I like Batman. As evidenced by the fact that I saw The Dark Knight at the midnight release in Athens, and then again Saturday when I went to visit my sister in Atlanta.
I grew up watching Batman: The Animated Series.
I used to have the Wayne Manor play-set.
I wish I still did.
So when I found out Heath Ledger was going to be playing the Joker, I was nervous, but gave him the benefit of the doubt - mostly because of how much enjoyed Batman Begins. Honestly, I've been waiting for this movie since the Joker card was flipped over at the end of BB.
And he/it did not disappoint.
But that's not what I want to talk about.
The Dark Knight is one of those rare movies that has the witty dialogue and the traditional dramatic speeches that make comic book/graphic novel movies hard to swallow sometimes, but sill finds a way to make it work. Really well.
But that's not what I want to talk about, either.
The Dark Knight is not for kids. Or for people who are easily disturbed. While trying not to give too much away, this movie is dark, creepy, and - well, disturbing. It dives into the mind of a depraved, psychotic criminal. It's not a fun around, especially since, like all Batman villains, the Joker is based, in part, on something inside of everybody. It's what you don't see or hear - what you have to fill in for yourself - that really gets to you.
But at the same time, this film is masterful in exploring the mind of the hero as well. Again, while trying not ruin the movie for those who have yet to see it, The Dark Knight is also about people who do the right thing, the price they pay, the guilt they feel, and the temptation to give in to the baser instincts. What happens when chaos is introduced into the system? Can society cope? Can an individual? At the end of the movie, you find yourself filled with both hope and despair.*
Rock on.
*ThinkChristian offers their review here; but be warned, it contains a few spoilers - not enough to completely ruin the movie, but those wishing to experience the full effect should stay away until after seeing it.
Showing posts with label Batman. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Batman. Show all posts
28 June 2008
22 March 2008
This is why...
Batman: The Animated Series was so great. Not the best video ever, but considering it's a cartoon from nearly a decade ago, it's flat impressive.
Without any further ado, BlockoVision's The Dark Knight trailer presented in a TAS format.
Edit: You can tell that there was a rather drastic change in animation - the Joker's face is a little more round and even gentler, and the ears on Batman's cowl are a little longer. This was about the time (1997) they introduced the new Robin and the series was called The New Batman Adventures and they used a few different styles, none of which held a candle to the original. There were a few major changes between the '95 end of TAS and the start of TNBA which are hard to track down. I stopped watching around that time (I was living in Germany and TAS was the only version broadcast), so I'm a little lacking in trivia, though my friend James might be able to offer a better explanation. Am I rambling? Yeah. But it's just because I miss TAS so much.
Without any further ado, BlockoVision's The Dark Knight trailer presented in a TAS format.
Edit: You can tell that there was a rather drastic change in animation - the Joker's face is a little more round and even gentler, and the ears on Batman's cowl are a little longer. This was about the time (1997) they introduced the new Robin and the series was called The New Batman Adventures and they used a few different styles, none of which held a candle to the original. There were a few major changes between the '95 end of TAS and the start of TNBA which are hard to track down. I stopped watching around that time (I was living in Germany and TAS was the only version broadcast), so I'm a little lacking in trivia, though my friend James might be able to offer a better explanation. Am I rambling? Yeah. But it's just because I miss TAS so much.
27 February 2008
Recapturing My Childhood
Over the summer, my parents moved to Korea. I ended up in my own apartment with my own car and the family dog. I ended up forwarding mail and having to take care of a lot of things that most college kids don't even think about. And I really enjoy the responsibility. It's stressful at times, but I like it.
But every once in a while, I need to relax. And every once in a while, I wish I could go back to sitting on my grandfather's bed watching Fox Kids on a lazy summer afternoon. Summers in Georgia bring back memories of vacations and time being spoiled by my grandparents, and everyone needs that.
So, over the summer, I bought Malt-O-Meal-brand bags of kid's cereals (off-brand Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Fruity Pebbles, and Lucky Charms - the stuff that was reserved for summers and Saturdays) and found an online version of Batman: Mask of the Phantasm. And then, the next day (well, I still had cereal and milk left...), I tracked down Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker - which reunited the voice talents from the original show. And, though it shouldn't be possible, it was as disturbing as MotP.
I grew up watching Batman. My generation is perhaps the most loyal to the series. We grew up with Batman: The Animated Series, the ground-breaking cartoon version. It was dark, it was edgy, it was as close to film-noir as a cartoon will ever get. It combined this 1930s detective feel with a pulp serial futuristic tone. Most people call it "art deco". I just know that I like it. It is the first American cartoon to have pistols instead of laser guns. It came to define many of the Batman villains - they're over-the-top, like all comic book villains, but they maintain their humanity, both in mind and body, making them the most believable cartoon villains of the past few years. I like Tim Burton, but I don't think he had any business directing Batman, and most kids my age agree. Mark Hamill is the Joker. And when he gave Heath Ledger's portrayal his blessing, there was a great sigh of relief let out on college campuses everywhere. Batman Begins is probably so popular in my age group because of how close it comes to being Batman: TAS. The music is inspiring - dark, moody, dramatic - it defined the series almost as much as the art style. It's music that has themes and builds off of them - the type of stuff lost on anyone who grew up after the introduction of the new Robin (yes, I occasionally classify age groups by the Batman they grew up with).
So, anyway, Batman is my childhood. So as I get ready for a final tomorrow and face the end of my second year of college (where did the past two months go, anyway?), I feel old. People born in a different decade from me are in college now. People who were born while I were in middle school are starting elementary school. I'm still a teenager...for a few months. And those months are flying by.
Now imagine my glee when, just as I need a break, even for an evening, I find six episodes of Batman - and the first few episodes - on DVD at Kroger for only $10. So, being a rational college student, I bought some pizza and the DVD. And so, if you'll excuse me, I've got some memories to live in and a pizza that's getting cold.
Rock on.
But every once in a while, I need to relax. And every once in a while, I wish I could go back to sitting on my grandfather's bed watching Fox Kids on a lazy summer afternoon. Summers in Georgia bring back memories of vacations and time being spoiled by my grandparents, and everyone needs that.
So, over the summer, I bought Malt-O-Meal-brand bags of kid's cereals (off-brand Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Fruity Pebbles, and Lucky Charms - the stuff that was reserved for summers and Saturdays) and found an online version of Batman: Mask of the Phantasm. And then, the next day (well, I still had cereal and milk left...), I tracked down Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker - which reunited the voice talents from the original show. And, though it shouldn't be possible, it was as disturbing as MotP.
I grew up watching Batman. My generation is perhaps the most loyal to the series. We grew up with Batman: The Animated Series, the ground-breaking cartoon version. It was dark, it was edgy, it was as close to film-noir as a cartoon will ever get. It combined this 1930s detective feel with a pulp serial futuristic tone. Most people call it "art deco". I just know that I like it. It is the first American cartoon to have pistols instead of laser guns. It came to define many of the Batman villains - they're over-the-top, like all comic book villains, but they maintain their humanity, both in mind and body, making them the most believable cartoon villains of the past few years. I like Tim Burton, but I don't think he had any business directing Batman, and most kids my age agree. Mark Hamill is the Joker. And when he gave Heath Ledger's portrayal his blessing, there was a great sigh of relief let out on college campuses everywhere. Batman Begins is probably so popular in my age group because of how close it comes to being Batman: TAS. The music is inspiring - dark, moody, dramatic - it defined the series almost as much as the art style. It's music that has themes and builds off of them - the type of stuff lost on anyone who grew up after the introduction of the new Robin (yes, I occasionally classify age groups by the Batman they grew up with).
So, anyway, Batman is my childhood. So as I get ready for a final tomorrow and face the end of my second year of college (where did the past two months go, anyway?), I feel old. People born in a different decade from me are in college now. People who were born while I were in middle school are starting elementary school. I'm still a teenager...for a few months. And those months are flying by.
Now imagine my glee when, just as I need a break, even for an evening, I find six episodes of Batman - and the first few episodes - on DVD at Kroger for only $10. So, being a rational college student, I bought some pizza and the DVD. And so, if you'll excuse me, I've got some memories to live in and a pizza that's getting cold.
Rock on.
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