Batman [1989]

Batman. US 1989. PC: Warner Bros. D: Tim Burton. SC: Sam Hamm, Warren Skaaren - based on the characters created by Bob Kane. DP: Roger Pratt. M: Danny Elfman. Songs: Prince. Cast: Michael Keaton (Bruce Wayne / Batman), Jack Nicholson (Jack Napier / Joker), Kim Basinger (Vicki Vale), Michael Gough (Alfred), Billy Dee Williams (Harvey Dent). 122 min. A print with Finnish / Swedish subtitles viewed at Cinema Orion, 19 Dec 2008. - Print clean but not bright. - Revisited: the first movie of the current Batman cycle, interesting to compare with The Dark Night. - Jack Nicholson is great as the Joker, but Heath Ledger is more profoundly shocking. Billy Dee Williams is Harvey Dent but without the Two-Face aspect of Aaron Eckhardt. Kim Basinger is charming and sensitive, but she is denied the opportunity to be active and important; this was corrected in Burton's next Batman film, in the way Michelle Pfeiffer took over the Catwoman character. - Great Tim Burton touches all through the picture.

L.A. Confidential

100393 / 16 / US 1997 / Hanson, Curtis / thrillerL.A. Confidential / L.A. Confidential. PC: Monarch Enterprises, Regency Enterprises. P: Arnon Milchan. D: Curtis Hanson. Based on the novel by James Ellroy. CAST: Guy Pearce, Russell Crowe, Kevin Spacey, Kim Basinger, James Cromwell, Danny De Vito. 136’. Scope. DIST: Warner Bros. Finland. TRANS: Anna-Lisa Holmqvist. Viewed at VET, Helsinki, on Tuesday, 9 September 1997. *** Los Angeles, mid-1950s. Mickey Cohen goes to jail. The fight for the gangland throne starts. Two young LAPD cops first clash with one another, then join forces to fight corruption. The narrative is thrilling. Two strong new Australian actors lead, established stars carry supporting roles. We are asked to regard Kim Basinger ”a Veronica Lake lookalike”. The action is violent, the tempo often laid-back.