Would you poop on Batman’s ride?
Too late, already on the way. I will let you know what I think. Still working on SAAB.
Alfred is just that good of a butler?
He trained them to do number two outside the cave. That was a subplot in Legends of the Dark Knight #177
Col. Bat Guano is a character in Dr. Strangelove.
So, I ordered some more Batman stuff.
I already received Batman/Huntress Cry for Blood and I’m waiting for Shaman and the Murderer/Fugitive storyline. Oh, and Gothic.
I was trying really hard to figure out whether I should order Murderer/Fugitive or Cataclysm/No Man’s Land and from what I read on Amazon and other reviews, Murderer/Fugitive sounds more like a classic Batman mystery story, whereas No Man’s Land sounded like really far out there.
Why do you all think?
Just finished Long Halloween. I’m on the fence about it. Isn’t about Batman action so much as it is the world of Gotham city. Which is nice and everything, but, damn, let Batman kick some ass or do some real detectiving, you know?
I’ve read 'em all. It’s a persistent problem for me - after The DKR and The KJ (in that order) nothing really measures up (although I am confident many will disagree). For YEARS I keep buying only to have my hopes dashed at the entrance to Arkham Asylum.
“Blind Justice” was really, really good. A close second to the big ones. And there’s this one story by Cooke, “Ego” that was also way up there with the best, unfortunately it was a very short story. And then there’s “Arkham Asylum”, but that’s a love it or hate it kind of thing.
And to be fair, it took 50 years or more of Batman for DKR/KJ to appear on the scene and stories of that quality, they’re just rare and it’ll probably take a long time until something equally good turns up.
Amen, brother. That said – and forgive me, 'cuz I also posted this in the movie thread…
I’m the one Batman fanboy who didn’t see Dark Knight the first day, or weekend. Just saw it. And, without going into detail, it was the Batman experience I’d been waiting for if not my entire life, then certainly since finishing Miller’s fourth issue of Dark Knight Returns and wanting something like that.
And this is coming from the guy who, like the Old Timer, doesn’t think anything has come close to coming close to Dark Knight Returns and Killing Joke.
ps. Jack Nicholson’s Joker wasn’t so much the Joker as Daffy Duck. Boo then, and boo now.
Go figure department. My over 13 year old daughter has seen both Nolan B’man movies. Loves them, but not creeped out. (I’m a lucky dad.)
Channel surfing at home with her, since she saw TDN (I haven’t seen it yet), and we come in on Burton’s B’man - when Jack Palance sends Nicholson on the set up job to the chemical plant (“You’re my…number…one…guy”.). By the time we get to the bandage ripping off scene in the “surgery” (“You see vat I haf to work with here.”) and she says - that’s it dad, this is freaking me out - change the channel.
And maybe that’s the difference between the Burton and Nolan movies. The latter are complete Batman stories - strong from start to finish, complete and true to the whole notion of “The Batman” - like The DKR and The KJ. The two Burton movies have vignettes (to use a ten dollar word) that are striking and memorable - but you have to sit through a lot of crap to see them all.
Yeah, I know - this should be on one of the movie threads, but I’m a contrarian.
I’ll hold back further commentary on the previous Batman flicks, lest I sound like a hater.
We should line up a special online frak party for immmediately after Galaxy Ranger sees Dark Knight (it doesn’t open in Germany for another week or two).
Comment away. It’s not like there are “right” or “wrong” positions on these issues. If we all agreed on everything - booooring. That said, I still think some of the “snap shot moments” in the Burton films are pretty strong. That and the Danny Elfmann score. However, throw Prince under the bus.
Count me in on the post GR viewing party. Think Batman and The Joker sound intense in English? Just imagine those lines in German. (Yes, I saw The DN yesterday evening. Too many thoughts to reduce to writing. All of them positive, of course. The only problem is, whatever they come up with next - and they will for the $$$ - will almost have to disappoint.)
BTW - I have long had on my desk in a small frame my favorite panel from The DKR - the one close to the beginning, when the police first see Batman and he says “These men are mine!” Still gives me chills. (One of the cops then says, “You heard the man.” - as I bet you recall.)
Agreed, again, on the “thoughts to numerous to write” thing. Also, funny you should mention it. I was a little on the fence about Batman’s voice in the first Nolan movie, but adjusted to it in this one – without being 100% sold on it. And as I digested that issue, I thought of that very image from Dark Night Returns: “THESE MEN ARE MINE.”
Somehow, I don’t know exactly what that line of comic dialogue sounds like, but in my head, it doesn’t sound quite like Bale’s Batman. Granted, that’s a young Batman.
Agreed again that a third Batman flick will almost inevitably disappoint. And I say that fully hoping to be wrong. After watching this one, I think it’s now theoretically possible to do Dark Knight Returns as a good movie. Various business concerns will probably prevent it from happening. But one can hope…
Two quick things:
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Burton movie #1 was really good in my book and I still like the Nicholson Joker. Burton #2 was just weird, like someone had forgotten to their Ritalin.
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You guys would do a frak party for me? That’s cool! TDK premieres on the 21st next month, though, so it’s still a long wait for me…
I can definitely see that aspect of it, although the Joker’s motivations are a bit more esoteric than that of real-world terrorism in general.
I’m sure that wouldn’t be that difficult, considering how sensitive they are to noise.
I’m only recalling them being around when he finds the place.
I can’t say that I’ve read the comics extensively, although I know they’ve been present in the movies and cartoons.
Considering that a lot of his equipment is booby-trapped and/or electrified, no, I can’t say that I would. :eek:
Now that is a superhero. 
I’m guessing you’re joking? So suspension of disbelief it is…
I need to watch that movie again. I haven’t seen it since I was kid.
That sounds like great idea. 
Interesting. GR, would you prefer to watch the movie in German or in English? I always think it’s best to watch things in their original languages, and your English is obviously good enough that you wouldn’t need subtitles. Does anyone know if the original cast records their lines in other languages, or does someone else provide their voiceovers?
Agreed. I can’t believe when people say they don’t like the first one. Admittedly, a lot of it hasn’t aged well, but it was really groundbreaking in its day. I enjoyed the second, but you’re right about it being somewhat scattered.
- You guys would do a frak party for me? That’s cool! TDK premieres on the 21st next month, though, so it’s still a long wait for me…
I wonder why they have it on such a delay. A lot of these “event” sorts of movies open almost simultaneously almost everywhere. I can’t imagine why they’d stretch this one out so much…
Yes. I was.
Interesting. GR, would you prefer to watch the movie in German or in English? I always think it’s best to watch things in their original languages, and your English is obviously good enough that you wouldn’t need subtitles.
I watch everything in English that I can get my hands on on DVD, so basically everything that isn’t brand-new. New movie releases, though, are - sadly - always dubbed in German, which is mostly just lame. Star Wars is pretty scary in German, but that’s about it. And unfortunately, we’re a big enough country that dubbing a movie actually pays off for the companies. The smaller European countries (and the Netherlands) just add subtitles in their respective languages and don’t mess with the original English, which I would much prefer but don’t get here. So I’m forced to watch it in German in the theater.
I read today that Dark Knight scored really big internationally and made even more money than in the US, and that says lot since the movie hasn’t been released yet in France, Germany and Japan, which are key markets.
I wonder why they have it on such a delay. A lot of these “event” sorts of movies open almost simultaneously almost everywhere. I can’t imagine why they’d stretch this one out so much…
I think I remember some kind of issue, but can’t recall what it was exactly. I don’t get it either, Indy 4 come out simultaneously around the world. Not that that changes the fact that Indy 4 was meh.
I need to watch that movie again. I haven’t seen it since I was kid.
Col. Guano liberates Burbleson Air Force Base (motto “Peace is our profession”) from the clutches of Gen. Jack T. Ripper, after Ripper dispatches the B-52’s to nuke Russia, because the Commies have chlorinated the US’s drinking water, thereby poisoning “our precious bodily fluids” (in his mind the explanation for being impotent).
Interesting. GR, would you prefer to watch the movie in German or in English? I always think it’s best to watch things in their original languages, and your English is obviously good enough that you wouldn’t need subtitles. Does anyone know if the original cast records their lines in other languages, or does someone else provide their voiceovers?
GR - Will it be shown dubbed or with subtitles - or both? If subtitles, that’s the way you’re going to want to go (which I am sure you would have done in any event). A big part of Heath Ledger’s truly extraordinary performance (for once the critics got it right) is HIS voice. Sheeesh.
Agreed. I can’t believe when people say they don’t like the first one. Admittedly, a lot of it hasn’t aged well, but it was really groundbreaking in its day. I enjoyed the second, but you’re right about it being somewhat scattered.
You hit the nail on the head. There had never been anything else like it. The plot is a mess at times, but in addition to the chemical plant and surgery scenes - that first scene of Gotham City comes in second to the opening of the original SW as the endless Star Destroyer fills the screen. It’s easy to forget how great the sets and the score were. Unfortunately, Nicholson’s goofy moments really tempered the impact of this very creepy/evil ones
I also remain a big fan of Batman Returns - a lonely job. The writers (and Tim Burton) took a second rate villain in The Penguin and made him surprisingly menacing (after all, his end game is murdering children). The scene in his parents graveyard, the spitting of black bile because he is filled with so much hatred - whew. And the Michelle Pfeiffer being “brought back to life” by the cats licking her face and then destroying that cute little neon sign in her apartment so that it reads “hell here” instead of “Hello there”. Indelible.
I wonder why they have it on such a delay. A lot of these “event” sorts of movies open almost simultaneously almost everywhere. I can’t imagine why they’d stretch this one out so much…
GR - Do they want people back in the cities from the long summer vacation period? We here in The States, of course, have just about abolished the concept of vacations.
I also prefered Burton Batman II to I. First one was just a shocking disappointment.
Burton’s made some great flicks – Beetlejuice, Pee Wee’s Big Adventure, even Scissorhands, and I haven’t seen Teeny Swodd – but he’s more an set designer than a director. Guy has no nose for script, etc. So he either gets lucky and all the elements fall into place… or not.
Exactly…
I googled a bit and rumor has that Dark Knight, which was originally supposed to premiere here on the coming Thursday, was delayed because Chronicles of Narnia also comes out this week.
And here’s a kicker: have you guys heard that Neil Gaiman has been contracted to write for Batman/Detective Comics early next year?