not to nit pick, but are we talking bruce wayne or batman, or both?
fer me, it's:
1. Bale
2. Kilmer (mostly on what he did as bruce wayne, not batman)
3. Keaton (better batman than kilmer, lots better, but I need a strong bruce wayne).
4. (blank)
as I only saw the fourth movie once, in the theater, I don't feel right ranking clooney at all. at the same time, though, I don't see it as his fault. He's said to be a very nice guy, and probably didn't fight with schumacher like kilmer did. he did what schumacher told him to do, and what the script told him to do. one wonders what would have happened if kilmer had won some of the fights with schumacher. I assume he didn't win all of them, and may have *lost* all of them---who knows.
oh. west. I do vaguely recall watching some of the tv show as a kid...reruns at that point, of course. I've got gray hair, but it's premature. 🙂 I suppose they did what they wanted to at the time, and made the show what they wanted to, but as time has passed and we here in june of 2005 are looking at that show, it isn't batman. it's about the exact opposite of what most of us want to see from batman. the way we want to see batman I think is summed up in the scene from the movie where we are looking right at a thug and then there is a crunch and he vanishes from view and all is silent again. like a scene from the beginning of jaws where the woman in the water is looking all around, then feels a brief but strong pull on her leg, then feels down her leg and finds that her leg....um, well, she just got a below-the-knee amputation.
Something else I forget to mention Leafar on how we seem to have the same agreements about the Batman actors and how Kilmer was the better choice over keaton.We seem to have a lot of the same views because I also had those exact same thoughts you did about Keaton back then that Alec Baldwin would have been a much better choice for the role back then since he is not only a great actor but also he at least had the right look and physical build that Batman has.
Originally posted by TMACalicious
1) Christian Bale
2) Michael Keaton
3) Adam WestI won't even bother placing Clooney and Kilmer in the list, IMO, they both killed the franchise.
I gotta agree with you... they did imo... Kilmer hasnt had a good movie since The Doors ffs...
Originally posted by Joker1237
Keaton is still number one after the movie, Keaton had the better voice and acting skills as Bats.Bale is number 2.
Kilmer 3
And Adam West 4
And Clooney was not even Batman.
He(Keaton) was more mature, older and wiser and so on imo... he was a different Batman to Bale's...
Ok, here is how I see it....
1. Keaton: He played the role perfectly, nuff said.
2. Bale: I just saw the Begins movie today and even though I love Burton's flicks, it was better. Bale played one hell of a Wayne, and pulled off a real good Bats.
3. West: He did a great Batman of that time, but isn't the best "fighter" or vengeful Bruce or Bats.
4. On-Star Batman: Yes I think the On Star commercial Batman did a better job at being a dark, tormented Bats, but it never showed a Bruce scene at all.
5. Kilmer: Better than Mr. ER. He was a good Wayne, got the chicks to go see the movie. Terrible at Bats though.
6. Clooney: Remember what I said for Keaton? He's the exact opposite.
Notice I didn't include Conroy or R.R. I consider them voice talent, not actors.
I will post my favorite batmans and bruce waynes
Batmans
1. Michael Keaton. In my opinion, the perfect batman, although not a good Bruce Wayne.
2. Christian Bale. Nailed the role almost as good as Keaton.
3. Val Kilmer. Not that he was bad, but he wasn't as good as the above two.
4. George Clooney. Horrible batman.
Bruce Waynes:
1. George Clooney. I actually thought he was the best outside the suit. He had a good voice for it, plus he looked the part ok.
2. Christian Bale
3. Keaton
4. Kilmer
The Original Batmen & Rankings
The first and second actors to play Batman onscreen are missing from pretty much everybody's list. They should not be left out just because their films were in black and white any more than William Hartnell and Patrick Troughton should be forgotten as "Doctors" because their TV episodes were too.
The 1943 BATMAN serial introduced the grandfather clock batcave entrance as well as the batcave itself, and the "skinny" Alfred, among a lot of other things and shouldn't be forgotten. It is also the only film in which Robin was actually portrayed by a kid, as he was originally conceived.
Lewis Wilson, the original and defining screen Batman, Harvard accent and all, is a very entertaining hero, and isn't bad at all at playing a lazy, spoiled Bruce Wayne or his third persona, prize fighter Chuck White. He clearly is having fun playing the role and for those who are not into the dark and gloomy Batman he is just right, enjoying himself without going over the top as Adam West did.
Robert Lowery, the second Batman who was featured in BATMAN AND ROBIN (1949) plays the part with a perpetual scowl which makes him resemble Michael Keaton sometimes, but it's clear that the expression is due to his being terribly uncomfortable appearing in what may be the worst costume ever to appear in a Hollywood film. His expression looks every bit "this is going to ruin my career" and he was right. He never got a decent role afterward and cursed the part till the end of his days.
I think it's interesting that both the serial and the film that were entitled BATMAN AND ROBIN are turkeys.
I would rank the Batmen:
Lewis Wilson (to me a Batman story works best in the period in which he was created, and this characterization still resonates as the "real" Batman with me)
Adam West (as I said, he looks like he goes over the top sometimes when you watch him as an adult but he always played the part so that to kids it would look sincere; a brilliant choice, really)
Kevin Conroy
Michael Keaton (Did OK with what he was given; I think his first film was boring and second spectacularly ugly)
Val Kilmer
George Clooney (I thought he was supposed to be the Green Hornet?)
Robert Lowery (not entirely his fault; how could he know his costume would be made by an apparent amateur, and that the director would just let it go?)
Haven't seen the new guy yet.
There has been speculation at the Serial Squadron, where fans of a lot of the original superhero films hang out, that Kane Richmond, who played Spy Smasher, would have made the best Batman of his time. I think he would have done fine. Pity Frankie Darro, who appeared in PHANTOM EMPIRE in 1935, and several other serials as a boy, would have been too old to play Robin, he would have been perfect for the role.
Re: Rank the actors who have played Batman.
i dont recognize half these names i no the movie ones but wut i really no is that the actor who played batman in the new one, batman begins, tho it was one of the best ones, he was the WORST batman, whoever casted him did a horible job, his actin wasnt that bad but his appearance was terrible. all the batmans were casted first by their mouth, u need full lips to b batman n thats not on some homo shit
Here's how I see it:
Christian Bale, I thought his Bruce Wayne was one of the best I've seen yet, and he managed to make the him and Batman seem different enough.
Michael Keaton, While not who I would've chosen to play Batma because he doesn't have the look, he's actualy a REALLY REALLY good Batman and an excellent Bruce Wayne.
Lewis Wilson,Now, Im kinda disappointed that no one seems to give him his very much due credit as THE first Batman ever!!!.In 1943, he did an excellent job as Bruce and Batman.For a Character who was then, only four years old, I doubt anyone could've done better.He had the look, The Physique, and for a Boxer, he was a surprisingly good actor!.
Robert Lowery, The same Goes for him too, He doesn't seem to get his due credit either.His portrayal of Batman, for the time, was spot on.Granted, the 1949 serial was a touch campy, that was the style of the comic in that period.
Val Kilmer, Im sorry, but Batman forever wasn't that bad of a movie, and Val Kilmer wasn't that bad at Batman.Just...His Bruce Wayne seemed rather...Dark...Too much Batman for the character.
and then..do I really gotta say it?...Gorge Clooney...Boy...This guy...man, did he ruin Batman.He smiled the whole movie, he looked old for a character in his late 20's, and HIS FRIGGIN' HEAD KEPT WOBBLING!!!...that's all I care to talk about that concoction of a movie.
But seriously, I wish people would start giving Lewis Wilson more credit.
No one who has played Batman was perfect, but some were certainly better than others. These are my rankings of 5 of the guys I have seen play the role.
1. Michael Keaton - Keaton played an excellent Batman and a very good Bruce Wayne. He was handsome, but not a pretty boy like some of the others. To me, Wayne should be good looking but not a pretty boy like Clooney, Bale, and Kilmer. On the down side, Keaton was a bit on the skinny side. He needed to bulk up some. Also, it is probably easier to rank him number 1 since he was in the 1989 "Batman", which is, without a doubt, the best Batman movie. It certainly did better the box office than the others. It was the top movie of 1989, while "Batman Begins" was the fifth best of the summer of 2005. I mean, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory beat it out!
2. Val Kilmer - Kilmer did a pretty job considering the script he had. I am sure he would have played a better Batman with a better script, but then again, if there had been a better script Keaton would have decided to be in Batman Forever I bet.
3. Christian Bale - I was not too crazy about Bale. He did not do a outright bad job, but it does not help that in real life he comes across as a jerk. It also does not help that Batman Begins was not that good. It tried to improve the series by focusing more on Batman, which is commendable, but it was soooo boring!
4. Adam West - The main reason I don't care for West as Batman is I don't like the campy 60's Batman. It just wasn't Batman.
5. George Clooney - Just not a good Batman, though give him credit for taking on Batman and Robin - a bad movie. I think it hurt his acting career for a little while.
Originally posted by JackNThe reason BB did badly was that it came after the travesty that was Joel Shitmaker
No one who has played Batman was perfect, but some were certainly better than others. These are my rankings of 5 of the guys I have seen play the role.1. Michael Keaton - Keaton played an excellent Batman and a very good Bruce Wayne. He was handsome, but not a pretty boy like some of the others. To me, Wayne should be good looking but not a pretty boy like Clooney, Bale, and Kilmer. On the down side, Keaton was a bit on the skinny side. He needed to bulk up some. Also, it is probably easier to rank him number 1 since he was in the 1989 "Batman", which is, without a doubt, the best Batman movie. It certainly did better the box office than the others. It was the top movie of 1989, while "Batman Begins" was the fifth best of the summer of 2005. I mean, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory beat it out!
2. Val Kilmer - Kilmer did a pretty job considering the script he had. I am sure he would have played a better Batman with a better script, but then again, if there had been a better script Keaton would have decided to be in Batman Forever I bet.
3. Christian Bale - I was not too crazy about Bale. He did not do a outright bad job, but it does not help that in real life he comes across as a jerk. It also does not help that Batman Begins was not that good. It tried to improve the series by focusing more on Batman, which is commendable, but it was soooo boring!
4. Adam West - The main reason I don't care for West as Batman is I don't like the campy 60's Batman. It just wasn't Batman.
5. George Clooney - Just not a good Batman, though give him credit for taking on Batman and Robin - a bad movie. I think it hurt his acting career for a little while.
Originally posted by JackN
No one who has played Batman was perfect, but some were certainly better than others. These are my rankings of 5 of the guys I have seen play the role.1. Michael Keaton - Keaton played an excellent Batman and a very good Bruce Wayne. He was handsome, but not a pretty boy like some of the others. To me, Wayne should be good looking but not a pretty boy like Clooney, Bale, and Kilmer. On the down side, Keaton was a bit on the skinny side. He needed to bulk up some. Also, it is probably easier to rank him number 1 since he was in the 1989 "Batman", which is, without a doubt, the best Batman movie. It certainly did better the box office than the others. It was the top movie of 1989, while "Batman Begins" was the fifth best of the summer of 2005. I mean, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory beat it out!
2. Val Kilmer - Kilmer did a pretty job considering the script he had. I am sure he would have played a better Batman with a better script, but then again, if there had been a better script Keaton would have decided to be in Batman Forever I bet.
3. Christian Bale - I was not too crazy about Bale. He did not do a outright bad job, but it does not help that in real life he comes across as a jerk. It also does not help that Batman Begins was not that good. It tried to improve the series by focusing more on Batman, which is commendable, but it was soooo boring!
4. Adam West - The main reason I don't care for West as Batman is I don't like the campy 60's Batman. It just wasn't Batman.
5. George Clooney - Just not a good Batman, though give him credit for taking on Batman and Robin - a bad movie. I think it hurt his acting career for a little while.
You're clueless....nuff said.
1. Christen Bale- the true and best Batman of my genration.
2. Micheal Keaton- an excellent Batman and an okay Bruce Wayne. His performance in Batman Returns made him a brillenty portrayed Batman and Bruce Wayne. Particully my favourite scene with him is the Catwomen and Batman confrention at the end of the film, before she dies. Greating acting there by Keaton.
3. Kevin Conroy- great voice, sounds just like an dark Batman should.