Batman
Release Date: 30th August 1989 – Australia
Production Companies
Warner Bros. Pictures (presents)
The Guber-Peters Company
Genre: Action
Rating: PG
Plot Summary
Gotham City: dark,
dangerous, 'protected'
only by a mostly corrupt
police department.
Despite the best effects
of D.A. Harvey Dent and
police commissioner Jim
Gordon, the city becomes
increasingly unsafe...until
a Dark Knight arises. We
all know criminals are a
superstitious, cowardly
lot...so his disguise must be
able to strike terror into
their hearts. He becomes a
bat. Enter Vicky Vale, a
prize-winning photo
journalist who wants to
uncover the secret of the
mysterious "bat-man". And
enter Jack Napier, one-
time enforcer for Boss
Grissom, horrible
disfigured after a fire-fight
in a chemical factory...that,
devoid of the last vestiges
of sanity, seizes control of
Gotham's underworld as
the psychotic,
unpredictable Clown
Prince of Crime... the
Joker. Gotham's only
hope, it seems, lies in
this dark, brooding
vigilante. And just how
does billionaire playboy
Bruce Wayne fit into all of
this dark, brooding
vigilante. And just how
does billionaire playboy
Bruce Wayne fit into all of
this? (Source - IMDb)
Crew
Based on Batman Characters/
Project Consultant – Bob Kane
Based on Batman Characters – Bill Finger
(Uncredited)
Characters: Alfred Pennyworth & The Joker –
Jerry Robinson (Uncredited)
Story/Writer – Sam Hamm
Writer – Warren Skaaren
Executive Producers – Benjamin Melniker
& Michael Uslan
Producers – Jon Peters & Peter Guber
Co-Producer – Chris Kenny
Casting Director – Marion Dougherty
Production Designer – Anton Furst
Supervising Art Director – Leslie Tomkins
Art Directors – Terry Ackland-Snow &
Nigel Phelps
Set Decorator – Peter Young
Costume Designer – Bob Ringwood
Make-up Designer: Joker – Nick Dudman
Director of Photography – Roger Pratt
Cast
Michael Keaton – Bruce Wayne/Batman
Kim Basigner – Vicki Vale
Jack Nicholson – Jack Naiper/The Joker
Robert Wuhl – Alexander
Knox
Pat Hingle – Commissioner
Gordon
Billy Dee Williams – Harvey
Dent
Dent
Jack Palance – Carl Grissom
Jerry Hall – Alicia Hunt
Tracey Walter – Bob the Goon
Lee Wallace – Mayor Borg
William Hootkins – Lt. Max Eckhardt
Hugo E. Blick – Young Jack
Jerry Hall – Alicia Hunt
Tracey Walter – Bob the Goon
Lee Wallace – Mayor Borg
William Hootkins – Lt. Max Eckhardt
Hugo E. Blick – Young Jack
Edwin Craig – Rotelli
John Dair – Ricorso
Christopher Fairbank – Nic
George Roth – Eddie
Kit Hollerbach – Becky
Steve Plytas – Doctor
Liza Ross – Mom
Garrick Hagon – Dad
Adrian Meyers – Jimmy
Crew
Director – Tim Burton
Project Consultant – Bob Kane
Based on Batman Characters – Bill Finger
(Uncredited)
Characters: Alfred Pennyworth & The Joker –
Jerry Robinson (Uncredited)
& Michael Uslan
Co-Producer – Chris Kenny
Casting Director – Marion Dougherty
Supervising Art Director – Leslie Tomkins
Art Directors – Terry Ackland-Snow &
Nigel Phelps
Set Decorator – Peter Young
Second Unit Director/Camera Operator:
Second Unit – Peter MacDonald
Second Unit – Peter MacDonald
Stunt Coordinator – Eddie Stacey
Special Effects Supervisor – John Evans
Special Visual Effects – Derek Meddings
Art Director: Visual Effects Unit – Peter Chiang
Visual Effects Photographer: Visual Effects Unit –
Paul Wilson
Film Editor – Ray Lovejoy
Awards
1990 Academy Awards
Best Art Direction – Anton Furst & Peter Young (Won)
Paul Wilson
Music – Danny Elfman
Songs – Prince Awards
1990 Academy Awards
Best Art Direction – Anton Furst & Peter Young (Won)
Review
Not as perfect as the latest movie 'The Dark Knight', 'BATMAN' was a good
superhero movie. Although the acting performances of Michael Keaton and
Jack Nicholson were good, but I think Christian Bale does a better
portrayal of Batman and the late Heath Ledger's portrayal of the Joker in my opinion. I'm well
impressed with the set design of Gotham City which looks like the city
from out of Fritz Lang's 'Metropolis'. The direction by Tim Burton was outstanding with the memorable score by Danny Elfman and songs by the famed artist Prince. Unfortunately, a few meddling plot points ruin the flow of the storyline.
Comparatively with the Christopher Nolan reboot, the original movie of the franchise has a more magical fantasy feeling to it, which is a result of Burton's influence as this is the genre he most commonly works with.
This film started the original Batman quadrilogy, followed by 'Batman Returns', then to Joel Schumacher's last two instalments 'Batman Forever' and the infamous 'Batman & Robin'.
Star rating: (4/5) Good Movie
Back to Home
Comparatively with the Christopher Nolan reboot, the original movie of the franchise has a more magical fantasy feeling to it, which is a result of Burton's influence as this is the genre he most commonly works with.
This film started the original Batman quadrilogy, followed by 'Batman Returns', then to Joel Schumacher's last two instalments 'Batman Forever' and the infamous 'Batman & Robin'.
Star rating: (4/5) Good Movie