Today is the release date of The Dark Knight on DVD and Blue Ray. I LOVE ALL THINGS BATMAN! He's a very iconic character that I latched onto in childhood, initially for his cool visual style. I like his tragic origin that leads to his motivation. He has no super powers and it's conceivable that someone can actually be Batman, albeit someone whose nuts, filthy rich, and in damn good shape. Writing about this character as though he exists, I think I've got the nut part down!
Although he's evolved as well as devolved since his creation by Bob Kane and Bill Finger, I've enjoyed almost every incarnation of the character including that silly 60's TV show.
There have been seven films produced thus far, not including the early serials released sometime in the 40's. Batman: The Movie (based on the TV show), Burton's Batman and Returns, Batman Forever and Batman and Robin, the latter in my bat-opinion being the absolute WORST of the bunch! It was flamboyant sassy Joel Shulmakers' take/homage on the TV show which alienated fans and for all intents and purposes, buried the series.
I thought Clooney was initially a brilliant casting decision to play Bruce Wayne/Batman (Batman and Robin) with his dark brooding classy good looks, but due to the director and writers failures, he came across quite lame. I still believe he would have been very good had the production had a better team of filmmakers heading it up.
Several years ago a little known director (Christopher Nolan) took over, bringing a "realism" to the character as if he actually existed in the "real world". His first film out of the gate being "Batman Begins". Lame title, much like Batman Forever. Being the Batman critic that I am, I certainly enjoyed it but felt he came up just short of absolutely nailing it. Not to mention, I felt it ran a bit longer than necessary.
Next came "The Dark Knight", released in July 2008. A much better film in my opinion, although once again a bit too long, crammed with a bit too much! It featured an amazing performance by Heath Ledger as the joker. Sadly, dying just as his talent and fame were beginning to peak. Nolan got closer to an almost perfect Batman film. Although he hasn't as of yet committed to a third, I pretty much think it's a given if they continue to allow him control of the pic, while throwing bundles of money at him. We'll see. They say third times the charm.
Me thinks I'll be purchasing both the two disc standard DVD version as well as the two disc Blue Ray release, although as of yet, I have not purchased a B/R player. I'm quite overwhelmed with all the retailer exclusives to entice you to buy the film at their store. They have lot's of cool swag for the taking. Statues, comics, posters, etc. I have some big bat decisions to make.
Quick, to the Batpoles, then to the Batbank, to spend lot's of Batbucks on the Batfilm!
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4 comments:
I thought Batman Begins was great! I didn't find it too long at all.
And I absolutely LOVED The Dark Knight! I saw it in theatres and Heath Ledger blew my mind (I could go on and on...) but I felt Christian Bale was WAY too wooden. And his voice was awfully deep and raspy... I usually adore him and his acting, but this role was just "meh."
Hey, the previews on T.V. as I type!
Anyway, I still haven't bought a Blue Ray DVD. I've been busy buying stuff for others... unfortunately.
But I'll be getting a really good DVD soon! Don't know which one yet... any suggestions
I MEANT...
any suggestions?
I consider Ghibli films anime, but I'm no expert. Are you an anime fan? If you are into Miyazaki films, might I suggest Whisper of the Heart.
Wolf it is. I like that name. And C. Louis Wolfe does sound quite authorish. You’ll go far with that.
I have been published. My first published pieces were in my university newspaper. And in my last job and this one, some medical stuff I wrote has been published, although I don’t get a byline on any of it, unfortunately, since I don’t have the MD soup after my name.
I’m hoping to get a thing or two published in my grad school’s literary magazine soon. And my thesis advisor advised not “sitting on the MFA” but getting the manuscript out in front of agents and editors to get it published.
One screenplay I wrote for a grad class and was about an incident that happened to me when I was a kid – I was accidentally left behind on a field trip. The second one I wrote for ScriptFrenzy, which is a spin-off of National Novel Writing Month. That one was about a paradox concerning Longfellow and poem he wrote. I had just read The Dante Club and had Longfellow on the brain.
I have seen a bit of Jekyll. It really creeps me out, but it’s well done. I’ve seen the lead actor in a sitcom called My Family, which is cute and funny, so to see him in Jekyll is unnerving.
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