Batman (BD) (Steelbook) [Blu-ray]

Now near 25 years removed from its production, Tim Burton's original Batman has slowly lost faded into the background of the modern superhero film landscape. As newer - and admittedly wonderful - superhero movies such as The Dark Knight and The Avengers continue to dazzle and amaze audiences with spectacular special effects and genre-bending writing, the more people seem to forget the much more modest and serene Batman film. Which, I believe, is a grave mistake. For while it may not have had the technological advancements at the time to provide stunning effects and epic storytelling, Tim Burton's directorial effort in Batman is, without question, one of most talented and intelligent efforts ever made in film itself - let alone in the superhero genre.I'll forgo any plot description as I'm sure it's quite well known by this point and more importantly because the plot acts merely as a sandbox for much more brilliant achievements in acting, directing and cinematography.The first I'll touch upon is the cinematography. The beautifully rendered gothic landscape that Anton Furst creates in the sets and scenery of Batman is immediately evident upon first viewing of the film. But what is probably much less evident to most viewers, is just how much Burton and his production team borrowed from German Expressionism and the silent filmmaking of first three decades of the 20th century. As someone who's seen a fair share of silent films - and more importantly - films from that small window in the 1930s were sound was a new and somewhat mysterious concept for filmmakers, it's slowly become apparent to me that advent of sound has led to a deterioration of visual storytelling and acting. In short, sound has made today's filmmakers lazy. Instead of having to show their story, the subtleties of their dramas and characters, they can simply say it, and depends with a lot of visual setup and style.It is that silent film element that really makes Burton's Batman exceptional, and really unlike any other film made since the silent era. With Batman, Burton opens up the playbooks of Fritz Lang and Todd Browning and FW Mernau and instead of telling his story through dialogue or explicitly stated plot points, instead hones in on a myriad of visual elements to express the true nature and grandeur of Batman as a character.The first way in which he does this is to always show Batman from an outsider's perspective (generally, Vicki's perspective). This creates and element of mystery and darkness to Batman that harkens back more to characters like Dracula and the Phantom of the opera than it does Superman or Spider-Man. Again, taking a page not just from Batman's own roots as a creature of gothic horror, but also from the early cinematic works of Dracula and the Phantom. Burton even uses lighting to highlight and display Batman's subtle eye or facial movements - a trick derived quite directly from 1931's Dracula.The second method derives directly from Michael Keaton's own performance. Few seem to realize it upon first viewing, but Keaton turns in probably the most subtle and brilliant acting performances of any comic book movie before or since. In compliment to Burton's visual storytelling, Keaton mirrors the silent style of filmmaking by conveying the majority of his character's emotions through both facial expressions and emoting through the eyes. He rarely says much in the film - and his version of Bruce Wayne is characterized as an aloof and somehow emotionally immature man who is often overshadowed by the bombastic nature of Jack Nicholson's inspired performance as the Joker.But upon closer inspection, it's really Keaton who steals the show in Batman by portraying the character as both wholly sympathetic and always latently psychotic. This juxtaposition of emotional reliability and psychosis is metaphorical tightrope that is near-impossible traverse - in fact, even in the original source materials, most writers struggle to convey a proper amount of emotional resonance in their characterization of Wayne. Yet, astonishingly, Keaton manages to blend these to aspects together with incredible ease; he wears the persona of Bruce Wayne like a second skin, and purely through whispers and off glances both makes the viewer feel for Bruce Wayne, and remain ever terrified of Batman.Outside of these two most notable aspects, Burton (and Keaton, as through the happenstance of a writers' strike, ended up rewriting much of the script and dialogue with Burton on-set) weaves in numerous subtle character arcs and story beats that seem simple - and perhaps even poorly done at first glance - but through subsequent viewings can be deemed extremely intricate and expertly executed exposition. From Bruce Wayne's reclusive and awkward demeanor reflecting Burton's own thoughts on genius, obsession, and emotional pain - to the simply brilliant relationship built between Michael Gough's Alfred and Bruce - Burton continuously weaves a simple narrative bursting with psychological meaning and emotion.I'm certain most would call it absurd to refer to Burton's Batman as one of the best films ever made - and in truth, it does indeed lack some of the emotional or dramatic punch that a lot of the other great films of history do have - but when analyzed with a keen and disconcerting eye, the amount of intelligence and detail weaved into the execution of Batman far exceeds most of the directorial efforts in the history of American film. And, without question, Batman should be seen at least a few times by anyone interested in the classic silent and European methods of the early days of filmmaking, and - along with Blade Runner and Burton's followup, Batman Returns - should be considered one of the best tributes to that sophisticated and timeless style.

Great, good old film. Awesome in 4k. Quick on shipping. Thanks.

This is the best Batman live action movie ever; Michael Keaton did a great job portraying Batman/Bruce Wayne and the direction of Tim Burton was excellent.

Nearly twenty-five years later, I still listen to composer Danny Elfman's brooding orchestral score. It conjures up an image of actor Michael Keaton's Batman standing victorious atop a Gotham City skyscraper, as the new Bat-signal cuts through the night fog. As soundtracks typically do, I was recently inspired to re-watch 1989's No. 1 summer blockbuster. It is easy to see why it blew past a slew of routine sequels such as "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade;" "Ghostbusters II," "Lethal Weapon 2," "Licence to Kill," "Star Trek V," among other competition. It wasn't just the hype - sure, there was its mind-boggling marketing campaign (for its time) hawking every form of bat-merchandise imaginable (today, that's the norm). What really stoked moviegoers, I think, was its sheer originality - like lightning in a bottle that even its own three sequels couldn't re-capture.The movie's trademark, for better or worse, is Jack Nicholson's wily over-acting as the nefarious mobster Jack Napier turned macabre super-villain, the Joker. Although Nicholson was frankly far too old to be a legitimate physical threat to Batman, his sheer flamboyance overcomes this flaw. I still believe either Willem Dafoe or Ray Liotta (who was screenwriter Sam Hamm's preference) would have been just as effective in the role if the movie hadn't been designed as a Nicholson showcase. Even so, courtesy of a few well-designed flashbacks, director Tim Burton and screenwriter Sam Hamm cleverly side-step Batman's well-known origin by instead providing a mystery so viewers can deduce why a reclusive, strangely distracted billionaire has assumed a caped alter ego. The film opts not to show how Bruce Wayne becomes Batman since the psychological "why Bruce Wayne is Batman" factor proves far more interesting. Make no mistake: actor Michael Keaton doesn't look like Bruce Wayne, but, in this movie, he is Bruce Wayne ... a disturbed Bruce Wayne who walks, trance-like, through a hail of gunfire upon recognizing a face he once saw long ago. He is then left to ponder the Joker's favorite taunt to his doomed prey: "Have you ever danced with the devil in the pale moonlight?" Not surprisingly, the Joker's dance with a captive Vicky Vale (Kim Basinger) plays against the backdrop of a pale moon on a dark Gotham night setting up a final showdown between two comic book legends.Late production designer Anton Furst's dark art deco, 1940's vision of Gotham City brilliantly resurrects film noir. Impressively, even though "Batman" was filmed almost entirely on British soundstages, Furst's sets are amazing enough to make a viewer almost believe that Gotham City really does exist. There is no mistaking that, based upon the villains' retro wardrobe alone, that this Gotham City is supposed to be reminiscent of Prohibition-era Chicago (think "Batman Meets the Untouchables"). Wisely, the stellar "Batman: The Animated Series" subsequently lifted Furst's distinctive style giving Batman a new sense of visual continuity, as Gotham City appears as the dark, corrupt cesspool of a modern city it is supposed to be.If one can swallow a middle-aged Nicholson as the Joker and Keaton's quietly neurotic Bruce Wayne / Batman, then everything else about this movie falls into place. Yes, Kim Basinger's glamorous Vicky Vale is a Lois Lane wanna-be and a helpless damsel-in-distress where she must be startled at every turn (not remotely believable for a war zone-savvy photo-journalist). Still, Basinger's charismatic presence nicely balances the lead actors. My only criticism comes from the Joker's less-than-satisfying yet unique fate (one is left incredulously thinking: "That's the best they could do?"). It is similar to the predicament that "Star Trek Generations" had in 1994 with William Shatner's iconic Captain Kirk: there were countless better solutions available than the one filmed for the theatrical release. Please also note that not all the acting honors belong solely to Nicholson and Keaton. They receive ample support from the late Michael Gough (as Alfred); the late Pat Hingle (as Commissioner Gordon); and even Robert Wuhl's new character, wisecracking reporter Alexander Knox. Knox isn't necessary to the story, but Wuhl has solid chemistry with Basinger. Deleting Knox in favor of making wimpy Vicky Vale far stronger, as in closer to Selina "Catwoman" Kyle's equal, would have likely would have increased the movie's mass appeal for female viewers.As for the special effects, they mostly hold up well, particularly the awe-inspiring Batmobile and a surprisingly realistic rubber Batsuit. Even though the Batplane model's aerial shots look terribly fake today, it is pretty clear that all the FX money spent on this fifty-million dollar mega-production appears on-screen.Finally, with its original interpretation of the title character vs. one villain fighting for the soul of Gotham City, "Batman" 1989 is simply far superior to its three sequels that imitated but could not duplicate the first movie's success.Overall: 9/10 stars. Despite its weaknesses, this "Batman" is well worth repeat viewings. The DVD extras (including multiple documentaries and three Prince music videos) are superb, but I might add that the Prince videos are not appropriate for young viewers.

cool en bon etat bien recu merci

Excelente pelicula y en muy buen estado. Llego en tiempo y en buenas condiciones.

para la coleccion, a buen precio, lo unico negativo es que la portada es mas fea... es HORRIBLE. pero bueh, ni modo.

Questa edizione 4K del Batman di Tim Burton è sicuramente la migliore possibile. Burton stesso è tornato a lavorare personalmente a questo riversamento su disco del suo film del 1989 e quello che ha fatto è stato ottimo. L'hdr spinge al massimo nelle scene più buie , dove emergono dettagli prima quasi impossibili da notare...il Joker che si intravede nell'oscurità in alcune scene prima di entrare in azione nelle vecchie edizioni non si riusciva neanche a scorgere ... Ora i colori sono più vivi che mai e risaltano all'occhio con contrasti intensi.La grana della pellicola 35mm è presente , in maniera fine nelle scene interne e più marcata in quelle esterne, dove è presente una gradazione del colore più tendente al blu , con una definizione dei dettagli sorprendente.Sul film poco da dire, il Batman di Burton è un assoluto cult, con un Joker inarrivabile e un Keaton assolutamente in parte, per me il miglior Batman di sempre.Qualche pecca sulla traccia audio italiana... decisamente non all'altezza dell'impianto visivo.... Le voci si impastano troppo e si perdono sotto gli effetti e la colonna sonora, ma nel complesso rimane comunque godibile.

Enfant, le milliardaire Bruce Wayne vit ses parents assassinés par un voleur. Il se jura de venger leur mort en se lançant dans une bataille à vie contre le crime organisé. Pour cela, il se crée un personnage costumé nommé Batman, et cache cette identité derrière celle d'une image de playboy. Gotham City est contrôlée par le parrain Carl Grissom. En dépit des efforts du fraîchement élu procureur de district Harvey Dent et du commissaire James Gordon, la corruption de la police demeure conséquente.Le reporter Alexander Knox et la photo-journaliste Vicki Vale commencent à enquêter sur les agissements du justicier habillé en chauve-souris, alors que ce dernier n'est aux yeux des médias et des policiers qu'une rumeur confuse propagée chez les criminels.Vicki et Alexandre arrivent à se faire inviter au manoir de Wayne, où Bruce tombe sous le charme de Vicki. La même nuit, le bras droit de Grissom, Jack Napier est envoyé faire un raid sur l'usine chimique Axis Chemicals. Mais la police reçoit un "tuyau" de Grissom lui-même et arrive pour l'arrêter ; Jack se rend compte qu'il a été trahi par son patron car il avait une liaison avec l'épouse de ce dernier. Batman arrive en pleine fusillade entre les hommes de Jack et la police. Jack fait feu sur Batman qui évite la balle ; cette dernière ricoche et atteint Jack au visage. Aveuglé par la douleur, il chute d'une plate-forme en hauteur et tombe dans une cuve d'acide. Batman le croit mort. Un peu plus tard, Napier émerge dans une cuve adjacente, défiguré par l'effet des produits, sa peau est devenue blanche, ses cheveux verts et ses lèvres rouges. À la suite d'une intervention chirurgicale, Napier affiche un rictus permanent lui donnant l'air d'un clown. Il sombre alors dans la folie, devient « le Joker », tue Grissom et prend le contrôle de son empire criminel avec l'Axis comme quartier général.Le Joker terrorise la ville en empoisonnant chimiquement des produits d’hygiène corporelle, certaines combinaisons de produits créant une réaction chimique qui font que les utilisateurs rient jusqu'à en mourir, leurs lèvres affichant dans la mort un rictus semblable à celui du Joker.La lutte de Batman contre le Joker s'intensifie considérablement lorsqu'il réalise que Napier a tué ses parents : tuer le Joker devient une affaire personnelle à deux niveaux pour lui. En effet, le majordome et confident de Bruce, Alfred Pennyworth, mène Vicki à la Batcave. Elle et Bruce se promettent de vivre ensemble après avoir vaincu le Joker, tandis que celui-ci s'éprend de Vicky.Batman détruit l'usine de fabrication de produits chimiques du Joker, mais ce dernier organise une parade dans la ville où il attire la population en distribuant 20 millions de dollars. Son but caché est d’empoisonner la population avec son gaz mortel « Hilarex », mais Batman fait échouer ses plans. Le Joker enlève Vicki et l'emmène au sommet de la cathédrale de la ville.Batman combat le Joker et sauve sa belle. Mais les deux ennemis jurés se rendent compte qu'ils sont indirectement responsables de la création de leurs personnages respectifs. Au moment où le Joker, agrippant une échelle jetée par ses sbires depuis un hélicoptère, tente de s'échapper par les airs, Batman lui accroche une jambe à une gargouille grâce à son grappin : incapable de s'en défaire, Joker chute et meurt.A la suite de cela, Harvey Dent dit au public une lettre laissée par Batman expliquant qu'il défendra Gotham contre le crime dans l'avenir. Pour le contacter Batman a laissé à la police de Gothan City un projecteur appelé "Bat Signal"Source : Wikipédia.