In this episode Drew and I take a look at and discuss all the deleted scenes that are currently available on the DVD and Blu-Ray releases of Batman Forever.
This seemed like a good follow-up considering we just finished the Batman Forever commentary.
I've already reviewed the Fleer trading cards that were released in the US but I've recently picked up the Dynamic Marketing series that was released in Australia. It’s the usual set of stills from the film that runs through the gist of the story and posed shots of the actors.
But what's really awesome is that it contains some of the deleted scenes (that are possibly in the fabled Schumacher Cut). Also it's got some awesome concept art of the Bat gadgets and locations.
Ironically, for an Australian card set there's not many of Nicole Kidman (Boooo!). But anyway, here's me laboriously going through them all.
I'll get the really interesting ones scanned for the website in the near future.
Mindd Kidzag (who earlier in the year supplied the awesome scanned shooting script and schedule) has done it again! He's purchased a copy of the Batman Forever trailer and got Denis-Carl Robidoux to scan it at 4K resolution.
Both the DVD and Blu-ray of course had the trailer on them but only in standard definition. It's wonderful to see the trailer in such clarity. Two bits that particularly stick out are the shot of Batman saying "Going down" and the shot of Val Kilmer standing up to the giant bat - both of which were deleted from the film.
This week we're going to look at the differences in the comic adaptation of Batman Forever. I used to love this (and the other adaptations) as a kid. Adapted by Dennis O'Neill, it's a pretty straight forward adaptation but there's a couple of deleted segments and alternate versions of scenes that allow it to move as a faster pace so let's take a quick look.
First off we see the deleted introduction at Arkham Asylum with Dr Burton finding out that Two-Face has escaped. Three things to note - firstly yes that is the opening to Akiva Goldsman's script. O'Neill used the same kind of idea in the adaptation of Batman and Robin which has the comic start with Joel Schumacher yelling "Action!"
Secondly, without any muffled cries from the guard and the red lettering on "The Bat Must Die" I think the implication is that Two-Face killed the guard here.
Thirdly, O'Neill is adapting the original cut of the film which had Bruce meet Nygma at Wayner Enterprises before being called into action as Batman to stop Two-Face's bank heist.
Next up is an alternate version of the Two-Face ambush. Instead of Two-Face pushing a pram and using a rocket launcher, he just chases Batman in his armoured van and instead of the Batmobile driving up the wall (note, this was Joel's idea supposedly and a last minute addition to the filming schedule), it just drives off a bridge.
Next up is a brief interlude with Riddler, Two-Face, Sugar and Spice all holing up at Nygmatech headquarters taking hits on Riddler's box receiver like it's a joint! This is bizarre but kind of fun. Particularly interesting to note they name drop Jim Morrison - a role Val Kilmer played four years earlier in Oliver Stone's The Doors.
Next is a little shot that got deleted from the film (there's stills out there so it was definitely shot). After Chase says that Batman will save her, the Riddler says "I'm counting on it" and then injects her with a giant syringe. I guess this was cut because it makes his kidnap darker and more disturbing.
Lastly, is the deleted original ending with Batman standing on a rooftop (a sort of reprise of the ending to the 1989 movie) only to be joined by Robin. I've got to say this would be cool to see. They definitely shot the blue screen element of this (see my deleted scenes post). But I don't think they finished the effects.
And there you have it. That's all the major differences. If you haven't read the comic adaptation check it out, it's lots of fun. The 1989 adaptation with artwork by Jerry Ordway is fantastic too.
And now for something I've spent a long time on piecing together. This is my collection of shots and clips - taken from various sources - that aren't featured in the film OR the deleted scenes from the dvd/blu-ray.
I hope you enjoy this. It was a lot of fun to put together and I'll do updates if I find anything else. If you think there's anything I've missed let me know.
In the meantime, here's my favourite piece - the end shot from movie (note: the second photo is one where I have created the background).
A few scenes were cut from Batman Forever. Some of these have been released on the DVD and Blu-ray. So let's take a look at these first.
I've got two versions of the deleted scenes. First up is the raw footage that appeared on the DVD and Blu-ray.
But I also have versions of the deleted scenes with music and sfx added. This is taken from a fan edit called the Virtual Workprint (look it up on google - it's easy to find. Someone posted it to reddit a while ago). The so-called Virtual Workprint took the deleted scenes from the DVD and added them back into the film (the maker also reordered the beginning to match the production script - it starts at Arkham, then has Bruce meet Nygma, THEN we go into the bank heist.
Anyway, enjoy.
SCENE 1 Dr Burton discovers Two-Face has escaped from Arkham.
This is a fun set up - I love how Gothic they made Arkham Asylum - but it's kind of redundant and the writing on the wall is a little hard to read. I can see why they cut this. SCENE 2 Longer confrontation between Two-Face and Batman in helicopter.
It’s nice to get a little more Tommy Lee-Jones. He definitely got pushed off screen by Jim Carrey's dominating presence but I think the short version in the film works better.
SCENE 3 Riddler redirects Batman to Beauty Parlour.
Yeah I can see why they cut this. It’s really goofy and makes Batman look like a fool.
SCENE 4 Bruce talks with Dick while he trains.
I'm sorry, Dick taping a photo of Two-Face to a dummy is really silly looking. I do like the ending with Bruce high kicking the the top off though. I think Val just about pulls it off. Imagine Michael Keaton doing something similar? Yeah, me neither.
SCENE 5 Bruce watches the Kenneth Frequency show on TV.
This is kind of interesting. The early scripts had a character called Vondelle Millions who hosted a TV talk show that debated whether Batman was a menace or not. It seems this scene is what it got reduced down to. It’s okay - not a fan of the actor's delivery - but it makes Bruce seem really impulsive. Like because he saw something on TV he decided to quit being Batman.
SCENE 6 Bruce finding his father's diary and confronting giant bat.
This is fascinating. I love the giant bat. I love the symbolism and over the top-ness of it but it sort of stops the film when it should be building towards the climax. I don't love the whole diary aspect. The deleted scene is missing a voiceover. Basically the idea is that Bruce discovers from reading the diary that when he was a boy his father chose to go to the cinema on the night his parents were murdered. Bruce mistakenly thought he had been the one and thus, inadvertently, the one to blame. It’s kind of silly. I'm glad they cut it.
I love the giant bat though and wish they could have found a place for it.
SCENE 7 Does it ever end?
Yeah it's an ill advised copy of the ending to the 1989 film.
I get the pun they are trying to make. "Does it ever end?" Alfred should have said "No, he's Batman Forever" and then winked at the camera. It just the look Nicole gives at the end. She looks like "Oh, maybe I've made a mistake dating this guy."
Originally the film was to end on a shot of Batman and Robin on the rooftops of Gotham City. We'll be looking at that and other deleted shots next time.
Bit of a random post this week. Here's a couple of behind the scenes shots of Val Kilmer and the Giant Bat Prop from the deleted scene in which he remembers who he is. These seem to be posed photos rather than shots from the film.
For anyone wondering what the hell this is, look up the deleted scenes on youtube. I'll be going over them all in a few weeks.
