I am supposed to be working. Supposed to be this nice little professional guy working his shift and a little more so that the teensie-weensie buggies on his plate are gently put to sleep. Just me and the buggies, one on one, in the corner of a deserted cubicle, that’s the way it’s supposed to flow.
Until The Bat intrudes.
The script for Batman Begins is what I mean. Kick-ass, absolutely. Must-reading for the Batman fan, and also for non-believers who don’t care too much for comic-book movies and would rather go watch Main Hoon Na.
I know there is going to be a lot of script revisions and all that, but even if they stick to fifty percent of the spirit in which David Goyer has written this stuff, it will be home free for Warner/DC. Man, this is like Batman:Year One and something like Year Zero put together, with loads of enhanced relationships and twists that look to make the Batman mythos as streamlined as the X-Men movies. Characters being introduced in logical order, a brilliantly crafted origin-story, a well-balanced mix of technology ( cowls imported from Singapore, the horns from a Chinese corporation, and Bruce and Alfred put them together to make the familar headpiece. Woohoo! Lucius Fox as Waynetech’s head of Applied Sciences, giving Wayne a demo of what will later be Batman-property ), the Oriental connection to Batman’s training – monasteries in Bhutan, Ninjutsu, Ra’s Al Ghul ), and very likeable new characters. The script succeeds in explaining the pure logical reason behind why Batman is the Batman – it actually shows us a Bruce Wayne who rises above his own self-pity and his fears to become what he was destined to be. Batman as we know him in the comics is autophobic, he is afraid of being alone. But the movie adds something new to his phobias, it brought a smile to my face when I read these lines:
A man, however strong, however
skilled, is just flesh and blood. I
need to be more than a man. I need
to be a symbol.
ALFRED
And why the symbol of the bat?
WAYNE
Bats frighten me.
(slight smile)
And it’s time my enemies shared my
dread.
This absolutely reeks of Year One, the Year One, but of course, with a twist that can shock the casual Batman fan.
The script litters itself with references galore to the comics, but without the self-mocking tone of a Daredevil or the winkety-wink nature of a League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. Therein lies its strength. If it’s made well, without the pompousness of the director or the actors ( Yes, that’s everyone I am accusing, right from Tim Burton to Arnold Schwarzenneger ) getting to their heads, if they stay faithful to the script, we have a winner!
And the ending. *Sigh* Please leave it that way, boys.
Let’s leave the little buggies the way they are, then. We shall now go and peruse Batman: The Hill, and follow it up with Batman: Bullock’s Law, and maybe the Birds of Prey trade, then go home and complete the rest of the comics we have left on our hard-disk. Live long and prosper, you pesky little products of my own idiotic coding, you have been delivered by the Bat.
Tim Burton wasn’t bad, Mr.Perfectionist!
BTW the pdf is off, could you host it elsewhere??please, pretty please.
There has been way too much symbolism associated with his ‘bat’ persona (‘shaman’ :-D)
Ra’s Al Ghul ( Americans pronounce the first as ‘Rash’ where as I was always — ‘sun god’) how does he fit in ? Any mention of Talia ?
Oh crap! Send me the damn pdf.
Tim Burton was a BAD interpreter of the Batman myth. Joe Chill = Joker?? When did that happen? Batman kills The Joker? Yeah, right!
It is actually pronounced “Reyis”, which I believe is Arabic for head. al Ghul = the Demon. Ra’s Al Ghul is the Demon’s Head. He fits in wonderfully with the story, and you can’t even begin to imagine how Bruce wayne and Ra’s tie together. No Talia, and for very specific reasons.
PDF Sent.
As compared to ? Joel Schumacher
Ra’s Al Ghul , does mean ‘the demon’s head’. I wasn’t alluding to any sun god myths but was referring to that as a pronunciation guide.
I now have a dilemma : If the script is good should I trust Nolan enough and not spoil it for myself ? Esp. since you said “No Talia, and for very specific reasons”
* Skips spoliers, thanks for the warning *
Batman
wasis my favourite superhero for being ‘self made’ – no magical powers etc, all his own hard work and skills.Good luck with the buggies …..
Thanks! The buggies shall die today.
supposed to be working
San,
Q.1 why are you always supposed to be working?
Q.2 when is that you actually work? :D
Q.3 does your work include downloading GeeBees of comics
Re: supposed to be working
1. Because all play and no work makes san a dull Samurai warrior.
2. I refuse to answer that question in the absence of my lawyer.
3. That’s play.
caught on camera
Is she your lawyer? :> My detective photographed you two during a legal meeting :p
*Sigh*
If only…..
DHISSHHHOOOOMMM!!!
You never let me complete my sentences, do you?
I was about to say “If only I could catch your detective and tell him/her about Indipop singers cum actresses who pose with hapless fanboys on backstages of AR Rahman concerts, s/he would be a more educated detective, with better deductive abilities.”
oh yeah! No one can recognise artistes with greasepaint smudged on their faces and a peacock feather tucked on top of their heads :P
Anyways, if she were your lawyer, you would lose a case and then die at mai’s hands :p
Hey, I just remembered who took that photograph.
Detective, hey?
I am on my own, see! :p
I like the “cum actresses” part.
*sigh*
Re: caught on camera
hmmm.. interesting photo.. :)
whats the story on this?
I don’t believe this. You are actually asking me for another of those no-lj-cut-LONG entries, dude?
He he.. didnt know all your stories are as long ! ;)
yeah sure.. if it’s interesting and spiced up with pics ! :P
Awesome
The more I hear about it, the cooler it sounds… And, to answer the (not really asked) question, “Ra’s” has to do with the head… “Ra’s al Gul” means “The Demon’s Head”. I’m not sure if it’s Arabic, but it’s definitely not Egyptian (thus, “Sun God”).
Re: Awesome
The original name Batman:Intimidation Game would have sounded better than Batman Begins, don’t you think so? Did you read the script?
Re: Awesome
The link isn’t working for me… But, I wasn’t big on the “Game” part of “Intimidation Game”… Plus, they’ve already got a sort of trend going, with titles… “Returns”, “Forever”, etc.
I can send the PDF to your mail address, if you want to read it. Already sent it to…
Cool!
Please do! You can just use my yahoo address… unless it’s over 2 Meg, in which case, let me know, and I’ll clear some stuff out.
send me too.
[Nostalgic]
Back when i was in standard 6th I remember Star Plus used to air Batman and Robin around 5 in the evening after Small Wonder it used to be followed with Teenge Mutant Ninja Turtles. :)
[/Nostalgic]
Ugh! That 60’s TV series, which was rerun on Star, was a travesty! It’s nothing like the Batman I know and enjoy. Joel FuddaBuggarin Schumacher must have liked that series too ,no wonder he made Batman and Robin: The Movie. *sigh*
Re: Awesome
Ra’s Al Gul does mean the Demon’s head in arabic. The egyptian bit was to be used as a pronunciation guide nothing more :S.
He is too old for anyone to actually know his real name and the origins of the current one.
Me too
Be a nice smeagol and please mail me the pdf at sabnis@gmail.com
I am sure your pyjamas have batman pritns all over them.
Gaurav
Sent!
And stop staring at my pajamas. *hmph*
hang on a second…
did you just say gmaill???
do enlighten, mon ami.
Indeed…
That was… freakin’ cool.