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Burton all the way.

Dark Knight was amazing, sure. But I prefer my Batman deco and over-the-top rather than this current uberrealism trend.

The 90s Batman Cartoon was the best thing that ever happened to the franchise.

(I knew this would happen.) So is that a vote for Mask of the Phantasm because this is a thread about movies? Frankly, Phantasm was kind of low point in what I will agree was the most amazing American animated series ever.

Tim Burton.

And the guy that played joker in that film.

"Do I like I'm joking?"

"This town needs an enema!"

Although TBH, I don't get Catwoman's transformation. Some sort of rape analogy?

Maybe >.>

-writes creepy rape fantasy fanfic-

The director of the 1966 Adam West "Batman" was Leslie H. Martinson.
I've loved that film since I was a small child running about the house with a bath towel tied around my neck as a cape.
However my favorite "Batman" era is the current Nolan one,though honestly Burton runs a very close second for me.

I know the question was about era's, but that made it hard to answer. I voted Burton because I loved Jack's Joker, and hated the lip licking/smacking Heath joker. I also hate the new bat growl/voice. The dark knight move was still a good movie, despite these flaws, and it can be compared to the 2nd Burton film, in that for me, it wasn't as good as the first one.

GG

I love Batman Returns. I'm not saying it's a wonderful film or any kind of standard of artistic achievement. But it entertains the hell out of me and I have the same nostalgia for it that FITZZ is citing for the '66 movie.

Exactly Manchu,no one would ever say that the '66 Batman is a fantastic piece of cinema,but for me it's imposible for me to watch that film and not smile...it just brings back some great memories.

I'm an insane Batman nut, and I honestly love them all (hell, I'll willingly watch Batman & Robin at any time.

But I voted for the current Nolan/Bale era, because it best captures the mood and atmosphere of my two favorite comic book story lines Batman: Year One and The Long Halloween, and I want movie/TV Batman to reflect the comic book style, as that is, after all, the root of the Batman mythos.

If I could vote twice, my second vote would go to other because I think Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker is still the best DCU/Diniverse animated movie. Fantastic film and a great closer to what was a damned interesting take on the classic character while still filling like a true Batman tale.

Hrm. Hard to pick just one, but my vote goes out for 1966 Adam West Batman. I know the more modern ones were fantastic (A close second for me is Burton's Batman, because I preferred Jack's Joker over Ledger's) but I will always hold a little place in my heart for the original Batman movie. Such great lines came from that show/movie.

"Some days you just can't get rid of a bomb!"
"Pass me down...the shark repellent bat spray!"

Tough choice between Burton's Batman and Nolan's Batman. Watching The Dark Knight at the movies was one of those great experiences, but the film wasn't as engaging the second time around. Whereas Batman and Batman Returns were still fun the second time around, I guess because one-liners and art design hold up better than suspense. The other factor is that Batman Begins was a really solid movie that ended bady, while both of Burton's films were pretty solid throughout. I also saw Batman when I was a wee tyke, so nostalgia is likely a factor.

Tough question though.

Nolan. I like prefer the urban realism and my villains disturbing and frightening, not wacky but dangerous. I still enjoy Burton's films as well. Keaton was an inspired choice. In some ways I like Returns more then the first one. Never cared for high camp Batman at all so the 60's show and the dreaded Schumacher are out.

Keaton/Nicholson all the way for me

Tim Burton. Although I love Adam West as batman. Occasionally I watch those old episodes for a good laugh. Ambiguously Gay Duo!

Nolan. Burton's first one was good, but a little over the top for me. The 60's have the camp feel, and was how I was first introduced to the Batman series. But I think Nolan got the feel for the series the best. Plus his I could watch over and over, the others are a once ayear is enough for me.

Joel... Please, Nipples on the suit is all i should have to say about that one. Thoguh he did try to recreate that camp feeling but failed.

Why those nipples caused such a stir, I'll never know.

I enjoy Burton, Nolan, and the Adam West ones. Schumacher on the other hand can be easily forgotten.

Burton - I think he best captured the essence of the Batman character. Cheesy, fun, yet still dark.

Nolan - Great restart but Bale's voice is worse than the inability of Keaton to move his neck in the batman costume. Not a fan of this version of the Batman character since he doesn't appear as smart or detective-like as he should. Also a lot less style involved in this one which I thought was one of Batman's trademarks but the new batmobile is still pretty outrageous I suppose.

Adam West - God damn those movies/shows are fun! Really shows how far along Batman has progressed as a character though when you compare 'em to Millerized versions.

Schumacher - Looks like he tried to do a combination of both West and Burton...but failed miserably. Only fun to watch if you like riffing bad movies.

I loved the animated series but never really watched any of the movies.

Well, if there's an option, my vote goes to Bruce Timm animated Batman.

Cane wrote:Not a fan of this version of the Batman character since he doesn't appear as smart or detective-like as he should.

This is very true. The Nolan Batman doesn't seem to do much but be angry and angsty by turn. You don't see a lot of wheels turning in Bale's head. Also, his Bruce is not very sympathetic. Good thing you barely notice Bale thanks to Ledger. (Batman Begins was plain dumb, IMO.)


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Anung Un Rama wrote:Well, if there's an option, my vote goes to Bruce Timm animated Batman.

Again, this is a thread about MOVIES not all Batman incarnations possible. So do you really think that Mask of the Phantasm was better than Batman (1989) or Dark Knight?

Well, if you put it that way.... I'm still not sure. Kevin Conroy is my favourite Batman in any case.

It was so awesome that they got him and Mark Hamil for Arkham Asylum.

Cane wrote:

Nolan -Not a fan of this version of the Batman character since he doesn't appear as smart or detective-like as he should.

This I can 100% agree with.

Anung Un Rama wrote:Well, if there's an option, my vote goes to Bruce Timm animated Batman.

+1 I hated the last two Batman movies, they were as exciting as paying bills. The animated series was very good I must say, particularly the Batman of the future series

Nolan was going for a more human take on the character. He is a very smart guy and they show him doing detective work, but when you are in a 'real' world you can't be everywhere at once and you can't do everything alone or know everything. He still located Scarecrow's hideout, lifted a fingerprint of a shattered bullet, and got the time and location of a secret drug dealer meeting, to name a few. The only real complaint I have is that deus ex machina at the end of Dark Knight. That should have showed him having to do some non-beat people up leg work to figure out where the Joker was going to be.

Great poll idea Manchu, but I have to disagree with your views. Batman is one of the few comic book heroes that is well suited to a real world and Nolan's interpretation is an inspired direction.

I did use to love Burton's Batman, but watched it the other day and found it too much of a pantomine. Still love Elfman's music, but even that isn't up to the quality of the score from the new films.

As for Schumacher, I don't know what he was thinking. He is an otherwise fairly competent director (Phonebooth, Downfall etc), but his Batman efforts were a cinematic crime.

Cartoon was pretty good, but again, I tried watching it again a few years ago and found I'd grown out of it.

I voted Batman Forever. Not because of the batnipples, but because of the carefree nature of the franchise. The puns of that era were spectactular and so tightly packed! Arnold as Mr. Freeze was epic.

Any batman without the nipple suit.....

Danny Elfman's theme is one of the things that I miss the most about the Burton days. I'm not saying it would work for the Nolan films. But it is definitively Batman for me (the Animated series deeply reinforced this, of course).