criterionforum.org

I feel like an overhead from the sky that just shows a bunch of protestors with signs would fit in and could be done.

Also, maybe if there's a scene where someone's watching a TV and showing how much chaos is on the news, just using the images of officers shoving people could work, even out of their real context.

"WAYNE got bailed out! WE got sold out!!"

The great trick up Nolan's sleeve was to exploit and dissect the idea of how a millionaire becomes a vigilante to a degree that wasn't really explored in the previous Batman films. Before (specifically in the Schumacher films), it was just "look how cool he is, how big a mansion he has, all the girls he gets to lay, and all the crazy villains we can throw at him".

But with this franchise, it seems everything Bruce Wayne does is solely a front to make sure his passion of fighting crime is both well-hidden and well-funded. Everything else is really just a ruse, and inside his head a million things are going on despite having the outward appearance of enjoying life as a single young fatcat.

While the Burton films certainly weren't the Nolan ones it appears entirely reductive to say that at that point he was just trying to show off the character. In his own crazy little way I do think he was trying to say something intensely personal and at times (mostly in the sequel) more interesting for me than the Nolan films have.

Maybe so. I can't argue much against what Tim brought to the table, because it removed the hokey image of the television show from the culture and provided a template for so many summer blockbusters that came afterwards. It also helped dispel the idea of the Hollywood action hero as a roided-out 3rd rate Eastwood impression.

Actually I think part of the genius of those movies are that they still have that hokeyness and camp absurdity, but mixed with genuine insanity and crime. The Joker is still Caesar Romero, but now he kills. In a way they're more comedies than action films (no wonder why he brought on the Heathers guy then).

Agreed. And I think anybody (least of all Christopher Nolan and David S. Goyer) will tell you that it would be a hard sell to show the Batman world in such a serious light in a world without the Burton films. You can look at those movies as the gateway to what we have now, because as you pointed out it struck such a balance between the absurd and deadly serious. I'm sure I owe it to myself to watch Returns again and re-evaluate it not from the POV of a 9 year old who was disaffected by it seeing it the first time.

You definitely should. I watched it for the first time since I was about nine myself around a year ago and was absolutely shocked at the content and humour. At several points I was asking myself how my parents allowed me to watch it and it really is a completely different experience as an adult than as a child.

And by a wonderful coincidence, it's on HDNet Movies tonight. Got the DVR fired up for it.

Oh, it's a great film. Easily my favourite of the Batman movies, and a great reminder of the time when Tim Burton was an exiting filmmaker.

Think you want to throw a c in there somewhere Bob

Well, turns out they'll be filming in NYC, but nowhere near the protests.

It makes sense that they are filming this one in Detroit (mostly) and not Chicago.

It's filming in Pittsburgh, not Detroit, which isn't quite as grimy and post-apocalyptic.

knives wrote:You definitely should. I watched it for the first time since I was about nine myself around a year ago and was absolutely shocked at the content and humour. At several points I was asking myself how my parents allowed me to watch it and it really is a completely different experience as an adult than as a child.

Watching it again the other month had an opposite effect on me; I always remembered it as my favorite Batman, but it seemed a lot cheesier (the production design) and discursive than I remembered it being.

I get the feeling that things need to be 'real' to you.

knives wrote:I get the feeling that things need to be 'real' to you.

Unfortunately, I think you're right. My imagination, or lack thereof, has always been grounded in realism... even when it comes to my own writing.

Brian C wrote:Whoops, my bad. Just got back from a weekend in Pittsburgh, actually, and it's very nice. Joke retracted.

As a Pittsburgher I will take this as a compliment! Pittsburgh actually IS pretty nice. Most people are pleasantly surprised. But then again I could see why someone would hate it here...

Anyway, I was walking around the Oakland neighborhood when they were filming unbeknownst to me. I saw some huge fight scene on the steps of a CMU building that they brought out a snow machine for (it must have been at least 90 degrees and humid at the time). I guess Bale was there but I didn't spot him. The Bat-Pod was on the street (I have a low res cell phone photo of it) but I didn't see the Batmobile anywhere.

They also filmed a football scene at Heinz Field with some players from the Steelers in costume but I suppose you already know that.

I was a little bit more excited that Herzog was in town filming some action movie with Tom Cruise. I kept a copy of "Herzog on Herzog" with me at pretty much all times in hopes of getting it signed and embarassing myself but it unfortunately didn't happen. I don't know if he's still there but I am out of town for the rest of the year anyway.

GuyIncognito wrote:

Brian C wrote:Whoops, my bad. Just got back from a weekend in Pittsburgh, actually, and it's very nice. Joke retracted.

As a Pittsburgher I will take this as a compliment! Pittsburgh actually IS pretty nice. Most people are pleasantly surprised. But then again I could see why someone would hate it here...

Anyway, I was walking around the Oakland neighborhood when they were filming unbeknownst to me. I saw some huge fight scene on the steps of a CMU building that they brought out a snow machine for (it must have been at least 90 degrees and humid at the time). I guess Bale was there but I didn't spot him. The Bat-Pod was on the street (I have a low res cell phone photo of it) but I didn't see the Batmobile anywhere.

They also filmed a football scene at Heinz Field with some players from the Steelers in costume but I suppose you already know that.

I was a little bit more excited that Herzog was in town filming some action movie with Tom Cruise. I kept a copy of "Herzog on Herzog" with me at pretty much all times in hopes of getting it signed and embarassing myself but it unfortunately didn't happen. I don't know if he's still there but I am out of town for the rest of the year anyway.

Just to clarify something here: the above quote regarding Pittsburgh is not mine; it belongs to "Brian C". However, I was in Pittsburgh a couple of months ago for an afternoon and did find it very nice...and you can quote me on that!

Fixed.

New trailer coming next week.

You have to be a member of the forum to see that image

amazing

For those who don't mind the dark, shakey, and muffled––a bootleg of the trailer is here (for now).

Edit: removed.