Joel Schumacher, Director of Batman Films, Dies at 80

[neatoman]

Originally Posted by Leo656

Why do people ONLY yell at B&R for the nipples? The nipples started in "Forever", they just weren't as prominent.

Joel has in the past taken credit/blame for the costumes, at least, saying that they were based on classical Greek sculptures which had idealized "perfect" bodies as Batman is generally supposed to. It's a way to go, I guess. I don't think anyone except him would have ever come up with that specific idea, but I *almost* understand why it occurred to him.

He did always seem thoroughly confused by the backlash to that choice, though, so... I do think that in general, his Body Fetish overruled his common sense and blinded him to why other people thought it was goofy. It's like, if you have to be told why hard nipples and loving close-ups of male butts are generally anathema to a Batman project, maybe you're a little "too gay" to be objective about the material.

It is what it is. Although that stuff, by far, isn't the worst of what's in those movies. It's just indicative of a larger sense of misplaced priority.

Yes, there were nipples in Forever too. I just don't think there was a shot of them being in focus. (Although, Forever did have shots focusing on the ass and crotch). So it's not so much where it started and more about how it's shot.

[triplexxx]

He did have some pretty good films, maybe not all top-rated but enjoyable, Bad Company with Anthony Hopkins, Chris Rock, & Gabriel Macht was pretty good, first thing I ever saw Macht in, Veronica Guerin also a nice hit, also enjoyed Phone Booth. It's said he helped advance careers of Kiefer Sutherland, Colin Farrell, & Matthew McConaughey. RIP Joel Schumacher.

[Andrew NDB]

Originally Posted by neatoman

Yes, there were nipples in Forever too. I just don't think there was a shot of them being in focus. (Although, Forever did have shots focusing on the ass and crotch). So it's not so much where it started and more about how it's shot.

Ironically... we got Batgirl in B&R and she DOESN'T have the nipples.

[Galactus]

Originally Posted by Andrew NDB

Ironically... we got Batgirl in B&R and she DOESN'T have the nipples.

We did get a nice booty shot though and a scene with Alicia Silverstone in a school girl outfit. I think Joel did right by us.

[ZariusTwo]

Originally Posted by turtle1237

RIP.

BUT he did ruin the Batman named until Batman begins in 2005. Almost 8 years with out a Batman movie. Yes he ruin it that bad.

Oh spare me. Batman wasn't 'ruined' after B&R. You still had the Sub-Zero movie, the NBA, Batman Beyond, Return of the Joker, and Justice League. Throw in The Batman too. The franchise never skipped a beat and thrived on television.

It's truly pathetic that this man's life is measured by the quality of capes*it he puts out, rather than some of the very memorable and captivating cult classics he put together, or his value as a human being. Nope, always gotta remind the world he gave us a terrible Batman movie and gave the franchise an eight year break. WOW, what a lifetime achievement...EIGHT YEARS, not even a DECADE or TWO compared to what Superman went through in between Quest For Peace and Superman Returns

Frankly, I think we're all due a break from Batman period.

[DarkFell]

Eh, I'm not going to knock Bane: at least he had one memorable moment within the Schumacher Bat-verse.

But, I really enjoyed him in the last Nolan Bat-Verse movie.

[PizzaPower1985]

Originally Posted by ZariusTwo

Oh spare me. Batman wasn't 'ruined' after B&R. You still had the Sub-Zero movie, the NBA, Batman Beyond, Return of the Joker, and Justice League. Throw in The Batman too. The franchise never skipped a beat and thrived on television.

It's truly pathetic that this man's life is measured by the quality of capes*it he puts out, rather than some of the very memorable and captivating cult classics he put together, or his value as a human being. Nope, always gotta remind the world he gave us a terrible Batman movie and gave the franchise an eight year break. WOW, what a lifetime achievement...EIGHT YEARS, not even a DECADE or TWO compared to what Superman went through in between Quest For Peace and Superman Returns

Frankly, I think we're all due a break from Batman period.

Speaking as a Batman fan... I agree with this sentiment. Schumacher should be (and is by serious people) remembered for his many classics. Batman IS NOT and HAS NOT BEEN the truest representation of himself on screen in a long time. BatFleck is based on New-52 trite. Nolan's Batman started off amazingly with Begins but by movie 2 was starting to show his cracks.

When is the real Batman coming back? When do we get to see on screen what we saw for 6 decades in the books? Who knows?

But here we are talking about a superhero in a thread about a man, a brilliant filmmaker, who has died from cancer. Surely his legacy deserves better than that.

I wonder if when T. Burton dies if everyone's going to ignore PeeWee and Beetlejuice and Sweeney Todd and Jack Skelington and just focus on Keaton-Bat?

This kind of thing is akin to Spielberg dying a horrible death and everyone gasping "remember when he made that Peter Pan movie? Yeah Hook kept Peter Pan off the screen until 2004." Steven should be remembered for Jaws and Indy Jones and all the great work he's done... not a single project.

Joel is no different.

[AquaParade]

Originally Posted by Leo656

Why do people ONLY yell at B&R for the nipples? The nipples started in "Forever", they just weren't as prominent.

Joel has in the past taken credit/blame for the costumes, at least, saying that they were based on classical Greek sculptures which had idealized "perfect" bodies as Batman is generally supposed to. It's a way to go, I guess. I don't think anyone except him would have ever come up with that specific idea, but I *almost* understand why it occurred to him.

He did always seem thoroughly confused by the backlash to that choice, though, so... I do think that in general, his Body Fetish overruled his common sense and blinded him to why other people thought it was goofy. It's like, if you have to be told why hard nipples and loving close-ups of male butts are generally anathema to a Batman project, maybe you're a little "too gay" to be objective about the material.

It is what it is. Although that stuff, by far, isn't the worst of what's in those movies. It's just indicative of a larger sense of misplaced priority.

I never had a problem with the Bat-nipples, generally speaking. I don't see why not. It's as justifiable to me as the "ears" on Batman's cowl. He is trying to maintain the illusion of something "larger than life". Seeing a strange naked bat creature is way creepier than seeing a guy in armor.

The execution was terrible here of course, but generally speaking, I don't think the Bat-nipples are all that bad.

[Sumac]

Sad day. Can't say I watched any other of his movies except for Batmans, but its always sad when someone dies.

I like Batman & Robin, but I don't like Batman Forever.
B&R goes full retard and its fun to watch, if you feel like discharging your brain. And Batman Forever just a mess.

It is also sad, that his name will be associated with the disaster of the movie as opposed to his more successful works. But, alas, it happens sometimes.

[PizzaPower1985]

HERE is a tribute to Joel from Jim Carrey!

https://www.zergnet.com/news/5348155...oel-schumacher

[ChosenOne]

Originally Posted by Galactus

Batman Forver is a pretty decent movie, the only real flaw is its portrayal of a Two Face which is admittedly horrendous. Beyond that though the movie's plot and characterisation works very well.

Funny thing is, Batman Forever actually features the best, most accurate and most chilling rendition of live action Two-Face so far. For about twenty seconds before he shows the security guard, and the audience, the scarred side of his face and literally starts acting like discount Joker.

[turtle1237]

Originally Posted by ZariusTwo

Oh spare me. Batman wasn't 'ruined' after B&R. You still had the Sub-Zero movie, the NBA, Batman Beyond, Return of the Joker, and Justice League. Throw in The Batman too. The franchise never skipped a beat and thrived on television.

It's truly pathetic that this man's life is measured by the quality of capes*it he puts out, rather than some of the very memorable and captivating cult classics he put together, or his value as a human being. Nope, always gotta remind the world he gave us a terrible Batman movie and gave the franchise an eight year break. WOW, what a lifetime achievement...EIGHT YEARS, not even a DECADE or TWO compared to what Superman went through in between Quest For Peace and Superman Returns

Frankly, I think we're all due a break from Batman period.

BTAS was going strong before Schumacher took over from Burton, but in the theaters, he did, Subzero was a home video release, not a movie theater release. The fact we did not see anything for 8 years in theaters should tell you how bad Batman and Robin damage the Batman name.

[frank_one]

Phone Booth is the only movie by him I've seen in theatre and it is great. I remember loving Batman Forever as a kid, watching it on vhs VERY frequently. Batman & Robin never pleased me, even back then I thought it was too campy.

[sdp]

I love the neon colors of neo-Gotham of the Scumacher films, it's so awesome, they also have far cooler batmobiles. We got Robin on screen and he wasn't that bad, it's no MCU but comic movies were a different beast back then. Two Face and Riddler being the Joker wasn't the best, they should've laughed less but whatever, The Dark Knight had Joker as the Riddler so there's that.

The suit for Mr Freeze was great, love it, sure his story isn't as great as the one in BTAS but I mean Mr Freeze before BTAS was a horrible villain so it's ok if it can't match the greatest interpretation of the character. Ivy was fine. I didn't know as a kid Bane was anything but a big muscle so I was fine with him. Batgirl origin is dumb but whaever, love the suits they used and all the neon.

Burton movies are boring to watch in 2020, I appreciate they brought a darker Batman to the mainstream but the villains aren't much better, joker is a mobster, penguin is a mutant and catwoman has superpowers.

[Leo656]

Originally Posted by sdp

I love the neon colors of neo-Gotham of the Scumacher films, it's so awesome

I'd love to see the source material where Gotham City ever looked like the Keansburg Boardwalk after 9pm in July. But alright.

I kinda don't think Batman's "stick to the shadows" gimmick works at all if the entire city looks like a gigantic rave. But then I've never done Molly so I generally don't get that whole thing just in general.

[MikeandRaph87]

Holy rusted metal, Batman! Chris O'Donnell is 50 today! I thought he was a few years younger than 25 in Batman Forever.

[MikeandRaph87]

#ReleasetheSchumakerCut

I say it a lot tone down the freaking neon and change Riddler's final battle suit with more psychological look it would be praised among the best in the genre.
https://www.cbr.com/batman-forever-a...chumacher-cut/