I first saw Batman Returns in 1992 when it was released in theaters. I was 10 years old then, and to this day it remains my favorite movie of all time. Sure, it has all the elements of a good movie - action, romance, comedy - but I also think it's a really good psychological study as well. I like seeing how a person transforms from one thing to another and am fascinated by the concept of dual personalities. That's what a lot of movies today are missing - character development and insight into the motivations behind their actions. It will really get you thinking about the thin line that separates mental instability from sheer brilliance (for both heroes and villains alike). I have never followed the comics, so I can't compare these characterizations to how they're traditionally "supposed" to be, but at this point I have a difficult time picturing Catwoman, The Penguin, and even Batman himself, any other way. Perfect casting all around.
Having gone through a VHS copy years ago and acquiring multiple DVD editions since, I was thrilled to see that Batman Returns has finally been released on Blu-Ray, separate from last year's franchise box set which I didn't really want to shell out the money for. The generous special features included here are identical to the most recent 2-disc DVD special edition that includes a 1992 behind the scenes featurette along with some other Batman related documentaries. You'll also find the official music video for "Face To Face," the lusciously hypnotic Siouxsie and the Banshees song that plays in the background during Shreck's Max-squerade Ball scene. All this is contained on just one disc, which is nice. Unfortunately, beyond the slightly improved sound and sharper picture, which may or may not be noticeable depending on your TV set, I `ll have to admit there isn't much else for incentives *if* you already have the special edition DVD. A cast retrospective would have been great to see on this new Blu-Ray version, but alas, no such luck. As I said, it's my favorite movie, so I wanted it to be as high-def and up-to-date as possible, and most definitely consider the Blu-Ray release to be worthy of 5 stars in and of itself. But if you're a more casual fan then there's probably no need to buy virtually the same thing twice. Otherwise, get it now!Get more detail about Batman Returns [Blu-ray].
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