Batman: The Movie

After an analysis and reanalysis of Batman: The Movie (1966) it’s apparent that this utterly absurd Batman film is one for the ages. This hysterical take on Batman is completely made by character development and emotions towards them brought on through the unique mise en scène of the film. While this depiction of Batman is much different than what modern day Batman fans are used to, everything that can be seen on screen makes it one for all to remember.

The most noticeable use of misce en scène is in both the villains and heroes that are introduced throughout the film. Batman and Robin wear their standard costumes but the settings in which they usually shown and their dialogue are what really make them the characters to root for. The dialogue of Batman and Robin can often be referred to as dumb humor. Most of the things they say is sheer stupidity, but no matter how dumb it is, it’s always morphed into a joke and always seems to solve whatever mystery is at hand. It’s this aspect that makes viewers subconsciously jump on the vigilante team by diffusing any tension that there might be from scene to scene.

Not only does the heroes’ dumb humor lighten the mood, but usually Batman and Robin are spotted in scenes and areas with large amounts of lighting and minimal shadows. The scene which specifically comes to mind is in the ocean where it is very apparent that a strong overhead light is present, which is also often used in film to communicate a mystical or positive representation of whatever the focus of the shot is. Both the brightness of the scenes as well as the oblivious personalities of Batman are Robin convey a mood which viewers are apt to get behind them. On a less serious note I’m a firm believer that someone who wears a cape is also easier to root for.

The villains are perceived to be evil mostly by the use of lighting, excessive cackling as well as a symptomatic meaning based on the time at which the film was produced. Opposite to the heroes, the villains can generally be seen in dark, enclosed, and dimly lit spaces, making it almost impossible to ignore self-created chaos and mental instability. Many times these scenes may have a single light, generally with room having a reddish hue to it, which I believe in turn sets a darker tone. As alluded to earlier scenes with villains also consist of several close-ups and debatably an exhausting amount of cackling and hysterical laughing between characters. These shots emphasize the idea of these characters being mad, and if doesn’t do that for you the frequency of these scenes tends to make the villains down right annoying. Whether perceived as crazy or annoying, both could cause a viewer to dislike these villainous characters.

What seems most important to point out about the villains is the use of symptomatic meaning to help the audience perceive them as evil. The most impactful scene that uses this tactic takes place in a submarine out in the middle of the ocean. All the villains can be found in the submarine as well as multiple torpedoes. This is important to point out because of the film’s release date in 1966. At this time in history repercussions of World War II could still be seen in various places throughout the world, and on top of that the Cold War had been taking place even more recently. While this setting might not warrant as strong of a response from viewers now, back in 1966 these events were very likely still fresh in the minds of citizens in the United States as well as the rest of the world. Pairing these evil people with these strongly negative props could really couldn’t do anything be magnify dislike towards the group of bandits.