Batman Returns
Short description
Batman Returns is set in a Gotham City facing two new threats at once. Oswald Cobblepot, a deformed man who has lived in the city's sewers and is known as the Penguin, emerges with ambitions to enter politics and become mayor, supported by the wealthy and corrupt businessman Max Shreck. Shreck's timid assistant, Selina Kyle, discovers evidence of her employer's criminal intentions, and after he tries to kill her she is reborn as Catwoman, a figure who moves between alliance with the Penguin and a growing fascination with Batman. Bruce Wayne must deal with both adversaries while the line between ally and enemy keeps shifting.
Tim Burton directed the film, the seventh of the twenty-two features he has directed in chronological order, following Edward Scissorhands in 1990 and preceding Ed Wood in 1994. Michael Keaton returns as Bruce Wayne and Batman, with Danny DeVito as the Penguin, Michelle Pfeiffer as Selina Kyle and Catwoman, and Christopher Walken as Max Shreck; Michael Gough and Pat Hingle appear as Alfred and Commissioner Gordon. Daniel Waters wrote the screenplay, and Burton produced with Denise Di Novi.
Released in June 1992, the film had a budget of about 80 million dollars and took roughly 280 million dollars worldwide, a strong return. On IMDb it holds a rating of 7.1 from around 349,000 votes, while on TMDB it stands at 7. The critics' rating of 7 from 94 reviews places it in line with how audiences rate it.
What's left behind the scenes
- Christopher Walken's character's name is that of German film actor Max Schreck, who became famous, in particular, for his portrayal of Count Orlok, the vampire in the classic horror film 'Nosferatu, a Symphony of Horror' (1922).
- DeVito was forbidden from telling anyone about his character, even his relatives.
- When Bruce Wayne removes his mask in front of Catwoman, we see that his face has no makeup. However, at the beginning of the scene, black eyeliner around the eyes is clearly visible, which is worn under the mask by all cinematic incarnations of Batman in feature films.
- Raquel Welch, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Madonna, Ellen Barkin, Cher, Bridget Fonda, and Susan Sarandon auditioned for the role of Catwoman. Demi Moore, Nicole Kidman, Geena Davis, Sigourney Weaver, and Meryl Streep were also considered for the role.
- Annette Bening was originally cast as Catwoman, but she became pregnant and dropped out of the project. Sean Young competed for the role, having previously failed to land the part of journalist Vicki Vale in the first Batman film. Jodie Foster was also considered, but she chose to focus on her directorial debut, "Tate's Little Man" (1991).
- The villain attempts to blow up the city using penguins, forcing them to carry dynamite on their backs. An animal rights organization filed a lawsuit against the filmmakers, claiming they mistreated the penguins.
- In March 2008, the Batman costume (including the armor, cape, gloves, and mask) worn by Michael Keaton in the film was sold at auction of film-related rarities for $103,500 to a buyer who wished to remain anonymous. The starting price for the lot was $80,000.
- Film composer Danny Elfman appears in the crowd during the scene where the Penguin is pelted with rotten vegetables.
- When the Penguin falls into the water after his death, you can notice a rope pulling him.
- The scene where Catwoman looks at the sky was filmed at the very last moment, when editing was almost complete, and the person in the costume was not Michelle Pfeiffer, but an unknown woman from the film crew.
- Following the film's release, Tim Burton negotiated a third Batman installment, but Warner Brothers representatives made it clear they were unwilling to continue working together.
- The first feature film released in theaters with Dolby Digital sound.
- The role of the Penguin was offered to Dustin Hoffman, Marlon Brando, John Candy, Bob Hoskins, and Christopher Lloyd.
- Paul Reubens and Diane Salinger, who played the Penguin's parents, also appeared in another Tim Burton film, "Pee-wee's Big Adventure" (1985), as Pee-wee Herman and his sweetheart, Simone, respectively. Thus, Burton continues the Pee-wee and Simone love story in a non-linear fashion.
- According to the plot, the Penguin was supposed to freeze Gotham in the film's finale. Burton disliked this idea and decided to abandon it, bringing in another screenwriter to rewrite the script.
- Initially, District Attorney Harvey Dent was to be one of the main characters, a role that, as in the first film of the anthology, was assigned to actor Billy Dee Williams. He was intended as the main villain and mastermind of the film, and in the finale he was to transform into Two-Face after an explosion in the park. However, Two-Face was cut from the film and replaced by Max Shreck, played by Christopher Walken.
- The Catwoman costume was very uncomfortable, and its mask was so tight that Michelle Pfeiffer became completely deaf while wearing it. The situation was also complicated by the fact that, according to Tim Burton’s vision, Catwoman was supposed to speak in a low voice, but since Pfeiffer couldn't hear anything, she often began to shout her lines during the filming of many scenes where she was meant to speak softly.
- The role of Gotham magnate Max Shreck was offered to rock musician David Bowie, but he preferred to work on "Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me" (1992).
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