Who was the best Batman?

[Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 1
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I found this list of all the actors that have played Batman on the screen starting in 1943

http://www.modernmanjack.com/the-evolution-of-batman-on-screen/

My favorite is a tie between Adam West and Bale.

Adam West for being a campy Batman and Bale for being a dark and gritty Batman

Who is your favorite and why?
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  • dee123dee123 Posts: 46,195
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    Kevin Conroy.
  • koantemplationkoantemplation Posts: 101,293
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    Michael Keaton
  • SimonB79SimonB79 Posts: 3,135
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    Michael Keaton

    Ditto! :)
  • necromancer20necromancer20 Posts: 2,548
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    Bale. I feel that out of all the Bruce Wayne's we've had so far, he's the one who's made me believe the most that he could launch a crusade on Gotham's underworld by dressing up as a giant Bat. It helps of course that he's had the best material but also he genuinely looked liked he could beat the crap out of you.
  • dee123dee123 Posts: 46,195
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    Bale. I feel that out of all the Bruce Wayne's we've had so far, he's the one who's made me believe the most that he could launch a crusade on Gotham's underworld by dressing up as a giant Bat. It helps of course that he's had the best material but also he genuinely looked liked he could beat the crap out of you.

    NOLAN FAN BOY ALERT

    NOLAN FAN BOY ALERT

    NOLAN FAN BOY ALERT
  • necromancer20necromancer20 Posts: 2,548
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    dee123 wrote: »
    NOLAN FAN BOY ALERT

    NOLAN FAN BOY ALERT

    NOLAN FAN BOY ALERT

    What makes me a Nolan 'fanboy'? by what I've just said? I only said Bale had an advantage over the actors. That's a compliment to Keaton in particular who didn't have the best material to work with and still did a really top job as Batman. For me Bale is the most complete Batman we've had so far because of his preparation for the role, intensity and his believability. But also because he's had the most in depth character arc of any actor to play Batman. If you disagree, that's fine. But please don't accuse me of being a fanboy. I grew up with the Burton/Keaton movies as a kid and to this day I still really like them (especially Batman Returns).
  • TakaeTakae Posts: 13,555
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    George Clooney for the nipples.



    (Serious answer: None worked for me, but I have a soft spot for Adam West, just for nostalgia's sake.)
  • deadmancarldeadmancarl Posts: 2,040
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    Christian Bale for me with Michael Keaton a very close second
  • Heston VestonHeston Veston Posts: 6,478
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    I think the Nolan films are the best of the bunch; the cartoonish original is just that, cartoonish, and the Tim Burtons are good but they seem more like Tim Burton films than Batman films (especially the sequel). I haven't seen the Kilmer/Clooney incarnations and have no great desire to do so.

    However, I'm not entirely convinced by Bale when he's 'Bruce Wayne' (not enough gravitas?), and I think Keaton comes across slightly better in that regard. I'm also not a fan of the 'cookie monster' voice of Batman.
  • Ted CTed C Posts: 11,730
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    I think it's impossible to just chose one single interpretation/actor in the role.

    Truth is each version was in tune with and therefore suitable for the time in which it was made, similarly with the interpretation of the Batman character.

    The very early ones were Republic serial styled crime fighting/detective style serials, the sixties TV series took it's lead from the brightly coloured comic art and pop culture of the decade, the 80's versions went in a darker, more gothic direction.

    To be fair at that time (80's), technology and effects was only just beginning to make it possible to realise comic book characters/superheroes on screen adequately...does anyone remember the dire 70's TV Spiderman, for example?

    That said, the only really major misstep was Schumacher's Batman and Robin. Batman Forever had already started to echo the brightly colored style of the tv series and over-the-top villians, and the next movie went even further and was spectacularly bad. Fair to say that Kilmer and Clooney are probably the most non-descript interpretations of the Batman character.

    And in the last 10 years Nolan has taken the character back to basics and gone for the realistic, grounded approach.

    So I believe each interpretation of the character was befitting the time in which the movies/tv shows were made. For me it would be equally as redundant to hate on the Nolan movies because they are not like the sixties tv shows, as much as people may find the sixties tv show incredibly silly. Which it is, but that was kind of the point...
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 971
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    Kevin Conroy
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 101
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    Michael Keaton.
  • rfonzorfonzo Posts: 11,771
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    I would have to say Adam West.
  • Johnny ClayJohnny Clay Posts: 5,315
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    Lego Batman.

    Awesome.
  • dee123dee123 Posts: 46,195
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    What makes me a Nolan 'fanboy'? by what I've just said? I only said Bale had an advantage over the actors. That's a compliment to Keaton in particular who didn't have the best material to work with and still did a really top job as Batman. For me Bale is the most complete Batman we've had so far because of his preparation for the role, intensity and his believability. But also because he's had the most in depth character arc of any actor to play Batman. If you disagree, that's fine. But please don't accuse me of being a fanboy. I grew up with the Burton/Keaton movies as a kid and to this day I still really like them (especially Batman Returns).

    The Nolan films are not the "best material" your words. Batman Begins is very, very good. The other 2 are some of the most overrated films in the last 20 years.
  • fhs man 2fhs man 2 Posts: 7,591
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    Cross between Will Arnette and Ben Affleck.
  • AlrightmateAlrightmate Posts: 73,120
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    Michael Keaton.

    But I like Adam West for his comedic interpretation of the character.

    Christian Bale's quite good, and certainly looks the part in terms of physicality. But for me Keaton captures something which went a bit deeper and as though the character was unhinged deep down.
  • dearmrmandearmrman Posts: 21,434
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    Batman - Bale
    Bruce Wayne - Keaton
  • Muttley76Muttley76 Posts: 97,888
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    Adam West's Batman will always be my favourite and most affectionately remembered, but Michael Keaton was probably the best in the role to date.
  • ironjadeironjade Posts: 10,001
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    Robert Lowery.:)
  • CELT1987CELT1987 Posts: 12,347
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    David Jason.
  • taskertasker Posts: 4,048
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    Michael Keaton, played batman brilliantly as the schizophreniche is(batman not keaton)
  • k0213818k0213818 Posts: 5,916
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    I would say Keaton, but largely for the Bruce Wayne elements of the character. Let's face the facts a multimillionaire who chooses to run around the city at night dressed as a bat has to be a little bit nuts, and I felt that Keaton was able to get that element of the character across, awkward quirks which show that the guy is a little bit strange without ever going to ridiculous in doing so. Whilst he admittedly does lack the imitation of Bale's Batman he is still strong enough to be seen as intimidating to get away with the role in a way Kilmer and Clooney were never able to (although a lot of that is down to the change in tone of the films).

    I've always seen the Burton films as better then the Nolan version and I think the casting of Keaton was a masterstroke, a perfect example of 'just insane enough to work'.
  • koantemplationkoantemplation Posts: 101,293
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    k0213818 wrote: »
    I would say Keaton, but largely for the Bruce Wayne elements of the character. Let's face the facts a multimillionaire who chooses to run around the city at night dressed as a bat has to be a little bit nuts, and I felt that Keaton was able to get that element of the character across, awkward quirks which show that the guy is a little bit strange without ever going to ridiculous in doing so. Whilst he admittedly does lack the imitation of Bale's Batman he is still strong enough to be seen as intimidating to get away with the role in a way Kilmer and Clooney were never able to (although a lot of that is down to the change in tone of the films).

    I've always seen the Burton films as better then the Nolan version and I think the casting of Keaton was a masterstroke, a perfect example of 'just insane enough to work'.

    They also got Alfred right with the 1989 version.

    The only thing I would have changed is to have made the Batman costume more like the Christian Bale one. The yellow bat symbol makes the 1989 version a little too cartoony.
  • ASIFZEDASIFZED Posts: 1,388
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    Seriously. Does no one like Val Kilmer? I thought he was a great Bruce Wayne - definitely had the playboy element down pat and his Batman was at least serviceable.

    Probably said this before (and likely shot down..), but Batman Forever is the best of the 90s movies.
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