Batman: Mask of the Phantasm Review

Batman: Mask of the Phantasm


Release Date: 25th December 1993 - USA


Production Companies
Warner Bros. Family Entertainment (presents)
Warner Bros. Animation


Genre: Animation/Family/

Action

Rating: PG

Runtime: 73 minutes


Budget: $6,000,000

Box Office Gross: $5,863,139 (Worldwide)


Plot Summary
When a mysterious new villain called the Phantasm kills a few of the city's most feared gangsters, Batman gets blamed for these murders. It's up to the Caped Crusader to stop this shadowy figure and clear his name.


Voice Cast
Kevin Conroy - Bruce Wayne/

Batman

Mark Hamill - The Joker
Dana Delany - Andrea Beaumont
Hart Bochner - Arthur Reeves
Stacy Keach - The Phantasm/Carl Beaumont

Abe Vigoda - Salvatore Valestra
Dick Miller - Charles "Chuckie" Sol

John P. Ryan - Buzz Bronski
Efrem Zimbalist, Jr. - Alfred
Pennyworth
Bob Hastings - Commissioner James Gordon

Robert Costanzo - Detective
Harvey Bullock

Arleen Sorkin - Ms. Bambi (Uncredited)

Crew
Co-Producer/Digital

Animator/Background Stylist/Director - Eric Radomski

Co-Producer/Character/
Storyboard Designer/

Director - Bruce Timm

Sequence Directors/Storyboard Designers - Kevin Alteri, Boyd Kirkland, Frank Paur and Dan Riba
Batman Creator - Bob Kane

Character: The Joker - Jerry
Robinson (Uncredited)
Story/Screenplay/Co-Producer -

Alan Burnett
Screenplay - Paul Dini, Martin Pasko and Michael Reaves
Executive Producer - Tom Ruegger
Producers - Benjamin Melniker and Michael E. Uslan
Casting and Voice Supervision - Andrea Romano

Art Director/Character Designer - Glen Murakami

Character Designers - Chen-Yi Chang,

Michael Diedrich, Craig Kellman and

Dexter Smith

Storyboard Designers - Butch Lukic,

Doug Murphy, Gregg Davidson,

Ronnie Del Carmen, Brad Rader, Joe Denton,

Jeff Snow, Michael Goguen and Mark Wallace

Background Design Supervisor - Ted Blackman

Supervising Timing Director - James T. Walker

Camera Director: Dong Yang Animation -

Sung-Il Choi

Editor - Al Breitenbach

Supervising Sound Editor - Julia Evershade
Phantasm Voice Design/Re-Recording Mixer -
Wayne Artman

Re-Recording/Music Scoring Mixer -

Robert Fernandez

Re-Recording Mixer - Tom E. Dahl

Foley Artists - Kevin Bartnof,

Ellen Heuer and Richard Partlow (Uncredited)

Music - Shirley Walker
Synthesist - Hans Zimmer


Review 

BATMAN: MASK OF THE PHANTASM had a compelling plot, gripping mystery and excellent 2D animation. Because it is dark, complex and mature, many critics consider it one of the best animated and comic book movies. I remember watching PHANTASM a few times on VHS as a kid while on a family holiday in Narooma. Having grown up with Batman: The Animated Series, it's no surprise that this movie is a spin-off. I am pleased that this superhero film has worked out so well being released on VHS, given its disastrous release in theatres. In reality, this animated film is an extraordinary masterpiece. What makes the movie all the more worthwhile is that it is remarkably violent and contains some mature themes, which gives it a PG rating.

I praise the voice acting of Kevin Conroy, who does a brilliant job for the Caped Crusader and Mark Hamill as the Joker. A few impressive scenes include the flashback when Bruce Wayne first puts on the mask as Batman, which is something that the live-action movies didn't show.

MASK OF THE PHANTASM is one of my favourites, and I still believe the best Batman movie of all time is The Dark Knight. This incarnation is a must-see for fans of the comic book.

Star rating: (5/5) Best Movie Ever

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