Beauty Vs Beast: Going Batty
Monday, June 23, 2014 at 1:30PM 
JA from MNPP here with this week's batty edition of "Beauty Vs. Beast" - Twenty-five years ago today Tim Burton's Batman opened, and I think it might have maybe had a little bit of an effect on The Movies? Let's see - how many superhero films are set to open in the next five years? I think it's something like [edited because you can't look directly at this number, it is Lovecraftian in its ability to break your brain and instantly render you mindlessly bonkers]. Something like that. Once upon a time though this was not the case. Moreso even than the Christopher Reeve Superman movies that preceded it, Tim Burton's Batman showed Hollywood what a juggernaut these things could be - it was the biggest movie of 1989 by far (nearly 60 million dollars ahead of its closest competition, the third Indiana Jones), and I have distinct memories of everything I owned that year being covered in Bat symbols - my t-shirts, my backpack, my Trapper Keeper.
Generational arguments still break out (see: Neighbors) about who was the best Batman (yes I am old and Team Keaton all the way) but fewer people seem to argue about which Joker they prefer between Jack Nicholson and that dude who won an Oscar for his performance - that's not to say I don't know people who'll argue for Team Jack and his closer-to-the-comics hamminess. Thankfully I'm not dropping us into that mire today (although feel free to express your opinions in the comments on that) - instead we're facing the oldest question in the Bat-pantheon: Are Batman's villains always inherently more interesting, more fun, than the dude in the big black suit himself? Sound off!
You have one week to dance with these devils in the pale moonlight and let us know in the comments why you picked which - have at it!
PREVIOUSLY Last week's competition saw the titular Hitchcock blonde of 1963's Marnie facing off against her James Bond savior slash terrorizer slash romantic interest - judging by our comments we all pretty much agreeed that neither of these folks was anybody we'd want to be stuck in an elevtor with, but Tippi snapped the win in her bright yellow purse and sauntered away all the same. Said Tom:
"Voting for Marnie. The movie really is a snore, but Tippi Hedron really is great. This is proof she had the goods to be an actress, and it's kind of a shame nothing really happened after this movie for her."
Reader Comments (14)
I prefer Jack's Joker to Heath's by a hair tbh, although his Oscar win was fully deserved.
Team Jack I like Ledger but it was a different and not totally successful for me,i prefer my batmans fun but with a comic book edge and definitely not day glo camp and in 89/92 I did feel I was watching a living comic book something I don't get from the later movies,the Nolan trilogy I thought was a dirtier and not a terribly rewatchable set of films.
I like these polls but come on, we are all team Catwoman, right?
tom -- that poll would have been like 100% to 0% so what's the use ;)
I am Team Batman in the original movie's case but not so in the second Batman vs Joker affair
I have to admit, I'm Team Batman, but only because it's Keaton's Batman. Were it Clooney or Bale (the former was never right for the role, the latter too dour), I'd probably be Team Joker. I'm not sure how I'd vote if it were Kilmer.
Team Batman 100%. If it was Heath's Joker then I'd pick Joker. Also, Keaton > Bale.
"Hubba hubba hubba, money money money - who do you trust? Me? I'm giving away free money. And where oh where is the Batman? He's at home - WASHING HIS TIGHTS!"
"This town needs an enema!"
"Have you ever danced with the devil in the pale moonlight?"
So, Team Joker, obviously, but more generally, Team Batman 1989 over EVERY OTHER BATMAN MOVIE.
Team Burton, Team Keaton, Team Nicholson, Team DANNY FUCKING ELFMAN.
Yes.
Roark: I'm Team Dini, Team Conroy, Team Hamill, Team Paul Williams IS The Penguin. Not that I don't enjoy the movies for what they are and I acknowledge the flaws of Batman: TAS (They never really "solved" adapting Poison Ivy on a consistent basis as anything more than Harley Quinn's rebound and the Catwoman episodes are bad/boring and are the ONE thing the 2004-2008 cartoon The Batman did significantly better while most everything else was some form of downgrade (some more blatant than others) or flat-out insulting (if you have no plans for Stephanie, why even do ANYTHING with Arthur Brown, let alone a stupider re-tread of the Baby Doll episode?)), but it's still the best overall adaptation of the material and everyone should find it if they're not interested in reading the comics.
I consider this by far the best Batman movie and Keaton (in this) the best Batman so I have to vote for him. He was the only actor of the four in the role to show the vulnerable little lost boy trying to save his parents and right the world that was still at his center.
Also, I've seen Jack do the same shtick in other films (I enjoyed it, but....) and Keaton felt original in this.
ooooh we have a real contest again like we had with Black Swan. Exciting.
NEXT five years? Meaning not counting this one? I'll just go on estimations of current scheduling
2015: 3 (Two Marvel Studios (Yay!))
2016: At least 4 (Two Marvel Studios (Yay), 1 DC Entertainment (Booooooooo!), 1 Fox X-Men film (Boo!))
2017: 2 currently scheduled, but at least 1 (Fantastic Four sequel) is all but set for cancellation and re-purchase by Marvel Studios. Likely result is 4 with 3 being Marvel Studios.
2018: One scheduled, but considering it's Amazing Spider-Man 4? Yeah, they'll be flaming out next time I'm guessing 3 or 4, depending on how DC decides to proceed. If they flame out and need to bring in a fully new creative team, don't expect a fresh drop for at least four years after Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (man, how can they screw up a TITLE that badly) aka Batman v Superman: Rise of the Giggles.
2019: Nothing Scheduled, but there's likely going to be at least three scheduled.
Guessing Marvel Studios 2017, 2018 and 2019?
2017: They're heading deep into The Infinity Gauntlet. If Guardians flops but they manage to buy back the FF (which they probably will), they'll get something done quickly. Otherwise? First a Guardians of the Galaxy sequel, second a Black Panther launch (They'll have launched their African-American MCU character (Luke Cage) on Netflix a couple years prior, so now they can launch a full blown African character and not fear disdain that they "got the order wrong") and third their first R-rated (and not meta-plot tied) effort in a new Blade movie for Halloween.
2018: Avengers: The Infinity Gauntlet (Comic fans all know that this is what's coming), then the debut of Sebastian Stan's Captain America and, finally, the Carol Danvers movie, whatever they decide on.
2019: First, a Rocket Racoon spin-off movie, hopefully as their first fully canon animated film, second, finally, a new attempt at a Punisher movie and then, capping things off, Doctor Strange 2.
I have always thought that Batman villains are the coolest ever, which is why Batman kind of is one of my least favourite superheroes- not because he's bad but because everyone else is just SO MUCH MORE interesting! #TeamJoker
Why did you put the word sexy and hot in the description? I always vote for the one with all that word.
Why am I so horny? Lol
Nikhat: Does that include the kids? #TeamStephanieBrown.