Saw Batman 1989 on the BIG SCREEN last night

[The Fake Shemp]

CrystalGemini and I went to a midnight showing of Tim Burton's Batman at the local theater and it was awesome! The crowd was totally pumped - they cheered every time Batman was on screen.  I never got to see the original in theaters because my folks thought it was too mature for my almost 6-year-old self, so this was as close as opening night as you can get.

Equally as cool, was for about twenty-five minutes or so leading up to the showing, they played old previews.  Jurassic Park, Terminator 2, Freejack, Braveheart, etc.  We got a couple of lame ones (Pacific Heights wtf?), but overall, it was an incredibly fun experience.  $6 a person too!

This month, they're showing Labyrinth!  Starring David Bowie!

[FlameOfCallandor]

Badass. I got to see Lawrence of Arabia in 70mm last night.

Equally as cool, was for about twenty-five minutes or so leading up to the showing, they played old previews.  Jurassic Park, Terminator 2, Freejack, Braveheart, etc.  We got a couple of lame ones (Pacific Heights wtf?), but overall, it was an incredibly fun experience.  $6 a person too!

If you ever visit Austin go to the drafthouse theater. They play old previews before every show.

[DJ_Tet]

Brilliant idea.  Cinemas should do more things like this to bring the customers back. 

I've often thought they need a reasonably priced monthly pass that would let you see as many daytime movies as you want and maybe 5 or so night time non-opening weekend movies, all for like $20.  Think of how many daytime movies are shown with like 5 people in the theater, I know if I could buy a monthly pass to the local theater I'd go a lot more often.  I'd also be more inclined to buy their crappy popcorn and sodas too, which is where they make their money.

The only movies that sell out anymore are opening weekend movies, let the pass be good for everything but that and they are set.  It would do nothing but increase attendance and concession sales, and add nothing to their overall operating costs.  Why aren't theaters doing this?


edit:  When I can pay Blockbuster $15 a month or whatever for unlimited rentals, or subscribe to HBO for $8 a month, it makes very little sense to pay $20 for two people to see a movie in the theater, on a crappy scratched print, with rude people answering cell phones and being in crowds. 

[The Sceneman]

yeah Freejack

[BlueTsunami]

I wish my local Theater did this

The local Showcase North has an artsy theaters but I've never seen them screen badass oldschool movies

[Bloodwake]

The Kentucky in Lexington plays classic films... they played Rear Window this past summer.

Batman 1989 of course was still inferior to Begins, but I think it's one of Burton's better films, considering I hate the fucker as a director.

[The Fake Shemp]

Previously, they were doing midnight showings for The Blues Brothers, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, Gremlins, The Breakfast Club, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, The Lost Boys, The Princess Bride and more.

It's such an awesome idea.  And $6 a person!

[Ichirou]

So, it's only '80s movies?

[The Fake Shemp]

For the most part this summer.  I heard last year they dug a bit deeper into the vault, but for the most part, folks who are going to go to the theaters at midnight on Friday are likely the same demographic to get nostalgic for 80s cinema.

[The Sceneman]

The Kentucky in Lexington plays classic films... they played Rear Window this past summer.

Batman 1989 of course was still inferior to Begins, but I think it's one of Burton's better films, considering I hate the fucker as a director.

 :'(

[Ichirou]

The 1989 Batman is pretty sucky, Jack Nicholson's Joker aside.  Mr. Mom (balding, tiny, and frizzy-haired) does not a good Batman make.

[brawndolicious]

I liked the Burton ones more for a lot of reasons.  You can tell that he realized there's a right and wrong way to make a batman movie.  I think it's awesome how even my 6 year old self would laugh at how inferior Begins is.  for a LITTLE while I thought Begins was superior since hearing christian bale put on a gay voice apparently means you're watching a mature movie.  Then I watched the 1989 one again and came to my senses.  also the style and plot of the burton ones showed a lot of chemistry with the batman atmosphere and I started reading the comics around 5 (old and new ones) so it was a lot better if you liked the things I liked about batman.

I need to watch freejack again.  It was my favorite Michael J. Fox movie at the time, not saying a lot but...

[Ichirou]

Freejack doesn't star Michael J. Fox, it stars Emilio Estevez.

[brawndolicious]

really?  michale j. fox is over rated.

[Ichirou]

What does that have to do with Freejack, though?

[The Fake Shemp]

Batman Begins is better than Burton's Batman, but that film is no less enjoyable in a What If? way.

[MrAngryFace]

Burtons Batmans were great, but so is Batman Begins. I think we should stop trying to compare fantastic movies and focus on condemning Batman 3 and 4

[bud]

Burtons Batmans were great, but so is Batman Begins. I think we should stop trying to compare fantastic movies and focus on condemning Batman 3 and 4

joel schumacher :'(

[brawndolicious]

actually I really didn't like BB overall.  The acting (wtf with christian bale's vioce?), plot "twists", and the way it tied to the comics really all fell on their ass.

[FatalT]

I go to the movies for free because my friend is one of the managers at the theater. I see movies on DVD for free because I work at a video store. Hopefully I'll get a job at Best Buy soon, though, because I'm sick of this horrendous video store. We're going to start getting blu-ray videos for every big new release title starting in the next few weeks. We're also getting like 66 blu-ray titles of the older movies. People that come to this video store still rent freaking VHS tapes. There's no way in hell they're going to be getting any HD quality movies.

I can't wait to explain the difference between DVD and blu-ray to people. I also can't wait to tell people why the blu-ray movies aren't working in their DVD players. Ugh, get me out of here!

[FlameOfCallandor]

LOL at not liking batman begins.

[Ichirou]

As far as Batman movies go, Batman Begins is easily the best one.  It's one of the best superhero films ever.  I don't like either of the Burton films due to serious script problems and some of the bizarre artistic choices Burton made.

[brawndolicious]

what script problems?  seemed pretty awesome from what I remember.  The art might not have been your thing but I didn't see anything WRONG with it.

[Ichirou]

what script problems?  seemed pretty awesome from what I remember.  The art might not have been your thing but I didn't see anything WRONG with it.

Y'know, Joker being the killer of Batman's parents, the whole thing with the Joker's gang boss and Joker having an affair with the gang boss's girl, Batman killing people rather indiscriminately,  Alfred just showing Vicki Vale the Batcave, Bob (aka the lamest villain's sidekick ever), the stupid subplot with the reporter played by Robert Wuhl, etc., etc.  Shit script.

[brawndolicious]

I thought some of those were good because they made fun of batman.  joker killing batman's parents was better since it showed that batman was willing to kill.  It shouldn't be surprising that batman kills people trying to murder innocents.  I don't really remember the scene with alfred showing vicki vale the batcave.

If you want a BY THE NUMBERS batman story (which I can't think of anybody that would) then Begins is better.  The burton ones had a lot better style in my opinion and I just didn't like Begins all that much.

[Ichirou]

If Batman is so willing to kill, why not just have him carry a gun around? It sort of negates the whole point of the character has had been established through decades of comic book continuity so far - the whole idea of Batman as a very moral character.

[The Sceneman]

Burtons Batmans were great, but so is Batman Begins. I think we should stop trying to compare fantastic movies and focus on condemning Batman 3 and 4

wtf theyre awesome

[brawndolicious]

because he normally doesn't fight gangs carrying balloons filled with poisonous gas or the person who killed his parents?

[Ichirou]

because he normally doesn't fight gangs carrying balloons filled with poisonous gas or the person who killed his parents?

So he only kills some criminals if he has a personal grudge against them? That's even worse.  What an awful script.

[brawndolicious]

...well I'd assume killing a superhero's parents is a little bit more than a "personal grudge".

[The Fake Shemp]

Why are you arguing with am nintenho - he's widely regarded as the most incoherent poster on the 'bore.  His hatred of Batman Begins proves this to be true!

[brawndolicious]

can you explain why I should like Begins?  Compared the the 1989 one at least?

[The Fake Shemp]

Why compare it to the 1989 film?  They're two very different takes on the character - one is grounded and far more faithful to the source material and the other is a fun What If? take on the iconic superhero.

In terms of arguing for the film, I won't fall into your trap.  Your mind is set, no matter how illogical your reasoning is.

[brawndolicious]

I don't have a set view of the movie.  I rewatched after watching Begins and THEN it became my favorite movie.

Personally, I thought the 1989 one's What If? style made more sense considering it's a COMIC BOOK movie but if you think the more grounded in reality approach was better in Begins I'd be interested in knowing why.  Sometimes comic books have a movie that's a little more realistic than the comic and it works well but 99% of the time I prefer the less realistic style.

[xnikki118x]

Batman love and/or criticism aside, the whole idea of showing an older movie in a theatre like that is awesome. I've only ever heard of that being done with Rocky Horror. So awesome!

[Mr. Gundam]

The Egyptian in Seattle has midnight movies every Friday and Saturday. They showed a 3D XXX film over the summer, we went and had an awesome time.

Here's their upcoming lineup:

Roald Dahl's James and the Giant Peach • Sep 7 & 8

The 1973 animated classic Fantastic Planet • Sep 14 & 15

Seattle premiere of the new horror anthology directed by
Joe Dante, Ken Russell, Sean S. Cunningham,
Monte Hellman and John Gaeta! Trapped Ashes • Sep 21 & 22

New 35mm print! Sly like you've never seen him before!
Adults only! Sylvester Stallone in Italian Stallion • Sep 28 & 29

Friday, October 5 show hosted by The Stranger!
The Spice Girls in Spice World • Oct 5 & 6

[Ichirou]

The Italian Stallion is that porno Sly did before he hit it big with Rocky.  They cut out all the hardcore scenes when they re-released it after Rocky was successful.

[rodi]

You son of a bitch!

[Shuri]

I had the chance to watch the uncut version of the 1989 'not so classic' THE PUNISHER movie featuring Drago and Louis Gosset Jr. And to be honest, even if some of the presentation was really dated, the fist fights were really good and I loved how The Punisher just couldnt be bothered to fuck around with thoses yakuzas. In a scene in the movie, he's fighting those ninja-looking guys, and one of them attacks him a machete; Dragon disarms the guy; throw him to the ground, and while the guy is trying to get up, The Punisher just slowly takes out a handgun and shoot him point blank in the head out of fuckig nowhere.

It was just so raw and unexpected. I've read on imdb how the directors didnt want people to practice the fights, he wanted to give a real 'street fight' vibe to it. I'm not saying the fights were classic material, but I really enjoyed how raw they felt. You could really see the guys getting more and more tired as the fight went on; in one scene, The Punisher fights those two guys in a small room, he slits the throat (from what I remember) of the other guy, and then loses his blade.

Then the yakuza guy and him start punching and kneeling each other for like 2 minutes; at one point the punisher is in the corner while the yakuza has completely stopped his karate stuff he was doing at the beginning and he's just kneeling him in the face and punching him in the head. I was so impressed by how that whole unstage thing worked out. Anyhow, i'll do a thread about the movie this week, complete with stills and footage. It was a pretty damn entertaining movie, for what it is.

[Ichirou]

Really, if the Thomas Jane one had been a bit more violent and bloody, it woulda been perfect.  It was a good '80s-style revenge flick.

The Dolph Lundgren one was pretty bad, but it's been like 15 years since I last saw it.  When I first saw it, the Dark Shake was still just a babe suckling at his mother's teat.