samo714's Blog

I think everyone has an opinion on who wore the mask best. So my question is, who do you think was the greatest Batman? I also want to know who are you hoping to see as the main villain in the next Batman film? Incase your have forgotten some of candidates credentials here they are.

 

Adam West

He played the role of Batman for 3 seasons from 65-68 with one film to its credit. He also reprised his role later in many different Batman animated series known as “the new adventures of Batman”, “super friends”, “the legendary super power show”, “the super power team”, and “galactic guardians”  and even co-starred in a film brick called “batman: new times” with mark hamil who played the joker in the 92 animated series. He had a cameo appearance in a 92 episode of “Batman the animated series” on Fox, but not as Batman. Instead, West voiced the part of Simon Trent, a washed-up actor who used to play a superhero in a TV series called "The Grey Ghost". He is typecast as the Gray Ghost and has difficulty finding work. I believe that West, even though he gave Batman  a campy feel to the character, it was not a far departure of what was going on in the comic books at the time. He also showed Batman as more of a thinker, a true decective that relies on his brain and not so much on his brute force or gadgets, but when he did need to rough up a villian he had no problem giving them a punch that followed with a POW!” or  a “Zonk”.

 

 

Micheal Keaton

 

He only starred in 2 films as Batman, “Batman” and “Batman Returns”,but that was all that needed to bring the cape hero back to rememberance, and to change the comic book world forever. The success of the 2 films spawned many more comic book movies like spiderman, iron man, x-men, dare devil, hellboy, and even the return of superman. Not only that but it spawned off a cartoon serires as well.

 

 

Many didn’t like the idea of Keaton taking up the role as Batman. They felt that he was too much of a comdian to be able to take the work seriously, but he changed everyone’s mind after the movie hit the theaters after it became the biggest blockbuster ever.  Personally from all the men that starred in the live movies, his potrayal was the best in my opinion. He envoked the dark brooding side of Batman, and gave Bruce Wayne a suave, yet uncomfortable corky side to him. 2 complete different personalities. He also didn’t say much as Batman, which is the way I picture him to be in real life. so Keaton believed in less is more. And I felt it was the right choice when acting as Batman.

 

 

Val Kilmer

 

Warner Bros. felt that “Batman Returns” was not as big as a hit as it could have been due to it’s dark overtones, so they wanted to revamp the series with a new director. Joel took over Burtons duties and began making his kid friendly version of Batman. Due to the change of tone and Burton being replaced, Keaton did not come back to star in “Batman Forever”. Instead Val took over. From all the actors that protrayed the Batman, Bob Kane felt that Val did the best job, but he died before being able to see Christians Bale’s perfromance. “Batman Forever” was a blockbuster hit, and the studio was pleased along with fans, especially the women who felt that Batman was the best looking one in the suit.  Unfortunatly this would be short lived. Val refused to come back as Batman due to what he saids “Batman was being marginalized in favor of the villains”. Val went on to do ”The Saint”. He also went on to say “he liked the characterization of Simon Templar better than Bruce Wayne.Simon is a literary character who uses his wit, and not violence. Batman is a real screwed-up guy who has hustled an entire city, and now he's running around in a cape. What's it all about?" Personally I felt he did a carbon copy of what Keaton did in the original films except that his potrayal as Batman and Bruce were almost the same instead of being to different identities.

 

 

George Clooney

 

Known to be one of the most popular actors, he took over the duty of playing Batman. Due to the horrible script, over use of puns, embarrassing costumes, and lack of direction the movie did poorly. Even though it was not a total financial lost, the studio felt it should have been a bigger blockbuster movie due to its budget.  George Clooney was embarrassed of his performance. He even went on to say that “I think we might have killed the franchise”.  He felt so bad that if he ever met a fan that watched that movie in the theater and still had the ticket stub, he would give that fan a refund. He also claimed to play the part of Batman gay to be able to identify to the character. Since this movie came out all plans to release any further movies has been stopped. I don’t have to say much about his performance, I think George said it all for me.

 

Christian Bale

An actor that been around the block for a while but wasn’t notice until he put the cape and cowl on was the man to revamp the Batman franchise. He originally was up for the role as Robin in “Batman Forever”. Bale performance brought back the role to its dark roots, and added to the role a much more real world gritty aspect to it, instead of Burton’s fantasy like world. Personally, I really love his acting as Bruce, but I don’t find his acting as Batman as menacing as Keaton. I think he pushes too hard to be dark instead of just letting it be as with Keaton. I also felt the costume (mostly the cowl doesn’t look right.) but that’s not Bale’s fault. Personally I enjoy his performance 2nd to Keatons, but that’s just my opinion.

 

Kevin Conroy/ Will Friedle

Conroy has played Batman for 15 years in the animated series, and has played Batman at different stages in his life. from a teenager learning his trades, to his first night out as the dark knight, to his early 30’s, and then as a old man unable to fulfill the duties as Batman due to his age, but still with the desire to do what he can with his mind. “Batman the animated series” was green lit in 92 after the success of the first 2 Batman films. It was produced, directed and written by Bruce Timm, Paul Dini, Allen Burnett, and Eric Radomski. The show lasted until 95. With it came 2 animated films known as “Mask of the Phantasm” and “Sub-Zero”. In the original series the show was inspired by the world Burton created, and builds upon those ideas. In the end they created a new art form known as dark deco by drawing all the scenes on black paper, and creating a world with future tech in a 40’s era environment. It was one of first cartoons to be made with more adult content, display firearms, and to have a prime time slot on a network. It only took the first episode “On Leather Wings” for the studio to be convinced that such risks would work.

 

 In the forth season of Batman, it was revamp to have a similar look to its spin off show “Superman”. It was also the final season of the Batman series due to the producers struggling to be able to create episodes for “superman”, “static shock” and the new “batman beyond” TV series. “Mystery of the Batwomen” was the last chapter of the new adventure saga.

 

Batman Beyond is the last chapter of the “Timm/ Dini universe saga”. The first episode showed why Batman retired from crime fighting. It also showed why he made his comeback as a mentor to the new batman that will be acted by Will Friedle. Will did an amazing job in creating his own distinct style of what Batman should be. He played it as a teenager with a chip on his shoulder, but with the understanding that sacrifices with have to be made and to look beyond his own happiness to fulfill the greater good.

 

 Like the original show, it was another success, and even though the creators tried to make it more of a lighter show, it ended up becoming just as dark if not darker then the original series due to its stories. It also spawned its own direct to DVD movie “Return of the Joker” which is the first animated film to receive a pg 13 rating due its violence. All I have to say is that it’s a def. must watch. It’s twisted on what the joker does to robin.

 

After “Batman Beyond” series was over Justice League was created only to be followed up with Justice League Unlimited which tied all the loose ends to all the Batman series, Superman series and Batman Beyond series as it had Batman team up with Superman, Wonder Women, The Flash, Martian Man hunter, and The Green Lantern plus the rest of the D.C. comic heroes together.

 

The last work that Conroy has done has been the new “Gotham Knights” DVD that was released 1 week before the new “The Dark Knight” film was released. It’s was created by 6 different directors, 6 different stories, 6 different interpretation of Batman all voiced by Conroy. It is more or less a prequel to “The Dark Knight”, but well able to stand on its own.  Personally for me, Kevin will always be the man I think of as Batman due to his bulk of work, true understanding of the character, and the brilliance that he brings to the character in all aspects. He took all the good points from all the other actors and rolled it in to one, and made it his own. Even critics has praised Conroy’s work and claim that he has done a superior job being Batman then most who have worn the cowl.  I know everyone will have a different opinion, and that’s fine, I’m eager to know your thoughts.