More Batman "experts", or how some people just don't get it!

adambadadam · 08-04-2008, 04:55 PM

8/4

Ya know, there only so much you can do.

This from Yahoo Entertainment...

"Monday Movie Buzz: Bale's Batman voice too much?
Sunday August 3 1:44 PM ET

Though "The Dark Knight" has been a bona fide cultural event, boasting rave reviews and boffo box office, it hasn't been immune to criticism. Some have quibbled with its political undercurrents, and others have criticized a muddled theme.

But here's the critique most widely held: Why does Batman talk like the offspring of Clint Eastwood and a grizzly bear?

Donning the costume for the second time, Christian Bale has delved deeper into the lower registers. As Bruce Wayne, his voice is as smooth as his finely pressed suits. But once he puts the cape on, the transformation of his vocal chords is just as dramatic as his costume change.

Particularly when his rage boils over, Bale's Batman growls in an almost beastly fashion, reflecting how close he teeters between do-gooder and vengeance-crazed crusader.

"The Dark Knight" hauled in $43.8 million to rank as Hollywood's top movie for the third straight weekend, fending off "The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor" which opened a close second with $42.5 million. It has earned $394.9 million in just 17 days, according to studio estimates Sunday.

Though much of the voice effect is Bale's own doing, under the guidance of director Christopher Nolan and supervising sound editor Richard King, the frequency of his Batman voice was modulated to exaggerate the effect.

Critics and fans have noticed.

"His Batman rasps his lines in a voice that's deeper and hammier than ever," said NPR's David Edelstein.

The New Yorker's David Denby praised the urgency of Bale's Batman, but lamented that he "delivers his lines in a hoarse voice with an unvarying inflection."

Reviewing the film for MSNBC, Alonso Duralde wrote that Bale's Batman in "Batman Begins" "sounded absurdly deep, like a 10-year-old putting on an `adult' voice to make prank phone calls. This time, Bale affects an eerie rasp, somewhat akin to Brenda Vaccaro doing a Miles Davis impression."

Before the similes run too far afield, it's worth considering where the concept of a throaty Batman comes from.

In his portrayal on the `60s "Batman" TV series, Adam West didn't alter his voice between Bruce Wayne and Batman. Decades later when Tim Burton brought "Batman" to the big screen in a much darker incarnation, Michael Keaton's inflection was notably but not considerably different from one to the other.

But it was a lesser-known actor who, a few years after Burton's film, made perhaps the most distinct imprint on Batman's voice. Kevin Conroy, as the voice of the animated Batman in various projects from 1992's "Batman: The Animated Series" right up until this year's "Batman: Gotham Knight," brought a darker, raspier vocalization to Batman.

Conroy has inhabit the role longer than anyone else and though animated voice-over work doesn't have the same cachet as feature film acting, there are quarters where Conroy is viewed as the best Batman of them all certainly superior to Val Kilmer or George Clooney.

The animated series are notable because they drew on the DC Comics of Batman as envisioned by Frank Miller, whose work heavily informs "Batman Begins" and "The Dark Knight." (Bale and Nolan were unavailable to comment for this story.)

As Batman has gotten darker, his voice has gotten deeper. As some critics suggest, Bale and "The Dark Knight" may have reached a threshold, at least audibly."

As usual, the ^^^^ing critics are now suddenly the experts on Batman?!?

Personally if I heard something cross between Clint Eastwood and a Grizzley bear, I'd crap my pants. Duhh! He's supposed to "sound like a beast"!

I'm glad they give kudo's to Kevin Conroy, but the Animated Series took inspiration from alot more than just Frank Miller. God help us if they start taking inspiration from what he's been doing lately. Jeezus, I wish these people would shut up already and get back to enjoying thier serious pictures and leave comic books movies alone!

Nothing good will come from this.

___

8th wonder · 08-04-2008, 05:07 PM

Quote:

Personally if I heard something cross between Clint Eastwood and a Grizzley bear, I'd crap my pants. Duhh! He's supposed to "sound like a beast"!

Yeah but it doesn't sound tough. It sounds forced and cheesy. Bale just doesn't have a deep voice so he can't really enforce his voice in a good way.

I think the only time i thought Bale's bat-voice sounded reasonably cool is from Batman Begins when he says to Gordon "i brought mine" (when he takes Rachel to the tumbler).

adambadadam · 08-04-2008, 05:12 PM

Yeah, I'm sure tough sounds like different things to different people but to compare his voice to Conroys isn't quite fair. How many episodes did that run for and Kevin had that advantage. Over the long haul, Kevin had time to develop the technique. He doesn't sound the same by the end of JLU, or more previously in Gotham Knight, as he did in the beginning of the A.Series. Hell, in a couple of G.Knight episodes, I thought a younger version of Batman (Bale) would've worked better than a seasoned K.Conroy!

Kuzeh · 08-04-2008, 05:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 8th wonder

Yeah but it doesn't sound tough. It sounds forced and cheesy. Bale just doesn't have a deep voice so he can't really enforce his voice in a good way.

I think the only time i thought Bale's bat-voice sounded reasonably cool is from Batman Begins when he says to Gordon "i brought mine" (when he takes Rachel to the tumbler).

Exactly, Batman's voice and the whole "Cover-up" B.S. are my biggest gripes with this movie...

CelticPredator · 08-04-2008, 05:15 PM

I know why he does the voice, and it makes perfect sense...but I still dont like it.

adambadadam · 08-04-2008, 05:15 PM

Bale had me ever since he made me "swear" to him.

Rugby1970 · 08-04-2008, 05:18 PM

I'm in the minority but it bothered me in BB but I dug it in TDK. Don't know why. Fit the theatrical nature of the Dark Knight.

They also made an effort to make him sound tired, effected and beaten in TDK. Many times he was extra raspy because he's been pummeled, choked or shot.

Hammy, yes, sure, I guess so but I love it. it worked for me...

darthviper107 · 08-04-2008, 05:22 PM

I thought he made the voice so people wouldn't recognize the voice of Bruce Wayne.

8th wonder · 08-04-2008, 05:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by darthviper107

I thought he made the voice so people wouldn't recognize the voice of Bruce Wayne.

True but that doesn't mean it can't sound good.

rabidwolverine21 · 08-04-2008, 05:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by darthviper107

I thought he made the voice so people wouldn't recognize the voice of Bruce Wayne.

thats the way its been in most batman movies, it was even on the animated series. kevin conry would have a smooth wayne with a deeper more rasp styled batman and i loved it. to this day i still think of his voice as batman. I think it is a bit more recognizable with bale but i still dont really mind it until he is using it in a situation were it seems like the line would be better delivered with the growl toned down