Post by BatLink on Jun 11, 2005 16:44:47 GMT -5
Two Batmans talk to IGN FilmForce.
By Jeff Otto
June 10, 2005 - As we near the release of a new entry into the Batman film legacy and likely the beginning of a new franchise, IGN FilmForce got the chance to talk to both the new Batman, Christian Bale, as well as, arguably, the best Batman of the prior films, Michael Keaton. While Keaton's run in the series came to an abrupt end during casting of the third film, when Warner inexplicably decided to go in a new, cornier direction with director Joel Schumacher, Bale's run is just beginning, at the hands of talented director Christopher Nolan.
The 1989 Batman and the new film, Batman Begins, are very different films. Personally, I liked both in different ways and for different reasons. Begins is more of a story of Batman's personal journey, an origin of how he became what he is. Batman picked up the story after Batman became Batman, with the only origin being a brief flashback to the death of his parents. The villain, The Joker (famously played by Jack Nicholson), was as much if not more a star of the show as Batman himself.
In Los Angeles this weekend, both actors were on hand promoting their new projects. Although Keaton had little knowledge of the new film, he didn't mind talking about it and setting the record straight on why he left the series in the first place.
Keaton admits that it's a little weird doing press the same weekend that a new Batman film is also doing press. "I didn't really put that together until I started doing press… I wasn't aware of what was coming out when. That is funny…"
When asked what he thinks of the idea of a new film, Keaton admits he hasn't given it much thought. "Oh man, you know, I don't know. I'm a farmer, I don't know. I don't do that for a living… I have not [seen it]. I think Maria Full of Grace was the last movie I saw."
Keaton says that he doesn't have any Batman advice for Bale. "No, he's a really, really good actor. He knows what to do, and all those actors are really good. It's got a great cast and a really great director… I think they're in good shape."
For Bale, taking on a role that had already been portrayed by so many actors provided an additional challenge as well as a certain level to live up to. "I think that just the script by itself is, you can't do anything but make it your own. Like I said, I don't feel like it's been defined before. I just don't feel like it's ever been satisfactorily played. There's a lot of room for what is so good about this character that just has never been shown before. He's a severe character. All I had to do was just ignore everything that's been done before. We were gonna be coming up with something new and original regardless. The last thing that I ever wanted to be doing was to be stealing from anybody else."
After the second film, Batman Returns, Keaton was open to the idea of returning a third time. Unfortunately, the series was headed down a different path, and Keaton smartly decided not to be involved. "You know, you get a script. Here's the first one, here's how it works. 'Hey, there's this movie coming, they're gonna do Batman. You wanna read it?' I read it, I go, 'Wow, this is pretty good! This could be really good.' You go and talk to Tim [Burton] and he has the same ideas, you say, 'Yeah,' okay then you go do that. Then you say, 'You wanna do another one?' You go, 'Well, let's talk about what it's gonna be?' [And I say], 'Oh yeah, and those people will be in it? Yeah, okay, let's do that too. That sounds good.' Then you do that. Then they say, 'Wanna do the third one?' I go, 'I don't know, let's read it.' And I go, 'Oooh, that's not too good.' (Laughs) I'm giving you the Cliff Notes of the Cliff Notes version. And then you say, 'So, well how about this?' I go, 'Nah.'"
Somewhat ironically in light of the new film, it was Keaton that first suggested the idea of a prequel way back during negotiations for the third Batman film. "I [said], 'You know, I'm not into this, but you know what would be interesting? Kind of a prequel and, you gotta hang on – we lost a little bit of that kind of danger thing we had in the first one, that kind of darkness.' People always throw that word around, darkness, but I'm being lazy today, so I'll use it too. [And I said], 'I'd be into that' and [they said] 'Well, we're not gonna do that,' and I said, 'Well, all right, I won't do it. Thank you.' [It was] really that simple."
Batman Begins hasn't even released yet, but talk is already brewing for a sequel. Assuming the film succeeds financially, it's inevitable, but Bale says he is ready to continue the role, hopefully with Nolan at the helm again. "It was a consideration of mine that it could be such a monster of a movie that I wouldn't really know how to deal with the actual making of it, but I think that the saving grace there was that Chris comes from more independent movies as well and so he, alright there was more resources, but he wanted to make the actual day to day interaction very similar to making a more independent movie… It was really great story with fantastic potential and I didn't want to be scared off by any notion of the consequences of making that choice… The sequel, if it was to happen, obviously people would have said, 'Yes we like the way you played Batman and we liked the style in which the movie adopts, so a continuation you can push it further.' There's a lot of room for embellishing this character for new sides and new stories with him. There's no limit to it and there's so much material you can reference in all of the graphic novels…"
Although Keaton hasn't seen the film, he admits that, at least based on the trailer, it looks pretty good. "So now there's this one, and I know nothing about it, except the other day I caught a bit of the end of the trailer. No, no, no, the other day I saw the whole trailer at my house. I was in my kitchen and it was on and I kind of watched that. The trailer looked really good to me. I don't know if it is or not, but it looked pretty good to me."
Nothing could be cooler than having Batman for a dad. Keaton said his son was pretty young at the time, but seemed to enjoy the idea. "Batman he thought was quite cool."
Along with playing a part like this comes the obligatory marketing bonanza, including your very own action figure. "It was such a long process," says Bale. We had to get in these computerized outfits and look really stupid in these flesh stockings for them to get all of the 3-D imagery and everything like that. It was still a kick seeing it. Kind of bizarre. I never thought I would be in a movie where they would make a doll out of me. That's a bit of a trippy one, but not something I've dwelled on too much. Hopefully something my daughter will one day be able to enjoy. Sinking it in the pool or blowing it up."
Yet another connection to the new film for Keaton is that he recently played Katie Holmes' dad in First Daughter. "Yes, in a batsuit by the way." (Laughs)
Rumors persist of a new Special Edition of the two Keaton Batman films later this year. Warners is likely holding them to avoid any connection with the new franchise. For now, we're stuck watching them on the same old crappy editions that released when DVD was first conceived.
Batman Begins opens nationwide on June 15th in both regular theaters and IMAX. I highly recommend the IMAX if you have the opportunity.
~Interview from IGN.
By Jeff Otto
June 10, 2005 - As we near the release of a new entry into the Batman film legacy and likely the beginning of a new franchise, IGN FilmForce got the chance to talk to both the new Batman, Christian Bale, as well as, arguably, the best Batman of the prior films, Michael Keaton. While Keaton's run in the series came to an abrupt end during casting of the third film, when Warner inexplicably decided to go in a new, cornier direction with director Joel Schumacher, Bale's run is just beginning, at the hands of talented director Christopher Nolan.
The 1989 Batman and the new film, Batman Begins, are very different films. Personally, I liked both in different ways and for different reasons. Begins is more of a story of Batman's personal journey, an origin of how he became what he is. Batman picked up the story after Batman became Batman, with the only origin being a brief flashback to the death of his parents. The villain, The Joker (famously played by Jack Nicholson), was as much if not more a star of the show as Batman himself.
In Los Angeles this weekend, both actors were on hand promoting their new projects. Although Keaton had little knowledge of the new film, he didn't mind talking about it and setting the record straight on why he left the series in the first place.
Keaton admits that it's a little weird doing press the same weekend that a new Batman film is also doing press. "I didn't really put that together until I started doing press… I wasn't aware of what was coming out when. That is funny…"
When asked what he thinks of the idea of a new film, Keaton admits he hasn't given it much thought. "Oh man, you know, I don't know. I'm a farmer, I don't know. I don't do that for a living… I have not [seen it]. I think Maria Full of Grace was the last movie I saw."
Keaton says that he doesn't have any Batman advice for Bale. "No, he's a really, really good actor. He knows what to do, and all those actors are really good. It's got a great cast and a really great director… I think they're in good shape."
For Bale, taking on a role that had already been portrayed by so many actors provided an additional challenge as well as a certain level to live up to. "I think that just the script by itself is, you can't do anything but make it your own. Like I said, I don't feel like it's been defined before. I just don't feel like it's ever been satisfactorily played. There's a lot of room for what is so good about this character that just has never been shown before. He's a severe character. All I had to do was just ignore everything that's been done before. We were gonna be coming up with something new and original regardless. The last thing that I ever wanted to be doing was to be stealing from anybody else."
After the second film, Batman Returns, Keaton was open to the idea of returning a third time. Unfortunately, the series was headed down a different path, and Keaton smartly decided not to be involved. "You know, you get a script. Here's the first one, here's how it works. 'Hey, there's this movie coming, they're gonna do Batman. You wanna read it?' I read it, I go, 'Wow, this is pretty good! This could be really good.' You go and talk to Tim [Burton] and he has the same ideas, you say, 'Yeah,' okay then you go do that. Then you say, 'You wanna do another one?' You go, 'Well, let's talk about what it's gonna be?' [And I say], 'Oh yeah, and those people will be in it? Yeah, okay, let's do that too. That sounds good.' Then you do that. Then they say, 'Wanna do the third one?' I go, 'I don't know, let's read it.' And I go, 'Oooh, that's not too good.' (Laughs) I'm giving you the Cliff Notes of the Cliff Notes version. And then you say, 'So, well how about this?' I go, 'Nah.'"
Somewhat ironically in light of the new film, it was Keaton that first suggested the idea of a prequel way back during negotiations for the third Batman film. "I [said], 'You know, I'm not into this, but you know what would be interesting? Kind of a prequel and, you gotta hang on – we lost a little bit of that kind of danger thing we had in the first one, that kind of darkness.' People always throw that word around, darkness, but I'm being lazy today, so I'll use it too. [And I said], 'I'd be into that' and [they said] 'Well, we're not gonna do that,' and I said, 'Well, all right, I won't do it. Thank you.' [It was] really that simple."
Batman Begins hasn't even released yet, but talk is already brewing for a sequel. Assuming the film succeeds financially, it's inevitable, but Bale says he is ready to continue the role, hopefully with Nolan at the helm again. "It was a consideration of mine that it could be such a monster of a movie that I wouldn't really know how to deal with the actual making of it, but I think that the saving grace there was that Chris comes from more independent movies as well and so he, alright there was more resources, but he wanted to make the actual day to day interaction very similar to making a more independent movie… It was really great story with fantastic potential and I didn't want to be scared off by any notion of the consequences of making that choice… The sequel, if it was to happen, obviously people would have said, 'Yes we like the way you played Batman and we liked the style in which the movie adopts, so a continuation you can push it further.' There's a lot of room for embellishing this character for new sides and new stories with him. There's no limit to it and there's so much material you can reference in all of the graphic novels…"
Although Keaton hasn't seen the film, he admits that, at least based on the trailer, it looks pretty good. "So now there's this one, and I know nothing about it, except the other day I caught a bit of the end of the trailer. No, no, no, the other day I saw the whole trailer at my house. I was in my kitchen and it was on and I kind of watched that. The trailer looked really good to me. I don't know if it is or not, but it looked pretty good to me."
Nothing could be cooler than having Batman for a dad. Keaton said his son was pretty young at the time, but seemed to enjoy the idea. "Batman he thought was quite cool."
Along with playing a part like this comes the obligatory marketing bonanza, including your very own action figure. "It was such a long process," says Bale. We had to get in these computerized outfits and look really stupid in these flesh stockings for them to get all of the 3-D imagery and everything like that. It was still a kick seeing it. Kind of bizarre. I never thought I would be in a movie where they would make a doll out of me. That's a bit of a trippy one, but not something I've dwelled on too much. Hopefully something my daughter will one day be able to enjoy. Sinking it in the pool or blowing it up."
Yet another connection to the new film for Keaton is that he recently played Katie Holmes' dad in First Daughter. "Yes, in a batsuit by the way." (Laughs)
Rumors persist of a new Special Edition of the two Keaton Batman films later this year. Warners is likely holding them to avoid any connection with the new franchise. For now, we're stuck watching them on the same old crappy editions that released when DVD was first conceived.
Batman Begins opens nationwide on June 15th in both regular theaters and IMAX. I highly recommend the IMAX if you have the opportunity.
~Interview from IGN.