As they say.
-
war-path — 9 years ago(August 02, 2016 09:38 PM)
This movie borrowed elements from Batman's 1939 debut in Detective Comics when it came to shaping this on-screen portrayal of Batman.
Although you can argue that quintessentially, Batman is a shadowy crime fighting figure and the way it was presented in the '89 movie is the typical approach.
However, that's the purpose and true form he started out with in 1939, and sadly as the years passed, he became too kid friendly and campy which was the total opposite of how he started. It was a bastardization of the character once the 60's tv show is what most of the mainstream audience thought of him up until that point.
Bringing that piercing darkness to Batman on the big screen as the 90's was soon approaching was something bold and highly necessary during this time. Seeing the tone and atmosphere in Batman 1989 helped everyone watching the movie catch a glimpse and feel for what the character and how his world was supposed to be.
The era that this film is set in is an amalgam of the late 30's, 40's and late 80's. While the 80's/late 20th century elements can be easier to notice, there are fascinating details indicating this world to be spiritually the 30's and 40's. Some of the cars, the skyscrapers, the clothing trends of the citizens.especially the gangsters from the organized crime syndicates. Even the score Danny Elfman crafted, there are cues and moments in his composition that really draw upon the 30's and 40's. So a lot of what you see in the 1939-40 issues of Batman as a lone vigilante crime fighter in Detective Comics, is heavily shown in Batman 1989.
With the criminal element having a 30's and 40's look to them, let's not forget something else from those decades. The horror movie monsters. That played more of an inspiration to bringing Batman himself to life on the big screen, and it even helped with Joker to a certain extent. Batman's cape movements and the alluding to vampirism are an homage to the vampire movies from around those decades, in particular Universal's 1931 Dracula movie. When Batman was being thought of and then debuting in 1939, not only did movies and pulp magazines of costumed vigilantes inspired him, but also importantly, the horror movies of that era did too. It certainly showed in the 1939 Detective Comics issues of Batman.
Also, the ruthlessness of Batman in the 1989 movie is a throwback to the 1939 Golden Age Batman where he was less merciful towards the criminals he fought against that ended up seriously injured even to the point of death. In 1939, it was not safe for criminals to face off against The Bat-Man. Even if it was unintended, a criminal could end up dying a terrifying death by Batman. Batman would barely show any remorse or sympathy for them. This was a much different Batman from the mainstream version we're used to.
Even the origin with his parents being killed, in the Golden Age, we never see it explained until a couple of issues later. Just like in the 1989 movie, there is no direct mention of his parents' murders that changed his life forever until near the end of the movie in a haunting flashback.
It's not an 100% adaptation of the Golden Age Batman from his 1939 debut in Detective Comics, but compared to the other movies that followed afterwardsit's as close as you'll get to experiencing what it was like to first know about Batman in 1939. -
Picnic10 — 9 years ago(September 02, 2016 04:46 AM)
I like your detailed post, war-path, particularly in regard to vampire movies of the 1930s as that hadn't occurred to me, one reason why Batman doesn't show himself to the public, who could be scared of him. Also the 'Oh he took the film' part is very vampiric as he raises his cape.
-
war-path — 9 years ago(October 24, 2016 01:26 PM)
I like your detailed post, war-path,
Thank you, Picnic10! I love talking about Batman, especially this movie. Lol
particularly in regard to vampire movies of the 1930s as that hadn't occurred to me,
I sort of got the hint of those old vampire movies being homaged in the Batman 1989 movie but was fully confirmed of it once I heard the commentary from Burton about it. He admits to looking upon those movies visuals in order to implement into his vision for Batman.
one reason why Batman doesn't show himself to the public, who could be scared of him.
Yeah. Especially in daytime, he'd be so out of place and stand out like a sore thumb. I like it best when he blends into the darkness and night time, I can't stand his daytime antics in the campy 60's Batman or Silver Age adventures. He may creep out some people in daytime but his fear factor would still be gone.
Also the 'Oh he took the film' part is very vampiric as he raises his cape.
Hell yeah. It was very Dracula-esque of him to do that to Vale as he was going to take her camera's film roll and send her back home. Especially when the bats started to shriek and fly all over the place. Brilliant!