Batman: The Motion Picture Anthology 1989-1997 [5 Discs] [Includes Digital Copy] [Blu-ray]

MOVIE DESCRIPTION:

Batman, Batman Returns, Batman Forever, and Batman & Robin on Blu Ray for the first time.

DVD FEATURES:

• Number of Discs: 4
• Audio: Dolby TrueHD
• Screen: Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV
• Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 (Theatre Wide Screen)
• Features:
  • Over 18 hours of must-see profiles. documentaries and making-of featurettes
  • Director commentaries by Tim Burton and Joel Schumacher
  • 9 music videos

AWARDS

• Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

•     Won Best Art Direction - 1989 (Peter Young, Anton Furst)
•     Nominated Best Cinematography - 1995 (Stephen Goldblatt)
•     Nominated Best Sound - 1995 (Donald O. Mitchell, Michael Herbick, Frank A. Montaño)
•     Nominated Best Sound Effects - 1995 (John Leveque, Bruce Stambler)
•     Nominated Best Makeup - 1992 (Ve Neill, Stan Winston, Ronnie Spector)
•     Nominated Best Visual Effects - 1992 (Dennis Skotak, Craig Barron, John Bruno, Michael Fink)

• American Society of Cinematographers

•     Nominated Best Cinematography - 1995 (Stephen Goldblatt)

• Hollywood Foreign Press Association

•     Nominated Best Original Song - 1995 (Bono, Adam Clayton, Larry Mullen, Jr., The Edge)
•     Nominated Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comed - 1989 (Jack Nicholson)

• People's Choice Awards

•     Won Best Picture - Drama - 1989

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

• Cast:

  
       Arnold Schwarzenegger - Mr. Freeze/Dr. Victor Fries
       Danny DeVito - The Penguin/Oswald Cobblepot
       Chris O'Donnell - Robin/Dick Grayson
       Christopher Walken - Max Shreck
       Alicia Silverstone - Batgirl/Barbara Wilson
       Billy Dee Williams - District Attorney Harvey Dent
       Elle MacPherson - Julie Madison
       Andrew Bryniarski - Chip Shreck
       Jerry Hall - Alicia
       Lee Wallace - Mayor
       Steve Witting - Josh
       Alex Daniels - Observatory Guard

• Director:

  Tim Burton, Joel Schumacher

• Producer:

  Tim Burton, Denise Di Novi, Peter Macgregor-Scott

• Screenwriter:

  Warren Saire

• Screen Story:

  Sam Hamm

• Screenwriter:

  Sam Hamm, Lorenzo Semple, Jr., Warren Skaaren, Wesley Strick

• Screen Story:

  Daniel Waters

• Screenwriter:

  Daniel Waters

• Screen Story:

  Akiva Goldsman

• Screenwriter:

  Akiva Goldsman

• Screen Story:

  Lee Batchler

• Screenwriter:

  Lee Batchler

• Screen Story:

  Janet Scott Batchler

• Screenwriter:

  Janet Scott Batchler

• Cinematographer:

  Roger Pratt, Stefan Czapsky, Stephen Goldblatt, Jamie Anderson

• Composer (Music Score):

  Danny Elfman

• Songwriter:

  Prince

• Composer (Music Score):

  Elliot Goldenthal

• Musical Direction/Supervision:

  Elliot Goldenthal, Peter Hliddal, Danny Bramson

• Editor:

  Ray Lovejoy, Chris Lebenzon, Dennis Virkler

• Production Designer:

  Anton Furst, Thomas A. Duffield, Robert W. Welch III, Barbara Ling

• Art Director:

  Terry Ackland-Snow, Nigel Phelps, Les Tomkins, Rick Heinrichs, Christopher Burian-Mohr, Joseph P. Lucky, Richard Holland, Geoff Hubbard

• Co-producer:

  Peter Guber, Chris Kenny, Jon Peters, Larry Franco, William M. Elvin

• Associate Producer:

  Ian Bryce, Mitchell Dauterive

• Executive Producer:

  Michael E. Uslan, Benjamin Melniker, Peter Guber, Jon Peters, Tim Burton

• Set Designer:

  Peter Young, Cheryl Carasik, Nick Navarro, Sally Thornton, Cricket Rowland, Dawn Brown-Manser, James Bayliss, Dorree Cooper, Keith P. Cunningham, R. Gilbert Clayton

• Costume Designer:

  Linda Henrikson, Bob Ringwood, Mary Vogt, Ingrid Ferrin, Robert Turturice

• Sound/Sound Designer:

  Steve Maslow, Donald O. Mitchell, Frank A. Montaño, Petur Hliddal

• Makeup:

  Paul Engelen, Ve Neill, Greg Nelson, Ronnie Spector, Brad Wilder, Stan Winston, Bob Mills, Rick Baker, Jeff Dawn

• Special Effects:

  Derek Meddings, Michael Fink, Dennis Skotak, John Bruno, Optic Nerve, Thomas Fisher, John Dykstra, Andrew Adamson

• First Assistant Director:

  William M. Elvin, Alan Edmisten

• Supervisor/Manager:

  John Dykstra

• Camera Operator:

  Eric Pascarelli

• Stunts:

  Gerry Crampton, Eddie Stacey, Tip Tipping, Debby Porter, Conrad Palmisano

• Casting:

  Marion Dougherty

• Production Manager:

  Ian Bryce

• Casting:

  Mali Finn

• Music Editor:

  Robin Clarke

• Supervising Sound Editor:

  Richard L. Anderson

• Visual Effects Supervisor:

  Craig Barron

• Sound Editor:

  Warren Hamilton

• Steadicam Operator:

  Bob Ulland

• Sound Effects Editor:

  John Leveque

• Second Unit Director:

  Peter MacDonald

• Stunts Coordinator:

  Pat E. Johnson

• Key Grip:

  Al Laverde

REVIEWS:

• At once whimsical and somber -- and, above all, dark -- Batman remains one of the better adaptations of a comic book character to the screen, and certainly one of the most stylized. This is not your father's Batman, and, given its relentless grimness, it perhaps shouldn't be your kids' either, if they are very young. In a broad sense, the film, falling on the cusp of the 1990s, reflects a final departure from the innocence of previous filmgoing generations to the cynicism and angst of a new one. Cinematic superheroes had moved from the simplicity of Christopher Reeve's Superman to the brooding, tormented, shadow-enshrouded Dark Knight. Michael Keaton, better known for light comic fare at the time, is surprisingly effective as the mysterious Batman, while Jack Nicholson hams it up to perfection as the maniacal Joker. Rounding out the leads, Kim Basinger's slinky, film noir heroine fits the spirit of the film well, even if she and Keaton don't develop much chemistry. More than just a solid achievement of Tim Burton's direction, this is one film in which the contributions of the set designer and the composer go a long way toward rounding out the full experience. Anton Furst won a set design Oscar for his vision of a bleak, soaring urban wasteland, a hodgepodge of architectural styles, reminiscent of Blade Runner and Metropolis, that suggests no particular time period; and Danny Elfman's score is appropriately dark and dramatic. ~ Matthew Doberman, Rovi
• While the Caped Crusader (Michael Keaton) is again relegated to a supporting role in his own film, fans of nasty, dark-edged Batman comics of recent years should enjoy this kinky, at times horrific updating of the character. Michelle Pfeiffer steals the show this time as the mentally broken Catwoman, who has her life ruined and gets tossed out a window early in the film, only to team up with the deformed Penguin (Danny DeVito) in a bid to take over Gotham City. Tim Burton's sequel is more personal than the first film, as the director indulges in his penchant for oddball characters and societal misfits, engendering both sympathy and revulsion in portraying his villains. Many parents and traditionalists found the result little more than a mean-spirited freakshow, but those in tune with Burton's off-kilter sensibilities will find that it actually has a great deal of heart. Whatever the case, Batman Returns is a very entertaining film and looks great. ~ Robert Firsching, Rovi