Network. I caught it about midway through and stopped watching it after about 20 minutes because I would like to watch it all the way from the beginning w/o commercials. I have since forgotten about it. Anyone help me out with the title?

Also, knowing my preferences, which animated movie would you recommend as a "must see"?

Thanks!

"The Batman vs Dracula" funny I had forgotten all about this one it would certainly be at the lower end of my scale. That was the direct to video/tv movie for the WB "THE BATMAN" cartoon which was on in the mid 2000's after BAS was off the air.

if you like Batman the Animated series you have to see Mask of the Phantasm it's the only animated one which was a theatrical release and it is excellent. and it's like 5.00 at walmart I think in a double set with Sub Zero

[Hector]

I have to admit...I had a blast on opening night of Batman 89...it was at the Grand Lake theater (with my late best friend). I was wearing a cartoon Joker T-Shirt and a nylon Batman windbreaker...and yes...count me in as getting hooked on that Prince stuff...I even bought the soundtrack and everything...along with Danny Elfman's score. That's why I remember Batman 89 as more of an event...but I still prefer Dark Knight as a stand-alone movie.

[emeraldknight47]

The things I remember the clearest about Batman '89 was the fact that the lobby of the SHOWCASE CINEMAS [which was THE movie theater in Louisville in '89) was fully (and I mean fully) packed out and it was a big donkey lobby. I hadn't remembered seeing it that fully loaded since THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK. It was a hot, sweaty, way-cool experience!

Then I remember all the clapping and cheering as the credits came to a close and the camera pulled out to show us we had been touring a stone bat symbol. It was a true geek moment.

But----a couple of weekends later, my friends Robert, Steve, Lon and I were up in Chicago for the Chicagocon and went to see BATMAN up there in 70 mm and that was a completely different experience because the picture was sooooo much bigger and brighter and the sound was phenomenal! We came out probably more wowwed than when we saw it the first time.

And Prince---I drove around with the Prince soundtrack in my car for probably two weeks at least!

Ahhhh----the good old days, when movies WERE events....

[The Toyroom]

I forget how excited I was for that movie, reading everything I could about it in magazines (how much does the internet make us cynical and jaded with these movies now?), buying all the new Batman merchandise that was suddenly everywhere. I loved it and saw it a few times, it may have been the last time I felt like a kid anticipating and enjoying a movie. Nicholson was brilliantly cast, Jack Palance was a hoot, and after all that fan-boy whining Michael Keaton delivered.

Those were good times indeed....I was very proud to be a Bat-fan back then and didn't really care who knew it

[megoscott]

This IS an interesting topic and seems to be generating a lot of issues with various members, so here's my two cents worth...

I'll probably be presenting this in several parts as I'm verbose about Batman movies, so please bear with me....

NUMBER ONE:

BATMAN 1989 - I mean, this is where the current age of comic book movie was really birthed. Had Burton not made this and proven that comic book characters could translate to the big screen, I don't know that we would ever have seen some of the films that many of us have come to know and love in later years. PLUS, it was such an EVENT. I remember the June it opened, it was like Bat-mania was rampant everywhere and for those of us who were/are comic geeks, it kind of gave us a little justification for our interest. Did it have it's flaws? Heck yeah, but name me one comic book that hasn't had it's flaws.

Was Keaton perfect as Batman? No, but he came pretty damn close because he had that semi-crazy approach I think someone would need to go out at night dressed up like a giant bat. Plus, despite the fact that Keaton couldn't really turn his head at all, that batsuit [and the one in Batman Returns] came the closest to capturing the actual comics feel of his outfit, including the all important trait of making his cape as much a character as he was.

Nicholson's Joker was not the Joker from the comics any more that Ledger's Joker was, but I think it hewed closer to the source material than Ledger's did, plus, come on, it was f*****n Jack Nicholson, a man who virtually has the copyright on crazy in movies.

That is a good post. I forget how excited I was for that movie, reading everything I could about it in magazines (how much does the internet make us cynical and jaded with these movies now?), buying all the new Batman merchandise that was suddenly everywhere. I loved it and saw it a few times, it may have been the last time I felt like a kid anticipating and enjoying a movie. Nicholson was brilliantly cast, Jack Palance was a hoot, and after all that fan-boy whining Michael Keaton delivered.

1. Batman89
2. Dark Knight
3. Batman Begins
4. Batman Returns

That's it. To me, Joel Shumacher never happened, and Batman 66 is a TV show.

[Werewolf]

I like the animated Batman Superman team up movies The Batman/Superman movie, Superman/Batman public Enemies and Superman/Batman Apocalypse.

[The Bat]

In my mind, I just pretend that the first four never existed.

HATED-Batman89
Batman Returns
Batman Forever
Batman and Robin.

They're like an ugly stain on my favorite character.

[Dark Shadow]

Thanks guys...I'll put those two on my list!