Filmmaker reacts to Batman (1989) for the FIRST TIME! 

Yes!! Such a classic 👌side story: my mom was pregnant with me when this came out. My dad told her that if she bought the VHS for him when it was released, he would marry her. Well she got it the day it was released, they got married the following weekend. Been married almost 33 years now 🖤

This movie was unbelievably big when it came out. One thing to keep in mind: this was the first somewhat serious Batman treatment that most people had seen. Before this, most non-comics-fans only knew the Adam West camp version of the character.

Keaton's Batman and Bruce Wayne is great. His Bruce is part act part not knowing how to act around normal people. I love the scene when he first sees The Joker. So focused and doesn't realize he was shot. I am so happy Keaton has had a resurgence as an actor.

Jack Nicholson is amazing in this film. However, 'Batman Returns' is my favourite. Danny DeVito and Michelle Pfeiffer are brilliant in it, and Tim Burton's sets go full 'Burton' 🤩🙂

The way the city looks in this movie is just unforgettable. It's borderline psychotic. You've got apartment interiors with just these giant 5 foot diameter pipes running through them, the buildings are like reaching out directly over the street and looming over everything and strangling the view of the sky, almost every surface is so filthy you wouldn't want to touch it. I always wanted more Batman with a Gotham like this, but they never really were quite like this ever again.

While hans zimmer does bring a grandier sound and experience with his score the fact that danny elfman’s score from this was also used in the animated series..this will always be my favorite of the composers

Yo, I HATE when people ask "Which actor did the better Joker, Nicholson or Ledger?" There is nothing to compare between them. They aren't totally different plates in a meal, they are totally separate courses! They are both incredible for the type of movie they were in, and there is no reason they can't BOTH be the best!

Really like Keaton as Batman. He doesn't look like he's been living as a monk for years. I like how it keeps some of the comic feel and colours

Yes, Burton directed Edward Scissorhands. His fourth film, Batman being his 3rd, Beetlejuice being his 2nd, and Peewee's Big being the first. Scissorhands was followed by Batman Returns and Ed Wood. I hope you see all of these films because Burton's early stuff is his best work. 1999's Sleepy Hollow was his last great film in my opinion.

My favorite Batman is the sequel to this one: Batman Returns. Hope you see that too.

Being a 90’s kid I grew up on this movie! Man it holds such a special place in my heart. Also I wanted to agree that after I had watched it in my adult years it felt very much like jokers movie. I think having a solo movie like Joker again but where there is an active Batman in the universe would be so interesting. Seeing the villains notice this vigilante in Gotham and maybe how his presence inspires them/interfere with what they are trying to do. Having Batman as this almost mythological type creature in the early years would be so cool.

By far my favorite Batman. Also, Tim Burton was a perfect choice to bring Gotham City to life.

Heath Ledger Joker was Great and so was Joaquin Phoenix's Joker, but Jack Nicholson's Joker is comic accurate and my favorite

It still haunts me that we almost had Billy FREAKING Dee Williams as Two-Face(As was Tim Burton's original intention) but Joel Schumacher got Tommy Lee Jones instead. A tragedy of immense proportions. Also, yes; Tim Burton directed Edward Scissor Hands as well. Not only that, But Danny Elfman was the composer to both Batman and Edward Scissor Hands.

When I first came across this one as a little kid ,I was scared of Nicholson‘s joker yet so so fascinated by him at the same time. Think this is where my love for Nicholson‘s work started.

"Aaah the beauty and the beast, but if anyone else calls you the beast I'll kill him!" Awesome line! 😁 And yes Burton directed Edward Scissorhands.

This was no low key sleeper. This was the biggest film of 1989. The bat symbol was everywhere that year. You couldn't get away from it. Clothing, cereal, the toys, Taco Bell promotions, etc. This film influenced so much that came after. From Sam Raimi's DarkMan and Spider-Man. Dick Tracy, The Crow, and the lesser known, The Shadow. Also started the trend of heroes in black leather outfits, hence 1998's Blade and 2000's X-Men. Before this, the general public viewed Batman as he was portrayed in the 60's show. But the comics and graphic novels of the 1970's and 80's brought the character back to it's darker roots. Tim Burton applied that darker take to his two films, and it's impact is still felt to this day. BATMAN from 1989 is the template for the modern day comic book film. I love this film and I'm so glad you've watched it. To me, Keaton will always be Batman and Nicholson will always be classic Joker. Love this film.

I think as much as the direction, probably Danny Elfman's score put you in mind of Edward Scissorhands. Such a distinctive style, even in two very different scores.

Batman, in this movie, wants to remain mysterious, and the movie respects that, meanwhile the Joker wants to be "out there", and the movie respects that as well.

I assume you've seen Fritz Lang's "Metropolis" and perhaps other German expressionist classics. Tim Burton really shows his love for German expressionism and specifically Metropolis in this movie.

I loved the Nolan Batman movies, especially The Dark Knight, but this Tim Burton/Micheal Keaton Batman will always be my favorite Batman movie. Saw it opening night and instantly fell in love with it!

Love Jack Nicholson’s performance in this.

I love this movie. I watched it opening night and was blown away by, well, everything. This was the film that made me start collecting movie scores as the opening was jaw dropping.

I have always loved Michael Keatons Batman. Some of us grew up on Adam West's Batman TV show then, which was so campy and fun. I will say the best Batmobile is still the one from the 60's tv show and movie.

This film was a game changer when it came out. Nobody was expecting anything this dark, and the marketing for it was insane! No future Batman films would exist without this.

Now you're on the right track! Jack's Joker is second only to Mark Hamill. Batman Returns and Mask of The Phantasm are my favorites.👍

"Did he do Edward Scissor hands" Oh good god you're serious! (head desks) lol Oh, and re the cowl, love, thats the best we could do back then. Each of those Bat cowls were cast in unpainted back foam latex, which meant you couldn't afford to have any air bubbles or faults in any of the casts, which is extremely time consuming if you knew anything about foam latex casting. I remember visiting the blokes that were foaming them up and their workshop was full of rejects! :)

I remember watching this film as a child decades ago although I'm not that old XD and watching The Joker emerge from the shadows firing the gun and feeling simultaneously creeped out and entertained. I always come back to that scene and it's just as good as I remember it being if not better. The opening to Batman plus the theme and it's build up has never been topped by another superhero film IMHO.

I saw this in the theatre in 89 with my family. There’s no way to convey how big this was at the time. It was in books, on shirts, cereal boxes, toys, video games and every fast food dining room wall. We used to run around the neighborhood in capes playing Batman.

Yes!! Not only it's my favorite Batman movie but It's also my personal favorite films of all time. Michael Keaton as Batman was always perfect for me, along with Adam West (1966) TV show and the movie and Kevin Conroy from the Batman The animated series and many others.

I'm glad you liked it! It always annoys me when reviewers downplay Nicholson's performance as just playing Jack Nicholson. Jack did a lot of research to create that performance and the rest is movie history! And gotta love a Prince Soundtrack!!

13:30 possibly, but I know the Prince soundtrack had multiple samples. "Oh we got a live one here" is the one which always rings in my head.

One of my favorite elements of this version is the reveal that, although Batman created Joker, Joker created Batman first!

Yeah, after hearing in an interview after this movie came out that the bat cowl had no neck mobility, all I could see is the ridiculous way Keaton looks up as well. That aside, it's still one of my favorite Batman movies with my favorite Batman. People will debate forever who was better between Ledger and Nicholson, but they're both genius in their own ways. Nicholson embodied the character that was on the comic book page while paying plenty of tribute to Cesar Romero, while Ledger reinvented it and made it his own. Both steal the movie they're in, no doubt. And yes, Burton directed Edward Scissorhands. His career was far more eclectic and interesting before the mid-2000's when he kind of became a parody of his own style. Movies like Big Fish, Ed Wood, Beetlejuice, and Pee-Wee's Big Adventure have some of his hallmarks, but they all have their own kooky moods that are unique to themselves.

I saw this film at a drive-thru theater with my family when I was 6 years old. I loved this film so much that it made me fall in love with movies in general. I said, "If movies are this good, then I want to watch them for the rest of my life." Great reaction bro! 👍🏿 And Michael Keaton is my 2nd favorite onscreen Batman of all time. (Christian Bale is my favorite.)

The film was a box office success making $411 million dollars ($987 million dollars today) against a $50 million dollar budget.

Yes, Tim Burton did indeed direct both this and Edward Scissorhands

Bro, rewatching this now in 2022 I can see this easily having been a Tim Burton musical, there were so many "musical" moments in this movie. Certain scenes, lighting, backgrounds even some lines felt like they should have been followed up with some song's, Lol. This is also the movie I love using to shut down those "Batman don't kill" arguments, he killed some folks.

The boardroom scene was similar in The Dark Knight, too. Burton’s Joker used a hand buzzer, Nolan’s a pencil.

The reason you don't see such dynamic camera movements is that the design for this film was supposed to be reminiscent of frames from a comic book... that's also why the environmental shots were done the way they were

One of my favourite superhero movies for sure. I love this movie. Both Keaton and Nicholson are great.😊

If you love Jack Nicholson you have to watch The Witches of Eastwick. It’s hysterical and it’s directed by George Miller, the genius behind the Mad Max films.

Great reaction James really enjoyed the commentary and tips Keep up the great work!!!

Nicholson's laugh is the greatest Joker laugh ever. Keaton brought great mystique to the Batman role.

I'd imagine the cinematography was partly caused by the director themselves and its intent, as well as the attempt to make it feel more like a comic book, emphasizing static frames more. I'd imagine that, combining the style of Gotham that all films had into one, we'd likely have the best Gotham.

Of all the roles Jack has done, this one is his favorite. My buddies and I actually saw this at the drive in when it came out. We got an old junker car and spray painted it green and purple like a Joker goon car and drove that to the drive in. It as an absolute blast.

I don’t know if it’s intentional or not but I feel like the static cameras make the movie feel like a frame of a comic book but in motion. I think it’s cool. Seriously, you can take a picture of any scene in this movie and imagine it as an illustrated frame.

This batman kills more than the comicbook batman and joker didnt kill his parents BUT the yellow oval and the gothic out of time gotham and batwing are so comicbooky I love it. Early Burton visuals were perfectly creepy for Batman and it impacted the character A Lot.

I adore the heavy focus on gothic revival architecture along with the elements of Art Deco combined with 1930s elements from the fashion to the corner shops. As much as I love the Nolan movie's his Gotham mostly in the two sequels did not feel like Gotham at all lacking any Gothic aesthetic instead the city just looked like Chicago. It also didn't help that the Nolan Gotham looked different in each film but yeah It wasn't for me. Batman Returns holds up much better as much as I love 89 you can tell everything's filmed on a large set while Batman Returns feels more natural yet still keeps that Burton fantasy look and feel. This look also inspired the amazing Batman Animated Series which dived more into the 1930s aesthetic a mix of old meets new. They dubbed it "Dark Deco" which really suits well for Gotham. The Batman 2022 did a great job as well using alot of gothic revival architecture along with a great skyline of gothic skyscrapers you could see Gotham's history in the film. In the comic lore Solomon Wayne the Mayor of Gotham in the mid 1880s commissioned a massive city overhaul using the gothic revival architecture style that was popular at the time. This gave birth to Gotham's iconic look with a massive budget funded by Wayne Gotham turned into a landscape filled with some of the most unique gothic structures in the world. Art Deco was later introduced debuting in 1903 and 1904, Paris with the style carrying over into the States and around the world which is why Gotham also has alot of Art Deco elements but not as much as Metropolis. Metropolis is pretty much the city of the future filled with Art Deco and 1950s Googie architecture to create a very interesting city. Unfortunately Metropolis in film as yet to capture it's comic book look instead they just go for a generic city with no personality at all like we see in Man of Steel and Batman Vs Superman. Oh note about Joker killing the Waynes. In the comic's the Waynes were gunned down by a man named Joe Chill just a random thug no one special. Of course being a rendition of Batman they're free to make any changes they want from having the Joker kill the Waynes to The Batman 2022 where they made Martha Wayne an Arkham instead of a Kane. So yeah it's fun to see how different each rendition of the character and universe are like it would be pretty boring if we kept getting the same movie over and over again. Batman Forever and Batman & Robin were created as sequels to the Burton movies even if many of the characters were recast WD saw those films are continuing off from where Burton left. But in the last year we've gotten Batman 89 comic's that follow off from Batman Returns and pretty much retcons the events of these two movies only focusing on the burton movies. So yeah if you want more Keaton Batman I 100% recommend checking out those comic's.

The Jokers such a cool villain, always wanted to see Willem Dafoe play the joker

I grew up in the 80's which meant that I grew up with re-runs of the Super Friends and the Adam West 60's Batman. So when this hit theaters it was mind blowing to my 10 year old brain. Seeing Batman '89 was almost a right of passage. It was interesting that they did pay some homage to the 60's Batmobile with the Turbine engine. If you see this movie for fun on your spare time I suggest to turn off the color and bring down the sharpness on your TV it totally feels Noire when the color is removed.

The one thing that I love about this movie is the soundtrack. Prince wrote o.g. songs for the movie while Danny Elfman rocked the theme. You now know why people are hyped for The Flash Flashpoint movie, not only because of Keaton reprising Batman but just the vague possibility of Nicholson reprising the Joker would be Spiderman: NWH numbers.

I feel that Jack is the best joker. I also feel that Jim Carey is the best riddler, even tho that movie was a bit sub par. Great reaction.

When you mentioned how you enjoy seeing how different directors approach Batman it got me thinking about a dream project I had which would be to get a bunch of the top directors and giving them all the same script and budgets and seeing what kind of movies they would make. I've always been fascinated by how directors solve different filmmaking problems and by what aspects of the story or characters they prefer to emphasize. Unfortunately I doubt you would ever be able to get people to do that. I'm not sure many directors could handle being directly compared to each other that way. But i think it would be an interesting experiment for arts sake.

I love the story about the plant in this film. It's the same location used for the AP station in Aliens, and when Tim Burton's crew showed up to film Batman stuff... They found the Alien lair, still there with the cacooned bodies in the walls.

This Batman film is my top 5 favorite films of all time! I can watch this movie over and over again, this is the film that really made future directors change how they view CBMs. The only other Batman that was known before this was Adam West’s Batman from 1966, so when Burton did this, it really was a shot in the arm and it was classic. Even now I hold it higher than other Batman films that have come out because it was the first to take well known actors and place them in supporting roles, I mean Billy Dee Williams as Harvey Dent(who would become Two Face), Jack Nicholson as Joker, Kim Basinger as Vicki Vale… I mean this movie really had some great actors that know how to act and bring some chops to the film. I love this film so much and I’m glad you enjoyed it too

I'm really impressed that you could recognize Burton's style without knowing he was the director of both films! And in a related note, this film especially drew a lot inspiration from German expressionism, which is an additional reason why it favors static shots. (The influence is more overt in the sequel.)

My dad likes the gag where after Joker poisons random makeup products the news anchors aren't wearing makeup and have visible blemishes and look rough.

I was thrilled when I saw your reaction listed. I knew this was going to be a fun ride, because everything that this movie does well and larger than life, you appreciate. And sure enough you did. I love it for all the same reasons - Jack killed it as Jack and the Joker. Part of the reason so much time was devoted to him was, I think, to build a bigger villain so that the victory would be that much more dramatic. Of course, if you have Jack Nicholson in the cast, you AREN'T going to waste any opportunities. The set design is sooo good, a mix of Art Deco and gothic on steroids, dwarfing the people and drowning them in darkness. The external bracing of the buildings made them look like cages, adding to the crushing atmosphere of the city. Bleakness and night, perfect for the Dark Knight to terrorize the criminals.

I'm watching the 1960s TV show right now and I'm really enjoying it. The corny 1940s Batman movie serials that took themselves way too seriously returned to the theateres back then and that show was a parody of those. The theatrical movie was made between seasons 1 and 2, and it indeed includes one of the most hilarious scenes that was ever in a Batman movie.

Tim Burton’s Batman was not a sleeper. It was one of the biggest movies of the decade and one of the biggest cultural phenomenons any movie has ever inspired. The marketing of Burton’s Batman has actually been studied analytically and been called the most well marketed movie ever. Tim Burton’s 89 Batman, as the 78 Superman, were totally unique films and blazed a trail for the genre. There would be no Nolan Batman or MCU without the path forged by 78 Superman, and 89 Batman

Burton did "Edward Scissor Hands", also "Beetlejuice" and "Sleepy Hollow". "That reminds me of the Dark Knight", yeah I wonder what that scene in Nolan's movie was an homage to =P

This was fun to watch. You are so much fun (smile). The reason why this movie makes you think of Edward Scissorhands is because it has the same director, Tim Burton, and the same composer, Danny Elfman. Their energy is so distinctive, I love it. ❤

Jack requested Prince for soundtrack because he was a huge fan. Prince used parts from the movie in the music. I listened to soundtrack and when I saw movie I knew lines in scenes. Gotta love Prince and Jack.💜💜🎶🎵

The hype on this movie was huge when it came out. Still one of my favorite depictions

"You don't have to be on your game at all. There is no game. That's how you be on it." James Vs Cinema 👌🏾

The music is Danny Elfman whom, I believe, also did Edward Scissorhands Edit: Danny Elfman also wrote the scores for The Simpsons, the Peewee Herman movies, Darkman, Tales from the Crypt and various other 90’s shows and movies

All I ever wanted growing up was the Power-Wheels of this Batmobile. I'd see it in Toys R Us up on the rack, calling out to me... On another note: I'm pretty sure as soon as Jack Nicholson signed on, it became a Jack Nicholson picture. He was a huge star at the time, and him being attached made it a lot less risky (which a big budget comic movie was at the time), not to mention helped with getting a bigger budget. Add to that Michael Keaton not being a big name at the time (even facing some backlash, as he was seen as a comedic actor). I see what you mean about the camera work, but that wasn't a big thing for Tim Burton then, more focused on showing off the set and character design, with a lot of tacked-down shots. He's never been the most technically astounding director, but he had style to make up for it (until he never recovered from Planet of the Apes).

I think that's a thing that ran through all these early movies, and Nolan's Dark Knight (with Heath Ledger's Joker) that the villain carried the spotlight. I definitely remember reading that more than one of the Batman actors weren't that happy about it because they're playing a quiet, brooding character who's in a costume that limits their movement & expression a bunch of the time, while the villain actors get to chew up the scenery and be funny & exiting. Also, notice that here Jack Nicholson got first billing, not Michael Keaton who was playing the title character. Yes, Jack was a much bigger star & was paid more, but it does tell you where things are going.

I saw this movie when it premiered back in the day. I thought Nicholson should have received an Oscar nomination for his performance.

Now this is the ONLY Joker u don't want knocking on ur door! Nicholas is a goon!!

Still my favorite live action rendition of Gotham. The versions since Nolans trilogy all trying to make it look like a typical American metropolitan area robs the city of all its character. I love the feeling that Gotham is a city wallowing in decay and aging infrastructure...a place that has seemingly resisted most attempts at modernization. Makes it a place whose exterior matches its soul.

He doesn't want you to think he above all people would be batman. The whole angler of how he play's Bruce.

I'm always shocked how many people have not seen this movie. It's iconic, it changed the game for cinema for the era, both as a Tim Burton film, Hollywood blockbusters, and Superhero movies. Just like what Superman did a decade earlier. You can not understand how we got here in film without seeing Batman.

A sleeper? More like one of the biggest films of the decade that re-launched all modern Batman popularity.

I think one of the most influential parts of this movie is how Jack Nicholson came one and lent a legitimacy to serious actors who may not have wanted to do a "cartoon" movie. Jack's an Oscar-winner, and a legend, so other A-listers started following suit: Tommy Lee Jones Jim Carey Danny Devito Christopher Walken Arnold Schwartenegger Michelle Pfieffer Being a cartoon villain used to be for wanna-be B-list actors, now it's a badge of honor, in Hollywood.

I highly suggest you see all the ideations of Batman. As a film maker its an extraordinary opportunity for you to explore how each person brings all the elements to life in different intriguing sometimes rediculously fantastical ways.

When you get a minute, check out the 2 albums from this film. Score by Danny Elfman and soundtrack by Prince

I love that Burton's Bat is surprisingly brutal - he takes a lot from the very earliest version (who did indeed have a plane with machineguns). Like how when he's capturing mooks at the plant, he literally shot them with a grappling hook *through the shoulder.* Yes, that's right. The mook is dangling by his collarbone. No wonder he's screaming. *Edit:* As for the whole thing about Batman not killing...well, yes and no. What he's *never* been, at *any* point, is casual about it, and he definitely never went for "eh, collateral damage". That's one of the big issues about the Snyder-Bat, he mows down mooks in ways that probably sees hundreds of innocents dying right there with them. No Batman has been like that. Not once.

The first two Batman films are iconic! So many of the subsequent films pay homage to them.

dope vid as always. your commentarys awesome

Excellent channel! Your content is great. Keep up the good work!

Michael Keaton silently: "I'm Batman...I'm BATMAN." God damn right you are. This was the first turn to darkness with the comic book charisma. It will always be my favorite. I may be bias, but I'm also right. Ever dance with the Devil in the pale Moon light?

"Then there's the wacky one..." very subtle description of Batman & Robin. LoL

I think part of the reason for having a more static camera is that most every shot is intended to mimic a comic book panel in style.

This was a happening when it came out. I remember getting the full color photo book at the time of the movie. Wish I would've kept that. Probably worth a little now. The fact Burton made this blockbuster is amazing with his macabre film background and his quirky scripts. Such a rich, beautiful film landscape. I wonder if The Crow film sets were inspired from this movie.

Fun fact: The scene where Joker's in Vicki's apartment, look at Vicki holding the bowl of popcorn and start eating it right before Keaton utters the iconic "You wanna get nuts! Come on, let's get nuts!" Basinger was hungry after not eating for hours on set and started eating some of the popcorn during that scene. She thought it was rehearsals but the footage they used actually ended up being the one in the edit. Source: Making of Batman 89' the book.

This ushered in the modern era of Batman films. Before this was the TV show from the 50s. We had nothing to compare it to. I was in 9th grade when this came out and we loved it.

The scene wasn't in the YT edit but when Batman blows up the chemical plant and sees Joker in the helicopter. He's standing outside of the Batmobile and his cape is blowing in the wind, and that might be my favorite visual of Batman in any movie.

Micheal Keaton got backlash when he was cast as Batman, as he was best known known for Comedy. Jack Nicholson took a smaller fee, than normal but took a % of the gross.

This movie was in constant rotation as a kid. BUT as an adult Batman Returns might be my favorite Batman movie. The icy atmosphere and sets of Batman Returns just sets a mood. Everything is stylized two step beyond normal. I would def suggest continuing with the sequel!

Wait until you watch Batman returns your gonna love it. Danny devito and Michelle Phifer do a amazing job as the Penguin and Catwoman.

This movie was released with the first, full THX sound treatment. We drove all the across to town to see it in 70mm and THX. I was 12, and will never forget the scene where Joker walks around the meeting table. The voice went all the way around the theater. Now, we have IMAX and 7 channels of sound (I don't but it's available) at home.

You mention the “bat lean”. Keaton had to turn his whole midsection to look around. They offered to redesign the bat costume for the flash movie that came out recently, and Keaton refused, because the way Batman turns to look at something is iconic in its own way.😂

Hi🖖😎 Greetings from Poland. This Batmobile is, in my opinion, the most beautiful car ever built. Love Yours chanel 🤘😁

I remember watching it when it came into the theaters. Everyone said Jack stole the show, and I tend to agree.

love the videos man. james your my number one guy

The "whacky" Batman film is actually starring George Clooney as Batman, but it's from the same director as the one with Val Kilmer, that one being Batman Forever. Batman Forever still has some semblance of a serious story in a way. It's not as terrible as some people make it out to be. Batman and Robin is 110% ridiculous, though.

the rubber used to make the cowl was so ridged that Keaton couldn't turn his head hence moving his entire body to look. They couldn't correct it until Nolan came along for Batman Begins. Nolan even felt the need to poke fun at it in Batman Begins.

the best Gotham, the best batmobile, the best suit, the best atmosphere, the most gothic, the best soundtrack .....