So I watched the show, then I turned on the commentary, and there were some really good things said, and I just needed to share them. The three people doing the commentary were:- Gregory Noveck of DC Comics (Sr VP- Creative Affairs)
- Kevin Conroy, voice extraordinaire of Batman (mmm... what a yummy voice)
- Denny O'Neil, "writer & editor of Batman comics for a long time"
My comments are in () and stage notes are in []
Story #1 - "Have I Got a Story for You"
GN: [Batman turns away into the mist and is all mysterious and Batman-y] When Batman walks away in that last piece, I always like to think of that as the Mean Joe Green, "Have a Coke and a smile" moment.
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DO: It was the genius of the guys who first created Batman to make him look evil. Really, he looks like a medieval demon. But he's on our side. Well, we're fascinated by evil, and it's a way of having your mythic cake and eating it. He's a dark, tormented figure, but he's a good guy.
KC: And it's interesting you mentioned Hamlet earlier, because when I first auditioned for the job in '92, I didn't have any exposure to the Dark Knight. And I was really pretty naive about Batman, but I had trained at Julliard for the classical stage and had done lots of Shakespeare. And I happened to be in LA on another job, and they suggested I go in on this. And when they were describing to me what the character was, his background, avenging his parents' death, living in the shadows, dark tortured soul, the first thing I said was, "You're doing the Hamlet story!" (Go, Hamlet!)
Story #2 - "Crossfire"
GN: If you are listening to this commentary, I will take it on faith that you are a big fan... (haha, like anyone else would be listening to the commentary track on a comic-book animated movie?)
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KC: I'm always amazed at how powerfully people react to this story, to these characters. I've told this story before, I don't know if you've heard it: I live in New York, and after the 9/11 incident everyone was doing what they could to volunteer. And I called up and I found out they really needed restaurant workers to feed all the relief workers. And I said, "Well, I'm an actor, of course I have restaurant experience, what do you need?" [chuckles] So I ended up doing the night shift cooking for the relief work down there. And after a few nights into that first week, one of the other cooks said to me, "My day job is I'm an architect, what's your day job?" And I said, "Well, I'm an actor." And he said "You do some special kind of acting? I recognize your name." I said, "Well, I do voice work." And he said "I knew it! I knew it! You're Batman!" And I said "Well, that's amazing you know my name" He said, "Oh, this is amazing! You're not gonna believe it, the guys are gonna freak out! Can I tell everyone?" And I said, "No one's gonna know it, no one's gonna know... it won't make any difference." So he goes into the dining hall, and up until then, you can imagine, that first week was pretty dismal, a really somber atmosphere. And he goes, "Guys, guys you're not gonna believe who's been cooking your dinners every night... It's Batman!" And there was this long silence, and then you hear "BULL!" from the back of the auditorium, and someone else says "PROVE IT!" So, from the kitchen, this was great, I got challenged, so I say, [goes into dramatic Batman voice] "I am vengeance, I am the night, I AM BATMAN!" And there was this silence, and from the dining hall you hear, "HOLY CRAP! That IS Batman!" And all these cops and firemen come streaming back into the kitchen and they're like, "Aw, you know that episode when you and the Joker... and when this happened and that happened... and when Commissioner Gordon did that... my son and I have been watching..." And people started laughing and carrying on for the first time in days. And that guy that had recognized me, that architect, leans over to me in the kitchen, and says "So how does it feel to be Santa Claus?" You know it's amazing, I had never seen that reaction in a crowd before. He says, "You got people laughing and carrying on in here, and it's all because of Batman."
Story #3 - "Field Test"
DO: [Scene where characters are playing golf in a downtown course; you can see the skyscrapers over the treeline] There's no golf course in Central Park. My God, that looks like Central Park!
KC: Haha, Can you imagine the acreage that would be required? The most expensive golf course in the world!
[after a pause]
GN: I think we brought out some clubs to Sheep's Meadow once when I was a kid... That and a lot of Frisbees and hackey sacks.
DO: Oh yeah.
KC: Lotta Frisbees.
GN: My guess is that Bruce Wayne never played hackey sack.
KC: [thoughtfully] Nooo... a little too light hearted, I would think.
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DO: [dark, misty, foggy, harbor scene; barely-visible illuminated skyline in the background] THAT'S our Gotham City, a place of fog and mystery. [discussion leads to the evolution of Gotham as its own character with a distinct personality] What I always say is that Metropolis is New York City on June 25, in Sheep's Meadow, on a nice day with kids playing. And Gotham City is New York City below 14th street on the coldest night of the year, and it's 3 in the morning and you're kinda lost... and then you hear footsteps. That's Gotham.
Story #4 - "In Darkness Dwells" (best cape-work out of all six episodes, in my opinion)
DO: [foggy, misty Gotham overhead shot] And if it were that cloudy, the Batsignal would actually work!
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GN: [Batman is having a conversation with Gordon, while hanging upside-down like a bat] This is pretty skillful in and of itself. A, he's keeping his cape straight up... or straight down-
DO: Starch!
GN: And second, he's reaching back behind him, handing this little thing... [a radio com-link for Gordon to wear]
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GN: [Batman has just been infected with a hallucinogenic toxin] I don't think there's anything more dangerous than a hallucinating Batman.
KC: Imagine what comes out of his imagination.
Story #5 - "Working Through the Pain"
GN: Quick costume change from the last piece, but still bleeding. (poor Batman)
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DO: I've always thought that violence is a tool that Batman doesn't know how to replace, and that he takes no joy in using.
Story #6 - "Dead Shot"
DO: [Scene of Bruce exercising in a massive home gym] I've lived in towns smaller than this version of Wayne Manor!
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DO: [Final scene of episode, Wayne Manor living room] Citizen Kane's living room!
GN: Wayne Manor's never depicted as warm and welcoming, is it?
DO: No, never.
GN: It's always kind of cold and empty.
DO: Yup. Another metaphor for Bruce Wayne's life.
KC: ... Rosebud...
GN: [ignoring Kevin Conroy's mutter] You think Alfred's ever tried to spruce it up and give it some color, or he's more interested in preserving the way it was?
DO: I think Alfred's got a lot of stuff to do every day. I mean, think about what his workday must be! He just doesn't have time to play interior decorator on top of his other jobs.
Final synopsis: Kevin Conroy's voice is like a velvet snuggle-blanket. You just want to wrap it around yourself and cuddle in it. I love his voice! He could read the phone book to me and I would be happy. :) Besides, who doesn't love Batman?
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