imsdb/scripts/Batman-2.html ed-wood.net/batman-returns-script1.htm ed-wood.net/batman-returns-script2.htm As far as Im aware these are the only three published screenplay drafts for Burtons second Batman film. The first link is Sam Hamms draft for Batman 2. Its not directly related to the eventual screenplay written by Daniel Waters but curiously it does contain several similarities. Its no surprise that the Penguin (here going by the alias, Mr Bodiface) and Catwoman are still the main villains (as this was always Warner Bross intention for the sequel) but the Christmastime motif, Bruce Waynes tangling with businessmen who are not nearly as altruistic as him (in this instance various members of Gothams Five Families, the wealthiest and oldest families in Gotham along with the Waynes instead of the solitary and self-made Max Shreck) and a plan to frame Batman for high-profile murder(s) are all elements that somehow found their way into Daniel Waters Batman Returns, perhaps coincidentally. Catwoman is a much less sympathetic character here and more of the standard femme fatale. Her and the Penguins plan is to obtain various golden ravens from each of the five patriarchs that together will lead to buried treasure, thus Catwoman and the Penguin are motivated purely by greed rather than revenge in this story. Vicki Vale returns as the ostensible good girl in contrast to Catwoman and demonstrates more of a social conscience this time around (although for some reason Knox doesnt return even though he survived the first film as opposed to being killed off as per Sam Hamms original script for the first Batman). Also, Dick Grayson, a street-kid here, becomes a significant part of the story as the film progresses and ends up living with Bruce, Vicki and Alfred at Wayne Manor. Another interesting element is the presence of a group of masked vigilantes who model themselves on Batman, much like the ski-masked thugs at the beginning of TDK. The next two links are the scripts for Batman Returns. The first was written by Daniel Waters, and the second is a collaboration between Waters and Wesley Strick who was brought in to refine Waters plot and dialogue, whilst keeping to the general outline of his story. The last link, give or take a few lines of dialogue and a few deleted scenes, presumably excised from the final film for pacing or budgetary reasons, is effectively the shooting script and what ended up in the finished film. Waters earlier draft didnt feature the Penguins attempts to drown Gothams first-born. It also directly connects Shreck to the Penguin by making Shreck the Penguins older brother (and therefore present when the Penguins parents decide to throw their deformed baby into a river), a plot-point that is confirmed in the films third act where the Penguin kidnaps Max, the mayor and two of Maxs flunkies, Punch & Judy and places them in a giant bird-cage. Chip is also no longer Maxs son but a high-level flunky who is killed by Selina Kyle early in the proceedings via a quicksand pit (in an apartment?) whilst spying on her on behalf of Max (who is perturbed by her return from the dead having earlier pushed her out of her office window - as per the final film). Josh and Jen, the image consultants from Batman Returns are the aforementioned Punch & Judy and have a more prominent role here as they assist the Penguin/Oswald in his plans including his one to frame Batman for the Ice Princesss murder (a character who incidentally comes across as a bit nastier here, albeit less stupid). Robin, in this instance an African-American garage mechanic, also makes an appearance mid-way through the film when he helps Batman hide from the police after the Batmobile chase that follows him being framed. It should be noted that Harvey Dent features in none of these screenplays although Daniel Waters did state in one interview that he did toy with featuring the character at one stage in a brief scene where he would toss his coin and decide whether to act or not, but I dont know whether this would have been a pre-transformation Dent or Two-Face. Having read all three screenplays my personal feeling is that its almost a shame that Burton didnt direct Sam Hamms script, which is more of a straight sequel to the original film and features a more coherent, albeit arguably more cartoonish (i.e. buried treasure), plot. Despite the campiness of the buried treasure plotline and this version of the Penguin with his bird-motif related crimes (despite being a released convict Mr Bodiface is a distinguished ornithologist who trains birds to attack his enemies in occasionally unpleasant ways) there is some intelligent and dark commentary going on, particularly in relation to Bruces wealthy blue-blooded peers and their rapacious form of capitalism, and although not quite as realistic as Nolans movies, the script is less of an absurd (and I dont necessarily use that word in a pejorative sense) fantasy/fairytale but a rather more credible thriller/film-noir. Moreover, Catwoman and the Penguin are much closer to their comic-book counterparts (in the sense that Catwoman is a thief) except in the respect that this Catwoman is an entirely unsympathetic villain as opposed to the anti-heroine of the comic-books and the Burton and Nolan movies. I like Burtons Batman Returns but Daniel Waters is not the most coherent of screenwriters and Wesley Stricks contribution only helped by reducing some of Waters more lurid and would-be hip dialogue (even, in fact especially, in his best screenplay, Heathers Waters seems to be on a mission to innovate new slang and vernacular into everyday speech, which is fine in a independent high-school film but can be rather irritating in a mainstream comic-book movie). Waters has interesting ideas about feminism and capitalism, uses symbolism well and writes some great characters, including Shreck, Chip, the Ice Princess and his conception of Catwoman but he struggles to maintain a consistent story and seems less interested in Batman/Bruce Wayne than Sam Hamm, whose ideas about the character may slightly deviate from the conventional comic-book version but at least has ideas about the character. I cant help feeling that the second Batman could have been even better if Sam Hamms original screenplay, particularly the plot (perhaps with some extension to the buried treasure concept that would pose more of a threat to Gotham City at large), had been combined with some of Daniel Waters characters and sub-textual themes.
Posted on: Mon, 17 Mar 2014 06:27:30 +0000
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