Batman: Mask of the Phantasm - Nostalgia Critic

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Dark Knight Month wraps up with what many consider the most authentic Batman movie. Nostalgia Critic takes a look at Batman: Mask of the Phantasm.
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Batman: Mask of the Phantasm (also known as Batman: The Animated Movie: Mask of the Phantasm) is a 1993 American animated superhero film directed by Eric Radomski and Bruce Timm and written by Alan Burnett, Paul Dini, Martin Pasko, and Michael Reaves. It features the DC Comics character Batman. The film is based on Batman: The Animated Series and is the first original theatrical film produced by Warner Bros. Animation, the first film in the DC Animated Universe and the only one released theatrically.
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[@chasehedges6775]

Love Doug Walker 💯💯👍

[@deshawnedwards6412]

Hey Doug, how about for May you review some of the Direct to DVD Animated Batman Films to coincide with Bat-May?

[@bradywells6447]

Could you review the Good the Bad and the Ugly soon.

[@silverghost500]

Please review sonic the hedgehog 2020 the movie is few days away

[@contentcorsair]

Since No Way Home is out and deals very well with nostalgia, how about an NC review?

[@PsychoPlissken]

R.I.P. The Batman. The legend that is Kevin Conroy. You will be missed, but never forgotten.

[@shotgunboy9997]

One of the biggest parts of our childhood. We hope he rests in peace. R.I.P

[@Dareththeman2012]

rip Kevin Conroy,even though you're gone,you will be not forgotten😢

[@alim.9801]

It's so sad, it sucks to lose someone so talented like that. Rip batman

[@cbolanz1]

Joker: without Batman crime has no punchline.

[@benjizucker6091]

Also rip any chances of Mark Hamill of coming back as the Joker

[@jordanleland6402]

It seems we all came here to collectively mourn. Rest easy, Kevin Conroy. You shall forever be Batman.

[@Twilight17Petkoton]

Don't forget Jason David Frank being the best Power Rangers ever.

[@BenjaminNaman]

He's not gone. He just activated the Knightfall Protocol.

[@TheMasondwich]

Came here after hearing the news. Rest In Peace Kevin Conroy. Thank You for giving us the best Batman voice.

[@drykkeller6087]

RIP Kevin Conroy… thank you for being the best Batman voice for the DCAU, the Arkham games and this movie🦇

[@angmordagnithil7127]

The only problem I've ever had with this movie is that it was the first example (for me) of what would become a trend: namely, that the Gotham police is hilariously incompetent against any villain with even the slightest hint of a gimmick. But the moment it comes time for them to hunt down Batman, they become a precision fighting force capable of hounding him to his very limits.

[@yeoldeseawitch]

the cops are as suspect in gotham as they are in real life

[@chrisbg99]

Easier to chase someone who isn't necessarily going to fight back.

[@johnmannino3100]

Man, if you think this was the first example of that trend in Batman...that goes all the way back to the police in the 60s Batman show, who were honestly even more incompetent.

[@KasumiKenshirou]

@@johnmannino3100 In the 60s show they usually didn't even try to do anything themselves, and would immediately give up and call Batman on their direct phone line to him.

[@cainster]

Like in GTA V how the cops can’t do shit until your wanted level, when they become psychic and murderous.

[@ThenewTchannel]

We need to show appreciation for how much variety Hamill could bring with the Joker's laughter. This movie alone has like 10 different kinds of laughs, and each one sells the point perfectly

[@VegetaLF7]

I love the interview he did years ago talking about how he came up with the laugh. Specifically how it changes. Most people always do the "ha ha ha" laugh but Hamill said that if you look at the way it is done in the comics, that's not the case. Joker tends to cycle through a bunch of "haha, hoho, hehes" in his laugh, always changing it up. It was something he wanted to represent with his voicework here, coming up with a bunch of variations of the laugh to use in different situations.

[@lasarousi]

The Woody woodpecker laugh gets me everytime

[@jessedellross3245]

He is the best joker for that exact reason.

[@IBrowneeI]

He’s also mentioned that he was inspired by, and took advice from, Frank Gorshin, who played a very energetic laughing Riddler in the 60’s Adam West series. When he asked him how he got his laugh so good and versatile for so many scenes and situations, Frank apparently told him that it’s not just the Riddler laughing, it’s what he’s laughing at. He took that to heart with the Jokers laugh, and it really shows through his entire career playing the Joker. Very, _very_ few times are any of Mark Hamill’s Joker laughs the same, they rarely ever reuse them. He forges a new laugh for every scene he needs it, having the mindset of how the Joker would find this new situation hilarious.

[@ThenewTchannel]

@@IBrowneeI and since we’re on the subject, did you know Frank Gorshin came back in a later Batman property to play Professor Hugo Strange?

[@SwiftNimblefoot]

I agree, the costume reveal is one of the best ever, just seeing Alfred genuinely terrified when he sees him in it. Also, the final speech by Alfred is also so touching.

[@yoda908]

Alfred I think is the only one Bruce will fear. The animated series Alfred to me will always be the best. Hell in one episode Alfred made Bruce chicken soup. He's the father Bruce still needed and keeps the whole Bat family together.

[@felixleidig8307]

@@yoda908 Thats why DC can never apalogize for KILLING Alfred in the Tom King Run

[@Scarshadow666]

@@yoda908 Definitely agree, except for the fear part (Alfred is Bruce's surrogate father, and their familial love is one of the sweetest parts of the Batman mythos)! I'd argue that if Alfred had been a superhero instead of Bruce, he would have been way more terrifying to the criminals and civilians in Gotham, probably up there with Thomas Wayne levels (from that one alternative universe when Thomas was Batman instead and Martha Wayne became Joker). Alfred probably would have been the most effective killer too, since he had the most training from his veteran days. Gotham is fortunate that Bruce is the one wearing the cowl... 0_0

[@grkpektis]

In a Batman Beyond comic they explained how Andrea is able to seem supernatural, the gas she uses is a modified version of Scarecrow's fear toxin to make people see things that are not there

[@DarthArachnious]

A friend of mine always thought in that moment where Mark's real voice comes through. It's Jack Napier slipping out from behind "The Joker" persona. He was a big fan of the idea that being insane is a lie he told himself to live with the horrible things he's done.

[@LucyLioness100]

I honestly didn’t even notice when first seeing the movie. I wonder if that was an accident slip by Mark or intentional; doesn’t honestly matter as it’s fun to notice now 😆

[@suohd.sunking6964]

Well I hate to break it to you but if you do all those things just because you aren't clinically insane doesn't mean you have no problems with your sanity, because you are indeed, insane.

[@SingeScorcher]

I thought the opposite. That it was Joker slipping back into Jack Napier just for dramatic effect. He's been shown doing similar in other media.

[@DarthArachnious]

@@SingeScorcher ultimately this is Paul Dini's version of Joker. So this is the origin according to him. It fits right into the Animated Series lore. kzbin.info/www/bejne/aGjLmYOYjrCBnNE

[@DarthArachnious]

@@LucyLioness100 I didn't notice it till years later. Among my friends I was late to the party, they say they noticed it in the theaters. I kind of believe them.

[@josevlog945]

Also Bruce's line of "I didn't expect to be happy" line is one of my personal favorite Batman lines

[@cyberlordva995]

6:18

[@jessedellross3245]

What this movie does that no other Batman movie does is go into the psychology and tragedy of the character. Bruce is basically asking his dead parents if it’s ok for him to let them go and be happy, like being happy is a terrible thing.

[@Johnconagher]

You mean “I didn’t count on being happy”?

[@lemmythebulldog8812]

Rest In Peace Kevin Conroy. The man who gave a voice to the timeless imagery of the Dark Knight

[@GuardianKyle]

Let's all take a moment of silence.. . . Rest In Peace Kevin Conroy. 1955 - 2022.

[@matodragonespor5000]

Movie critic in 1995: "The day is comming when adults will realize that animation is not limited to an entertainment form for children" Actresses presenting the Oscar for best animated movie in 2022: "Animation movies are there so kids can watch something over and over and over again. Animation is for children to enjoy and for adults to endure"

[@HebiHouse]

That's rough.

[@freneticgamer4174]

Is that actually what they said verbatim? Because I looked it up and all I saw was them mentioning that some children watch these movies over and over again and then said "I see some of you parents know what I'm talking about". I just can't fathom why at an award for animation they would bash it especially when their jobs came from films inspired by animated movies.

[@ezelfrancisco1349]

And Guillermo Del Toro and Hayao Miyazaki is like, "No it's not"

[@BrandontheBeldam2993]

Somehow Joker's smiling victims look creepier in animation than in live action..Kudos to the animators for doing great work.

[@DanielAlves-xe4om]

Probably because with animation you can make the grins look more extreme and exaggerated than you're really able to do in live action.

[@jacktheflash8478]

@@DanielAlves-xe4om exactly

[@georgeeastwood6930]

In loving memory of Kevin Conroy (1955-2022) 🌹

[@user-ok2lw9cc1z]

He was Justice, He was the Night, and He was the one and Only Animated BATMAN!!! Rest In Peace Dark Knight 🦇

[@MacNava]

Roger Ebert talk about animation not being just for kids still holds up to this day. Especially after what happened during the Oscars this year.

[@filmfangirls9163]

Exactly how I felt when he said that!!

[@motor4X4kombat]

specially after the oscars admited that animation is just enjoyment for kids that has some value for adults, thats why they always give the award to disney films and not indie films like persepolis, mary and max, anomalisa, or wasn't distributed by a high company, movies like your name and a silent voice were distributed by funanimation, unlike the ghibli films that were distribute by disney.

[@bluestreaker9242]

@@motor4X4kombat Which is ironic since, iirc, they only added "Best Animated Picture" as a nomination category...because of Shrek...a DreamWorks Picture...which only exist because of people who left Disney and wanted to be anything BUT Disney, so they made a film that was the opposite of a typical Disney flick. X3

[@blossomingbeelzebub]

I think the perception of animation being for kids is a problem with the industry itself. The LARGE majority of animated films produced in North America are made for family audiences, and there are almost never high quality animated productions made for adults. The industry needs to start taking risks and investing in adult animation to change this view, but since family films are so profitable that risk is less likely to be made.

[@filmfangirls9163]

@@blossomingbeelzebub well said.

[@stormhawkdude]

"The time is coming when adults are realizing that animation is no longer limited to an entertainment form for the children." I'm amazed Animation Twitter didn't pull that quote out on Oscar night while everyone else was reacting to the Slap Heard Round the World.

[@FFSteF09]

sadly on 10th November 2022, Kevin Conroy passed away. Age 66

[@trujillosaurusrex5434]

Thanks Kevin Conroy for giving life to Batman 🙏🏻❤️ #ripkevinconroy

[@ISBuckley8]

I agree with Doug. The scene of Batman putting on the mask gives me chills every time. And that Joker laugh at the end was amazing. Such a great movie

[@jessedellross3245]

Agreed. I think another reason the scene is the best is that moments hesitation before Bruce puts on the mask. He knows it’s the point of no return. He knows how important the decision is. But he puts on the mask and embraces his destiny.

[@MLdoktor]

It's the best bat movie, because it's, unlike the dark Knight, a movie about batman to its core. The last scene is everything!

[@jerraldwest8531]

Dude, im 26 now, and my parents got the vhs of this from family video when I was 8. I can honestly say it made me feel emotions I'd never had before. I rewound to the first suit-up scene so many times. btw, My parents didn't get a DVD player until 2006, and even then, they didn't fase out VHS tapes completely until around 2010. 😂

[@berengerburkhart4080]

Hamill dropping the joker voice is so damn cool. It's like Joker fractures for a second and reverts back to his original personality. I always liked Joker when he wasn't completely insane so I loved this here.

[@gianinabadami5341]

It sounds like he also did it when he said "Bruce" in his monolog to Batman in Batman Beyond:Return of the Joker

[@kumo34sans]

RIP Kevin Conroy, the bat signal will never stop lighting up the night sky.

[@Blizzard-kf3qm]

It’s so shocking to know that we just lost Kevin Conroy. I’m still trying to process it. RIP

[@Keichimaru]

Oh hell yes. I adored this movie as a kid. Batman TAS was the best thing on television when I was younger. Mark Hamil will forever be the only true joker in my heart. And this film was so much better than anyone I knew expected it to be.

[@johncole4183]

Yeah mark makes a great joker. I especially liked him in the arkham games especially the last one where he kinda haunts batman

[@koneheadcokehead4981]

Cool

[@dannycomellas]

And Conroy is the one true Batman

[@nathancruz9172]

Me too.

[@theplaguegamer6216]

That actually brought back the Phantasm in the JLU episode "Epilogue" she was supposed to kill Batman Beyond's parents but she couldn't because of the idea of what Bruce became

[@randallflagg3700]

Last year, the Phantasm also had a small role in _"Batman: Reptilian"_ by Garth Ennis. It's a *very* strange miniseries, but I loved it.

[@2PRO_4U_2NO]

@@randallflagg3700 She was in Reptilian? I've read that book and I don't recall her being in that.

[@crickett3536]

Tamara, Malcolm, and Doug playing off each other in these reviews always elevates them to a higher level!

[@onionfragments]

I've gotta say, these newer reviews are a lot more enjoyable. When Doug is positive about something, his joy in infectious.

[@ChannelAwesome]

Glad you like them!

[@TanmanC]

I love the villain of the Phantasm, the way it’s intwined into BOTH Bruce and Batman’s story is fantastic!

[@erainmartinez8175]

f##k yeah!

[@Shadow-zf5uc]

And it's intwined with the Joker too which is awesome

[@nicktechnubyte1184]

I never saw her as a villainess!

[@Shadow-zf5uc]

@@nicktechnubyte1184 yeah she's more of an anti-villian

[@nathancruz9172]

Me too.

[@sjk8495]

25:05 Yeah that Joker laugh is so good that the Death Battle team used it to conclude their analysis of Joker in the episode "Joker vs. Sweet Tooth", and that laugh was the perfect way to wrap up his analysis! And as for the result of the battle, let's say regardless of the outcome, the Joker is done justice in the episode.

[@MrAuthor3DS]

"The best kind of punchline...IS THE ONE YOU DON'T SEE COMING!" One of Death Battle's best lines, bar none.

[@aros0018]

@@MrAuthor3DS I don't know, I kind of have a lot of love for Reverse-Flash's "Excuse me, sir, I'm in need of your services."

[@retron99]

R.I.P Kevin Conroy 11/30/1955 - 11/10/2022 “I AM VENGEANCE, I AM THE NIGHT, I AM BATMAN”

[@philliptivis3082]

"Hello? Hello, Operator? I believe my party's been..DIS-connected!" That bit got me hard in the theater and to this day I still crack up.

[@gamefan6219]

Mark Hamill did an amazing job as Jack (Aka The Joker) in this movie. Not only does he say several funny lines, but damn does he make him the SCARIEST part of this movie! ESPECIALLY that shot of him laughing when the lightning flashes. Heath Ledger's Joker was scary enough, but NOTHING tops Mark Hamill's Joker.

[@Rgoid]

Ledger’s Joker? Scary? Can’t be because of his lame makeup.

[@BrandontheAwesome]

@@Rgoid He was more disturbing than scary.

[@user-dv6nh3mu3y]

Why i always feel joker real name was "jack" (connection with poker card jack and joker) despite his real name is unknown?

[@locomadman]

That’s a mighty bold statement my guy.. but not one I can wholeheartedly disagree with! 😅

[@LazerWulf]

@@user-dv6nh3mu3y His name was Jack Napier in Batman '89 (where he was played by Jack Nicholson, so that's 2 Jacks for the price of one)

[@koneheadcokehead4981]

I love how the Joker says You're Crazy! When he's actually crazy.

[@locomadman]

In other news; water, wet 😉😁😎

[@jessedellross3245]

Well Bruce does dress like a bat and regularly jumps off rooftops……

[@fry4guy421]

Rest in peace Kevin Conroy. You were and always will be the Batman!

[@CLDJ227]

20:27 I'm glad you pointed that out, the DC animated team has always been good at having very subtle innuendos and that was one of them.

[@legendaryscarletlunala7927]

I just love the DCAU as a whole with everything tied together so nicely. I remember that she makes a cameo in the Justice League Ultimate Finale/Batman Beyond Crossover episode "Epilogue" where she is hired by Amanda Waller to kill Terry's parents for Terry to become the new Batman like Bruce did. She doesn't do it because it ruins what Bruce stands for. That whole episode was great but it was nice to see she still respects what Bruce's moral code is.

[@RaphBlade7]

She also ends up sparring the lives of McGinnis' which allowed Terry to grow up and have a normal childhood, as well as lead to the McGinnis' having a second child (who due to Waller's alterations to the reproductive DNA of Mr. McGinnis, is also inadvertently the biological child of Bruce). Though Terry ultimately ended up becoming Batman Beyond due to Mr. Power (the future villain Blight) having his father killed, it was better that way as Terry ultimately chose to take on the mantle of Batman with Bruce's approval. Additionally had Andrea gone through with it, there is no way of telling how Terry might have reacted were he to discover the truth of Amanda Waller's role in Project Batman Beyond.

[@kamenfann8880]

agreed

[@Tfbrave]

@@RaphBlade7 don't forget that in the Batman Beyond comics said second child ends up becoming Robin

[@invisiblefan2387]

6:17 This is the funniest reaction by Doug EVER!

[@nomercyfilms]

Can someone explain that joke

[@jj80808]

Nnnnnnnnnnn ooooo

[@Fdatubeofyou]

@@nomercyfilms It sounded like the black girl said "N word" when she said "M word" referring to marriage.

[@ghostdragon4164]

Decided to watch this again after learning of Kevin Conroy’s passing. RIP to the best Batman

[@dragondaveltd1992]

Rest in Peace to our beloved voice of the Dark Knight, Kevin Conroy...

[@bionicleanime]

Truly the best batman movie ever made. I got this on DVD for $5 back in highschool and it felt like finding a buried treasure.

[@101Snipeshot]

I actually found one in a Barnes and Noble 3 or 4 years ago. I bought it immediately because this is just too good. My wife who never saw it thought it was gonna be kiddy, but was impressed with it when she watched it with me.

[@nathancruz9172]

I just got this from blu ray disc few years ago.

[@TanmanC]

One of the most underrated films EVER! Simply fantastic

[@sinCorazon1980]

not really underrated tho, just about every batman/comic fan knows this is one of the best superhero movies ever made

[@theshenpartei]

It’s the best Batman movie to date

[@theshenpartei]

@@chasehedges6775 true

[@waterh2o299]

Underrated every Batman fan talks about this movie

[@johncole4183]

@@sinCorazon1980 underrated at the time. But over the years more and more people have come to know and love it

[@RedDragonM1]

Kevin Conroy RIP You were the BEST BATMAN. We will miss you, legend. I had a chance to meet him...but...I froze. I heard that voice...and I couldn't move!! I wish...this hurts, sorry....may you rest well, Kevin. RIP.

[@arq29874]

R.I.P. Kevin Conroy, Our BATMAN!!!

[@squishyty918]

I guarantee you, if this was live action, mostly everyone would love it more than Dark Knight and it would get the respect and appreciation it deserves

[@johncole4183]

Yeah I'd have to disagree with you there. Hard to beat ledgers joker.

[@manuelalbertoromero9528]

ANIMATION IS FOR EVERYONE

[@GCT1990]

@@johncole4183 please, Heath was decent, people act like his performance which was bland is untouchable... Decent at best. He actually made the Joker look like any thug with extremely good luck could just put on some make up and act crazy. People just give him more credit because it was his last role. They did the same with Paul Walker, but I remind you that before he passed, Paul made it on every single terrible actor list yet people still think of him as a good actor. Heath could of put more into the role. He locked himself in a hotel for a month yet none of that transfered well in his role

[@L337M4573RK]

If they could somehow get Mark Hamill to voice The Joker for a live-action version (not play, just voice), that would be awesome!

[@td3798]

@@GCT1990 u the only one who thinks that

[@Gabri_Lovecraft]

I’m genuinely convinced 6:18 was a dark joke deliberately put in by the animators just to throw a bone for the adults. The timing is literally perfect and I refuse to believe NOBODY on set thought of this.

[@ewormXD]

What's "the M word", the only one I can think of in this context is indeed "marriage"...?

[@Gabri_Lovecraft]

@@ewormXD Remember what letter sounds very similar to M, and remember that the lady saying it is black...

[@carsfan1995]

@@Gabri_Lovecraft Exactly! Glad I’m not the only one who thought she said the other letter.

[@elder-woodsilverstein7716]

22:21 Joker treated that robot better than he ever did with Harley.

[@alchemistofsteel8099]

I think its cannon that Joker will give anything that isn't harley attention

[@elder-woodsilverstein7716]

@@alchemistofsteel8099 What an A-hole 😆

[@RejectedHeroesMedia]

Rip Kevin Conroy 💔🌧️😭😭😭

[@JDWalker495]

This movie reinforces the fact that DC rules the Animated movie front Also at 20:40 I wished they pushed the rating a little more by just having Bruce go “Oh Sh*t”

[@MazeDaGr8]

Kevin Conroy will Always be the Best Batman 🦇 & Mark Hamil will Always be the best Joker 🤡

[@philliptivis3082]

When I read Batman comics, it's their voices that instantly pop into my head.

[@nathancruz9172]

Indeed.

[@apollorock3r244]

Also rewatching this review in memory of Kevin Conroy. R.I.P. to the best Dark Knight. 😢

[@twofacetoo75]

Fun fact about this movie: while they were making it, they hadn't picked a name for Andrea's character yet, they couldn't decide on a name that carried an air of mystery, tragedy, romance and danger all at once. During recording sessions for the movie and the show, the voice director (Andrea Romano, who also worked on the rest of the DCAU and even 'Avatar: The Last Airbender') would have fun with the cast members to keep their voices warmed up and to stop them getting stressed out from the work by having them say goofy lines and jokes. One time, while recording lines for this film, she asked Kevin Conroy to (quote) 'Say my name in that big, sexy Batman voice of yours'. So he read a line, then growled out 'Andrea' after it, and everyone had a good laugh. He ended up doing it on every following take to have some fun of his own, and after a while the name just stuck. It was the perfect name for his love-interest, so the character was named 'Andrea'.

[@DrDolan2000]

Love to hear about some behind-the-scenes fun

[@89BatmanFan]

That's actually not *quite* accurate. According to writer Alan Burnett (and co-creator of Phantasm), Andrea Beaumont was named after his daughter. I think the Andrea Romano connection was more of a happy in-house coincidence. :)

[@vgoten1]

This movie is amazing! As a kid the ending always killed me. You always want to see the guy get the girl; that they could be happy finally. That moment when he finds the necklace, followed with her standing alone on the ship. Lastly, I love the ending song and it just gives me all the feels.

[@MLdoktor]

It's the best bat movie, because it's, unlike the dark Knight, a movie about batman to its core. The last scene is everything!

[@JDWalker495]

24:14 Missed opportunity for “So that’s what that feels like”

[@randallrona9618]

Rest in Peace, Kevin Conroy. The Best Batman. 🦇♥️

[@skabcat242]

I still remember seeing Mask of the Phantasm in theaters. The marketing was poor at the time. I didn't even know it was out until I saw an ad in a magazine.

[@nathancruz9172]

And, I remember watching the 25th anniversary from Batman mask of the phantasm at the theaters 4 years ago.

[@samanthamorrison5937]

The Costume reveal scene will still be in my deepest memories to this day for not only great imagery but atmosphere it shows, also that kick ass music that's rightfully title "The Birth of Batman" for not only Alfred but we the Audience our witness to one of animation, comic books and cinema moment history and will still never get tired of watching this movie to this day! Also, fantastic video once more Nostalgia critic and Rob and the rest of channel awesome team another month theme down looks forward to next movie or series to talk about.

[@koneheadcokehead4981]

Warner Bros. trying to block the video. Me: You just don't know when to quit, do you?

[@alk3690]

Came here after the Kevin Conroy news. He is vengeance. He is the night. He is BATMAN!

[@Johnconagher]

Rest In Peace Kevin Conroy the best batman in animation history

[@matthewjaco847]

This was one of the first animated movies to truly scare the hell out of me as a kid. The fact that they actually killed people in a Batman cartoon rattled my impressionable little mind.

[@codyvaughn4195]

This, Under the Red Hood, and The Dark Knight Returns are among the best Comic book movies ever, and they are ALL animated 🙌🏻🔥

[@o0cacoto0o]

I love Year One as well as the ones you mentione. It was an amazing film honestly

[@Andy_Draws0209]

This, Red Hood and Long Halloween all the way friends 😎 🦇

[@matthewmuir8884]

Don't forget Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker.

[@thrawncaedusl717]

@@o0cacoto0o Year One is second only to Phantasm in my mind.

[@hardnewstakenharder]

Flashpoint Paradox owns all.

[@blossomingbeelzebub]

This is just a perfect movie in my eyes. Every scene has purpose, and theres no time wasted. It doesnt waste time rehashing points we already know about Batman, but still adds more depth to his origin story. Voice acting is amazing as always, and the heightened production value has helped this film age beautifully. Oh, and the soundtrack is stunning.

[@alexgomez6723]

It was okay.

[@blossomingbeelzebub]

@@alexgomez6723 agree to disagree i guess 🤷‍♂️

[@alexgomez6723]

@The Eye Creature Wow, you summed it up far better than I was able to. And yes, I just wasn’t sure where all the praise was coming from first time I saw this. People not only praised this as one of the finest Batman experiences ever, but as one the best animated films ever made. While it probably was more refreshing in comparison to its more family friendly competition at the time, on its own, it wasn’t really anything that special. The reveal to the identity of The Phantasm was underwhelming, the “deep secret” to Batman’s past amounted to nothing more than a long distance relationship, and the whole thing ended with another “stop the Joker’s plan” type climax that we have seen thousands of times. I feel like people may have been clouded by the hard on they have for the animated series, praising anything at least adequately watchable from it, that’s the only reason I think fanboys think so highly of Phantasm, even though it’s hardly anything more than a padded out C-tier BTAS episode.

[@blossomingbeelzebub]

@The Eye Creature to me its just a fun, really well made movie. Doesn't matter if the 'twist' is predictable. For a movie thats only an hour long, theres so much great content. Interesting to see some negative opinions on it though. Also it WAS a direct to dvd release that was changed to be a theatrical release because the studio saw how high quality it was, so its a film made with a smaller budget than most theatrical animated releases.

[@izbillzies4239]

@@alexgomez6723 People think highly of this movie for multiple reasons, none of which are hard to see at all… It was praised for its storytelling, its noir style, its soundtrack, its voice acting, its humour, its emotional moments & its action sequences. There is not a single aspect of this movie that you have to like at all, and it's perfectly fine to disagree with the praise for it, but dismissing it as a mere case of fanboyism is completely stupid. It's also quite blatantly incorrect given that actual professional critics have praised the movie as well & not just zealous Batman fans. Most of your criticisms just boil down to "the movie just does not interest me", because otherwise they don't hold up at all in a critical sense. Bruce's conflict between his relationship with Andrea and his commitment to being Batman brilliantly portrays how deep-rooted his trauma is and how it gets in the way of him forging relationships and overall finding happiness. If you're not interested in all that or feel that it was done poorly, it's all fine. If you're actually interested in the Batman mythos, however, then brushing the movie's insight into Batman's inner conflict as "nothing more than a long distance relationship" is a prime example of oversimplification. It's a terrible way to assess a subject because it completely disregards its nuances. You could pick any aspect from any content and oversimplify it to make it appear flat and uninteresting. It's lazy and disingenuous. And superhero media is clearly not for you at all if you're gonna complain about a superhero story which heavily involves its most iconic supervillain ending in a climactic battle against said iconic supervillain. That has always been and will always be part of the superhero formula. That does not make it inherently a bad thing because it can be done right. If you feel like the movie's climax was done poorly in terms of the actual quality of how it was made, then I respect that (although I disagree). If you dislike it specifically because it adheres to a superhero formula then I don't know what did you expect at all if you're into superhero content…

[@BadSodaProductions]

RIP Kevin Conroy

[@MALKMIN_THE_MILKMAN]

RIP the best batman voice

[@koneheadcokehead4981]

So this was originally planned for a direct-to-video release, but Warner Bros. gave Mask of the Phantasm a theatrical release and even though those 8 mouths must of been hell to work i'm honestly just really glad they gave it a real theatrical release instead of it just sitting there at the video store box shelf.

[@indiecinemaster4699]

The review forgot one thing: Robert Costanzo as Harvey Bullock is the best side character in all of the animated series. I so would kill to see him team up with Robert Wuhl as Knox...

[@xgray2012]

Ditto!!

[@sicksaiyan1484]

I also liked how in the background of Reeve's Bat-Bashing speech, Harvey tries to draw attention away from himself by pulling his coat over his face when Reeves implies police agreeing with him about Batman being a lunatic. Even better when Gordon scowls at him, knowing full well it was him that Reeves was talking about when he said that.

[@LucyLioness100]

This movie is still amazing after 3 decades; God I’m old 😂 the animation can tell volumes without dialogue being spoken, the vocal performances are all spot on, the music is haunting (RIP Shirley Walker) & the mystery really is exciting upon your first viewing and looking for the clues is still enjoyable

[@Bananahammock681]

You know you have a great Batman movie when you add Joker in and he isn't the main focus on everyone's mind, the actual story is.

[@scottketchie5703]

Doug, thank you for Dark Knight Month. I enjoyed it so much

[@drakedarkstar5422]

17:38 Batman vs Dracula is a good cartoon with Joker as secondary villain.

[@sadlobster1]

It's sad that current iterations of Batsy not only amp up his closed-off, emotionally dead loner persona to 12. But it's even worse how current comic writers, TV producers and studios never allow him to let go of his pain. I wrote a western with a character who suffered a fate near similar to that of Bruce's. Some unknown riders invade the protagonist's family home, kill his parents and take his little sister off to who knows where; leaving him for dead. Without going too deep into spoilers; when my character finally meets the man who orchestrated the tragedy, he wants nothing more than to kill him. But his sister, who's actually alive and some friends the protagonist had made helped him understand that vengeance won't bring his family back (or the childhood he lost.) Even IF Robin, Batgirl, Nightwing, Alfred, Comm. Gordon...or even the bloody JUSTICE LEAGUE tell Batman the same thing; he'll still refuse to change. It's almost as if he LOVES being alone and miserable, in my eyes. I mean, I know what happened to his parents was shocking...but that was ages ago. You don't see anyone IRL going after thugs after every mugging that occurs

[@randallflagg3700]

So if your story is so much better than Batman, then why aren't you publishing it? You'll make millions for movies rights only.

[@a.e.madison5966]

It's not about his pain and trauma. It's about him wanting to prevent anyone else from ever being that kid in the alley, and his obsession with it.

[@beanhurst]

I can't believe you didn't mention that the future man-statue at the amusement park is a two for one reference to both the Mr. Freeze suit in TAS and also Things To Come (1936) on which Freeze's suit is based.

[@claytonrios1]

Heath Ledger may be my favorite live action Joker but we all know that Mark Hamill is the best Joker voice!

[@SathishKumar-sk8fe]

Mark Hamill as live action joker missed opportunity.

[@biguy617]

RIP Kevin Conroy, voice of Batman.

[@nathanculjak1842]

I really loved this movie, the origin, the suspense, the amazing romantic yet tragic romance in this movie really got to me. Bruce and Andrea were perfect for each other, until things went bad in regards to the mob. This will always be my number one Batman film.

[@nathancruz9172]

Me too.

[@theshenpartei]

Thanks for doing this it’s was through you who introduced me to Batman the animated series and this movie

[@koneheadcokehead4981]

Even nearly 30 years later, WB try to still keep it buried

[@UltimateGamerCC]

tbf that's kind of what you should do when a movie bombs at the Box Office.

[@manuliza6420]

The phantasm does kinda appear again in The DCAU, as she was an assassin sent by Amanda Waller to kill Terry McGinnises Parents so he could become the next Batman, But she refused when she remembered how this affected Bruce and what Pain and Misery it brought to them.

[@Shadywolf09]

Robert Pattinson has said that this film inspired him in how he would play the character in The Batman. I honestly don't think this film gets the credit it is due in the DC world. It's the best one done out of all of the versions of Batman on a cinematic level.

[@FAMCHAMP]

Mask Of The Phantasm is held in such high class nowadays (well deserving btw) that I'm not even sure if it's even considered underrated anymore. I feel like just hearing the name alone demands it's respect in high regard.

[@user-ok2lw9cc1z]

Friedrich Nietzsche once said, “Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you”. This movie was this quote personified. It shows you just how far will someone will go and what they are willing to sacrifice.

[@louisduarte8763]

Now I'm reminded of what Batman told Owlman in Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths: "We both stared into the abyss. The main difference between us is, you blinked."

[@SingeScorcher]

@@louisduarte8763 Was about to comment the same. Not near the cinematic greatness of this film, but that was one hell of a Batman one liner.

[@nateaurand1601]

RIP Kevin Conroy. Love this channel, just found it during my viewing of this video. This is hilarious writing and editing. Subscribed!

[@TheKeller101]

The joker laugh I’ve always remembered was in the teaser trailer(from 2000) for Batman Beyond: return of the Joker The way it built up to that crescendo of madness.

[@Bluesit32]

That laugh was actually from the Batman/Superman crossover "World's Finest". It's another "laughing in the face of death" laugh. He seems to really get a kick out of being the engineer of his own demise. The irony just tickles him.

[@TheKeller101]

@@Bluesit32 I hate that when I hear 'Batman/Superman' I can now only ever associate it with the 'Dawn of Justice' movie

[@grapeshot]

I remember when this movie first came out most people missed it. As far as I'm concerned this is one of the best performance of Mark Hamill as the Joker🃏🃏🃏

[@SeasideDetective2]

On the subject of the movie trailer: I remember the trailers for "kids' films" from that era. They didn't try to disguise the fact that they were for children. So they didn't go the standard, cryptic, "In a world..." route. They told you exactly what you were going to see, and sometimes even told you about the making of the film.

[@onenonlyprincess2]

If you are watching this after finding out Kevin Conroy passed away, I don't blame you. RIP Batman

[@jopatech]

The eye twitch at the end from Tamara was perfect! Awesome review! Now I have to rewatch this, cuz it's been like... well, almost 30 years. 😂

[@zero5457]

I love this movie the character development storytelling animations is all gorgeous I love coming back and re-watching this movie since my dad show me this it 2016

[@chevin0]

thumbs up for Tamara getting actual screen time like a couple years back, she has felt pretty sidelined since you all came back from lockdown

[@blossomingbeelzebub]

Yesss we stan Tamara, our queen

[@skits_3d824]

Rest in peace Kevin Conroy 💔 🌹

[@ashleytuchin7693]

I'm so glad that this has been getting the recognition it deserves in recent years. BTAS is thr greatest Batman adaptation ever, and Phantasm is the brightest jewel in its crown.

[@etherealdreamerart]

One of the best Batman animated films ever. Love 'I Never Even Told You' By Tia Carrere. 😊

[@AtrumNuntius]

I remember seeing this when it came out way back when. The intense music still stuck with me even though I was pretty young. Didn't think they were going to add the Joker in it with all the other stuff going on. Just made the movie go up another notch.

[@SeasideDetective2]

I also went to see this during the 1993 holiday season. I never would have guessed who the Phantasm really was; I was completely credulous when Andrea "revealed" that it was her father (oh, and good on them for giving the Phantasm Stacy Keach's voice instead of Dana Delany's!). The embarrassing thing is, I was already a (young) teenager by that time. But what can I say? I could be unbelievably naive back then.

[@TheSpartan013]

Kevin Conroy has said that his approach to Batman has pretty much been him channeling his years doing Shakespeare. Portraying Batman as a tragic Shakespearean Hero. It fits extremely well.

[@dman6261]

A review on the animated Dark Knight movies would have been awesome as well, I love those, with a very dark Batman consequences of years of fighting crime and putting himself to that task, wrapping up several things once and for all.

[@Tadicuslegion78]

"He's so angry, that moments of levity cause him pain"-Sums up this Batman in a nutshell.

[@cabbitness1983]

i'm giving this a default like simply because of the youtube bullshit hell y'all had to go through just to upload this. really glad you guys worked hard and got it uploaded! sending much love.

[@jerrelljones9991]

The most amazing Batman animated movie ever so epic and has aged very well even 29 years later

[@alejandromolina7270]

I loved watching this movie when I was eight, but was utterly confused what was going on. This film was for kids and at the same time not for kids, and I love it for it.