Remember that 100 film bucket list, I was telling you about?
Well the second film to scratch off is the “Dark Knight” starring Christian Bale as the ‘caped crusader’. It is of course famed for Heath Ledger’s ‘Joker’ performance and I have got to admit he made the character once played by Caesar Romero, when I was a kid, now he was really scary.
I know I have seen this film before, but for life of me, I just couldn’t remember what happened, so it refreshed for me, the film score. The music of course is by Hans Zimmer, (who seemingly writes everything for big movies) and I noticed the Peaky Blinder, himself Thomas Shelby aka Cillian Murphy appearing as the Scarecrow.
It’s amazing really what you don’t spot the first time you watch a movie. I recalled that Tommy Lee Jones had previously played ‘Twoface’ but couldn't recall why he was called that and was moved by Harvey Dent’s love for Rachel Dawes now played by Maggie Gyllenhaal (previously she had been Katie Holmes);who he truly loved and I have got to admit, I was shocked by her outcome in this DC genre movie.
This Batman Begins sequel actually failed to win any Oscars until Heath Ledger died in the January of that year, when he gained an Oscar Posthumously a year later - The end credits of the No.2 film on my scratch off bucket poster, I watched to the end; include a farewell note to Ledger, who died in January from an accidental overdose of prescription drugs. Rest In Peace, his performance was one of the best, I must admit to have seen as a villain.
Later that evening BBC 1 showed “Spider-Man the Homecoming” – now you might or you might not know that, whereas Batman is from DC comics, Spidey moves in wider circles, namely with Tony Stark, Thor, Black Widow etc. alright they are called the ‘Avengers’ and this comes out of the Marvel Comic books.
You may or may not know that Mr Stan Lee, who makes cameo appearances in all of the Spider-Man movies started off life at Timely Comics, in 1939. By the 1960s Timely would eventually be renamed Marvel.
In his first job, he was to make sure all inkwells were topped up every day for the artists, where he would get their lunch is young lad called Stanley Lieber, first made a contribution using a play on his first name To become, like his alter ego, major creation Peter Parker, i.e. Stan Lee.
Do you remember your first job? I wonder and where it has taken you?
Apart from the paper round, I had a job sweeping up and getting the rolls for my brother-in-laws' printing firm on a Saturday. This took me to cleaning the floor of a local supermarket on a closed Sunday, where I used to ride my bike and pick £15 for the day's work on my knees washing and scrubbing the weeks' footprints away.
I guess, talent was not there to take me any further, before I joined the Royal Navy. Where, incidentally, I also did cleaning and scrubbing - so if I were to give any advice to my readers it would be follow your dreams, if you have any and don't be afraid to get your hands dirty.
So there I was watching Tom Holland flirting and flitting around and shooting webs at Michael Keaton, and I noticed an early outlet for Zendaya as MJ. who has gone further in her career having a singing and acting career to boot, this girl will go far, I am sure.
So then I began to think a little deeper about the cross over here between the two genres of comic book heros and the actors who were in my movie choices this evening.
Keaton had played Batman in 1989 to Jack Nicholson’s Joker and he reprised the role alongside Danny De Vito’s Penguin in Batman Returns in 1992. So, what is Keaton doing being a villain in this Marvel episode, I thought?
Keaton was a choice and a "considered" actor in my opinion. He has done lots of stuff and turned down loads of stuff too, like me - He was considered for the role of Harry in When Harry Met Sally (1989), which went to Billy Crystal. He was considered for the role of Andrew Beckett in Philadelphia (1993), which went to Tom Hanks. He was considered for the role of Jack Traven in Speed (1994), which went to Keanu Reeves.
He was considered for Kevin Costner's roles in Field of Dreams (1989) and JFK (1991). He was even considered for Alan Parrish in Jumanji (1995).
So Michael Keaton; he is a man after my own heart - I've said that he was a ‘considered’ actor. I myself have been ‘considered’ during my career choices -for example, I was 'considered' for promotion to Officer in the Royal Navy, I was 'considered' to reserve a teacher training spot at a London College, back in early 90s and of late I have been 'considered' for many job applications. However, I have either just been ‘considered’ or I have ‘considered’ myself unlucky and/or refused opportunities for one reason or another - or things have happened in my life to make me be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
That said, I don't consider myself a failure and have done my share of interesting and exciting things that I could never have dreamed of when I was washing and cleaning and sweeping those floors as a fifteen year old.
Michael is of course successful on his own choices. He has never won an academy award (Oscar). but was 'nominated' (another word for 'considered') - that was in 2015 for Birdman , which as a coincidence is his nickname in this Spidey outlet. But then again neither has Robert Downey Jr, old “Iron Man” himself aka Tony Stark. He too has only been “nominated”
Whereas Peter Parker’s Aunt May, played by Marissa Tomei has a 'Best Supporting Actress', for My Cousin Vinny which she received in 1992 and of course the lovely Gwyneth Paltrow, who simply plays a three minute role in Spidey, featuring as Tony Stark’s squeeze “Pepper Potts” She had won 'Best Actress' in 1999. I wonder if you can remember what film she won it for ? I can tell you it wasn’t for her role as 'Dixie Normous' in “Austin Powers”, but I must catch that film again as I didn’t know she was even it.
So Are you in "team DC" or "team Marvel"?
Now, I read that Tim Burton cast Keaton in the title role of Batman because he thought that he was the only actor who could believably portray someone who has the kind of darkly obsessive personality that the character has. There was a great deal of fan anger over his selection, forcing the studio to release an advance trailer both to show that Keaton could do the role well and that the movie would not be a campy parody like the television series Batman (1966).
I grew up watching Batman with Burt Ward as Robin and Adam West in the lead role of course in what they now call a “campy parody”. At the age I watched it, (in 1966), I would have been around seven years old. But, it was still being shown when I was in my early teens and so "Kapow" and "Thunk" being splashed on the telly screen, were the types of special effects during Batman and Robin’s fight scenes which was exciting stuff to me.
So I guess, I have to be on "team DC"
So why am I watching and writing about all this stuff ?
Well, I told you, I got this 'scratch off' film poster like thing for my birthday and I decided that I would plough through them and well, The Dark Knight is No.2 and well, I can say, I 'considered' this one and scratched it off to say, I’ve been there!
Now, it’s Academy award time, this Monday the 28th March and the red carpet is back in place after it’s Covid absence and it will be interesting to see what and who wins this year.
What’s your nomination or consideration?
Maybe I will have to get an updated scratch poster ?
Poem
'Considerations'
Consider this, maybe your right
Don’t lose out, be a dark knight
Consider that, when opportunity knocks
Think inside and outside your box
Work the system, play the role
Make some money, hit your goal
Don’t be shy, it’s so ill fated
Be like Spidey, that Stan created
Spin your web, go for broke
Don’t cancel culture, don’t be woke
Rise as best, as best you can
Wear that suit, as hero’s can
Consider life, enjoy your time
Rise above the rest, there’s a ladder to climb
Consider love, for what you adore
Grab every nomination, you’ll achieve so much more!