Batman: Christain Bale 2005

Chris Nolan, who made his mark with Memento, which went back in time. After the last Batman series ran its course, Nolan picks it up again by casting Christian Bale in Batman Begins. Nolan retells how Bruce Wayne become Batman. Purists decried the invention of a new character who trains Wayne. Bale's take on Batman is serious, with little camp, save for a few one-lines. I mean, it is Batman after all. As Wayne, his playboy antics run slightly false, but it works because you don't want Wayne's character to go down that path.

Nolan also makes interesting directorial decisions, such as showing the bruises on Wayne's body after a fight and having (the always excellent) Morgan Freeman's character explain that his suit can't stop a direct shot from a bullet. An integral part of Batman is that he has no super powers, unlike Superman. Mortality and the the morality of vigilantism are themes throughout the film.

(Michael Caine is a pretty good Alfred.)

Batman: George Clooney 1997

By the time, George Clooney rolls into town, the Batman revival is showing signs of breaking down. On paper, Clooney should have been great in Batman & Robin, with his charmed, never grow up, confirmed bachelor status in real life. But he with Chris O'Donnell as Robin and Alicia Silverstone as Batgirl, sleep walk through the movie, pausing only on occasion to offer some double entendre one-liner. Nothing in the movie gels, the villain Mr. Freeze (Arnold Schwarzenegger) and Poision Ivy (Uma Thurman) feel like the 3rd string team. I have no idea who is to blame. Most likely it's just the Hollywood system. Where, by the fourth in the series of a good run, people get lazy and rely on formulas and gimmicks instead of original ideas that made the first films interesting.

Two months ago, this movie was playing on flight to San Francisco, and yes, that is the sad state of our airlines. It's unfortunate, that the movie hasn't turned into, so bad, it's good. George, Chris, Uma, and Arnold as just as bad as they were a decade ago, and I doubt it will get better with age.

Well, there is one thing to note, Clooney discusses playing Batman as gay in an interview in 2006 with Barbara Walters.

"GEORGE CLOONEY outs Batman on Barbara Walters' Oscar special tonight. Asked if he'd ever play a gay role, Clooney says he already did - as Batman. "Think about it," he explains. "I was in a rubber suit. I had rubber nipples. I could have played him straight but I didn't. I made him gay." Well, that puts Bruce Wayne's "ward" Robin in a new light ..." via Rotten Tomatoes and the Daily Dish.

Batman: Val Kilmer 1995

What can I say? After two successful movies, Burton and Keaton bow out and director Joel Schumacher and Val Kilmer take the helm for Batman Forever. Schumacher tries to dial of the erotic, with a more "organic" look and feel, ie, phallic Batmobile and nipple protruding from the suit.

The end result is, Kilmer is sort of like George W and the recent Republican presidents. Keaton revived the character, as Reagan did the GOP. Clooney killed the franchise (more on him in the next post,) like George W is leaving his party in shambles.

George W and Kilmer were sort of the inconsequential middle men who failed to live up to the high expectations of the man before him. Although they didn't completely mess up, they still weren't asked back for a second go.

(Don't ask me where Bill Clinton or Christain Bale fit into this, because the metaphor breaks down and I don't know.)

At the end of the day, if Kilmer can survive playing a blind guy who gets sight in At First Sight, the guy is going to do alright. More recently,
Kilmer is the new voice of KITT on the new Knight Rider, to be honest, not entirely sure what to make of that.

Batman: Michael Keaton 1989

Back when they announced that Michael Keaton in the new movie version of Batman, there was a collective, "WTF, the Mr. Mom guy?," myself included.

But when people saw Tim Burton's dark interpretation of Batman, influenced by the Dark Knight graphic novel series by Frank Miller, all was forgiven. Although orphaned like Superman, Batman and his home turf of Gotham City was a stark counterpoint to Superman and shinny Metropolis. Instead, Burton created a world of grey, both in the art direction and also the morality of vigilante justice.

(Also, a muscle-tone black rubber Batman suit, having Jack Nicholson play the Joker, a score by Danny Elfman, and kick ass soundtrack from Prince helped too.)

Batman: Adam West 1966

Campy and classic, this version of Batman planted the seeds for all the homoerotic references of the Batman and Robin relationship. Part of the reason behind it, was the literal translation of the comic to live acting, with tights, full screen text sound effects, and over the top dialogue. Smirkers today should be reminded that at its height of popularity, Batman was the "it" guest star show for Hollywood, including Otto Preminger, George Sanders, Liberace, Art Carney, Roddy McDowall, Tallulah Bankhead, John Astin, and Shelley Winters.

In the 90s, I seem to recall Adam West making rumblings that he wanted to play the role in the new movie franchise. But today, he has made piece with the role in superhero history, voice-acting various parts in Batman animated productions. Plus, he had a recurring role in "The Adventures of Pete and Pete," one of the best shows every made for television.