These days superhero movies feel like they are released every other week and unless you are fully invested, it's easy to feel a little fatigued and a bit confused when trying to keep up with everything going on in the Marvel or DC universes.
But back in 1989 comic book and movie fans couldn't wait to get their eyes on Tim Burton's Batman, starring Michael Keaton as Batman, Jack Nicholson as the Joker and Kim Basinger as reporter Vicki Vale.
It was the first time the Caped Crusader had been on the big screen since the 1966 movie starring Adam West and was a far more darker and gritty take on the character than what many would have previously associated with the character.
The film was a huge hit and still stands the test of time and is rightfully uttered in the same breath as the much-celebrated takes on Batman such as The Dark Knight.
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One of the lasting legacies of the film, as well as the pitch-perfect performances, was the awe-inspiring Gotham City set that was one of the largest ever built at the Pinewood Studios in England. The whole production and feel of the film are reminiscent of the silent epics from the early 20th century such as Intolerance or Greed which brings us nicely on to the purpose of this story.
Screenwriter and documentary filmmaker Ben Crew has gone viral on Twitter after he reimagined the entirety of Burton's film as a silent movie epic complete with a reinterpretation of Danny Elfman's original score (Prince's 'Partyman' is still in there), dialogue cards and the proper colour filters that are so associated with the early days of filmmaking.
Crew shared a short clip from the film in response to a question about people's favourite silent movies and it has since been viewed more than 600,000 times.
\u201cThis is kind of cheating, but I edited Tim Burton's Batman (1989) into a silent film and I rewatch it so often. One of my favorite creative exercises I've ever done, speaks to Burton's visual genius that the film still works so well without sound.\u201d— Ben Crew - Muppets Gatsby (@Ben Crew - Muppets Gatsby) 1664465907
For obvious legal reasons, the entire movie can't be shared on YouTube or Google Drive without violating copyright laws but it can be viewed or downloaded via the Internet Archive.
If you prefer a more unorthodox method of watching the film you can view it on a single 60 tweet thread on Twitter.
\u201cBatman: The Silent Motion Picture\n"Opening Credits/A Night in Gotham"\n(1/60)\u201d— Batman: The Silent Motion Picture (@Batman: The Silent Motion Picture) 1664582507
After the footage from the film went viral, Crew wrote: "There has been a lot of great feedback from people interested in hosting screenings and I will keep y'all up to date! Thanks again for all the kind words and love you've shared. This was made out of a love for Burton and film history and it feels amazing to see that love shared."
Crew wasn't done there though and has also shared a clip of Burton's sequel Batman Returns, starring Michelle Pfeiffer as Catwoman and Danny DeVito as The Penguin.
\u201cUPDATE: Oh my GOD, my DM requests. \nI am thrilled that so many of you want to see "Batman: The Silent Motion Picture" but the Dropbox link got too much traffic and died. You guys will see the movie! Follow me and I will share a new link this week\nUntil then here is Batman Returns\u201d— Ben Crew - Muppets Gatsby (@Ben Crew - Muppets Gatsby) 1664487314
Earlier this year a similar editing trick on a Batman movie also went viral when the latest movie The Batman, saw its star Robert Pattinson replaced with Adam West.
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