We’ve always been Batty

Criminals are a superstitious and cowardly lot. So my disguise must be able to strike terror into their hearts. I must be a creature of the night, black, terrible..a..a..a bat!

It’s Batman weekend around here, as the latest (and maybe the greatest) movie about the Caped Crusader opens.

Batman has always fascinated me. When I was little, the Adam West TV series rivaled Lost in Space as my favorite show. My brother even had a pedal car Batmobile that was the envy of all the neighborhood kids.

When I turned into a comics crack addict later in life, I shied away from Bats, as I saw him as just another campy addition to the dreadful lineup of DC Comics. (I was a Marvel fan.) Yet, sometimes, I would pick up a copy of Detective Comics that hinted at the shadowy, angst-ridden figure Batman ought to have been. When Frank Miller produced The Dark Knight Returns, it was one of the happiest moments in a geek boy’s life.

I had high hopes for the first real Batman movie, in spite of my doubts about its director and star. Today, you say “Tim Burton’s directing” and most everyone goes woohoo!. Back then, I only knew him for directing Pee Wee’s Big Adventure and Beetle Juice. Not exactly Dark Knight material. And Michael Keaton as Batman???

Well, the movie was fun. Of course, Jack Nicholson stole the show, but Keaton was a pretty cool Batman. At the very least, from the TV commercials he had my 3-year-old running around getting up real close to your face and whispering, “I’m Batman!” which was highly amusing. But it still wasn’t Batman: Year One.

I have high hopes for Batman Begins, now. Christian Bale has been a favorite around here since Newsies (which my daughter used to watch over and over and over and…), so that’s a plus. The early reviews are positive, except for the one from the Sentinel critic, which I always view as a good sign. So, we’ll be off our dollar movie kick this weekend and dipping into the trust fund to go see it. I’ll let you know how it turns out.

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4 Responses to We’ve always been Batty

  1. Sherri says:

    Ah, so you know how to use the Sentinel’s movie reviews, too? Thus it as always been, thus it will always be.

  2. deb says:

    Hope you enjoy the movie…I’m looking forward to seeing it myself! I think this one is really going to be good. About time ;~)

  3. domino says:

    Guess I might be the only one, but I think most of Tim Burton’s stuff SUCKS. Thought the first Batman was OK, but the story fell apart at the end. The rest of them (Batman movires) I thought were a waste of time.

    But I am looking forward to the new Batman flick!

  4. I also thought the Burton films were not appropriate for the character, but at the time it was all we had. Nolan does a very credible job. The film needed more iconic images, but aside from that it’s certainly extremely well crafted. Lot of love in that film, it feels like much more than just another Hollywood product.

    I have an offbeat review comparing Batman to Darth Vader here: http://mistersnitch.blogspot.com/2005/03/men-in-black-capes.html

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