Batman: Mask of the Phantasm
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Batman Mask of Phantasm (Keep Case)
Batman: Mask of the Phantasm (also known as Batman: The Animated Movie) is a 1993 animated superhero film based on the character DC Comics character Batman. Eric Radomski and Bruce Timm directed the film, which stars Kevin Conroy as Batman, as well as Dana Delany, Hart Bochner, Mark Hamill, Abe Vigoda, and Stacy Keach. The film's storyline introduces Andrea Beaumont, an old love interest of Bruce Wayne, who returns to Gotham City, restarting their romance as well. At the same time, a mysterious murderer begins systematically eliminating Gotham's crime bosses, and due to the person's dark appearance, he is mistaken for Batman. Now on the run, Batman must solve the mystery and deal with the romance between himself and Andrea. The character Reaper and some of the "Year Two" storyline formed the inspiration for the Batman animated movie, though the character was changed to the Phantasm because scythe-killings were considered too gruesome for the film
Development for the film started after the success of Batman: The Animated Series. Warner Bros. assigned Alan Burnett to write the story, and Burnett collaborated with writers Paul Dini, Michael Reaves, and Martin Pasko. The original idea was to release the film as direct-to-video, but the studio decided for a theatrical release, giving the filmmakers a strenuous eight-month schedule. Batman: Mask of the Phantasm was released with positive critical success, but resulted into a dismal box office due to the decision to release the film in theatres on such short notice. Mask of the Phantasm has since found success with home video and DVD releases.
Plot
During a conference of crime bosses held in a Gotham City skyscraper, gangster Chuckie Sol is killed when a mysterious cloaked figure bursts in on the meeting. Batman is blamed for the death. Councilman Arthur Reeves tells the media that Batman is an irresponsible menace, then attends a party at the mansion of millionaire playboy Bruce Wayne, Batman's alter ego. Reeves jokingly taunts Bruce for having allowed an old girlfriend, Andrea Beaumont, to get away.
In a flashback to Bruce's college days, we see him meet Andrea in a cemetery while visiting his parents' grave. Bruce has vowed to avenge his parents' murder by dedicating his life to fighting crime. He dons a mask and black ninja-styled outfit and foils an armored car robbery, but is discouraged that the criminals do not fear him. Around the same time, he begins a romance with Andrea.
Back in the present, another mobster murder by the cloaked figure is pinned on Batman, moving sickly mob boss Salvatore Valestra to hire the Joker to kill the superhero. After inspecting the crime scene, Batman visits the Wayne family grave and is seen by Andrea, who realizes his secret identity. This prompts another flashback, in which Bruce and Andrea are enjoying themselves at the Gotham Expo (exhibition)|World's Fair. Bruce meets her father, Carl Beaumont, a businessman with ties to Valestra. Later, deciding that crime fighting and relationships don't mix, Bruce asks his parents for a sign that they'll forgive him for forsaking his vow. As if in answer, Andrea arrives at the site. Their relationship continues to grow, and when Bruce proposes to her in the backyard of the Wayne Manor, bats fly up out of a crack in the ground and momentarily surround them. The next day, Bruce is investigating the underground bat cave when Alfred arrives with a note from Andrea breaking off their engagement and bidding him farewell forever. Heartbroken, Bruce resumes his war on crime, turning the cave into a headquarters and wearing a fearsome uniform based on a bat. Alfred is visibly frightened by the sight of Bruce in the uniform, and Batman is born.
In the present, Batman has discovered evidence linking Beaumont with a number of organized crime figures. The mysterious cloaked figure targets Valestra, but is beaten to the punch by the unstable Joker; Batman is blamed again and has a close call with the police. Rescuing Batman in her car, Andrea explains that she and her father had been hiding in Europe, from the mob, to whom he owed a lot of money. Beaumont eventually repaid them, but that did not satisfy them. Batman believes that Andrea's father may be the Phantasm, until he learns that Beaumont was murdered some time before.
In a tussle with the Joker, the cloaked figure is revealed to be Andrea, intent on avenging her father's death by killing the mobsters to whom he owed money. During the course of their struggle, Batman arrives. Bruce begs Andrea to give up her desire for revenge but she refuses stating that they ruined her chances with Bruce and that he himself is constantly fighting for revenge. Andrea vanishes and Batman battles with the Joker in a miniaturized replica of Gotham City. After a protracted battle, both the Joker and Andrea disappear in the confusion of fire and smoke, with Batman barely escaping into a waterway before a series of rigged explosions.
Back in the Batcave, a heartbroken Bruce receives consolation from Alfred stating that no one could have helped Andrea. Bruce finds the locket with Bruce and Andrea in it in the cave. Meanwhile, Andrea stands on the deck of an ocean liner, alone. The final scene shows Batman standing alone on top of a building, still in grief. The Bat-Signal emerges in the distance and Batman flies into action.
Voice cast
- Kevin Conroy as Bruce Wayne / Batman: A billionaire industrialist whose parents were killed by a mugger when he was eight years old. After traveling the world for several years to seek the means to fight injustice, he returns to Gotham. At night, Bruce becomes Batman, Gotham City's secret vigilante protector.
- Dana Delany as Andrea Beaumont / The Phantasm: A woman Bruce meets in the early years of his return to Gotham after traveling the world. The decision to propose to her in marriage leads to him abandoning his plans for becoming a vigilante. However, after she unexpectedly and mysteriously leaves, Bruce's anger leads to his becoming Batman. Delany's voice performance in the film impressed the filmmakers, leading to her casting as Lois Lane in Superman: The Animated Series.
- Hart Bochner as City Councilman Arthur Reeves: A corrupt city official who was once an interim for Carl Beaumont (before "selling his name to the mob"). He later becomes involved with Valestra's gang in order to gain the influence to enter City Council, and is poisoned by The Joker. His last appearance is at the Gotham City Mental Hospital, recovering from the effect of exposure to the Joker's poisonous chemicals. Because he was desperate for money during his first election campaign, he sold out Beaumont's hiding place in Europe to the Valestra mob.
- Efrem Zimbalist, Jr. as Alfred Pennyworth: Once the trusted butler to Bruce Wayne's parents, he continues his loyal service to their son after their deaths. He is Bruce Wayne's closest confidante.
- Mark Hamill as The Joker: Once an assassin for Valestra (and responsible for the murder of Carl Beaumont) who later hideously transformed into his more recognizable appearance. His identity is still unknown, as he was never referred to by name. Valestra hires him to kill Batman, and is later killed by him. Mark Hamill claims he took the opportunity of reprising his role from The Animated Series by way of creating new "laughing vocabularies".
- Abe Vigoda as Salvatore "The Wheezer" Valestra: A powerful crime boss who practically forces Carl Beaumont to leave. Once Andrea returns, he's nearly dying with the effects of aging. Fearing his death due to the murders of other crime bosses, he hires The Joker to kill Batman. In the end, he himself is killed by The Joker.
- Stacy Keach as Carl Beaumont: Andrea's father who made deals with the Valestra gang. He goes in debt to Valestra and flees to Europe with Andrea, but is later murdered. Keach also provided the voice for the Phantasm.
- Robert Costanzo as Detective Harvey Bullock: A police detective of the Gotham City Police Department who is highly cautious and questions Batman's vigilantism.
- Dick Miller as Charles "Chuckie" Sol: A crime boss who falls as the first victim to The Phantasm.
- John P. Ryan as Buzz Bronski: A crime boss who seemed to have had a brief partnership with Chuckie Sol whom Buzz disliked. He is later killed by The Phantasm at the graveyard while visiting Sol's grave.
- Bob Hastings as Commissioner James Gordon: The police commissioner of Gotham City who refuses to go after Batman, believing Batman wasn't responsible for any of the killings done by The Phantasm.
Production
Impressed by the success of the first season of Batman: The Animated Series, Warner Bros. assigned Alan Burnett to write a story for a full-length animated film. Although The Joker does play a pivotal role in the film, it was Burnett's intention to tell a story far removed from the television show's regular rogues gallery. Burnett also cited he "wanted to do a love story with Bruce because no one had really done it on the TV show. I wanted a story that got into his head." The writers were highly cautious of placing The Joker in the film as they didn't want any connection to Tim Burton's Batman (1989), however, writer Michael Reaves quoted, "We then realized that we could make his appearance serve the story in a way that we never could in live-action." Aiding Burnett in writing the script were, Martin Pasko, who handled most of the flashback segments, Michael Reaves, who wrote the climax (narrative)|climax, and Paul Dini, who claims he "filled in holes here and there". Citizen Kane (1941) served as an influence for the flashbacks, a story about loss and the passage of time.