MovieChat Forums > Batman (1989) Discussion > The Dark Knight VS Batman '89

The Dark Knight VS Batman '89

posted 8 years ago by Scozzese
5 replies | jump to latest

It's no contest, The Dark Knight completely annillates Batman '89 in all categories: the writing, directing and acting (especially Christian Bale's Bruce Wayne/Batman and Heath Ledger's The Joker) are all far superior.

The only thing Batman '89 has that comes close to the greatness of The Dark Knight is the music. Danny Elfman's excellent score is on par with Hans Zimmer's outstanding compositions.

Batman '89 is more of a children's movie, it's a great introductory film for really young Batman fans but The Dark Knight is more of a adult's movie, it's for very mature Batman fans.

Batman '89 is a fun movie for the kids but The Dark Knight is a masterpiece made for the grown ups.

[–] Spoffdarko 8 years ago

The only comparison you can really make with these is that they are both Batman films.

They were made 20 years apart, for quite different audiences with different expectations from their films. The sensibilities and culture of the mid to late 1980's were quite different from the late 2000's.

Times change and people change.

Batman 89 was intended to have a more "comic book" feel to it, which I think it pulls off with excellent style. Look at the architecture and decay of Gotham City, look at the colourful villains, the design of the Batmobile etc. Everything was designed to be slightly over the top and a fantasy that is a little "larger than life". Which in 1989 really worked well.

For TDK (Which, don't get me wrong, is an excellent film) it was all about bringing in the realism, which was becoming more and more the audience expectation at the time.

Take a deeper look at Batman 89, consider it's subtleties and nuances. Don't just view it from a superficial "better writing and better acting" point of view, I think you will find far more there than you ever thought.

It is certainly not just a "kids film". In fact, I have always viewed it as aimed at a more mature audience, when I watched it as a 12 year old in the cinema there were quite a lot of things I didn't understand in it.

"I'm leaving, i've assessed the situation, and i'm going".

[–] Hendry_William_French 8 years ago

The key thing about Batman 89 is that it presented Batman as a mysterious entity in a larger than life world rather than some bore playing fancy dress up in a generic cop movie. B89's characters were understated rather than overwrought. The direction was more stylized and skilled. The acting was better. The actors were better.

B89 was a product of the 80s, a time when audiences preferred some imagination and creativity to their movies rather than the up-its-own-ass style of Nolan. Here's a phrase that Nolan will never comprehend: less is more. That's what Burton understood, and why B89 kicks TDK's sickeningly overrated ass to kingdome come.

Either put on these glasses or start eatin' that trash can

[–] war-path 8 years ago

It's no contest, The Dark Knight completely annillates Batman '89 in all categories: the writing, directing and acting (especially Christian Bale's Bruce Wayne/Batman and Heath Ledger's The Joker) are all far superior.

The Dark Knight only has a better Joker and writing that tackles Batman '89. Christian Bale and Christopher NO-lan can't even come close to Annihilating Batman 1989. Bale's Batman voice was horrendous and laughable at times and NO-lan isn't a great director when it comes to making a movie about Batman or even comic book movies in general.

The only thing Batman '89 has that comes close to the greatness of The Dark Knight is the music. Danny Elfman's excellent score is on par with Hans Zimmer's outstanding compositions.

While I liked some things Zimmer and Newton-Howard have composed for TDK, Danny Elfman's score for Batman '89 is a million times better. That score is what also made Batman.

Batman '89 is more of a children's movie, it's a great introductory film for really young Batman fans but The Dark Knight is more of a adult's movie, it's for very mature Batman fans.

Not even. The darkness and gloomy atmosphere of the movie combined with the violence and homages to the Depression-era Gangster crooks are not things that could easily be considered as simply a children's movie. Any mature Batman fan can appreciate Batman '89 just as much as 2008's TDK. After all, Batman killed in Batman 1989.

Batman '89 is a fun movie for the kids but The Dark Knight is a masterpiece made for the grown ups.

Batman '89 is a fun movie to watch for anyone whether kids or adults. It's also a masterpiece. If it wasn't for Batman '89, the character would be dead on so many levels to the mainstream world. You wouldn't even have TDK either.

[–] LetThemEatCake01 8 years ago

The Dark Knight will never even come close to this movie's shoe soles.

[–] FridayOnElmStreet 8 years ago

Batman is a better film.