Batman (Two-Disc Special Edition)

Buy This Item Batman (Two-Disc Special Edition) by Warner Home Video  Available from Amazon  $19.99  on 8-27-2008     Jack Nicholson is the Joker, who emerged from a horrible accident as a maniacal criminal. Michael Keaton is the Caped Crusader, who emerged from a childhood trauma to become a masked crimefighter. Kim Basinger is Vicki Vale, the talented photojournalist desired by both men. And Batman is the movie, the all-out spectacular directed by Tim Burton, set to songs by Prince and a music score by Danny Elfman, and an Academy AwardO winner* for Best Art Direction/Set Decoration (Anton Furst and Peter Young).<P><b>DVD Features:</b> <b>Audio Commentary:</b>Commentary by director Tim Burton <b>Documentaries:</b>Legends of the Dark Knight Shadows of the Bat: The Cinematic Saga of the Dark Knight Parts 1-3 Beyond Batman Documentary Gallery <b>Featurette:</b>On the Set with Bob Kane Shadows of the Bat Pts. 1-3 Batman: The Heroes and Villains Gallery <b>Music Video:</b>Partyman by Prince Batdance by Prince Scandalous by Prince <b>Theatrical Trailer</b> </p> Reader Reviews This is a solid film. Not my favorite Batman film - I like Batman Begins more - but solid. The thing is, without one key player it wouldn't be as good. Yes, Tim Burton's directing is excellent, the visuals are respectable, and I like Prince's soundtrack a good deal more than I probably should (favorite songs: "Partyman", "Scandalous" and "Trust"). Visually, the film is a marvel - I especially like the portrayals of the Batmobie, the Batcave, and the Batplane. This enough to make it a good, 3.5 to 4-star movie. But here's what brings it over the edge: The Joker. Jack Nicholson outdoes himself from his first appearance as the full-blown villain (a murder set to carnival music), pumping out a flurry of puns and one-liners, equipped with many memorable props, including a boxing glove on a spring, a gloved hand that pops out of a gift box, a hand buzzer with a sick twist, and a REALLY big gun. Just when you think he can't get any better or funnier, he does. It all peaks in the unforgettable clock tower scene, where he delivers one my favorite line in the movie. I won't spoil it for you, but it's brilliant. The only real problem with the film is that all of the other major players step back and let Nicholson run away with the show. Michael Keaton's Batman is bland, lacking in the mystique that the role requires, though he makes for a good Bruce Wayne. His girlfriend Vicki Vale (Kim Bassinger) pretty much spends the entire film shrieking, a check in the "minus" column for her likability. Alfred (Michael Gough) is decent, but I prefer the dry-humored treatment he gets in Batman Begins. I like Robert Wuhl as the uppity reporter Alexander Knox, but sadly there's not enough of him. This is a good film, but I think Batman Begins does a better job with Batman.

Batman (Two-Disc Special Edition) Available from Amazon Price: $19.99 Updated on 8-27-2008.

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