Favourite live action depiction of Gotham (1989-2022)

[Cherry Pepsi Maxil]

What's your personal favourite Gotham City depicted in the Batman films (actual Batman films rather than films that just feature Batman i.e. Batman v Superman or television shows) between the 1989 Tim Burton film and the 2022 Matt Reeves film. 

I'm unsure whether or not to break Burton's Gotham into two since the Gotham in Batman Returns is so different visually to the first one. It's still the same place, but I personally find the set design inferior to the first. I'd definitely vote for the 1989 Gotham as my favourite just because of the scale of it and the fact that the sets are absolutely sublime. I'll give voters the opportunity to vote for both Burton Gothams together as some may see it differently to myself. 

I love Schumacher's Gotham probably because it appeals to my love of camp and neon. The naked statues are probably a bit much, but I generally love the look of the films. Joel's Arkham is also my personal favourite visually. After that I'd go for the Reeves version. Rainy, bleak and as Bernard said it feels very lived in.

[Bernard Marx]

I’d also separate Batman Begins from the other two Nolan films, purely because Gotham is more stylised and run down (ala, Blade Runner) than it would later become (with Chicago standing in for the city in every sequence).

It’s a competition between the original Burton depiction and the Reeves depiction for me. I’ll opt for the former, solely because it was instrumental in influencing the aesthetic of the Animated Series and achieves the strongest balance between stylisation and believability (a balance which I thought the sequel lost; regardless of how visually and aurally accomplished Batman Returns is, I can never become fully immersed in the film because virtually everything is heightened into the realm of a tonally incongruent Tim Burton fantasy).

[Cherry Pepsi Maxil]

Oct 8, 2024 13:32:35 GMT Bernard Marx said:

I’d also separate Batman Begins from the other two Nolan films, purely because Gotham is more stylised and run down (ala, Blade Runner) than it would later become (with Chicago standing in for the city in every sequence).

It’s a competition between the original Burton depiction and the Reeves depiction for me. I’ll opt for the former, solely because it was instrumental in influencing the aesthetic of the Animated Series and achieves the strongest balance between stylisation and believability (a balance which I thought the sequel lost; regardless of how visually and aurally accomplished Batman Returns is, I can never become fully immersed in the film because virtually everything is heightened into the realm of a tonally incongruent Tim Burton fantasy).

The problem with Returns is that it almost always feels like a studio. There are obvious drapes in some scenes. Batman's Gotham always felt a lot bigger to me through the combination of matte paintings, model work and Anton Furst's unbelievable set design which quite rightfully won him an Academy Award. 

[rushy]

Batman 1989 is an iconic look for Gotham. I kinda like the neon city from Batman Forever too. Every other version is forgettable to me. I haven't seen The Batman.

[iank]

Returns. Love the fairytale aesthetic.