Action Movie Club

Director: Joel Schumacher
Countries: UK, USA
Length: 121 min
Language: English
Budget: $100,000,000
Gross: $336,531,112 (Worldwide) (1995)
IMDb: 5.40 (59666 votes)

Actors

Val Kilmer (Batman), Val Kilmer (Bruce Wayne), Tommy Lee Jones (Two-Face), Tommy Lee Jones (Harvey Dent), Jim Carrey (Riddler), Jim Carrey (Dr. Edward Nygma), Nicole Kidman (Dr. Chase Meridian), Chris O’Donnell (Robin), Chris O’Donnell (Dick Grayson), Michael Gough (Alfred Pennyworth), Pat Hingle (Commissioner James Gordon), Drew Barrymore (Sugar), Debi Mazar (Spice), Elizabeth Sanders (Gossip Gerty), Rene Auberjonois (Dr. Burton)

Storyline

Riddle me this, riddle me that, you’ll find adventure on the wings of a bat! Batman, Two-Face, the Riddler, Dr. Chase Meridian and Robin star in the third film in the Batman series that thunders along on Batmobile, Batwing, Batboat, Batsub and bold heroics.

Quotes

• The Riddler: Joygasm!
• [to the annoying Riddler, Two-Face jams a gun into his cheek]
  Two-Face: Let’s see if you bleed green.
• Two-Face: The bat’s stubborn refusal to expire… is driving us INSANE!
• Dick Grayson: I need a name! Batboy, Nightwing, I dunno. What’s a good sidekick name?
  Bruce Wayne: How about Dick Grayson, college student?
  Dick Grayson: Screw you!
• The Riddler: [while raiding a jewelry store and looking at a diamond through a hand-held microscope] Here’s a good one.
  Two-Face: No, no, no. [shows the Riddler a bigger diamond] Now, here’s a good one
• The Riddler: [to Two-Face, who has just blown a hole in the ceiling of his lair] Has anybody ever told you you have a SERIOUS IMPULSE CONTROL PROBLEM?
• Gang Leader: Who the hell are you?
  Dick Grayson: I’m Batman. [the gang laughs] Hey, so I forgot my suit alright?
• Edward Nygma: [during his introduction of "The Box"] Now, you can be a part of the action. Witness the entertainment in your living room. [presents "The Box"] The Box, in every home in America, and one day, the world.
• [Two-Face destroys Robin's boat]
  The Riddler: YOU SUNK MY BATTLE SHIP!
• Fred Stickley: Bruce Wayne was right! You demented, bizarre, unethical toad! It is mind manipulation! You are going up on charges, and then to prison, and then to a mental institution for the rest of your twisted little life! But first and foremost, Nygma, you are fired! Do you hear me? FIRED!
• Batman: I read your work. Insightful. Naive, but insightful.
  Dr. Chase Meridian: I’m flattered. Not every girl makes a superhero’s night table.
• The Riddler: [shows him his Box wand] This is how I found you.
  [turns on the other Boxes for Sugar and Spice, then puts the wand on Two-Face's head]
  The Riddler: This is your brain on the Box.
  [takes the wand off of Two-Face's head]
  The Riddler: This is my brain on the Box.
  [puts the wand on his own head]
  The Riddler: Does anybody else feel like a fried egg?
  Two-Face: I would like some more.
  The Riddler: Oh, there’s more. Here’s the bargain: you will help me steal production capital, so I can put a Box on every TV in town. Then I will be Gotham’s, cleverest carbon-based life-form. And in return, I will help you solve the riddle on everyone’s mind: “Who is Batman?”
• Two-Face: Don’t worry people, no need for alarm, it’s just a good-old fashioned, low-tech stick up! We’re interested in the basics: cash, jewelry, cellular telephones. Just hand them over nicely, and no one will be hurt.
• Alfred Pennyworth: Broken wings mend in time. One day Robin will fly again. I promise.
• [Stops Two Face killing Batman]
  The Riddler: Don’t kill him! If you kill him, he won’t learn nothin’!
• The Riddler: [to Two Face after Batman shows up] Your entrance was good… his was better. The difference: showmanship.
• The Riddler: Riddle me this, riddle me that, who’s afraid of the big, black bat?
• [hit boss on head with coffee canister]
  Edward Nygma: Caffeine will KILL YA!
• The Riddler: Now the real game begins!
• Gang Leader: Who the hell are you?
  Dick Grayson: I’m Batman.
  [the whole gang starts laughing]
  Dick Grayson: Okay, so I forgot my suit!
• The Riddler: Hey Two-Face, teach me how to punch a guy!
  Two-Face: Oh, it’s dead simple my boy.
  Two-Face: [demonstrates] You make a fist, pull back, and assert yourself. [knocks guard out with one punch]
  The Riddler: Oh, let me try! Make a fist, pull back, and assert yourself [no effect on guard, Riddler is holding his hand screaming in agony]
• Edward Nygma: [as Fred dangles at the edge of the broken window over the water chasim] Fred, Babe, you are fired, or should I say: Terminated! [lets Fred fall to his death] Surfs up, Big Kahona! [splash] Ooooo, nice form, but a little rough on the landing. He may have to settle for the bronze. [laughs]
• The Riddler: Soon my little “Box” will be on countless TVs around the world. Feeding me, credit card numbers, bank codes, sexual fantasies, and little white lies. Into my head they’ll go. Victory is inevitable.
• The Riddler: Can Bruce Wayne and Batman ever truly coexist? We’ll find out today! But first, let’s meet our contestants! Behind curtain number one…
  [the Riddler reveals Chase Meridian tied up and hung in a container high up in the room]
  The Riddler: The absolute fabulous Dr. Chase Meridian. She enjoys hiking, getting her nails done, and foolisihly hopes to be the love of Bruce’s life! And behind curtain number two…
  [the Riddler reveals an identical container nearby Chase's. This one has Robin tied up]
  The Riddler: Batman’s one and only partner. This acrobat-turned orphan likes Saturday morning cartoons and one day dreams being…
  The Riddler: [whispers]… bare naked with a girl!
  The Riddler: And below these contestants… my personal favorite. A watery grave!
  [the Riddler reveals two holes in the floor leading into a dark pit. Both are underneath the two containers]
  The Riddler: [points to his scepter] Just one little touch, and you’re two friends are *gull feed* on the rocks below. Not enough time to save them both. Which will it be, Batman? Bruce’s love or the Dark Knight’s junior partner?
  [the Riddler imitates a game show timer while Batman ponders in thought]
  Batman: There is no way for me to save them or myself. This is all one giant death trap.
  The Riddler: Judges?
  The Riddler: [makes a buzzer noise] I’m sorry. Your answer must be in the form of a question. But thank you for playing.
  [the Riddler begins to push the button on his scepter]
  Batman: Wait! I have a riddle for you!
  The Riddler: For me? Really? Tell me.
  Batman: I see without seeing. To me, darkness is as clear as daylight. What am I?
  The Riddler: Please! You’re as blind as a bat!
  Batman: Exactly.
  [throws a batarang at his throne]
• [upon reaching Claw Island]
  Robin: Holey rusted metal, Batman!
  Batman: Huh?
  Robin: The ground, it’s all metal. It’s full of holes. You know, holey.
  Batman: Oh.
• The Riddler: For if knowledge is power, then a GOD AM *I*! [pauses] Was that over the top? I can never tell.
• Two Face: Let’s start this party with a bang.
• [the elevator beeps]
  Two-Face: Very punctual, even to his own funeral! Boys, kill the Bat!
• The Riddler: Like the jacket? It keeps me safe when I’m… jogging at night!
• Dick Grayson: All I can think about every second of the day is getting Two-Face. He took my whole life. And when I was out there tonight, I imagined it was him that I was fighting, even when I was fighting you. And all the pain went away. Do you understand?
  Bruce Wayne: Yes, I do.
  Dick Grayson: Good, cause you gotta help me find him. And when we do, I’m the one who kills him.
  Bruce Wayne: So, you’re willing to take a life.
  Dick Grayson: Long as it’s Two-Face.
  Bruce Wayne: Then it will happen this way: You make the kill, but your pain doesn’t die with Harvey, it grows. So you run out into the night to find another face, and another, and another, until one terrible morning you wake up and realize that revenge has become your whole life. And you won’t know why.
  Dick Grayson: You can’t understand. Your family wasn’t killed by a maniac.
  Bruce Wayne: Yes, they were. We’re the same.
• Dr. Chase Meridian: By the way, do you have a first name, or do I just call you Bat?
• Batman: I see without seeing. To me, darkness is as clear as daylight. What am I?
  The Riddler: Please! You’re as blind as a bat!
  Batman: Exactly.
  [throws a batarang at his throne]
• Robin: I can’t promise I won’t kill Harvey.
  Batman: A man’s got to go his own way. A friend taught me that.
  Robin: Not just a friend.
  [extends his hand]
  Batman: A partner.
  [shakes it]
• Two Face: Who the hell are you?
  The Riddler: Just a friend, but you can call me, the Riddler!
• Two-Face: Why can’t you just die?
• Dr. Chase Meridian: Hot entrance!
• Alfred Pennyworth: Master Bruce. Master Bruce. How are you, young man?
  Bruce Wayne: You haven’t called me that for a long time.
  Alfred Pennyworth: Old habits die hard. Are you all right?
  Bruce Wayne: Where’s Chase?
  Alfred Pennyworth: I’m afraid they’ve already taken Dr. Meridian. Master Dick has run away. The cave has been destroyed. And there is another riddle.
• Two-Face: What?
  The Riddler: I hope you made extra.
  Two-Face: Who the hell are you?
  The Riddler: Just a friend. But you can call me… the Riddler.
• [Two-Face cries on seeing a newspaper report of Batman's latest escape]
  The Riddler: That’s what I said. Then I learned a new trick: how to map the human mind.
  [he plugs in the disk with Bruce Wayne's memory; on the screen they see the image of the giant bat. Two-Face starts laughing]
  The Riddler: Riddle me this, what sort of a man has bats on the brain? Go ahead, you can say it.
  Two-Face: You’re a genius!
  The Riddler: Oh, stop!
• The Riddler: This is your captain speaking. Please remain in your seats, we will be experiencing… turbulence!
  [he presses a button, the tower fires an energy blast that shoots down the Batplane]
• [as "The Box" is used on Strickley]
  The Riddler: [imitating game show host] Edward Nygma, come on down! You’re the next contestant on “Brain Drain”!
  [imitating shy game show contestant]
  The Riddler: Um, gee, ooh, uh, I’ll take what’s inside Thick Skull #1!
  [imitating game show host]
  The Riddler: What have we got for him, Johnny?
  [laughs]
  The Riddler: Stickley! I’m having a breakthrough! And a breakdown? Maybe! Nevertheless, I’m smarter. I’m a genius. No, several geniuses! A gaggle! A swarm! A flock of freakin’ Freuds! Riddle me this, Fred! What is everything to someone and nothing to everyone else? Your mind, baby! And now mine pumps with the power of yours!
  [singing]
  The Riddler: I’m sucking up your I.Q., vacuuming your cortex, feeding off your brain!
• [Two-Face decides a victim's fate with a coin toss]
  Two-Face: Ah. Fortune smiles. Another day of wine and roses. Or, in your case, beer and pizza!
• Two-Face: You’re counting on the winged avenger to deliver you from evil, aren’t you my friend?
  Bank Guard: Are you going to kill me?
  Two-Face: Maybe, maybe not. You could say we’re of two minds on the subject.
• [last lines]
  Dr. Chase Meridian: Don’t work too late.
• Batman: I guess we’re all two people.
• Two-Face: One man is born a hero, his brother a coward. Babies starve, politicians grow fat. Holy men are martyred, and junkies grow legion. Why? Why, why, why, why, why? Luck! Blind, stupid, simple, doo-dah, clueless luck!
• Bruce Wayne: I was scared at first, but only at first.
• Batman: Commissioner Gordon?
  Dr. Chase Meridian: He’s at home. I sent the signal.
  Batman: What’s wrong?
  Dr. Chase Meridian: Last night, at the bank, I noticed something about Two-Face. His coin. It’s his Achilles’ heel. It can be exploited.
  Batman: I know. You called me here for this? The Batsignal is not a beeper.
  Dr. Chase Meridian: Well I wish I could say that my interest in you was… purely professional.
  Batman: You trying to get under my cape, doctor?
  Dr. Chase Meridian: A girl can’t live by psychoses alone.
  Batman: It’s the car, right? Chicks love the car.
  Dr. Chase Meridian: What is it about the wrong kind of man? In grade school it was guys with earrings. College, motorcycles, leather jackets. Now, *oh*, black rubber.
  Batman: Try firemen, less to take off.
  Dr. Chase Meridian: I don’t mind the work. Pity I can’t see behind the mask.
  Batman: We all wear masks.
  Dr. Chase Meridian: My life’s an open book. You read?
  Batman: I don’t blend in at a family picnic.
  Dr. Chase Meridian: Oh, we could give it a try. I’ll bring the wine, you bring your scarred psyche.
  Batman: Direct aren’t you?
  Dr. Chase Meridian: You like strong women. I’ve done my homework. Or do I need skin-tight vinyl and a whip?
  Batman: I haven’t had that much luck with women.
  Dr. Chase Meridian: Maybe you just haven’t met the right woman.
• [are trying to sink Robin's boat]
  Two Face: B12!
  The Riddler: Hit! And my favorite vitamin might I add.
• Alfred Pennyworth: [Bruce is with Chase when he contacts him] I’m sorry to bother you, sir. But I have some rather distressing news about Master Dick.
  Bruce Wayne: What, is he all right?
  Alfred Pennyworth: I’m afraid Master Dick has… gone traveling.
  Bruce Wayne: He ran away?
  Alfred Pennyworth: Actually, he took the car.
  Bruce Wayne: He boosted the Jag?
  Alfred Pennyworth: Not the Jaguar. The other car.
  Bruce Wayne: The Bentley?
  Alfred Pennyworth: No, sir. The *other* car.
• Bruce Wayne: [Edward extends his had to shake Bruce's] Mister…?
  Edward Nygma: Ohhhhh… Bruce Wayne.
  Bruce Wayne: No, that’s uh, my name. And you are?
  Edward Nygma: Oh! Nygma. Edward… Edward Nygma. You hired me personally. We’ve never actually met, but you signed the employment form yourself. I have it.
  Bruce Wayne: I’m gonna need that hand back, Ed.
  Edward Nygma: Oh! Yes, of course! I’m sorry. It’s just that… you’re my idol.
  Fred Stickley: [reaches for Nygma's arm] Back to work Edward.
  Edward Nygma: [yanks arm away] And *some* people have been trying to keep us apart.
  Fred Stickley: Back to work Edward!
  Bruce Wayne: It’s okay. So, Mr. Nygma, what’s on your mind?
  Edward Nygma: Precisely! What’s on all our minds? Brainwaves. [giggles] The future of Wayne Enterprises is brainwaves. [runs into his cubicle]
  Fred Stickley: You’ll have to forgive this Mr. Wayne. I personally terminated this project this morning!
  Bruce Wayne: It’s okay.
  Edward Nygma: [pops out with a high-tech contraption] I have it! Voila! Huh? My invention beams any TV signal directly into the human brain. By stimulating the neurons, manipulating brainwaves if you will, this device makes the viewer feel like they’re actually inside the show! Why be brutalized by an uncaring world?
  Bruce Wayne: Did you say manipulating brainwaves?
  Edward Nygma: Well… uh… yes.
  Bruce Wayne: Hmmm.
  Edward Nygma: Not that someone like you would need this. Someone so… sophisticated… and intelligent. I just need additional funds and time for human testing. Let me show you, *please!*
  Bruce Wayne: Now look Ed, I’m going to need a full set of technical schematics on this, alright?
  Edward Nygma: I want you to know we’re gonna be full partners on this Bruce! Look at us! Two of a kind!
  Bruce Wayne: You call my assistant Margaret, she’ll set something up.
  Edward Nygma: [grabs Wayne by the arm] Uhhhhhh… that’s not gonna be good for me. I need an answer now. I think I deserve it.
  Bruce Wayne: Well I’m sorry Ed, then the answer’s no. Stimulating neurons… tampering with people’s brainwaves… it just raises too many questions. I’m sorry. Thanks everybody, factory looks great. Keep up the good work.
  Fred Stickley: Alright, everyone. Back to work. [in Nygma's ear] We’ll discuss this later!
  Edward Nygma: [watching Wayne leave] You were supposed to understand! [pause] I’ll *make* you understand…
• Robin: Ju want to take a ride in my love machine, bay-bay?
• Dr. Chase Meridian: He’ll slaughter them without thinking twice.
  Batman: Agreed. A trauma powerful enough to create an alternate personality leaves the victim…
  Dr. Chase Meridian: – in a world where normal rules of right and wrong no longer apply.
  Batman: Exactly.
  Dr. Chase Meridian: Like you. – Well, let’s just say that I could write a hell of a paper on a grown man who dresses like a flying rodent.
  Batman: Bats aren’t rodents, Dr. Meridian.
• The Riddler: Why? Why can’t I kill you? Too many questions. Too many questions.
  Batman: Poor Edward. I had to save them both. You see, I’m both Bruce Wayne and Batman, not because I have to be, now, because I choose to be.
• The Riddler: You’re ruining my big party! Are you *insane*?
  Two-Face: Just waiting for you to deliver the Batman, dear boy.
  The Riddler: Patience, O Bifurcated One!
  Two-Face: Patience is hell! We want him dead!
  The Riddler: Well, you could have let me in on the caper. We could have organized this, planned it… pre-sold the movie rights. [Batman enters through the skylight, and begins to fit Two-Face's thugs] You’re entrance was good. His was better. [Batman continues to fit thugs] The difference: showmanship!
• [Chase has told the Riddler that Batman will come for her]
  The Riddler: [immitating Cesar Romero's Joker] Batman? Batman, you say? Coming for you? I’m…
  [shouting]
  The Riddler: counting on it!
• [Edward is hiding in the shadows of his cell in Arkham Asylum]
  Dr. Chase Meridian: Edward?
  Edward Nygma: Who is it?
  Dr. Chase Meridian: It’s Dr. Meridian. Chase. Do you remember me?
  Edward Nygma: How can I forget?
  Dr. Chase Meridian: Dr. Burton tells me that you know who Batman is.
  Edward Nygma: I can’t tell you if you don’t say “please”.
  Dr. Chase Meridian: Edward, please. Who is Batman?
  Edward Nygma: [leaps out from the shadows with his outfit in the shape of a bat costume] I’m Batman!
• [first lines]
  Alfred Pennyworth: Can I persuade you to take a sandwich with you, sir?
  Batman: I’ll get drive-thru.
• The Riddler: This is your brain on the box. This is my brain on the box. Does anybody else feel like a fried egg?
• [Two-Face and the Riddler enter Wayne Manor]
  The Riddler: Search-and-capture…
  Two-Face: [sighs, to his thugs] No killing.
  [Riddler leans in]
  The Riddler: That goes *double* for you.
• Two-Face: You have broken into our hideout. You have violated the sanctity of our lair. For this we should crush your bones into POWDER. However, you do pose a very interesting proposition: therefore, heads, we accept, and tails, we blow your damned head off!
• The Riddler: [after being defeated] Why? Why can’t I kill you? Too many questions. Too many questions.
  Batman: Poor Edward. I had to save them both. You see, I’m both Bruce Wayne and Batman. Not because I have to be. Now… because I choose to be.
  [holds out his hand. The Riddler backs away as he sees a bat]
  The Riddler: AAAAHHH! AHHHHGH! AAAAGH!
• The Riddler: Tell the fat lady she’s on in five.
• [Two-Face's Lair]
  The Riddler: I simply love what you’ve done with the place. Heavy Metal meets House and Garden.
• [Dick tries to open a door in Wayne Manor, but it won't budge]
  Alfred Pennyworth: May I help you, Master Grayson?
  Dick Grayson: How come this is the only locked door in this museum? What do you have back here?
  Alfred Pennyworth: Master Wayne’s dead wives. The silver closet on your way.
• Bruce Wayne: “We’re 5 little items of an everyday sort. You’ll find us all in a tennis court”. In… A-E-I-O-U. Vowels.
  Alfred Pennyworth: Not entirely unclever, sir, but what do a clock, a match, chess pawns, and vowels have in common? What do these riddles mean?
  Bruce Wayne: Every riddle has a number in the question and they arrived at this order: 13, 1, 8, and 5.
  Alfred Pennyworth: 13, 1, 8, and 5. What do they mean?
  Bruce Wayne: Perhaps letters of the alphabet?
  Alfred Pennyworth: Of course, 13 is M.
  Bruce Wayne: 1 would be A, 8 would be H, and 5 would be E.
  Alfred Pennyworth: M-A-H-E.
  Bruce Wayne: Perhaps 1 and 8 are 18.
  Alfred Pennyworth: 18 is R. M-R-E.
  Bruce Wayne: How about Mr. E.?
  Alfred Pennyworth: Mystery.
  Bruce Wayne: And another name for mystery?
  Alfred Pennyworth: Enigma.
  Bruce Wayne: Mr. E. Nygma. Edward Nygma. Stickley’s suicide was obviously a computer-generated forgery.
  Alfred Pennyworth: You really are quite bright, despite what people say.
• [after shooting down the Batplane]
  The Riddler: I hope they can find the little black box.

More…

Facts

• According to ‘Tim Burton’, he originally felt very enthusiastic about the idea of directing a third Batman film. However, when Warner Brothers executives expressed concern over the direction of the franchise – namely that Batman Returns (1992) had been too dark to appeal to a family audience – Burton decided it best to step down as director.
• In the movie, there is a scene where Two-Face keeps flipping his coin until he gets a result he wants. In the comics, a key element of his split personality is that he unquestioningly accepts the result of a single coin toss concerning any decision he makes.
• The Robin costume weighed 41 lbs.
• ‘Jim Carrey’ helped design a lot of his costumes.
• ‘Joel Schumacher’ had asked ‘Bono’ of ‘U2′ to reprise his role of Macphisto that he played during the band’s ZOOTV tour, but ‘Bono’ denied, saying that when ZOOTV ended so did Macphisto, so instead ‘U2′ contributed the song “Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me” to the soundtrack.
• Director ‘Joel Schumacher’ wanted ‘Nicole Kidman’ to play Poison Ivy, but he decided that Ivy, Two-Face and The Riddler would be too many villains for Batman.
• Chase remarks about “Or do I need skin tight vinyl and a whip”, an obvious reference to the “Catwoman” character in Batman Returns (1992).
• ‘Will Shortz’, “puzzlemaster” on National Public Radio and editor of the NY Times crossword puzzle, created the Riddler’s riddles.
• ‘Val Kilmer’ learned he was the new Batman while he was literally in a bat cave in Africa, doing research for The Ghost and the Darkness (1996) He accepted the role without reading the script.
• ‘Rene Russo’ was originally cast to play Dr. Chase Meridian when ‘Michael Keaton’ was still attached to the project as Batman. However, when Keaton dropped out of the project and was replaced by ‘Val Kilmer’, Russo was deemed too old to play his love interest and was replaced by ‘Nicole Kidman’.
• The helicopter at the start of the movie flown by Harvey Two Face’s gang is a Sikorsky S-62.
• ‘Joel Schumacher’’s decision to put nipples on the Bat-costumes and an earring on Robin caused controversy – it even bothered Batman creator ‘Bob Kane’. Schumacher said he wanted the costumes to have an anatomic look, while the earring was supposed to make Robin more hip.
• Robin’s costume is not the classic costume of the comics that Dick Grayson wore, but it is based on the costume worn by the third Robin, Tim Drake. This costume was introduced in 1990, and it is rumored that ‘Tim Burton’ had a hand in designing it.
• The movie was going to be shot in Cincinnati, using the old subway tunnel. The exterior of the Gotham City Hippodrome (the arena where Dick Grayson’s family is killed) is based on the exterior of Union Terminal, a famous 1930’s Art Deco train station in Cincinnati.
• So heavy was his Batsuit, ‘Val Kilmer’ lost 5lbs filming the opening fight scene alone.
• The design of the Flying Graysons’ costumes was a reference to the red, yellow and green spandex that Robin wears currently in the comic books.
• Olympic gymnast ‘Mitchell Gaylord’ was a stunt double for ‘Chris O’Donnell’.
• ‘Christian Bale’ had auditioned for the role of Robin. Ironically in the next few years, he went on to star as Bruce Wayne/Batman in Batman Begins (2005) and its sequel The Dark Knight (2008).
• Jim Carrey’s original idea – to shave a question mark into his scalp – had to be scotched as he was due in court to finalize his divorce.
• ‘Val Kilmer’ and ‘Tommy Lee Jones’ appeared together again in The Missing (2003/I), which also featured subsequent Two-Face actor ‘Aaron Eckhart’.
• In this film, ‘Tommy Lee Jones’ portrays Two-Face, a villain who uses a coin to determine the fate of his enemies. Ironically, twelve years later in No Country for Old Men (2007), he plays a good character whose primary enemy in the film uses a coin to decide the fate of his victims.
• After the Batmobile rides up the wall to escape from Two-Face, there was going to be a car chase on the rooftops of Gotham. Due to time and money constraints, this idea was scrapped and used in the next film, Batman & Robin (1997).
• ‘Chris O’Donnell’’s sister can be seen directly behind him in the party scene where Robin is first introduced to the public.
• ‘Scott Shaw’ was offered the role of the Gang Leader. When he turned it down, the role eventually went to ‘Don ‘The Dragon’ Wilson’.
• While learning to twirl a cane, ‘Jim Carrey’ reportedly broke around a dozen prop canes and some of his trailer furniture.
• The scratches on the tails side of Two-Face’s coin form the letters HD, the initials of Harvey Dent, Two-Face’s former identity.
• Early concepts of the final showdown on Claw Island had a huge, muscled, Riddler sitting on his throne when Batman finds him. The Riddler twists the two skulls on his armrests and the Riddler’s muscled body is revealed to be a shell which splits in two, from which the real Riddler (wearing his white and green jumpsuit) steps out. This description made it into the junior novelization of the movie by ‘Alan Grant’, and was also featured in the video game based on the movie.
• Before deciding not to don the cape and cowl for a third time, ‘Michael Keaton’ met with ‘Joel Schumacher’ and declined to join the project after deciding that he did not like the direction in which Schumacher was looking to take the franchise. In the brief time that ‘Tim Burton’ was still considering doing a third Batman film, Riddler was the only villain that he planned on using. The idea of using Two-Face did not come up until Schumacher joined the project.
• Scheduling conflicts with Braveheart (1995) forced ‘Mel Gibson’ to turn down the role of Harvey Dent/Two-Face.
• ‘Jim Carrey’ was paid $7 million to play the Riddler.
• Exterior scenes of Wayne Manor were filmed at the Webb Institute of Naval Architecture on Long Island, NY. The production team had to change the school’s “W” on the entrance gate because it had an anchor behind it.
• When left at Wayne Manor, Grayson informs Wayne that he is leaving. To this, Bruce replies that the circus would be halfway to Metropolis, which is the city of Superman.
• While ‘Tim Burton’ was still slated to direct the film, ‘Robin Williams’ was running to play The Riddler, but after Burton dropped out, Williams lost interest and turned down the role despite being offered.
• Actors ‘Kimberly Scott’ (Bruce’s assistant) and ‘Michael Paul Chan’ (a worker at Wayne Enterprises) came back for Batman & Robin (1997), but in different roles, playing scientists at the Gotham Observatory. ‘Joel Schumacher’ frequently uses them in his movies.
• The Batmobile was usually driven by stunt drivers, but ‘Chris O’Donnell’ insisted on driving it himself in the joyride scene – but he crashed it into a curb and dented a fender.
• In the film there is a doctor named Burton. ‘Tim Burton’ directed the first two Batman films and produced this sequel.
• The exterior set for Two-Face’s hide out is the same set used in the first disappearance of Max Schreck (‘Christopher Walken’) in Batman Returns (1992).
• 25 minutes of the film were digitally color corrected at 2K resolution – a very early example of digital grading for motion pictures.
• After seeing him in this film, record producer ‘George Martin’ approached ‘Jim Carrey’ about performing the song “I am the Walrus” for his ‘The Beatles’ tribute album “In My Life”. Carrey accepted.
• ‘Marlon Wayans’ was originally slated to play Robin/Dick Grayson in “Batman Forever” when ‘Tim Burton’ was considering directing it, but once ‘Joel Schumacher’ ultimately took the helm his vision for the character did not jive with placing Marlon in the role and instead cast ‘Chris O’Donnell’.
• According to Entertainment Weekly, ‘Jeanne Tripplehorn’ and ‘Linda Hamilton’ were considered for the role of Dr. Chase Meridian. ‘Robin Wright Penn’ was also considered for the role.
• This is the first “Batman” film to show Wayne Industries, the company Bruce’s father owned.
• ‘William Baldwin’ was reported to be considered for the role of Batman.
• When The Riddler is in Two-Face’s hideout demonstrating how “The Box” works, he says, “This is my brain on the box, does anyone else feel like a fried egg?”. This is a spoof on an Anti-Drug commercial, which demonstrated what your brain would do when it is on drugs, by using an egg and a hot frying pan.
• ‘Tommy Lee Jones’’s make-up took 4 hours to apply.
• ‘Elizabeth Sanders’, who plays Gossip Gerty, is the widow of ‘Bob Kane’, the man who created the Batman character.
• Dick Grayson suggests “Nightwing” for a hero name; an in-joke for the comic books, where Dick Grayson now appears as Nightwing, an identity he took after he abandoned the Robin costume in 1980s.
• At one moment, to Batman’s surprise, Robin exclaims: “Holey rusted metal, Batman!”, then explaining: “The ground, it’s all metal. It’s full of holes. You know, holey” – a jokey reference to the TV show “Batman” (1966) with ‘Adam West’, where Robin would yell his trademark exclamations of surprise every once in a while: “Holy something-or-other, Batman!”.
• In the original Batman (1989), District Attorney Harvey Dent was played by ‘Billy Dee Williams’. Williams accepted the role with the knowledge and expectation that Dent would eventually become Two-Face: he reportedly had a clause put into his contract reserving the role for him in any sequels, which Warner Bros. had to buy out so they could cast ‘Tommy Lee Jones’.
• The scene where Dick Grayson sorts and dries his laundry using kung-fu moves was taken shot-by-shot from a similar scene in the Hong Kong film Yong zhe wu ju (1981) (aka “Dreadnaught”).
• Names thrown out who were considered to play The Riddler include, ‘Damon Wayans’, ‘Brad Dourif’, ‘Steve Martin’ (who turned down the role because with the death of his friend ‘John Candy’ and his divorce from ‘Victoria Tennant’ he was too sad to make any movies), ‘Matthew Broderick’ and ‘Michael Jackson’.
• In Canada, the French version of the Riddler’s name is Le Sphinx.

More…

Goofs

• When Dick Grayson is doing his laundry he is seen wringing the water out of his clothes, but when he picks up the mop to clean up, the floor is dry.
• Young Bruce Wayne drops his father’s diary when he falls into the cave, but lands with it in hand.
• The Batcave is visible on the upper left side of the screen with Bruce Wayne as a child falls into the cave.
• During the climax, Dr. Meridian is bound with rope around her midsection, pinning her arms to her side. However, in the shot where she is first dropped, the rope disappears. It then reappears after Batman dives to rescue her.
• When Bruce goes back to when his parents are murdered, he is standing on the left of his parents. When the same scene appears in Batman (1989), the young Bruce is standing between his parents.
• When Batman shows up at Chase’s apartment, he comes in through her balcony. It is pouring rain outside, but Batman is totally dry.
• When Two-Face hides behind the baby buggy and shoots at Batman and misses, he throws the gun away in frustration. When it hits the street the handle breaks and flies off.
• Strings can be seen on the helicopter after it explodes against the “Lady Liberty” statue.
• When Robin first gets to Bruce’s house, Bruce’s hair is slicked back wet, but when they get inside his hair is dry. This happens a couple of times through out the film
• After Bruce Wayne gets shot in the head by Two-face and then wakes up in bed, there is a monogram (B.W.) on the pillow to the right of his head. When we cut back to him, after Alfred speaks, the monogram is missing.
• The position of the guard on the vault when it reenters the building.
• When Batman flies out in the Batwing, at first there is no rear wing. In the next shot, the rear wing is there.
• When The Riddler first walks into Two-Face’s hideout, he is not carrying with him any supplies for his TV Machine. However, after the Riddler and Two-Face make peace, The Riddler walks deeper into the room and picks up the TV Box machines sitting on the table. He walked in with nothing yet the boxes were already there!
• Near the climax of the film, ‘Nicole Kidman’ fell from the Riddler’s holding tube with greater velocity than director ‘Joel Schumacher’ anticipated; as a result, the actress’s pantyhose-clad rear (and black underwear) are plainly visible on film as she falls. The take mistakenly got by editors Mark Stevens and Dennis Virkler and ended up in the final cut of the film.
• Obvious stunt double for Robin while he’s piloting the Bat-Boat.
• When The Riddler and two-Face are committing they’re first robbery (at the jewelry store) the Riddler breaks an glass display case and grabs a very big diamond and says: “here’s a good one”. However when he holds it up to look at it, the frame changes and it has suddenly been reduced to a tiny diamond barely visible. Then Two-Face shows him a big diamond (probably the one we saw earlier) and says: No, No, there is a good one”. Jim Carrey apparently picked up the wrong diamond, and in the next frame given it to Tommy Lee Jones. It is also obvious that they tried to hide the frame switch in the editing of the film.
• A pole can be seen on the giant bat as it comes toward young Bruce.
• When Robin is captured by the Riddler, he has duct tape over his mouth. However, when he is falling from Riddler’s hideout, the tape is gone.
• The unconscious Alfred moves a tray aside so that The Riddler and Two-Face can easily open the door.
• The eye-drop ad explodes before Two-Face’s Yin-Yang helicopter even crashes through it.
• When Bruce is speaking into his video watch (when Alfred tells him the Batmobile is missing), each time the watch is seen is closeup, Bruce’s finger moves up the side. It must have been filmed only once, then reused, with the video of Alfred added later.
• The bat mobile used by Batman has one tail. When it’s used by Robin, it has a double tail.
• For some reason, people seem obsessed with pointing out that two different actors have played Harvey Dent without pointing out that three different actors (in this particular series) have played Batman, so we’ll explicitly say that this is not an error, regardless of how different they look.
• When the bat boat is on fire, it’s a normal boat, not the one designed for the movie.
• Reflection of the lighting equipment on Dick’s motorcycle helmet when he attempts to leave Wayne Manor.
• When The Riddler tells Two-Face the bargain, Two-Face gives him the “heads, we accept”, and “tails, we decline” speech. He then tosses his coin into the air. We then get a close-up shot of the coin. But when it is coming back down, it is clear that it lands on tails, not heads. But, traditionally a coin flip involves catching, covering and flipping the coin again, so we see heads down, which would flip to heads up and Two-Face accepting.
• When Batman shoots his grappling gun at the wall to attach to the safe, the wall the grappling hook shoots through moves.
• When the Riddler first enters Two-Face’s hideout, the Riddler can be seen standing behind the wall waiting for his cue to enter.
• A statue in the tunnel shakes during the car chase.
• Before Bruce arrives at Chase’s office to show her the riddles he had been receiving, we see him get out of his car, walk up the stairs, and break Chase’s door down. He does not have the riddles in his hand until he is ready to ask her about them, and they are way too big and bulky to have fit into his pocket.

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Soundtrack

• “Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me” Lyrics by ‘Bono’ Music by ‘U2′ Produced by ‘Nellee Hooper’, ‘Bono’ and ‘The Edge’ Performed by ‘U2′ Courtesy of Island Records Limited
• “Kiss From A Rose” Written by ‘Seal’ Produced by ‘Trevor Horn’ Performed by ‘Seal’ Courtesy of ZTT Record Limited/Warner Music UK Limited/Warner Bros. Records Inc. By Arrangement with Warner Special Products
• “Smash It Up” Written by Chris Millar, ‘Captain Sensible’ (as Raymond Burns), ‘David Vanian’ and Alasdair Ward Produced by ‘Thom Wilson’ Performed by ‘The Offspring’ Courtesy of Epitaph
• “Bad Days” Written by ‘Wayne Coyne’, ‘Michael Ivins’, ‘Steven Drozd’ and Ronald Jones Produced and Performed by ‘The Flaming Lips’ Courtesy of Warner Bros. Records Inc.
• “Where Are You Now?” Written and Produced by ‘Lenny Kravitz’ Performed by ‘Brandy Norwood’ (as Brandy) Courtesy of Atlantic Recording Corporation
• “One Time Too Many” Written by ‘P.J. Harvey’ Produced by ‘Flood’, ‘P.J. Harvey’ (as Polly Jean Harvey) and ‘John Parish’ Performed by ‘P.J. Harvey’ Courtesy of Island Records Limited
• “The Hunter Gets Captured By The Game” Written by ‘Smokey Robinson’ (as William “Smokey” Robinson, Jr.) Produced by ‘Massive Attack’ Performed by ‘Massive Attack’ with ‘Tracey Thorn’ Courtesy of Circa Records, Ltd
• “Nobody Lives Without Love” Written by ‘Tonio K.’, ‘Larry Klein (II)’ Produced by ‘Trevor Horn’ for Horn Productions Performed by ‘Eddi Reader’ Courtesy of Blanco y Negro/Warner Music UK Limited/Reprise Records
• “Tell Me Now” Written by ‘Hope Sandoval’, ‘David Roback’ Produced by ‘David Roback’ Performed by ‘Mazzy Star’ Courtesy of Capitol Records
• “There Is A Light” Lyrics by ‘Nick Cave’ Performed by ‘Nick Cave’ Courtesy of Mute Records
• “The Passenger” Lyrics by ‘Iggy Pop’ (J. Osterberg) Produced and Mixed by ‘Tim Simenon’ Performed by ‘Michael Hutchence’ Courtesy of PolyGram International Music B.V.
• “Crossing The River” Written by ‘Billy Steinberg (II)’ (as B. Steinberg), ‘Rick Nowels’ (as R. Nowels), ‘Colin Devlin’ (as C. Devlin) Produced by ‘The Devlins’, ‘Rick Nowels’, ‘Billy Steinberg (II)’ and ‘Garry Hughes’ Performed by ‘The Devlins’ Courtesy of Capitol Records
• “8″ Written by Sunny Day Real Estate Produced and Mixed by Brad Wood Performed by Sunny Day Real Estate Courtesy of Sub Pop Records

Open Season 2 (2008)