Batman '89
As I understand it, Sam Raimi made Darkman because he was unable to make Batman and The Shadow. What if Raimi had the opportunity to make Batman? Unlike the gothic interpretation we received from Tim Burton's Batman, here is a look at a pulp/noir Batman quadrilogy under Sam Raimi.
Matt Dillon as Batman
https://images.app.goo.gl/w8XuvBRQ8HLpUCR46
https://images.app.goo.gl/sdxW3GAY4ZSyyowZA
Alec Baldwin, chosen after, and largely due to the success of, this movie, to portray The (at times, campy) Shadow, did, indeed, have the look. Raimi's friend, Bruce Campbell, also, arguably, had that same look. I think, however, Matt Dillon had the look coupled with the young age needed to grow into the part. Having had success in Outsiders and Drugstore Cowboy, Dillon truly is a Year One crusader.
Alec Baldwin as Thomas Wayne
https://images.app.goo.gl/TA3bnAvkKPped9vz8
https://images.app.goo.gl/zC6m9STSAgTSbuZk8
It's the right call considering how almost perfect the lead of the aforementioned Shadowmovie was for Batman and it's just enough time on screen for him to not over stimulate the scene.
Madonna as Martha Wayne
https://images.app.goo.gl/pxeRfay91f7b5vRf9
https://images.app.goo.gl/TQDxHyfdLxCr4sMR9
Having done a wonderful job a year later in Dick Tracey, the material girl had the perfect vintage look to match Baldwin in a quick, and tragic, scene.
Ted Raimi as Joe Chill
https://images.app.goo.gl/4YGqNj7XGT3atueM6
https://images.app.goo.gl/uRcYTzfYd9U6qN9X8
This seems like an easy gig for his oft' cast brother.
Sean Connery as Alfred
Having done the pulp-style Indiana Jones, the belligerent actor would bring toughness to the role (probably by demand). Richard Harris is better for the role but if we're going with pulp and noir, we must lean towards Henry Jones.
Robert Guillaume as Lucius Fox
A truly remarkable actor recognized even as early as Soap having been given moments that added so much weight to the funniest comedy of all time
Nick Nolte as James Gordon
The personification of grit beyond his years, Nolte, as Gordon, is what this movie needs in order to go mainstream and be taken seriously. He exemplifies the hard-boiled detective of noir movies better than anyone and was a bonafide a-lister at this time.
Glenne Headly as Barbara Gordon
The Dick Tracey alum is perfect for the character who keeps Gordon from being sucked into the grime of his police work.
Frances McDormand as Sarah Essen
In this difficult role where she plays the other woman, McDormand, of Darkman and Blood Simple, one of the most under-appreciated actresses ever, would almost certainly play this role so well, as the tough-as-nails officer who keeps Gordon sane, that she will be beloved as a hero for whom we cheer. This is the best casting in this series.
Tom Beringer as Harvey "Apollo" Dent
The most difficult villain to cast because any good actor could play him well, but only a few could play him perfectly. The reason I say that is because he could be very flamboyant or he could be played the most real, the most violent, the most tragic, of the villains. He can be either a straight up super villain or an anti-villain. From Joker candidates to Batman candidates, to shorter actors to older actors, I struggled until I landed on Platoon's Beringer. He has the good looks, can unhinge quickly without going over the top, and would not pull us away from the realistic noir atmosphere where other actors may play too theatrical.
Larry Drake as Commissioner Loeb
Of Darkman fame, Drake possesses the smuckered face of classic noir performers. He is one of the best actors to play the crooked cop. If Raimi made Spider-Man in '89-'91 to rival Burton's gothic Batman, Drake would be Doc Ock
Bruce Campbell as Detective Flass
It's not a Raimi movie without the actor that helped him get his name out there. While studios didn't allow Campbell to star as Darkman because they were unsure he could hold his own, Raimi popped him in at the end anyway. Campbell can play Flass as an arrogant jock at whom we laugh when he is beaten up by Gordon.
Demi Moore as Selina Kyle
The sultry voice of Moore is perfect for a noir film and Catwoman is a great match for her. Catwoman, for me, is one of the few characters that could be played by either a white or black actress. I credit that to both Ertha Kitt and Miller's Year One. As this is almost entirely taken from those pages, I did look to cast a black actress. In truth, given her age, beauty, sex appeal, and soft features, Lisa Bonet was perfect. However, due to the irony of that cast, I went with the equally breathtaking Moore (but, ideally, it's all Bonet, here)
Paul Sorvino as Tony Zucco
It's the fact that he was in both Va Rocketeer and Dick Tracey that sold me.
Danny Aiello as Sal Maroni
From Once Upon a Time in America to Harlem Nights, Aiello, a master-class actor knows his way around gangster noir.
Alfred Molina as Johnny Viti
William Forsythe was my original pick because he is very much a gangster's character actor and had a memorable part in Dick Tracey while the perfect choice (and my one in a prior casting) was Vincent D'Onofrio. Molina, though, holds cred in being a part of the pulp sensation, Indiana Jones.
Martin Landau as Carmine Falcone
The spitting image of Falcone is known for many movies including the Hitchcockian North by Northwest. There's nothing more noir than a Hitchcock film.
Billl Paxton as Stanley Merkel
A staple in many 80's movies, including noir films from which this movie will take inspiration. In fact, I believe he almost bagged the lead role in Darkman.
John Rhys-Davies as Harvey Bullock
The bellowing voice of JRD, aided by his presence, makes the Last Crusade icon a perfect fit for Bullock
MOVIE
The movie begins 15 years ago, in silence, as we watch the murder of Thomas and Martha unfold. The only sounds we hear are the echoing excitement of little Bruce as they leave the theater (Dr Midnight starring Paul Sloan), gunshots, the echoing screams of Martha, and the shattered dreams of little Bruce. Alfred charges out of his car and, for a moment, is so occupied with catching the killer, he passes Bruce only to drop back and down to hold Bruce as his yells for help are drowned out into the silence.
Present day, (over narration as is standard noir starter kit essential) (there will be certain parallels with Reeves' The Batman because it, too, is noir) A man introducing himself as Matches Malone worries about Gotham City. He questions to whom the city really belongs. Malone is propositioned by a prostitute, to which he refuses. He asserts himself aggressively into the line of sight of the man he deduces to be her pimp until a brawl is forced. "Dis my city, boy," the pimps laughs, "you in my city, you play by my rules." In particular, the camera forces us to see that this catches the eye of a female hanger-around.
Driving by, law enforcement officers, Flass and Gordon, break it up, arresting 'Malone.' Flass is a little too rough on Malone while Gordon surveys the situation suspicious of Flass' familiarity of the pimp. Flass keeps referring to Gordon as "rookie" until Gordon states he has more years under his belt than Flass regardless if he's new to Gotham or not. Malone takes advantage of the bickering and escapes from the moving vehicle and manages to evade the cops. They can't figure out how he did it. As the scene draws us to Wayne Manor, Malone walks into the estate where we, through music, are led to believe he's after our hero, or even Alfred. He is immediately greeted by an elated Alfred as Malone sheds his disguise to reveal that he is Bruce Wayne, home from aboard.
Later, Wayne quietly reflects and we watch some back story scenes of his training regiment unfold. He tells Alfred his crime fighting intentions. At the behest of Alfred, he sets a goal to head Wayne Ent., if only so he doesn't become a Howard Hughes-like recluse.
The next night, Gordon and Flass are on a stake out watching Carmine Falcone from afar. 5 fellow officers come up from behind and jump Gordon. The camera loses sight of Flass. They drag Gordon to Falcone, who tells him "The next time you get involved in my business, I'm going to kill you. You're gaining status as a cop the people can trust so I thought I'd give you the option to work with me before I showed you what happens when you work against me." (in walks Flass) Gordon spits in his face and is thrown into the woods and beaten even worse.
Meanwhile, Wayne, in a ski mask and sweatsuit, jumps a few purse snatchers in the night, but not before he's laughed at for looking so foolish. Day break: It's a media frenzy as Wayne announces his return to Gotham after having not been home for 6 years upon graduating high school. The media follow him as he steps into the W.E. Headquarters with total control over his father's business. Among the shareholders greeting him is Lucius Fox.
That night, Flass, seen casually conversing with the pimp from earlier, is stalked by a man hidden in the shadows. Once Flass is far enough away from the pimp, the man, Gordon, steps from the shadows and kicks the crap out of him. He kicks him into the busy streets and leaves him naked and handcuffed cowering under his balled up clothes. The same female from earlier snatches his money and watch as he screams at her.
Following this, cleaning his bloody knuckles at home, Gordon opens up to Barbara about regretting his decision to move here. She says he needs to be strong. "Gotham needs a good man. Just one to make a difference." He says "It needs more than that. This place is burning down. The mob and the pimps run this city, Barb. It's no place to raise a child. (he holds her stomach) They have every cop in their pocket." "Not every," she says as she tosses him his badge, "Don't forget what you are. You're a symbol for what's right. We have every reason to stay. It may feel crippling at times but you can change Gotham." He asks "Are you sure you won't regret this? If I devote myself to cleaning this city from the inside, it might take our feet out from under us." She answers reassuringly, "What doesn't kill us, makes us stronger."
The same basic flow of conversation is had by Alfred and Bruce. When Alfred shuts the door, a bat flies in from the window. Not only does he find inspiration for a (very crude) costume but he finds an unknown Underground Railroad presumably built by his ancestors. He puts the ski mask over his Shakespeare statue that's flanked by 2 tall candles. We're looking at the beginnings of the cowl.
The following night, Alfred finds Wayne sleepless and grinding away on his costume, having put little bits of everything together. As for the cave, he finds electricity capabilities.
Elsewhere, Falcone and Maroni are having a sit down concerning putting their feud aside to deal with the bigger threat. The Batman crashes from the skylight, landing perfectly onto, and crushing, the table at which they were sitting to warn them he is out there and he is watching. “This is my city now. My city. My rules. I am The Batman."
I see him beginning in a gray -with flashes of black- divers suit, combat boots, gloves without gauntlets, the tall, frightening, pointed ears extending from the black cowl (which he nearly nails and a basic square, cloth cape). No emblem; no belt
He escapes before any of the mobsters can shoot him.
The following day, holding a newspaper in his hand, Loeb orders Gordon and Essen to bring The Batman in by any means. Loeb does this as a way to keep Gordon and Batman away from himself and the mob. This is solidified by Loeb contacting Falcone afterwards to ensure that "it's done, Mr. Falcone."
At the big party to celebrate the return of Wayne and his position as the head of W.E., Wayne greets many people, including Harvey "Apollo" Dent (who's aggressive nature, while comical and refreshing to others, doesn't sit right with Wayne). Bruce, curious to survey James Gordon, introduces himself to the Chicago native. It's here Bruce Wayne sees the good in Gordon.
Alfred watches all of the guests carefully and it's through him, we enjoy this party; his reactions to guests, how he is pleasant to the good ones, indifferent to, if not annoyed by, the several guests unimportant to the scene, and his unmistakable rudeness (to our amusement) to the crooked many that litter the party.
The next night, Essen, after sharing a sensual moment with Gordon, on which they do not act, surmises that Batman will be tailing a gang of thugs. The interference of Gordon and Essen are enough of a distraction to keep Batman there until the SWAT team sent by Loeb arrives following Essen's report of Batman's presence at the site.
Just as Batman hits the ground cupping 2 bullet wounds, a cloud of bats rush through the windows, blinding the SWAT team until punches are thrown by a man within the cloud, taking out 5 officers, until he makes his way to the injured Batman. He, Alfred, hooks a line to Batman and tells him to keep his head down when the line yanks them back through the officers and safely places them within feet of a black stealth car. Alfred throws him in and escapes, patching him up at Wayne Manor while chastising him for his lack of diligence. Alfred also promises to make gear that will protect him better, create a lasting memory, and inspire greater fear in his enemies.
The woman who has been lurking in the background the entire movie, Selina Kyle, was also spying on the gang. Witnessing the Batman in action, and, believing the entirety of the GCPD to be crooked, she embarks on her own journey to steal from the corrupt elite of Gotham and stop the crimes in the streets. In an unfortunate but necessary info dump while talking to her cat and creating ideas for her future costume, we learn that she grew up on the streets and learned to survive by any means necessary.
Privately, Gordon and Essen juggle possible identities of the Batman when they realize he's on their side; listing Wayne, Dent, Kirk Langstrom, Rory Regan, Sam Bradley, Jason Blood, and Jack Ryder. Gordon's son is born and he has a brief affair with Essen.
Feeling horrible, Gordon confesses to his wife, is kicked out, and distances himself from Essen. Without Essen, he stands atop the police building, and shines a beacon onto the sky. He stands in front of the beacon and spreads out his jacket, laughing out loud about how dumb an idea this is. Quickly, Batman steps out from the shadows, "Was that a bat?" "It worked. Didn't it?" and they discuss a secret partnership. Gordon suggests the help of Dent (alluding to the possibility that Gordon had deduced who Batman is not, and, perhaps, who he is) but Batman dismisses it on account of his violent temper.
Thanks to Alfred, Batman is cleaned up now. The cowl ears have been slightly shortened but is complimented by a large, thick, jagged, leather cape (because the larger frame is intimidating in its presence, animalistic, and causes misdirection in aiming. There are now defensive gauntlets and a logo; a thin, black, flying (wings angled up) bat (no yellow). He's thicker now, with bullet-proof, military-grade armor painted gray. The armor is thin and flexible so that he can still move. The gear is accented by a dark gray utility belt comprised of only 6 pouches. The pants are now a fitted, urban camouflage that shades from dark gray to matted black. It's tucked into the combat boots. A grappling gun rests in a dark gray pouch tight to his thigh.
Meanwhile, Falcone, Loeb, and Maroni, flanked by their respective top men, respectively, Falcone's nephew, Johnny Vitti, Detective Flass, and Tony Zucco (who's shifting a coin across his fingers), meet and discuss their adversaries in The Batman and Lieutenant Jim Gordon. Possible men under the cowl discussed are Thomas Blake, Lyle Bolton, Dent, and Vic Sage. They decide the most likely to be Dent. They devise a 2-part plan to 1) kidnap Gordon's wife and 4 month old son in hopes of breaking him and 2) murder the DA, whom they believe to be the Batman.
Raimi already has a team creating the look for these toys before production begins on this movie. Heck, he might even make the Question movie after this; he can't though, he still has 3 more Batfilms to make.
From far away, we watch Sarah Essen knock on Barbara Gordon's door; with Junior in her arms, Barbara lets Essen in.
Elsewhere, over almost all muted sounds, Tony Zucco leads his men to Dent's house. He flips his coin and calls "heads, we break his ribs, pop an eye out, and shatter half his teeth. Tails, we shake his hand and wish him the best in achieving his goals." It lands on heads and the crew laughs that the double-sided coin joke never gets old.
Back at Barbara's, panning from above and through the window, we view the 2 women sitting down at the small dinner table over tea as they shed some tears.
Batman is drawn to a local protest where a man has garnered the attention of half the GCPD and media. He claims, like the Roman Empire, Gotham with crumble under its own arrogance. The police are letting him go on. He begins to forsake the corrupt and tells them all to beg for forgiveness and kneel before Zeus (a nice nod to the Superman movies). The police begin to evacuate citizens but not before he wields a powerful electrical current through his golden staff at some laggers. No longer Interested in waiting for the police to act, Batman violently takes him out. The police then hold Batman at gunpoint.
Jonny Vitti, gun in hand, rings Barbara's doorbell; a blindfolded Harvey, in a factory of some sort, is fighting with everything he can, but, badly beaten, ultimately, is strapped to a chair.
Gordon doesn't know how to help Batman. He urges Loeb to reconsider. The 2 men break down and argue in front of the officers, Batman, and the media. Loeb calls Gordon out for knowing who is under the mask, even so far as name dropping Dent. He even questions Gordon's morals and valor by outing his affair with Essen knowing it's being broadcast. Batman takes the opportunity to shoot his grappling hook up to, and connecting with, a bat-shaped drone (they've been around in the military for a very long time) about twice the length of a human, so to escape capture. Things between Loeb and Gordon get more heated.
When Batman arrives underground, Alfred tells Bruce not to thank him yet because he took the liberty of digging a little deeper into his suspicions when Loeb broadcast Dent's name as the man under the mask, only to learn that a 911 call concerning his address had been called in. Batman wastes no time (on a motorcycle).
He sees the police lights and can tell by the aloof behavior of the surrounding officers that this has been a set-up.
He rushes to Barbara's house and at the same time, Jim arrives. They both see Barbara lying in a pool of blood. Jim throws aside one of the officers there and embraces her while Batman rushes through the house looking for Junior. Barely able to speak, she murmurs "they took him. They took our baby, Jim." Batman growls to Jim, telling him to stay with her as he promises to get Junior back. The 2 cops on the case, Bullock and Merkel, console Gordon. They tell him they believe in him and they will help him; they will help her. They slowly assist him in letting her go. Trust them. He does.
He locks and loads and slams the siren on his hood. He is right behind Batman.
Boss Maroni harasses Dent as Zucco does his dirty work. All in on Dent, we hear a baby crying and when the camera pans out, Vitti is mockingly telling Junior, whom he is holding, to calm down because "I'm your new daddy now" to which we see Essen respond by entering the screen and stroking Zucco's arm with a grin.
The interrogation of Harvey Dent begins. The boys are making light of the entire, sick situation by flipping the 2-headed coin but all of that comes to a hault when headlights hit the warehouse. Skipping a beat for suspense, the Roman walks in to everyone's relief. Once briefed, he tells Zucco to get the acid. After screaming into Harvey's face about Gotham being his and no pathetic DA, no cop with with complex, or loser in a bat costume is gonna take that from me (and chucks it into Dent's face, who manages to turn so that it only covers half of his face).
Within that moment, Batman, on his motorcycle, comes crashing in from the highest window down onto the "playground" of the mobsters. He flips up the bike so that it takes out one guy while planting himself to back kick another. Somewhere in this fight choreography, he uses a batarang.
Crashing through the wall, Gordon locks eyes with Vitti, who has fled with the baby. Everyone scatters and the chase is on.
Riving in pain, Dent channels pure adrenaline and charges his abusers, killing 1 by beating him to death. He keys in on Zucco and corners him on level 2 with a gun. He (is in full on 2-Face mode now) tells Zucco to flip his coin. "Tails, I kill ya with one clean bullet to yer face. Heads, I make it fun fer me, and real, real slow fer you. FLIP IT. FLIP THE DAMN COIN, ZUCCOOOO." He flips and as it spins on its side with the camera zoomed in, a shot is fired. Down goes Dent with Essen holding the smoking gun.
On the first level, Batman confronts Falcone, Maroni, and some of the un named mobsters. After Batman incapacitates the goons, and he realizes Falcone is gone, he grabs Maroni, who, clawing desperately at Batman's mask, tells him "I'll tell ya everything. Everything you need to know. I got a guy on the inside that Roman trusts. I know everything about his crimes. I'll tell you who my guy is and give up any of them too." Batman just starts throwing bombs to his face and gut. He lifts Maroni up again, who paws at the cowl again, and tells him "now, now you can tell me. Everything!" Boss pauses, for a second, stares at the Batman's eyes and partially exposed face, and says "I seen those eyes before"
A flash back to the funeral of the Waynes, where a young, grieving Bruce Wayne is approached by Boss Maroni. He kneels down, looks into the child's eyes and says, I'm sorry, kiddo, your mom and dad was good people; too good for some. I see your pain, bambino, and I promise you, senseless, meaningless crimes will be a thing of the past if I have anything to say about it." Interrupting, Falcone states "this city is mine, Boss. The kid needs your sales pitch about as much as his father did. (to Bruce) May he rest in peace. The whole thing is abruptly cut short when Alfred asserts himself and actually backs down the rivaling mobsters.
Back to the present, on level 2, (Catwoman), now decked out in a dark gray, almost black, body suit leaning into both the '66 series, with the belt, and her new look from Year One, with the cowl from the filmation in '77, leaving her hair to flow, confronts Sarah Essen, calling her the Madame behind the trafficking of "all those women; some, not even old enough to call themselves a woman. Their tears, blood, and addictions are on your conscience; if you even have one." She whips her cat o' 9 tails to elicit fear before latching it to her belt on her backside so that it hangs just right to appear as her own tail. (Selina's clothes prior to this will share the color schemes of some of her old green and purple costumes)
On level 1, Batman, suspecting Maroni knows, grips a little tighter, almost losing control, until BANG Carmine kills him "I couldn't let him talk. The confrontation is cut short due to Gordon ordering and begging Viti, from the bridge, to put his son down safely. Viti tells him to put the "gun down and let's see who's better." He place the baby on the edge of the bridge to get inside the head of Gordon. Batman races to the bridge. The 2 men engage in an old fashioned fist fight.
Junior fall over the side and Gordon is forced to grab the gun from the floor and kill Vitti before leaping to his son and crying out. Batman, arriving at the bottom of the bridge, with a large portion of his face exposed, in the nic of time, shoots his grappling gun and swings into the air, saves the baby, grabs Gordon, and lands all 3 on the second level where they find a dead Sarah Essen and the fleeting image of (Catwoman).
Gordon realizes that he is standing before, at this point, a completely unmasked Batman, but says that he is practically blind without his glasses and lets Bruce go.
Flass turns on Loeb and Falcone, supplying evidence and testimony before his car blows up with him still inside; Loeb resigns and moves and Falcone is imprisoned. A crippled Barbara divorces Jim and leaves on good terms for Chicago with Junior. Gordon is promoted to captain with Bullock and Merkel by his side and stands on the rooftop with a bat signal waiting to meet Batman to discuss the recent crimes of the newly dubbed Catwoman and rumors of a killer clown. Batman shows up with a yellow emblem behind the bat logo (but a circle that is barely larger than the head while the wings are still not within, almost as if the Bat is in front of a yellow moon.
Toys
- Batman beta costume w/motorcycle
- Batman w/drone and batarang
- Batman w/Yellow logo and grappling hook gun
- Jim Gordon w/gun and a Batsignal
- Stealth Alfred w/Black stealth car
- Pack of 2. Catwoman w/whip, Lock-up (redesigned to fit in this world)
- Pack of 2. Detective Arnold Flass w/gun, Commissioner Loeb w/hoagie
- Pack of 2. Bruce in Karate attire w/ broken tree stump, Ski mask Bruce
- Pack of 2. Carmine "the Roman" Falcone, Johnny Vitti w/gun
- Pack of 2. Catman, Question (both redesigned to fit in this world)
- Pack of 2. Unmasked Batman, Barbara w/Junior
- Pack of 2. Sal "Boss" Maroni, Tony Zucco w/double-sided coin
- Pack of 2. Sarah Essen w/gun, Zeus w/golden staff
- Pack of 2. Jason Blood and Etrigan (redesigned to fit in this world)
- Pack of 2. Harvey "Apollo" Dent, Two-Face w/acid
- Pack of 2. Kirk Langstrom and Man-Bat (redesigned to fit in this world)
- Pack of 2 Alfred and Lucius Fox
- Pack of 3. Joe Chill w/gun, Matches Malone, Paul Sloan as Dr Midnight w/Hootie
- Pack of 3 GCPD officers w/guns
- Pack of 3 goons w/ guns
- Pack of 3 2 SWAT team members and Barbara Gordon
- Pack of 3 Ragman, Sam Bradley, Creeper (all 3 redesigned to fit in this world)