4 Film Favorites: Batman (BD)(4FF)

Very good movies with a cheap price only

This is, of course, the set of original Batman movies, (i.e. prior to the Nolan trilogy reboot) consisting of the two movies directed by Tim Burton and starring Michael Keaton, and the two Joel Schumacher movies which nearly killed off the franchise as a whole. The a/v quality of the 4k release is much improved for all the movies, especially over the DVD box set put out years ago. There are a ton of bonus features, the best of which, in my opinion, is the "Shadows of The Bat" feature which is a multi-part telling of the history of Batman, which spans across all the discs. There are also commentary tracks on each movie and a ton of behind-the-scenes and making-of features. I believe they are carried over from the prior releases, both the prior DVD box set release, and the prior blu-ray releases, so the upgrade to 4k is really the only reason to get this set. For the people who despise Batman Forever, and/or Batman and Robin, you do have the option of purchasing the discs individually, so you do not have to pay for whatever movie(s) you do not want. Batman (1989): This is really the movie that reinvigorated the superhero genre since the Superman movies had puttered out with the release of Superman IV (which was pretty much the Batman & Robin of that series). Michael Keaton was a very controversial choice to play Batman, having a mostly comedy background, a lot of people did not think he could pull it off. Thankfully, the casting and lead-up were pre-internet trolling so the whining was kept to a minimum. Nevertheless, he did a great job in the role, especially playing Bruce with the right level of emotional turmoil. It was harder to buy him as Batman given that he really did not get into the kind of shape that actors in the superhero movies of today (at least some of them, e.g. Chris Evans) have to get into, but the suit did a pretty good job of disguising that. The scene-stealer of the movie was, of course, Jack Nicholson, who played The Joker. He did, up until Heath Ledger, the best live-action Joker playing him with the right mix of sadistic and goofball. The remaining supporting cast included Kim Bassinger as Viki Vale, Rober Whul as reporter Alexander Knox, Billy Dee Williams as Harvey Dent (which would later be recast in Batman Forever), and Jack Palance as crime boss Carl Grisson. Michael Gough and Pat Hingle are the two constants throughout the pre-Nolan Trilogy movies, playing Alfred and Commissioner Gordon. It was in part an origin story for Bruce Wayne/Batman and in part an origin story for Joker, and a Batman vs. Joker for control of, vs. saving Gotham City. It did deviate from the story of the comics somewhat, which some people did not like, but I think the twists were fine. While it was somewhat of a formulaic plot,I think it was well written and acted, and overall a very enjoyable movie. Probably the best of the original run of Batman movies, although Batman Returns is a very close second. The extras for this set are all on the blu ray disc, and are as described above. Some that are specific to just this movie are the Robin sequence storyboard (which was considered, but ultimately dumped for this movie) voiced by Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill who were voicing Batman and Joker in the animated series at that point, three Prince music videos who contributed to the soundtrack, and the trailer for the movie. Batman Returns (1992) This is, of course, the sequel to the 1989 movie, and a heavily anticipated follow-up. It was the second, and sadly last, movie directed by Tim Burton, and with Michael Keaton in the role of Bruce Wayne/Batman. There were three villains this time, in the form of Penguin (played by Danny DeVito), Catwoman (played by Michelle Pfeiffer), and Max Schreck (played by Christopher Walken). The last of which was not a part of the comic books but solely made up for the movie. All three actors did a great job in their roles. Pfeiffer was all the more impressive as she was a last-minute addition to the cast since the role was supposed to go to Annette Benning, who got pregnant just before production started. It is a much more "adult" movie, with more violence and a ton of sexual innuendo. It was moving away from a "family-friendly" or "kid movie" genre, and ultimately led to Warner Brothers and Tim Burton splitting, seemingly amicably, and would ultimately lead to Keaton leaving the role (as he was only going to keep going if Burton was directing), and throwing the franchise into chaos. The extras are much as for the first disc. All carryovers (including the original behind-the-scenes feature that aired on TV to promote the movie) from the prior DVD and blu-ray releases. The UHD disc just has the movie itself (and the commentary track on the movie). All the other extras are on the blu-ray. A lot of material, but nothing new for the UHD release, so the upgrade to 4k (which looks and sounds great) is the only reason to pick this up. Batman Forever (1995) This is the movie that saw the turning point for the franchise, away from the darker version and tone that Tim Burton had set for the franchise with the first two movies, toward the more kid-friendly, almost campy return to the tone of the 1960s TV show, that would be completed in the horrible Batman and Robin a few years later. While Batman Forever was not a horrible movie, it just lacked any sense of continuity from the earlier films (aside from Alfred and Commissioner Gordon returning with the same actors). The look, the feel, and the tone of the franchise abruptly shifted, and ultimately started turning off the fanbase. That, of course, is said in a lot of hindsight knowing what was to come. When the movie opened, it was a huge hit (in large part because of Jim Carey's fame at the time, and the fact that the title song, Kiss From A Rose, became a major hit. I do think Val Kilmer did a fine job playing the duality of Bruce Wayne and Batman, and with Bruce being almost a neurotic loner who cannot stop being Batman. The movie was really about the villains this time. Jim Carey was really at the height of his fame after leading in The Mask and Ace Ventura, playing The Riddler. He brought his hammy overacting that was really his hallmark at that point to the role, and for what Joel Schumacher was going for, it worked. Tommy Lee Jones did a good job with what he was given with Two-Face, but for some reason, the role was written more like The Joker than the Two-Face as written in The Animated Series or Nolan's trilogy, which worked much better (in my opinion). Like the other movies, the extras (aside from the commentary track) are all on the regular blu-ray disc and are all carryovers from prior releases. The movie does look and sound good on the UHD format, although I would not say the restoration was as great as it could have been (like the Matrix Trilogy was). The extras include behind-the-scenes and making-of features, as well as the trailer, and the music video for Kiss From a Rose. Batman & Robin (1997) The best way to describe this movie is hot garbage. It took all the bad parts of Batman Forever, the bad writing, hokey overacting, stupid sound effects and jokes, the campiness, the glowing paint, etc., and dialed them up even farther. Honestly, nipples on the Batsuit, which got people all riled up about the movie back then were the least of the problems. It pretty much seemed like everyone involved in the movie was just going through the motions. Of course, it pretty well killed off the live-action Batman franchise until Christopher Nolan rebooted everything. Part of the movie's issue was that it was rushed into production to capitalize on the unexpected success of Batman Forever, but one of the biggest things that hurt the movie was yet another recasting of Batman/Bruce Wayne (in the behind-the-scenes material Val Kilmer and Joel Schumacher pretty much point the finger at each other for why he did not come back) and Clooney was just not the right fit for the role. I do, however, think the actors did the best they could with what they had (which was not much), but with the same story and script, no group of actors could have made the movie better. The disc setup is the same as the other. The movie and a commentary track on the UHD disc, and all the extras (carried over from prior releases) on the regular blu-ray. The movie mostly looks great on the format although some of the special effects were really bad (this is pre-Matrix, Star Wars Prequels, and Harry Potter where special effects really took off) and the inadequacies are almost amplified on the in the higher-definition format. The extras are along the same lines as for the other movies, with a good amount of material. Overall, whether you want to get this will really depend on how interested you are in upgrading to the 4k format. If you owned the DVD box set before, this is a big upgrade. Probably not as big of a jump from the blu-ray releases. Also, the movies are being released individually, so those who only want Batman and Batman Returns, without having to pay for the other two, can do so.

great collection nothing like the classics

I got this four-film collection as part of a 2 for 3 deal, which meant that each movie cost only a little over $2 each. That's a pretty good value for films I hadn't seen in a very long time. I remember seeing the first Batman movie many years ago and being shocked at the difference from the TV series (I never read comic books). Decades later, I watched what are now these four "classics" in quick succession. In my opinion, the first film is the best of the four. The writing, plot, and continuity seem to decay with each film. All of them lack truly smart scripts and increasingly rely on irrational or disconnected changes to plots and realities. Having said that, these rather dark surreal takes on Batman are entertaining on some level. Technically, the transference from film to Blu-ray seems to be lackluster at best. The first film looks muddy, and only the last film seems to have crisp edges. The four discs are stored two deep on two spindles: I would have preferred a single spindle for each, one on the front cover, a two-sided leaf, and one on the back cover, but then this set is quite inexpensive. For those who like "extras," each of the four discs has a couple hours of extras, so those looking for background stories should be highly satisfied.

All Originals, Blu Ray and 4K, I got a really good deal on this set for such a classic set of movies. Batman 1989 is a five star movie! Tim Burton's classic dark knight tale original I seen it in theaters in 1989. Jack Nicholson as Joker and Michael Keaton as Batman instant classic! The discs were perfect and great quality heavy duty material. Blu and 4k both! Batman Returns Danny Devito, Michelle Pfieffer, and Michael Keaton, I had forgotten this was a Christmas movie, now it is in my set as a Christmas movie as well as DC classic. Tim Burton did it again as Danny Devito is Penguin, and Michelle Pfiffer a beautiful Cat Woman! Michael Keaton's sadly last role as Dark Knight, Four star movie! Perfect set! excellent quality both Blu Ray and 4k Batman Forever is a five star movie! Jim Carrey is an excellent Riddler and Tommy Lee Jones was a good Two Face. Val Kilmer was not a bad dark knight either, but he was no Michael Keaton, but not bad. Chris O'Donnel was a good robin too, and everybody knows why Nicole Kidman is absolutely beautiful! Tim Burton produced this movie. Great entertainment! The discs were excellent quality both 4k and Blu Ray Batman & Robin with George Clooney I have to say is not a favorite Batman! But it had a style like the others but Tim Burton had nothing to do with this movie. Uma Thurman is not my kind of Poison Ivy, I think Drew Barrymore would have done much better. Bane was a horible depicted as a weekling! Chris Odonnel wasn't as good in this one either. Arnold Schwarzenegger as Mr. Freeze and Alicia Silverstone as batgirl was the only saving grace for this movie! so I give the movie three stars as okay to good. The 4k and Blu Disc was perfect excellent quality though. Love the digital copies too! I am very happy with this set overall.

I know Amazon sometimes lumps all reviews for a movie together so I included an image to make it clear. This is for the 4K+BluRay+Digital “Four film collection” box set. I was so happy to get this on sale and have wanted a set like this for a while. I’ve wanted the Burton films in 4K, and it’s a great for me that it also includes the Blu rays because I haven’t bought a 4K player yet. But when I do it’ll be ready! So I can only really comment on the Blu ray quality which is great on my 65” Samsung. The box is a little thin but I wouldn’t call it delicate. The box has an open side to which each movie has their own case. I prefer this to the often used all in one case setup a lot of sets like this use. As a small nitpick I’d have rather they used the old posters/art for the movie cases. I love that old simple seal for the original. Nonetheless the set has everything I wanted - 4K and Blu ray and all four movies of the era. Overall I think this set is great but understand I’m far from the kind of person who scrutinizes every frame for transfer errors or the like. I can only say that it seems to me to be exactly what a layman could want! As for the movies themselves, if you’ve never seen the 1989 Batman movie I cannot recommend it enough. It’s definitely got a different tone to what you are used to in the Nolan films. Though it’s also not as campy as the 60s TV and movie. It’s just a fun film without trying to be anything other than a cape film. Similar in tone to the 1978 Superman movie. Batman Returns is uniquely Burton. I’ve often heard the rumor that Burton only came back to do the sequel if the studio let him be unrestrained. It’s totally believable considering the films tone which is very Edward Scissorhands. I still find it very enjoyable due to this whimsy but I have to admit it is very much a love it or hate it film. Forever and B&R get a lot of hate and probably more than they deserve. They’re decidedly worse films than the Burton movies to be sure. They both have their moments but you really have to look at it more as watching a non serious movie. If you’re a fan of the old TV show, this won’t be hard!

BIG fan of Batman should watch this movies

If you're stuck in the Nolan-trilogy's universe, you probably won't be too interested in these. You can't go into them with that style in mind. None of them are very serious, but all four are entertaining. They all retain relics of Batman's campy silliness; some more than others. And I mean, come on, it's four Batman movies for under $10! What else were you gonna spend that on? The Sam Raimi Spiderman trilogy? You better not. You better not even consider that. Now for really brief reviews of each individual movie. Batman Michael Keaton? Instant, "Yes." He plays a better Bruce Wayne than he does Batman. Jack Nicholson's Joker was cut from a different cloth than Ledger's. But that in no way takes away from it. He did a great job. Cool atmosphere and set design, decent plot, and good cast. Batman Return Keaton reprises his role as Batman/Bruce Wayne. He's joined by Danny Devito, who plays a good but somewhat off-putting Penguin. Michelle Pfeiffer plays Catwoman. She was, uh...well-suited for the film. Crappy sexist puns aside, she played the role well. There's some Christopher Walken sprinkled in there, too. Not as good as Batman, but worth watching. Batman Forever Let's get the disclaimer out of the way: Val Kilmer is my favorite live-action iteration. Kilmer's Bruce Wayne is pretty spot on. His Batman is great. Solid suit, gadgets galore, corny one-liners, cool lair and batmobile. Plus the world's greatest detective actually does detective when Kilmer plays him. That said, the rest of the movie has an abundance of cheesiness, Jim Carrey's Riddler and Tommy Le Jones' Two-Face are likable. But lord are they stupid. Terrible, terrible supervillains. Nicole Kidman plays a pretty shallow Chase Meridian. But Batman doesn't have time to spare for emotional depth. Thankfully. And Chris O'Donnell's Robin is alright, though his backstory falls short. Batman Forever is something you could watch with your kids and enjoy. The "Holy rusted metal" line was perfect. Or alone in your room while eating an entire package of Oreos. Sobbing. Batman & Robin This movie catches a lot of flack. A LOT of flack. George Clooney, Mr. Freeze, nipples. I'm sure you've heard it all. And for the most part, it's true. So if you plan on watching this, go in expecting a fairly dumb plot filled with more holes than a termite's dinner table and a cast of goofy, thick-headed heroes and villains. Clooney as Batman was...probably a mistake. I don't think he deserves the raw hatred some people express for his role. But he doesn't deserve praise for it either. O'Donnell returns as Robin. Better in this one than in Batman Forever. Alicia Silverstone as Batgirl was totally unnecessary. It didn't even make sense. Poison Ivy, portrayed by Uma Therman, was filled with terrible lines and hypnotic movement. Her partner was Bane. No clue who played him. That actor is probably still trying to forget his time on-set. Bane was just awful. Like a mentally retarded gorilla dressed up as a luchador. Arnold as Mr. Freeze may be the best example of "so bad it's good" in cinematic history. So many puns. The costume and his plans were over-the-top. His minions were even dumber. A lot of you might skip this one. Maybe you should. But you shouldn't. Just watch it. Watch them all. In one sitting. Eating a package of Oreos. Sobbing.

4 Film Favorites: Batman [Blu-ray] [Import anglais ]Je ne parlerai pas des films qui sont excellents, ni de leurs qualités qui sont à la hauteur tant pour le son que l'image, sans doute au même niveau de restauration que les autres éditions. Mais du produit. Ceci est vendu pour un COFFRET !!! En fait de coffret, un simple boîtier plastique avec les 4 DVD en vrac à l'intérieur !!!! Moi, ce que j'appelle coffret, c'est un étui carton avec 4 boîtiers individuels pour chaque film, ou bien au moins 2. Je vous laisse apprécier les photos que j'ai posées. Le DVD du 1er film n'a même pas de cover. C'est du foutage de gueule. Même Chantal Goya est mieux packagée ... MINABLE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LAMENTABLE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Fun movies in a good collection

Excelente edicion, primera vez que las veo en mi vida, y verlas en 4K por primera vez fue increíble, y a un super precio como decir que no

Perfeito!

Nostalgia!