Batman: From the Archives - Tim Burton & Michael Keaton Talk the 1989 Film

Batman: From the Archives - Tim Burton & Michael Keaton Talk the 1989 Film

With heat building around The Dark Knight Rises, we dig into the archives for this unreleased audio interview with director Tim Burton and actor Michael Keaton who discuss the appeal of Batman just before the 1989 film's release.

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By EdGross - Nov 03, 2010 06:11 PM EST
Filed Under: Batman
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marvel72
marvel72 - 11/3/2010, 6:41 PM
batman(1989) was good in its day watch it on blu-ray,it hasn't aged very well.

no where near the quality of nolans version.
EdGross
EdGross - 11/3/2010, 6:47 PM
I just think films like that -- much as is the case with Superman: The Movie -- has to be placed in context of the time in which it was released.
cptamericanotsomuch
cptamericanotsomuch - 11/3/2010, 7:03 PM
i totally agree deadpool and Ed dont think it would hold up today.
Superman8
Superman8 - 11/3/2010, 7:15 PM
only problem i have with burton's batman is that it paved the way for batman forever and batman and robin. ouch.
EdGross
EdGross - 11/3/2010, 7:16 PM
I'm not a giant fan of the Burton film, but that being said, it was a TREMENDOUS box office success. A genuine phenomenon at the time.
JR
JR - 11/3/2010, 7:22 PM
I remember those days 1989 it was magical i think is the only movie after Star Wars of course to capture a popularity campaign that big, probably they look old this days and Nolans vision are better but that movie is in my first 5 comic fav movie of all time, with Superman the movie at the top of course.
Gen1
Gen1 - 11/3/2010, 7:22 PM
@ Otisburg "burtons franchise didn't go anywhere" dude batman grossed $251 million domestic and $411 million worldwide in 1989 and batman begins only did $205 million domestic and $372 million worldwide. I am sorry but I would have to respectfully disagree with you on this. I think the look of Batman in 1989 was pretty dark for the era - much like Nolan's version is dark for this era. If WB just lets every tom dick and harry director and actor have their shot at making batman after Nolan you will see the same horrible pattern of bad movies IMO :o)
SuperSpiderMan5778
SuperSpiderMan5778 - 11/3/2010, 7:31 PM
this was an awesome movie. yes TDK blows it out the water but Heath's Joker laugh is no where as classic as Jack's.
comicbookjerk
comicbookjerk - 11/3/2010, 7:49 PM
Burtons Batman Forever would have been a cool Film but at least Burton Stayed on to be Executive producer I thought Batman Forever was an Ok addition to the Batman Franchise but it was still Wierd to see Jim Carry and Tommy Lee Jones, I thought Chris O 'Donnell made a Great Nightwing, Oh I mean Robin and Val Kilmer was an Awsome Bruce wayne to bad they Let Batman and Robin be made that was HORRID! How Could Barbara Gordon not be the Commish's Daughter? How Could bain be a Brain Dead thug? How could Arnold read such HORRIBLE lines? I don't know what the hell happened!
poop23
poop23 - 11/3/2010, 7:53 PM
Tim Burton's was like one of the first darker styled comic book films, which really helped the films today.
Creature
Creature - 11/3/2010, 8:01 PM
@Obscuro
Heath Ledger's Joker is the best adaption wise portrayal in live-action we've ever seen.
DarrellKaiser
DarrellKaiser - 11/3/2010, 8:45 PM
Is there more to the interview?
TheGambitFreak
TheGambitFreak - 11/3/2010, 9:42 PM
I really do like Nolan's Batman, that being said, when I think of batman, I do not picture
Nolan's, that's his take. I'm not saying it's not good, I love it, I just kinda want to wait and see what they do to a new Batman In the Oh so far away JLA, that is If it happens, and if Supes, and Bat's are in it. I loved Batman, I could not stand Batman Returns, I never watched that movie all the way through, god awful!

@Creature
Well that is not true at all, it depends which Joker do you like?
Let's not forget that Alan Moore gave Heath his Graphic Novel of batman, the one where Joker ties Gordon up naked to a pole, and makes him watch as he tortures Bat-Girl, the evil side of Joker, the one Ledger portrayed. I like Heath's version, but I fall under the catgory of Nicholson's Joker the classic smart maniac. IMO.
krzfter
krzfter - 11/3/2010, 10:06 PM
Can't compare Batman(1989) to TDK. Different era. I actually think Burton's Batman pave the way for more darker cbm to be adapted on screen.

If the Tim Burton's Batman wasn't successful, we might not even have a Batman begin or TDK.

I am not fan of Tim Burton but I don't think he should be hated on, his Batman is pretty good, for the era they were in and the budget they had.
ace995
ace995 - 11/3/2010, 11:10 PM
I think Tim Burton's Batman(1989) was excellent, and I reckon his storyline was probably the best one for a Batman film as it dealt with the rise of the Joker which resulted in Gotham City's residents becoming disillusioned, plus his relationship with the female reporter....it was all about escalation, and thats exactly what Nolan currently does with his recent Batman movies
JackJNapier
JackJNapier - 11/3/2010, 11:27 PM
I enjoyed it then and enjoy it now, but i'm not a critic of art in any form. If i read or watch i usually enjoy it.
Shredder
Shredder - 11/4/2010, 12:15 AM
This is the movie that made me a comic book fan. It's still to this day a very watchable movie.
Knightstalker
Knightstalker - 11/4/2010, 12:43 AM
Oscuro, I have no idea what plane of existence you are on...

Superman8...did you miss the part where Burton walked away and shithead Schumacher took over?
Ryden
Ryden - 11/4/2010, 1:09 AM
Are you people high? No where near Nolans? It's BETTER than Nolan's! It actually feels like a Batman movie and not a crime drama that just so happens to have Batman in it.

I mean I love the Nolan films as much as the next guy, but Burton's was actually a superhero/comic book movie that stuck closer to the feel of the comics than Nolan's did. Nolan in the past has mentioned that the comics are somewhat of an afterthought. And that's fine, because he's doing a great job. But none of the Nolan films have a real sense of adventure or fantasy about them, and Batman's all fantasy. Whatever way you look at it.
EdGross
EdGross - 11/4/2010, 2:16 AM
I've actually got a lot more in terms of '89 Batman interviews as well as Batman Returns interviews. Would you guys enjoy hearing periodic excerpts from these interviews? Just want to gauge interest.
Angelus
Angelus - 11/4/2010, 4:46 AM
Tim Burton's Batman series are phenomenal! They really got that Batman tone down!

BMP!
LEEE777
LEEE777 - 11/4/2010, 6:22 AM
DP @ Lmao!!!

BATMAN is an awesome movie, timeless!!!

GR8 stuff @ ED!
LEEE777
LEEE777 - 11/4/2010, 6:25 AM
teppy1954
teppy1954 - 11/4/2010, 6:55 AM
What sets Burton`s Batman apart is that it was eccentrically stylistic. The world created for Batman in 89 was a Burtonesque world-dark, gritty but given to cartoony touches.(a-la Beetlejuice or Edward Scissorhands). Nolan`s Batman is rooted more in a gritty reality rather than a gritty cartoon world. Certainly there are divergences from reality, but the Nolanverse will hold up better as time passes.

musicsuperhero1
musicsuperhero1 - 11/4/2010, 8:03 AM
@EDGROSS....yes, more interviews please. hey if you can find some nolan and/or goyer interviews regarding Begins or TDK you should post those too.

Thanks for this post.
hoodedjester
hoodedjester - 11/4/2010, 8:59 AM
This was the first real comicbookmovie I saw and will always be a classic in my mind. Besides, Nicholson was great and Gotham looked grimy, dirty and it worked for the film.
bjvb997
bjvb997 - 11/4/2010, 9:18 AM
I grew up loving this movie, I still love this movie. I can't really say its better or worse than Nolan's films, different era different directions.

@EdGross, yes more old school bat's stuff.

@grifdeadpoolteabag, I aggree about the casting's and the suit, can't get much better. And you forgot about the car, the tumbler was cool but not as bad @ss as the burton car.
Ryden
Ryden - 11/4/2010, 9:49 AM
Just because TDK is slightly more complex, it's praised as the most intelligent script in history. Well no, the script is actually REALLY REALLY bad, every other second there's a dumb metaphor. It's not smart, it's just conduluded and not interesting. Luckily Ledger's improv and adjustments made some of the best Joker dialouge in history.

And I'm sick of people bashing on Nicholson's Joker, when he portrayed the character far more faithfully than Ledger did. Ledger was great but for [frick]'s sake stop sucking his dick.

Batman 89' was a superhero, adventure movie through and through and it had the PERFECT tone for Batman. Perfect casting, everything. And the music is leaps above the generic crap made for TDK. The Danny Elfman epitomizes the Batman character.

It's like people have forgotten that Batman's a superhero.

@paulie- Of course the Joker is going to use colourful toys...HE'S THE JOKER. God read a comic once in a while.
StrangerX
StrangerX - 11/4/2010, 10:42 AM
I love Burton's Batman.
JediRob
JediRob - 11/4/2010, 10:56 AM
Still my favorite Batman.
Really
Really - 11/4/2010, 12:32 PM
This movie is classic! It played a huge part into my childhood! Spent so much of my lunch money on Batman comics and anything Batman related!
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