Batman - Mask of the Phantasm

Rating:
Summary: great idea
Review: Great idea for this movie the directors had
brilliant animation
have this on dvd
and love it more and more every time I watch it
it can be funny at times
very powerful
a little violent but not bad
deeply moving the whole story is
I loved watching the Batman animation series on tv as a child
and will get it when I find it on dvd in stores
Batman wether toon or regular movies is a classic hero of our our decades to fulfill

Rating:
Summary: An excellent Batman score. Perfect fit for a hero.
Review: No animated cartoon has captured a super-hero better than Batman: The Animated Series, and no music has captured a hero better than the theme for that show written by Danny Elfman and adapted by Shirlry Walker. When Batman: Mask Of The Phantasm was made the score could have been just a generic retread from the tv show. Instead, Walker gave the movie a score that is full of action, suspense and heroism. The chorale pieces tend to truly make it an intense score. There are moments that a true movie magic especially when Batman is born in the film. Overall I recommend this score as the second best Batman score ever, following up Elfman's score for the Batman movie.

Rating:
Summary: Probably the best Batman film Tim didn't direct
Review: Back when the film was released, my dad gave me a copy of it on VHS and I always loved it but after awhile as usual with things, you lose track of it and forgot where it was. Out of town one year, bam, there it is on the shelf so I nabbed it. Like a lot of reviewers have said, it combines the dark film noir style with that over-the-topness of the films.

One thing I never really got with the films is Bruce Wayne's complexity. Although on a show that has a different superhero, to paraphrase Smallville's Chloe Sullivan, Bruce Wayne has more issues than Rolling Stone. He made a vow that he would protect the innocent.

Basically the story is that mob bosses are being killed off by a grim reaperesque villain named the Phantasm(although oddly, that name's never mentioned). However, due to the image of the Phantasm's costume and blink and you'll miss it images, Batman instead gets blamed. None of which is helped by a commissioner who has it in for him, probably his one true love returning, and his battle with an old nemesis.

One thing has got to be said first off: this is one amazing score. The woman responsible did an astounding job and the opening theme is great. The voices are great too. Kevin Conroy does 2 voices(although slightly similar) voices for Batman and Bruce, so that way people close to him wouldn't figure out his voice if they met Batman. And who knew that Mark "I'll always been known as Luke Skywalker" Hamill would give a crazier performance as the Joker than Jack Nicholson?

One thing that's nice about the film is that it is quite dark. There's quite a few flashbacks and they're not quick either. There's a certain amount of complexity to the plot for the kiddies but adults will understand it. It's nice to see a different version of how Bruce Wayne started becoming Batman, and his inspiration for the Batmobile's a nice touch.

Like most people that are fans of this, we're waiting for a DVD release. If they're has been one, then an SE one cause I've never heard of it. Rumors are that they'll release it along with the Tim Burton Batman films to coincide with the release of Batman Begins in June which should be interesting. However, for now, deal with a film that Joel Schumacher wish he directed.

Rating:
Summary: Batman Mask of the Phantasm (1993)
Review: This film is probably one of the most underated films ever made. The movie is based off the popular animated T.V. series on Fox, and it has the Dark Knight chasing a new adversary called the Phantasm while fighting his arch nemesis Joker too. Sparks will fly in this action packed movie for the entire family to enjoy. The story still suffers from being predictable though, but it offers some unique plot twists to keep you interested. Overall, I highly recommend this one.

Rating:
Summary: One of the best
Review: If I had to pick which animated movie deserves high praise, this would be one of them. The way this movie is done was actually so wel thought out, it puts most live movies to shame. First off, this movie is more about Bruce Wayne than Batman himself and shows his past with his true love. The setup is pretty much someone is going around killing off the mob bosses and the police believe its Batman. A connection is found when his once true love and her father returned who ran away from these mob bosses many years ago. Is it one of them doing it or someone else? Great movie that shows the origin of batman, and no, not the parent killing part but the true beginning with his first mission before he chose the costume. Also shows the early days of the joker and one of Bruces loves (he had many, though whats funny is that on an episode of Batman Beyond, they showed every one of Bruces past loves except for this one which was odd). Anyways a great animated movie to get and lets just say, everything about it is perfect.

Rating:
Summary: Your angel of death awaits you!!!
Review: When batman the animated series came out it was a whole new relavation in batman a movie was inevitable. When mask of the phantasm came out in the summer of 1993 it opened to very bad reviews why? because the so called movie critic experts dont know jack thats why!!! It is one of the most creative batman movie you'll ever see watch it and love it.

Rating:
Summary: The Darkest of the Dark Knight
Review: I recently read a review on this which had a line summing up this movie very well: there is no happy ending here.

Lots of Bat-Fans point to "Batman Returns" as the darkest entry into the catalogue, but this one has it beat hands down in the dark department. And I mean that as a compliment. Batman is not supposed to be an ode to daffodils. The whole foundation of the Batman story is rooted in tragedy, murder and mayhem. And boy-oh-boy, you have it here in spades.

Is it a violent movie? Yep. It has a higher murder rate than "Psycho". How about depressing? Oh yeah. There is a VERY downbeat ending, and a flashback scene so depressing, that I swear even Batman is teary-eyed at the end of it (although he is in a heavy rain, so it could be only that). Many pivotal moments in this film take place in the cemetery. There are also complicated plot points may make it hard for the very young to undertsand what's going on (Like why are the police going after Batman? Explain that to your 3-year-old).

Kudos to the writers for a great story and script that doesn't deign to try and market the daycare set. This is an animated film, but everything about it is grown-up. Shirley Walker's score drives everything to the brink (especially the chase scene with GPD). The visuals are great, with the 40s look and 90s problems as a setting. The voice characterizations are right on the mark, with Conroy and Hamill becoming icons themselves as Batman and The Joker respectively.

It has been stated many times, but I'll do it again: the makers of the live-action films need to take a lesson from this film and the related TV series. Unfortunately, the 60s series with Adam West and the Batman of "Superfriends" were around so long and came along at such times they became iconic; they were the rule rather than the exception. But this film showed everyone how it's supposed to be done.



Rating:
Summary: An absolute must have!!!!!
Review: This is an extremely good movie. For Batman fans, this is one that definitely belongs in your collection.

My favorite aspect of the movie is that it actually focuses more on Bruce Wayne instead of Batman. The hero is always entertaining, but the vulnerability of the man behind the mask is far more interesting. Because of that, the movie has mass appeal that can stretch out to a wider audience.

Rating:
Summary: Even better than the "live action" movies
Review: Drawn on black paper, this animated feature has the dark, brooding film noire style one would expect considering the storyline of "the Batman's" genesis. A thoroughly enjoyable film that can only be compared to the original Tim Burton motion picture. This is how future Batman films should be made.

Rating:
Summary: Batman!
Review: I am a big fan of the graphic novel Batman: The Dark night retuns. I saw this at a DVD store and said why not? I did not think much about it. The when I saw it I loved it. If felt like I was waching a batman graphic novel on screen. This is a good DVD and I think it should be in everyone's DVD collection