When Michael Uslan purchased the film rights to Batman in 1979, he envisioned taking the character back to his dark comic book roots. Unfortunately, most studios he pitched the project to wanted a continuation of the campy TV series that had already been made into a film in 1966 (and which presently airs weekend mornings on IFC, if you want to see it for yourself). Warner Bros., who oddly enough was the parent company of Batmans publisher DC Comics, eventually took on the project. Tim Burton came to the project following the success of another film he did for Warners, PEE-WEES BIG ADVENTURE (1985)—though he would also direct BEETLEJUICE (1988) for the studio before finally getting to this one. Burton was not a giant comic book fan, as he wrote in his 2006 book Burton on Burton, but the dark, serious tone in the successful comics The Dark Knight Returns and The Killing Joke impressed him. Fans of Batman were understandably worried at the direction the project was going in, and especially at the presence of both Burton and Michael Keaton, then known as primarily a comedy actor, on the project. Burton had previously worked with Keaton on BEETLEJUICE, and agreed with producer Jon Peters that he had an edgy, tormented quality. Jack Nicholson was the first choice of Uslan and Batman creator Bob Kane for the Joker—and its no surprise, since he played another rather deranged character named Jack nine years earlier in THE SHINING. His performance as the Joker, in particular, has been critically acclaimed, and fans today often debate whether his performance is superior to the quite different take on the character by the late Heath Ledger in THE DARK KNIGHT (2008). Anton Furst helped design Gotham City as a bleak metropolis where crime is king, and studied the dystopia of Terry Gilliams BRAZIL (1985)—which has grown to become one of my personal favorite films—as a reference. Burtons idea of an all-black Batsuit without the use of traditional superhero spandex or tights is practically universal today, as is the version of the Batman logo that was introduced with this film. Danny Elfman wrote the score, and his theme for the film has also become very associated with the character. Prince also contributed nine songs to the production. Theres no doubt that without the efforts of Burton, Uslan, and their crew, Batman would probably not be seen today as the Dark Knight that Bob Kane originally envisioned him as, especially in Christopher Nolans recent trilogy. Though some of the campy elements of the franchises previous incarnations still wedged their way in, this film was undoubtedly a turning point for the series, and for superhero films in general. Next up: BATMAN RETURNS (1992)…
Posted on: Sat, 22 Nov 2014 17:03:25 +0000
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