Batman Returns (1992)

When a corrupt businessman and the grotesque Penguin plot to take control of Gotham City, only Batman can stop them, while the Catwoman has her own agenda.

Director:

Tim Burton

Writers:

Bob Kane (Batman characters), Daniel Waters (story),

Stars:

Michael Keaton, Danny DeVito, Michelle Pfeiffer

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 2 wins & 12 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Michael Keaton	...	Batman / Bruce Wayne
Danny DeVito	...	Penguin / Oswald Cobblepot
Michelle Pfeiffer	...	Catwoman / Selina Kyle
Christopher Walken	...	Max Shreck
Michael Gough	...	Alfred Pennyworth
Michael Murphy	...	The Mayor
Cristi Conaway	...	Ice Princess
Andrew Bryniarski	...	Charles 'Chip' Shreck
Pat Hingle	...	Commissioner James Gordon
Vincent Schiavelli	...	Organ Grinder
Steve Witting	...	Josh
Jan Hooks	...	Jen
John Strong	...	Sword Swallower
Rick Zumwalt	...	Tattooed Strongman
Anna Katarina	...	Poodle Lady

Storyline

Having defeated the Joker, Batman now faces the Penguin - a warped and deformed individual who is intent on being accepted into Gotham society. Crooked businessman Max Schreck is coerced into helping him become Mayor of Gotham and they both attempt to expose Batman in a different light. Earlier however, Selina Kyle, Max's secretary, is thrown from the top of a building and is transformed into Catwoman - a mysterious figure who has the same personality disorder as Batman. Batman must attempt to clear his name, all the time deciding just what must be done with the Catwoman.

---

Plot Keywords:

penguin | gotham | businessman | deformed | villain | 

---

Taglines:

Returns June 19

---

Genres:

Action | Fantasy

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for brooding, dark violence

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Warner Bros. [us]

Country:

USA UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

19 June 1992 (USA)

Also Known As:

Batman 2

Filming Locations:

Burbank, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$80,000,000 (estimated)

Gross:

$162,831,698 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros, PolyGram Filmed Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

126 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Paul Reubens, Diane Salinger:  Pee-wee's Big Adventure stars reunite briefly at the beginning of the film as The Penguin's parents Tucker and Esther.

---

Goofs

When The Penguin is in the Hall of Records, we see him through a window and it's snowing outside. In the next shot we see the Batmobile come around the corner and it's not snowing, but in a shot of Batman from inside the Batmobile, it's snowing again.

---

Quotes

[first lines]
Happy Woman: Merry Christmas!
Happy Man: Merry Christmas!

---

Connections

Referenced in Mad: Spy vs. Spy Kids/The Superhero Millionaire Matchmaker (2011)

---

Soundtracks

"FACE TO FACE"
Words by Steven Severin and Siouxsie Sioux
Music by Steven Severin, Siouxsie Sioux, Budgie and Danny Elfman
Produced by Stephen Hague
Performed by Siouxsie and the Banshees
Courtesy of Polydor Limited and Geffen Records

User Reviews

The Darkest Knight of All

Batman Returns is a perfect film to watch during the holiday season as the winter/Xmas atmosphere that Burton creates for Gotham City is wonderful. It's weird that Warner decided to release this as a summer film. It doesn't fit.

But what's even weirder, when you consider the content of this film, is that it was aimed at families. An upper-class family throws their mutant baby down the sewer, a socio-phobic billionaire dresses up in leather as a flying rodent, a lonely secretary has a mental breakdown and dresses up in leather as a feline, and said grown-up mutant baby freak runs for political office. Not to mention the S&M subtext that Tim Burton somehow managed to get away with. His eccentric visual style fits this film best, and is the height of his career, IMO.

This and the Dark Knight are the only true live-action incarnations of the comic-book character. True, Batman Returns is not as grown-up and serious as the Dark Knight, but it's a helluva lot atmospheric, and I just prefer the oddball character development here than in TDK. I rate them both equally, but scoring points on different levels.

Darker and more violent than the first movie, the sense of Gothic pathos reaches a new high. I was quite keen on Michael Keaton as Bruce Wayne (don't even get me started on George Clooney!), he displayed the right balance of weirdo loner and cool crime fighter. Michelle Pfieffer is great as Catwoman (much sexier and more 'realisticly' cat-like), she wears that leather outfit better than Halle Berry. And Danny DeVito was so convincing as the Penguin that his scenes become disturbing to watch. Special mention must be made of Christopher Walken, who is brilliant as the spooky Max Shreck (if you think you recognise Chip Shrek it's none other than a very young Leatherface/Butterfinger).

Danny Elfman's score is also even better than it was first time round. His powerful and engaging themes are way better than the dross that followed in the later Schumacher movies. This movie is the Batman phenomenon at its Zenith. Forget the following sequels and stick to the animated series after this. Christopher Nolan brought integrity back to the series, but before Schumacher destroyed it, Burton gave the original series integrity too.

A great Xmas film, and my favorite Batman adventure.