Hit Me With Your Best Shot returns from its June hiatus for a 75th celebration of the masked vigilante with a thing for winged rodents (here's the future schedule - next week is Under the Skin). We asked anyone who wanted to play to pick a theatrically released Batman film (there are 9 of them) and choose its best shot. Here's what the participants saw when they looked at these pictures.
Click on the photos to read the corresponding articles. It's the Same Bat-Time on Same Different Bat Channels.
BEST SHOTS IN BATMAN FILM FRANCHISE
29 images selected from 9 films by 17 participants
BATMAN (1966)
Directed by Leslie H Martinson. Cinematography by Howard Schwartz
(No Oscar nominations. Based on the television series which was nominated for 3 Emmys in its debut season... the movie was filmed between seasons 1 and 2)
Donald Trump wishes he were as self-important as Adam West’s Batman."
-Erik Lundegaard
Nothing is funnier in 60s era Batman than the OCD labelling of everything...
- The Film Experience
I always loved to see the villains team up...
-Coco Hits NY
Unlike the grandiose showdowns we see nowadays...
-Film Actually
The delightful absurdity is pretty much endless...
-Allison Tooey
BATMAN (1989)
Directed by Tim Burton. Cinematography by Roger Pratt
(Winner of Best Art Direction Oscar, its only nomination)
Tim Burton was a pretty clunky director back then...
-Coco Hits NY
BATMAN RETURNS (1992)
Directed by Tim Burton. Cinematography by Stefan Czapsky
(Nominated for 2 Oscars)
She reminds me of a cat in a pet store...
-Movie MoJoe *new participant*
Called to action, called to who he truly is...
-Pop Culture Crazy
Holy Split-Zygote does the Batman franchise ever love twins and doubles...
-The Film Experience
No denying its playful brilliance...
-Coco Hits NY
I’d use a jump rope as a whip and shout out, “4, 5, (crack) still alive!” when playing outside...
-Drink your juice, Shelby
Humanity behind the mask but still sinks her claws into the campiness....
-The Film's The Thing
The Catwoman scenes have that perfect balance of weirdness to seriousness...
-Allison Tooey
I was 3 when this movie came out...
- I Am Derreck
Selina's fractured identities...
-Lam Chop Chop
BATMAN: MASK OF THE PHANTASM (1993)
Directed by Eric Randomski & Bruce W Timm
(No Oscar nominations)
Iconic images are the very life's blood of superhero comics...
-Antagony & Ecstasy
Illustrates the burden that all heroes must bear...
-I Am Derreck
Edward Hopper meets German Expressionism...
-Coco Hits NY
BATMAN FOREVER (1995)
Directed by Joel Schumacher. Cinematography by Stephen Goldblatt
(Nominated for 3 Oscars including Cinematography)
Dr. Chase Meridian was an early influence on my choice to become a psychologist (Don’t give me that look.)...
- I Am Derreck
But hey it was nominated for a Cinematography Oscar
-Coco Hits NY
BATMAN & ROBIN (1997)
Directed by Joel Schumacher. Cinematography by Stephen Goldblatt
(No Oscar nominations but it did snag 11 Razzie nominations)
I think this is George Clooney's ass...
-I Am Derreck
Case in point...
-Coco Hits NY
How, you're no doubt asking, could something so terrible possibly be one of the most influential superhero movies ever made?
-Entertainment Junkie
Singlehandedly...
-Ben Choo *new participant*
BATMAN BEGINS (2005)
Directed by Christopher Nolan. Cinematography by Wally Pfister
(Nominated for 1 Oscar for Cinematography)
a silent guardian...
-I Am Derreck
THE DARK KNIGHT (2008)
Directed by Christopher Nolan. Cinematography by Wally Pfister
(Nominated for 8 Oscars including Cinematography. Winner: Sound Editing and Supporting Actor)
The two technical elements that work best in this movie are the music and the lighting...
-Allison Tooey
Silent images in madhouse conversation...
- The Film Experience
It's all a shiny blur, except for the Joker...
-Zitzel Film *new participant*
Very poor choice of words...
- I Am Derreck
THE DARK KNIGHT RISES (2012)
Directed by Christopher Nolan. Cinematography by Wally Pfister
(No Oscar Nominations)
That smile. That shift in her body language...
-I Am Derreck
She transforms into Catwoman without even wearing her trademarked jumpsuit...
- The Film's The Thing
In the space of under 30 seconds, three personas...
-Paul Outlaw *new participant*
a single unifying plot point...
-We Recycle Movies
NEXT TUESDAY NIGHT:
Jonathan Glazer's Under the Skin (2014) with Scarlett Johansson. It's a must-see just out on DVD/Blu-Ray so if you haven't ever played the 'Hit Me With Your Best Shot' game, why not start now?