Batman Returns

Unbelievably I'd never seen Batman Returns until last night when it was shown on TV. I'd always kind of wanted to see it, but never really got round to it, instead choosing more 'high-brow' choices at the video store such as Jules at Jim - films I feel like I should see rather than I films that would actually be fun to watch. Watching Batman Returns made me realise that I'd much rather watch Danny DeVito sail around in a giant yellow rubber ducky boat, spewing black goo from his mouth, than musing on the lingering shots of cups of coffee, or the pavement, or whatever else it is they like to do in arty films.

Watching Batman Returns also made me realise a number of other things. Firstly, that it its the best Batman film, for sure (yes even better than Batman Begins). Secondly, that its actually a bit cleverer than it first appears to be. And thirdly, that maybe I'm a bit of a closet goth (why else would I love Tim Burton so much?).

So here are my 10 reasons why Batman Returns is the best Batman film and actually really rather clever.

1) It focuses on the point of view and backstories of the villains.
because, to be honest, everyone surely knows by now that Bruce Wayne/Batman is only a successful super hero because he is rich and can pay for all his crazy gadgets. And to be honest, its not the best backstory in the world, at least not in comparison to Catwoman who, according to the film, becomes Catwoman due to being pushed out of a window by her boss and is then inexplicably brought back to life by a load of cats nibbling on her hands. Pretty extraordinary huh?

2) It alludes to other classic films in quite a witty way
Well two films, at least. The first is when the Penguin shouts out 'I am not a human being, I am an animal!' in a delightful reversal of the Elephant Man's famous line. The second is at the end of the film when Bruce Wayne gets out of his car and finds a cat in an alley, kind of like the end of Breakfast at Tiffany's, except in this version he doesn't get the girl.

3) It also alludes to the Bible!
Because the Penguin is thrown into the river in a cot when a baby (like baby Moses in the bullrushes - except in this case Moses is a baby with fin hands and pointy nose who attacks small animals), and the Penguin plans to kill every first born son in Gotham (again like the Moses story).

4) Danny DeVito is awesome.
Much better than in Twins at least.

5) The sets are amazing
Typical Tim Burton. A cross between the Nightmare before Christmas and Willy Wonka, especially when the Penguin's scary circus chums all jump out of a giant christmas present box and cause all sorts of sinister havoc in Gotham City Square.

6) Michael Keaton is the best Batman
Old enough so it works, and not so attractive it makes it silly ( a la George Clooney). And he has cool eyebrows.

7) It has the best Villains
As much as I like Jim Carey and Tommy Lee Jones as the Riddler and Two Face they ham it up a little too much for my liking. Whereas Michelle Pfeiffer and Danny DeVito as Catwoman and Penguin get a good balance between sinister and camp. And of course, they are clearly better than Arnie as Mr Freeze (horrific), and scarecrow face or whatever he's called from Batman Begins (who ever read about him in the comics?).

8) Christopher Walken is in it.
Which always improves a film in my opinion. Wedding Crashers anyone?

9) The Penguin has an umbrella with cuddly toys hanging off of it.
And an umbrella which flies (like a demented Mary Poppins) and another he tries to hypnotise Christopher Walken with.

10) Catwoman and Batman make a great couple
Much better than Batman and the insipid Nicole Kidman in Batman Forever.

modern music is rubbish

I'm currently reading Rip it Up and Start Again which is, for those of you who don't know, a book about post-punk from the late 70s to 1984. It has confirmed to me what I've been thinking for a while - modern music is rubbish. Now, I know that is a rather broad sweeping statement, and of course there is some good music these days, but there is a lot less of it and, in particular there is a lot less originality. What struck me in this book was that bands could actually rip up what had come before and come up with something groundbreaking. Now it seems that there is hardly anything original left to do. Most current mainstream indie music is just ripping off old bands - The Editors, Franz Ferdinand, et al... and as pleasant and danceable much of this is its not really bringing anything new to the table.

I think this current lack of originality is not so much the case in electronic music and hip hop in comparison to guitar music, perhaps because they are fairly new mediums in comparison. For example, in my opinion, Dizzee Rascal's debut album was one of the most original releases in recent years. When I heard 'fix up look sharp' it was the first time a song from the last 5 years made me think 'wow i've never heard anything like this before'.

I dunno, maybe I'm just too picky...

oh and Rip it Up and Start again is a cracking read by the way, give it a whirl.

the circle of blog

goodness, i completely forgot I had a blog. Just like when I tried to write a diary when I was a kid- I used to make myself try and write in it everyday, and then one day you just stop and forget you ever wrote it in the first place. then you get an urge to write one again, and you write it every day, and then you forget again.