BATMAN RETURNS
US, 1991, 126 minutes, Colour.
Michael Keaton, Danny de Vito, Michelle Pfeiffer, Christopher Walken, Michael Gough, Paul Reubens.
Directed by Tim Burton.
Batman Returns follows the original from 1989 after a three-year gap. When Batman was released in 1989, was it the film itself or was it the hype that made it such a success? There was a great deal of hype with the sequel - making it hard to judge the film. However, while the sequel made an immediate amount of money, it soon trailed off.
The sequel seems to be much the same as the original. Once again, one has to do a lot of peering, so dark are the sets and decor. There is homage to Fritz Lang's Metropolis and other dark science fiction films of the past. And, the mood is dark. Once again Gotham City is in possession of evil characters, especially Christopher Walken as the greedy and corrupt tycoon (called Max Shreck, after the villain in Nosferatu). But he is soon one-upped by Danny de Vito's Penguin, a villainous comic over-the-top performance. To complicate matters, Walken's meek secretary is injured and breathed back to life by cats so that Michelle Pfeiffer can enjoy herself as Catwoman.
There seems to be too much plot. However, Michael Keaton is back as Batman but seems to be even less present here than in the original.
Obviously, the makers are trying to do something special with an expensive comic strip movie and in later years the films may become cult films. The screenplay is by director Tim Burton and Daniel Waters, the musical score again by Danny Elfman.
1.Impact of the film? As a sequel? Comparisons with the original? Continuity?
2.The work of Tim Burton, his idiosyncratic style? The blend of the serious and the comic?
3.Audience expectations of plot, characters and situations, social questions?
4.The sets and set design, costume design, lighting? Gotham City and its appearance, buildings and streets? Darkness? The world under the city? The interiors? The dark exteriors, especially the square? The mood, the futuristic tone? The musical score?
5.The action sequences, special effects? The comic strip style, cartoon style?
6.Michael Keaton's Batman: Bruce Wayne, morose, silent, alone, at home? His special effects at home, surveillance of the city, the Batmobile? His relationship with Alfred? His relationship with Shreck, civic duty, appearing at civic functions? His alertness to the danger and to the evil? The encounter with Selina and saving her? The build-up to the confrontation with the Penguin? The clashes with Catwoman? In love with Selina, the two masked people and their encounters, the unmasking? Love? Selina and the option for evil? The confrontation with Shreck and the Penguin? The batmobile, the confrontations? His giving the money for the city? Max Shreck, his claims, his hold over the city, industry (and the parrallels with Metropolis?
7. The boss and interactions? his love for his son? his double values, villainy? The public appearance with the mayor?
8. The confrontations with Seleen,a his killing her? His being abducted by the Penquin, the torture and interrogations? Becoming the ally of the Penguin? The work underground, his reappearing with the Penguin? The ultimate confrontation - and the fight with Selina as Cat Woman? His death?
9. Selina, the awkward secretary, her work, living alone, her love for cats? The thugs and their attack on her and her being saved by Batman? Her suspicions, the confrontations with Schreck, her being hurled to her death? The cats breathing her back to life? The transformation? Her return home, the different person, revenge? Her control, her costume, sadistic and seductive? The confrontation with Shreck and her destroying powers? The confrontation with Batman and his saving her, with Bruce Wayne? thee party - the violent outcome?
10. Danny de Vito as the Penguin, his appearance, voice? The flashback to his origins and the pathos of his being a monstrous child, the parental rejection? The psychological consequences? His appearance, in the sewers, under the city? His angers and revenge? The abduction of Shreck, the questions, the alliance? His change of name? The attack, the confrontation with the mayor? The people, their turning against him? The Penguin's allies, the bombs, the march on the city? The confrontation, his unmasking, the final confrontation with Batman?
11. The Penguin's parents, the grotesque aspects of the story? Pathos and injustice?
12. The mayor, the police commissioner, the disruptions in Gotham City, law and order? The ice princess - becoming a victim?
13. The vandal group, the circus, the underworld? The variety of characters? Their behaviour? The organ grinder? Th range of villians along with the Penquin, Shreck and Catwowan?
14. The overall impact of the story - comic strips, relation to real life? spectacle, action? social comment - with a touch of the science fiction and fantasy for the future?
