Esteva - Batman

   

  Since the beginning of Tim Burton’s movie “Batman” you can see the implementation of many “Film Noir” characteristics in order to develop it as he wanted.

    Just by looking at the main character of the film we can see one important characteristic of Film Noir, the conflicted hero. Batman is Bruce Wayne’s alter ego, created by the grief of the assassination of his parents. He decided to become Gotham city’s vigilante in order to keep it safe from the dangerous people that once killed his family. Nevertheless, at the end of the film when he has his long-time waited final encounter with Joker, the man who took the life of his parents, he stops being the hero of Gotham city and becomes a regular human being searching for revenge.

    Gotham city itself is one of the key factors of the film. The city was completely constructed in different Pinewood Studios sets in the outsides of London. By doing so they gave the audience the opportunity to connect more easily with the reality of Gotham city and it’s story, because they didn’t have buildings from other real and recognized cities that could have distracted the viewer from the plot of the movie.

     Vicki Vale, photographer, Bruce Wayne’s lover and, Joker’s never gotten new masterpiece is one of the key elements of the film. In some way most of the film revolves around her. Vicki gave them a common goal, with different reasons, but either way their most wanted wish was her. At the end, as is common for “Film Noir,” we see as the “hero” rescues the girl and stay happily together. 

     In Batman, Tim Burton relies a lot on the shadows and lighting to give that sense of mystery and danger the movie has. But there’s one aspect that caught my attention the most. Even though Batman is the supposed hero, he’s completely associated with black and darkness. His suit is black, he’s always accompanied with fog and gloomy lightning and even in the bat cave, everything is completely dark. Whilst Joker, the bad guy of the film, always wears bright colored suits, all his gadgets are circus-like, his men are dressed colorfully and, in most of the scenes were he is the main character there is considerably more light than in Batman’s. This Tim Burton’s play with the traditional meaning of light and dark in “Film Noir” makes us think what message he wanted to give with that. Is he implying we should question Batman’s real motives and intentions? Or did he just want to give a turn to the “Film Noir” standards?