Rating: Summary: Warner Brothers can not manage movie franchises..... Review: Of all the movie studios. Warners can not seem to manage the summer movie series. Case in point is the Batman movies. They never belived in the movies. They only put a marginal budget into the movies and they had weak scripts and poor casting. Tim Burton was all wrong to direct Batman, and Schamcer was not much better. I don't think either man ever really tried to do a good Batman movie. It was just another job to them, and the Batman fans were the losers in all this.
Rating: Summary: All four movies!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Review: Now,I don't have this set sadly,but I own all four movies.The first film,Batman,is a terrific movie directed by Tim Burton and starring Kim Basinger,Jack Nicholson and Michael Keaton.The film won a Oscar for production design.The second best of the series. The second film,Batman Returns,is also the darkest of the films.Tim Burton direct this one as well.Michael Keaton returns as Batman and does an even better job than he did in the first one.Christopher Walken,Michell Pfeifier,and Danny Devito costar in a film that is not as good as the first one,but is still pretty enjoyable.The worst of the series,but still enjoyable. The Third Film ,Batman Forever, is lighter than the other two.In this one,Val kilmer plays Batman and is even better than Keaton,in my opinion.This time,Batman must battle the combined forces of the Riddler(an ohilarious Jim Carrey)and Two-Face(Tommy Lee Jones)while trying to have a romatic relationship with Dr. Chase Meridan(NIcole Kidman).Robin also comes in this one and is played by Chris o'Donnel.The best of the films. The fourth,Batman and Robin,may disapoint you,but it's still enjoyable.Mr.Freeze(Arnold Schwarzennegger),Poison Ivy(Uma Thurman),and Bane(Jeep Swenson),who combine forces to stop Batman and Robin.Batgirl also is in this in this one and is played by Alica Silverstone.This movie has amazing visual effects and action scenes.The third best of the series. I hope my review help you.See these films if you you are a fan of Batman.
Rating: Summary: Not legacy, more of a continuation Review: Like I said the Batman films are not so much a legacy as say the Lord of the Rings or Star Wars movies, but more of a story that can keep being told over and over like James Bond. BATMAN(1989)*****Very good movie. In fact really good. Michael Keaton proved nay-sayers wrong and pulled off and delightfuly dark, mysterious Batman. Jack Nicholson couldn't be praised more for his preformance as the Joker and Kim Basinger may not be the show stealer of the film but her role as the journalist turned damsell in distress came off nice. Also to note, Tim Burton as the director is great. He made Gotham City the way it should be, dark and mysterious, same as Batman. I like this film a lot compared to the others because Batman barely talks(the way he should be). Danny Elfman's score for the film makes the movie that much more enjoyable as well. You just can't help but get involved emotionally through his music. And the story was very well done explain who Bruce Wayne is and how Batman became a help, not a menace, to Gotham, and how the Joker was created. Truly, a classic film. BATMAN RETURNS(1992)****1/2-This film is also really good and almost matches up to the first film. What with the same crew returning in Keaton(Batman), Burton(director), and Elfman(Composer). The new villians are also just as good as Nicholson. Danny Devito was fit perfectly for Penguin. Some people hate the idea that he was all bird and not much human, but I always pictured him like that. Catwomen, played by Michelle Pfeifer is also really impressive. Tough and sexy at the same time. The story is also really good, what with creating both villians and having it all around Christmas time gave the movie much more of a hit. I always wanted to see what Batman would be like in the winter. BATMAN FOREVER(1995)****The movie drops a little from the first two what with the complete switch, not just in crew but it style. The first two were dark and mysterious(i know i keep saying that) and made for exciting movies, but the newer two are more colorful and comedic and bring out(in my opinion) the worst in Batman. This time Val Kilmer takes over the role of Batman, and actually he holds Batman up really well, as well as Wayne. Nicole Kidman as Chase Meridian was also really good. And the villians Tommy Lee Jones(Two-Face) was realistic and Jim Carrey(Riddler) was a sure thing. Chris O Donnell plays a decent Robin, a little uncomfortable on his own but which makes him a more powerful fighter. The director took the vision of Batman a little off, and the music was not nearly as compelling.(The old batman theme kicks ...). The story held up though re-introducing the idea if Bruce Wayne wants to keep being both himself and Batman and the death of his parents. Pretty good movie. BATMAN & ROBIN(1997)**To quote George Clooney, "This is where everything goes north." This movie is no where near comparable to the first two and didnt hold up plot wise with the third. First off, the series lost Kilmer for Clooney. Clooney was a really good Wayne but as Batman he was horrible. Arnold Shwarznegger could have played a good Mr. Freeze I think with a different twist, but he was mr. laugh & fun and resulted in some of the worst lines in the history of life itself. Uma Thurman looks the part of Poison Ivy and stars out ok in the beginning but the villian never really took off as an opponent to Batman. Catwomen is the only true Batman female villian. Robin is Chris O Donnell again and Batgirl comes to the series by way of Alicia Silverstone. No although i think Batman should fight crime on his own, I could accept Robin, but Batgirl is too much of a team to keep Batman as great a force as he was in one and two. The reason I think the movie suffered was bad villians, and the idea that Batman was not as menacing a force as he was in the first three(Clooney practically shared the spotlight with O Donnell). The one thing I like of this movie is seeing how hard it was for Batman and Robin to get along and work together. Kinda interesting, and the hot outfit of Poison Ivy. Not a DVD worth purchasing. In closing, the first two are classics which should be made into Collector's Edition DVD's and the third may not be physically as impossing but held up its own storyline wise, but the fourth was a throw away and should just be forgotten. I think a good idea for Batman 5 could be drop Robin and Batgirl, bring back Keaton as an aged Batman and have him take on a villian like the Phantasm person from the cartoon movie or something. They are running low on villians. Maybe bringing Jack Nicholson back somehow as an aged Joker would be cool too, I dont know. Anyway, buy the DVD pack and enjoy the first three but I'm sure you'll watch the fourth one collect dust for as long as you have it. Maybe you can get a dollar by selling it on ebay?
Rating: Summary: The First 2 are easily the best! Review: I bought the dvd of the original Batman movie giving up hope that a better dvd would come out. Hell this one doesn't even have a trailer. Could use a commentary track by Tim Burton as well. Anyway doesn't look a special edition is being released anytime soon, god knows it deserves one. Now to the movies. Tim Burton directed Batman and Batman Returns and critics found the film too dark. Well Joel Schmacher who took over after Burton the series got the wrong idea thinking that critics meant the series needed to be colorful. ... Well anyway Burton's versions were moody and violent but...I liked the series a hell of a lot more that way. People complained that the Penguin shouldn't have really been a half penguin half man and that Cat women shouldn't have actually had 9 lives. Well that's silly I agree but a lot more clever than anything Joel brought to the series. Riddler and Two Face were like the villains of the old 60's Batman tv show, they just laugh non-stop with a bunch of dumb lines. Scary enough Batman & Robin was even more like the 60's tv show. George Clooney might have been a good Batman if he was working with Tim Burton and not a silly script full of terrible on-liners. Uma Thurman makes a good Poison Ivy but she has nothing but bad lines to say as well. No ones lines are as bad as Arnold's though as Mr. Freeze. Instead of being called Mr. Freeze his name should have been Nursery Rhyme Man. He was a really bad choice as well for the part. I also though Christopher Lloyd should have played Mr. Freeze. Also if Robin being around wasn't bad enough Alicia Silverstone arrives as Barbara Alfred's grandaughter or something dumb like that. Funny I thought she was related Commisioner Gordon in the comics ? Anyway the first one is the best. Some people say it should have been called the Joker since he has more screen time than Batman. I think that's silly as Batman still gets to shine and still has a lot of cool scenes. It's Batman Returns which the villain the Penguin has a lot more to do than Batman himself. Even if the villains have too much screen time in Burton's versions at least he took them seriously. I would have loved to see the series continued with him helming them. I still wonder how cool he could have made a character like the Scare Crow. Burton also had the right idea having Batman alone. Most Batman fans like myself don't even like Robin lol. I'd rate the first Batman ****. It's a dark but highly entertaining. Michael Keaton may have been too short for the part but still managed to give us the best Batman of all of them. Plus was easier to take him seriously without a whole bunch of corny lines. Jack Nicholson is awesome as the Joker, he has a lot of one liners but wow what do know they worked. He was a bit over the top but he was scary as well as being actually funny as well. I'd give Batman Returns *** for the performances and the direction. I'd give Batman Forever *** for the cast and how it is sorta fun even if it is nothing compard to the first 2. I'd give Batman & Robin * 1/2. George Clooney makes a good Bruce Wayne but as Batman he didn't get much of a chance to prove himself. With better material maybe he could have worked as Batman. Uma Thurman like I said is good as well. Everything else...is just bad. The set design for Gotham City like in Batman Forever is way too colorful. Joel Schmacher shows more with this one than with Forever why he shouldn't have replaced Burton. Anyway only the first 2 are actually worth owning. Only wish they'd release better dvds for them.
Rating: Summary: BATMAN:FROM THE DARK KNIGHT TO "KA-POW!" Pt. 1 Review: BATMAN: I didn't see this movie till the summer of 2002 and considering it came out in 1989, it still holds up today on all levels. The acting deserves a 10/10. Michael Keaton was a good choice for Bruce Wayne and performs better as Batman. Jack Nicholsen IS THE JOKER. I wish I knew his name, but the dude who plays Alfred the butler absolutely kills in his roll (he would stay for the rest of the series). Bruce's love interest played by Kim Basinger is good. The visual effects are very good for 1989 and in some ways improves on digital effects-9.9/10. The plot is basically this: Batman goes on his first major mission against mob man Jack Napier and his fellow mobsters. Napier tries to pull a heist on the Axis Chemicals factory and ends up thwarted by the bat. This all results in Jack falling in a pit of chemicals. The experience bleaches his skin white and drives him to insanity. He develops a plan to unleash the chemicals that Joker succumbed to on Gotham City, causing people to literally, laugh themselves to death. Will Batman save Gotham? The plot gets a solid 9.8/10. As for music, it gets a perfect 10/10 and the movie would not be as powerful without it. Danny Elfman delivers his best score ever PERIOD. Batmans theme is very catchy but dark and edgy at the same time. In fact, I'm humming it right now. Buy the soundtrack AND the movie. The movie as a whole, gets an tight 9.9/10. BATMAN RETURNS: Tim Burton returns to the helm of the Batman series and churns out one of the best of the sequels. The acting is better than the first. Keaton as Batman again is great. Danny Devito as the haunting Penguin is the third best villain in the quadrilogy (all 4 movies, which should have just been this and its prequel) and turns a very evil character into someone you feel somewhat sorry for. He had a bad life and so he became a bad guy. Michele Pheiffer is the second best villain in the series as Catwoman (Joker is first best). There is great chemistry between Keaton and Pheiffer as they struggle with their love/hate relationship. And Christopher Walken is the smaller villain, Max Shreck, and does well.Acting is 10/10. The plot is something like this: Oswald Cobblepot (alias Penguin) is trying to run for mayor of Gotham City so he can destroy it. Why? Because the city has no place in its heart for deformities as this poor guy, and you really fell sorry for him. Then Catwoman enters, trying to establish a relationship with Batman, and teams up with the Penguin. Batman gets framed for murder, and the whole of Gotham turns against him. And several other plot points exist that I won't put because they would spoil your enjoyment of the movie. Plot is 9.9/10. The visual effects are awesome, particularly the swarms of bats that appear at times and the effects from this 1992 movie stand up well today. 10/10. Music is done by Danny Elfman, and is good, but not as good as the first one. Music is 9.5/10. The movie is good for Christmas viewing, if you have the heart to considering the depressing vision of Gotham during the holidays and the Penguin in particular is depressing with his back story. Great movie. 9.8/10
Rating: Summary: Nothing but Comic book movies..... Review: Well now that other movie studios have made better, more quality movies based on comics, and have better stories to them and look very creditable. The Batman movies have lost a lot of their appeal. Mostly because we have seen much better Comic book film adaptations now. The faults with these movies are numerous. They always had the worst scripts. Only for one movie did the screenwriters try to put some substance to it. The takes on Batman were never right. They went back and fourth from camp to way too dark. It would have been better if they had done on location filming in New York City, which would have made the movies look more creditable and the Big Apple was always ment to be the model for Gothom City. In stead they shot these movies almost entirely on sound stages at Warner Brothers and maintained the comic book apperance that the charecters lived in. I thought it made the movies look fake. Only in one movie did they do some on location work in New York. And there was so much of Batman that they could have tapped into from the comics to use for the movies, and would have made them better as stories. The Batman/Commisoner Gorden friendship, Batman's skills as a detective....all were either ignored or used in a very under-rated way. End result...only one movie of the four was really a Batman movie (I'm not saying which one however), But none of them ever equaled the strength and the enjoyment of the 1978 Superman movie, which still remains the best DC film adaptation ever done, and one that I hope future DC film projects look too for insperation.
Rating: Summary: Not a Legacy. Review: Batman **** - a solid comic book adaptation. Michael Keaton does a great job of establishing personal issues of a man convinced to dress in a bat disguise in order to fight crime. Jack Nicholson does an uncanny performance as the Joker, you'd think the part was made for him. The best in the series. Batman Returns *** - a more personal adaptation. It's obvious here that due to the success of the first film, the producers gave Dir. Burton more freedom to tell the story. Not a great idea, movies like this need a better balance between producer/director. Burton purists may hate that comment. Still good, but recommend Edward Scissorhands for the director's personal vision. It's basically the same story. Michelle Pfeiffer is outstanding, Danny DeVito is good and Christopher Walken is well, Chrisotpher Walken in top form with maybe the funniest line in any Batman film, "Bruce Wayne, why are you dressed up like Batman?" Batman Forever ** - the beginning of the end. Dir. Schumacher brings an action packed script to life with a drastically different style from the Burton era. This shouldn't even really be viewed with the first two. The performances are good enough, I like Val Kilmer's version of Batman, but not as much as Keaton's. Jim Carrey, Tommy Lee Jones and Nicole Kidman are all good and end up saving the movie. Batman & Robin * - the end. Some hate Clooney's performance as the Batman, but Clooney is more the ideal Bruce Wayne in the comic books (pre-Burton comics that is). If only Clooney had shook is ER head bobbing problem, he might have given a better performance, but as it stands: not as good as Keaton, better than Kilmer. Schwarzenegger and Thurman are over stylized villians and strangely out of place due to Schumacher's second failed attempt. Avoid this film unless a big fan of any of the artists' work. Final Note - Avoid the legacy and just buy the first two, they're more of a legacy than with the addition of the second two and make a great double feature. Enjoy.
Rating: Summary: A great legacy of great movies that ended on a sad note. Review: This movie series starting in 1989 and ending in 1997 is a truly awesome set consisting of three great Batman movies and one dud of a movie. The first three movies are absolutely amazing and powerful and are as good today as they were back during the years when they were released. This set overall is just a great marathon of tons of action and eye-candy and if you like all four of them (I only liked the first three), then pick this set up. Here's my review for each of the individual movies: BATMAN (1989): This first entry in the series was a defining moment in my childhood as a young kid. No I wasn't watching teletubbies or that kind of muck. No! I was watching this amazing and riveting movie entitled "Batman" and this was what turned me onto the entire comic book franchise for many years after this movie. Starring Jack Nicholson as the maniacal criminal The Joker, Michael Keaton as Bruce Wayne/Batman, and Kim Basinger as his romantic interest Vicki Vale, this movie is absolutely a dark, foreboding and totally engaging masterpiece and a true work of art, thanks in part to the dark genius that is Tim Burton. The story is of a criminal mastermind who was badly maimed after an accident at a chemical plant and driven mad into insanity and becoming the homicidal maniac The Joker and Batman goes on his first major crime-fighting mission to stop him and his menacing crime sprees. The scenery in this movie and the dark and highly foreboding atmosphere make this movie absolutely a masterpiece. The entire cast must have had a great time filming this movie. Hats off to Tim Burton for bringing Batman to life. This movie defined a period in my childhood. BATMAN RETURNS (1992): A wicked and absolutely dark successor to the 1989 original and a classic all on it's own "Batman Returns" continues the dark foreboding atmosphere of the first movie but with an even darker and much colder mood. This outing brings the mysterious crimefighter against two major criminals. One is a corrupt industrial CEO named Max Schreck and the other is the main villain Oswald Cobblepot aka The Penguin. Danny DeVito was absolutely brilliant in his role as Cobblepot/Penguin, showing the extremely twisted and malicious personality of the character. The third villain is somewhat uncertain. That is the sultry Catwoman. Played by Michelle Pfeiffer, Catwoman could as well be the most complex and most perplexing character in the entire Batman movie saga. Is she truly a villainess or a heroine? Perhaps both? Makes you wonder. Anyhow, "Batman Returns" is a dynamite and cold classic for the ages and also defined a moment in my life as well just like the first one did. Hats off to Tim Burton for creating another masterpiece. These two movies directed by Burton will be very difficult for some of the more comic humor audience to digest but overall, they are absolutely incredible movies. BATMAN FOREVER (1995): "Batman Forever" while having it's share of flaws, was a highly enjoyable third entry. This movie went in a very different direction with the reigns passed on to director Joel Shumacher and the end result was a less forboding and more colorful addition to the movie trilogy. Actor Val Kilmer replaces Michael Keaton in the role as Bruce Wayne/Batman and I have to say he did a good job at succeeding Keaton. Richard Grayson aka Robin comes into the picture and is played by Chris O'Donell and joins the superhero business after his parents and brother are killed when the equipment at a circus stunt collapsed after being sabotaged. The two main villains are the homicidal maniac Two Face and the highly eccentric bozo madman Edward Nigma also known as The Riddler. The two villains team up as they use a special hypnotizing invention that Riddler built while a scientist at a laboratory to ensnare the minds of Gotham City and then eventually the world. Batman and his new sidekick Robin team up against them to stop their malicious goal of taking over the world population. While this movie is far less foreboding and brighter in general with a bit more comical humor, the darkness of the first two and the colorfulness of Shumacher's directing perfectly balanced each other out well. Schumacher did a great job with this movie. I wish I could've said the same for the following movie. To me, the series should've stopped right here. This is the last Batman movie from my perspective. BATMAN & ROBIN (1997): OH HOW THE MIGHTY HAVE FALLEN! After the success of three awesome Batman movies, the entire franchise comes to a disheartening end with this abysmal fourth installment in the series. I don't necessarily agree with George Clooney being unworthy of playing Batman nor Arnold Schwardsanegger as Mr. Freeze but the entire plot of the movie was very weak and completely devoid of any signs of development. The two main villains in this movie are Mr. Freeze and Poison Ivy. Unfortunately, great potential for a great follow-up to "Forever" was completely wasted on excessive colors and too much MTV style directing, not to mention awful acting by all of the cast except for Michael Gough as Alfred Pennyworth who was very good actually, and terrible lines and MTV-style sequences. Everyone on the cast looks incredibly uncomfortable and Schumacher completely stunts any possible character development from taking form. This movie is just a sad and tragic ending to a marvelous movie legacy. In fact, it doesn't even deserve to have been categorized with the other three Batman movies. Schumacher and company owe the entire fan base an apology for this mess!! This set overall, apart from "Batman & Robin", is a great purchase if you don't have any of these movies yet. This set isn't perfect because of the disastrous "Batman & Robin" and would've been perfect had that 1997 flop been taken out of this set. For the few who like the atrocious final Batman movie in the series, then by all means pick this set up. For the ones who liked the first three, or even just the first two, this set is worth passing by but the first three are worth getting. It's just sad to see a great comic book hero be unraveled down to laughing stock.
Rating: Summary: Batman Legacy DVD Review Review: Here we have it, all four Batman films all together in one DVD box set. The series started in 1989 with the original classic Batman. In 1992, the series was continued with the superior Batman Returns. In 1995, Batman's story continued, and Robin was introduced in Batman Forever. The series ended in 1997 with Batman & Robin. Here I'll review each film, as well as the DVD. Batman: Here, Batman is played excellently by Michael Keaton. Batman must save Gotham City from The Joker (Jack Nicholson). Keaton makes a great Batman, and Nicholson is superb as The Joker. Tim Burton brings a dark visual style which I vastly prefer to Joel Schumacher's neon colored versions. Movie: (5/5) Picture Quality: The picture quality is quite good. A few specks show up every now and then, but nothing too bad. Black level is dead on with excellent clarity. (4.5/5) Sound: The Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack is excellent. It was great to hear the Batman theme with such clarity and force. A great soundtrack all around. (5/5) Extras: The extras are some very interesting production notes, which are quite informative. (3/5) Batman Returns: The best film in the series. This time, Batman (Keaton) must save Gotham from the evil monster, The Penguin (Danny DeVito), and the slinky, mysterious Catwoman (Michelle Pfeiffer). Once again, Keaton makes an excellent Batman. DeVito is also excellent as the montrous Penguin, but it's Pfeiffer who unquestionably steals the show. Easliy the best film in the series. (5/5) Picture: Batman Returns features stunning imagery as well as some dark imagery which the DVD captures beautifully. Black level is dead on. The picture is wonderfully crisp and clear. Great all around. (5/5) Sound: The Dolby Digital 5.1 track is also great. Surrounds are used heavily and to great effect. I've never heard this film be so clear and dynamic! (5/5) Extras: Some very interesting production notes. (3/5) Batman Forever: Here's where the series took a dip. Burton gave up the directoral reigns to Joel Schumacher. This film is still pretty good, though, despite what others think. Batman is played by Val Kilmer who makes a pretty good Batman, but he's no Michael Keaton. This time, Batman must battle Two-Face (Tommy Lee Jones) and The Riddler (Jim Carrey). Batman falls in love with Chase Meridian (Nicole Kidman), and teams up with Robin (Chris O' Donnell). (4.4/5) Picture: The DVD displays stunning image quality. The colors are so vibrant and bold. Black level is dead on. (5/5) Sound: The Dolby Digital 5.1 track is incredibly clear and dynamic. Surrounds are put to heavy use. (5/5) Extras: Again, some interesting production notes. (3/5) Batman & Robin: Easily the worst of the series. I still find it somewhat enjoyable for it's pure campiness. Now George Clooney plays Batman. Clooney's okay, but Michael Keaton IS Batman. Batman (Clooney) and Robin (O' Donnell) must save Gotham City from Mr. Freeze (Arnold Schwarzenegger), Poison Ivy (Uma Thurman), and Bane (Jeep Swanson). They're joined by Batgirl (Alicia Silverstone). (3.7/5) Picture: The picture quality is pristine, with excellent clarity. The colors are very vibrant and bold. Black level is also dead on. (5/5) Sound: The Dolby Digital 5.1 track is very clear and dynamic. The surrounds are put to constant use. (5/5) Extras: Again, some interesting production notes. (3/5) Conclusion: The Batman Legacy is worth it if you're a fan of the series, or really like the Batman character. While Batman Forever and more so Batman & Robin are a little less than perfect, the first two films are more than worth it.
Rating: Summary: Criminals are a superstitious and cowardly lot... Review: Normally, I would've rated this with 5 stars, but unfortunately, "Batman & Robin", the 4th in the series thus far, was poorly produced. But let's keep this current. As of January 28th, 2003, it was announced that they will, in fact, be making more batman movies. We can only hope that they will be closer to the legend of Bruce Wayne's alter ego as was captured in 1989's Batman, directed by Tim Burton. My idea of Gotham city, the world of Batman, is a dark and grizzled one, full of 'goth' architecture, and knarled, twisted, alleys, matching it's brand of psychotic criminals that inhabit Gotham city. My idea of a man capable of performing such a feat of technology, intelligence, strength, martial arts, skill, and detective mastery, not to mention pure vengeful determination as to adequately wear the cowl can be a disturbing one. Taken into account that we are talking about someone purely fictional is often relief, but also a tale of tragedy turned into triumph. I still marvel (snicker) at the special effects accomplished for all 4 movies, no matter how poor the 4th installment was. Regarding the movies themself: Usually the first in the series is the best and would be for this series starter as well. Batman was brilliantly filmed, and Jack Nicholson as the Joker was perfect. Regarding 'Returns', most people don't consider it as good as its predessor. I don't agree. I see 'Returns' as more of an internal movie, more psychological, which I thought was also well done. Another great Batman adventure with a different approach. Batman Forever was also done well, and quite honestly, I thought Val Kilmer made the role of Wayne/Batman more three-dimensional as opposed to the cardboard cutout that unfortunately Michael Keaton provided. The riddler was done flawlessly by Jim Carey and surprisingly, Robin was also introduced as a working character by Chris O'Donnell. However, when 'Batman & Robin' was released it showed the inevitable clunkiness of the franchise due to an overproduced, overcommercialized mess of a movie with a weak plot. It's unfortunate to see the Batman series leave off with such a weak bookend. Hopefully, however, the next installment will be far better than this one. Otherwise, it's a great series of movies.
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