You did miss one very important piece of movie lore; dealing with Kim Basinger, and Vickie Vale. Since Basinger was so last minute; Wardrobe didn't have the time to create all new pieces for the actress; as she was smaller than Sean Young. Young's outfits wouldn't fit Basinger, nor could they be resized to fit her. So; to save time and money, Basinger used her own clothes she from her personal wardrobe. The Ball gown she was was highly criticized by fans and critics alike, calling a Prom Dress. The fact that Kim Basinger was not only able to start within a moment's notices, and was able to bring her own wardrobe in to help save time and money, shows her dedication to the role, and her as an actress! I truly think Kim Basinger should be remember and commended for this.
This movie came out before the whole “see it the night before opening day” thing got popular. The very first showing near me was at noon. I was 20. I took half a vacation day off from work, wore a Batman t-shirt, and drove my motorcycle straight from work to the theater, (a theater that is no longer there). It was the first movie I’d ever seen on opening day, (I saw Star Wars opening weekend in 1977, but not opening day); and the first movie I ever went to alone. I didn’t want to wait until that evening. And I didn’t want a crowded theater or anyone with me, distracting me. I was so excited for that movie. And I came out of the theater loving it. When I first heard Michael Keaton was playing Batman, I thought it was an odd choice, but because I was excited about a Batman movie, I didn’t give it a whole lot of thought. Any concerns I had going in were put to rest by the time I walked out of that theater and climbed onto my motorcycle. I remember smiling ear to ear, and the Danny Elfman title score was playing through my head, as I pulled out of the movie theater parking lot. I don’t recall what work was like that morning. I don’t recall where I went after I left the theater, or anything else about that day…but I remember every moment and every feeling from the time I pulled into the theater parking lot to when I pulled out of it after having seen the movie. While I’ve enjoyed other Batman films since, none have been quite as ‘fun’ as that one was in 1989.
Really awesome story man. As a 90's kid I was still really little when it came out, but even in the early to mid 90's Batman was HUGE. It eventually became more about the late 90's versions during my childhood, but I was definitely a fan of Batman 89 when I first saw it on video. Great movie, with incredible performances by the legendary Jack Nicholson, and still one of my favorite actors in Michael Keaton. A lot of Batman movies before and since seem to either go too far on the theatrics (90's Batman films) or really dark (Christopher Nolan versions), which were cool by the way, but Batman 89 is still to me the one that had the perfect balance between the two extremes, and thats what makes it my favorite of all time. It hit all the right notes, the look, the script, the action, the score, the acting, and Im not sure if any of the others have ever been able to match that level of perfection for me
That was an awesome Batman story. I still remember my first viewing of Batman as well. My father carried the family to the drive-thru. I remember hustling everyone to get ready or we would be late... sure enough when we got there it was playing - scene being on the church at the end. I remember bawling my eyes out blaming everyone for making me late to see Batman. Only then a movie attendant told my father that this was just the ending of the last show... the next showing would start off with Police Academy 3 (which I already saw), then Batman would play. Maaaaaannnn. I jumped out of my father's car and ran to the playground to the back of the drive-thru with my sister. There we played all during Police Academy 3. From the time it ended, we ran back to the car for the movie previews, our cinema snacks, then to enjoy BATMAN!!! To this day I would sneak up behind my kids and whisper in their ear using Keaton's voice... I'M BATMAN
I was 19. I had the dolls, the t-shirts, the cereal, I was so excited. I took the day of work, borrowed a friend's car and took my partner at the time. They wanted to grab a quick bite before hand. They wanted a BLT sandwich. It's 30 minutes until the greatest moment of my life and I have to find a BLT sandwich somewhere?! They grabbed a burger instead and I made it to my movie. I must have seen that movie 30 times that summer. Best summer ever! I still take the day off every time a new Batman movie comes out.
My buddy and I went to see it at the theater 5 times, once with me bringing 2 of my nieces along. It stayed at some theater or another for almost 6 months. Once the videotape was released, we watched it a couple of more times at his girlfriend's place and we repeat lines from the movie to this day, LOL!
@@nerdytalk1755 Yeah, I’d have freaked out if someone was wanting to stop and eat or do anything before the movie for fear of missing it! …But to try to find a BLT?! Oh man, I may have been tempted to drop them in the side of the road somewhere just for suggesting such a thing! LOL The showing I saw was at noon and I didn’t get any lunch. I went straight from work to the theater. No time to eat. Popcorn and a Coke was my lunch that day! No way was I going to risk missing one second of that movie for something as silly as a meal! 😉
My Dad took me to see this at the theater when I was nine years old. I don't think he knew how dark, gritty, and violent it was but we both loved every minute of it. Couldn't ask for a better Batman or Joker. It's one of my all time favorite movies and favorite memories as a kid.
I saw it on vacation at exactly the same age. I remember coming out of the upstairs theatre, and suddenly finding the height dizzying. The building also had a skylight, very similar to the Flugelheim museum, where Batman rescues Vicky from the Joker’s clutches.
Oh man you’re lucky! I wish I saw it in the theatres. My quebecois friend as a kid RUINED this movie because he kept telling me to watch it with him. It was obviously amazing except it was in French! 🤦♂️ Luckily I saw Terminator 2 in theatres 3x times and that made up for it but I REALLY REALLY REALLY wished I saw Batman in theatres because when you’re a kid watching a movie on the big screen at such a young age it’s not just a movie but an experience that alters your mind forever.
I envy you!! I wish I could have seen it in theaters!! I was too little. I was just under a year old when it came out but man oh man, do I wish I could have see it. 🖤🖤🖤
You lucky guy, this was how I was introduced to the Batman character! This is my fav Batman movie and actor along with my fav adaptation of the character! I wish I got to see this when it hit theaters, but I wasn’t alive yet lol.
I remember being too poor to see the movie in theaters so my brother and I collected almost ALL of the movie cards and basically pieced the movie together before we even saw it, read the backs of the cards and the quotes and essentially recreated the experience in our minds. In hindsight, we spent WAY more on all the cards than the price of a ticket, but we were kids! One Christmas our mom gifted us the VHS and we lost it! watched the movie over and over for weeks, already knowing most of the lines and what happened, but SEEING it in motion was amazing and special. Recently, I bought a 24x36 poster that mimicked the movie cards, that's how much admiration and love I have for 89 Batman.
I have movie cards from Batman Rerurns!! They were a gift from a friend for my 25th birthday. A buddy of mine found them along with a 89 Bats lunchbox at a thrift shop. They're a very beloved treasure of mine.
I💯 identify with this. Pretty much the same deal. That VHS was such an important moment for a poor kid like me. To this day, I try to collect all the different variances. So far, my favorite is the Japanese copy.
The reason Keaton is superior to everyone else that has portrayed the caped crusader is that he took the job on as two separate roles, Bruce Wayne and Batman are entirely different characters in his films. Everyone else plays a dark Bruce and slightly darker Batman. Michael played Bruce as a friendly, sociable, and even aloof character, and Batman as dark, to the point, and dead serious. Amazing acting!
Wow, Very great point@wolf! Thank you for pointing that out!! He definitely brings two very separate roles to Bruce and Batman. 🤔👍🏽👍🏽 I never really thot about it til you mentioned it just now, but u nailed it!
Also, to add to your great observation, Keaton’s Bruce had a sad side. Like someone who felt a lot of pain over the loss of his parents. Kind of a hermit, who only really hangs out with/trusts/ opens himself up to Alfred…. The others always portray Bruce as mr. Socialite of Gotham. I like keaton’s human emotion, he really captures the pain of loss quite perfectly. It makes the audience feel his hurt.
Kevin Conroy& the animators did the same with B: The Animated Series. Bruce & Batman were very different voices, and you rarely saw body language for one on the other.
I remember being 6 years old and sitting in the theater feeling like I was watching the coolest movie I've ever seen. Nicholson was creepy and fun at the same time. Keaton was a total badass but still relatable for someone who came money. The batmobile, the Danny Elfman score, and look of Gotham are still my favorite of any movie version. In the scene where the bat-wing flies upwards and stops right in front of the moon, I remember the entire theater erupted with applause and cheers. I'll never forget it. One of the best times I've ever had at the movies, to this day.
@@DLCOrganization Relatable because acted and felt like normal guy. The fact that he had money didn't define his Bruce Wayne. He was quirky and just a little eccentric, without overdoing it.
This movie was my childhood and brings so much nostalgia. The way Burton handles it with such a dark and gothic tone fits so well thematically for the Batman universe. The casting was just the icing on the cake.
There were FIVE Prince songs featured in the movie. The future, electric chair, trust, partyman, and scandalous, which both serves as Vicki Vale’s love theme and also runs in the credits. Basically, more than half of the album is used in the film.
@@Humongous420 I was in 5th grade when it came out. It played at our dances, too. Every damned kid in that place was messing the lyrics up on purpose, screaming "GET THE FUCK UP" instead of the actual lyrics... great times.
I was on holiday in the usa in 1989, visiting from the UK, in early july. I remember watching this, Indiana jones and the last crusade and ghost busters 2, at a cinema in st Petersburg, they also had a toys r us next to it. America is / was such a magical place. They were so far I'm front in terms of movies and products, it took months for the uk to catch up in those days.
As a kid, i remember Batman (and Batman Returns) - The two first Turtles movies, and lastly Jurassic Park feeling like big "next level stuff" that everyone talked about. I think Batman impressed us because it was such a leap from the old tv show, Turtles impressed us because it was a leap from the childrens comic book, and Jurassic Park impressed us because we had never seen dinosaur effects like that before. EDIT: They all seemed to raise the bar in the sense that there was nothing quite like them prior to them coming out.
My absolutely favourite Batman movie and one of the greatest movies the 80s offered us! Michael Keaton and Jack Nicholson are amazing and epic, Tim Burton's direction was flawless and Danny Elfman's score was unforgetable! A true gothic gem, a comic movie legend!
This is one of the first movies I remember seeing in the theater. I had all the toys and the soundtrack...which my mother wasn't crazy about once she actually listened to the lyrics. haha
The first movie I watched in Oxford Street building is still there also no one talks about The Punisher 1989, two comic book characters yet both movies had two completely different directions.
You know this movie was highly influential in how mordern superhero blockbusters are made. Even some 30 plus years later they are revisiting that period in between the first & second Batman movie with the Batman 89 comic.
@@DNOstalgia auk if this had come out when I was 10 no way would mom have let me go see this she was very strict about the kind of movies I was allowed to see...hell I wasn't even allowed to see the original planet of the apes when it came out and I really wanted to go but she didn't said no way...well she was a religious fanatic AND a Sunday school teacher so there ya go....
I remember Batman the Cereal, which was basically just Captain Crunch shaped like bats. But, each box also had a toy Batmobil, which was actually fairly close to Hotwheels qualty. Also, I recall learning that you could microwave the cereal for a like 10 seconds or so and it would taste better. But, too long, it would burn.
Batman ‘89 is my number one movie of all time. I watch it on average at least once a month. I basically have the entire audio and script memorized. So it is a real joy when my kids would watch with me. 😂😂😂 🦇
i loved the Macdonalds tie in, all the french fry containers were black with the bat symbol on it. i got dozens of them just to cut out the logo. still have some in a drawer some where. (they still smell like fresh fries, and not in a bad way!)
As much as I love Jack Nicholson, I wish we got to see Tim Curry as the Joker. I think he would have been amazing. He had the perfect face for the part and would have made the character both zany and frightening. Another reason the bat symbol was changed on the suit is the original looked too much like the open mouth of a Jack-O-lantern. They changed the wings and added extra points and a tail to make it look more like a bat.
Good points the bat should have been broader also Gotham city should have been both set a NYC as for the Joker Nicholson was too short yet perfect attitude.
Here in the US, there was another big first for this movie. It was the first blockbuster movie released on VHS that was 'cost effective'. Back then, VHS tapes, even for older films, usually started at $60 and easily went up to $120 for big titles. Those huge movie prices is what drove the popularity of the 80's video rental store. But they sold Batman for $20 and changed the pricing structure for every retail VHS film release that followed it.
and the release was immediate after the cinema run had concluded; thus eliminating the dreaded VHS bootleg market, which often made its profit in those void months between box office and the official VHS release
Incorrect. E.T. came out on VHS in 1988 for $24.95 which was considered cheap at the time. I remember seeing it for $19.99 not long after. Possibly post Christmas.
@@12inchlando83 True, BUT that 'cheap' ET VHS release came out 6 YEARS after the movie did. It's hard to consider that a new release. Batman came out in theaters June of 89, and was out on VHS in November of 89; a release schedule and pricing model that is still fairly consistent today. You can't say that about the ET release.
I saw this movie in 89 with my sister. I was 8 years old, she warned me "This movie is very dark, are you sure you want to see it?" Of course I said "yes!" and I was hooked. It was a huge moment in my life and I still remember the feeling of seeing it for the first time.
I was 8 years old going on 9 the summer this came out. There was a string of three movies that came out from 1989-1991 that inspired my desire to become a filmmaker: Batman (1989), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990), and Terminator 2 (1991). How lucky was I to be a kid going to the movies during those years? But the interest in filmmaking all started with Batman '89, and it was the one that I watched the most. I was actually quite obsessed with it; I think I watched it nearly every weekend for at least a year after it was released on VHS! My first realization of how irony works came from watching it -- during one viewing, I recall thinking that you'd never expect a guy like Michael Keaton to be Batman. But his ironic casting is the key to his greatness as Batman. And he's still the best Batman 33 years later!
You really can't beat growing up with the movies at that time. All three must have been a huge influence on my identity. I remember thinking John Conor must be the coolest kid alive. I completely agree with you.
I was six when this movie released, so I do not remember much about it, especially as my family did not watch television, nor did we miss it. However, I remember that for several years after the movie released there was parafanalia everywhere. I later saw it at a friend's house and at a children's hospital. I have never been particularly fond of Michael Keaton as Batman even from the earliest days. Mostly it was in the curly nature of his hair, even though I had never seen a comic book I knew his hair should not be so curled. To me he was a decent Batman, but not a good Bruce. My favorite version of Bruce was Val Kilmer, whose version of Batman I have found to be good if not perfect.
Based on performance alone, he is my favorite iteration. Some of the liberties taken with his character, like him being the Wayne's murderer? That took some getting used to... but if Joker was gonna have a backstory at all, Burton could've done MUCH worse than he did.
@@thisisnotachannel I mean when it comes to films. I did not like Chirsistian bales as batman. But I like the movie. Michael Keaton and Ben Affleck are favorite batman actors.
Still the BEST Batman movie! Michael Keaton the best Batman! Jack Nicholson the best Joker! The best Batmobile! The best score music! The best looking Gotham City!
The thing I remember best about Batman 89 is that, for the first time ever, the Batman was shot (especially in the cave) the way he should have been shot ... mostly dark, shadowed, only eyes visible. The shots shared with Vicky Vale are what I'm talking about. Vicky can be seen clearly, almost normally, but the Bat is taking shelter in the darkness of the cave. Just as it should have been!
The deleted scene where people see it's Joker's face on the money he's throwing out is a callback to earlier when he said what he wanted was to see his face on the dollar bill. And, as an interesting note, the Bob the Goon action figure was and still is highly collectable because less of them were made and sold and sells today for about $60.00 if it's still in the package.
The Joker's face on the money scene was in the movie as it first aired on T.V. . they added scenes to Superman when it first aired on network T.V. as well .
Batman '89 was one of those movies that was magic as a kid, but when you watch it as it and us get older, you can't help but appreciate it more. They got so many little things right.
I was 20 years old when this movie came out, and some friends and I made a special trip to the theater to watch it. We all loved the dark, gothic feel. Nicholson was incredible, and I was very impressed with how Keaton portrayed Batman. So different from Beetlejuice!
The score by Danny Elfman is absolutely spectacular! A few months ago I was listening to the opening theme whilst walking under a full moon at night and there was a pack of howling coyotes running by us through the trees and it was an awesome experience! I loved this movie as a kid!
Correct me if I'm wrong but I'm pretty sure Burt Ward (1960's Robin) was the manager of Oingo Boingo... So, as much as the movie was trying to stay away from the 60s show, I'm sure some kind of "Burt Ward butterfly effect" was happening with Elfman's score-- Leastways, I'd like to think so... Lol!
One thing I like about Keaton's Batman- it makes sense that he would be a bit of an oddball, and I totally buy that someone leading a double life would act like that.
I liked his portrayal of it. I remember my mom, who had seen the campy movie based on the tv series in theaters, told me she found this version (89) goofy. I looked at her and said, "As oppoosed to one you paid money to see in the theaters that was full fo camp?"
When I first heard about the casting of Michael Keaton, I was shaking my head because it seemed such an odd choice at the time because of his comedic roles. After seeing the movie, I changed my opinion. He was a good choice.
Would really have loved to see more batman movies from the Tim burton universe with Michael Keaton. As good as the Nolan universe was, this will always be batman to me. Had the right balance of everything really!
Check out what Burton had in mind for Batman forever, definitely a better cast. Keaton as Batman Marlon wayans as robin Billy dee Williams as two face Robin Williams as riddler.
I loved this movie as a kid. Couldn't wait for it to come out, and was definitely exhilarated to see it. I always liked the TV series from the 60's, but I was really glad that they took the same direction the comics went.
I have seen this movie soooo many times growing up , its insane the amount of rewatches. I just love the overall feel and Nicholson kills it as The Joker
Minty I've been watching you since you started on UA-cam and I got to say this is one of your best reviews yet. Thank you for all the hard work you do in entertaining your audience and thank you for all your knowledge so we can learn more.
I was born in 1985. When Batman was released on VHS, my father rented it, and I was confused as to why it wasn’t like the T.V. show I used to watch, and love. He told me that that’s because this is a movie version. And I sat through it all with my dad, without falling asleep. This is easily among the top five movies of my childhood.
I remember when this came out, I had Batman everything! I went to see it in the theater for my birthday that year. It still has the best Batmobile out of any of the movies.
This movie holds a special place for me. It was the first movie I got to see in a movie theatre back in 1989. Was a fan of the 60’s version but when I saw this darker version of Batman it blew my mind. Great memories.
There are many things to talk about this movie (for me, that is): 1) I loved the new bat-symbol, it really looks more like a bat, I wish they'd start using it everywhere from then on, including the comics; 2) The Danny Elfman batman theme is THE batman song, period! The best ever! There are very few super-hero themes that are eternal, and this is one of them, along with John Williams' Superman, Alan Silvestri's Avengers, and another Elfman classic, 2002 Spider-man!; 3) I too, complained about casting 'short and weak' Michael Keaton. I was happy he shut me up by delivering an awesome batman! By the way, ever since he coined the phrase 'I'm batman!', it has been used in many other batman movies and cartoons! Even the toy Shazam throws at Sivana in the Shazam movie says "I'm Batman"! 4) Immediately after watching the movie (@ the theater!!), I got back home and painted my blue/gray Kenner batman toy black, just like the movie! It made so much sense! A hero themed after bats should be all black!! 5) I was sooo relieved robin was nowhere to be seen! Robin is so gay! 🤣🤣🤣 6) I was happy to see how Michael Keaton finally put an end to 'the superman curse', and play other parts in other movies without people looking at him and going 'oh, that's batman'; 7) I really liked that the joker was the one responsible for killing Bruce Wayne's parents. It created a strong connection between them. Now they're not only two random guys who just hate each other, you know?
Making the Joker the killer of Bruce's parents reduces their complex relationship to a basic revenge story ("You killed them, I will kill you"). Dumbest idea ever.
@@gabemorales7814 Awful, it sounds like it belongs to an opera, or could be part of the Kingdom of Heaven soundtrack... Elfman's theme is 100% batman, and batman only. Puls, it's so iconic, everybody from 1 to 100 recognizes it.
Holy crap! This movie was literally a miracle. Like Burton said, a nightmare, but the fact that something so great came out against all odds…just astonishing!
I have always loved this movie. It has plenty of fun dramatic moments and action scenes. I love Michael Keaton as Batman. I love the Prince music too and it was very cool to learn about the strange music video. Jack Nicholsan is definitely my favorite Joker. This movie will always hold a special place in my heart!
I don’t often comment on videos but I too remember my first time seeing this movie. My grandma took me to the theater when I was either 6 or 7 to watch it. I remember her falling asleep and I was just in awe that she could fall asleep during a movie like this. I loved every minute of it and she took me to see it a few more times. She passed away 3 years ago but I can’t think of this movie without thinking about her and chuckling that she fell asleep. She had no interest in Batman. Haha.
"Batdance" was such an EPIC song and video for the movie! And fast-forward to 1992, and "Face to Face" by iconic (and one of my most favorite artists) Siouxsie and the Banshees was purrrrfection for 'Batman Returns'!
I was two years old when this movie came out, so I can't remember it's release but fondly remember Batman Returns. My best friend's dad took us to the theater to watch it probably five times. Though in retrospect my friends dad probably just couldn't get enough of Michelle Pfeiffer in skin tight cat suit. And neither could I. Still my favorite Batman Returns is
Known fact: Although Michael Keaton was originally thrown under the bus for not being the « typical » Batman, maybe surveys confirmed that Keaton was/is even to this day, the best of all Batmans
I like the idea of different actors playing these characters in different times and places, for the relevance of the same characters to different stories.
1989 was a great year. Batmania was everywhere. I went through three batman t shirts that year, and as much as I love the Adam West show it was great to see a more serious approach that still was rooted in the comic book style. Nicholson was perfectly cast and Keaton surprised everyone with his performance. Kim Bassinger never looked more beautiful, Jack Palance is one of the few actors you could believe could boss Jack Nicholson around, and Michael Gough nailed the Alfred role. By the way, your retrospective was very well done. I appreciate your research and quality work.
What's funny is that there are a lot of fans of Western films in my family, so whenever Jack Palance comes up in our talks about movies - which isn't often - it's usually SHANE or another of Palance's Westerns that gets mentioned. Rarely do I bring up Carl Grissom, mostly on my assumption that most people don't remember that character. (He was in only two scenes, after all.) I think that's a shame. I love it when the Bat-films depict "normal" gangsters, but Carmine Falcone and Salvatore Maroni so far haven't made an impression on me anywhere near as indelible as Grissom did. Palance's brief but masterful performance gave us a portrait of a crime lord who was shamelessly corrupt, as well as so intimidating that even Jack Napier rightly feared him, and yet ultimately pathetic and completely outclassed, along with all of his allies, by Gotham's new wildly costumed Rogues' Gallery. Grissom is just another element that makes me feel sad that Burton's and Schumacher's franchise wildly deviated in both style and mythos after 1989. Burton gave us an excellent depiction of Gotham!
I was one of those who bought tickets to the "the night before opening day” showing and I saw it again on opening day at another theater. It was a blast. Everything about the movie was great. One troubling thing was on premier night when the Prince credit appeared the audience booed. Loudly. Think "John Hughes" type of kids. The next day at a different theatre there was a loud cheering when Prince's credit appeared. Later that summer I ended up working at the drive-in where I saw it multiple times.1989.
18:33 Long time Prince fan here.., for one Thank you for the photo used it was actually the correct time period. I have to say Batman is a solid album but I am not sure it leads itself very well to the movie. And yes the video for Batdance is a tad cringe--but it is fun. The half batman/half joker is named "Gemini" which was also a refrence to Prince being a Gemini. The album credits had the songs being sung by Batman and Joker and in once case Vicky Vale. Late Prince had a comic made called Prince: Alter ego and it revisited some of these elements. (it was also cringe--but in a Princely way.
I'd like to say how much of a legend Danny Elfman is. He also did the score for the first 2 Raimi Spider-man movies and the Simpson's theme song. As perfect as his Batman score was, I can only imagine how good it would be if it was up to his standards.
I love the fact that you mentioned Bob Kane as "co-creator" rather than sole creator. Just for the uninitiated, Batman was co-created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger. Also Production designer Anton Furst has to be mentioned he designed Gotham in such a way that it evokes 30's-40's era grim and gritty and made it a unique character on its own. Sadly he tragically committed suicide in '91.
My stepfather took me to see it that summer. I remember the line going down the block and around the corner. I was obsessed with the movie after that. Bought the soundtrack on cassette, got my matchbox Batmobile and my Topps trading cards. Nicolson's Joker became one of my favorite villains. I still quote him to this day.
I can remember seeing this in the theater and watching that opening with the logo. I also remember walking out and my mother saying she felt like she was in superhero mode. I felt the same way. And I also loved that Nintendo video game. Great game. Still have it.
This was, like many others, one of the first movies I had seen in the theater that I can remember. Great video as always Minty. Still waiting for a Ten things you didn't know about Minty video.
Very informative, one point missing is how Michael Keaton could not turn his head in the head piece, he had to turn his whole body haha!! Now if you watch the movie again, you can see how awkward and how the movie could have been better if he could turn around, cheers mouse
I grew up to LOVING this movie! Everytime I went to my grandma's house she had the vhs tape ready when I got there lol then 3-4 years ago a small theater here in Pittsburgh (home to Michael Keaton!) had a Tim Burton week and played 1989 batman so I FINALLY got to see my favorite movie of all time in theater, such an amazing experience! Will always and forever be a batman fan!
Great Video. I got Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles The Movie for Christmas 1990 when I was 8, and did the exact same thing, rewound it immediately and watched it all over again, and again, and again. I was lucky enough to see Batman in the cinema in Shepperton Australia when I lived there before moving to Melbourne.
I always enjoy the Prince album. Listening to it by itself, the album is a great concept record taking the listener inside the heads of the lead characters. The character of Gemini, who is the speaker of the last song, is Batman and Bruce Wayne at last merged after being split characters during most of the album. Great work.
Sadly, I have to agree with those who say that the Prince songs (mostly) do the actual movie no favors. "The Future" and "Electric Chair" work fine as background noise, and nicely establish an urban mood, but "Partyman" and "Trust," as fun as they are, REALLY compromise the movie's classical tone. The Joker's boombox playing, say, Mozart inside the museum would have kept the "Eighties stink" off that scene, and actually been funnier. And wouldn't the musical accompaniment for the parade more plausibly have been something like John Philip Sousa? I mean, we already knew the Joker was fond of "Beautiful Dreamer" and "A Summer Place," so it's not as if he'd be out there practically screaming, "Look how Eighties I can be!"
@@SeasideDetective2 in the original scenes the Joker was playing 1999 and Baby I'm A Star by Prince as Jack Nicholson was a huge Prince fan.. Mozart would have made precisely zero sense.. and its an 80s movie so dunno what you mean by stink!
@@timtrek Something classical was playing inside the Flugelheim Museum when Vicki arrived, and it sounded like Mozart to me. The in-movie soundtrack also includes "Beautiful Dreamer" and the theme from "A Summer Place." Neither is classical, but they're close enough.
Great video as always, you always put in the effort to find facts that are obscure and interesting. I've been following for years now and even though you've covered so many movies I know and love, I'm actually surprised you haven't covered all the early Batman movies. Although this one was clearly a product of its time, it was a little campy, quite fun, and clearly had that comic book feel... but Jack Nicholson gave real presence to the Joker and lifted the film. Keaton probably was the best of this era's Batman's, I honestly didn't mind Kilmer or Clooney either. Because this is a little gritter in tone, it has probably aged a little better.
Here's an 11th thing most people don't know about Batman89: It led directly to the creation of Sailor Moon. After the movie ran in Japanese theaters, Naoko Takeuchi was called into her editor's office, where he asked her to pitch him story ideas for her next manga series. She had just seen Batman, and thought it was great, but also said that it was hard for her to connect to the characters because they were so unlike anything on her own life experience. So she told her editor that ever since she had seen it, she'd been kicking around the idea of creating a story about a Japanese girl superhero who fights crime in a costume based on the standard "sailor suit" school uniform. Her editor thought it was one of those ideas "so crazy it just might work", so he gave the idea the green light, and that's how Sailor Moon came to be.
BONUS FACT: In high school (mid 90's) my crazy Alaskan gym teacher in Maine made us DANCE and exercise to the Prince songs off the Batman soundtrack. It was absolutely horrible and I still laugh when I hear that music and think back about us being FORCED to dance to the purple prince of battastic beats
I really like a lot of your behind-the-scenes footage, much of it even though I’ve looked for it, I’ve not seen. The Danny Elfman soundtrack was so good my uncle who wasn’t big on the movie actually bought it because he loved it so much. Personally I love it too!
You did miss one very important piece of movie lore; dealing with Kim Basinger, and Vickie Vale. Since Basinger was so last minute; Wardrobe didn't have the time to create all new pieces for the actress; as she was smaller than Sean Young. Young's outfits wouldn't fit Basinger, nor could they be resized to fit her. So; to save time and money, Basinger used her own clothes she from her personal wardrobe. The Ball gown she was was highly criticized by fans and critics alike, calling a Prom Dress.
The fact that Kim Basinger was not only able to start within a moment's notices, and was able to bring her own wardrobe in to help save time and money, shows her dedication to the role, and her as an actress! I truly think Kim Basinger should be remember and commended for this.
Damn, she had and likely still has great taste!
I know of no one....any fan that watched this movie....that has ever criticized that dress.
@@will_it_work exactly. I thought her clothes were good enough. Plus she was super hot. Joker didn't seem to mind and her scream is still the best.
I also remember around the same time that she bought a town. Like actually purchased a small town. Can't remember where, but I remember that much.
@@galactusholmes I was recently watching a video about Bruce Willis basically doing the same thing didn't work out for either of them
This movie came out before the whole “see it the night before opening day” thing got popular. The very first showing near me was at noon. I was 20. I took half a vacation day off from work, wore a Batman t-shirt, and drove my motorcycle straight from work to the theater, (a theater that is no longer there). It was the first movie I’d ever seen on opening day, (I saw Star Wars opening weekend in 1977, but not opening day); and the first movie I ever went to alone. I didn’t want to wait until that evening. And I didn’t want a crowded theater or anyone with me, distracting me. I was so excited for that movie. And I came out of the theater loving it.
When I first heard Michael Keaton was playing Batman, I thought it was an odd choice, but because I was excited about a Batman movie, I didn’t give it a whole lot of thought. Any concerns I had going in were put to rest by the time I walked out of that theater and climbed onto my motorcycle. I remember smiling ear to ear, and the Danny Elfman title score was playing through my head, as I pulled out of the movie theater parking lot. I don’t recall what work was like that morning. I don’t recall where I went after I left the theater, or anything else about that day…but I remember every moment and every feeling from the time I pulled into the theater parking lot to when I pulled out of it after having seen the movie. While I’ve enjoyed other Batman films since, none have been quite as ‘fun’ as that one was in 1989.
Really awesome story man. As a 90's kid I was still really little when it came out, but even in the early to mid 90's Batman was HUGE. It eventually became more about the late 90's versions during my childhood, but I was definitely a fan of Batman 89 when I first saw it on video. Great movie, with incredible performances by the legendary Jack Nicholson, and still one of my favorite actors in Michael Keaton. A lot of Batman movies before and since seem to either go too far on the theatrics (90's Batman films) or really dark (Christopher Nolan versions), which were cool by the way, but Batman 89 is still to me the one that had the perfect balance between the two extremes, and thats what makes it my favorite of all time. It hit all the right notes, the look, the script, the action, the score, the acting, and Im not sure if any of the others have ever been able to match that level of perfection for me
That was an awesome Batman story. I still remember my first viewing of Batman as well. My father carried the family to the drive-thru. I remember hustling everyone to get ready or we would be late... sure enough when we got there it was playing - scene being on the church at the end. I remember bawling my eyes out blaming everyone for making me late to see Batman. Only then a movie attendant told my father that this was just the ending of the last show... the next showing would start off with Police Academy 3 (which I already saw), then Batman would play.
Maaaaaannnn. I jumped out of my father's car and ran to the playground to the back of the drive-thru with my sister. There we played all during Police Academy 3. From the time it ended, we ran back to the car for the movie previews, our cinema snacks, then to enjoy BATMAN!!!
To this day I would sneak up behind my kids and whisper in their ear using Keaton's voice... I'M BATMAN
I was 19. I had the dolls, the t-shirts, the cereal, I was so excited. I took the day of work, borrowed a friend's car and took my partner at the time. They wanted to grab a quick bite before hand. They wanted a BLT sandwich. It's 30 minutes until the greatest moment of my life and I have to find a BLT sandwich somewhere?! They grabbed a burger instead and I made it to my movie. I must have seen that movie 30 times that summer. Best summer ever! I still take the day off every time a new Batman movie comes out.
My buddy and I went to see it at the theater 5 times, once with me bringing 2 of my nieces along. It stayed at some theater or another for almost 6 months. Once the videotape was released, we watched it a couple of more times at his girlfriend's place and we repeat lines from the movie to this day, LOL!
@@nerdytalk1755
Yeah, I’d have freaked out if someone was wanting to stop and eat or do anything before the movie for fear of missing it! …But to try to find a BLT?! Oh man, I may have been tempted to drop them in the side of the road somewhere just for suggesting such a thing! LOL
The showing I saw was at noon and I didn’t get any lunch. I went straight from work to the theater. No time to eat. Popcorn and a Coke was my lunch that day! No way was I going to risk missing one second of that movie for something as silly as a meal! 😉
Michael Keaton will always be my favorite Batman. I was 8 years old when this movie came out and it's hard to compete with nostalgia.
My Dad took me to see this at the theater when I was nine years old. I don't think he knew how dark, gritty, and violent it was but we both loved every minute of it. Couldn't ask for a better Batman or Joker. It's one of my all time favorite movies and favorite memories as a kid.
I was 16, and my dad said it more closely resembled the comic books than previous adaptations.
I saw it on vacation at exactly the same age. I remember coming out of the upstairs theatre, and suddenly finding the height dizzying. The building also had a skylight, very similar to the Flugelheim museum, where Batman rescues Vicky from the Joker’s clutches.
Oh man you’re lucky! I wish I saw it in the theatres. My quebecois friend as a kid RUINED this movie because he kept telling me to watch it with him. It was obviously amazing except it was in French! 🤦♂️ Luckily I saw Terminator 2 in theatres 3x times and that made up for it but I REALLY REALLY REALLY wished I saw Batman in theatres because when you’re a kid watching a movie on the big screen at such a young age it’s not just a movie but an experience that alters your mind forever.
I envy you!! I wish I could have seen it in theaters!! I was too little. I was just under a year old when it came out but man oh man, do I wish I could have see it. 🖤🖤🖤
You lucky guy, this was how I was introduced to the Batman character! This is my fav Batman movie and actor along with my fav adaptation of the character! I wish I got to see this when it hit theaters, but I wasn’t alive yet lol.
I remember being too poor to see the movie in theaters so my brother and I collected almost ALL of the movie cards and basically pieced the movie together before we even saw it, read the backs of the cards and the quotes and essentially recreated the experience in our minds. In hindsight, we spent WAY more on all the cards than the price of a ticket, but we were kids! One Christmas our mom gifted us the VHS and we lost it! watched the movie over and over for weeks, already knowing most of the lines and what happened, but SEEING it in motion was amazing and special. Recently, I bought a 24x36 poster that mimicked the movie cards, that's how much admiration and love I have for 89 Batman.
Justice.
@@ron633 Batman fights for justice.
I have movie cards from Batman Rerurns!! They were a gift from a friend for my 25th birthday. A buddy of mine found them along with a 89 Bats lunchbox at a thrift shop. They're a very beloved treasure of mine.
I💯 identify with this. Pretty much the same deal. That VHS was such an important moment for a poor kid like me. To this day, I try to collect all the different variances. So far, my favorite is the Japanese copy.
Joker - "Stop the press, who is that?"
Bob - "Vicky Vale. She is dating some guy named Wayne."
Joker - "Well, she's about to trade up."
The reason Keaton is superior to everyone else that has portrayed the caped crusader is that he took the job on as two separate roles, Bruce Wayne and Batman are entirely different characters in his films. Everyone else plays a dark Bruce and slightly darker Batman. Michael played Bruce as a friendly, sociable, and even aloof character, and Batman as dark, to the point, and dead serious. Amazing acting!
Wow, Very great point@wolf! Thank you for pointing that out!! He definitely brings two very separate roles to Bruce and Batman. 🤔👍🏽👍🏽 I never really thot about it til you mentioned it just now, but u nailed it!
Also, to add to your great observation, Keaton’s Bruce had a sad side. Like someone who felt a lot of pain over the loss of his parents. Kind of a hermit, who only really hangs out with/trusts/ opens himself up to Alfred…. The others always portray Bruce as mr. Socialite of Gotham. I like keaton’s human emotion, he really captures the pain of loss quite perfectly. It makes the audience feel his hurt.
Kevin Conroy& the animators did the same with B: The Animated Series. Bruce & Batman were very different voices, and you rarely saw body language for one on the other.
Oh common! Clooney played a douchebag Bruce and a super douchey Batman - how are those not different? 🤣
And he's still the best Batman ever! Though I did like the Pattinson Batman too.
I remember being 6 years old and sitting in the theater feeling like I was watching the coolest movie I've ever seen. Nicholson was creepy and fun at the same time. Keaton was a total badass but still relatable for someone who came money. The batmobile, the Danny Elfman score, and look of Gotham are still my favorite of any movie version.
In the scene where the bat-wing flies upwards and stops right in front of the moon, I remember the entire theater erupted with applause and cheers. I'll never forget it. One of the best times I've ever had at the movies, to this day.
Same man, same. I was 8 years old then. Very similar experience.
I was 5 and remember feeling mesmerized by it.
Did you mean to say that Michael Keaton was "...relatable for someone who came _INTO_ money"?
@@DLCOrganization Relatable because acted and felt like normal guy. The fact that he had money didn't define his Bruce Wayne. He was quirky and just a little eccentric, without overdoing it.
@@orlandoruizjr3834 -- In other words, that was a yes. Thanks.
This movie was my childhood and brings so much nostalgia. The way Burton handles it with such a dark and gothic tone fits so well thematically for the Batman universe. The casting was just the icing on the cake.
There were FIVE Prince songs featured in the movie. The future, electric chair, trust, partyman, and scandalous, which both serves as Vicki Vale’s love theme and also runs in the credits. Basically, more than half of the album is used in the film.
Michael Keaton will always be the Best, My favorite Batman. Batman Returns is a classic, and fan favorite.
Batman Returns is my personal favorite.
@@Xmksdspt So many unforgettable performances.
A close second from Christian Bale.
Ben Affleck was terrible. Also not particularly keen on Paterson's take either.
Nostalgic take.. C. Bale was best Bruce Wayne and Affleck was best Batman
@@skylined5534 Thanks I was shocked when someone said Affleck was one of best, nah.
Ever dance with the Devil in the pale moonlight? Love the Gotham city in this film and the soundtrack is excellent too
...Being forced to dance to the soundtrack in high school seriously fahked me up 🤣🤣 Cause I CAN'T DANCE especially when i am laughing my ass off 🤣🤣
This is the BEST version of Gotham, outside the Arkham games!
Danny Elfman isn't mortal
@@Humongous420 I was in 5th grade when it came out. It played at our dances, too. Every damned kid in that place was messing the lyrics up on purpose, screaming "GET THE FUCK UP" instead of the actual lyrics... great times.
All due respect to Danny Elfman, he must be a perfectionist, because I still listen to Batman OST till this day.
I was on holiday in the usa in 1989, visiting from the UK, in early july. I remember watching this, Indiana jones and the last crusade and ghost busters 2, at a cinema in st Petersburg, they also had a toys r us next to it. America is / was such a magical place. They were so far I'm front in terms of movies and products, it took months for the uk to catch up in those days.
As a kid, i remember Batman (and Batman Returns) - The two first Turtles movies, and lastly Jurassic Park feeling like big "next level stuff" that everyone talked about. I think Batman impressed us because it was such a leap from the old tv show, Turtles impressed us because it was a leap from the childrens comic book, and Jurassic Park impressed us because we had never seen dinosaur effects like that before. EDIT: They all seemed to raise the bar in the sense that there was nothing quite like them prior to them coming out.
I agree but I would add Twister to that list
My absolutely favourite Batman movie and one of the greatest movies the 80s offered us! Michael Keaton and Jack Nicholson are amazing and epic, Tim Burton's direction was flawless and Danny Elfman's score was unforgetable! A true gothic gem, a comic movie legend!
This is one of the first movies I remember seeing in the theater. I had all the toys and the soundtrack...which my mother wasn't crazy about once she actually listened to the lyrics. haha
The first movie I watched in Oxford Street building is still there also no one talks about The Punisher 1989, two comic book characters yet both movies had two completely different directions.
Yeah I saw this in the theatre too and being only 10 had to rehearse my date of birth that made me out to be 12 heeheehee.
*Same. I saw this at the drive in on top of the car when I was 4*
You know this movie was highly influential in how mordern superhero blockbusters are made. Even some 30 plus years later they are revisiting that period in between the first & second Batman movie with the Batman 89 comic.
@@DNOstalgia auk if this had come out when I was 10 no way would mom have let me go see this she was very strict about the kind of movies I was allowed to see...hell I wasn't even allowed to see the original planet of the apes when it came out and I really wanted to go but she didn't said no way...well she was a religious fanatic AND a Sunday school teacher so there ya go....
Kim Basinger was absolutely stunning and easy on the eyes during this entire movie.
I wanted her hair so bad as a teen!
@@shirw to this day for me even LOL
She was actually really great in this movie. It's just the screaming got really obnoxious after a while, but that's a director choice not her.
I remember Batman the Cereal, which was basically just Captain Crunch shaped like bats. But, each box also had a toy Batmobil, which was actually fairly close to Hotwheels qualty. Also, I recall learning that you could microwave the cereal for a like 10 seconds or so and it would taste better. But, too long, it would burn.
Batman ‘89 is my number one movie of all time. I watch it on average at least once a month. I basically have the entire audio and script memorized. So it is a real joy when my kids would watch with me. 😂😂😂 🦇
I remember Batman being on everything in the stores, even Batman Hi-Tops. I love the look of Gotham City and his costume.
i loved the Macdonalds tie in, all the french fry containers were black with the bat symbol on it. i got dozens of them just to cut out the logo. still have some in a drawer some where. (they still smell like fresh fries, and not in a bad way!)
In 89' I had Batman cereal that came with a bust of batman which was a piggy bank!
I had the Batman hi tops!
As much as I love Jack Nicholson, I wish we got to see Tim Curry as the Joker. I think he would have been amazing. He had the perfect face for the part and would have made the character both zany and frightening.
Another reason the bat symbol was changed on the suit is the original looked too much like the open mouth of a Jack-O-lantern. They changed the wings and added extra points and a tail to make it look more like a bat.
Good points the bat should have been broader also Gotham city should have been both set a NYC as for the Joker Nicholson was too short yet perfect attitude.
WE GOT HIM AS PENNYWISE....
The Joker was an easy role the actors could ham up with a death scene so many actors would want to play the part.
how about robin williams?
John Glover would have also been a fine choice.
Here in the US, there was another big first for this movie. It was the first blockbuster movie released on VHS that was 'cost effective'. Back then, VHS tapes, even for older films, usually started at $60 and easily went up to $120 for big titles. Those huge movie prices is what drove the popularity of the 80's video rental store. But they sold Batman for $20 and changed the pricing structure for every retail VHS film release that followed it.
and the release was immediate after the cinema run had concluded; thus eliminating the dreaded VHS bootleg market, which often made its profit in those void months between box office and the official VHS release
I remember buying it at K-mart for $20. That was a lot of money back then. It was hard to convince my grandma to spend that much on a movie.
Never heard that before
Incorrect. E.T. came out on VHS in 1988 for $24.95 which was considered cheap at the time. I remember seeing it for $19.99 not long after. Possibly post Christmas.
@@12inchlando83 True, BUT that 'cheap' ET VHS release came out 6 YEARS after the movie did. It's hard to consider that a new release. Batman came out in theaters June of 89, and was out on VHS in November of 89; a release schedule and pricing model that is still fairly consistent today. You can't say that about the ET release.
I saw this movie in 89 with my sister. I was 8 years old, she warned me "This movie is very dark, are you sure you want to see it?" Of course I said "yes!" and I was hooked. It was a huge moment in my life and I still remember the feeling of seeing it for the first time.
I was 8 years old going on 9 the summer this came out. There was a string of three movies that came out from 1989-1991 that inspired my desire to become a filmmaker: Batman (1989), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990), and Terminator 2 (1991). How lucky was I to be a kid going to the movies during those years? But the interest in filmmaking all started with Batman '89, and it was the one that I watched the most. I was actually quite obsessed with it; I think I watched it nearly every weekend for at least a year after it was released on VHS! My first realization of how irony works came from watching it -- during one viewing, I recall thinking that you'd never expect a guy like Michael Keaton to be Batman. But his ironic casting is the key to his greatness as Batman. And he's still the best Batman 33 years later!
I can relate being born in 1981
You really can't beat growing up with the movies at that time. All three must have been a huge influence on my identity. I remember thinking John Conor must be the coolest kid alive. I completely agree with you.
I was six when this movie released, so I do not remember much about it, especially as my family did not watch television, nor did we miss it. However, I remember that for several years after the movie released there was parafanalia everywhere. I later saw it at a friend's house and at a children's hospital.
I have never been particularly fond of Michael Keaton as Batman even from the earliest days. Mostly it was in the curly nature of his hair, even though I had never seen a comic book I knew his hair should not be so curled. To me he was a decent Batman, but not a good Bruce. My favorite version of Bruce was Val Kilmer, whose version of Batman I have found to be good if not perfect.
You were 8 going on 9?
Yes, that's how numbers work.
LOL
@@or2ak Batman '89 was released on June 23 in the US. My 9th birthday was July 8. So yes, I was 8 going on 9 the summer that it came out.
Such a great movie! I will never forget the first time I saw Jack Nicholson as the Joker! Such a powerful performance
The orginal batman movie is still the best.
Based on performance alone, he is my favorite iteration.
Some of the liberties taken with his character, like him being the Wayne's murderer? That took some getting used to... but if Joker was gonna have a backstory at all, Burton could've done MUCH worse than he did.
@@jlionmenelik77 You mean 66'? That's the original...
Or do you mean 89'? That's definitely still the best one, but not the original.
This and Batman begins are the best modern Batmans
@@thisisnotachannel I mean when it comes to films. I did not like Chirsistian bales as batman. But I like the movie. Michael Keaton and Ben Affleck are favorite batman actors.
Still the BEST Batman movie!
Michael Keaton the best Batman!
Jack Nicholson the best Joker!
The best Batmobile!
The best score music!
The best looking Gotham City!
Exactly, everything in this comment is correct.
The greatest batman movie
100% agree
Yeah I can't argue with any of that. Heath ledger's joker was pretty damn good though. That's probably the only thing that's even close on that list .
This comment couldn’t be any more truer
The thing I remember best about Batman 89 is that, for the first time ever, the Batman was shot (especially in the cave) the way he should have been shot ... mostly dark, shadowed, only eyes visible. The shots shared with Vicky Vale are what I'm talking about. Vicky can be seen clearly, almost normally, but the Bat is taking shelter in the darkness of the cave. Just as it should have been!
Yes I agree that was badass!!
The deleted scene where people see it's Joker's face on the money he's throwing out is a callback to earlier when he said what he wanted was to see his face on the dollar bill.
And, as an interesting note, the Bob the Goon action figure was and still is highly collectable because less of them were made and sold and sells today for about $60.00 if it's still in the package.
The Joker's face on the money scene was in the movie as it first aired on T.V. . they added scenes to Superman when it first aired on network T.V. as well .
Batman '89 was one of those movies that was magic as a kid, but when you watch it as it and us get older, you can't help but appreciate it more. They got so many little things right.
I was 20 years old when this movie came out, and some friends and I made a special trip to the theater to watch it. We all loved the dark, gothic feel. Nicholson was incredible, and I was very impressed with how Keaton portrayed Batman. So different from Beetlejuice!
Boy I feel young thanks much sure and thank you for what you contributed to society
The score by Danny Elfman is absolutely spectacular! A few months ago I was listening to the opening theme whilst walking under a full moon at night and there was a pack of howling coyotes running by us through the trees and it was an awesome experience! I loved this movie as a kid!
I had a friend who blasted Elfman's main Batman theme over and over in his black sporty car.
If a theme makes you want to put on a cape and climb trees ... it did the job
Correct me if I'm wrong but I'm pretty sure Burt Ward (1960's Robin) was the manager of Oingo Boingo... So, as much as the movie was trying to stay away from the 60s show, I'm sure some kind of "Burt Ward butterfly effect" was happening with Elfman's score-- Leastways, I'd like to think so... Lol!
Then the coyotes clapped.
@@M2Mil7er Hahaha!!!
One thing I like about Keaton's Batman- it makes sense that he would be a bit of an oddball, and I totally buy that someone leading a double life would act like that.
I liked his portrayal of it. I remember my mom, who had seen the campy movie based on the tv series in theaters, told me she found this version (89) goofy. I looked at her and said, "As oppoosed to one you paid money to see in the theaters that was full fo camp?"
@@littlesongbird1 I would asked her "So "Some days you just can't get rid of a bomb" was pure Shakespeare?"
When I first heard about the casting of Michael Keaton, I was shaking my head because it seemed such an odd choice at the time because of his comedic roles.
After seeing the movie, I changed my opinion. He was a good choice.
Tim Burton always said Batman is the one superhero not playing with a full deck.
He saw Bruce and Selena both as having multiple personalities.
@@maestroclassico5801 Yeah definitely agree
I was 15 in 1989 and after seeing this movie I was obsessed with Batman for years. He is still one of my favourite superheroes to this day.
You're 49 now....meet too 💪🏾😎
I was 12 when I saw Batman. It was at the General Cinema in Griffith on opening day. Just a week after Ghostbusters 2. 1989 was a big year for movies.
Would really have loved to see more batman movies from the Tim burton universe with Michael Keaton. As good as the Nolan universe was, this will always be batman to me. Had the right balance of everything really!
Hopefully Burton & Keats will rejoin for a third Batman film after Keaton returns as Batman in The Flash.
@@thejamesbondshow9754 That would be cool. It would be like an ending to a trilogy of tim's movies
Check out what Burton had in mind for Batman forever, definitely a better cast.
Keaton as Batman
Marlon wayans as robin
Billy dee Williams as two face
Robin Williams as riddler.
@@josephmarino310 he also believe it or not had an idea for a 4th batman movie too
Not only was Keaton a good Batman, but a good Bruce Wayne, too. None of the others so far have done that imo.
I loved this movie as a kid. Couldn't wait for it to come out, and was definitely exhilarated to see it. I always liked the TV series from the 60's, but I was really glad that they took the same direction the comics went.
my absolute favorite Batman film.
Same here.
@@La-Toya0488
yeah. it's so awesome. when I think of batman this version comes to mind.
Same here.
@@EmilyGloeggler7984 hell yeah!
I have seen this movie soooo many times growing up , its insane the amount of rewatches. I just love the overall feel and Nicholson kills it as The Joker
Fun fact: Batman 89 was also the first movie released to VHS while still playing in theaters.
really? that is amazing I did not know
Bruce Wayne: "Minty you wanna get nuts, let's get nuts." Michael Keaton is still my favourite Bruce Wayne/Batman.
Minty I've been watching you since you started on UA-cam and I got to say this is one of your best reviews yet.
Thank you for all the hard work you do in entertaining your audience and thank you for all your knowledge so we can learn more.
Hear hear. Minty is mint!
Hurray! You finally completed the 4 Batman movies from the 80s and 90s.
An 'achievement' YEARS in the making indeed!
Negative there's no batman and robin
The world will never get a Batman like Keaton, the Goat
I was born in 1985. When Batman was released on VHS, my father rented it, and I was confused as to why it wasn’t like the T.V. show I used to watch, and love. He told me that that’s because this is a movie version. And I sat through it all with my dad, without falling asleep.
This is easily among the top five movies of my childhood.
I watched it for the first time in 1995 when i was in the kindergarten. I hadn't watched Batman Forever yet but i did own the official sticker album.😄
@@Facade953 Awesome.
I remember when this came out, I had Batman everything! I went to see it in the theater for my birthday that year. It still has the best Batmobile out of any of the movies.
The Bat Dance video, is exactly what you would imagine as Prince making a Music video for Batman.
This movie holds a special place for me. It was the first movie I got to see in a movie theatre back in 1989. Was a fan of the 60’s version but when I saw this darker version of Batman it blew my mind. Great memories.
To this day, the only two Batman movies worth watching over and over.
I had a Batman figure with removable outfit. It really looked like Keaton and I had a great time playing with it.
One of my favorite Batman films of all time
Your "nuts" caught me off guard and I had a good laugh!! Lol!
There are many things to talk about this movie (for me, that is): 1) I loved the new bat-symbol, it really looks more like a bat, I wish they'd start using it everywhere from then on, including the comics; 2) The Danny Elfman batman theme is THE batman song, period! The best ever! There are very few super-hero themes that are eternal, and this is one of them, along with John Williams' Superman, Alan Silvestri's Avengers, and another Elfman classic, 2002 Spider-man!; 3) I too, complained about casting 'short and weak' Michael Keaton. I was happy he shut me up by delivering an awesome batman! By the way, ever since he coined the phrase 'I'm batman!', it has been used in many other batman movies and cartoons! Even the toy Shazam throws at Sivana in the Shazam movie says "I'm Batman"! 4) Immediately after watching the movie (@ the theater!!), I got back home and painted my blue/gray Kenner batman toy black, just like the movie! It made so much sense! A hero themed after bats should be all black!! 5) I was sooo relieved robin was nowhere to be seen! Robin is so gay! 🤣🤣🤣 6) I was happy to see how Michael Keaton finally put an end to 'the superman curse', and play other parts in other movies without people looking at him and going 'oh, that's batman'; 7) I really liked that the joker was the one responsible for killing Bruce Wayne's parents. It created a strong connection between them. Now they're not only two random guys who just hate each other, you know?
Making the Joker the killer of Bruce's parents reduces their complex relationship to a basic revenge story ("You killed them, I will kill you"). Dumbest idea ever.
@@gabemorales7814 Awful, it sounds like it belongs to an opera, or could be part of the Kingdom of Heaven soundtrack... Elfman's theme is 100% batman, and batman only. Puls, it's so iconic, everybody from 1 to 100 recognizes it.
Michael Keaton pulled it off fantastically.
Holy crap! This movie was literally a miracle. Like Burton said, a nightmare, but the fact that something so great came out against all odds…just astonishing!
"Batman" ('89) was a huge hit hre in the Philippines in November 1989! Totally ground-breaking !!
With all due respect to the Superman movie, Batman was THE movie for me that really brought the superhero genre to the big screen.
Superman walked, so Batman could run.
@@mondenkindqueen Can't argue with that!
Joker: "Minty!? Can somebody tell me what kind of a world that we live in where a man who uploads '10 Things About' list..... gets all of my press?"
Minty! You are great. I love these videos! Thanks dude 🙏
I have always loved this movie. It has plenty of fun dramatic moments and action scenes. I love Michael Keaton as Batman. I love the Prince music too and it was very cool to learn about the strange music video. Jack Nicholsan is definitely my favorite Joker. This movie will always hold a special place in my heart!
I don’t often comment on videos but I too remember my first time seeing this movie. My grandma took me to the theater when I was either 6 or 7 to watch it. I remember her falling asleep and I was just in awe that she could fall asleep during a movie like this. I loved every minute of it and she took me to see it a few more times. She passed away 3 years ago but I can’t think of this movie without thinking about her and chuckling that she fell asleep. She had no interest in Batman. Haha.
"Batdance" was such an EPIC song and video for the movie! And fast-forward to 1992, and "Face to Face" by iconic (and one of my most favorite artists) Siouxsie and the Banshees was purrrrfection for 'Batman Returns'!
I was two years old when this movie came out, so I can't remember it's release but fondly remember Batman Returns. My best friend's dad took us to the theater to watch it probably five times. Though in retrospect my friends dad probably just couldn't get enough of Michelle Pfeiffer in skin tight cat suit. And neither could I. Still my favorite Batman Returns is
Kim Basinger had an epic scream, and Tim Burton knew that. That's why it has such a presence in that movie. Like a good rock band, I think.
Known fact: Although Michael Keaton was originally thrown under the bus for not being the « typical » Batman, maybe surveys confirmed that Keaton was/is even to this day, the best of all Batmans
I like the idea of different actors playing these characters in different times and places, for the relevance of the same characters to different stories.
The characters are as big a part as the actors - correlation of the two is the 'artistry' of production
1989 was a great year. Batmania was everywhere. I went through three batman t shirts that year, and as much as I love the Adam West show it was great to see a more serious approach that still was rooted in the comic book style. Nicholson was perfectly cast and Keaton surprised everyone with his performance. Kim Bassinger never looked more beautiful, Jack Palance is one of the few actors you could believe could boss Jack Nicholson around, and Michael Gough nailed the Alfred role. By the way, your retrospective was very well done. I appreciate your research and quality work.
What's funny is that there are a lot of fans of Western films in my family, so whenever Jack Palance comes up in our talks about movies - which isn't often - it's usually SHANE or another of Palance's Westerns that gets mentioned. Rarely do I bring up Carl Grissom, mostly on my assumption that most people don't remember that character. (He was in only two scenes, after all.) I think that's a shame. I love it when the Bat-films depict "normal" gangsters, but Carmine Falcone and Salvatore Maroni so far haven't made an impression on me anywhere near as indelible as Grissom did. Palance's brief but masterful performance gave us a portrait of a crime lord who was shamelessly corrupt, as well as so intimidating that even Jack Napier rightly feared him, and yet ultimately pathetic and completely outclassed, along with all of his allies, by Gotham's new wildly costumed Rogues' Gallery. Grissom is just another element that makes me feel sad that Burton's and Schumacher's franchise wildly deviated in both style and mythos after 1989. Burton gave us an excellent depiction of Gotham!
@@SeasideDetective2 and Anton Furst deserves so much credit for creating the look of Gotham. Completely agree with your comments.
Watching Batman '89 on VHS with my son is one of my fondest memories.
I'm gonna say it again for the cheap seats... MICHAEL KEATON IS THE BEST BATMAN 🦇🦇!!
Imagine how serious people were to write an actual letter griping about batman, now with Twitter etc is easier to complain
@@amberlinmchugh8115 I'll bet.
I echo your words
@@androidangel787 thank ya 😉👍✌️
Live action, sure. But just in general? Mr. Conroy would be that person
I was one of those who bought tickets to the "the night before opening day” showing and I saw it again on opening day at another theater. It was a blast. Everything about the movie was great. One troubling thing was on premier night when the Prince credit appeared the audience booed. Loudly. Think "John Hughes" type of kids. The next day at a different theatre there was a loud cheering when Prince's credit appeared. Later that summer I ended up working at the drive-in where I saw it multiple times.1989.
18:33 Long time Prince fan here.., for one Thank you for the photo used it was actually the correct time period. I have to say Batman is a solid album but I am not sure it leads itself very well to the movie. And yes the video for Batdance is a tad cringe--but it is fun. The half batman/half joker is named "Gemini" which was also a refrence to Prince being a Gemini. The album credits had the songs being sung by Batman and Joker and in once case Vicky Vale.
Late Prince had a comic made called Prince: Alter ego and it revisited some of these elements. (it was also cringe--but in a Princely way.
Yeah, this Batman will always beat out the rest of the films. A true gem.
I'd like to say how much of a legend Danny Elfman is. He also did the score for the first 2 Raimi Spider-man movies and the Simpson's theme song. As perfect as his Batman score was, I can only imagine how good it would be if it was up to his standards.
Vicki: What do you want ?
Joker: My face on a $1 dollar bill
Vicki: You must be joking
Joker: Do I look like i'm joking ?
Great video again mate. Some of your best work
I love the fact that you mentioned Bob Kane as "co-creator" rather than sole creator. Just for the uninitiated, Batman was co-created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger. Also Production designer Anton Furst has to be mentioned he designed Gotham in such a way that it evokes 30's-40's era grim and gritty and made it a unique character on its own. Sadly he tragically committed suicide in '91.
Thank Beetlejuice we got Batman 89. 🦇
The Michael Keaton batman and Jack Nicholson had amazing performance.
My stepfather took me to see it that summer. I remember the line going down the block and around the corner. I was obsessed with the movie after that. Bought the soundtrack on cassette, got my matchbox Batmobile and my Topps trading cards. Nicolson's Joker became one of my favorite villains. I still quote him to this day.
Dude... Get the funk up, I knew that at 10 yrs old when this came out 😆 love ya Minty!
You did a fantastic job on this, Minty.
I can remember seeing this in the theater and watching that opening with the logo. I also remember walking out and my mother saying she felt like she was in superhero mode. I felt the same way. And I also loved that Nintendo video game. Great game. Still have it.
This was, like many others, one of the first movies I had seen in the theater that I can remember. Great video as always Minty. Still waiting for a Ten things you didn't know about Minty video.
Good timing seeing as this Batman, Keaton's Batman, is returning to the DCEU.
Can't wait!
Very informative, one point missing is how Michael Keaton could not turn his head in the head piece, he had to turn his whole body haha!! Now if you watch the movie again, you can see how awkward and how the movie could have been better if he could turn around, cheers mouse
I saw Batman in the theater a bunch of times back when it came out. Great segment!!!!
Low key, I think Brad Douriff would be an awesome Joker.
He certainly has the laugh for it.
Best Joker that never happened? Willem DeFoe.
I grew up to LOVING this movie! Everytime I went to my grandma's house she had the vhs tape ready when I got there lol then 3-4 years ago a small theater here in Pittsburgh (home to Michael Keaton!) had a Tim Burton week and played 1989 batman so I FINALLY got to see my favorite movie of all time in theater, such an amazing experience! Will always and forever be a batman fan!
michael keaton really is a amazing actor
Great Video. I got Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles The Movie for Christmas 1990 when I was 8, and did the exact same thing, rewound it immediately and watched it all over again, and again, and again. I was lucky enough to see Batman in the cinema in Shepperton Australia when I lived there before moving to Melbourne.
Great Job Minty! I was there on opening night at the Coronet Theater in San Francisco. It is still one of my favorites.
I always enjoy the Prince album. Listening to it by itself, the album is a great concept record taking the listener inside the heads of the lead characters. The character of Gemini, who is the speaker of the last song, is Batman and Bruce Wayne at last merged after being split characters during most of the album. Great work.
Sadly, I have to agree with those who say that the Prince songs (mostly) do the actual movie no favors. "The Future" and "Electric Chair" work fine as background noise, and nicely establish an urban mood, but "Partyman" and "Trust," as fun as they are, REALLY compromise the movie's classical tone. The Joker's boombox playing, say, Mozart inside the museum would have kept the "Eighties stink" off that scene, and actually been funnier. And wouldn't the musical accompaniment for the parade more plausibly have been something like John Philip Sousa? I mean, we already knew the Joker was fond of "Beautiful Dreamer" and "A Summer Place," so it's not as if he'd be out there practically screaming, "Look how Eighties I can be!"
I loved the album and back then was my proper intro into likeing Prince. Im glad he got to do that album as apparently it helped reignite his carreer.
Wow next level. I have never heard the whole cd (was only like9 or 10) Prince is amazing... I'll never be able to say was with him. I just can't
@@SeasideDetective2 in the original scenes the Joker was playing 1999 and Baby I'm A Star by Prince as Jack Nicholson was a huge Prince fan.. Mozart would have made precisely zero sense.. and its an 80s movie so dunno what you mean by stink!
@@timtrek Something classical was playing inside the Flugelheim Museum when Vicki arrived, and it sounded like Mozart to me. The in-movie soundtrack also includes "Beautiful Dreamer" and the theme from "A Summer Place." Neither is classical, but they're close enough.
Great video as always, you always put in the effort to find facts that are obscure and interesting. I've been following for years now and even though you've covered so many movies I know and love, I'm actually surprised you haven't covered all the early Batman movies. Although this one was clearly a product of its time, it was a little campy, quite fun, and clearly had that comic book feel... but Jack Nicholson gave real presence to the Joker and lifted the film. Keaton probably was the best of this era's Batman's, I honestly didn't mind Kilmer or Clooney either. Because this is a little gritter in tone, it has probably aged a little better.
Here's an 11th thing most people don't know about Batman89: It led directly to the creation of Sailor Moon. After the movie ran in Japanese theaters, Naoko Takeuchi was called into her editor's office, where he asked her to pitch him story ideas for her next manga series. She had just seen Batman, and thought it was great, but also said that it was hard for her to connect to the characters because they were so unlike anything on her own life experience. So she told her editor that ever since she had seen it, she'd been kicking around the idea of creating a story about a Japanese girl superhero who fights crime in a costume based on the standard "sailor suit" school uniform. Her editor thought it was one of those ideas "so crazy it just might work", so he gave the idea the green light, and that's how Sailor Moon came to be.
Wow, incredible.
So no beetle juice no Batman , no Batman no sailor moon. Yeah 80s movies were the best
Wow crazy. I loved sailor Moon too as a teen male in HS. And no it was not for what people think. Had great story and sentiment.
So Sailor Moon Knight?
🙄
Like so many others, I went into this, questioning how the performances of Keaton and Nicholson would be, but I absolutely loved it - and still do.
Nicholson had a strong resemblance to the Joker and Jimmy Hoffa too. Nicholson nailed the Jimmy Hoffa role.
Pierce Brosnan as Batman under Wes Craven's direction would have been very interesting.
Definitely!But Brad Dourif would have been an interesting choice too.
BONUS FACT: In high school (mid 90's) my crazy Alaskan gym teacher in Maine made us DANCE and exercise to the Prince songs off the Batman soundtrack. It was absolutely horrible and I still laugh when I hear that music and think back about us being FORCED to dance to the purple prince of battastic beats
gay
Awesome😂
I was 11 years old and begging my dad to take me. What an awesome experience that was.
This 89 version was the best Batman ever made 💯 I watched this in the theater when it came out.
I really like a lot of your behind-the-scenes footage, much of it even though I’ve looked for it, I’ve not seen.
The Danny Elfman soundtrack was so good my uncle who wasn’t big on the movie actually bought it because he loved it so much. Personally I love it too!