Batman
Justice is always darkest before the dawn.
Batman (1989)
Budget
$35 000 000
Revenue
$411 348 924
Director
Scenario
Sam Hamm
Author
Composer
Producer
Peter Guber
Actors
Michael Keaton
Batman / Bruce Wayne
Jack Nicholson
Joker / Jack Napier
Kim Basinger
Vicki Vale
Robert Wuhl
Alexander Knox
Pat Hingle
Commissioner Gordon
Billy Dee Williams
Harvey Dent
Michael Gough
Alfred
Jack Palance
Grissom
Short description
Batman is a 1989 American action-crime fantasy film directed by Tim Burton and released on June 21, 1989.
In Gotham City, a wealthy philanthropist named Bruce Wayne leads a double life. Haunted by the murder of his parents, which he witnessed as a child, he spends his nights as Batman, a masked vigilante who uses the image of a bat to frighten criminals. Reporter Vicki Vale arrives in Gotham and begins investigating both the mysterious Batman and the eccentric millionaire Bruce Wayne, whose connection she does not yet suspect. Meanwhile, a criminal named Jack Napier is caught in a police shootout, falls into a vat of acid and emerges transformed into the Joker. The disfigured madman seizes control of the city's underworld and becomes Batman's most dangerous adversary, forcing the hero to protect both his secret identity and the people close to him.
The film is number five of twenty-two directed by Tim Burton, coming between Beetlejuice in 1988 and Edward Scissorhands in 1990. Michael Keaton plays Bruce Wayne and Batman, Jack Nicholson plays Jack Napier and the Joker, and Kim Basinger plays Vicki Vale. The supporting cast includes Robert Wuhl, Pat Hingle and Billy Dee Williams, with 62 credited cast members and 135 credited crew members overall. The screenplay was written by Warren Skaaren and Sam Hamm, and the producers were Peter Guber and Jon Peters.
Produced for 35 million US dollars, the film took about 411 million US dollars worldwide. On IMDb it holds 7.5 out of 10 from roughly 431,000 votes, and on TMDB 7.2 out of 10 from more than 8,800 votes. A critics' rating of 7.2 out of 10 from 142 reviews places critical and audience assessments closely in line.
What's left behind the scenes
- Several screenwriters were tried until Warren Skaaren appeared on the horizon, with whom Burton worked on creating "Beetlejuice" (1988). However, his predecessor, Sam Hamm, was also proclaimed one of the film's screenwriters.
- Billy Dee Williams played the role of Harvey Dent. Billy agreed to the part in order to play Two-Face, whom Harvey Dent transforms into, in subsequent sequels. However, when the time came for Two-Face, the producers preferred to cast Tommy Lee Jones.
- The film based on Tom Mankiewicz's screenplay was supposed to be released in 1985, and its budget could have reached $20 million. Ultimately, a decision was made to freeze the project.
- Englehart outlined the detailed plot in Strange Apparitions (ISBN 1-56389-500-5). Warner Bros. were delighted with it, but Englehart felt it was too much for a single film. Therefore, he removed the Penguin and Dick Grayson in his second draft of the screenplay, which was completed in May 1986.
- At the 67th minute of the film, when Batman crashes through the museum's glass ceiling, it can be noticed that he is descending on a thin cable. During the landing in the next shot, the cable is gone.
- Designer Anton Furst mixed disparate architectural styles to give Gotham City a more sinister and grotesque appearance. The result exceeded all expectations.
- Ricky Edison Reed successfully passed the casting and landed the role of Robin. However, after the decision was made to eliminate the character, Ricky immediately lost the role.
- Jack Nicholson received $60 million for the role of the Joker, not as a fee, but through profit participation, and continues to receive it to this day from every screening of the film, for which he was included in the Guinness Book of World Records. Danny DeVito made similar demands, but Warner Bros. management refused him.
- Upon the film's release on video, viewers complained that it was too dark and gloomy, to the point that it was sometimes impossible to understand what was happening on screen. As a result, the video version had a brighter picture.
- At the 118th minute of the film, as the Joker climbs the ladder dropped from the helicopter, a safety cable attaching him to the ladder can be seen in one of the shots.
- Initially, the Coen brothers, Joel and Ethan, were planned to be the directors.
- In 1985, Tim Burton received an offer to work on realizing this screenplay. After reviewing Tom Mankiewicz's work, Burton decided to completely rewrite the screenplay. Together with his girlfriend, Julie Hickson, Burton crafted a 30-page story outline that received approval from the producers.
- Tim Burton wanted Bob Kane to play an episodic role in this film, but the artist was unable to participate in the shooting. However, he drew a caricature of a clerk with a bat head, which was used in the film.
- Alec Baldwin, Charlie Sheen, Bill Murray, and Pierce Brosnan auditioned for the role of Batman. However, Mel Gibson was still the main candidate. But the actor preferred to star in "Lethal Weapon 2" (1989).
- Adam West, who had already donned the Batman costume in the 1966 television series, also wanted to play the lead role. However, the comic book author Bob Kane spoke in favor of Michael Keaton's candidacy.
- Michael Keaton spent about two months preparing for the role, specifically studying kickboxing under the guidance of his trainer and stunt double, David Lee. As a result, Michael was able to perform almost all of the scenes without a stunt double. A double was only needed for filming scenes involving a heightened risk to life.
- A plotline in which Gordon helps young Bruce Wayne cope with the death of his parents and investigates their murder was removed from the script. This was later reflected in the film 'Batman Begins' (2005).
- Steven Spielberg wanted to make a Batman movie. He envisioned Harrison Ford as Batman/Bruce Wayne, Michael J. Fox as Robin/Dick Grayson, Tim Curry as the Joker, Dustin Hoffman as the Penguin, John Pertwee as Alfred Pennyworth, and Burt Reynolds as Commissioner James Gordon, Martin Sheen as Harvey Dent.
- Approximately $750 million was earned from the sale of various merchandise (t-shirts, caps, toys, video games).
- The role of the Joker could have been played by Tim Curry and Ray Liotta. Robin Williams was also a strong contender for the part. Later, Williams recalled: 'Jack was the first choice, but he hesitated. Then the studio offered the role to me, and I also took some time to think about it. Meanwhile, Jack was told that I was vying for the part and would likely accept the offer. Nicholson agreed immediately. It's a shame that I was used in these cunning producer games.'
- In the film, the Joker was the killer of Bruce Wayne's parents. In the comics, however, Joe Chill took on that responsibility. This oversight was corrected in the film 'Batman Begins' (2005).
- At the 53-minute mark of the film, Vicki picks up a photograph of Bruce Wayne. In the next shot, as the photo is held up to the light from the back, it can be noticed that she is already holding a different photograph.
- On the 63rd minute, when the Joker takes over the restaurant, one of the criminals leaves several red palm prints on a Rembrandt self-portrait, however, in the following two scenes the painting is clean again. Only after the third scene change do the prints reappear.
- The Joker's real name is Jack Napier. This surname belonged to the actor Alan Napier, who played Alfred in the television series. Alan passed away two months before filming began, and the decision was made to pay tribute to the actor in this way.
- The very first screenplay for the film appeared back in 1980. Its author was Tom Mankiewicz, the screenwriter for "Superman" (1978). The Joker and the Penguin were listed as villains in Tom's screenplay, and Rupert Thorne and Barbara Gordon emerged as the plot unfolded. Robin was supposed to appear at the end of the film.
- At the 73rd minute of the film, Batman brings a microphone to his mouth, orders the Batmobile to stop, and then lowers his hand. When the car stops at his feet in the next scene, Batman lowers his hand with the microphone again.
- Kim Basinger, the actress who played Vicki Vale, is only 7 cm shorter than Michael Keaton. To make Keaton appear taller, Kim was forbidden from wearing high heels.
- At the 61st minute of the film, while Vicki is sitting at the table, a sign with the museum's name—Fluegelheim Museum—can be seen to her left. When she runs outside with Batman at the 67th minute, the museum's name on the sign above the doors differs from the one seen previously—Flugelheim Museum.
- Tim Burton and Michael Keaton made a lot of revisions to the script during their work on the film. The most striking innovation was the famous phrase, “I’m Batman.” The original line was: “I am the night!”
- Initially, Sean Young was to play the role of Vicki Vale, but she was injured while horseback riding before filming began. Tim Burton suggested replacing Young with Michelle Pfeiffer, but Michael Keaton, who had a relationship with her, expressed the opinion that he would be uncomfortable with Pfeiffer. She later played the role of Catwoman in ‘Batman Returns’ (1992). Due to these complications, a frantic search began for another actress who could immediately participate in the filming. John Peters suggested Kim Basinger, who immediately began filming.
- Filming began in October 1988 and lasted only 12 weeks.
- At the 59-minute mark of the film, while in Harvey Dent's office, the mayor demands that he figure out what the Joker is using to poison the citizens of Gotham. When Alfred listens to an answering machine message in the next scene, it can be noticed that he is in the same room where the office scene was filmed.
- At the 50-minute mark of the film, when the clowns from the Joker's gang open fire on the crowd, two police officers on the stairs behind the Joker engage in a fight with the gangsters. In some shots, these officers disappear.
- The Batmobile was built on a Chevrolet Impala base, as previous attempts with a Jaguar and Ford Mustang had failed.
- The choice of Keaton for the lead role caused negative emotions among comic book fans, with approximately 50,000 letters of protest sent to the Warner Bros. office.
- Michael Jackson was considered to work on the film's soundtrack. Jackson had to decline the offer due to his demanding concert tour schedule.
- At the 97th minute of the film, during the parade, the Joker drives past Brackmann's Delicatessen. Half a minute later, he drives past the same store again.
- At the 25-minute mark of the film, Jack's men are cracking a safe. When they open the door, it can be noticed that the locking mechanism is missing.
- At the 85th minute of the film, the Joker shoots Bruce, who falls into a corner and then slides to the floor. Between shots, Bruce's body position changes: his right hand is first to the right of his knee, and then it appears to the left—between the knee and the wall.
- At the 14-minute mark of the film, Vicki is reading a newspaper with her feet up on the table. In one of the following shots, when Knox addresses Vicki and she puts the newspaper aside, it can be noticed that this newspaper is completely different from the one she was reading previously.
- At the 102nd minute of the film, Knox jumps onto the hood of the car Vicky is driving. In some shots, it can be noticed that a stunt double is behind the wheel instead of Kim Basinger. Also, when Vicky turns into an alley and throws Knox off the hood, the rear right window is down, even though at the 101st minute she had urgently rolled them up to save herself from the Joker's poison gas.
- Warner Bros. enlisted the support of Steve Englehart, who wrote a new screenplay in March 1986. Initially, it featured the Joker and Rupert Thorne as the main villains, with a cameo by the Penguin, Silver Cloud, and Dick Grayson.
- Burton hired Sam Hamm, a comic book enthusiast, to rewrite the script. Hamm decided not to use the character's origin story in the script, believing that flashbacks would be better suited for that purpose, and that the "reveal of the mystery" would become part of the plot. Hamm replaced Silver Cloud with Vicki Vale and Rupert Thorne with his own invented character, Carl Grissom. He completed his script in October 1986, in which Dick Grayson was mentioned as a cameo, not as a recurring character. Hamm's script included a scene featuring a young James Gordon on duty the night Bruce Wayne's parents were murdered. But when Hamm's script was rewritten, the scene was removed.
Auditions in India
Casting calls in USA
Castingi w Polsce
Кастинги в Україні
