Ranking the Batman Movies: #1 - "Batman" (1989)

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#1 - Batman (1989)

It's the 1980's. The Superman movies have been derailed by the 'stellar' Superman III, where more emphasis was put on comedy rather than comic book elements, working with even the inclusion of Richard Pryor, much to Christopher Reeve's disapproval. Superman III forced the comic book icon of the past fifty years to share the spotlight one of the best real-life comedians in the world. Really grasp that. Since the downfall of Superman III at the box-office, Christopher Reeve declared himself done with Superman and wanted to focus on more challenging roles. Reeve was brought back with the promise of having story input as well as a sizeable salary and the lead role once again in Superman IV: The Quest for Peace. Production reshoots, shoestring budgets, and a horrific plot revolving around nuclear weapons and international relations made Superman IV an unmitigated disaster. Bombing at the box-office and further crippling the franchise, Superman IV seemed like the death nail in the coffin for comic book movies. It wasn't, naturally. It just felt like it.

On the other side of the DC Comics world, there was Batman. Batman had a classic run in the late-60's with the Adam West TV series Batman. The campy and cheeseball antics on the show permanently aligned themselves with the character, as the Batman on TV of 1970's and early-80's also ran with the flashy gimmicks as well while the comic stayed similar in tone to what it had always been. Then, in 1986, came Frank Miller's dark story of a fifty-five-year-old Bruce Wayne coming out of retirement and facing a dark, dystopian Gotham City landscape and the "Mutant" gang in Batman: The Dark Knight Returns. This four-issue miniseries saw an aged Batman fight and take down the gang of Mutants, kill the Joker, fight the GCPD's new Commissioner who wants him taken into custody, and Superman. Fucking Superman. It's a classic comic-book staple that holds true even to this day, during it's 30th anniversary.

Michael Keaton as Batman

It was no doubt the dark tone and grey scale imagery that inspired newcomer-director Tim Burton to assume the director's chair of the Warner Bros. adaptation of the Batman character. Seeing what he had done in the film Beetlejuice made Warner Bros. confident in their decision. Burton was young, but already had his defining charisma and his notable cinematography. Thus, we got the first big-screen Batman movie in June of 1989, and let me tell you. It still holds up as a timeless classic of motion picture cinema and of comic book cinema.

Michael Keaton was cast as the big-screen's second portrayal of the caped crusader (remember Batman: The Movie), which drew outrage from fans, who felt that Keaton's career as a comedy actor meant that the film would be another attempt at the cheeseball motif the Adam West Batman was notable for. Remember, there was no internet back then, yet fans still petitioned Warner Bros. to rethink their decision. Well, near-thirty years later and our initial interpretation of Keaton's portrayal of Batman was far off. It was about as far off as you can go. Almost as bad as when history repeated itself when Ben Affleck was cast as Batman for Batman v Superman. Keaton's portrayal of Batman was spot-on. I mean he nailed it. He's unassuming and collected as Bruce Wayne to the point where you wouldn't even guess a guy like him would be Batman. The best thing about Keaton's Batman is just how slender and average his physique was. Keaton is man who stands roughly at 5'9 to 5'10 and weights probably a hundred-eighty to a two hundred pounds. Someone of his stature and his quiet, well-reserved mannerisms is the perfect cover up to his alter-ego. Keaton as Batman on the other hand, is just as phenomenal as his Bruce Wayne. As Batman, Keaton is swift and tactical, yet just as quiet and reserved as he is Wayne. His Batman is oddly intimidating, even for a man of shorter stature. He's literally the greatest Batman, in my opinion. Even with all the Batmen that have come since, including the superb rendition that Affleck gave us, Keaton still reigns supreme. There's something about his portrayal that feels so quintessential as Batman. I just remember watching it all those years of my childhood to now, and every time I do I just think "That's how Batman should be done. That's Batman. Ben Affleck does a fantastic Batman impression, but Michael Keaton IS Batman."

Jack Nicholson as the Joker

The yin to Batman's yang. The Joker. For this film, I assumed casting the Joker was no easy task. Turns out it was sort of simple. Burton had secretly always wanted Jack Nicholson to portray the Joker, and Warner Bros. allegedly even used Robin Williams, the famous comedian, as bait to sign Nicholson to the film. Warner Bros. supposedly even signed Williams to the film, and then turned around and told Nicholson that Williams was going to take the role if he didn't, causing Nicholson to sign on. Williams was appalled at being used as bait, resulting in him turning down the opportunity to portray Riddler in Tim Burton's planned Batman 3, which never came to be. Jack Nicholson as the Joker is still a comic-book film highlight and still the standard on which all subsequent Joker's are measured. Even Ledger's, for some reason, which we'll get to in-depth another time. Joker, in this film, starts out as middle-aged gangster Jack Napier, working for crime boss Carl Grissom. When Grissom stages an attempt at espionage at Axis Chemicals and tips off the GCPD in an attempt to kill Napier, Napier falls into a vat of acid and becomes the Joker, a homicidal, theatrical representation of Napier. Joker kills Grissom and assumes control of his operations in Gotham, ultimately staging a mass killing at the Gotham Anniversary Parade, which Batman thwarts. Nicholson's Joker comes off very snarky and intimidating, while also being a goofball lunatic. He's sort of snobby in his persona, always commanding the entire scene whenever he's apart of it, and then doing something completely outlandish and appalling while the focus is entirely on him. It's really a masterful performance. This Joker isn't scary, so much as he is chilling. Nicholson didn't play the Joker up to be a terrorist, so to speak. More so just a very theatrical, mass-murdering Al Capone. Truly unique and a treat.

Tim Burton's Batmobile from Batman and Batman Returns

The supporting cast is very memorable as well. Kim Basinger plays Vicki Vale, who was a common appearance in the comics since her first appearance Batman #49 for Oct/Nov 1948. She's basically a Lois Lane-type who's obsessed with bats, and then later, Bruce Wayne. She finds out through the course of the film (in one of the most controversial scenes) that Bruce is Batman when Alfred takes her into the Batcave. She's later captured by the Joker and saved by Batman in the Cathedral.

Michael Gough and Pat Hingle each star for their first portrayals as Alfred Pennyworth and Commissioner James Gordon. Gordon's character has the most screen-time here. He's the main ringleader in the Gotham City crusade into Axis Chemicals to arrest Jack Napier and he first witnesses Batman. Unlike the comic books however, Gordon and Batman don't form their tight-knit partnership here. It's moreso Gordon knows that what Batman is doing is a form of good and therefore, sort of casually steps out of his way. Batman, in this universe, doesn't share a partnership with solely Gordon. He shares it with the police force as a whole. Michael Gough gives his first of four portrayals as Alfred. Gough's Alfred is the best portrayal of Alfred, in my opinion. He's so warm and caring, and doesn't spew as many long-winded speeches as Michael Caine's Alfred. His speeches are three to five sentences, max. 

The story was written in tribute of Superman: The Movie, in that it doesn't necessarily adapt any story. It more-so adapts the characters created in the general universe. It loosely adapts The Dark Knight Returns, in that it is the second most prominent Batman release with a dark atmosphere. People were used to the Neal Adams representation of the caped crusader throughout the 70s, so things like The Dark Knight Returns and this movie shook stuff up. Basically, the story sort of kicks off like an origin story, beginning with Batman having only been spotted eight times in "just under a month'. Batman shows up amidst a crime boss's stranglehold on the city. However, it's not Batman who overthrows the crime boss, it's in fact the Joker. As the Joker then takes the crime syndicate as his own, Batman rises up from the shadows and does battle with him throughout the streets for Gotham, during the Joker's staged mass execution of the people of Gotham. It's all very well done. It's a great, classic story.

Gotham City skyline, circa 1989

The art-direction goes balls to the wall, as I've probably stated. The gothic, greyscale architecture is truly amazing. The Gotham Cathedral is one of my favorite set pieces, and remains eerie and charming at the same time. The design of the sets, costumes, props and vehicles is stellar, and despite being forever tied to the 1980's, it feels timeless. Burton's Batman's Batmobile is of a timeless design that is often reused or heavily referenced even today. Burton's Batman's Batwing (their take on the Batplane from the comics) is both stylish and intimidating. A giant fighter jet shaped like Bruce Wayne's Bat-emblem shown everywhere; there's even the cheesy scene where it flies in front of the moon for a split second, forming the movie's logo.

Anyway you slice it. Burton's Batman film is a stone-cold classic. It excels in art direction, character development, writing, cinematography, miniatures, acting, the Batman, the Joker; everything. Batman, in my honest opinion, is the greatest single Batman movie released by modern cinema and the measure by which many Batman movies were set to follow. Obviously it seems a little rubbish for me to sit here and be like "Yes, compare all Batman movies to this one that came out nearly thirty years ago, when times were different," but honestly, if it's such a free-standing example on how a Batman movie should be told, then by all means, measure up. Don't replicate, but pay homage. I feel as though Ben Affleck's Batman paid the most homage to Michael Keaton. Obviously, we all know Clooney paid the least, but that's all well and fun. Clooney's a good sport about it.

Well, that was it. I ranked the Batman movies according to my opinion. How will Affleck's solo-Batman flick stand up against those that exist? We will know soon enough. Affleck is the first Batman that gets the right to write and direct his own adventure. No other Batman has had that privilege, so we'll see how it goes. It'll be a fun little experience.

I have no idea what I'm going to do next in my blog. Maybe I'll count down the Batmen? Maybe I'll rank another franchise's movies? Maybe I'll sit here and write my own movie?