Open Discussion:
Who do you think best played Batman? Adam West?
Or one of the newer guys – Michael Keaton, Val Kilmer, Clooney? How about Christian Bale, do you buy him in the role?
How about your favorite Batman villain? Could anyone top Heath Ledger’s “Joker”?
Or are you strictly dedicated to the comics?
Christian Bale is the only actor so far who really gets how to play Batman and Bruce Wayne. People complain about his voice, but it sounds like it is described in the comics.
Heath as The Joker was by far the best villain.
Now if you want to talk about the voice of Batman there is only one man that does it for me. Kevin Connroy. He did the voice of Batman in most of the animated appearances of the Caped Crusader (from the mid 90s to about 2010). I don’t even know what the man looks like but when I hear his voice I know Batman is talking and I need to shup up and listen. Bale’s voice is so gravely and it comes off sounding like he is trying to hard to sound intimidating. But I will say that his acting… Read more »
I remember an interview in Rolling Stone in 1990 around the time Michael Keaton’s “new” Batman of the 90s re-boot was happening. He talked in the interview about traveling the country in a trailer signing autographs as Batman. It struck me as very self-deprecating humor at the time, but I have often thought back to that, and how actors must fear being pigeon-holed. Fast forward to today, I’ve been re-watching the “Superfriends” cartoons from the early 80s with my young son. They brought back the legendary Adam West back to voice those, and he really is the voice of Batman… Read more »
Bale and Ledger, without a doubt.
I have to put in a vote for Adam West. Why? Because until I was 17 he weas pretty much the only Batman. And while the show was campy, he steered through the show with the stoicism of a monk. And Batman is nothing if not stoic.
I’m Batman!
No, I’m Batman!
(Ok, that not true, though I wouldn’t mind some the Wayne family fortune.)
I would say Bale did it the best, if it wasn’t for his god awful Batman voice. He doesn’t sound intimidating, he sounds like he needs a damn Riccola. So I second Peter’s mention of Keaton. As for favorite villain I’m a fan of Two Face. Unfortunately Two Face has been wasted not once but twice. I like Tommy Lee Jones as an actor but he was too playful in his portrayal (Two Face does not bounce around laughing like that) and the actor that played him recently was Two Face for like what 15min.? I really liked what Jim… Read more »
And I agree on Bale’s voice. It feels very put on.
Keaton, easily 😀
You know, I feel the same way. And what’s so odd about it is that if I were casting Batman there would’ve been not a chance in hell I would’ve even called him in for the role… But he was great.