MovieChat Forums > Batman (1989) Discussion > Who saw this in cinemas back in '89?

Who saw this in cinemas back in '89?

posted 8 years ago by bozo_500
73 replies | jump to latest

Who saw this back in the day? What are your memories - the anticipation of seeing it in the weeks/days before, the actually seeing it and how much a big deal was it where you were back then, the crowds, audience etc and after coming out of the cinema what were your thoughts and in the days/weeks that followed.
____

I saw it must've been a week or so after was released. I remember ALOT of hype in the weeks/months before, bat logo was everywhere t shirts, badges, posters everywhere. There was also ALOT of discussion in the news about the rating. Initially it was to be a 15 (which would mean I couldn't see it) but then the BBFC invented a new rating especially for it (that's how much of a big deal the movie was) so it got 12 (more equivalent to the PG13, before that in UK PG13either had to be cut for PG or get the kid unfriendly 15 rating)

I didn't really get the hype, id never been that interested in batman (was a superman fan) and beyond the AWest TV show had little knowledge of the character (only read the odd DC comics in annual form, had no knowledge of any of the adult Frank miller stuff) and the rating stuff confused me..how violent could it be?..this was batman not the terminator!

Onto the film it was something that id never really seen before, the retro/modern 1930s gangster look, the hard violence, the dark atmosphere and gritty hard urban legend edge..I was a huge superman movie fan and just 2 years before had seen SIV at cinema (and loved it!) But this was like the dark twisted side of those films, very adult in tone. Suddenly I felt like superman was for kids Saturday morning cartoons but this was a real adult film with very adult feel. I completely got why it was almost a 15 like the movies I was too young for back then. When I emerged from the darkness of the cinema I definitely felt more grown up more of a man 

In the weeks that followed I bought (or had bought for me) stuff like the TOPPS magazine, poster magazine, DC comic adaptation (which had incredible artwork and cover), the novel, some badges, as well as started collecting the TOPPS bubble gum cards, the Elfman soundtrack LP (the score sounded amazing back then..had to be careful not to get the Prince album by mistake which was everywhere).. I even got a bat logo t shirt that everyone was wearing (although initially I didn't want one)

there was ALOT of movies to see in 89 - Indiana Jones was just before batman like happened almost 20 years later in 2008 (with a new joker - almost a remake of Bat89 in some ways), BTTF2, Ghostbusters 2, Star trek V, Bond (which was 15 so couldn't see it) but Batman topped them all..

[–] Times_Up 8 years ago

I remember my best and I's dads were talking to us about the Adam West Batman and we were like ugh that sucks. We hated and made fun of that show. They wanted to take us, but we were like ugh Batman sucks. When we saw the movie though, we loved it and our dads were like "this isn't Batman!" We referred to the Keaton version as the black Batman, the cool one. West was the grey and blue Batman, who sucked.

If I didn’t talk the way I talk I wouldn’t know who the hell I am, Sean Connery on his accent

[–] justanicknamed 8 years ago

I was excited to see it. I was concerned about Keaton as Bruce/Batman, but that quickly faded. I thought he did a great job - just the right amount of brooding without seeming morose.

Nicholson blew me away. I swear they gave him a script ONLY so he knew what everyone else was supposed to be doing. Obviously he had to know the plot, but it seemed like most of the stuff he said he came up with.

I thought it had a perfect tone. Dark, but not somber. Slick, but not comical.

Not everything was perfect, but the characters were pretty true to their histories. That is especially important for a character like Joker who is supposed to have a twisted sense of humor, not just a lip-smacking, twitching manner of delivering his annoying lines.

I think I saw this on the opening weekend Sunday and then again the next night or the night after that. For sure, it was the first movie I ever paid to see twice.

And, the day it was released on VHS, I had my friend at the video store hold a copy for me so I could watch it again.

[–] gothamcity-90150 8 years ago

Cool stories! I always regret not seeing this in cinemas but maybe one day I would; in one of those cinemas that plays older films and classics. 

[–] wylierichardson-966-922691 8 years ago

I am old enough to have seen it when it first came out. I was living in a small section of Queens called Woodside at the time, and I had to go to a nearby movie theatre for the first time ever, to see it. I think I paid 7 bucks for the ticket, and there was a big line to see it, as it was opening weekend. I also remember the media hype, like the Batman cover on Rolling Stone, and those bubble-gum cards. I think I bought a few packs on 'spec', but they aren't worth much now. Oh well.

[–] Times_Up 8 years ago

I remember those cards! They were so popular that they put out a 2nd series (yellow border) that was about the making of the movie.

I had a crapton of those cards, I remember they depicted a scene where Bob the Goon fought Batman in the alley. Where is that footage?

Also, the NES game was so popular that they rushed a sequel out the next year to cash in before they (Sunsoft) lost the license to Konami (who would do Batman Returns). Batman: Return of the Joker. Joker is back with no explanation!

If I didn’t talk the way I talk I wouldn’t know who the hell I am, Sean Connery on his accent

[–] 8 years ago

[deleted]

[–] vny109-1 8 years ago

I was 9 when this came out in theaters, which I went to see with my parents, and remember not liking it at all. Don't kniw why, there was plenty of hype back then and I was familiar with the character already. I remember making my mom buy me the breakfast cereal and even that I didn't like. The toys, which I got of course, where pretty cool though. Think I still have them. As a grown up I can appreciate it more than I ever did as a kid. I guess I understand it now.

[–] fiero-49251 8 years ago

It was overhyped IMO, but still liked it a lot! I can remember them talking about it months before the release; premiering in London, 2 soundtracks (Edelman and Prince), the all-star case, the merchandizing and how much Nicholson was going to make off everything! It's the 1st time IMO this was done to this extent; even more than James Bond which was more Int'l and tons of ad placements in them!

- - http://scifiblogs3.blogspot.com/2012/12/batman-forever.html - -

- http://www.childrenofrassilon.com/batman-forever.html - Batman Homage

[–] Fat_Lives_Matter 8 years ago

I remember it like it was yesterday! Saw Batman with my mom and loved every minute of it!

[–] Cult_of_Kibner 8 years ago

It's my earliest memory of going to the movies. I was four and my only exposure to the character had been reruns of the '60s show, so I was expecting to see Adam West and Burt Ward running around on the big screen. The stylistic difference blew my little mind.

[–] steve1049 8 years ago

I remember seeing it in the theaters with my father and brother. My mom had a tupper ware party at the house and told my father to take my brother and I to a movie to kill some time. So we went to the local mall that has a movie theater and I remember as I was watching the movie at the time, I thought to myself this was such a dark movie, but remember liking it and thinking the Joker was awesome. I also remember eating the honey flavored Batman cereal that they released in conjunction with this film. Great memories.
I think I remember my first movie I saw in the theaters being He-Man with Dolph Lundgren and I think this was the second movie I ever saw in a theater as a kid.
What a time to grow up in. I still like watching this movie to this day whenever it's on TV. I remember going to my local gym 2 years ago and they were playing this Batman film on all of the TVs and so many people at the gym were just watching it and almost not focusing on their exercises. I think this movie still has a lasting effect with most Batman fans.

[–] darkzero 8 years ago

I didn't see it until I got it on video two years later, but I really wanted to see it at the local drive-in. I remember one night in the Summer of '89, when my cousin and a friend were staying over for the night. My cousin got to go with one of his friends to see it in a double-feature with "Beetlejuice" at the local drive-in, and I was stuck staying home and playing Nintendo with my friend. I was really envious of my cousin that night.

Originality needs a reboot.