I am not sure how this happens but the idea that Nolan’s Batman films are “grounded” has always perplexed me.
Right from the Fear Gas and Evaporation Machine combo in Begins it has one foot clearly planted in the heightened camp throughout the entire trilogy. I think that also plays into the character that what a joke or a heightened moment would be in a Batman comic is different from say the Avengers. Mr Freeze would not be out of place in the WayneTech established by these movies.
I also think the conversation by film fans surrounding these movies has blown out of proportion how grounded the films are also turned that fact into a negative which I find odd.
I’d echo Seth’s sentiment about Donner’s film (he really only fully directed the 1978 film; SUPERMAN II was a bit of a Frankenstein creation), although admittedly, what is truly great about the film is so overwhelmingly great that it’s easy to excuse its many lesser elements (I always go back to, “Say, Jim! That’s a baaaad outfit! Whoo!”).
I can’t find confirmation of this at the moment, but I once heard that Alain Resnais was sought in some capacity to direct DICK TRACY, which is the kind of tantalizing proposition I can only dream of, and might have given the central role the lightness you guys mentioned as lacking. Resnais, for all the “pretentiousness” that’s attached to him as a result of LAST YEAR AT MARIENBAD, was a huge fan of comics, especially the classic strips, and the more playful elements one gets from that form are evident in much of his work. He actually collaborated with Jules Feiffer on a film in 1989 called I WANT TO GO HOME that’s all about a cartoonist.
Great episode all around, addressing many topics I’ve been thinking about myself over the last few months, so thanks for unknowingly furthering that.
To be fair, I like the first two sections of the 1978 Superman (Krypton and Kansas), but once the story moves to Metropolis it gets really damn clunky, and frankly infuriating by the end.
It truly is an awful, awful ending. And while I definitely see the clunkiness in Metropolis, damn do I love Reeve’s Clark Kent. And I’m a sucker for that rooftop/flying date.
One thing I always dislike is how some people discuss directors like Zack Snyder and Michael Bay, as if they have no merits or are just hacks. While I’m not the super fan I used to be I still enjoy their films on a visual and technical level and find more in them to enjoy than in many films that claim to be intellectual/smart/thought-provoking/whatever and end up being not only devoid of all that, but visually underwhelming and bland.
So I was glad to hear you guys discussing them in a fair way and not do the easy thing and just dump on them like so many critics like to do.
I am not sure how this happens but the idea that Nolan’s Batman films are “grounded” has always perplexed me.
Right from the Fear Gas and Evaporation Machine combo in Begins it has one foot clearly planted in the heightened camp throughout the entire trilogy. I think that also plays into the character that what a joke or a heightened moment would be in a Batman comic is different from say the Avengers. Mr Freeze would not be out of place in the WayneTech established by these movies.
I also think the conversation by film fans surrounding these movies has blown out of proportion how grounded the films are also turned that fact into a negative which I find odd.
The idea that has always perplexed me is that Richard Donner’s Superman films are “great”.
I’d echo Seth’s sentiment about Donner’s film (he really only fully directed the 1978 film; SUPERMAN II was a bit of a Frankenstein creation), although admittedly, what is truly great about the film is so overwhelmingly great that it’s easy to excuse its many lesser elements (I always go back to, “Say, Jim! That’s a baaaad outfit! Whoo!”).
I can’t find confirmation of this at the moment, but I once heard that Alain Resnais was sought in some capacity to direct DICK TRACY, which is the kind of tantalizing proposition I can only dream of, and might have given the central role the lightness you guys mentioned as lacking. Resnais, for all the “pretentiousness” that’s attached to him as a result of LAST YEAR AT MARIENBAD, was a huge fan of comics, especially the classic strips, and the more playful elements one gets from that form are evident in much of his work. He actually collaborated with Jules Feiffer on a film in 1989 called I WANT TO GO HOME that’s all about a cartoonist.
Great episode all around, addressing many topics I’ve been thinking about myself over the last few months, so thanks for unknowingly furthering that.
To be fair, I like the first two sections of the 1978 Superman (Krypton and Kansas), but once the story moves to Metropolis it gets really damn clunky, and frankly infuriating by the end.
Also, WORST ENDING EVER.
It truly is an awful, awful ending. And while I definitely see the clunkiness in Metropolis, damn do I love Reeve’s Clark Kent. And I’m a sucker for that rooftop/flying date.
That part is just plain weird. I think I’d enjoy it more without Lois Lane’s “poem” (or whatever the hell you’d call it).
One thing I always dislike is how some people discuss directors like Zack Snyder and Michael Bay, as if they have no merits or are just hacks. While I’m not the super fan I used to be I still enjoy their films on a visual and technical level and find more in them to enjoy than in many films that claim to be intellectual/smart/thought-provoking/whatever and end up being not only devoid of all that, but visually underwhelming and bland.
So I was glad to hear you guys discussing them in a fair way and not do the easy thing and just dump on them like so many critics like to do.