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What happened to Michael Keaton? (2 Viewers)

Magnus T

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I totally agree, Doug. Keaton is the only actor to play Batman that has brough alot of darkness to the character, something that was totally lacking in Val Kilmer and George Clooney's performance.

Anyway, I miss Keaton too. He's showed us that he can be quite serious in his roles, and also very, very funny.
 

Jason Seaver

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Well, he was completely immobile in the padded suit that was necessary to try and make him look intimidating. Burton cast the wrong guy from Beetlejuice; Alec Baldwin would have been perfect.

Last I saw Keaton was in A Shot At Glory, where he played the American owner of a Scottish football team. Not bad, but it was a small part in Robert Duvall's movie.

The thing is, he looked older, and I don't think he's transitioned to middle-aged-guy roles well at all.
 

Gary Seven

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I totally agree, Doug. Keaton is the only actor to play Batman that has brough alot of darkness to the character, something that was totally lacking in Val Kilmer and George Clooney's performance.
I would say Keaton was the best as well, but that doesn't mean that he was still a good choice.

I always felt that a character as iconic as Batman should have had a virtual unknown fill the role, as I would have a hard time choosing a Batman from a pool of "bankable" stars. In addition, with a virtual unknown, I think it allows the audience to further suspend disbelief. Keaton did as good a job as he could, provided the material he was given, but Bruce Wayne is not a dark, moody , character, not in the public eye. He is a flambouyant playboy (much like Don Diego in Zorro), but not so "efeminate", of course. And physically, he is not very forboding as the comic Batman is. It was obvious that the suit was made partially to offset these shortcomings... padded suit and 10 inch bat ears. Also notice when Batman was shot next to say Commissioner Gordon, the shots were structured to give the impression that Batman was taller than he actually was. This may not seem like much but it does restrict the director in what he can put on the screen.

But the biggest problem I had with Batman was not with Keaton but with Burton himself, who had no clue what motivated the character (in admission on his part). His conclusion was it was the suit that made the man, not the other way around. This is based on what I read years ago when this movie was in production. So what we got was a 5'6" Batman in a huge rubber suit, unable to move, so acrobatics were implied rather than seen, a Batman that allowed innocent life to be snuffed, a Batmobile that launches grenades to cause further loss of life... it just goes against the established mythos. As usual with Burton, the atmosphere created in the movie was spot on, clearly art direction is his forte, not storytelling.

That said, the Burton movies were better than the Schumaker movies, which were a travesty.

I would say the only movie to come close to capturing the true spirit of the Batman was Mask of the Phantasm.
 

Jack Theakston

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CLEAN AND SOBER (1988) is an overlooked gem with a good performance by Keaton as a drug addict in rehab trying to escape his problems in denial. A good look at alcoholism from the alcoholic's point of view for once. Morgan Freeman co-stars.
 

todd stone

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after watching LIVE FROM BAGHDAD last night, it was very strange to see at the end of the movie "saddahm is still iraqs president"

:)
 

Andrew Bunk

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I love Keaton's work, especially One Good Cop and The Paper, both of which get overlooked too often. To this day I can't understand why the Paper isn't considered one of the best films of the early 90's-awesome cast and story.
 

Gruson

Second Unit
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The Paper and My Life are incredible films. I love Keaton and miss seeing him on the big screen.

He will always be the only Batman to me.
 

streeter

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My father teaches at a University where his son attends.

Didn't Kevin Smith have Keaton in mind to cameo as Batman in his Superman script?
 

TheBat

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michael keaton is hosting the program on PBS about fred rogers. Michael worked behind the scenes back in the 70s.. Its going airs on PBS. check local listings.

JACOB
 

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