Batman Forever (1994)

Country of Origin: USA
Year of Production: 1994
Running Times: 115 mins (UK) 122 mins (Argentina; Australia; Germany)
Format: Technicolor 35mm
Ratio: 1.85:1
Sound: Dolby Digital SDDS

(Full Credits)

PRODUCTION
Production Company: Warner Brothers
Executive Producers: Benjamin Melniker, Michael E. Uslan
Producers: Tim Burton, Peter MacGregor-Scott
Associate Producer: Mitchell Dauterive

SCRIPT
Script: Lee Batchler, Janet Scott Batchler, Akiva Goldsman
Story: Lee Batchler, Janet Scott Batchler
Characters: Bob Kane, Bill Fingers

DIRECTION
Director: Joel Schumacher
2nd Unit Director: David Hogan

PHOTOGRAPHY
Director of Photography: Stephen Goldblatt
2nd Unit Director of Photography: Gary Holt

EDITING AND POST PRODUCTION
Editor: Dennis Virkler

MUSIC
Music: Elliot Goldenthal

SOUND
Sound: Donald O. Mitchell, Frank A. Montano, Michael Herbrick, Petur Hliddal
Sound Designers: Frank Kniest, Lance Brown, Roland Thai

MAKE UP AND COSTUMES
Key Make Up: Ve Neill
Make Up: Wade Daily, Edouard Henriques, Julie Hewett, Brian Penikas, Janna Phillips, Sheryl Ptak, Jill Rockow
Key Hair: Yolanda Toussieng
Hair: Barbara Lorenz, Kim Santantonio
Costume Designers: Ingrid Ferrin, Bob Ringwood

SPECIAL MAKE UP EFFECTS
Special Make Up Effects Designers: Rick Baker / Cinovation

SPECIAL EFFECTS
Special Effects: Cinovation Studios; Composite Image Systems; Effects Associate Ltd; Illusion Arts Inc; Makeup and Effects Laboratories Inc; Metrolight Studios; Pacific Data Images; Pacific Titles Digital; Rhythm & Hues; The Post Group
Batwing Underwater Sequence: Blue Sky / VIFX

DESIGN AND SET CONSTRUCTION
Production Designer: Barbara Ling
Art Directors: Christopher Burian-Mohr, Joseph P. Lucky

LOCATIONS
Locations: Corbett Hill Circle, Portland, Oregon, USA; Long Beach, California, USA; Los Angeles, California, USA; New York City, New York, USA; Tel-Aviv, Israel; Webb Institute of Naval Architecture, Glen Cove, Long Island, New York, USA; Warner Brothers Studios, Burbank, California, USA

STUNTS
Stunt Co-Ordinator: Conrad Palmisano
Stunts: Keith Campbell, Dana Hee, Bruce Barbour, Cynthia Blessington, Dana Bertolette, Jack West, Richard Blackwell, Tricia Peters, John Ashker (uncredited), John Koyama (uncredited), Alex Plasschaert, Allen Robinson , Barbara Anne Klein, Blaise Corrigan, Diamond Farnsworth, Diana Cuevas, Douglas Crosby, Gary Morgan, George Aguilar, Harry Wowchuk, Julie Michaels, Kiante Elam, Kim Robert Koscki, Leah Creed, Linda Fetters, Michael Worth, Ousaun Elam, Roger Creed, Scott McElroy, Scott R. Fisher, Scott Waugh, Tim Chitwood, Tony Snegoff

CAST
Val Kilmer (Batman / Bruce Wayne)
Tommy Lee Jones (Two-Face / Harvey Dent)
Jim Carrey The Riddler / Edward Nygma)
Nicole Kidman (Dr Chase Meridian)
Chris O'Donnell (Robin / Dick Grayson)
Michael Gough (Alfred Pennyworth)
Pat Hingle (Commissioner Gordon)
Drew Barrymore (Sugar)
Debi Mazar (Spice)
Elizabeth Sanders (Gossip Gerty)
Rene Auberjonois (Dr Burton)
Joe Grifasi (bank guard)
Philip Moon (newscaster)
Jessica Tuck (female newscaster)

Batman does battle with The Riddler, a deranged neuro-scientist with vengeance in mind, and bitter and twisted former DA Harvey Dent, aka Two Face. He's also pursued by rubber-fetishist psychologist Dr Chase Meridian while alter ego Bruce Wayne becomes the focus of the altogether less welcome attentions of The Riddler and Two Face, both of whom have scores to settle. Along the way, Wayne takes on his 'youthful ward' Dick Grayson who soon dons his own costume to become Batman's sidekick, Robin, Together, the dynamic duo go head to head with Two Face and The Riddler who plans to corrupt Gotham with his television based brainwashing device.

The beginning of the end for the Batman franchise. It's an energetic and entertaining film in its own right, but the series was on the slippery slope that would lead it from the darkness of the Tim Burton directed films to the garrish inconsequentiality of the dreadful Batman and Robin (1997). That said, although it's despised by some, who saw it as a betrayal of the franchise, Batman Forever remains a likeable film - loud, brash and often an offence to the eye, it really shouldn't have worked, but somehow it does.

Argentina
Theatrical Distributor: Warner Brothers
Video Distributor: Argentina Video Home

Germany
Theatrical Distributor: Warner Brother Gmbh
DVD Distributor: Warner Home Video (15100)

Japan
DVD Distributor: Warner Home Video (DL-13666)

Spain
Theatrical Distributor: Warner Española S.A.

UK
Theatrical Distributor: Warner Brothers

USA
Theatrical Distributor: Warner Brothers
Laserdisc Distributor: Warner Home Video (15100)
DVD Distributor: Warner Home Video (15100)

Argentina
Rating: 13

Australia
Rating: PG

Finland
Rating: K-12

France
Rating: U

Germany
Rating: 12

Norway
Rating: 11

Portugal
Rating: M/12

Spain
Rating: 13

Sweden
Rating: 11

UK
Rating: PG
Theatrical and video releases are cut by 1 minute and 38 seconds, removing a scene where Edward Nygma removes the brainwave device from his employer; much of the more violent action in the climax; and some sound effects which had to be toned down.

USA
Rating: PG-13 (for strong stylized action)

1996
Academy Awards
Best Achievement in Cinematography - nominated
Best Achievement in Sound - nominated
Best Achievement in Sound Effects Editing - nominated

American Society of Cinematographers, USA
Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography in Theatrical Releases (Stephen Goldblatt) - nominated

Brit Awards
Best Soundtrack - winner

Golden Globes, USA
Best Original Song - Motion Picture (U2 (music), Bono (lyrics) for Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me) - nominated

MTV Movie Awards
Best Movie Song (U2 for Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me; Seal for Kiss From a Rose) - nominated
Best Villain (Jim Carrey; Tommy Lee Jones) - nominated
Most Desirable Female (Nicole Kidman) - nominated

Razzie Awards
Worst Original Song (U2 (music), Bono (lyrics) for Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me) - nominated

1995
June
16: Canada - theatrical release
16: USA - theatrical release
17: Japan - theatrical release
23: Spain - theatrical release
28: Belgium - theatrical release
29: Australia - theatrical release
29: Colombia - theatrical release
29: Hong Kong - theatrical release
29: Puerto Rico - theatrical release
30: New Zealand - theatrical release
30: South Africa - theatrical release
30: Uruguay - theatrical release

July
1: Taiwan - theatrical release
6: Chile - theatrical release
7: Brazil - theatrical release
14: Mexico - theatrical release
14: Norway - theatrical release
14: Sweden - theatrical release
14: UK - theatrical release
15: Korea - theatrical release
17: Thailand - theatrical release
18: Bolivia - theatrical release
19: France - theatrical release
19: Venezuela - theatrical release
20: Argentina - theatrical release
21: Finland - theatrical release
26: Philippines - theatrical release
27: Peru - theatrical release
28: Switzerland - theatrical release

August
3: Germany - theatrical release
4: Austria - theatrical release
4: Denmark - theatrical release
4: Israel - theatrical release
4: Portugal - theatrical release
9: Singapore - theatrical release
15: India - theatrical release
15: Indonesia - theatrical release
17: Trinidad - theatrical release
24: Netherlands - theatrical release
24: Slovenia - theatrical release
25: Estonia - theatrical release

September
1: Hungary - theatrical release
21: Croatia - theatrical release
21: Slovakia - theatrical release
22: Poland - theatrical release
28: Czech Republic - theatrical release

October
13: Bulgaria - theatrical release
27: Greece - theatrical release
31: USA - laserdisc release (Warner Home Video (15100))

1997
May
20: USA - DVD release (Warner Home Video (15100))

July
1: Japan - DVD release (Warner Home Video (DL-13666))

1999
March
31: Germany - DVD release (Warner Home Video (15100))

Courage now, truth always...

SEQUEL TO
Batman (1989)
Batman Returns (1992)

SEQUELS
Batman and Robin (1997)
Batman Begins (2005)

SEE ALSO
Batman (1966)
Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls (1995)
French and Saunders: 25 January 1996
Nowhere (1997)
Mystery Men (1999)

MAGAZINES

Bild & Bubbla no.148 (March 2000 pp.18-26)
article (Batman på film by David Haglund)

Diário de Notícias 10 February 1999 p.54
review

Empire August 1995 p.28
review (by Ian Nathan)

Empire June 1999 p.154
review (by Adam Smith)

FilmMagasinet December / January 1995 / 1996 p.78
review (by Kathrine Kristiansen)

Film Review April 1996 p.9
review

O Independente, Vida 4 August 1995
review (by Paulo Nogueira); interviews with Val Kilmer, Nicole Kidman, Chris O'Donnell and Tommy Lee Jones (by Rui Henriques Coimbra)

Premiere (UK) July 1995 p.14
review

Première (France) August 1995 p.20
review (by Eric Libiot)

Screen International 27 May 1994 p.2
note

Studio July / August 1995 p.14
review (by Laurent Tirard)

Svenska Dagbladet 14 July 1995
review (TV-serien bättre än Batman III by Jeanette Gentele)

Video Watchdog 31 pp.8-10
illustrated review

Vox August 1995 pp.105, 108-109
review

BOOKS

The BFI Companion to Crime p.45
review

acrobats, batman, comic into film, circuses, dc comics, disfigurement, forensic psychologists, helicopters, secret identities, sequels, superheroes

Last Updated: 15 October, 2008