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Batman: Mask of the Phantasm (also known as Batman: The Animated Movie) is a 1993 animated superhero film based on the fictional DC Comics character Batman. Eric Radomski and Bruce Timm directed the film, which stars Kevin Conroy as Batman, as well as Dana Delany, Hart Bochner, Mark Hamill, Abe Vigoda, and Stacy Keach. The film's storyline introduces Andrea Beaumont, an old love interest of Bruce Wayne, who returns to Gotham City, restarting their romance. At the same time, a mysterious killer begins systematically eliminating Gotham's crime bosses, and due to the person's dark appearance, he is mistaken for Batman. Now on the run, Batman must apprehend the killer and deal with the romance between himself and Andrea. Development for the film started after the success of Batman: The Animated Series. Warner Bros. assigned Alan Burnett to write the story, and Burnett collaborated with writers Paul Dini, Michael Reaves, and Martin Pasko. The original idea was to rlease the film as direct-to-video, but the studio decided for a theatrical release, giving the filmmakers a strenuous eight-month schedule. Mask of the Phantasm was released with positive critical success, but resulted into a dismal box office due to the decision to release the film in theaters on such short notice. The film has since found cult success through its various VHS and DVD releases.
[edit] PlotDuring a conference of crime bosses held in a Gotham City skyscraper, gangster Chuckie Sol is killed by a mysterious cloaked figure shortly after Batman bursts in on the meeting. Batman is blamed for the death. Councilman Arthur Reeves tells the media that Batman is an irresponsible menace, then attends a party at the mansion of billionaire Bruce Wayne, Batman's alter ego. Reeves jokingly taunts Bruce for his bad luck with women and for having allowed an old girlfriend, Andrea Beaumont, to get away. In a flashback to Bruce's college days, we see him meet Andrea in a cemetery while visiting his parents' grave. Bruce has vowed to avenge his parents' murder by dedicating his life to fighting crime. He dons a mask and black ninja-styled outfit and foils an armored car robbery, but is discouraged that the criminals do not fear him. Around the same time, he begins a romance with Andrea. Eventually, Bruce decides to quit his plan on becoming a crime-fighter and proposes marriage to Andrea. However, Andrea mysteriously leaves Gotham with her father, ending her engagement to Bruce in a Dear John letter. Believing that he has lost his only chance of having a normal life, Bruce finally dons the mask of Batman.  In the present, the killer finds and kills another gangster, Buzz Bronski. Batman discovers evidence linking Andrea's father with a number of organized crime figures. The killer later targets Salvatore Valestra, the mob boss for whom both Sol and Bronski once worked as enforcers, but is beaten to the punch by the Joker, whom Valestra had foolishly consulted for help; Batman is blamed again and has a close call with the police after a brief confrontation with the killer. Rescuing Batman in her car, Andrea explains that she and her father had been hiding in Europe, from the Valestra mob, to whom he owed a lot of money. Carl Beaumont eventually repaid them, but that did not satisfy them. Batman believes that Andrea's father may be the killer, until he learns from Reeves (who now knows Batman is innocent) that Beaumont was murdered some time before. In a tussle with the Joker, the killer is revealed to be Andrea herself, intent on avenging her father's death by killing the mobsters to whom he owed money and whom ordered Beaumont murdered. The Joker is also revealed to be the last surviving member of the Valestra mob: an unnamed hitman who personally murdered Beaumont for Valestra. During the course of their struggle, Batman arrives. Bruce begs Andrea to give up her desire for revenge but she refuses stating that they ruined her chances with Bruce and that he himself is constantly fighting for revenge. Andrea vanishes and Batman battles with the Joker in a miniaturized replica of Gotham City. After a protracted battle, both the Joker and Andrea vanish in the confusion of fire and smoke, with Batman barely escaping into a waterway before a series of rigged explosions. Back in the Batcave, a heartbroken Bruce receives consolation from Alfred stating that no one could have helped Andrea. Bruce finds the locket with Bruce and Andrea in it in the cave. Meanwhile, Andrea stands on the deck of an ocean liner, alone. The final scene shows Batman now permanently alone standing on top of a building, still in grief. The Bat-Signal emerges in the distance and Batman flies into action to continue his crusade against crime. [edit] Voice cast
[edit] ProductionImpressed by the success of the first season of Batman: The Animated Series, Warner Bros. assigned Alan Burnett to write a story for a full-length animated film. Although The Joker does play a pivotal role in the film, it was Burnett's intention to tell a story far removed from the television show's regular rogues gallery. Burnett also cited he "wanted to do a love story with Bruce because no one had really done it on the TV show. I wanted a story that got into his head."[3] The writers were highly cautious of placing The Joker in the film as they didn't want any connection to Tim Burton's Batman (1989), however, writer Michael Reaves quoted, "We then realized that we could make his appearance serve the story in a way that we never could in live-action."[4] Aiding Burnett in writing the script were, Martin Pasko, who handled most of the flashback segments, Michael Reaves, who wrote the climax, and Paul Dini, who claims he "filled in holes here and there."[3] Citizen Kane (1941) served as an influence for the flashbacks, a story about loss and the passage of time.[5]
Early in production, Warner Brothers decided to release Phantasm with a theatrical release, rather than straight to video. That left less than a year for production time (most animated features take well over two years from finished story to final release). Due to this decision, the animators went over the scenes once more in order to accommodate widescreen theatrical aspect ratio.[7] However, the studio did cooperate well, granting the filmmakers a large amount of creative control.[8] In addition to the creative control, the studio increased the production budget to $6 million,[6] which gave the filmmakers opportunities for more elaborate set pieces. The opening title sequence featured a flight through an entirely computer-generated Gotham City.[3] As a visual joke, sequence director Kevin Altieri set the climax of the film inside a miniature automated model of Gotham City, where Batman and The Joker were giants. This was a homage to a mainstay of Batman comic books of the Dick Sprang era, often featuring the hero fighting against a backdrop of gigantic props.[7] From start to finish, the film was completed within eight months.[6] Composer Shirley Walker cited the score of Mask of the Phantasm to be the most favorable of her compositions.[9] [edit] Themes Paul Dini intended each of the flashbacks into Batman's love life to "have a tendency to get worse, when you hope things will get better." Bruce's relationship with Andrea, which at first shows promise, eventually turns into turmoil.[10] As first, Bruce and Andrea are set for marriage, but then Bruce is given a farewell note from Andrea cutting off their relationship. This eventually leads into Bruce's decision to become Batman.[10] Richard Corliss of Time felt this scene paralleled Andrea's decision to avenge her own parents and reject love, when she finds her own father Carl dead by the hands of an assassin. Both events transform the two people (Bruce Wayne becomes Batman, Andrea becomes The Phantasm).[11] One scene depicts Bruce Wayne at his parents' tombstone saying "I didn't count on being happy." According to writer Michael Reaves, this scene was to be a pivotal moment in Bruce's tragic life, as he is denied the opportunity to live a normal life.[4] Reaves also stated: "When Bruce puts on the mask for the first time, [after Andrea Beaumont breaks their engagement], and Alfred says 'My God!' he's reacting in horror, because he's watching this man he's helped raise from childhood, this man who has let the desire for vengeance and retribution consume his life, at last embrace the unspeakable."[4] [edit] Release and receptionBatman: Mask of the Phantasm opened on Christmas Day 1993 in the United States in 1,506 theaters, accumulating $1,189,975 over its opening weekend. The film went on to gross $5,617,391 in the domestic total box office intake.[12] The filmmakers blamed Warner Bros. for the unsuccessful marketing campaign; however, Mask of the Phantasm would eventually pass its $6 million budget with its various home video releases.[7] Based on 23 reviews collected by Rotten Tomatoes, Batman: Mask of the Phantasm received an average 87% overall approval rating with the consensus stating, "Stylish and admirably respectful of the source material, Batman: Mask of the Phantasm succeeds where many of the live-action Batman adaptations have failed."[13] Empire cited it as the best animated film of 1993, and felt it contained better storylines than Tim Burton's Batman and Batman Returns.[14] TV Guide was impressed with the Art Deco noir design that was presented. In addition the film's climax and Batman's encounter with the Gotham City Police Department were considered to be elaborate action sequences.[15] Richard Harrington of The Washington Post agreed with overall aspects that included the animation, design, dialogue. and storyline, as well as Shirley Walker's film score.[16] Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert regretted not having viewed the film in its theatrical release. They did give a positive reaction, with Siskel feeling that Phantasm was better than Batman Returns and Batman Forever, and only slightly below Batman.[17] Alongside The Lion King and The Nightmare Before Christmas, Mask of the Phantasm was nominated for an Annie Award in the category of Best Animated Feature, but lost out to The Lion King.[18] Stephen Holden of The New York Times thought the voice performances were "flat and one-dimensional".[19] Chris Hicks of the Deseret Morning News felt "the picture didn't come alive until the third act" feeling that the animators sacrificed the visuals for the storyline. In addition, he felt Mark Hamill "stole the show."[20] Leonard Klady of Variety had mixed reactions towards the film, but was overly negative. He felt the overall themes and morals were cliché and cited the animation to be to the "point of self-parody".[21] In December 1993, two novelizations were released. One was written by Alan Burnett, Paul Dini, and Andrew Helfer[22] with the other authored by Geary Gravel.[23] DC Comics released a comic book adaption written by Kelley Puckett and drawings by Mike Parobeck.[24] The film was released on VHS in May 1994[25] and again in April 2003, though this time, part of a three tape pack with Batman & Mr. Freeze: SubZero and Batman Beyond: The Movie.[26] Mask of the Phantasm was first released on DVD in December 1999[27] and in October 2005 as a keep case.[28] The film was released in April 2004 as a three disc DVD box set that included SubZero and Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker, but it is currently out of stock.[29] Warner Home Video released the film once more in February 2008, but as a double feature DVD with Subzero.[30] Warner Home Video has stated that might release a 2-disc special edition of the movie. [edit] Soundtrack
Remastered version: La La Land Records released a limited remastered version of the soundtrack on March 31, 2009, with bonus tracks.
[edit] References
[edit] Further reading
[edit] External links
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