Bottleneck Gallery Presents: Batman Returns- 35MM

A far more madcap and visionary outing than its box office shattering predecessor, Tim Burton’s 2nd go at the caped crusader, Batman Returns, is clearly the work of his strange, singular mind. Michael Keaton – all arched eyebrow stoicism – is back as the Dark Knight, this time joined by a strong, sexy, stitch-suited Michelle Pfeifer as Catwoman and a gleefully disgusting Danny DeVito as the Penguin. Add Christopher Walken and some weaponized penguins into the mix and you have one of the most madcap comic book phantasmagorias to ever grace the screen. The toy companies didn’t appreciate its kid un-friendly psychosexual themes and gross-out gags, but any fan of Burton’s German Expressionism by way of Bugs Bunny aesthetic will find this a refreshingly off-kilter blockbuster and a strong entry in the Batman canon. With one of Danny Elfman’s most gloriously careening carnival funhouse scores.