Batman (1989) - Movie Reaction - First Time Watching!!!

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The Dark Knight of Gotham City begins his war on crime with his first major enemy being Jack Napier, a criminal who becomes the clownishly homicidal Joker.
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[@janna-renee]

In his younger year, Jack Nicholson worked as a volunteer fire fighter. That's why he swung an axe so well in this movie and in The Shining.

[@alexd0617]

This movie was part of the inspiration for Batman TAS, along with the art deco style of drawing to reflect the period.

[@trekkiejunk]

Speaking of the setting, did you notice how anachronistic the set design was? Some of it looked Art Deco (1920's), some of it looked '70's (Jokers cars), while the clothes were very modern.. Similar to what Richard Donner did with Superman. He wanted to hearken back to the golden age of comics, but not directly put the film in any time period, so it could exist in its own reality.

[@kiranpunnoose2441]

Tim Burton's Batman and Batman Returns is classic, dark, twisted, gritty, and grim.

[@XxThePhantomFreezexX]

nuthin more nostalgic den tha coke ad used in tha movie

[@Don-ol8ze]

@@nsasupporter7557 I thought it was very much about Batman. Particularly his relationship with Selena/Catwoman - two so much alike, whose psychoses bring them together and yet keep them apart. There's also a cool contrast with the Penguin in terms of background as Gotham elite, and yet different varieties of outcast.

[@moriellymoproblems7842]

@@nsasupporter7557 either you've never watched Batman Returns, don't understand it, or simply don't understand the mythos of Batman period lol.

[@cherylwillette9745]

Batman and Batman Returns on my favorite ones and I think that's the only ones I really like

[@andrewlustfield6079]

@@nsasupporter7557 I know I'm jumping into this late--but doing two villains per movie was the mistake, especially when each villain had more than enough character to challenge Batman. It left the later movies too unfocused and where the villains felt two dimensional and threadbare as far as character development. To answer the question about the guy who took Batman to task in this movie---I could be wrong--but I think this character was supposed to have been pumped up on PCP

[@ClayLoomis1958]

That thing the Joker had on him when he died was called the Bag Of Laughs. It actually had a little vinyl record in it that would just play that funky laugh, over and over again.

[@NZBigfoot]

@@lansorbet5882 Yeah was gonna mention it was a Laugh bag when i heard them confused by it, they really do still sell them? Wow... they were an old toy even when i was a kid in the 80's.

[@estanislaowvega9482]

It showed that even in death, Joker still had the last laugh.

[@s.c.sanchez1610]

Back in the 80s the only version of Batman I knew of was the Adam West tv show so I didn't even know about Batman's origin. Tim Burton brought a darker Batman to audiences and it was this movie (along with Elfman's theme) that set the tone for Batman: The Animated Series, which came out shortly after Batman Returns. Been a huge Batman fan ever since. Love Nicholson's performance in this one. Nice catch on the Corto Maltese reference, a nod to The Dark Knight Returns graphic novel that Burton took inspiration from.

[@_ripVanWinkle_]

Batman arkham games are directly inspired by BTAS with Conroy and Hamil reprising the roles, I recommend you play them if possible

[@Csylve]

@@nsasupporter7557 And DC fans realized that Michael Keaton made an excellent Batman & Bruce Wayne.

[@UnclePengy]

"Did he put make-up on to cover his white skin?" You cannot believe how many people watching this miss that detail. Since Heath Ledger and Joaquin Phoenix, people are used to a Joker who uses make-up. The "Killing Joke" version has been forgotten.

[@fynnthefox9078]

The Joker has been wearing concealer to hide his chalk-white skin since his first appearance in the comics.

[@binkyboy448]

Yeah, and better yet, in the scenes where the Joker wears human-colored makeup, that's actually Nicholson wearing a second layer directly over his Joker makeup. I'm thankfully old enough to grow up with the classic bleached skin origin, but I never knew the second layer was actually real on-set, especially the part where he wipes it off with a cloth; I just assumed Nicholson was making the illusion of wiping tan makeup off by wiping white makeup on.

[@vapoet]

His bleached white skin goes back to a pretty early time. The Ace Chemical company origin first came about in 1951.

[@trekkiejunk]

The thing is, an audience should not be confused by the make-up, no matter what their previous Joker experience is. When Jack Napier pulls his hand out of the toxic chemicals, you can see his hand has now turned white. Shortly after, when he's having surgery, his face is clearly white. The movie tells you what's happening, so by the time you get to the concealer make-up scene, the audience is supposed to know that's flesh-colored make-up. Plus, it looks soooooo fake.

[@trekkiejunk]

@@binkyboy448 -- The way you thought they did it would not have worked. For one, it would not have had the same effect. But also, the white make-up would then be visible on the handkerchief, and they wanted you to see the flesh-make-up come off.

[@nowthatisawesome5431]

You said you were surprised that Batman was able to get beat up. Remember, Batman is an ordinary man who has some fighting skills and a ton of gadgets. It makes perfect sense that there are guys stronger than him. It made him human and relatable. This is actually one of my complaints of the modern takes. When your character is unrealistically unbeatable, there is no consequence. The stakes are not high.

[@LiveFromThePorcelainPalace]

Batman gets beat up quite a bit in the comic books

[@SamtheBravesFan]

The Arkham games got it right at least. I mean, heck, even Batman vs. TMNT did.

[@fynnthefox9078]

I prefer a Batman who's more human. Not the all knowing all seeing Batgod he is today. A Batman that gets hurt, that fails sometimes, that doesn't know everything.

[@LiveFromThePorcelainPalace]

@@fynnthefox9078 Like in the most recent movie

[@robertarodecker2558]

Yea he is not superman

[@AlbertoGarcia-wd7sc]

For some reason it has been forgotten but Joker's "birth" in this movie is iconic. When he starts to remove the bandages and then walks like Frankenstein's monster while he starts to laugh. Pure expresionism. Burton nailed this

[@teepat5487]

kzbin.infow69HmnN83_E?si=Wbm-fLcOM4neXgIp

[@fynnthefox9078]

The Joker's birth should be like something out of a horror movie.

[@Gogetta80]

It’s awesome cuz for just about 2 seconds he actually cries, then he bursts into maniacal laughter

[@ceherrera7437]

If this has already been touched on I apologize. The single henchman beating Batman up did it after he was in a plane crash and walked up however many stairs. To me it was a way to show Batman was human and still has the natural reaction to fatigue. The first two henchmen, he dispatched one and the other went through the floor. So that a fatigued Batman vs a rested henchman

[@fynnthefox9078]

Yeah, people seem to forget that Batman is just a guy in a costume and a lot of money, with martial arts training. He's not Spider-Man, he's not Superman. He doesn't have any powers. No super human endurance.

[@radicaladz]

The weirder part is how the hell they got up there.

[@Randomyoutubecommenter]

​@@fynnthefox9078hes supposed to be peak human condition. If you look at top tier ufc fighters theyre nearly fatigue resistant, so i dont know how realistic it would be for batman to actually get tired unless hes put through cardio punishment for an hour nonstop.

[@dwrdwlsn5]

@@Randomyoutubecommenter flying a high performance fighter plane might do the same as a full blown cardio workout. High G turns are not as easy as many movies make them look.

[@alarkhar]

@@dwrdwlsn5 Also, he literally crashlanded on the church steps. Even if the Batwing had some sort of roll-bar and/or airbags (which it apparently does NOT), that's gotta hurt.... for a peak human, that means cracked ribs and bruises for days. For an average shmo, that's instantly fatal. Also, he's lucky that the steps slowed the huge flying tin can down, otherwise Batman's career would have ended as Bat-graffiti on the wall of Gotham Cathedral.

[@LiveFromThePorcelainPalace]

Nicholson has always said that playing the Joker was the most fun he ever had on a movie set. Even tho his acid shooting corsage gave him permanent scars on his chest. The crowd in the parade scene is mostly Jack's friends and people he randomly invited to the set.

[@ClayLoomis1958]

I have never heard that Nicholson got any acid injuries, and can find no evidence of it now. Where did you get that information?

[@LiveFromThePorcelainPalace]

@@ClayLoomis1958 interview Nicholson did after the movie came out.

[@ClayLoomis1958]

@@LiveFromThePorcelainPalace I can't find a reference to that incident, or an interview where it's mentioned. Can you tell me who the interview was with, or in what magazine or on what TV show it was done? The reason I ask is because I hate to say something is a fact when I have nothing to back it up. I find it amazing that any insurance company would actually allow an actor they are insuring to have real acid on their person during filming, and they certainly wouldn't allow it to be shot at Kim Basinger's money-maker of a face.

[@ClayLoomis1958]

@@LiveFromThePorcelainPalace No, you don't have to prove anything to me. I was actually asking for a favor, but no, you're certainly not obligated to help me. But if you could direct me to just one of those many videos, I'd certainly appreciate it, because I can't find any of them in my Google searches. And I'm sorry if I pissed you off. I did not mean to offend. I was just looking for information.

[@ClayLoomis1958]

Jack Nicholson was never burned by acid. It's simply a lie. Plenty of pictures of an older Nicholson, shirtless, show he has no "permanent scars" on his chest.

[@highstimulation2497]

The Batman Theme by Danny Elfman is bloody incredible. The very end of the intro is completely insanely excellent, BIG time excitement.

[@TANKTREAD]

Danny Elfman's film score is just AWESOME.

[@Lady_Justice]

The best.

[@trekkiejunk]

The only Elfman score i like better than this one is Pee Wee's Big Adventure. I wish he would do a CD with 10-minute suites of his most famous film scores.

[@TANKTREAD]

@@trekkiejunk Yes, his score to Pee Wee's Big Adventure is awesome. There are two CDs(technically 3 CDS) called Music for a Darkened Theater that were released that covers a HUGE amount of his works, basically "suites" of his very prolific works(Night Breed is just plain amazing). You can check them out.

[@KenMasters.]

Same in Dick Tracy, MIB, Spider-Man, etc.

[@TANKTREAD]

@@KenMasters. Yes, I agree 100% my friend.

[@Anthony-pl2hk]

"This guy lools like he needs a nap" lmao nice

[@dekamaster100]

Best live action Joker. He was the most accurate and has an amazing psychotic laugh

[@Don-ol8ze]

"Wait till they get a load of me! Woooo... Woooo..." *Cackles Maniacally*

[@fynnthefox9078]

Aside from the origin, of course. I wish we can have a Joker like this. With the gadgets and joke gimmicks.

[@Muck006]

All his "dancing" and funny remarks are FUNNY as well ... with Heath Ledger it is "funny + VIOLENT" (the "magic" pen trick).

[@ASMRFan500]

As much as I enjoyed Heath ledger's Joker I agree

[@trekkiejunk]

Better than Jared Leto?? C'mon, we all know any Joker that doesn't have "damaged" tattooed on his face is no real Joker. LOL

[@jacekstopa2728]

Yeah, Billy Dee was supposed to be the villain of the thrid movie, but at that point WB changed the director and the direction of the series, right after the mess that was the second movie's release. I think when they were doing the original casting they already had sequels in mind. Speaking of which, gotta do Batman Returns; it's 200% Burton and one of the greatest superhero movies ever made. In fact, to me it's number one.

[@emurphy42]

I liked Batman Forever as well, camp and all, but Batman and Robin went too far in that direction IMO.

[@robertarodecker2558]

@@emurphy42 batman and robin was closer to the TV series. But I liked it anyway. It was a different take on it

[@stevenhernandeznon-profitf968]

200% burton is very on poibtv

[@fynnthefox9078]

They really don't appreciate Harvey Dent, they just want him to become Two-Face.

[@WOLFENCT]

keep in mind Keaton's Batman did just crash his plane just prior to taking on Joker's henchmen. So, that's probably why that one guy was getting the best of him for a while. Batman was clearly injured from the wreck. Great analysis as always. Glad you enjoyed it,.

[@Lordalexzader]

Yeah, Bats got messed up there, badly. They show it clearly as he struggles both to remove himself from the wreck and then as he staggers and trips into the pews knocking them over. Then, badly injured, he climbs a heck of a staircase up a very tall belfry. All told, he did pretty well for himself. Hahah

[@boneimage]

I remember feeling the same way back in the day when I saw this movie about that one henchmen giving Batman a beating. But, I think we all forget that Batman was in a plane crash like 10 minutes before, and then walked 40 flights of stairds. So some slack is probably due, hahah. Also, I think that henchman was supposed to be an outlier, a strongman who was Jokers number 1 bodyguad (where as 'bob' was more of a confidant).

[@f.b.malken2436]

Was just about to say the same thing, but you explained it perfectly!

[@jayeisenhardt1337]

We saw Batman keep up with skill with the sword fight. He came prepared to close the distance, that hand device to help him make impact before a flying kick. He got lucky with another falling through the old floor. Then Big dude was wrecking Batman. Definitely #1. Saw Joker punch Batman the same and hurt his hand on the body armor. Shows you just how hard Big Henchmen was hitting to get through that like it wasn't there.

[@dcaslick]

I waited in line with my brother for 5 hours to see this movie on opening day. The lineup went around the block. It was a crazy experience. I ended up dressing as this Joker for Halloween that year because of it.

[@ClayLoomis1958]

I was off work for a month after a motorcycle accident when this came out in '89. I hate crowds, so I waited 3 weeks and then went to a 10:30 pm showing on a Wednesday. I was the only person in the theater. They must have lost money, just on the electricity needed to show it to me. I had the best time ever. Sat right in the middle of the theater, feet up on the seat in front of me. It's my fondest movie theater memory.

[@JessRansdellSmith]

My brother and I also dressed up as these guys that Halloween. He was Batman and I was Joker. This movie made me a DC girl and a Joker fan. I turned 11 the year this came out. My brother is younger than I am. I love this movie so much!

[@robertarodecker2558]

@@ClayLoomis1958 after only 3 weeks in which batman was a block buster? You telling me you were the only one in the theater? Can't believe that.

[@ClayLoomis1958]

@@robertarodecker2558 I really don't care whether you believe me or not, but it seems like an oddly precise lie to make up for a KZbin comment. And you've had a KZbin account for less than a year, so I see no reason to take anything you say too seriously.

[@Lady_Justice]

@@robertarodecker2558 Batman in 89 was making over 20 million in its 3rd weekend but he was the only one in the theater in the summer lmao

[@jonathanblaze1648]

I was 11 years old when this came out and I remember this was the first movie I saw that felt like an event. I went with my parents to the opening Friday night show, and I'd never seen a lobby so packed with an almost supernatural buzz and energy in the air. Literally every seat was filled, and I sat next to my mom, but my father couldn't sit with us, he had to sit across the theater. The movie lived up to the hype. Jack Nicholson was great. I remember for months that year before the movie came out people were walking around with tee shirts like yours with the Batman logo. It was a bit of a phenomenon. And the modern blueprint for Hollywood on how to market and release a blockbuster.

[@strettoasino9006]

The Hype was so great they released the film earlier than the date ..

[@920WASHBURN]

Do you remember that Halloween that batsuit was king of costumes. They had the real one for like 1000 bucks

[@robertarodecker2558]

@@strettoasino9006 no it was released on that date it was advertised. Maybe your confused with a sneakboreviews. Which they did a lot back then

[@kindofabigdeal7284]

I was 5 when this came out and You’re right it did feel like an event. That lobby was So packed. Still to this day, the best movie I’ve seen in theatre

[@shycloud43556]

This is like one of my two favorite Batman movies. Joker is so funny in this movie I love all his punch lines and Ridiculous gadgets, also gotta love Lawrence the boom box guy

[@stevenhernandeznon-profitf968]

The older I get the “ what kind of a world do we live in…”scene cracks me up harder

[@jamesface]

So glad you liked it! It’s totally classic. It’s useful to know that the last Batman before this one was the Adam west tv show so I think audiences expected a campiness to the Batman property in general- so I think the jokers performance and a lot of humor in this movie is just the creators of this doing what they think audiences would expect Batman to be- if that makes sense. It’s wild to think that this was the darkest Batman movie/tv show that had ever been made up until this point. ✌️

[@Harri927]

I love this movie so much. It's my favorite movie of all time. It ages like a fine wine. Michael Keaton is my favorite Batman of all time. I hope you guys watch Batman Returns.

[@orlandoruizjr3834]

Imagine being 6 years old, and only knowing this character through the 1960's TV show. Imagine images of Nicholson from The Shining in your head as you anticipate the release of this movie. Knowing he was going to be the Joker, I remember being so scared of the idea of him as the Joker. Of course I ended up loving this movie. It was a great theatrical experience. Gotham City definitely felt like a character, due to excellent production designs. Keaton's Batman is legendary. The score from Danny Elfman is too perfect, all the way to the end. Nicholson was the classic golden age Joker, and he'll always be the best in my book. Loved the reaction.

[@bobthegoonhawkins]

I just came across your channel and this review and I just want to say thank you for recognizing my loyalty as a goon to The Joker. I tried my best to live up to being his #1 guy on a daily basis. It’s people like you both that make it all worth while. 😎

[@radicaladz]

Also, Bob the Goon is a real one, loyal even in death. Nicholson was actually friends with the actor who played Bob, Tracey Walter - they gave him a choice of who he wanted his main henchman to be cast with and he chose Walter. Instantly iconic bad guy - even got his own action figure.

[@solitarysandpiper8491]

For me Superman was the first big box office superhero movie... Also the only superpower batman had was money so it was no suprise to see him look quite vulnerable in a fist fight.

[@ai_insect232]

I had just received my first paycheck from my first ever job in '89 and used the money to see Batman at the Drive In. I loved it so much. I had already known Keaton from his comedies and Batman just solidified my love for him! It was fun to watch this again with you two!

[@ink-cow]

"They've always got Jack Nicholson swinging axes." Nicholson was once a volunteer firefighter, and he was trained to swing an ax! In the Shining, they had to replace the fake door with a heavier door, because he was taking it out too easy.

[@fynnthefox9078]

I feel like Keaton is the only Batman that can get away with smirking without it looking goofy or out of place. Also, to be fair on Alfred, Bruce was already preparing himself to tell Vicki anyway. Plus, Vicki already figured it out.

[@ansionnachbeagrioga5260]

Thomas Wayne is actually a doctor in most universes. In Batman Begins he mentions that he works at the hospital and leaves the running of the company to more interested men.

[@fynnthefox9078]

And sometimes he's actually involved in crime. I honestly find a more crooked Thomas Wayne more interesting than the all good Thomas we usually get.

[@ansionnachbeagrioga5260]

@@fynnthefox9078 I like a flawed but well intentioned Thomas. Mostly good but capable of making shady mistakes. Even in Joker, where Thomas comes off as a bit of an asshole in the eyes of Joker and his followers, he wasn't a bad person necessarily. He was tone deaf and a bit out of touch with how bad Gotham's poverty was but, according to a news article in the film, Thomas actually was popular with most of the working class because he genuinely had done a lot of philanthropy for the city. I liked the shady history he had with Carmine Falcone in The Batman, mirroring his history with Lew Moxon in the comics, but again he wasn't a bad person. He had ethics but he made mistakes and got involved with the wrong people. I think I remember a similar story in Gotham, with Carmine implying he had actually worked with Thomas to keep peace in the city.

[@christopherwall2121]

@@ansionnachbeagrioga5260 I think the Telltale game is one of the versions of Batman with one of the grayest portrayals of Thomas Wayne, as his actions and connections in the past end up motivating a lot of the plot of that game.

[@jayeisenhardt1337]

The city, the old mobster feel, even how that paper felt like it was run old school style. Then the colors and the henchmen uniforms. The themes and music. Even the callback to origin a few times. Once in the start then Jack and Bob flashback robbing him as a kid. Joker was wild and lived up to his name here more than even. I love this movie.

[@williamwhitecage7988]

IIRC, the guy in the newspaper department that gave the "Have you seen this man?" drawing to Knox was really Bob Kane who was a cartoonist who drew the actual Batman comics. If you look closely, it has his signature at the bottom of the drawing.

[@Boondoggle4213]

Dude, that's super cool

[@alarkhar]

"a" cartoonist? Dude, Bob Kane was the man who CREATED Batman!

[@christopherwall2121]

@@alarkhar Bill Finger created Batman's look and the gothic feel of it, and he and Jerry Robinson made most of the iconic Batman characters. Bob Kane was a hack who stole credit to satisfy his own ego and is the reason Bill Finger died alone and penniless.

[@fireman1294]

It was the summer between 8th and 9th grade and my dad took myself and my friends to see this movie and it was amazing. We all loved it. The lines were so long. It was loved by everyone.

[@montist1]

You guys are great! You have respect for these old ass flicks and I couldn’t appreciate it more. I grew up on this movie and y’all are so kind. Great reaction!

[@willarms5510]

"You wanna get NUTS?!" He is trying to shock Joker into shooting him in a moment of being caught off guard and just shooting first and not thinking, because that way there is a better chance that Joker just reflexively fires 'center mass' (when flustered you are more likely to aim for, and have the best chance of hitting, the largest target, which is the 'main body' of your target) instead of letting Joker be in control of himself and the situation and have time to think and choose to shoot for the face. I'm not sure the edit makes it look exactly like that plan works -- it still kinda looks like Bruce just got lucky that Joker happened to shoot for the chest -- but I think that was meant to be Bruce's rational for pulling the "lets get nuts" bit.

[@toodlescae]

The thing is that Batman did kill villains in some of the original comic books. He wasn't a goody-two-shoes like Superman always was until more recent movies. Batman was a costumed vigilante with awesome toys. Actually Superman: The Movie 1978 was the first Superhero blockbuster movie and had a few big names at the time in it. The only real new actor in a major role was Christopher Reeve as Superman. They even had cameos by the actors who played Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen in the old tv series in the movie.

[@UnclePengy]

"Is that a bomb? What is that?" They were called laughing boxes, or a laugh bag. Basically it's a battery-operated device in a bag, with a motion sensor in it so if it took a hard jolt it started playing a looping laugh track. Big in novelty stores back in the day.

[@adrianasantiago3832]

I can't wait for Batman Returns. Great reaction guys!

[@TerribleEnglish]

​@@nsasupporter7557 I completely agree. For me, Batman has just enough Tim Burton-ness, but Batman Returns just gets silly.

[@LarrySwishamane]

@@TerribleEnglish silly is being nice. rocket launching penguins & a bluetooth batmobile was much worse than the Batcard.

[@TerribleEnglish]

@@LarrySwishamane Ha ha, yes, I was trying to be nice. Actually, I'd also say BR fails because it's too dark/adult and too silly/childish at the same time, so doesn't really appeal to any general audience.

[@SkullAngel002]

2:15 - "It kinda' sounds like Danny Elfman stuff" That's because it is. This was the movie that put Elfman on the map as a Hollywood movie composer. 6:15 - You're almost right. Billy Dee Williams signed on to do a multi-picture contract but Warner Bros. decided to not have Two-Face in the sequel, Batman Returns (1992). So they bought out his contract. 14:50 - "Why does this remind of a 50's mob movie?" That's what they were going for. Director Tim Burton wanted a splash of the classic Batman motif from the 1940's (when Bob Kane created the character) combined with the modern day background. 36:30 - The grappling hook was to turn the batmobile without notice. This is why the Joker cars following the batmobile overshot and hit the cabbage truck. 1:05:14 - People already knew about Batman as there were already three movies and the 1960's Batman TV show that included Robin and lots of DC villains. 1:15:35 - Believe it or not, casting Michael Keaton as Batman was heavily criticized because Keaton was a comedic actor prior to playing Batman (check out Gung Ho and Beetlejuice). 1:17:50 - Oh this movie was beyond well-received. People even went nuts in the theater unsuspectingly seeing the trailer and this was the highest grossing movie of 1989.

[@fynnthefox9078]

I was about to question you on the three movies, but then I realized "oh yeah, the 1940s serials". Didn't one of them feature a racist caricature as a villain?

[@robertarodecker2558]

@@fynnthefox9078 I think he was quoteing what the reacters said. He said he saw the newer films first. That's why he mention the three films and the new batman film

[@chrismaverick9828]

The scene in Bruce Wayne's bedroom where he's hanging upside down: That's one of the forms of inversion therapy. You wear boots with a hook on them and hook them on a suspended bar to hang upside down. We use various types of levering tables for that now, but they all have the same idea. Get the upper body weight off the spine to allow it to decompress. It certainly does help some back conditions, but it was definitely used to great 'foreshadow' effect here.

[@merchillio]

Heath Ledger’s performance was masterful, but this will always be my Joker

[@leo2nd261]

I was 11 when this movie was in theaters, the craze for it was enormous. Keaton and Nicholson are STILL my favorite Batman and Joker. I only care to see Flash for Keaton's return after so many years. Batman 89 is still my Batman I grew up on.

[@septemberwn]

He just survived a friggin’ plane CRASH!!!! And climbed a friggin’ bunch of church stairs, are you kidding me? Still GREAT reaction you two.👍🏾

[@kevinburton3948]

Absolutely *loved* your reaction! I was 19 years old in 1989 and lined up for the 11am premiere the day after my high school graduation prom night. You had to be there the entire year of 1989- this was one of the most hyped up of films of the 80s! From marketing to the most teaser of snippets of previews (just enough to make us go wild- not enough to spoil a thing)... To MASSIVE Bat-Posters (literally just the Bat Symbol and the release date) that were hung from three story high buildings in downtown Toronto (Ontario, Canada). You couldn't walk ten feet without seeing something Bat related! It was truly "Bat-Mania!" And at the same time- those of us like myself who grew up on the comics of no-nonsense Batman were terrified at what might come of the performance of Micheal Keaton (traditionally a comedic actor) who just played Beetlejuice the previous year... Was this going to be campy like the 1966 tv series??? We were wrong! Micheal Keaton knocked it out of the park! He *IS* Batman! That said... We did come away feeling the movie should have been named "Joker" as he had what seemed like twice as much screen time as Batman. And we immediately had issues with Tim Burton tweaking the story by not having Joe Chill kill Thomas and Martha Wayne. And of course throwing out the "no killing" rule. However the Joker falling into the vat of chemicals bleaching his skin and turning his hair green was true to the comics more than any other Joker origin on film... And the shot of Batman's parents being shot and the pearls of the necklace falling were ripped right from the pages of the comic books- brilliantly done! So the Joker killing Batman's parents got a pass. But again- this film set the bar for Batman films to come! Hope you continue with Batman Returns! Batman Forever is "okay." I liked it personally, however it is definitely more lighthearted than the first two... But "Batman & Robin" absolutely sucked!

[@highstimulation2497]

totally, mate. I was but 14, but I remember (and this is THE ONLY film I remember this detail about,) but it came out in theatres june 26th, and on vhs novemeber 15th. great stuff.

[@Muse_guitarsandgear]

I really enjoyed your reactions! When he tells Bob “Remember…you’re my number 1 guy” he’s imitating Jack Palance as Boss Grissom when he said it to him before going to axis chemicals…. Hilarious little mockery

[@davidpuerto1619]

I can't wait for you guys to watch the Burton sequel to this movie. In my opinion the Burton movies were the best in this version of Batman movies. The other ones struggled.

[@Rocket1377]

Joel Schumacher was a fan of the 1960s tv show and wanted to pay homage to it with his two Batman movies. Unfortunately, mixing campy humour with dark visuals simply didn't gel. Adam West's Batman only worked because they fully committed to the parody genre.

[@jeffrconner]

My interpretation of that final fight scene isn't necessarily how you're taking it. But it's just my opinion. That dude is basically Bane without venom in his system. I'm not saying the actual character. I'm talking about the strength and the size of the character. And Bane was always able to stand up to Batman, even when he wasn't jacked. Also, in earlier comic books, Batman did have a struggle fighting random baddies. It was the way to keep him street level back before he was moved up to a Justice League heavy and such.

[@MARQUE9368]

He’s since been amped up into a near unbeatable fighting machine even being able to go up against and hold his own against really super powered beings, having mastered every fighting style known to man and being a master strategist

[@strettoasino9006]

Batman just crawled out of his damaged plane... he's staggering around through the church...

[@Ironmew05]

The laughing box in Joker's shirt was another one of his bad jokes. It basically means that even at death, Joker got the last laugh.

[@JPryor77]

Hey. I just want to comment on a couple things you guys mentioned after the movie. You were saying that you thought it was weird that the thug at the end was beating Batman down. I imagine the filmmakers wanted to get a big physical fight with Batman and they weren't gonna get that from the Joker. But, here's something you guys may be forgetting. Batman had just survived a plane crash. He was severely injured. That's why they had the shot of him falling when he entered the church and knocking the rows of benches over. He could barely stand. Then, he climbed all those stairs to the top. He was injured and exhausted. Also, the thing with Billy Dee. He was hired to play Two-Face. They just weren't gonna do that villain in the first movie. So, they set up the character of Harvey Dent in the first one with the intention of having Two-Face be the main villain of the third movie. It just didn't happen as planned. Here's a couple of other interesting facts. The actor that played Bob is a personal friend of Jack Nicholson. Jack helped him get the part. When they made the action figures for the movie, the first three figures were Batman, Joker and Bob the Goon. Another cool thing is the actor that played the corrupt Lieutenant Eckhart. He was also Porkins in Star Wars: A New Hope. He was the first rebel pilot to get shot down in the attack on the Death Star. He also starred in Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark. He played one of the men from the government that hired Indy to retrieve the Ark. So, that guy has been in some classic and HUGE movies. I hope that clears some of that up for you.

[@calebtate4994]

Unfortunately, I was only four when it came out in theaters. But my parents did get the VHS (yes I'm THAT old) so I could watch it at home with them. I loved the movie and it's still one of my favorite Batman movies. The scene with the thug beating him up wasn't that big a deal to me at the time, I was legit happy to see Batman on the screen. ❤️

[@davidd7681]

"What are YOU laughing at?" Best line in the movie in my opinion. 😂

[@chrisf2636]

“If anyone else calls you beast…” is my favorite.

[@shyztee]

Lines around the block, people camping out, when this Batman dropped it was all anyone could talk about. The moment I remember most is when the Batwing flew in front of the moon. The theater literally erupted! People couldn't believe it! I remember looking over at this little boy who was sitting between his parents, he must of been 7 or 8 years old, tears of joy and excitement were running down his face, he was completely, emotionally overwhelmed!! And the merchandise! You couldn't go anywhere without seeing batman symbol necklaces or bracelets, tshirts, earrings, stick on tattoos, man it was nuts! Everywhere you went you heard the Batman theme song that Danny Elfman composed. It was an amazing time! There had never been a real Batman movie before that one so it was everything to everyone who saw it.

[@kevinlowe4953]

Thank you guy's for this..... you just made this movie more nostalgic ...you were wonderful

[@522eds]

I watched this on the theater when I was kid. Warms my heart to see how you 2 genuinely liked the movie. I don't compare Jack and Heath, one is insane and the other is maniacal. I love both actors rendition of Joker. I loved this reaction. 👌👍🔥💯💯💯

[@I-Am-Klaus]

As an og Batman comics fan I WAS happy to just be seeing it done mostly correctly on the big screen but... I chalked up his getting thrown around at the end scene to Burton wanting to give him a challenge to raise the stakes (as he dispensed so many others so easily) and the fact it was technically still year one for Batzy and he simply didn't have the skills he has in later versions.

[@radicaladz]

Joker's makeup has its own behind the scenes feature you can find on YT. Nicholson was allergic to spirit gum, the primary adhesive component of any kind of sfx makeup at the time, so they had to completely rework their approach to the makeup with his input. The smile is a latex prosthetic based on how wide he could naturally smile with some artistic exaggeration, and the flesh makeup on top was achieved by using a white dental acrylic then airbrushing over it with flesh toned makeup and contours, so when the top layer smeared or got wet, the white layer underneath wouldn't run.

[@mattmc5069]

This was yet another boost for Batman which he needed. In the late 70s DC was considering cancelling the Batman titles due to lack of sales but pushed on. In The mid to late 80s he was given several pushes: 1986s "the dark knight returns" the year one storyline 1986-1987 and the classic "death in the family" storyline where readers decided robins fate by calling a phone number. He had enough votes to die at the jokers hand. And 1989 was his 50th anniversary and of course this movie. One of the taglines was that that this was not your father's Batman. In other words not the silly 60s Batman everyone remembered mostly as kids. He had gotten darker in the comics in the last decade but the "general" public didn't know so this movie was a re intro for older fans and kids for a new generation

[@chaospoet]

I saw this opening weekend when I was 8. My older cousin who was 18 took me. We were in awe watching this at the time. You have to remember the only other version of Batman most people knew about was the 1966 Adam West version that was still on tv via reruns. So to go from that Batman to this was huge! Not to mention the marketing for this was unbelievable. Whole news segments were dedicated to the hype around this movie. Comic book anything in those days getting national and even international attention was unheard of back then. Then of course fantastic video games based off of this like Batman for NES by Sunsoft which is still a great game to this day. Then the whole animated series inspired directly from this movie. I was in Batman heaven. This also was the start of a good 10 year run of dark, gothic, weird and innovative style movies: Batman, Batman Returns, The Crow, Dark City, Demon Knight, City of the Lost Children, and lastly the one that ended it and started a whole new era in its wake: The Matrix. 89-99 was an awesome time for movies. Every year or two someone new and unique kept coming out. I miss that so much.

[@SandmanGotBeer]

In 1989, Batman was THE event of the year. Just the fact that Batman was on the silver screen was a MASSIVE ACHIEVEMENT so naturally the audience loved it. The 20th century Batman films really shouldn't be viewed from a Post-Nolan lens because it was a COMPLETELY different time. If it wasn't for the Burton and Schumacher movies, there wouldn't have been the urgent sense of realism that began with the Nolan trilogy that continues today. Billy Dee Williams was signed for a 3-picture deal and his Harvey Dent was planned to become Two-Face in the third movie. Obviously that didn't happen because Burton did not continue for a third movie and Two-Face was recast with Tommy Lee Jones for Batman Forever.

[@ninevoices9401]

I was 16 when this came out. I won a caption competition in my local paper and won tickets to the movie and a Batman T-shirt just like Madison's. Happy days.

[@gabagandalfoftheweed]

23:46 The dude was too shocked to scream.

[@TheRaidernation33]

Jacks Joker is amazing classic movie he’s psycho who has fun killing people and then he gets dropped in vat of chemicals which takes him to another level evil

[@R.J.Godzilla81]

I remember seeing this at a drive-in for my 8th birthday and I loved it. In a lot of ways this was a bit of a reinvention for Batman, because before this the only versions of Batman outside the comics were the Adam West show and the Super Friends cartoon. I remember back when I was a kid all my friends loved this movie and we all want a movie were Christopher Reeves Superman met Michael Keaton Batman. I’m glad you both liked it.

[@andrewaldridge5516]

About Batman getting beat up. I prefer it because it's a little more believable that sometimes he was going to get hurt. In regards to the henchman on top of the tower, remember that Batman was just in a plane crash minutes before so he wasn't 100%.

[@writerartist6306]

This is so cool seeing people watch one of my favorite movies that I grew up with for the first time.

[@oscarphile]

Fun Fact: Jack Nicholson was a volunteer fire captain before he became successful as an actor. He was so handy with an axe that they kept having to rebuild that bathroom door in The Shining because he would destroy it much too easily! Steve Buscemi was also a fireman, and after 9/11 he returned to his old station in New York, reportedly one of the hardest-hit in the terrorist attacks, and risked his life to help them dig through the rubble.

[@donovanlindaman421]

I’ve watched several reactions to this movie, but no one has noticed the guy who hands Knox the drawing… I’m pretty sure that’s Bob Kane’s signature on it, so I’m relatively sure the man who hands it to him is actually Bob Kane in a cameo.. 😊

[@briandecarlo1847]

I was born in 82 and did see this in theaters. This was a big movie. Sold out everywhere. Merchandise was everywhere. My father took me and my brother to see it, and after took us to 7-11 and there was a bowl on the counter full of Batman pins. At genuardi's, every magazine had Batman and the Joker in the front. Toys were amazing also. The plane Batman was flying was called the Batwing,. I had the toy of the batmobile and batwing. Also had some of the figures made for the movie. Whe batman was getting beat down by the that hitman, the crowd was ok with it. Of course the Joker would want to hire the best, especially guards that could take on batman. The only thing people at first were not a fan of was Michael Keaton as batman. He usually played the comedic roll in most of the movies that he was in. I think at the time, he just finished Beetlejuice. They thought he wouldn't be perfect for the part. But as soon as this hit theater's, everyone loved his performance. his movie was a big hit though. It was sold out everywhere. It was a good time.

[@rockaustin5130]

This movie won an Oscar for set design.

[@nowthatisawesome5431]

And now you know why so many deem this the best Batman movie ever! 🤗 Modern movies may have CGI, but old school movies have more heart and individual character. More work was put into them. They are iconic and memorable. I couldn’t tell you anything that stood out to me in the newer films, but this one sticks with you and is quotable. Even the city of Gotham was its own character. Love it!! You guys nailed it when you said this was a comic book come to life. That’s the whole point. Everyone that grew up with the comics now got to see that imagery put on the big screen. 😎 Technically this was not the first superhero movie on screen. I highly recommend that you guys watch Superman with Christopher Reeve. 🤗

[@jayceoldacre9702]

The guy summersaulting over the fence with the 2 swords is Grand Master Sken, Mauy Thai legend.

[@stevejoshua9536]

I was living in Waikiki, Hawaii in 1989, and I remember going alone to an early matinee, and sitting shoulder to shoulder in a packed movie theatre, while watching this movie. I don't remember much laughter at all in the theatre, and I stayed for two showings. All I remember is that everyone there was in absolute awe. It was very well received.

[@UnclePengy]

Something I didn't notice about this movie until 30 years later: In the scene in Vicki's apartment, after Joker comes in... while Joker and Bruce are having their dialog, Vicki suddenly has a big tub of popcorn and is eating it as the verbal fight goes on.

[@oscarphile]

Something I didn't appreciate for years is the way the Bat Signal is first revealed during the opening credits. How it doesn't look like a bat at first and only gradually comes into focus, like something you might see in a half-lucid dream or a Rorschach test (the third movie in the Batman series, Batman Forever, makes a rather clever joke about this). I've sometimes thought that the screenplay of this film had some story problems, but in true twisted Tim Burton style, it works on a subconscious level and gets under your skin.

[@KazyReed]

Joker's laugh box at the end still haunts my dreams!

[@truththruthespirit2659]

I grew up watching the Batman TV series with Adam West. Batman had a Bat plane, a Batcopter, a Bat Boat and a bat cycle he used in various shows.

[@beesmith5379]

Same here. Tim Burton took inspiration from the original Detective comics run and infused elements from the old 60’s series.

[@joelbarba3]

16:43 The way I read this scene is that Napier tries to shoot Batman, but Batman deflects it with the gauntlet, the bullet ricochets into the machine, and impacts at one of the meters. It breaks the glass on the meter, and the glass acts like shrapnel and rips his face to shreds.

[@Novaximus]

1:04:13 You're probably too young to know but "a bag of laughs" was a pretty standard gag you'd get at a novelty shop. Right next to the ol' fake ice cube with a bug in it. A pack of gum that will turn your mouth black. The hand shake buzzer (used to shock but they removed the shock part because parents didn't like their kids having something harmful so it became just a buzzer vibrating thing)....aaaand The Bag of laughs. I think it used to also be a saying, "you're a bag of laughs" so the joke was to make an actual bag of laughs. I mean, I'm 47 and even those things were kind of before my time as an 80's kid. These things were popular back in like the 60's and 50's.

[@kevinbejkoxdxd1514]

I found a VCR player we used to have and I found the cassette tape in my room of this movie. I tested the VCR, had a few minor issues but we were patient. It cleaned itself up, fixed the sound, and we were ready to roll.

[@MARS0l]

OMG pleaaaaaaase do Batman Returns!!! Its part 2 to this one. Thats one of my fav movies of all time! 🙏🙏🙏

[@Don-ol8ze]

I go back and forth between this one and Batman Returns as the best of all time. They each have their strengths, and both have so much sheer personality. Then there's chemistry between the characters and the incredible music. Tim Burton's were the best.

[@CSM-101-VADER]

First movie i ever watched....u get a sub for all the stuff u picked up on that i love all the subtle things...all the heavt gothic tones...batman being a myth is he man or monster? Just tim burton/anton fursts style, the creepy forest for example...all the art deco steampunk themes thugs dressed up as 30s gangsters and using tommy guns, really feels like its own universe...jokers gags on and on...i could could literally talk about this movie for hours

[@Dreamfox-df6bg]

I had no problem with Batman struggling against henchmen. He is not Superman. That's why he has gadgets and uses stealth when he can. He surprises his opponents and take them out before they can react. But if they see him coming? Then it's a contest. Who is stronger and who is the more skilled. And while the outcome is still pretty clear, it's still a struggle, no matter how short. And I like it. That's also why I don't like the Iron Bat costumes in recent years. Batman is also not Iron Man. I'm ok with him having one in reserve, I prefer the one from Batman Beyond. Yes, it still makes him much more resilient, but he still uses stealth a lot and he needs the edge the suit gives him because it levels the playing field against the problems and opponents he faces. As for the Joker, Ledger was great, but I prefer the style of Nicholson's Joker. There is one thing many have said about this movie, that it is a comic book brought onto the big screen. Maybe current creators could take this up. While more realistic superheroes are nice, it's neither DC Comics nor Marvel Comics.

[@johncollins9989]

what are you talking about the batmobile was going fast remember when he was taking vikki vale to the bat cave??? that thing moving its a55 off.. and he used the grappling hook to get around the corner because the roads where wet and that truck carrying the "cabbages" was right in front of him, of course he wouldve slide right into him had he not used it, any car wouldve. the jokers cars smashed right into that truck, bet they wished they had a grappling hook on their car... and that plane that looked like the bat symbol is called the bat wing

[@chrismaverick9828]

Nicholson really was a great Joker, not because he was the first one after the Cesar Romero days, but because he was comic book in style. He was over the top. The jokes were both deadly and cheesy, but he was aware of that. He was ruthless before, but now he had a condition the he had to laugh about or it would drive him mad, and it had in fact done so. Ledger was tragic, Leto was aggressive, but Nicholson, with Burton's coaching and style, really hits that sweet spot of a killing joke. Nicholson, with the mental idea that you had to take him seriously, was the comic book Joker brought to the real world.

[@krono5el]

Been to every mega blockbuster since Batman and nothing comes close to that opening day. youse guys woulda loved it, it was some legit movie madness and took over the world :D

[@JedHead77]

Fun Fact: Star Wars connections don’t just start with Billy Dee Williams (Lando) as Harvey Dent. Crooked detective Eckhardt was Rebel pilot Porkins in A New Hope who dies first at battle of the Death Star. And the father who gets mugged at the beginning played Luke’s best friend Biggs who gets shot down by Vader in the Death Star trench.

[@strettoasino9006]

Officially the film has no name ..just the iconic image...

[@joeluvzblues]

To answer your question, we loved it! We didn’t need another Superman whose only weakness is kryptonite. Keaton’s Batman was relatable, he was human. Keaton got tons of crap when he was casted as Batman. Mr. Mom is Batman???? But he proved all the critics wrong.

[@jayceoldacre9702]

The scene with the Batmobile racing through the spooky woods, is actually a road through Buxton, near the peak district. Driven down it many times, there was briefly a plaque of the bat symbol and I write up about the scene, bit somebody robbed it years ago.

[@Dhaem16]

Thomas Wayne has been a doctor in most versions of the character :D

[@willcrary3162]

There is a similar origin name...John Napier. You'll find it in the Batman Encyclopedia under Joker. John can also be Jack.

[@Stogie2112]

In the theater, the moment the Batmobile was first shown, the packed audience (and I) gave out a collective "OOOooooohhhh...!!"

[@carlesmacuaid]

I think you nailed it about Keaton, he is a great Bruce Wayne, probably the best on screen.

[@kenmott6387]

This was NOT the first big budget superhero movie. There were 4 Superman movies before that, starting in the late 70s. But it WAS the first serious, big budget movie devoted to Batman.

[@yogenz]

As mentioned, Batman was in a crash and you see him stumble and hit the chairs in the beginning. He's clearly weakened and then went up all those stairs. Still, that thug could not drop Batman no matter how many times he hit him. In comparison, in The Dark Knight when Joker crashes the party, Joker throws a skinny thug towards Batman and the thug drops Batman in one hit. As for the Batmobile, it didn't need the grapple hook. He did that so he wouldn't lose momentum or speed around the corner. That's why you saw the other cars spin out. He didn't need to do anything with the turn but simply turn due to the hook. Billy Dee Williams was a setup for a future film where he would become Two-Face. Had fun watching you guys.

[@joemaxwell3902]

That Batman t-shirt....you couldn't walk 5 feet without seeing one in the summer of '89. And yes, we were definitely losing our shit over the Batwing. Well, the whole movie really. It was the perfect way to end the '80s.

[@MrDarkwing78]

Great reaction, love your work! This movie was my first taste of Batman, and I was hooked! I was also one of the many who cried foul when Heath Ledger was cast as Joker. I'm even an Aussie, I just didn't think he had it in him! I've never been happier to eat crow, but now you see where Jack Nicolson set the bar! It's hard to imagine anyone better at chewing the scenery than him after this performance! I know that one shot seems a bit pathetic at 56:19, especially from something that ridiculous, but let's make 2 assumptions... 1) that thing fired a .44 despite looks (I was thinking .50 but I just can't suspend disbelief that far!) and 2) The Batwing shouldn't be aerodynamic in the first place! At the very least it's balancing on a razors edge there, any damage probably turned it into a flying brick! A few points you might enjoy... 1:04:16 That was what is known as a bag of laughs, a stupid gag gift based on the saying. Sugarbumps was played by Jerri Hall, a famous supermodel of the 80's. Batman movie backgrounds are filled with well known celebrities throughout the 4 movies in this series, be sure to keep an eye out for some surprise appearances. Pat Hingle (Commissioner Gordon) and Michael Gough (Alfred Pennyworth) are the only 2 actor to reprise their roles in all 4 movies If you want, I can send you my CD's of both the score and soundtrack for this film, though you could always download. The score is especially incredible, you can really remember specific scenes by the music alone. If you're keen on the physical copy, say the word and it's yours.

[@Soundwave880stopmotions]

I would just like to take a moment of silence, in honor of Bob. The best henchman a Joker could ask for.

[@jamesoblivion]

That dude who played young Jack would've been an amazing Joker, himself. He looks exactly like the comic book Joker.