The Batman Begins Series of Movies

[Mr. Seven]

As quite possibly the biggest Batman fan ever, I have to give this movie my all out endoresement.

I love how they took certain situations, lines and characters from some of the best Batman storylines - Year One, Shaman, Long Halloween, to name just three.

They got it completely right at the end, when they said that Batman isn't the mask, Bruce Wayne is. Batman is who he really is.

[Easter Lily]

They got it completely right at the end, when they said that Batman isn't the mask, Bruce Wayne is. Batman is who he really is.

I found that comment rather interesting from the perspective of a non-comic fan and it made perfect sense in light of the overall story that was presented to us... that he has become Batman and that Bruce Wayne is but a shell.

I'm not a big fan of the batman comics or comics in general but this movie stood well enough on it's own to more than hold my interest and at no point did I laugh at what would seem like the absurdity of a man dressing up like a bat to go beat guys up. This was a significant acomplishment in selling for Bale and the film's director.

I agree that for some reason it all made perfect logical sense to me also that it was the most natural thing in the world for this angry young man to channel all his energy into developing this persona and using it to fight crime. Through the way the story unfolded, it was as if it was the most obvious (and almost triumphant) conclusion to this troubled soul.

[Immy]

I love how they took certain situations, lines and characters from some of the best Batman storylines - Year One, Shaman, Long Halloween, to name just three.

I've ordered a copy of 'Batman-Year One' can't wait for it to arrive, I haven't read any Frank Miller stuff in ages.

[BruTak]

Casting Harley's gonna be a real toughie.
Where are you gonna find an actress who can play both the straight-laced Dr. Harleen Quinzel and the mad-as-a-box-of-frogs Harley Quinn?

My choice, Julie Benz (Darla in Buffy/Angel).

[Ouroboros]

Casting Harley's gonna be a real toughie.
Where are you gonna find an actress who can play both the straight-laced Dr. Harleen Quinzel and the mad-as-a-box-of-frogs Harley Quinn?

Hudson Leick without a doubt. She had the whole crazy thing down like it was second nature when she played Callisto on Xena and Hercules and she even sort of looks like some of the various pics I've seen of Harley.



I just hope they find her somehow. She's not exactly A-list.

[Mr. Seven]

I found that comment rather interesting from the perspective of a non-comic fan and it made perfect sense in light of the overall story that was presented to us... that he has become Batman and that Bruce Wayne is but a shell.

Superman is also one of the characters whose secret identity is really the mask. Tarantino kind of took the philosophy of Kill Bill 2 from a female Superman writer (whose name escapes me atm) in regard to who is mask. When he wakes up in the morning he's Superman. His uniform is made from what was inside his rocket ship, those are his real clothes. Clark Kent is how he sees the human race.

I've ordered a copy of 'Batman-Year One' can't wait for it to arrive, I haven't read any Frank Miller stuff in ages.

Great, that's probably my favorite Batman story.

If you like it and want to read some more essential stuff I suggest.

Batman: Shaman - A story that takes place at the same time as Year One. We learn where Bruce was returning from as well as seeing Bruce and Alfred explore the caves. A nice detective/mystery story. Denny O'Neil wrote this and a lot of his works were adapted for the movie.

Batman: The Long Halloween - A story by the legendary Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale. A killer is loose in Gotham who only kills on the holidays. The story takes place over 13 months from Halloween to Halloween, hence the title.

Batman: Dark Victory - The sequel to The Long Halloween. The Holiday killer is back. Also, Dick Grayson is in this storyline. He eventually becomes Robin. Also by Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale.

Batman: EGO - A nice little Original Graphic Novel that shows the struggle in the mind of Bruce Wayne/Batman between the two personalities. Very interesting and wonderfully drawn and written by Darwyn Cooke. He worked on Batman Beyond.

Batman: The Dark Knight Returns - An aging Batman comes out of retirment to defend Gotham City once more. By Frank Miller. One of the benchmarks of the industry along with Alan Moore and Dave Gibbon's Watchmen.

[iLemon]

Doesn't quite have the same fearsome quality, does it? Pigeons don't hang out in caves, do they?
Still you could be on to something... I've seen Hitchcock's The Birds and I was terrified.

As long as the director doesnt employ me, i think we can all live without a dogwoman

[Easter Lily]

Mr Seven, or any other experts amongst us... Among diehard fans, there seems to be a lot of talk that Batman leads a rather lonely existence... Would it be particularly offensive from a fan's point of view if in subsequent sequels, that Batman/Bruce Wayne is allowed to enjoy some degree of normality, ie a long-term relationship, in his life?

[Mr. Seven]

As a fan I just don't see him having any kind of long term happiness in his life. In his own morbid way, what he's doing is what makes him happy and he diverts all of his time and energy into doing it, one way or another. Including putting on the public "Billionaire Plaboy" persona.

He does have romatic interests though, don't get me wrong. In the comics he had a long time girlfriend named Silver St. Cloud, but she left him, I believe after learning he was Batman. He was also romantically involved with Talia Al Ghul, the daughter of Ra's Al Ghul. She loved him and Ra's believed that Bruce, was the perfect and only suitable mate for her. He also has a very strong attraction to Wonder Woman, but neither of them have ever acted on it. And of course he and Selena Kyle AKA Catwoman are having a fling now. They recently started sleeping together after all these years. Of course Catwoman is a "hero" now.

So he does have some happy moments in the comics. He is extremely proud of his apprentices - Nightwing, Robin, Batgirl, etc.. and gets joy out of them learning and succeeding. Of course, they're going to take up his crusade once he dies, so he has reasons besides parental to have a stake in them.

The other thing is that there are different versions of Batman.

Frank Miller's version is very dark and isolated.

While the Batman in The Animated Series is more open and likeable.

The current version is very paranoid and aggressive. He found out that his allies in the Justice League of America wiped 15 minutes from his memory, after he discovered them giving a super villain a psychic lobotomy.

But to answer your question more directly, yeah I'd like to see Bruce enjoy life a little bit. I mean he's a man after all and he needs some type of companionship.

I just hope they don't bring in Robin and Batgirl for a while. Batman on his own is the best.

[Ancient 1]

I finally had a look at the movie, and for what it was, was the missing element of the first 3 or 4 movies. TPTB were just afraid that the set up, which is always crucial, wouldn't make enough money for them. They are still worried over the fact that while they are numero uno for 2 weeks, it isn't enough. Go figure.

[Easter Lily]

There has apparently been a box office slump in the American market lately from what I've heard. Fewer people going to the cinemas and all that... So I guess it's not just Batman. But I've been told that DVD sales will most definitely cover the costs incurred... they have after all been given the green light for the sequel.
I've seen the movie 3 times now... twice on my own and the third with my husband. He really enjoyed it, understood it and wanted the sequel like... yesterday...
But I'm doing my best to spread the word... I've almost convinced a friend who really didn't want to see it, to go.

But to answer your question more directly, yeah I'd like to see Bruce enjoy life a little bit. I mean he's a man after all and he needs some type of companionship.

Thanks for the inside info Mr S...
After watching this particular film, I really feel for Bruce Wayne/Batman, something that I never really felt for the other incarnations. Christian Bale is wonderful, of course... but I thought that the telling of the story actually went to the core of the man. And I think it's a little sad for him not to be able to share his soul with anyone intimately... hence, my question. It's how I felt about Peter Parker in Spiderman 2.

Who is Harley Quinn, incidentally?

[Mr. Seven]

Harely Quinn was created by Paul Dini and Bruce Timm on Batman the Animated Series. She used to be a psychiatrist at Arkham Asylum and after treating the Joker and getting romatically involved with him, she goes equally, if not more nuts.

She was proven to be such a popular character they put her in the comics.

[Immy]

Great, that's probably my favorite Batman story.

If you like it and want to read some more essential stuff I suggest.

Batman: Shaman - A story that takes place at the same time as Year One. We learn where Bruce was returning from as well as seeing Bruce and Alfred explore the caves. A nice detective/mystery story. Denny O'Neil wrote this and a lot of his works were adapted for the movie.

Batman: The Long Halloween - A story by the legendary Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale. A killer is loose in Gotham who only kills on the holidays. The story takes place over 13 months from Halloween to Halloween, hence the title.

Batman: Dark Victory - The sequel to The Long Halloween. The Holiday killer is back. Also, Dick Grayson is in this storyline. He eventually becomes Robin. Also by Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale.

Batman: EGO - A nice little Original Graphic Novel that shows the struggle in the mind of Bruce Wayne/Batman between the two personalities. Very interesting and wonderfully drawn and written by Darwyn Cooke. He worked on Batman Beyond.

Batman: The Dark Knight Returns - An aging Batman comes out of retirment to defend Gotham City once more. By Frank Miller. One of the benchmarks of the industry along with Alan Moore and Dave Gibbon's Watchmen.

Oooo thanks for all the refs so much to read, so little money... damn
I'm finaly buying all of Neil Gaiman's 'Sandman' comics, so I'm a bit short of cash at the moment. Plus I just found out that Gaiman's doing a convention in Melbourne next month yay, but its $110 so might not be able to go

[Easter Lily]

Harely Quinn was created by Paul Dini and Bruce Timm on Batman the Animated Series. She used to be a psychiatrist at Arkham Asylum and after treating the Joker and getting romatically involved with him, she goes equally, if not more nuts.

She was proven to be such a popular character they put her in the comics.

Thanks...
I would love to get my hands on some of those graphic novels you mentioned but they are so specialized that I will have to BUY them... I am interested in the more detective oriented ones....

[Easter Lily]

Found this great podcast featuring the actors and the director:
http://207.44.176.72/podcasts/scifitalk/Batman.mp3