Batman Returns

**Batman Returns** is a UK VHS release by Warner Home Video. It was released simultaneously on Rental and Sell Through on 4th December 1992. It was re-released by Warner Home Video on 10th July 1995, and again on 23rd June 1997.

## Description

Batman – and Michael Keaton – return to the screen in the record breaking and gripping epic adventure that pits the Dark Knight of Gotham City against an array of diabolical villains – the vicious Penguin (Danny DeVito) with his umbrellaful of evil tricks, the sensuous and mysterious feline temptress, Catwoman (Michelle Pfeiffer) and the scheming mega-billionaire Max Shreck (Christopher Walken).

## Cast

* Michael Keaton as Bruce Wayne / Batman: The protector of Gotham City and the Caped Crusader. Bruce struggles with his dual identity as a crime fighter, becoming romantically involved with Selina Kyle, alias Catwoman. Keaton earned $11 million for reprising his role as the Caped Crusader as director Tim Burton thought that Keaton deserved it. *Batman Returns* was Keaton's final film as Batman, as he was subsequently replaced by Val Kilmer and George Clooney in *Batman Forever* and *Batman & Robin*, respectively.
* Danny DeVito as Oswald Cobblepot / The Penguin: A psychopathic, deformed man born as Oswald Cobblepot who was abandoned by his parents when he was a baby. Raised by penguins of an abandoned zoo, he returns for revenge thirty-three years later as leader of the Red Triangle Circus Gang after being cheated by businessman Max Shreck. DeVito was suggested for the role by his friend Jack Nicholson after the financial success of the first film, in which Nicholson played the Joker. According to DeVito, "It was four-and-a-half hours of makeup and getting into the costume. We got it down to three hours by the end of the shoot". Dustin Hoffman was originally the first choice to play the Penguin, but he declined. Apart from Hoffman, Marlon Brando, John Candy, Bob Hoskins, Ralph Waite, Dean Martin, Dudley Moore, Alan Rickman, John Goodman, Phil Collins, Charles Grodin, Christopher Lee, Joe Pesci, Ray Liotta, Gabriel Byrne, Alex Rocco and Christopher Lloyd were all considered for the part before DeVito got it.
* Michelle Pfeiffer as Selina Kyle / Catwoman: A normal woman who becomes a criminal after being almost killed by her boss Max Shreck, who later decides to try everything to kill her. She is held as a femme fatale in the most of the film. According to Michelle Pfeiffer, who was previously considered to play Vicki Vale in the previous film but turned down due to reportedly being in a relationship with Michael Keaton at the time, she felt devastated after Annette Bening was cast as Catwoman. However, Bening became pregnant, allowing Pfeiffer to get the role. Pfeiffer's $3 million salary was $2 million more than was offered to Bening. To prepare for the role, Pfeiffer attended kickboxing classes and practised handling a whip (during which she accidentally cut her teacher's chin). Susan Sarandon, Meryl Streep (who was considered "too old" by Burton),[6] Brooke Shields(who Burton considered "not bankable"), Demi Moore, Nicole Kidman (who ended up playing Dr. Chase Meridian in *Batman Forever*), Jodie Foster, Geena Davis, Sigourney Weaver, Lena Olin, singer Madonna, Raquel Welch, Cher, Ellen Barkin, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Lorraine Bracco, Bridget Fonda and Jennifer Beals were also considered for the role, but they lost out to Pfeiffer.
* Christopher Walken as Max Shreck: A wealthy businessman and industrialist known as "The Santa Claus of Gotham". He is obsessed with building a power chemical plant in Gotham City, but when both Bruce Wayne and the Mayor of Gotham City deny his idea, he decides to help Oswald Cobblepot to become the new mayor of Gotham City for his plans. Apart from being the father of Chip Shreck and presumably killing his wife to gain her money, Shreck is also the former employer of Selina Kyle, who wants to kill him following his attempt to kill her. The character was created by writer Daniel Waters and named in-joke after the late German actor Max Schreck, who starred in *Nosferatu*. Apart from this, Shreck fulfils what would have been Harvey Dent's role if Billy Dee Williams hadn't opted out this film. Singer David Bowie, who was previously considered to play the Joker in the first film, was in contention for the role of Shreck, but he declined in order to appear in David Lynch's *Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me*.
* Michael Gough as Alfred Pennyworth: The Wayne family's butler and Batman's accomplice, who has helped and raised him since his parents' death. Along with Pat Hingle, Gough was one of the few actors who appeared in all four films of the initial *Batman* film series.
* Pat Hingle as Commissioner James Gordon: Commissioner of the Police Department of Gotham City. Along with Michael Gough, Hingle was one of the few actors who appeared in all four films of the initial *Batman* film series.
* Michael Murphy as The Mayor: The unnamed mayor of Gotham City. He doesn't like Max Shreck's idea to build a nuclear power plant in Gotham City. His son is later kidnapped by the Red Triangle Circus Gang, only to be "saved" by the Penguin.
* Vincent Schiavelli as The Organ Grinder: A member of the Red Triangle Circus Gang and the Penguin's right-hand man. He carries an organ grinder as his main weapon. He survives all three attacks on Gotham City, but is captured and presumably interrogated by Batman during the Penguin's final attempt to take over Gotham City.
* Andrew Bryniarski as Charles "Chip" Shreck: Son of Max Shreck and his late wife. Apart from being the heir of Max's business, he is brave enough to do everything he can to defend his father, such as ordering him to flee as he helps other Gotham City residents to retain members of the Red Triangle Circus Gang.
* Cristi Conaway as The Ice Princess: A Christmas-themed beauty queen and model of Gotham City.
* Rick Zumwalt as The Tattooed Strongman: A member of the Red Triangle Circus Gang. He survives the first attack on Gotham City, but is killed during the second attack by one of his bombs when Batman throws him into a hole before the explosion.
* Anna Katarina as The Poodle Lady: A member of the Red Triangle Circus Gang. She survives all three attacks on Gotham City, but she runs away along her poodle to escape from Batman during the third attack, abandoning her teammates.
* Paul Reubens as The Penguin's Father (Tucker Cobblepot): The father of Oswald Cobblepot and husband of Esther Cobblepot. He and his wife abandoned their son by throwing him into Gotham City's park river after realizing that he could be a danger to society after he killed their cat. Burgess Meredith, the actor who played the Penguin in the 1960s *Batman* TV series, was originally asked to play Tucker, but he declined due his health problems which culminated with his death in 1997. Reubens would later reprise his role as the Penguin's father in the 2016 second season of the television series *Gotham*, though named Elijah Van Dahl and set in a different continuity.
* Diane Salinger as The Penguin's Mother (Esther Cobblepot): The mother of Oswald Cobblepot and wife of Tucker Cobblepot. She and her husband abandoned their son by throwing him into Gotham City's park river after realizing that he could be a danger to society after he killed their cat.

## Credits

Warner Bros. Presents

A Tim Burton Film

Michael Keaton, Danny De Vito, Michelle Pfeiffer, Christopher Walken

Batman Returns

Based Upon Characters Appearing In Magazines Published By DC Comics, Inc.

Michael Gough, Pat Hingle, Michael Murphy, Vincent Schiavelli, Andrew Bryniarski, Christi Conaway

Casting Marion Dougherty

Special Penguin Makeup & Effects Produced By Stan Winston

Costume Designers Bob Ringwood & Mary Vogt

Music By Danny Elfman

Film Editor Chris Lebenzon

Production Designer Bo Welch

Director Of Photography Stefan Lzapsky

Co-Producer Larry Franco

Executive Producers Jon Peters and Peter Guber

Executive Producers Benjamin Melniker and Michael E. Uslan

Based On Batman Characters Created By Bob Kane

Screenplay By Daniel Waters, Story By Daniel Waters and Sam Hamm

Produced By Denise Di Novi & Tim Burton

Directed By Tim Burton

## Trailers and info

### Rental 1992 Release

1. Casablanca (Buy the Video for Your Collection)
2. Blue Ice
3. The Power of One
4. Time Trax (Coming Soon from Warner Bros.)
5. Kung Fu: A Legend Reborn (Coming Soon from Warner Bros.)
6. Unforgiven
7. Lethal Weapon 3
8. Under Siege (Coming to a Cinema Near You in January)
9. VSC 15 Warning (White Background)

### 1997 Re-release

1. Batman and Robin (Summer 1997)
2. Space Jam
3. VSC 15 Warning (Warner Home Video)