About Batman (1989)

Batman is a 1989 superhero film directed by Tim Burton and produced by Jon Peters, based on the DC Comics character of the same name. It revolves around Bruce Wayne (Michael Keaton), a billionaire industrialist who, after witnessing his parents' murder as a child, trains himself physically and intellectually and crafts a bat-inspired persona to fight crime.

Making / Production

Directed by Tim Burton, Batman was a project that took over a decade to make real, due to various scripts and production issues. Burton was hired after the success of Pee-wee's Big Adventure (1985), and he brought his unique gothic visual style to the film.

Actors

• Michael Keaton played Bruce Wayne/Batman. His portrayal was lauded for capturing the character's seriousness and complexity.
• Jack Nicholson played The Joker, giving a flashy, memorable performance that stole many scenes.
• Kim Basinger played Vicki Vale, a damsel in distress and love interest to Batman.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• The Batmobile in the film was designed by Anton Furst and is based on a Chevy Impala.
• Jack Nicholson's makeup as the Joker took two hours to apply each day.
• Michael Keaton was initially met with fan backlash upon casting but quickly won viewers over with his performance.

Awards

Batman won the Academy Award for Best Art Direction in 1990. Jack Nicholson was also nominated for a Golden Globe for his performance.

Quotes

• The Joker: "Where does he get those wonderful toys?"
• Batman: "I'm not going to kill you. I want you to do me a favor. I want you to tell all your friends about me."
• The Joker: "This town needs an enema!"

Music, Soundtrack

• The iconic score was composed by Danny Elfman, adding to the film's unique atmosphere.
• The soundtrack included songs by Prince, which gave the movie a more contemporary feel.
• "Batdance", one of the songs from the movie, reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.