It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963) (Movie Review)

    When it comes to sub-categories in comedy films, one of my personal favorites is the “Cross Country” sub-genera. This is when all the frantic set-pieces, and farcical events all occur out on the open road, in which anything goes, and all the fun laughs take the form of an adventure in of itself. Some of my favorites of this genera include 1965’s “The Great Race”, 1983’s “National Lampoon's Vacation”, and 2001’s “Rat Race”. However, the big one that really kicked off this category is the 1963 comedy classic “It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad, World”. 

This is it, if you want a massive cast, insane cross-country destruction, crazy stunts, slap-stick brought to life on an epic scale … then this is the film to check out. For its time, this was one of the most expensive comedies ever made, and paid off as the third highest grossing film of the year. When adjusted for inflation, it earned a slot among the 100 highest grossing movies ever made. Over the years, the film has been regarded as a classic, and is frequently seen on lists of best comedies. While I personally wouldn’t place this among my absolute favorite movies, I do still look back on it fondly as one of the greats that launched my favorite sub-category in the comedy genera.  

    The movie opens with a delightful animated opening credit sequence, and as a side note, I really miss the days in which movies in general opened with colorful and creative credit sequences like this. Things then kick-off with a bang, as a car goes sailing over a cliff side … “He just went sailing out there!”. A number of random strangers get out of their cars to investigate, only to find a dying man, who before literally kicking the bucket, tells everyone that he berried 350,000 Dollars under “a Big W” in a small California Park. The group tries to be reasonable at first, but no-one can find any middle ground, and in a flash, they all take-off in this mad race for riches. Some travel by car, others by plan, some by water, and some with the misfortune of being stuck in one spot. All the destruction and chasses are all matched to the flow of a music track, which gives it the personality of a stage musical. In the end, it’s about ordinary people trying to escape their familiar lives in order to reach the unreachable fantasy.

   At the Academy Awards, this film won the Oscar for Best Sound Effects Editing, as well as five additional nominations for Best Original Sound Design, Best Cinematography, Best Film Editing, Best Music Score by Ernest Gold, and finally Best Original Song, with Mark David’s “It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad, World” main theme, but it lost to "Call Me Irresponsible" from “Papa's Delicate Condition”. Through the picture, there’s many highs and lows, lots of crashes, lots of destruction, lots of stunts, and it makes for one heck of an epic comedy experience. One of my favorite scenes is the lead-in to the “Intermission”, which culminates into a hilarious montage of everything going to Hell in hand-basket for all the players in their different locations. My only reservation with this movie is its lengthy run-time, clocking in at 2 hours and 45 minutes. Supposedly, the original rough-cut was five hours long, was shortened to just over three hours for its theatrical premier, and finally scaled to the two-hour and forty-five minuet version on most home-video formats. Still, it’s a formidable length, and I can imagine the non-stop mayhem of the experience getting tiresome for some viewers.

    Of course, the films biggest claim to fame is its massive cast, which was comprised of some of the biggest names of the time, all coming together for this crazy event. We have Milton Berle, Spencer Tracy, Sid Caesar, Ethel Merman, Mickey Rooney, Jonathan winters, Buddy Hackett, Phil Silvers, and a slew of cameos from comedic talents like Don Knotts, Buster Keaton, Jerry Lewis, and even The Three Stooges. 

There are players you cheer for, and others you love to hate. Ethel Merman is the cranky mother-in-law, who you want to see get her comeuppance. Phil Silvers is a nasty Swindler named Otto, who wasn’t even part of the main group, but joins the race on his own. Watching over everyone are the State Police, who are so eager for some action, that they decide to let things play out as one big race for them to bet on. The Police Captain is played by Spencer Tracy, who’s the quiet one, with his everyday life getting so stressful, that he becomes the final contender, and aims to steel to loot out from everyone.  

   Mickey Rooney and Buddy Hackett are best friends, who get stuck in a hilarious side-quest, in which their both up in the air with a drunken pilot … who happens to have a mini-bar in his plane ... “Hit the button marked boos!”. 

Some of the biggest laughs come from these two in this crazy predicament … “Who’s flying the plane … no-ones flying the plane!”. My personal favorite side-quest is a business man played by Sid Caesar, and his attractive wife played by Edie Adams, who get a head start on everyone on a plane … only to get stuck in the basement of a hardware store after business hours end. Something about being stuck in one spot while the others play catch-up makes this situation hilarious, and the basement itself offers a number of funny slap-stick mishaps, including toppled over paint shelves, sudden fires, fork-lifts crashing through walls, and explosions.    

   We also have Jonathan winters, as a delivery man named Lennie, who’s on his own, and arguably the most lovable of all the cast. He’s the guy I find myself cheering for the most, as he’s so innocent, and always gets the worst luck. 

My favorite scene of the whole film, and subsequently one of my favorite action sequences of any comedy, is when he finds himself trapped at a gas station with two attendants who are preventing him from leaving. What follows is arguably one of the funniest and most destructive fight scenes ever put to film. The gas station itself is more fragile than an elementary school’s theater set, and seeing Lennie tear it apart is an absolute delight. As the fight rages, he continues to do more and more damage to the station in his effort to escape. By the time the fight ends, the entire station is completely leveled to the ground. It’s so funny and over the top that I find myself laughing all the way through to the next scene.

   There’s also a number of wildcards thrown into the mix, which keeps the films formula kicking. Dick Shawn plays an anger prone nut-ball named Sylvester, who’s related to Ethel Merman’s character, and can rivel Norman Bates with being emotionally obsessed with his mother. It’s around the half-way point in the film that Sylvester joins the action, and he starts by letting out his road rage on his brother-in-law, who got on mother’s bad side. This leads into a highly amusing car chase sequence, which plays out like a loving nod to the chases of old silent-comedies. Both the green-screen and stunt performers are obvious, and the sequence operates on cartoon logic … like our angry driver spending most of the chase out of the driver’s seat. He doesn’t even care about his vehicle going over a cliff into a pond … as long as he takes his snitch of a brother-in-law with him.

   Eventually, all the players reunite at the sight of the buried treasure … four bent-over trees resembling a “BIG W!” Just when you think the movie is about to wind down, it surprises us with a lengthy climactic chase, which culminates into a finale on a tall building. Everyone gets stuck on an out-of-control fire-truck ladder, and everyone gets their just deserts. One stand-out stunt is a guy crashing through pond-bridge … good thing this is a comedy, or else I don’t think he would have survived that. It’s also worth noting that the stop-motion effects on the ladder was one of the final accomplishments of the late Willis O’ Brien, who broke ground as a visual artist when he worked of the effects for the original 1933 classic “King Kong”. Thus, how do we finally close out such a lengthy and epic comedy as this … with the most classic trademark of slap-stick comedy … someone trips over a banana peel, and everyone has a big laugh over it. Honestly, it’s kind of a perfect way to end a comedy as direct and over the top as this.  

   When all is said and done … I personally have more fondness for the 2001 comedy “Rat Race”, which follows the same formula of random strangers racing after money, and is honestly one of my favorite comedies. It’s packed with more recognizable comedians from my generation, has a more reasonable length of eighty-eight minuets, and I just find it a funnier experience. Having said that … the original 1963 classic “It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad, World” is still objectively the better made film. Beyond being a big spectacle, with an a-list cast on comedic legends, there’s just something about how the film is staged, edited, and structured that gives it an almost artistic quality, which balances out with all the fun and goofy mayhem. It really is one of the most epic comedies ever made, and if you’re willing to go along with its massive length, and anything goes sense of comedic cause … you might just find yourself having a wild and fun experience.

Thanks for reading my review of the 1963 comedy classic “It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad, World” … and continue to enjoy the movies you love! 

 

All Theatrical Batman Villains Ranked

It’s said that Batman has the greatest rogue’s gallery of villains from any comic book series ... certainly the most well-known. They’ve also had varying appearances over the course of twelve different theatrical Batman movies, and they've all left different impressions on me as a longtime fan. 

As such, I' thought it would be fun to see how each of Batman's theatrical adversaries stack-up, at least for my feelings on them, and not objective quality. This is obviously going to be a big countdown, so I’m going to scale back on some select bad guys. I won’t be including any gangsters or crime bosses, and I won’t be including any Superman villains either. Lastly, I’ll be arranging individual characters for their various appearances.

Every One-Shot Batman Villain Ranked – First I’m going to rank all 7 of the villains who’ve only appeared in one single Batman film … not including cameo’s from “The Lego Batman Movie”.  

 

#7 Marion Cotillard as Talia Al Ghul from “The Dark Knight Rises” 

In general, I do love that this films main villain has a connection to the villain of the first movie, as it makes everything come full circle. However, the character named Talia Al Ghul, who’s played by Marion Cotillard, just didn't work for me. The actress was just coming off a high of playing a credible villain in 2010's "Inception", so it would have been cool to see her in the role of a Batman adversary, especially one related to his late nemesis Ra’s Al Ghoul, who kicked off Nolan's trilogy. 

While she has her place in the story, she doesn't get to shine as a villain until the finale, and by then it's too little too late. Talia’s relation with Bruce also gets in the way of his more interesting relation with Cat-Woman, as well as undermines Bane's villain status. More than anything, I just hatted how poorly the twist reveal was handled. Personally, I think this was a perfect opportunity to see Batman’s detective side and have him figure out her identity beforehand. In short, Talia Al Ghul just doesn’t leave much of an impression, and it’s a lousy way to introduce a character that not too many people outside of Batman fans would know about. 

 

#6 Christopher Walken as Max Shreck from “Batman Returns” 

This villain unfortunately ranks very low for me on the theatrical Batman villain totem pole. In my opinion, the evil business tycoon Max Shreck should have just been removed completely from this film. Seriously, between Cat-Woman and the Penguin, why is this the guy with the big evil plans against Gotham city? His motivations to build his powerplant are also very boring, and whenever this plot line comes up, I always tune out of the film until the next entertaining set piece takes shape. 

This was actually a character created for the movie, as he wasn’t initially part of the Batman lore. This makes it all the more irritating when he takes screen time away from the other classic villains and even Batman himself. It is at least a little exciting to see Bruce Wayne battling a villain in the business world, but the rivalry between the two unfortunately never amounts to anything truly engaging. The one saving grace to this character is that he’s played by Christopher Walken, and to his credit, he’s excellent in the role. He’s naturally creepy just by whispering to people in that monotone voice, and by looking at characters with that blank, empty stare of his. It doesn’t quite redeem this pointless character, but it’s just enough to save him from being completely useless.

 

#5 Uma Thurman as Poison Ivy from “Batman & Robin”  

Proving once again that the villains are the best of the worst characters in this film is the deadly Poison Ivy played by Uma Thurman. From a casting point a view, you couldn’t have picked a better late 90’s actress for the role then Uma Thruman. She does capture the essence of the character, and especially looks the part. Whenever she’s on screen it’s like “oh yeah, that’s Poison Ivy without question”. Unfortunately, for all her potential, she just can’t get around a really bad script, and admittedly generic villain goals. 

Regardless, Poison Ivy was another one of my favorite villains from the animated 90’s series, and I can’t help but feel like I need to savor this live action version of the character. Even though it’s not that great, it’s still currently all I’ve got. Although, she did at least make a lengthy cameo in “The Lego Batman Movie”, voiced by Riki Lindhome, which was very welcome.

 

#4 Cillian Murphy as The Scarecrow from “Batman Begins” 

Cillian Murphy has a very natural talent for playing creepy guys, like in Wes Craven's 2005 movie “Red Eye”, and as far as the Scarecrow is concerned … he’s downright chilling in the role, even before he puts on his mask. It was a real treat to finally get a darker and scarier villain then all the cheesy, colorful bad guys of before. He wasn't loud or goofy, he didn't crack jokes and instead he was calm, sinister and kept in the shadows. 

His best parts are when he sprays people with his fear inducing gas that makes people see their worst fears. The imagery and visuals of the Scarecrows fear toxin are the closest the film gets to feeling like a comic book movie, but it works in the context of the story. While all the creepy visuals are great, I personally think they could have been a little more creative. 

The downside to Scarecrow is that he isn’t present enough in the film. In fact, he doesn’t even do much during the climax, and has no real confrontation with Batman at all. Even when reprising his role for two additional cameos in both “The Dark Knight” and “The Dark Knight Rises”, I still can’t help but feel that more could have been done with such a great villain. Of course, he also cameoed again in “The Lego Batman Movie”, voiced by Jason Mantzoudas, and cameo’s seems to be this characters theatrical legacy.

 

#3 Arnold Schwarzenegger as Mr. Freeze from “Batman & Robin” 

Let me start by saying that of all the Batman villains in general, Mr. Freeze has always been my personal favorite. He was my favorite character from the animated 90’s series, and he always came off to me like the Darth Vader of Batman villains. While this is technically a lame duck version of my favorite villain, Arnold Schwarzenegger in my opinion is the saving grace that makes him the highlight of the film. Compared to all the other actors in this movie, Arnold is clearly having the time of his life in the role, and that just makes him fun to watch. 

He’s the only one who feels committed to the part, he doesn’t feel bounded by a script, and he brings a terrific level of energy to the role, which is impressive considering he was stuck in a suit that weighed 75 pounds. Also, when closely observing the other actors in this film, they all seem to stop acting once their done delivering their lines, but that’s not the case with Schwarzenegger. He actually has some lengthy scenes, where he’s not saying anything, but he still feels very in-character, and is even able to convey some subtle emotion. 

Also, while other actors of the time, like Patrick Stewart would have seemed better for the role, the character would have still been written poorly, so it really was for the best that Schwarzenegger got the part. Yes, this is technically still a stupid villain, with a grab bag of silly puns, but Schwarzenegger really took the role, and created a unique entity with it, and was consistently entertaining to watch. Also, I was very happy to see Mr. Freeze make a cameo in “The Lego Batman Movie”, voiced by David Burrows … but still, I want to see my favorite Batman villain take the lead in another movie.  

 

#2 Liam Neeson’s Ra’s Al Ghul from “Batman Begins” 

A very welcome change for this movie was that it didn’t market a popular villain, it was sold on its story, and the hero’s journey alone, which is the sign of a superior installment. Having said that, the actual villain in this movie, while one of the least popular, is still in my opinion one of the absolute best from any of the films. The great Liam Neeson plays Ra’s Al Ghul, who leads the league of shadows, and was Bruce Wayne’s personal mentor. From Batman’s point of view, this was the man who helped him become a hero in the first place, so there’s more on an emotional connection between the two that we don’t get from his other foes. 

On the flip side, Ra’s Al Ghul doesn’t even see himself as a villain, in his mind he’s enacting justice, but with no moral principles. He views Gotham as a city that’s beyond saving from crime, and the best thing to do is destroy the city itself so it’s evil can never spread. Granted, he has a very comic bookish plan to poison the water and set lose a chemical agent that will make everyone go mad, but it’s the motivations behind the character that make this work. Liam Neeson naturally shines in the role, and it was kind of a daring departure from his usual film roles. He even got to make a welcome reprise of his signature role in “The Dark Knight Rises”, which was awesome.

 

#1 Stacy Keach, Jr. (and Dana Delany) as The Phantasm from “Batman Mask of the Phantasm”

This was a special case in which the villain was created for the movie alone, but has become a fan favorite from Batman’s rouges gallery. This is a great example of how originality can go a long way when adapting a comic book. By creating an original villain, the writers can do whatever they want without upsetting a devoted fan base. It also adds an interesting mystique to the film as The Phantasms identity is completely shrouded in mystery, which only gets us more excited to discover more about him. This is also a rare case in which we have a villain that isn’t attacking Gotham city itself, nor does he have a vendetta against Batman. He’s actually a representation of Batman himself if he ever crossed the line and brutally killed in order to seek some form of justice. 

The Phantasm also has a great design, miring a death like image, with a skull face, a sharp blade on his arm and he's equipped with a teleportation device that he triggers with a puff of smoke … which is all together awesome! I especially love how he greets his prey with those chilling words, “Your angel of death awaits.” Despite being the main antagonist of the movie, he really isn't on screen that often, but for me, that only makes it more exciting whenever he appears.

 

Every Theatrical version of The Penguin ranked …

#4 John Venzon as The Penguin from “The Lego Batman Movie” – One of the smallest appearances of the Penguin, as he’s barley more than a background cameo, and really nothing else to say beyond that.

 

#3 Danny DeVito as The Penguin from “Batman Returns” 

Before I get into my issues with this character, let me just say that from a casting point of view, Danny DeVito as the Penguin is one of the all-time greatest that the superhero genera has to offer. He fits the role like a glove, and really turned out one of the most memorable Batman villain performances in the series. That’s not to say his delivery is always subtle, as he certainly has his hammy moments, but he really nails both the menace and even the pathos of this character. For us kids in the 90’s, the Penguin was the stuff of nightmares, and the makeup design for his Penguin features were outstanding. 

Unfortunately, with all that said, as a character, there’s a glaring shift between both the script and the films direction. Tim Burton spot-lights the Penguin as a sympathetic creature, while the script highlights him as a monster who’s beyond any form of sympathy … and the two just don’t go hand in hand. If the film had fully committed to one or the other, this could have been one of Batman’s all-time greatest foes … but unfortunately by mixing the two together, he gets reduced to being another typical bad guy for Batman to beat.

 

#2 Colin Farrell as The Penguin from “The Batman” 

As far as entertaining performances are concerned, no-one else quiet stole the show like Colin Farrell as The Penguin. Not only is he unrecognizable under that make-up, but he just disappears in the role, is clearly having a ball with it, and it makes for a highly enjoyable screen presence. It’s also a refreshing take on the character, as he’s less of a villain, and more of a street thug working for the mob. Despite being a supporting role, Colin Farrell’s take on The Penguin is absolutely one of the best takes I’ve ever seen of the character.  

 

#1 Burgess Meredith as The Penguin from “Batman: The Movie” 

Leading this films alliance of evil is The Penguin played by Burgess Meredith, who personally is my favorite of the group. Despite being paired with so many colorful characters, Burgess Meredith simply steels the show with every scene he’s in. Whenever all the villains are together on screen, I just can’t take my eyes off him. It’s actually kind of funny I say that, because of all the villains from Batman’s rouges gallery, The Penguin has always been my least favorite. Well, in this film it’s the complete opposite as Burgess Meredith just shines in the role. No one bites on a cigar while speaking with that awesome grouchy voice as well as him. 

 

Every Theatrical Version of Bane Ranked …

#3 Jeep Swenson as Bane from “Batman & Robin” - Starting off at rock bottom is the humanized juggernaut Bane, played by the late Jeep Swenson. He serves as the muscle for Poison Ivy, and could have been a potentially cool B villain, but unfortunately, he’s reduced to a big lumbering fool that makes Frankenstein groans. Truthfully, Bane is so underutilized that when I first saw this movie as a kid, I thought he was made up for the film, and had no idea he was a larger character from Batman’s rouges gallery.

 

#2 Doug Benson as Bane from “The Lego Batman Movie” - This movies version of Bane looks just like the comics, but with a voice and personality that’s clearly based off Tom Hardy’s portrayal from “The Dark Knight Rises” ... as it seems to be the new iconic status of the character.

 

#1 Tom Hardy as Bane from “The Dark Knight Rises” 

While 2008’s “The Dark Knight” featured one of cinemas most iconic villains, Bane managed to escape the shadow of his predecessor, and has become a generations favorite comic book villain. In general, while Bane was known by comic book fans, he still wasn’t a very popular villain from Batman’s rouges gallery. All that changed with this film, because now Bane’s become a house hold name. Personally, as far as performances are concerned, I think Tom Hardy’s portrayal of Bane is right up there with the best, like Heath Ledger’s Joker and Danny Devito’s Penguin. He just has this larger-than-life screen presence, and those burning eyes of his just convey so much. It’s a very theatrical performance, and Tom Hardy just throws himself out there. There’s something very entertaining about a villain that delivers lengthy evil monologues, and subsequently has no shortage of quotable lines. 

Putting aside the powerhouse presentation, I also like that Bane is Batman’s metaphorical brother in this film. They both received the same training from the league of shadows, yet it was Bruce who emerged as the best student, while Bane was excommunicated. This gives our hero and villain more of a connection, and I love that Bane is basically picking up from where Ra’s Al Ghul had perished in the first movie as recompense for failing the league of shadows. 

This actually book ends this trilogy, the same way the Nazi’s did in the Indiana Jones trilogy. Another great detail about this trilogy is how every villain provides a different challenge for our hero. In the first movie the villain was an emotional challenge. Then in the second movie the villain was a psychological challenge. Now here in the third film the villain is a physical challenge. You really feel that Batman has met his match, and it was interesting to see our hero frightened by a stronger and all-around superior adversary.

 

Every Theatrical version of The Riddler Ranked …

#4 Conan O’ Brian as The Riddler from “The Lego Batman Movie” - The Riddler in this movie is voiced by famed show-host Conan O’Brien, but the relevance of this is questionable as he barely has more than two lines.

 

#3 Frank Gorshin as The Riddler from “Batman: The Movie” 

I have to be honest, he’s the most useless of the four villains from this movie. Really, he’s just there because he’s one of the popular Batman enemy's, but still it’s fun to have him present with the other bad guys. All these villains are enjoyably over the top, but I think Gorshin is trying too hard to overact everyone around him. The real saving grace of the Riddler in this film are his loony riddles. Seriously, it’s a real joy seeing Batman and Robin figure them out so quickly without even taking a moment to think. 

 

#2 Paul Dana as The Riddler from “The Batman” 

Undeniably a unique take on The Riddler … and one that I’ve got some mixed feelings with. On the one hand, I love that this portrayal of the Riddler works in the shadows, is very mysterious, and his presence is felt most when leaving cryptic clues and messages for Batman. Paul Dana is also a great choice for the role, but I find his performance to be hit and miss. I personally found his screaming to be too over the top, but his quieter moments are effectively chilling, and really capture the essence of the character. However, I wasn’t overly fond of his costume design, as I felt he could have passed as an original villain as opposed to a different take on an established Batman foe. In fact, I really wish this was the comic villain called Hush as opposed to the Riddler, as he would have fit the narrative just as well.

 

#1 Jim Carry as The Riddler from “Batman Forever” 

Back in the 90’s, Jim Carry was the king of comedy, and one of my all-time favorite actors. While Tommy Lee Jones is what drew me to this film as a kid, it was my introduction to Jim Carry that mad the biggest impact. After this, I absolutely fell in love with his comedies like “The Mask”, “Liar, Liar”, and especially “Ace Ventura: Pet Detective”. So that’s two nostalgic ties this movie has going for it, my introduction to the Batman franchise, and my introduction to one of my all-time favorite comedians. His portrayal of The Riddler again is very over the top, but I’ll give this one a pass, as it’s Jim Carry, and that’s just what he does best. 

Looking back, I do wish he put a little more restraint into the performance, and that skin-tight costume of his just looks ridiculous. The biggest misstep with this character is that the movie gives us his detailed backstory from the ground up, when there should have been a lot more mystery to the character. Throughout the film, the Riddler sends Bruce Wayne a collection of clues that ultimately build up to our hero discovering his true identity. Again, this could have been very exciting, but it’s all spoiled because we the audience see exactly how he becomes the Riddler from the start, which spoils any surprises. I’ll give the Riddler this much credit, he at least accomplishes more than most other Batman villains. As a kid, seeing him inter the Bat cave, and destroy it from within was actually kind of intimidating, although the scene would have held up much better if it turned down the comedy.

 

Every Theatrical Version of Two-Face ranked …

#3 Billy Dee Williams as Two-Face from “Batman” and “The Lego Batman Movie” – Fresh off his success in “Star Wars”, Billy Dee Williams portrayed district Attorney Harvey Dent in Tim Burton’s 1989 classic “Batman” … although he unfortunately never got the chance to shine as the villain Two-Face ... at least not in live-action. 

In the 2017 picture “The Lego Batman Movie”, he at least got to make a vocal cameo as Two-Face … which I suppose is better than nothing at all.  

 

#2 Tommy Lee Jones as Two-Face from “Batman Forever” 

Back when I was a little kid, the first thing that drew my attention to this film was actually Tommy Lee Jones in the role of Two-Face. After growing up with so many of his movies in the 90’s like “Men in Black”, “Volcano” and even “Small Soldiers”, he became one of the first actors that I knew by name, and decided to be a fan of. Naturally, back then he was one of my favorite things about the film, but looking back as an adult, he actually represents what is ultimately the biggest issue with the movie. It seems that half the people involved are trying to make a serious Batman movie, while the other half are paying homage to the campy 60’s show. In fact, Two-Faces loony, over the top performance, along with his colorful design can easily fit right alongside Cesar Romero, Frank Gorshin or any of those goofy talents from the Adam West days. I suppose in that regard, he can actually be kind of amusing to watch. 

Then again, it’s also kind of depressing, because I could see a post Oscar winning Tommy Lee Jones killing it as a serious portrayal of one of my favorite Batman villains. He’s definitely chewing the scenery in this film, and honestly, he makes Jack Nicolson’s portrayal of the Joker look subdued by comparison. Never the less, Tommy lee Jones is still kind of fun to watch on some level, but he can’t hold a candle to most other villains from the Batman films.

 

#1 Aaron Eckhart as Two-Face from “The Dark Knight” 

Two-Face played masterfully by Aaron Eckhart is personally my favorite villain from any of the theatrical Batman movies. In general, as a long time Batman fan, I’ve always liked Two-Face a little more than the Joker, mostly because I prefer villains that are born from tragedy. Two-Face is perhaps the most tragic of Batman’s enemies, as well as a dark reminder of Batman’s failures. The first thing this film got right is that we don't even see him as Two-Face until the last half hour of the movie. 

This gave us the chance to know his better half, the District Attorney Harvey Dent, and how he pushed himself to create a better Gotham. This was a man that symbolized hope and lighting a city’s darkest hour. Then without warning, tragedy struck and he became a vengeful monster who was convinced that the only morality in the world is chance. It’s such a frightening concept, to think that any great world leader with noble intentions can fall without warning. The digital makeup-design is outstanding, in fact it’s downright uncanny how good it looks. 

It also makes him a perfect fusion of what both Batman and the Joker stand for, one side righteous and the other side unjust. In short, I was beyond pleased with this films portrayal of the character, and it’s the kind of villain I’d like to see more of. He isn't an evil mastermind that's after the city, instead he's a broken human who has been transformed by the loss of a loved one, and I always find that more engaging. In all honesty, while this is still an all-around excellent film, it probably wouldn’t be my personal favorite Batman movie if it wasn’t for Two-Face and his story.

 

Every Theatrical version of Cat-Woman ranked …

#5 Halle Berry as Cat-Woman from “Catwoman” – The 2004 comic-Book movie simply titled “Catwoman” is often cited as one of the worst of the whole genera, and for good reason … it’s just a shame that all of Halle Berry’s best efforts get dragged down with the rest of the film. In a better film I can see the actress playing a good Cat-Woman, but there’s just no saving a bad script with nothing to work off.

 

#4 Lee Meriwether as Cat-Woman from “Batman: The Movie” 

While the Penguin is the one leading the united alliance of evil, the movies primary antagonist is actually Cat-Woman. There's a sub-plot in which Cat-woman has a relationship with Bruce Wane, but it's only leverage, and in the end, it becomes her most powerful weapon against our hero. Cat-Woman’s also the only player to have a cast change from the TV show. Originally, she was played by Julie Newmar in the TV series, but she was too busy at the time, so she was replaced with Lee Meriwether. 

I must confess, in my opinion, she is the sexiest actress to play Cat-Woman. No-one movies around in that skintight outfit while purring as well as her. On that note, her purring can get a little irritating at times, as it honestly sounds like a siren you'd hear on an ambulance. While her performance is equally hammy like everyone else, Cat-Woman can at least be genuinely menacing at times. Half the time, you get the impression that she’s the only villain who actually poses a threat.

 

#3 Zoe Kravitz as Cat-Woman from “The Batman” and “The Lego Batman Movie” 

Zoe Kravitz first voiced Cat-Woman in the 2017 picture “The Lego Batman Movie”, but it was the 2022 picture “The Batman”, in which she really shined in the role. This is the first time Cat-Woman is depicted as a full-on protagonist, and it’s great to see how she works with Batman. While they don’t always see eye to eye, she never once dose anything against our hero, and it just feels like a welcome change-up. We actually see far more of Selina Kyle then we do Cat-Woman, yet thanks to Zoe Kravitz sharp performance, she still feels like Cat-Woman all throughout. 

In fact, this is a rare case in which I found myself preferring Selina Kyle on screen over Cat-Woman, as her cheap ski-mask is probably the weakest Cat-Woman costume design I’ve ever seen on film. Still, that’s small potatoes, as Zoe Kravitz is dynamite in the role, looks great using her feminine whiles to her advantage, also has long sharp fingernails, and even her relation with Batman is great. While it’s not the best written romance between the two, I find it one of the best acted, as well as one of the best staged ... especially with the two on a rooftop, silhouetted against a beautiful sun-rise backdrop.

 

#2 Michelle Pfeiffer as Cat-Woman from “Batman Returns” 

Of the films three villains, it’s Michelle Pfeiffer as Cat-Woman who stands out as the most awesome thing the film has to offer. Michelle Pfeiffer is just on fire in the role, her costume is great, her screen presence is captivating, and even though her back story is different from the source material, this is easily the presentation that made Cat-Woman a fan favorite for a new generation of viewers. She begins as this really pathetic woman but then goes through quiet the transformation after she’s murdered by the sinister Max Shreck. Now it’s never clearly explained, but through the power of cats crawling all over her dead body and chewing on her fingers, she suddenly comes back to life as a supernatural Cat-person who’s actually blessed with the gift of nine additional lives. 

Again, there’s no real context as to how this actually came to be, but I’ve always liked the idea of her being a literal Cat-person, and this is just that kind of world where anything can happen. What I don’t like are her motivations, as for no real reason at all, she suddenly has a vendetta against Batman, and forgets all about taking vengeance on Max Shreck until the tail end of the film. Her only consistent character trait is that she’s crazy, and that for me doesn’t make for a very compelling character. In the plus column, she’s one of the few villains to actually engage our hero in battle, and she proves to be quiet the bad ass with a whip. Seriously, the fights between Batman and Cat-Woman are some of the best the series has to offer, especially their first fight on the rooftop.

 

#1 Anne Hathaway as Cat-Woman from “The Dark Knight Rises” 

Less of a villain, and more of a wild card, my favorite character from this movie is Cat-Woman played by Anne Hathaway. Speaking personally, this is my absolute favorite portrayal of the character by a mile. This Cat-Woman just gets everything right, as she’s not a villain, nor is she a hero, she’s just a wild card who does whatever is in her interest. Sometimes that means aiding either the hero’s or villains, and that’s how I’ve always felt Cat-Woman should be. I also like that she’s just a small-town cat burglar who just wants to make a new life for herself. Her music theme also gives her more of a presence then previous version. 

She and Batman also have perfect chemistry. I’ll admit, their romantic side is just “ok”, but as two vigilantes working together … they’re just a dynamite pair. Whenever there on screen fighting together, infiltrating a bad guy base, or just plain walking together, it’s an absolute thrill. On a side note, I really love how subtle the costume is, as she’s incredibly beautiful to look at without ever coming off as slutty, unlike her two theatrical predecessors. It’s also a nice little touch that her goggles come up above her head and become her cat ears. Lastly, I came from a generation that grew up with Anne Hathaway in Disney movies like “The Princess Diaries” and “Ella Enchanted”, so I couldn’t even imagine her pulling off a great Cat-Woman, but she really did.  Every inflection she gives as this character is spot on, she has a lot of energy, and is clearly having a blast with this role. So, while obviously not on Oscar standards, this is still a shining performance in the actress’s carrier.

 

Every Theatrical version of The Joker ranked …

#7 Barry Keoghan as The Joker from “The Batman” 

Being honest, I really didn’t need a last-minute cameo from the Joker, as I feel he’s been over played in the movies already. While I can see actor Barry Keoghan delivering a solid Joker performance in another film, I just don’t want yet another Joker portrayal this soon. Time will tell if he’ll deliver a solid performance in his own right, but hopefully it’s later down the line.  

 

#8 Jared Leto as The Joker from “Suicide Squad” and Zack Snyder’s “Justice League” 

While Jared Leto is generally a good pick for the role, I never felt that his performance did anything that made him stand out. Honestly, despite his best efforts, he just felt like “a joker performance”, as opposed to something uniquely memorable. It also doesn’t help that he’s constantly outshined by Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn, who by contrast did make something distinct and memorable about her character. While his cameo in Zack Snyder’s “Justice League” was a little stronger, it still wasn’t enough to make this one of my favorite Joker portrayals.     

 

#6 Joaquin Phoenix as The Joker from “Joker” 

Objectively speaking, Joaquin Phoenix’s Oscar winning performance from the Oscar nominated, 2019 “Joker” movie probably deserves to be ranked higher … but this list isn’t about ranking objective quality, it’s about my feelings toured individual performance … and I just happen to have more feelings for five other Joker portrayals. Still, credit where it’s due, Joaquin Phoenix brought something original to the table with this long-overplayed character, which is an element of mental loss and personal tragedy. While I generally like villains who are portrayed as victims of their own story, I still prefer the Joker as an unstoppable threat without any redeeming qualities. Regardless, this was still an original take on the character, admirably executed, and is well deserving of the praise … even though there are still other Jokers that I have more of a liking to.     

 

 #5 Cesar Romero as The Joker from “Batman: The Movie” 

Perhaps the most celebrated villain of all in this movie is The Joker played by Cesar Romero. Of course, the Joker was already established as the biggest, most recurring villain in the live action 60’s show, and this movie made for an effective extension of his spot-light on film. In many respects, this is the classic villain performance that started it all, and paved the way for one of cinemas iconic villains. There’s nothing dark or menacing about this Joker, he’s just an over-the-top goofball, but he is still a lot of fun to watch. He may not seem like much when compared to other portrayals of the character, but this really was one of the break-out villain performances of the 1960’s. 

According to Adam West, Romero was also starring in another show, where he needed his prized mustache. Thus, he refused to shave it off, and as a result, you can clearly see it under all his makeup, which is hilarious. Now, you’d think that Batman’s most famous foe, would get a big part in this film, but he’s constantly upstaged by the other villains. He doesn’t even fight Batman, instead he’s stuck fighting Robin … what’s up with that?

 

#4 Zach Galifianakis as The Joker from “The Lego Batman Movie” 

Naturally this is the fifth theatrical Batman movie to feature The Joker, and this time he’s voiced by Zach Galifianakis. Surprise, surprise, this is yet another great portrayal of a classic character in this Lego universe, as it captures the spirit of the Joker, while once again being very original in the process. It’s a Joker that’s obviously unleashing his evil on the city, but his goal is so much more personal as he simply want’s Batman to realize that they complete each other’s lives. It's actually kind of a heartbreaking scene when Batman flat out tells the Joker that he means nothing to him. 

I really love how passionate this version of Joker gets to prove Batman wrong, and to see their relationship progress over the course of the film is very amusing. It all ultimately builds to an obvious, yet poignant statement that the Joker really isn’t his greatest enemy after all … it’s really Batman himself who’s our heroes worst enemy. Also, as a bone’s, it was great to finally see Harley Quinn in a Batman movie. Even though it’s only animated, it’s still one of the most appealing aspects of the Joker, to have his loony girl friend at his side.

 

#3 Jack Nicholson as The Joker from “Batman”

Unlike his compatriot Michael Keaton, Nicholson was a very obvious casting choice, but Jack is still great in the role. He’s completely crazy, entertaining, unpredictable, funny, and has a captivating screen presence of his own. Sense he’s the only villain in the film, there’s a lot of room for a good hero villain rivalry, which for me comes off as a mixed bag. It’s a very standard setup with Batman learning Joker killed his parents, while Joker in return is angry at the hero for ruining his plans and former life. 

Personally, I find this kind of a cheat to make Joker the killer of Batman’s parents, as that makes him our hero’s nemesis by default, and not because of a built rivalry. Having said that, it all balances out by having Batman unintentionally create the Joker, because now we have the duality of the hero and villain forging their own greatest enemies. I find that very intriguing indeed, and it leads to one of Batman's best lines ... "I made you, but you made me first". In the end, Jack Nicholson’s portrayal of the Joker can still be regarded as iconic in its own right, and he definitely has his shining moments.

 

#2 Heath Ledger as The Joker from “The Dark Knight” 

While he ranks at number two, I certainly don’t want to undermine the Joker, and his iconic, Oscar winning portrayal by the late Heath Ledger. Without a doubt this is one of the generations defining performances, and one of the most iconic villain portrayals in film history. Also, it’s probably the first and only time an actor will ever win an Oscar for playing a comic-book character, as that’s something that never happens. While Heath Ledger had his share of fans over the years, no-one would have expected him to not-only excel as the Joker, but also be a legitimately terrifying screen presence. 

While other versions of the character had their menacing highlights, they were never this frightening or intimidating. Just the way he looks at someone while liking his lips was intense. Aside from the performance, the Jokers motivations were equally intense. His goal isn’t to destroy either the hero or the city, but to corrupt them. He’s not after power or wealth, he just wants to prove a point, that anyone, no matter how good they are can be just as crazy and evil as him. 

I love that Alfred of all people is the first to understand this villain for what he really is, and his eerie story in which he compares the Joker to a diamond bandit adds so many frightening layers to the character. It’s a tail that conveys something of a dark reality and it makes the Joker feel less like your typical comic-book bad guy. He’s like an unstoppable force of nature that can’t be reasoned with. He was also a smart mastermind who keeps a city in a state of panic, he intimidates mobs, breaks himself out of prison and no matter how hard the hero’s try to stop him, the Joker is always one step ahead. 

He also has a dark sense of hummer that makes him consistently fun to watch, and his gallery of quotable lines are easily some of the best ever spoken by the character. My favorite aspect of the Joker is that his backstory changes every time he interrogates someone. This made his mystique all the more frightening as we just have no grasp on who this guy is. Was he born this way, did something happen, dose the Joker himself even know his own origins? All this mystery just adds to the dark and complex fascination of his character.

#1 Mark Hamill as The Joker from “Batman Mask of the Phantasm” 

Who would ever think that Luke Skywalker from “Star Wars” would pass for a great Joker, but he’s so perfect in the role. His evil joker laugh is amazing, and his voice fits the character seamlessly. This is just the icing on the cake, because honestly, the movie is worth watching just for Mark Hamill’s incredible Joker performance. He masters the dual nature of the character, coming off as both funny and terrifying in equal measure. His vocal talents are also perfectly matched with the energy in the animation, and I just can’t take my eyes off the character when he’s on screen. Despite coming late into the film, he still completely steals the show. 

My favorite parts with the Joker are when he’s just talking out loud to himself in his hide out. It’s almost like an improve game, just see how many random and entertaining things he can do. Now it goes without saying, but every actor that’s played the Joker has always shined and brought something iconic to the role. However, for my money, Mark Hamill is the most classic. He’s always the first talent that comes to mind whenever I think of the Joker. Again, that’s not to put down any of the other talents, as they’ve all been great. It’s just that Mark Hamill’s performance has always stuck with me the most, and he’s easily one of the all-time greatest animated villains.

Thanks for reading my countdown … and continue to enjoy the movies you Love!