Though it’s true that the Joker is nowhere to be found in “The Dark Knight Rises,” this film is less about the character and much more about the taint he’s left on Gotham city as a whole. In the end of “The Dark Knight” the Joker won, even when he wasn’t able to prove that humanity is deep down a rotten vile stain on civilization. “The Dark Knight Rises” examines the fall out of the Joker’s reign of terror, and how it ultimately affects any attempts by the Dark Knight to thwart the new terrorist threat by the name of Bane. Eight years later Alfred is a crusty man servant, Commissioner Gordon is a grief stricken officer dealing with a painful divorce, and Bruce Wayne is a recluse who spends his days locked inside the mansion. When we meet Bruce again he’s aided by a walking stick and can barely find the strength to chase after Selina Kyle who makes use of his priceless jewels in one instance.
Tag Archives: Batman
Batman (1966)
So we learn in ten minutes of “Batman: The Movie” that Batman manages to store and keep handy a Bat Copter in a warehouse manned by a bunch of workers without actually giving away his identity as Bruce Wayne, office buildings oddly house a large group of scantily clad groupies all of whom will willingly stand on a launch pad to wave at Batman (so much for covert operations), and that Batman labels the ladder in his copter with “Bat Ladder.” Oh so this is the Bat Ladder! I often get it confused for the Hyena Ladder and the Panther Ladder. Good thing it’s labeled. Prudent. Also, even if a shark is robotic, it’s vulnerable to shark repellent.
The Bat (1926)
Batman creator Bill Finger cites 1926’s silent crime thriller “The Bat” as one of the primary inspirations for Batman. And it’s easy to see where he draws his influences from. The Bat in this film is actually a criminal and a master one who steals from the rich. Like Batman he has a bat beacon, he brands all of his calling cards with a bat shaped symbol, The Bat dresses up like a giant bat with a cape and all, and rather than a utility belt, he wields a utility bag where he stores his tricks and supplies including a bat shaped grappling hook. The similarities just don’t stop there. The Bat climbs tall buildings with his ropes and uses the rooftops as his stalking grounds, lurking in the darkness.
Yarasa adam – Bedmen (Turkish Batman & Robin) (1973)
For readers unaware, the Turkish film industry has a long and hilarious history of taking Hollywood films and remaking them sans copyrights and approval from creators. Cult film lovers know of Turkish films and their many knock offs but to see them for yourself is an experience. The Turkish film industry has created their own low budget versions of films like “Superman,” “Star Wars,” “The Exorcist,” “The Wizard of Oz,” “ET,” and of course “Batman.” These films can only be found by bootleg dealers and online sources as they’re so illegal and ripe with potential for lawsuits, the chances of seeing deluxe editions is laughable.
James Batman (1966)
It would be a rare treat if one of the many Batman rip-offs from one of the many foreign countries would actually get Batman right. I think my head would explode if I stumbled on to a Batman wannabe that channeled the tone of the Batman comic books. But, like every other Batman knock off, “James Batman” is a copyright infringing take off on the Adam West Batman series even including a variation of the iconic theme song. This version of Batman however is played as a buffoon by Filipino comedy star Dolphy who takes on the cape and cowl and makes Batman someone as immeasurably incompetent as Inspector Clouseau.
Batman: Ashes to Ashes (2009)
I guess this can be considered a fan film worth watching. Only if you’re willing to endure what it has to offer in the way of pathos and cruelty. “Batman: Ashes to Ashes” pretty much re-thinks the mythos of Batman while knocking off classic movies in the process. Directors Samuel Bodin and Julien Mokrani take from “A Clockwork Orange,” “Batman Returns,” and heavily relies on imagery reminiscent of “Sin City” to get its story moving, while characters like Harley Quinn are turned in to femme fatales with major villains playing only small parts.
Alyas Batman en Robin (1991)
Holy Smokes, Batman and Robin! Oh my god, Batman and Robin! Praise the lord, Batman and Robin! Shoot now, shoot, Batman and Robin! Let’s Do Bruce Wayne now, Let’s do Dick Grayson now! They Are Apart of Me!
Come on, everybody sing along! What does “Alyas Batman en Robin” teach us? It’s always a good idea for any crime boss to gun down their own henchmen when they manage to apprehend new fire arms for their operation. No new henchmen to do your bidding? Hell, just hire new ones, they’re always available in the trades I assume. When you’re holding up a bank, it’s good to have a musical number while holding people at gun point. And the bank tellers will be so inspired by your musical prowess they’ll dance along while you sing. Crime bosses apparently do nothing but sit in their mansions donning their costumes awaiting guests like Catwoman does. Batman oddly has his own brand of tea and milk ready in the bat cave.