Batman Returns: Difference between revisions

Three villains: Oswald Cobblepot/The Penguin (Danny DeVito), Selina Kyle/Catwoman (Michelle Pfeiffer), and Max Shreck ([[Christopher Walken]]). Between the first two and Batman, there's plenty of psychological dysfunction and [[Nightmare Fuel]] to go around.

 

 

As alluded to above, this film was aggressively merchandised, with the characters appearing on everything from posters to beach towels. It also inspired a beautifully illustrated one-shot comic adapted by DC Comics editor Dennis O'Neill (with a cover painting by longtime ''[[Star Wars]]'' artist Dave Dorman) and ''two'' novel adaptations - one a more innocent and adventurous treatment by Andrew Helfer and the other [[Sliding Scale of Idealism Versus Cynicism|a much more cynical version]] by Craig Shaw Gardner. For the sake of thoroughness, tropes based on the comic and the two novels will be allowed on this page as well.

* [[Animal Motifs]]: Very, very prominent and comprising a significant part of the [[Rule of Symbolism|movie's symbolism]].

** The Bat: Bruce Wayne / Batman loves darkness, shrouds himself in mystery, and instills fear in others.

* [[Arson, Murder, and Jaywalking]]:

** Surrounded by Penguin's thugs on the street, Batman's point of view shifts from a clown with a bazooka, to one with some nunchuks, to one with some impossibly long ''[[All Japanese Swords Are Katanas|katana]]'' blades....to a grown woman in a "Little Bo Peep" style outfit and a little poodle with a pink bow in its fur. The lady and her poodle prove to be the most dangerous of the bunch.

* [[The Grotesque]]: The Penguin's plan for revenge on Gotham involves appearing to be merely this.

* [[Hammerspace]]: Averted. To some viewers, it might appear as if Catwoman pulled that tazer from nowhere in her climactic scene. But if you look down at her left foot while she's walking, you can see the tazer strapped down there. She reaches down and pulls it out after she's been hit by the second pair of bullets, and is saying "All good girls go to heaven...".

** Shreck does mention to the mayor early in the film that he has enough signatures to force a recall election, but doesn't have an issue or a candidate to justify one with. The Penguin provides both of these, by using his gang to make the mayor appear soft on crime, and endearing himself to the people of Gotham.

* [[Hannibal Lecture]]: During their first meeting, the Penguin taunts Batman by suggesting that his habit of wearing a mask is a sign of his cowardice. Later on, however, he comes to believe that [[Pretender Diss|Batman wears a mask in order to cope with the fact that he is jealous of Penguin because "I'm a genuine freak!"]] Grudgingly, Batman admits that [[Straw Man Has a Point|his nemesis has a point]].

{{quote|'''Bruce:''' Who the hell are you?

'''Selena:''' ''(in tears)'' I don't know... I don't know anymore. }}

* [[Heroic BSOD]]: Selina suffers one of these (complete with psychotic breakdown and ''terrifying'' music) upon returning home after Shreck threw her out the window.

* [[Hidden Depths]]: It's interesting that even the most unsympathetic bad guy in the film, Max Shreck, occasionally has moments when his most secret impulses rise to the surface, making him out (at least sometimes) to be more of an [[Anti-Villain]] than a [[Complete Monster]]. There's his impromptu speech to the crowds at the Christmas tree-lighting ceremony, right after throwing gift-wrapped packages to some of the spectators, which is undoubtedly manipulative but still has some truth to it: "I'm just a poor schmoe. Got lucky. [[Crowning Moment of Heartwarming|And sue me if I want to give some back.]]" And later, when he is meeting with Bruce Wayne in his office and Bruce accuses him of riding the coattails of a "crime boss" (The Penguin): "Shows what you know, Mister To-The-Manor-Born-With-A-Silver-Spoon. Oswald Cobblepot is Gotham's new golden boy. If his parents hadn't eighty-sixed him, the two of you [[Everyone Went to School Together|might have been bunkies at prep school]]." There is clearly a trace of resentment and poignancy in Max, as he suspects that maybe if he'd had wealthy parents too, he wouldn't have had to become a crook to get ahead.

* [[Papa Wolf]]: The Penguin goes ballistic after Batman has Alfred jam the frequency over which he is sending neurological commands to his pet penguins, which evidently causes them great pain. ("MY BABIIIIES!") Subverted in that [[Non-Action Guy|he proves to be almost useless in combat]].

** Also, Max Shreck. He's a ruthless, cold blooded thug of a business man, but still loves his son. When Selina finds out the truth about his "power plant," he tries to kill her, because he views it as his legacy to leave to Chip.

* [[The Password Is Always Swordfish]]:

{{quote|'''Selina:''' I figured that your password was "Geraldo" -- your chihuahua -- and it was.}}

** The masked ball at Shreck's department store features a replica of the "Red Death" costume from ''[[The Phantom of the Opera]]''.

** The Penguin's appearance has clearly been influenced by [[The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari|Dr. Caligari]].

* [[Shut UP, Hannibal]]: When Batman confronts Catwoman just as she is about to kill Max Shreck, Shreck steps forward and assures Batman that he's doing the right thing, since in sparing Shreck's life he is guaranteeing that Gotham City will not be robbed of its most influential leader. Batman promptly stiff-arms him in the face and reminds him that he's going to jail.

* [[Signs of Disrepair]]: Selina's "'''HELL'''O T'''HERE'''" sign after she smashes it.