World Famous Comics: Batman Gotham Knight (Two-Disc Special Edition)
Batman Gotham Knight (Two-Disc Special Edition)
Starring: Corey Burton, Kevin Conroy, Gary Dourdan, Jason Marsden, David McCallum Directed By: Yasuhiro Aoki, Shojiro Nishimi Average Rating: Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1 Audience Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested) Binding: DVD Format: AC-3, Animated, Color, Dolby, DVD, Special Edition, Widescreen, NTSC Label: Warner Home Video Number of Items: 2 Region Code: 1 Release Date: July 08, 2008 Running Time: 75 minutes Theatrical Release Date: 2008
Description: Acclaimed screenwriters including David Goyer (Batman Begins), Josh Olson (A History of Violence) and Alan Burnett (Batman The Animated Series) join forces with revered animation filmmakers on six spellbinding chapters chronicling Batman’s transition from novice crimefighter to Dark Knight. These globe-spanning adventures pit Batman against the fearsome Scarecrow, the freakish Killer Croc and the unerring marksman Deadshot. Using an arsenal of high-tech gadgetry from Wayne Industries, Batman’s ethical boundaries exist only where he chooses to place them, leaving some fearful of his power. The sharp storytelling, complemented by stylish art from some of the world’s most visionary animators, masterfully depicts the blurred lines of Batman as man, myth and legend.
Batmanime! I've seen some complaints here about the artwork and the storytelling, and it makes me wonder what some people are on when they watch movies...
The animation is fluid and high quality, and for the amount of time they have to tell a story, they're great! The only complaint from me is that the episode "Field Test" is kind of boring. But that's only one of six great stories! I recommend this to any animation or Batman fan!
Decent film. - Disliked the Japanese anime style animation due to personal taste. - Plot wasn't complex at all. - A few of the scenes and characters were very cool. The character Deadshot being one of these.
As another reviewer said, if you're a die-hard Batman fan, definitely check out this film. If you're not, this is not a "must-see" film.
For Die-Hard Fans Only The positives of the DVD: 1) Blu-ray technology gives the animation the enhanced visual detail necessary for maximum enjoyment. 2) Seeing "Over the Edge" and "Legends of the Dark Knight" was a welcomed blast from the past. 3) The Deadbolt story was the best of the six.
The negatives of the DVD: 1) It automatically takes you to the six stories once the DVD is loaded into the Blu-ray player. There is no option to view specific stories out of sequence. 2) Afterwards, you have to fast forward through the numerous versions of the FBI Warning translated in at least ten languages. 3) If you are familiar with Batman lore or know it as well as Bob Kane and Bill Finger, the remaining bonus features and commentaries (Wonder Woman DVD trailer excluded) are not worth seeing.
While I will always be a fan of Batman, I can only recommend this to the die-hard fans. For people that want to see Batman animated; but do not know which DVDs to buy, I would suggest first seeing Batman: Mask of the Phantasm. Then I would see Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman. Both are very good animated DVDs.
Seriously, why is this getting so many 1 star reviews? OK, really... I don't even know where to begin. With the movie or the incredible lack of taste that reviewers on Amazon seem to have about animation or even just FILM in general. Granted, I wasn't expecting much going in to see Gotham Knight, but I have to say that I was genuinely blown away. Most Batman fans must be some serious anime-phobes, because the shear beauty of the animation in this film is absolutely gorgeous, quite arguably the best that Batman has ever even seen. Yes, some are VERY anime ("Field Test" in particular has an exceedingly bishounen-like Bruce Wayne, yet apart from that I am willing to tolerate the overall style), but then there are plenty that deviate from generic looking Japanese studio work. It baffles me that everyone seems to hate the first short for its style, it was the most interesting and intriguing of all six. The quality of framework with which the shadow version of Batman melts in and out of the ground is absolutely gorgeous. And hello, have any of you ever heard of the masking effect? Realistic backgrounds coupled with abstractly stylized characters is a means of adding life to animated figures. It gives them "character." I would like to see at least one of you a$$-tard reviewers draw something better than ANY of the work present in this movie.
"Gotham Knight" serves well to blend together the live action Nolan-version of Batman with the old animated series. Even Killer Croc is made somewhat believable and not too fantastic. It doesn't exactly bridge "Begins" and "Dark Knight," but it does explain a few things. For example, what happens to Arkham after the first movie. The writing is not the best in the world, but it doesn't really have to be. It isn't meant to be one long strong narrative and if you like vignette-style stories, you shouldn't have a problem appreciating this. Even despite this quality, the shorts flow fairly well into one-another. The third one takes its time to pause and show Bruce outside of his mask after two very action intense stories about how Batman is perceived by other people. "Working Through Pain" is an especially nice view into Bruce's past, something that is (even in the first Nolan-movie) very unexplored in the Batman mythos overall. It introduces a strong female character that goes as far as to touch upon issues of gender inequality in the world and enhances views of how Bruce Wayne can never truly replace violence as his means of solving the problems that torment him. The ending of this short has a beautiful shot of Batman, unable to let go of the violence that holds him in the lower depths of the sewer that he is trapped in.
So, for everyone who "didn't get" this movie, all I can say is this: Go ahead and enjoy your live action "Watchmen" movies or whatever other beloved franchise Hollywood is plotting to suck the substance out of. Some of us still appreciate seeing superheroes DRAWN into existence and not bowing down to live-action film as though it is supreme art form above all others. And thank GOD they got Kevin Conroy. If Christian Bale had done this, it really wouldn't have been the same. After all, he probably would have started cussing out every other voice actor that didn't like his incomprehensible screaming (both in and out of character). Oh and just to be clear... "Dark Knight" rocked, but seriously guys, lighten up. This was a breath of fresh air for an animated Batman... or would you honestly rather watch "The Brave and the Bold?" Yeah, there's some quality interpretation.
9/10 (I give it a 5 to balance out the single-stars...you know who you are)
Btw, listen to the commentary. Conroy tells a very wonderful story about volunteering to help out at a diner after the 9-11 attacks in NY. Other waiters discovering who he was added light to what was otherwise a very dismal point in their lives.
Fantastico Soberbia presentacion de Batman, 6 cortos (lastima que hayan sido "cortos") de la evolucion de Batman Begins a Batman Dark Knight. En español, doblaje latino o en ingles con subtitulos. Si te gusta la saga debes tenerla, "debes" tenerla.
Anything Goes Trivia
Trevor
Megaton Man
