The Symbolism Of The World Of The Future | Batman Mask of the Phantasm

In this video I look at the significance of The World of The Future at Gotham's World Fair in Batman Mask of the Phantasm, while talking about the character of Andrea Beaumont. Beware of spoilers for this near 30 year old film ;)
Chapters:
0:00 Introduction
0:44 Mask of the Phantasm Summary
3:25 The Big Metaphor
6:53 The Ending
#batmantheanimatedseries #dccomics #btas #maskofthephantasm

[@KaiserAfini]

In my mind, this is the scene that defines the Joker. The future is destroyed, yet he laughs. A vision of hell surrounds them, and he laughs. Death has come for him, and he loses all strength from laughing. His laugh is one where you can no longer tell the difference between joy and soul hollowing despair. Its chilling because you can tell how broken and inhuman he is.

[@SerumLake]

Well said.

[@empatheticrambo4890]

This metaphor made me look at the subtext completely differently. It’s also a little strange to realize the knife wielding wife robot looks strangely like a parallel of her with Andrea and her blade

[@SerumLake]

Yes, that’s a very good point. Her idealised future as a happy homemaker, warped into a deranged murderer. And it’s made all the worse by the fact that the Joker is sleeping with her!

[@empatheticrambo4890]

@@SerumLake ...the joker was sleeping with the robot?

[@SerumLake]

@@empatheticrambo4890 it’s implied that he was having sexual relations with the robot. Remember when he put his arm around her and asked if she was feeling “the old electricity tonight”?

[@empatheticrambo4890]

@@SerumLake I never took that literally. I heard that as the Joker’s usual absurd joking and theatric imitation of real life while doing something unhinged

[@SerumLake]

@@empatheticrambo4890 I guess we'll never know for certain!

[@Xehanort10]

4:48 It also represents Gotham City itself and how far it's fallen.

[@JoseMorales-lw5nt]

#SerumLake: A tip of the hat to you, good sir. 5:25 - 5:35 contains a brilliant analysis that flew over my head as a youth. A visual representation of the futility Batman always faced when serving Gotham City. Kind of like how Two-Face in the BTAS mythos represents the ultimate what-if in regards to letting Gotham City down.

[@BitestheStuff]

I was very fortunate to catch this in the theatres as a kid. I wish it would get more runs when older films are shown, because this is a great movie to see on the big screen. Also, seeing her again in the final episode of Justice League was a brilliant moment. I couldn't believe this character, no matter how small a role, was able to make another appearance.

[@SerumLake]

I have my fingers crossed for a small 30th Anniversary cinematic run!

[@michaelandreipalon359]

Nice to see someone who deems "Epilogue" and not "Destroyer" as the true series finale for JLU/the whole motherkriffing DCAU.

[@andysee6996]

I saw Batman: Mask of the Phantasm for the first time yesterday. I mainly thought that The Joker treating that woman robot as his wife was amusing. To be honest though, that World of the Future exhibit was probably going to fall into disrepair with or without The Joker's intervention. He probably made the park his hideout years after it closed.

[@Shenorai]

I have vague memories of a comic that was released after Mask of the Phantasm was released. The parts I remember involved what actually happened after Andrea and The Joker disappeared into the smoke. The both of them also plummeted into the sewers. I don't remember if it was the current that separated them or if Andrea was incapacitated, but as ever; The Joker got away.

[@SerumLake]

That’s right, it was Batman and Robin Adventures Annual 1. The explosion caused the Joker to tumble into the water and he was washed away. Andrea realised that there wasn’t much point in killing the Joker because he wasn’t the same man he used to be, so she left Gotham. It was a good comic, although a bit too brief for my tastes.

[@michaelandreipalon359]

Have to admit, that Annual sure can nicely fit into the proper DCAU canon alongside "Two-Timer" (The Adventures of Batman & Robin Issues 1 and 2), The Lost Years, and Gotham Adventures Issue 4. Even better in case all these mentioned titles get proper confirmation from the main makers of the saga itself. Headcanons can be quite tiresome.

[@susanstorm7910]

I wasn’t born yet, when this movie was in theaters 😢😢😢

[@User2100]

Great review of this masterpiece movie.

[@biguy617]

Maybe the reason why old Bruce doesn’t have a picture of Andrea when he looks at past loves he could be been with in Batman Beyond is that he has accepted she longer wants to be with him.

[@milosbatmanvideos]

"Welcome to a new episode of Batman theory! Today we'll be looking at the World of the Future and what it symbolises!"

[@takima504]

Professor milo will we be discussing only the original run of the animated series or the new adventures of Batman and Robin?

[@biguy617]

RIP Kevin Conroy

[@the_flyattractor8656]

I saw this at the Theater back in the day. Saw it 4 Times! Ti was Awesome! Had the Theater to myself each time! PRIVATE SCREENING!

[@SerumLake]

I’m envious!

[@the_flyattractor8656]

@@SerumLake It was a dollar Theater too. Marquee just said Batman and I thought it was the Burton/Keaton film. Boy was I in for a Wonderful Surprise!

[@DonWeaselYeehawEdition]

Been binging your videos for a few days now, you’ve definitely got a new subscriber. I love your voice and your dedication to analyzing this series and it’s characters!

[@benconforzi5696]

That quote you used at 8:03 reminded me of a line from the anime Gun sword. Where one of the characters says that we're not meant to be happy all the time because if we were. Then it wouldn't mean anything. That quote probably has nothing to do with your video. It's just that line you used at that time really got me to think about it.

[@michaelandreipalon359]

Ah, nice to see someone give loving acknowledgement to that mecha equivalent to Trigun and Cowboy Bebop. Dang, that show rocks!

[@mattresbert]

Brilliant stuff

[@SerumLake]

Too kind!

[@Mayydayy86]

"It's not a subtle metaphor by any means." Sir, I have missed this metaphor for thirty plus years.

[@Lordpower963]

I got this film on blue ray, and I loved this film

[@inesatt1313]

Wow!

[@SerumLake]

“Wow, this is good” or “wow, this guy is pathetic”? 😂

[@inesatt1313]

​@@SerumLake As in you're a genius I thought there was something special in this scene but I couldn't put my finger on it until I watch your video and becomes crystal clear and the robot mention is brilliant!

[@mrefromninjago7665]

R.I.P Kevin C 🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️

[@mrefromninjago7665]

Good movie

[@Firguy]

This movie is my favorite Batman movie. It's great for introducing people to Film Noir.

[@mrefromninjago7665]

Things could've gone better for Bruce if it hadn't been for the Bob or aurther Reeves

[@michaelandreipalon359]

And at least 5 decades later in-universe, Metropolis in Batman Beyond S3E50-51 - "The Call" seems to be leaning closer to succeeding in becoming a true blue (City-State) of the Future. Hate to sound brutalistic and morbid, but I think Gotham is better off a giant, empty, evil-cleansed crater come the 31st century.

[@alexanderavila8934]

May i ask what the outro is?

[@SerumLake]

It's a piece of music called Longitude from Apple's royalty-free music library

[@jorgegodoy6824]

I can't find :(@@SerumLake

[@r.babylon2885]

Is it just me or is there a coorelation between Andrea and the robot homemaker in this metaphor? Both became red-haired knife-wielding murder machines because of the Joker

[@inujoshwa89]

That nigga was scary as a kid I I dont care what nobody say...8 y/o me could barely take it lol...great movie though lol

[@dangerxcom]

I knew I’d seen her outfit before but I couldn’t put my finger on it til you brought it up, it was from the final jlu episode

[@jennifervan75]

I though The Joker was originally a poor man who became The Red Dome before he was thrown into the vat. I didn't know he was a Mob Enforcer

[@SerumLake]

Different universes have different origin stories. In Batman The Animated Series he was a mob enforcer, a bit like his role in Tim Burton's Batman film, but in the comics he's a failed comedian that wore the Red Hood costume and fell in a vat of acid.