It's fun to revisit the first two Batman movies from time to time. The plots don't really hold together, especially in Batman Returns, which is all over the place. Still, the performances, particularly by Michael Keaton, Michael Gough, Jack Nicholson and Michele Pfeiffer, are a treat to watch and the musical scores and artistic design elements of the films hold up very well even three decades later.
Thank you to Bob Greenwade, a Patron of this Blog, for suggesting this double dose of Keaton.
A triple dose of Keaton, n'est-ce pas?!
ReplyDelete;)
BEETLEJUICE!!!
ReplyDeleteSo when the inevitable clash begins, Keaton will be kicking his own ass.
ReplyDeleteBeetlejuice?
ReplyDeleteA bat, a vulture and a beetle...This guy isn't grounded.
Three times, huh? Is that how many times Bob had to ask you? ;-)
ReplyDeleteSeriously, though: thanks, Bob, for your dogged determination in suggesting this cover-sim! And thank you, Ross, for finally finding a way to bring it to life. :-)
I'd call it a two-and-a-half dose, actually, since the third is mentioned but not shown. Adding Beetlejuice is actually quite a clever twist (which I think was suggested by someone else). I imagine that, near the end, we could even get a surprise visit from Birdman.
ReplyDeleteIn addition to the outstanding performances you cite, I actually thought that Danny DeVito did a fine job as the Penguin in Batman Returns -- one that's informed at least a couple of on-the-page and animated iterations of the character. If nothing else, it's not easy to play a character that the audience knows is evil in a way that is still believable as he makes the public in the story think otherwise.
Of course, there are still plenty of same-actor combos that we could get in the future: The Doctor vs. the Purple Man; Deadpool and Green Lantern; Jonah Hex, Cable, and Agent K (MiB) vs. Thanos; Catwoman and Storm; Morbius and the Joker (OK, maybe not that); Dr. Bashir vs. Ra's al Ghul; a team including Agent J, Hancock, Aladdin's Genie, James West, and Deadshot; or even Forrest Gump and Fred Rogers.
(Actually, the only one of those that I'd really love to see is the Ryan Reynolds cover, though Josh Brolin and Will Smith would be fun because of how many characters are in each. And I don't think that any of them, except the Tom Hanks one, would necessarily have to be photo covers.)
A Brie Larson/Zachary Levi photo-cover would be fun too, at least once we have more information on their upcoming sequel movies.
PS: Wouldn't it be interesting if, after he's done playing Spider-Man, Tom Holland were to come back and play one of Batman's foes? A middle-aged Tom could be interesting as the Penguin or Two-Face.
@Cary: You're welcome... and, now that you mention it, I think it may have actually been three times.
"the first two Batman movies"
ReplyDeleteYou aren't counting the 1960s one, then? Now, that was fun...
:D
@Simreeve: Agreed.
ReplyDelete"Robin! Hand me The Bat Anti-shark Repellent!! Quickly!!!"
I know how you like random team ups. So hows this for a set up?
ReplyDeleteAfter Cobra takes over the US by broadcasting an anti-hero ray, Wolverine gathers a random assortment of remaining heroes that haven't been affected to stop them. Wolverine, Zatanna, Grimlock, the Tick, Donetello, Lady Jaye and lets say...Abe Sapien join together to stop them. They are Logan's Heroes.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous Bob Greenwade said...
I'd call it a two-and-a-half dose, actually, since the third is mentioned but not shown. Adding Beetlejuice is actually quite a clever twist (which I think was suggested by someone else). I imagine that, near the end, we could even get a surprise visit from Birdman.
On it!
@Detective Tobor: sounds like an Old School joke.
ReplyDelete"A bat, a beetle, and a vulture walk into a bar..."
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI prefer the Keith Andes version, myself.
ReplyDeleteBIIIIIIIIIIIIRD MAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN!
Let me edit again:
ReplyDelete3 times Michael Keaton? I cannot fail to mention Birdman, from the homonymous film ‘Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)’ (2014) by Alejandro G. Iñárritu, winner of oscar as best film, original script and director in 2015.
We have some actors who played two superheroes (or villains)... But Michael Keaton, it seems, holds the record.
@Paganini: See my long post above. I do mention Birdman, and I also give a couple of pretty decent lists for Josh Brolin and Will Smith.
ReplyDelete@BP: yeah. Three superheroes to one super-villain.
ReplyDelete@Bob Greenwade You are completely right. Your mention of Birdman went unnoticed by me. Forgive me.
ReplyDeleteRereading your post, I agree that the trophy must be Josh Brolin's, for playing in theaters 4 characters from the comics: Jonah Hex (2010 Jonah Hex), Dwight McCarthy (2014 Sin City: A Lady to Kill), Thanos (2018 Avengers): Infinity War; 2019 Avengers: Endgame) and Cable (2018 Deadpool 2).
I removed Will Smith for not considering the Genie of Aladdin (2019 Aladdin), Captain James West (1999 Wild Wild West) or even John Hancock (2008 Hancock) as characters from the comics.
To your list of doubles, I would add:
- Chris Evans, from Human Torch (Fantastic Four 2005; Fantastic Four 2007: Silver Surfer), Lucas Lee (2010 Scott Pilgrim Against the World) and Captain America (no need to name the 7 films and 2 cameos);
- Jim Carrey by The Mask (1994 The Mask) and Riddler (1995 Batman Forever);
- Tommy Lee Jones by Two-Face (1995 Batman Forever), Agent K (1997 Men in Black; 2002 Men in Black II; 2012 Men in Black II; 2012 Men in Black 3) and Colonel Chester Phillips (2011 Captain America: First Avenger)... ok, the latter does not originate in the comics;
- Michael B. Jordan, also Human Torch (Fantastic Four 2015) and Killmonger (2018 Black Panther);
Honorable Mentions:
J. K. Simmons as J.Jonah Jameson (2002 Spider-Man, 2004 Spider-Man 2, 2007 Spider-Man 3; 2019 Spider-Man: Far From Home) and Commissioner James Gordon (2017 Justice League); and
Laurence Fishburne as Perry White (2013 Man of Steel; 2016 Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice) and Bill Foster / Black Goliath (2018 Ant-Man and the Wasp). Curiosity: Laurence Fishburne was the Silver Surfer's voice in Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007) and Narrator on TMNT (2007).
@Bob Greenwade You are completely right. Your mention of Birdman went unnoticed by me. Forgive me.
ReplyDeleteRereading your post, I agree that the trophy must be Josh Brolin's, for playing in theaters 4 characters from the comics: Jonah Hex (2010 Jonah Hex), Dwight McCarthy (2014 Sin City: A Lady to Kill), Thanos (2018 Avengers): Infinity War; 2019 Avengers: Endgame) and Cable (2018 Deadpool 2).
I removed Will Smith for not considering the Genie of Aladdin (2019 Aladdin), Captain James West (1999 Wild Wild West) or even John Hancock (2008 Hancock) as characters from the comics.
@Bob Greenwade To your list of doubles, I would add:
ReplyDelete- Chris Evans, from Human Torch (Fantastic Four 2005; Fantastic Four 2007: Silver Surfer), Lucas Lee (2010 Scott Pilgrim Against the World) and Captain America (no need to name the 7 films and 2 cameos);
- Jim Carrey by The Mask (1994 The Mask) and Riddler (1995 Batman Forever);
- Tommy Lee Jones by Two-Face (1995 Batman Forever), Agent K (1997 Men in Black; 2002 Men in Black II; 2012 Men in Black II; 2012 Men in Black 3) and Colonel Chester Phillips (2011 Captain America: First Avenger)... ok, the latter does not originate in the comics;
- Michael B. Jordan, also Human Torch (Fantastic Four 2015) and Killmonger (2018 Black Panther);
Honorable Mentions:
J. K. Simmons as J.Jonah Jameson (2002 Spider-Man, 2004 Spider-Man 2, 2007 Spider-Man 3; 2019 Spider-Man: Far From Home) and Commissioner James Gordon (2017 Justice League); and
Laurence Fishburne as Perry White (2013 Man of Steel; 2016 Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice) and Bill Foster / Black Goliath (2018 Ant-Man and the Wasp). Curiosity: Laurence Fishburne was the Silver Surfer's voice in Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007) and Narrator on TMNT (2007).
Finally, I just didn't understand your quote from "Dr. Bashir vs. Ra's al Ghul" ... Do you mean Dr. Julian Subatoi Bashir? character from the television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, portrayed by Alexander Siddig
ReplyDeleteBy Ra's al Ghul in the cinema, I can only think of Batman Begins (2005). And, within the theme we are dealing with, I would put Ra's al Ghul vs . Peyton Westlake / Darkman (1990 Darkman), both played by Liam Neeson .
@Bob Greenwade Now I understand, Alexander Siddig also played Ra's Al Ghul in Gotham (TV series).
ReplyDeleteAnonymous said...
ReplyDelete@Detective Tobor: sounds like an Old School joke.
"A bat, a beetle, and a vulture walk into a bar..."
March 12, 2020 at 10:23 AM
They all ordered Wings to go. It was happy hour.
Why would they order re-runs of a mediocre sitcom?
ReplyDeleteCover of the month!
ReplyDelete