Stories That Never Were: the Harvey Dent we DIDN'T see in Tim Burton's "Batman" movies

[about_faces]

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There's a lot more to Billy Dee Williams' portrayal Harvey Dent from Tim Burton's Batman (1989) than you might have suspected. I know that I certainly didn't think there was much to say, which is why it's taken me this long to finally write about one of the most famous portrayals of Harvey in pop culture.

Comments

[about_faces]

I honestly don't know what to make of either of them, be it Burton or Schumacher.

I hear you. Even speaking as someone who has grown up with them, my opinions on all of them have changed so many damn times over the years, all the way up to this very week as I was writing this post! Thing is, I don't think any of the films gets enough credit for being fun, especially the Burton films, and ESPECIALLY Batman Returns. Even prominent bloggers like Chris Sims fully embrace and adore Batman & Robin while trashing the Burton films for reasons that... well, many reasons which I used to agree with, but not anymore.

Either way, no one's really looking at these films any more, and that's a shame. There's a lot more going on there than most of us credited those films as having, and while those movies are dated in a lot of ways, they've aged really well in others. I think it could benefit more current Batman fans and writers to reevaluate the original movies now that we have the Nolan films (with all their own strengths and weaknesses) for comparison.

Did I ever mention that Manhunter is one of my all-time favorite movies? Not sure how I'd feel about an 80's-tastic Mann-inspired Batman movie, but oh, how I'd love to see it anyway.

Is black-and-white really that good on this? I'll check it out sometime.

It really is. It really plays up to Burton's own aesthetics inspired by German Expressionist movies like Metropolis and The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari. The only thing really lost is the Joker's own colorfulness. If only there could be a way to a Sin City style revision of the movies! Really, it's only fitting that we should take a cue from Frank Miller when it comes to improving the early Batman movies.

[martin_l_gore]

Count me in among those who wants to see that Returns review! I stand up for that movie all the time, as it's one of those flicks who just works so well withn it's own framework (and not in a Batman & Robin way, Returns oozes with mood and atmosphere as well as looking god damn gorgeous!) that you don't mind the whimsical writing and weird choices.

[akselavshalom]

Oh, and Joker defacing the Lady Gotham?
http://www.watchcartoononline.com/the-batman-episode-12-the-rubberface-of-comedy
Go to 4:25. You don't need to see much. Just see what Joker does with the statue.
Here's a hint.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ad6hk73bAPM&feature=player_detailpage#t=12s