"Do you want to be alone?" "I am." That crushes me every time. This film's screenplay really is impressive and the voice cast and score reinforce its brilliance. What a film!
Agreed. I just saw the movie. Andrea surviving is in a way even more tragic than her dying, as in her last scene she says she is alone, realizing that she has fulfilled her goal of revenge on her father's killers but it has given her no happiness and in the process destroyed any remaining chance she may have had of reconciling with Bruce. There is nothing sadder than losing a loved one to something worse than death
While I would not necessarily say it is the single best (I can't pick favorites because they all have their different strengths), I will say that Mask of the Phantasm is the one with the strongest romance, and the least amount of nitpicks I can make.
How do you think Mask of the Phantasm compares to Under the Red Hood, another excellent and tragic animated Batman story featuring a figure from Batman's past returning under a more ruthless persona?
"I'm sorry...do...do you wanna be alone?" "I am." Andrea Beaumont's last line in this film is genuinely one of the most heartbreaking things I've ever heard. Dana Delaney absolutely sold a lifetime's worth of regret and sadness in one tiny line.
The character of Andrea Beaumont (The Phantasm) is based loosely on a combination of Judson Caspian (The Reaper) and his daughter, Rachel, characters from the Batman: Year Two (a.k.a. Fear the Reaper) comic book mini-series. The Phantasm's costume was designed by Bruce Timm as per Alan Burnett's initial description of a Grim Reaper-esque character. Burnett wanted the villain to be reminiscent of the Ghost of Christmas Future, a similarity that the Joker mentions in the film. Timm went through approximately 20 different character designs for the Phantasm before creating a version that would evolve into the final design. Described by Timm as a resembling a "tall, gaunt Death character", the Phantasm's character is hooded and features a metal, skull-like mask. The Phantasm carries a large blade, reminiscent of a scythe, in her right hand. The blade was not part of Timm's original design, and was added later at Burnett's insistence. The character left glove houses a chemically-based, artificial fog-generating device that the Phantasm uses for stealth, combat and intimidation. At various points in Mask of the Phantasm, the Phantasm's manipulation of fog makes it appear that the character has paranormal powers, such as intangibility and the ability to disappear. These smoke-filled appearances were influenced by Marvel Comics' supervillain Mysterio.
And Stacey Keach voices both Andrea's Phantasm persona and her father Carl Beaumont which I think is to show that Andrea wants the gangsters as well as Joker to believe that they're being haunted by her father's vengeful ghost.
I might interpret the ending in a more depressing manner. The way batman raises his head upon seeing the bat-signal, after looking down while brooding, it makes it seem less as a victory. Rather, I feel it is batman replacing the empty void caused by his past trauma and loss of his love, with a never-ending crusade. He may have a purpose, but it only replaces his trauma with an endless conflict/war. In the end, I don't feel a hint of self-healing for him. I see only an avoidance by replacing the pain of trauma with his perpetual war on crime. Great video!
Evan Railman I totally agree with your interpretation, Evan. Bruce hasn’t healed, but rather he suppressed the pain and loneliness by letting himself be consumed by his war on crime. Especially, he is coping by not coping. Typical Batman.
Hey, thanks for the reply. And absolutely, I could not agree with you more on that point. This really is a masterpiece of a film. Arguably, it is the best Batman movie, live-action included.
That’s one of the things about the Batman properties in the DCAU that is really interesting, essentially nobody in it get’s a happy ending, even Terry who has one of the more pleasant endings still has to love with the fact that he is an experiment created specifically for one purpose for the rest of his life
My God, the "Necklace in the Batcave" scene gets me every time... I'm so glad you were able to work around the copyright claims to get this out, Matt. This analysis is so good, and this movie is SO IMPORTANT.
the way his face lights up in sadness gets me every time i watch that scene and then the score added to it was the icing on the cake it was just phenomenal.
Gosh talk about a movie that ages like a fine wine I loved the action as a kid but now as an adult I love the story romance and the tragedy in this interpretation that helped make Bruce Wayne become Batman
Batman as a heroic character has always spoken to me as a person. The creative talent that has gathered around this imaginative archetype continues to astound me. I’d say that the crime noir is just a draw for the kid in me. What has kept my attention all these years is the continued search for something far greater than the circumstance of ones life has presently offered them. It’s such powerful message and redefines the role of heroism for those who expose themselves to the archetype. Thanks for reviewing this timeless movie.
This is hands down one of the best Batman stories ever told. It is such a good character study of the Bruce Wayne/Batman dichotomy. It is a classic tragedy. You so want Bruce to be happy (even though you know that won't happen) and the romance is surprisingly fleshed out for the short run time and every thing else this story juggles almost effortlessly. It's also a pretty decent mystery, considering how it's nigh impossible to write a compelling mystery. The Joker is pure maniacal intensity and the mark he leaves despite his limited time allowance, is once again a testimony to the masterful writing this film has. Honestly, out of all the dcau projects and original characters, I've always been very bummed that the Phantasm (Andrea) was never rolled into the larger DC universe like Terry McGinnis, Harley Quinn and Livewire. I think other than the comic adaptation of this film, her only appearance other than the Justice League episode Epilouge, was in Kyle Higgins Batman Beyond 2.0. This just seems like such a waste of a brilliant character. I think she could be perfectly poised for some good comic stories but that doesn't look like it will happen. Favorite scene in this picture is the first time Bruce suits up and Alfred's reaction to him, with that roaring, gothic theme perfectly emoting that moment.
Great thoughts! I agree about Andrea, I feel like that's a character that could be great in the comics today, but I have no idea why they haven't touched her.
Matt Draper I could too honestly but it's a toss up. Maybe we should tweet at the king lol #bringbackthephantasm that would certainly put a wrench in the Batman/Catwoman marriage.
Joker's even creepier in the flashbacks to when he was Valestra's hitman than he is in the present. Especially the bit when he walks out of Andrea's house after killing her dad and just picks up and bites into an apple that fell out of her shopping bag. He killed a guy, felt nothing and walked out of the house without a care in the world.
I thought Andrea broke off the engagement at the behest of her father because they were escaping the danger of his debt to the mafia thugs, and that it was in hiding that The Joker tracked them down and killed her father, making the break-off even more traumatic.
I was trying to get my girlfriend to watch the DCAU with me since we started dating and she kept on refusing, saying she won't like it and she's disinterested in superheroes in general. I told her, let's just watch this one movie and if you don't like it, I'll never ask again, but if you do like it we will keep going with the rest (since Phantasm is like a 90 minute episode of the show). She agreed, loved it, and then became obsessed with everything from Batman the Animated Series, to Superman: TAS, Justice League, JLU, Batman Beyond, and all the tie-in movies. Plus she had me show her all the live-action and animated movies from the Burton movies, Donner movies, Nolan movies, Snyder-verse, New Frontier, that New 52 continuity set of movies, all the stand alone animated movies, Smallville, and everything in-between. Then I showed her the MCU movies and the Raimi trilogy. I basically managed to cram 22 years of my life into 3 years. Too bad she's not much of a reader, I've got over 40+ years worth of material that she could read😂 In short, if you want someone to get interested with Batman, DC Characters, or superheroes in general, start them off with this movie. It's the gateway drug to everything great.
Thank you. I'm a lifelong massive Batman fan and while I saw this movie years ago, I had forgotten it. In the years since I met a beautiful redheaded woman who was the light of my life (her name even started with an A as well) and we were engaged...and then we weren't. It's been a couple years but I still find myself dealing with the loss. Rewatching this movie HIT HARD. But your video definitely put some things into perspective for me. "We are responsible for how we process that loss and take responsibility for our lives in the present. Maybe there are some things that love cannot overcome. But the decision to face the past and reject trauma's defining grasp can start us down the path away from self destruction and toward real healing." - Very profound. Again, thank you. This video helped me.
There was a great line from SF Debris’s review of this movie that really sums up the tragedy of it all: “Who is Bruce Wayne? He’s the mask of Batman. Who is Andrea Beaumont? The answer is in the title.”
Best batman movie=batman begins Best bruce Wayne movie= Mask of the phantasm Best movie= The dark knight (I like phantasm more than dark knight but The dark knight is better)
I love this film. It’s so entertaining yet has so many well executed ideas and deeper character stuff. Probably my favorite scene is when Bruce receives Andrea’s letter and his ring given back, culminating in that epic moment (that gives me goosebumps just thinking about it) where Bruce puts on the suit, and there’s that pause of him looking down at the cowl, and when he finally puts it on we get the iconic Batman TAS glare that scares even Alfred. I love that Batman is entirely in shadow, and it contrasts so well with the other flashbacks. This is tied with Dark Knight as my favorite Batman film I think
I was huge fan of the animated series when I was a teenager, and wonder how I would have received this movie had I watched it back then. The movie has always been on my radar because often when I'd try and look up something for the 'Phantasm' movies, this would come up as a result. It was actually only a few weeks ago that I finally got around to watching it for the first time. Enjoyable, but talk about an INCREDIBLY dated sounding end credit song.
The visual presentation of this movie, it’s language, helped me understand the film even as a young kid. Small moments and little dialogue enhanced by great direction. This movie oddly enough taught me the nuances of drama in cinema. It is truly a brilliant film.
Andrea Beaumont also serves as a foil for Batman. The characters are very similar; they both don an intimidating costume and speak to the gravestones of their parents (as if holding a conversation with the deceased). The paralleling of their characters - most importantly the death of their parents at the hands of criminals - highlights how different they are. Though they both became vigilantes, Andrea chose to become a killer, following a warped code of an "eye for an eye"-like justice, while Bruce chose to fight crime without taking anyone's life. It's worth noting that of her four targets. Andrea only successfully directed killed one person in the film; Buzz Bronski, whom she crushed with a statue. Her first target, Chuckie Sol, died driving off the side of a parking garage (after being blinded by her after an attempt to run her down), Sal Valestra had already been killed by the Joker before she arrived, and the Joker survived.
They weren't involved in the Mask of the Phantasm story, besides, I don't care about Jason Todd or Damian Wayne, they're both cold-blooded killers and they got no 'eye for an eye'.
@@AldenRDavis THANK YOU. I was beginning to worry I was the only person alive who realizes the fact that Damian Wayne is a little piece of shit. He literally murders people all the time and gets away with it. I just cannot comprehend why Batman lets him do so.
The tragedy of Andrea’s character is especially exemplified when we see her in Justice League Unlimited where she’s nothing more than a hired gun used to murder people
I’ve seen a lot of animated movies based on cartoons, the spongebob squarepants movie, my little pony the movie (2017), transformers the movie (1986), cliffords really big movie, beavis and butthead do America, South Park bigger longer and uncut, and many more and all of which are great in their own way. But Batman mask of the phantasm is not just a great Batman movie, but the greatest animated movie based on a cartoon I’ve ever seen in my entire life.
Great video. Geez, can't even remember how long ago it was I had seen this but I always remembered how great it was, and that it still holds up today. The makers of BTAS clearly cared deeply about what they were creating. I'll have to view Mask of the Phantasm again sometime, as well as Subzero, another remarkable Batman movie.
I found your channel recently and I love your videos on comic books and movies! I think you should put an "uploads" playlist from newest to oldest so people will know your newest video through your homepage.
I really like this movie and even recommended it to my friends. However, I only watched this via my grandpa's Betamax since we were not aware that this was shown in the theaters.
I'd like to think that it's after this he decides to take up the ward Dick Grayson, so he can help him avoid this path that consumed him and Andrea. (He fails, we all know. But Dick leaves with the tools he'll need to chart his own path.)
The greatest Batman film ever. The greatest Batman origin we'll ever see on screen. The greatest Batman, the greatest Joker - I have loved this film since I saw it in a movie theater in 1993. I spent so many years telling people to watch this film and am so glad that now it's finally getting its due! Thank you for this video!
Fantastic video man! Old school pieces are really full of symbolismes and meaning for the heroes we love. Just discovered your channel and didn't hesitate to subscribe! Much love to you and *keep up the good stuff coming* 👍🏾
Jordan Lee you mean a complex and layered examination of the tortured, flawed damaged character of Batman and his Post traumatic stress disorder told in both narrative and striking visuals...it was with Batman V Superman.
Yeah but DCAU Batman had time to develop and grow over the course of one season of the show so we could understand him and his motivations, so we can understand why he is the way he is, DCEU throws us into the deep end with no explanation for why Bruce is the way he is unless you know about Jason Todd and can infer “ok he’s probably killing because he’s angry about Jason”
My god, I didn't think there were any more ways to talk about how GREAT this movie was, but you found it. Here's a little piece of fun trivia for everyone: this movie is objectively, factually the best Batman movie ever made.
Well just until that Epilogue in Justice League unlimited when she's Waller's goon hired to murder Terry's parents in a attempt to create a 2nd Batman.
This movie should explain why Bruce went from goofball to cool head, but at the same time it shows Andrea didnt, or failed to, kill the joker so theres that too
Hands down best Batman movie ever made. It's perfect. My favorite Batman movie ever. Shows how Batman was not meant for love and happiness Bruce Waynes calling was being Batman fighting crime protecting Gotham.
8:39 I'm sorry, Matt, but you have the plot backwards. The death of Andrea‘s father did not occur until after they ran away. It wasn’t his murder that caused her to leave Bruce. Her father dragged Andrea with him on the run because he had wrongfully embezzled the money of Salvatore Valestra and company - money that he believed would benefit both he and his daughter - and they wanted it back. But he could not pay the full amount with the stiff deadline of 24 hours. Not when the money was tied up in investments and required weeks to free them up. So he forced Andrea to break off her engagement with Bruce, her letter using the excuse that they were too young to get married. And even though he started a new fortune elsewhere and finally paid them off, they wanted interest. So he sent the pre-Joker hitman to finish the job to send a message, even after he had paid them.
Great movie, but I wish it could have been longer with Bruce being tempted to fall into the abysm as Alfred points out in the end becuase of his awarenes of how crime not only took his past, but his future...
The one thing the film didn't explain is how Batman was proven innocent of Andrea's Phantasm murders. Bullock and some other cops go after him thinking he killed the gangsters and nearly kill him but then just give up the chase when Andrea helps him get away.
Can someone explain the timeline for this movie and how old the characters are supposed to be? I remember being confused as hell when there's a time skip of an unexplained amount of years and Alfred has grey hair
Good question. I would give it about 5 to 10 years and place it before the start of the animated series. I know the grey hair makes it seem like a bigger jump than that, but it's mostly to emphasize the time difference.
Continuity nitpick. Andrea and her father blew town after getting an extension on the deadline to Valestra. That's why she broke off her engagement to Bruce without explanation. It took months or years but her father eventually repaid the debt. That wasn't enough though. Valestra had the pre-Joker character track Andrea's father down years later and he got whacked anyway. It didn't happen as quickly as you imply in the video.
Seeing a man crushed to death by a grave stone was definitely a Turning point in my childhood
Hahaha It's so dark! The film just goes there without a warning and you realize just how dark this film is going to get.
But it wasn’t onscreen. It didn’t effect me.
What about Joker killing Sal Valestra? It was done offscreen, but when we see his corpse.... Wow!
Hahahaha
But for me, it was Christmas.
Free cookie if you guys get the reference.
"Do you want to be alone?" "I am." That crushes me every time. This film's screenplay really is impressive and the voice cast and score reinforce its brilliance. What a film!
Agreed. I just saw the movie. Andrea surviving is in a way even more tragic than her dying, as in her last scene she says she is alone, realizing that she has fulfilled her goal of revenge on her father's killers but it has given her no happiness and in the process destroyed any remaining chance she may have had of reconciling with Bruce. There is nothing sadder than losing a loved one to something worse than death
Damn straight gosh I know this feeling
It's a fact that mask of the phantasm is the best batman movie!
It's also kind of a secret, but more and more people are figuring it out.
Nope, Still debatable.
While I would not necessarily say it is the single best (I can't pick favorites because they all have their different strengths), I will say that Mask of the Phantasm is the one with the strongest romance, and the least amount of nitpicks I can make.
How do you think Mask of the Phantasm compares to Under the Red Hood, another excellent and tragic animated Batman story featuring a figure from Batman's past returning under a more ruthless persona?
Evan Railman and don’t forget the character has a vendetta against the joker. It’s quite surprising how similar they are
As much as I love The Dark Knight and Batman Begins, I think this might be my favourite Batman movie.
Those are probably my top 3. Under the Red Hood and Batman Returns are also fantastic in my opinion.
@@MattDraper I personally also love the dark knight rises
"I'm sorry...do...do you wanna be alone?"
"I am."
Andrea Beaumont's last line in this film is genuinely one of the most heartbreaking things I've ever heard. Dana Delaney absolutely sold a lifetime's worth of regret and sadness in one tiny line.
The character of Andrea Beaumont (The Phantasm) is based loosely on a combination of Judson Caspian (The Reaper) and his daughter, Rachel, characters from the Batman: Year Two (a.k.a. Fear the Reaper) comic book mini-series. The Phantasm's costume was designed by Bruce Timm as per Alan Burnett's initial description of a Grim Reaper-esque character. Burnett wanted the villain to be reminiscent of the Ghost of Christmas Future, a similarity that the Joker mentions in the film. Timm went through approximately 20 different character designs for the Phantasm before creating a version that would evolve into the final design.
Described by Timm as a resembling a "tall, gaunt Death character", the Phantasm's character is hooded and features a metal, skull-like mask. The Phantasm carries a large blade, reminiscent of a scythe, in her right hand. The blade was not part of Timm's original design, and was added later at Burnett's insistence. The character left glove houses a chemically-based, artificial fog-generating device that the Phantasm uses for stealth, combat and intimidation. At various points in Mask of the Phantasm, the Phantasm's manipulation of fog makes it appear that the character has paranormal powers, such as intangibility and the ability to disappear. These smoke-filled appearances were influenced by Marvel Comics' supervillain Mysterio.
Great insights! Such a striking character design and it really sticks in the memory, even when you know the answer to the mystery.
And Stacey Keach voices both Andrea's Phantasm persona and her father Carl Beaumont which I think is to show that Andrea wants the gangsters as well as Joker to believe that they're being haunted by her father's vengeful ghost.
Now Andrea Beaumont is canon in the main DC Universe also one of few good things Tom King did for Batman
yeah i read yeat 2 its heavily inspired.
I might interpret the ending in a more depressing manner. The way batman raises his head upon seeing the bat-signal, after looking down while brooding, it makes it seem less as a victory. Rather, I feel it is batman replacing the empty void caused by his past trauma and loss of his love, with a never-ending crusade. He may have a purpose, but it only replaces his trauma with an endless conflict/war. In the end, I don't feel a hint of self-healing for him. I see only an avoidance by replacing the pain of trauma with his perpetual war on crime. Great video!
I like your interpretation! One of the strengths of this film is the ambiguity of the end, which makes it very rewatchable. Thanks!
Evan Railman I totally agree with your interpretation, Evan. Bruce hasn’t healed, but rather he suppressed the pain and loneliness by letting himself be consumed by his war on crime. Especially, he is coping by not coping. Typical Batman.
Hey, thanks for the reply. And absolutely, I could not agree with you more on that point. This really is a masterpiece of a film. Arguably, it is the best Batman movie, live-action included.
I believe this may have lead to his fate in batman beyond.
That’s one of the things about the Batman properties in the DCAU that is really interesting, essentially nobody in it get’s a happy ending, even Terry who has one of the more pleasant endings still has to love with the fact that he is an experiment created specifically for one purpose for the rest of his life
My God, the "Necklace in the Batcave" scene gets me every time...
I'm so glad you were able to work around the copyright claims to get this out, Matt. This analysis is so good, and this movie is SO IMPORTANT.
Thanks, La'Ron! That scene is a killer, and definitely one of the best moments in the movie.
the way his face lights up in sadness gets me every time i watch that scene and then the score added to it was the icing on the cake it was just phenomenal.
Gosh talk about a movie that ages like a fine wine I loved the action as a kid but now as an adult I love the story romance and the tragedy in this interpretation that helped make Bruce Wayne become Batman
Batman as a heroic character has always spoken to me as a person. The creative talent that has gathered around this imaginative archetype continues to astound me. I’d say that the crime noir is just a draw for the kid in me. What has kept my attention all these years is the continued search for something far greater than the circumstance of ones life has presently offered them. It’s such powerful message and redefines the role of heroism for those who expose themselves to the archetype. Thanks for reviewing this timeless movie.
This is hands down one of the best Batman stories ever told. It is such a good character study of the Bruce Wayne/Batman dichotomy. It is a classic tragedy. You so want Bruce to be happy (even though you know that won't happen) and the romance is surprisingly fleshed out for the short run time and every thing else this story juggles almost effortlessly. It's also a pretty decent mystery, considering how it's nigh impossible to write a compelling mystery. The Joker is pure maniacal intensity and the mark he leaves despite his limited time allowance, is once again a testimony to the masterful writing this film has. Honestly, out of all the dcau projects and original characters, I've always been very bummed that the Phantasm (Andrea) was never rolled into the larger DC universe like Terry McGinnis, Harley Quinn and Livewire. I think other than the comic adaptation of this film, her only appearance other than the Justice League episode Epilouge, was in Kyle Higgins Batman Beyond 2.0. This just seems like such a waste of a brilliant character. I think she could be perfectly poised for some good comic stories but that doesn't look like it will happen. Favorite scene in this picture is the first time Bruce suits up and Alfred's reaction to him, with that roaring, gothic theme perfectly emoting that moment.
Great thoughts! I agree about Andrea, I feel like that's a character that could be great in the comics today, but I have no idea why they haven't touched her.
Matt Draper Maybe we should make a petition to have her brought in
Hopefully there's a writer out there who would like using the character. I could see Tom King doing it.
Matt Draper I could too honestly but it's a toss up. Maybe we should tweet at the king lol #bringbackthephantasm that would certainly put a wrench in the Batman/Catwoman marriage.
@@aarondrake69 True. Maybe someone can start a petition at change.org. I would definitely sign it.
Joker's even creepier in the flashbacks to when he was Valestra's hitman than he is in the present. Especially the bit when he walks out of Andrea's house after killing her dad and just picks up and bites into an apple that fell out of her shopping bag. He killed a guy, felt nothing and walked out of the house without a care in the world.
He was always the Joker just needed to make it official.
I thought Andrea broke off the engagement at the behest of her father because they were escaping the danger of his debt to the mafia thugs, and that it was in hiding that The Joker tracked them down and killed her father, making the break-off even more traumatic.
Matt Murdock agreed!
I was trying to get my girlfriend to watch the DCAU with me since we started dating and she kept on refusing, saying she won't like it and she's disinterested in superheroes in general. I told her, let's just watch this one movie and if you don't like it, I'll never ask again, but if you do like it we will keep going with the rest (since Phantasm is like a 90 minute episode of the show). She agreed, loved it, and then became obsessed with everything from Batman the Animated Series, to Superman: TAS, Justice League, JLU, Batman Beyond, and all the tie-in movies. Plus she had me show her all the live-action and animated movies from the Burton movies, Donner movies, Nolan movies, Snyder-verse, New Frontier, that New 52 continuity set of movies, all the stand alone animated movies, Smallville, and everything in-between. Then I showed her the MCU movies and the Raimi trilogy. I basically managed to cram 22 years of my life into 3 years. Too bad she's not much of a reader, I've got over 40+ years worth of material that she could read😂
In short, if you want someone to get interested with Batman, DC Characters, or superheroes in general, start them off with this movie. It's the gateway drug to everything great.
In the end the easier way to make people Fan of DC, Marvel , Comics or Anime is to show them somw movies lol.
Thank you. I'm a lifelong massive Batman fan and while I saw this movie years ago, I had forgotten it. In the years since I met a beautiful redheaded woman who was the light of my life (her name even started with an A as well) and we were engaged...and then we weren't. It's been a couple years but I still find myself dealing with the loss. Rewatching this movie HIT HARD. But your video definitely put some things into perspective for me. "We are responsible for how we process that loss and take responsibility for our lives in the present. Maybe there are some things that love cannot overcome. But the decision to face the past and reject trauma's defining grasp can start us down the path away from self destruction and toward real healing." - Very profound. Again, thank you. This video helped me.
There was a great line from SF Debris’s review of this movie that really sums up the tragedy of it all:
“Who is Bruce Wayne? He’s the mask of Batman. Who is Andrea Beaumont? The answer is in the title.”
This isn't the best batman movie; it's the best bruce wayne movie
Great way of summarizing.
Best batman movie=batman begins
Best bruce Wayne movie= Mask of the phantasm
Best movie= The dark knight
(I like phantasm more than dark knight but The dark knight is better)
best batman animated film
@@RadinV1 Never saw the time burton movies have you?
@@INFERNO95 I have. They completely get Batman wrong
I love this film. It’s so entertaining yet has so many well executed ideas and deeper character stuff. Probably my favorite scene is when Bruce receives Andrea’s letter and his ring given back, culminating in that epic moment (that gives me goosebumps just thinking about it) where Bruce puts on the suit, and there’s that pause of him looking down at the cowl, and when he finally puts it on we get the iconic Batman TAS glare that scares even Alfred. I love that Batman is entirely in shadow, and it contrasts so well with the other flashbacks.
This is tied with Dark Knight as my favorite Batman film I think
I think that's definitely the most iconic moment of the entire film. So much done without dialogue, which is a major strength of this film.
I remember owning this on VHS as a kid. I admit, I didn't understand a lot of the themes at the time though lol.
Chandasouk Are you sure you weren't born with a 200iq like everyone else on the internet lol.I like honest ppl .your peob a good guy
I was huge fan of the animated series when I was a teenager, and wonder how I would have received this movie had I watched it back then. The movie has always been on my radar because often when I'd try and look up something for the 'Phantasm' movies, this would come up as a result. It was actually only a few weeks ago that I finally got around to watching it for the first time. Enjoyable, but talk about an INCREDIBLY dated sounding end credit song.
was about to go to sleep but since this just a appeared in my sub box I guess I'll be up for another 13 minutes. your videos are always top quality
Thanks! This was supposed to go live earlier, but I ran into a TON of copyright problems that delayed it. Enjoy!
The visual presentation of this movie, it’s language, helped me understand the film even as a young kid. Small moments and little dialogue enhanced by great direction. This movie oddly enough taught me the nuances of drama in cinema. It is truly a brilliant film.
You're way too underrated for the quality you put out. Nice video once again!
Thank you very much!
Andrea Beaumont also serves as a foil for Batman. The characters are very similar; they both don an intimidating costume and speak to the gravestones of their parents (as if holding a conversation with the deceased). The paralleling of their characters - most importantly the death of their parents at the hands of criminals - highlights how different they are. Though they both became vigilantes, Andrea chose to become a killer, following a warped code of an "eye for an eye"-like justice, while Bruce chose to fight crime without taking anyone's life. It's worth noting that of her four targets. Andrea only successfully directed killed one person in the film; Buzz Bronski, whom she crushed with a statue. Her first target, Chuckie Sol, died driving off the side of a parking garage (after being blinded by her after an attempt to run her down), Sal Valestra had already been killed by the Joker before she arrived, and the Joker survived.
Alden R. Davis But what about Damian and Jason?
They weren't involved in the Mask of the Phantasm story, besides, I don't care about Jason Todd or Damian Wayne, they're both cold-blooded killers and they got no 'eye for an eye'.
@@AldenRDavis THANK YOU. I was beginning to worry I was the only person alive who realizes the fact that Damian Wayne is a little piece of shit. He literally murders people all the time and gets away with it. I just cannot comprehend why Batman lets him do so.
The tragedy of Andrea’s character is especially exemplified when we see her in Justice League Unlimited where she’s nothing more than a hired gun used to murder people
@@TheSefirosu200x he still does that? I thought he moved past that.
I’ve seen a lot of animated movies based on cartoons, the spongebob squarepants movie, my little pony the movie (2017), transformers the movie (1986), cliffords really big movie, beavis and butthead do America, South Park bigger longer and uncut, and many more and all of which are great in their own way. But Batman mask of the phantasm is not just a great Batman movie, but the greatest animated movie based on a cartoon I’ve ever seen in my entire life.
“Your Angel-of-Death awaits.” - The Phantasm
Great video. Geez, can't even remember how long ago it was I had seen this but I always remembered how great it was, and that it still holds up today. The makers of BTAS clearly cared deeply about what they were creating. I'll have to view Mask of the Phantasm again sometime, as well as Subzero, another remarkable Batman movie.
You’re gonna be the reason why I will feel so tired tomorrow morning, Matt.
You won't be alone!
First SSM, now Mask of the Phantasm. You are on fire Matt.
Thanks!
I saw this in theaters when I was a kid. Still my favorite Batman movie.😊
And after All this Time, we Found the Greatest Batman in the Animated Universe we Truly Connect with him. R. I. P. Kevin Conroy, Long Live the Bat!
very well done video. Very intriguing discussion of PTSD in relationship to the characters and an interesting take on the subject
Thank you very much!
Agreed. I have a question: Is it possible to cope with the PTSD through wisecracking?
@@Christ2010Grad That's how I deal with it ✌️😄
@@shadows-sweet-embrace Awesome, glad to see it confirmed.
This deserves 1 million views, thank you man.
Thank you!
Jokers laugh at the end is the greatest joker laugh ever
Was watching and then at the very end, "Wait, is that The Midnight!?" Nice. Sweet video. :)
I remember being terrified of this movies cover art as a child lmao
I feel
Well it does come off a bit of a horror movie.
I found your channel recently and I love your videos on comic books and movies! I think you should put an "uploads" playlist from newest to oldest so people will know your newest video through your homepage.
Thank you! That’s actually a pretty good idea.
No Problem!
My favorite Batman movie
This video blew me away! What a fantastic video!!!
your channel deserves so much more viewers!!
Thanks, it keeps growing everyday so I can't complain!
Batman mask of the phantasm and Batman beyond : Return of the joker are my all time favorite Batman movies !!!
This movie is a masterpiece
I really like this movie and even recommended it to my friends. However, I only watched this via my grandpa's Betamax since we were not aware that this was shown in the theaters.
You deserve to be one of the biggest channels on UA-cam for film conversation. Great video, Matt. Absolutely love B: TAS
I'd like to think that it's after this he decides to take up the ward Dick Grayson, so he can help him avoid this path that consumed him and Andrea.
(He fails, we all know. But Dick leaves with the tools he'll need to chart his own path.)
Then he meets Superman and Co.
It's sad that he grows old and alone in this universe :(
The greatest Batman film ever. The greatest Batman origin we'll ever see on screen. The greatest Batman, the greatest Joker - I have loved this film since I saw it in a movie theater in 1993. I spent so many years telling people to watch this film and am so glad that now it's finally getting its due! Thank you for this video!
I used to watch this movie on repeat all day when I was 4, still my favorite
Ive seen this on Cartoon Network for several years in my childhood and I never noticed the fact Andrea and Bruce were at parralel loke this
Great review man. Your analysis is very thoughtful and deep. Keep it up. I want to see more videos of you.
Thanks! I'll make sure to check out your channel soon.
Finally you cover this
Had been meaning to cover this one for awhile
I love the contained-pain face of Bruce when he sees the necklace in The Batcave
foreeeaal
The necklace scene at the end is where all men go to when they need to cry
This film is one of my favorite animated Batman films!
ONE OF MY FAVORITE MOVIES
Mine too!
Matt Draper ITS SO GOOD
Matt Draper You have to do Under The Red Hood
I just found you about 2 days ago man I love these video essays man great job!!
Matt dropped another video? Time to stop everything and start watching!
Very much appreciated!
That's it, I'm rewatching this movie.
I Fucking Love this Movie The Music, & The Phantasm are my Favorite parts, as well as The Joker
Tragic. I love it.
Now that's a quality video, subscribed!
I love this movie
Great closing comments bro.
Fantastic video man! Old school pieces are really full of symbolismes and meaning for the heroes we love. Just discovered your channel and didn't hesitate to subscribe! Much love to you and *keep up the good stuff coming* 👍🏾
Why can’t the DCEU be like this?
Jordan Lee you mean a complex and layered examination of the tortured, flawed damaged character of Batman and his Post traumatic stress disorder told in both narrative and striking visuals...it was with Batman V Superman.
Yeah but DCAU Batman had time to develop and grow over the course of one season of the show so we could understand him and his motivations, so we can understand why he is the way he is, DCEU throws us into the deep end with no explanation for why Bruce is the way he is unless you know about Jason Todd and can infer “ok he’s probably killing because he’s angry about Jason”
@@thomasstull868 Yeah and butchered
My god, I didn't think there were any more ways to talk about how GREAT this movie was, but you found it. Here's a little piece of fun trivia for everyone: this movie is objectively, factually the best Batman movie ever made.
Well just until that Epilogue in Justice League unlimited when she's Waller's goon hired to murder Terry's parents in a attempt to create a 2nd Batman.
She also knows Bruce and knows that it’s something he’d never want when looking for a successor
This movie should explain why Bruce went from goofball to cool head, but at the same time it shows Andrea didnt, or failed to, kill the joker so theres that too
My favourite channel in the whole youtube
It's a big UA-cam, so I really appreciate your support!
Goddamn this was a great video.
man this is some heavy shit to put on a animated movie for kids. This is not just the best batman movie but the best comic book movie
Another fantastic video Matt!
Thank you very much!
The best Batman movie ever made!
I wonder made a bette vigilante, Andrea or Jason Todd?
Thank God the toy didn't spoil the reveal for me
Best Batman story ever. I mean even Kevin Conroy told the same thing, Mask of The Phantasm was the best.
Hands down best Batman movie ever made. It's perfect. My favorite Batman movie ever. Shows how Batman was not meant for love and happiness Bruce Waynes calling was being Batman fighting crime protecting Gotham.
Great movie. Used to watch this when I was 8 years old. Loved how sadistic and crazy joker was at the end lol
8:39 I'm sorry, Matt, but you have the plot backwards. The death of Andrea‘s father did not occur until after they ran away. It wasn’t his murder that caused her to leave Bruce. Her father dragged Andrea with him on the run because he had wrongfully embezzled the money of Salvatore Valestra and company - money that he believed would benefit both he and his daughter - and they wanted it back. But he could not pay the full amount with the stiff deadline of 24 hours. Not when the money was tied up in investments and required weeks to free them up. So he forced Andrea to break off her engagement with Bruce, her letter using the excuse that they were too young to get married. And even though he started a new fortune elsewhere and finally paid them off, they wanted interest. So he sent the pre-Joker hitman to finish the job to send a message, even after he had paid them.
I swear to The Dude just every time Matt releases a video I'm down to clown
Hahaha thanks I think?
Matt Draper I didn't get much sleep last night so my wordsmithing skills are a bit downgraded but yes it was a positive comment
haha just giving you a hard time
The best batman movie ever made!!
Rest In Peace Kevin 🖤
Great movie, but I wish it could have been longer with Bruce being tempted to fall into the abysm as Alfred points out in the end becuase of his awarenes of how crime not only took his past, but his future...
I’m 27 yrs old and still think this movie is the best orgin story
Powerful
You need to do Knightfall sometime. You should also do Dark Victory.
Very good.
The one thing the film didn't explain is how Batman was proven innocent of Andrea's Phantasm murders. Bullock and some other cops go after him thinking he killed the gangsters and nearly kill him but then just give up the chase when Andrea helps him get away.
God will sometimes break your heart to save your soul. God has given people such talent to make such great films! God bless everyone
and her cameo in the batman beyond finale in the jlu finale.
Great film
Damn Andrea is drinking cartoon liquor lol!!!
Love this movie
Shirley Walker's music though...
Can someone explain the timeline for this movie and how old the characters are supposed to be?
I remember being confused as hell when there's a time skip of an unexplained amount of years and Alfred has grey hair
Good question. I would give it about 5 to 10 years and place it before the start of the animated series. I know the grey hair makes it seem like a bigger jump than that, but it's mostly to emphasize the time difference.
Rest in Peace Kevin Conroy...
Best batman movie ever
YESSSS
Continuity nitpick. Andrea and her father blew town after getting an extension on the deadline to Valestra. That's why she broke off her engagement to Bruce without explanation. It took months or years but her father eventually repaid the debt. That wasn't enough though. Valestra had the pre-Joker character track Andrea's father down years later and he got whacked anyway. It didn't happen as quickly as you imply in the video.
8:46 actually she broke their egagement not because of her fathers Death but unfortunately because of his debt that he was supposed to return to mob