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|Film name = ''Batman: Mask of the Phantasm''
 
|Film name = ''Batman: Mask of the Phantasm''
 
|director=[[Eric Radomski]]<br>[[Bruce Timm]]
 
|director=[[Eric Radomski]]<br>[[Bruce Timm]]
|producer=[[Alan Burnett]]<br>[[Michael Uslan]]<br>[[Benjamin Melniker]]<br>
+
|producer=[[Benjamin Melniker]]<br>[[Michael E. Uslan]]
 
|writer='''Story:'''<br>Alan Burnett<br>'''Screenplay:'''<br>Alan Burnett<br>[[Martin Pasko]]<br>[[Paul Dini]]<br>[[Michael Reaves]]
Bruce Timm
 
|writer= Screenplay:<br>[[Alan Burnett]]<br>[[Martin Pasko]]<br>[[Paul Dini]]<br>[[Michael Reaves]]<br>Story:<br>[[Alan Burnett]]<br>Comic Book:<br>[[Bill Finger]]<br>[[Bob Kane]]
 
 
|music=[[Shirley Walker]]
 
|music=[[Shirley Walker]]
 
|duration=76 min
 
|duration=76 min
 
|budget= $6 million
 
|budget= $6 million
 
|grossrevenue=$5,617,391
 
|grossrevenue=$5,617,391
|previous=N/A
+
|previous=
 
|next=''[[Batman & Mr. Freeze: SubZero]]''
 
|next=''[[Batman & Mr. Freeze: SubZero]]''
 
}}
 
}}
 
'''''Batman: Mask of the Phantasm''''' is a DC animated feature film released in 1993 and set in the same continuity as ''[[Batman: The Animated Series]]''.
 
'''''Batman: Mask of the Phantasm''''' is a DC animated feature film released in 1993.
 
   
 
==Plot==
 
==Plot==
During a conference of crime bosses held in a [[Gotham City]] skyscraper, gangster Chuckie Sol is killed by a mysterious cloaked figure shortly after [[Batman]] bursts in on the meeting. Batman is blamed for the death. Councilman Arthur Reeves tells the media that Batman is an irresponsible menace, then attends a party at the mansion of billionaire Bruce Wayne, Batman's alter ego. Reeves jokingly taunts Bruce for having allowed an old girlfriend, [[The Phantasm|Andrea Beaumont]], to get away.
+
During a conference of crime bosses held in a [[Gotham City]] skyscraper, gangster Chuckie Sol is killed by a mysterious cloaked figure, known as [[The Phantasm]]. Shortly after, [[Batman]] bursts in on the meeting and is blamed for the murder. City Councilman Arthur Reeves tells the media that Batman is an irresponsible menace, then attends a party at the mansion of billionaire Bruce Wayne, Batman's alter-ego. Reeves jokingly taunts Bruce for having allowed an old girlfriend, [[The Phantasm|Andrea Beaumont]], to get away.
   
In a flashback to ten years ago during Bruce's college days, we see him meet Andrea in a cemetery while visiting his parents' grave. Bruce has vowed to avenge his parents' murder by dedicating his life to fighting crime. He dons a mask and black ninja-styled outfit and foils an armored car robbery, but is discouraged that the criminals do not fear him. Around the same time, he begins a romance with Andrea. Eventually, Bruce decides to quit his plan on becoming a crime-fighter and proposes marriage to Andrea. However, Andrea mysteriously leaves Gotham with her father, ending her engagement to Bruce in a Dear John letter. Believing that he has lost his only chance of having a normal life, Bruce finally dons the mask of Batman.
+
In a flashback to fifteen years ago during Bruce's college days, Bruce is seen meeting Andrea in a cemetery while visiting his parents' grave. At this point, Bruce has vowed to avenge his parents' murder by dedicating his life to fighting crime. Later, wearing a ski mask, Bruce thwarts an armored car robbery. However, when Alfred asks how the fight went, Bruce is discouraged that the robbers considered him a clownish vigilante at first, and realizes he needs to adopt a persona that will strike fear into the hearts of wrongdoers. While he is laying the groundwork for crime-fighting, Bruce is also dating Andrea, and doing things with her such as visiting a future exposition, which contains [[Batmobile|a car prototype that catches Bruce's eye]]. He also meets Andrea's father Carl Beaumont, who is a businessman and Arthur Reeves, who worked as Beaumont's legal adviser at the time. In his study, while talking to portraits of his parents, Bruce wonders what his parents really want for him; to avenge their deaths as a crimefighter or to continue the Wayne bloodline by marriage and fathering children? Later, Bruce tells Alfred he has made his choice: he will abandon his crime-fighting career and focus solely on his work at Wayne Enterprises, and has also bought an engagement ring for Andrea. However, Andrea mysteriously leaves Gotham with her father, ending her engagement to Bruce in a Dear John-style letter. Believing that he has lost his only chance of having a normal life, Bruce proceeds with his other choice, to avenge his parents' murder and spare other families his pain. After seeing a bat fly in the night sky, Bruce realizes he has the perfect image of terror for wrongdoers, and finally dons the mask of Batman.
  +
[[File:World of the Future.jpg|thumb|275px|Bruce and Andrea going to the World of the Future Fair.]]
   
In the present, the killer finds and kills another gangster, Buzz Bronski. Batman discovers evidence linking Andrea's father with a number of organized crime figures. The killer later targets Salvatore Valestra, the mob boss for whom both Sol and Bronski once worked as enforcers, but is beaten to the punch by the [[Joker]], whom Valestra had foolishly consulted for help; Batman is blamed again and has a close call with the police after a brief confrontation with the killer. Rescuing Batman in her car, Andrea explains that she and her father had been hiding in Europe, from the Valestra mob, to whom he owed a lot of money. Carl Beaumont eventually repaid them, but that did not satisfy them. Batman believes that Andrea's father may be the killer, until he learns from Reeves (who now knows Batman is innocent) that Beaumont was murdered some time before.
+
In the present, the killer finds and kills another gangster, Buzz Bronski, who is killed at the graveyard shortly after mourning Chuckie Sol. Batman discovers evidence linking the two murdered gangsters; they were both lieutenants of retired mob boss Salvatore "Sal" Valestra. Valestra himself, despite already close to dying from old age and lung cancer, fears that the killer has a pattern, and that he is next on the list. He seeks the Joker, with whom he had a prior working relationship, and offers him a large sum of money to assassinate Batman for him. Unfortunately, he foolishly trades one assassin for another; rather than going after the killer, the Joker kills Valestra with [[Joker venom]] instead. The Joker then sets up a trap for Batman, planting Valestra's boobytrapped corpse in a chair in Valestra's living room while monitoring via a camera. He then suddenly realizes Batman is not the killer when he sees a hooded figure with a skull mask triggering the bomb, but the Phantasm survives by jumping out the window. Batman, who is nearby and is attracted to the scene by the explosion, tries to catch the Phantasm, but is hindered by the Gotham Police who still believe that he is the killer and attempt to apprehend him for the string of assassinations while the Phantasm escapes. Rescuing Batman in her car, Andrea explains that she and her father had been hiding in Europe, from the Valestra mob, to whom he owed a lot of money. Carl Beaumont eventually repaid them, but that did not satisfy them; they were angered by the fact he skipped town on them and wanted "payment in blood". Batman believes that Andrea's father may be the killer.
   
  +
The next day, the Joker approaches councilman Reeves at his office, explaining that the killer is someone else than Batman. When Reeves coincidentally mentions that Andrea is back in town, the Joker suddenly realizes who the killer really is, and poisons Reeves with Joker gas before leaving. At the same time, Bruce Wayne studies an old photo of the Valestra mob together with Carl Beaumont when he recognizes one of the men in the background - it is the Joker (prior to his accident) who was then Valestra's bodyguard, enforcer and hitman. Batman then sees Reeves, who is now under treatment for joker poisoning at a hospital. Interrogating him, Batman learns that Reeves was the only person in Gotham Carl Beaumont stayed in touch with after fleeing to Europe, and that Reeves sold information on his whereabouts to Valestra to pay for his election campaign. Valestra then sent his hitman (the future Joker) to Europe to assassinate Beaumont. Disgusted with Reeves, Batman leaves without offering him an antidote. Making out the puzzle, Batman goes to Andrea's apartment, but she isn't there; instead, he is almost killed by another bomb trap set by the Joker. Realizing the bomb was meant for Andrea and not for him, Batman now understands who the Phantasm really is.
In a tussle with the Joker, the killer is revealed to be Andrea herself, intent on avenging her father's death by killing the mobsters to whom he owed money and whom ordered Beaumont murdered. The Joker is also revealed to be the last surviving member of the Valestra mob: an unnamed hitman who personally murdered Beaumont for Valestra. During the course of their struggle, Batman arrives. Bruce begs Andrea to give up her desire for revenge but she refuses stating that they ruined her chances with Bruce and that he himself is constantly fighting for revenge. Andrea vanishes and Batman battles with the Joker in a miniaturized replica of Gotham City. After a protracted battle, both the Joker and Andrea vanish in the confusion of fire and smoke with Joker laughing maniacally, with Batman barely escaping into a waterway before a series of rigged explosions.
 
   
 
The Phantasm confronts the Joker in his hideout, which is the abandoned future exposition that Andrea and Bruce visited years ago. During their fight, the skull mask is lost and reveals her as Andrea, who is intent on avenging her father's death by killing the mobsters to whom he owed money and whom ordered Beaumont murdered. In the middle of their struggle, Batman arrives. Bruce begs Andrea to give up her desire for revenge but she refuses stating that Joker and Valestra ruined her chances with Bruce and that he himself is constantly fighting for revenge. Andrea then vanishes and Batman battles with the Joker in a miniaturized replica of Gotham City. After a protracted battle which injures both of them badly, the Joker surrenders to Batman, but Andrea shows up again, determined to finish what she started. She picks the Joker up and both of them vanish in the confusion of fire and smoke with the Joker laughing maniacally, with Batman barely escaping through a waterway while a series of rigged explosions goes off.
Back in the Batcave, a heartbroken Bruce receives consolation from Alfred stating that no one could have helped Andrea. Bruce finds the locket with Bruce and Andrea in it in the cave. Meanwhile, Andrea stands on the deck of an ocean liner, alone. The final scene shows Batman now permanently alone standing on top of a building, still in grief. The [[Bat-Signal]] emerges in the distance and Batman flies into action to continue his crusade against crime.
 
  +
 
Back in the Batcave, a heartbroken Bruce receives consolation from Alfred, stating that Andrea was obsessed with revenge and murder and no-one could have helped her. Bruce finds the locket with a photo of himself and Andrea in the cave. Meanwhile, Andrea stands on the deck of an ocean liner, alone (the fate of the Joker is not explained). The final scene shows Batman now permanently alone standing on top of a building, still in grief. The [[Bat-Signal]] emerges in the distance and Batman flies into action to continue his crusade against crime.
   
 
==Cast==
 
==Cast==
*[[Kevin Conroy]] as [[Batman|Bruce Wayne / Batman]]
+
*[[Kevin Conroy]] as [[Batman (DC Animated Universe)|Bruce Wayne/Batman]]
*[[Dana Delany]] as [[The Phantasm|Andrea Beaumont / The Phantasm]]
+
*[[Dana Delany]] as [[The Phantasm|Andrea Beaumont]]
 
*[[Hart Bochner]] as City Councilman [[Arthur Reeves]]
 
*[[Hart Bochner]] as City Councilman [[Arthur Reeves]]
*[[Efrem Zimbalist, Jr.]] as [[Alfred Pennyworth]]
+
*[[Efrem Zimbalist, Jr.]] as [[Alfred Pennyworth (DC Animated Universe)|Alfred Pennyworth]]
*[[Mark Hamill]] as [[The Joker]]
+
*[[Mark Hamill]] as [[The Joker (DC Animated Universe)|The Joker]]
*[[Abe Vigoda]] as [[Salvatore Valestra|Salvatore "The Wheezer" Valestra]]
+
*[[Abe Vigoda]] as [[Salvatore Valestra]]
*[[Stacy Keach]] as [[Carl Beaumont]]
+
*[[Stacy Keach]] as [[Carl Beaumont]] and [[The Phantasm]]
*[[Robert Costanzo]] as [[Harvey Bullock]]
+
*[[Robert Costanzo]] as [[Harvey Bullock (DC Animated Universe)|Harvey Bullock]]
*[[Dick Miller]] as [[Charles Sol|Charles "Chuckie" Sol]]
+
*[[Dick Miller]] as [[Chuckie Sol]]
 
*[[John P. Ryan]] as [[Buzz Bronski]]
 
*[[John P. Ryan]] as [[Buzz Bronski]]
*[[Bob Hastings]] as [[James Gordon]]
+
*[[Bob Hastings]] as [[James Gordon (DC Animated Universe)|Jim Gordon]]
   
 
==Appearances==
 
==Appearances==
Line 54: Line 55:
 
*[['Buzz' Bronski]]
 
*[['Buzz' Bronski]]
 
*[[Veronica Vreeland]]
 
*[[Veronica Vreeland]]
*[[Bambi]]
+
*[[Ms. Bambi]]
 
*[[Bridget]]
 
*[[Bridget]]
   
 
==Trivia==
 
==Trivia==
*Writer Paul Dini [http://smodcast.com/episodes/the-dini-dossiers-pt-2/ participated] in a commentary track for the film almost 20 years later with Kevin Smith.
 
 
*A sequel comic to the film was produced in 1996, as ''Batman & Robin Adventures Annual #1: Shadow of the Phantasm'', with writer Paul Dini.
 
*A sequel comic to the film was produced in 1996, as ''Batman & Robin Adventures Annual #1: Shadow of the Phantasm'', with writer Paul Dini.
 
*In the ''[[Justice League Unlimited (TV Series)|Justice League Unlimited]]'' episode "Epilogue", it is revealed that the Phantasm was initially supposed to kill [[Terry McGinnis (DC Animated Universe)|Terry McGinnis]]'s parents, leading the way for him to become Batman in the ''[[Batman Beyond]]'' series.
 
*In the ''[[Justice League Unlimited (TV Series)|Justice League Unlimited]]'' episode "Epilogue", it is revealed that the Phantasm was initially supposed to kill [[Terry McGinnis (DC Animated Universe)|Terry McGinnis]]'s parents, leading the way for him to become Batman in the ''[[Batman Beyond]]'' series.
  +
*''Batman: Mask of the Phantasm'' is of one of only two DC animated films to be released in theaters. In 2016, [[Batman: The Killing Joke|''Batman: The Killing Joke'']] was released in theaters for only a short time, with Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill reprising their roles as Batman and The Joker, respectively. All remaining DC Animated films have been straight to VHS, DVD, and Blu Ray.
  +
*In 2017, a Blu-ray with the original theatrical aspect ratio was released through Warner Archive, with no extra features.
 
*Writer Paul Dini participated in a commentary track for the film almost 20 years later with Kevin Smith.
  +
  +
==Videos==
  +
<gallery>
  +
File:Batman_Mask_of_the_Phantasm_-_Original_Theatrical_Trailer|
  +
File:The_Making_Of_Batman_Mask_of_The_Phantasm|
  +
</gallery>
  +
  +
==Links==
  +
* [[w:c:batmantheanimatedseries:Batman:_Mask_of_the_Phantasm|BTAS wiki page]]
  +
* [[w:c:dcanimated:Batman:_Mask_of_the_Phantasm|DCAU wiki page]]
 
[[Category:Animated Films|01 Batman: Mask of the Phantasm]]
 
[[Category:Animated Films|01 Batman: Mask of the Phantasm]]

Revision as of 21:53, 8 October 2017

Batman: Mask of the Phantasm is a DC animated feature film released in 1993 and set in the same continuity as Batman: The Animated Series.

Plot

During a conference of crime bosses held in a Gotham City skyscraper, gangster Chuckie Sol is killed by a mysterious cloaked figure, known as The Phantasm. Shortly after, Batman bursts in on the meeting and is blamed for the murder. City Councilman Arthur Reeves tells the media that Batman is an irresponsible menace, then attends a party at the mansion of billionaire Bruce Wayne, Batman's alter-ego. Reeves jokingly taunts Bruce for having allowed an old girlfriend, Andrea Beaumont, to get away.

In a flashback to fifteen years ago during Bruce's college days, Bruce is seen meeting Andrea in a cemetery while visiting his parents' grave. At this point, Bruce has vowed to avenge his parents' murder by dedicating his life to fighting crime. Later, wearing a ski mask, Bruce thwarts an armored car robbery. However, when Alfred asks how the fight went, Bruce is discouraged that the robbers considered him a clownish vigilante at first, and realizes he needs to adopt a persona that will strike fear into the hearts of wrongdoers. While he is laying the groundwork for crime-fighting, Bruce is also dating Andrea, and doing things with her such as visiting a future exposition, which contains a car prototype that catches Bruce's eye. He also meets Andrea's father Carl Beaumont, who is a businessman and Arthur Reeves, who worked as Beaumont's legal adviser at the time. In his study, while talking to portraits of his parents, Bruce wonders what his parents really want for him; to avenge their deaths as a crimefighter or to continue the Wayne bloodline by marriage and fathering children? Later, Bruce tells Alfred he has made his choice: he will abandon his crime-fighting career and focus solely on his work at Wayne Enterprises, and has also bought an engagement ring for Andrea. However, Andrea mysteriously leaves Gotham with her father, ending her engagement to Bruce in a Dear John-style letter. Believing that he has lost his only chance of having a normal life, Bruce proceeds with his other choice, to avenge his parents' murder and spare other families his pain. After seeing a bat fly in the night sky, Bruce realizes he has the perfect image of terror for wrongdoers, and finally dons the mask of Batman.

World of the Future

Bruce and Andrea going to the World of the Future Fair.

In the present, the killer finds and kills another gangster, Buzz Bronski, who is killed at the graveyard shortly after mourning Chuckie Sol. Batman discovers evidence linking the two murdered gangsters; they were both lieutenants of retired mob boss Salvatore "Sal" Valestra. Valestra himself, despite already close to dying from old age and lung cancer, fears that the killer has a pattern, and that he is next on the list. He seeks the Joker, with whom he had a prior working relationship, and offers him a large sum of money to assassinate Batman for him. Unfortunately, he foolishly trades one assassin for another; rather than going after the killer, the Joker kills Valestra with Joker venom instead. The Joker then sets up a trap for Batman, planting Valestra's boobytrapped corpse in a chair in Valestra's living room while monitoring via a camera. He then suddenly realizes Batman is not the killer when he sees a hooded figure with a skull mask triggering the bomb, but the Phantasm survives by jumping out the window. Batman, who is nearby and is attracted to the scene by the explosion, tries to catch the Phantasm, but is hindered by the Gotham Police who still believe that he is the killer and attempt to apprehend him for the string of assassinations while the Phantasm escapes. Rescuing Batman in her car, Andrea explains that she and her father had been hiding in Europe, from the Valestra mob, to whom he owed a lot of money. Carl Beaumont eventually repaid them, but that did not satisfy them; they were angered by the fact he skipped town on them and wanted "payment in blood". Batman believes that Andrea's father may be the killer.

The next day, the Joker approaches councilman Reeves at his office, explaining that the killer is someone else than Batman. When Reeves coincidentally mentions that Andrea is back in town, the Joker suddenly realizes who the killer really is, and poisons Reeves with Joker gas before leaving. At the same time, Bruce Wayne studies an old photo of the Valestra mob together with Carl Beaumont when he recognizes one of the men in the background - it is the Joker (prior to his accident) who was then Valestra's bodyguard, enforcer and hitman. Batman then sees Reeves, who is now under treatment for joker poisoning at a hospital. Interrogating him, Batman learns that Reeves was the only person in Gotham Carl Beaumont stayed in touch with after fleeing to Europe, and that Reeves sold information on his whereabouts to Valestra to pay for his election campaign. Valestra then sent his hitman (the future Joker) to Europe to assassinate Beaumont. Disgusted with Reeves, Batman leaves without offering him an antidote. Making out the puzzle, Batman goes to Andrea's apartment, but she isn't there; instead, he is almost killed by another bomb trap set by the Joker. Realizing the bomb was meant for Andrea and not for him, Batman now understands who the Phantasm really is.

The Phantasm confronts the Joker in his hideout, which is the abandoned future exposition that Andrea and Bruce visited years ago. During their fight, the skull mask is lost and reveals her as Andrea, who is intent on avenging her father's death by killing the mobsters to whom he owed money and whom ordered Beaumont murdered. In the middle of their struggle, Batman arrives. Bruce begs Andrea to give up her desire for revenge but she refuses stating that Joker and Valestra ruined her chances with Bruce and that he himself is constantly fighting for revenge. Andrea then vanishes and Batman battles with the Joker in a miniaturized replica of Gotham City. After a protracted battle which injures both of them badly, the Joker surrenders to Batman, but Andrea shows up again, determined to finish what she started. She picks the Joker up and both of them vanish in the confusion of fire and smoke with the Joker laughing maniacally, with Batman barely escaping through a waterway while a series of rigged explosions goes off.

Back in the Batcave, a heartbroken Bruce receives consolation from Alfred, stating that Andrea was obsessed with revenge and murder and no-one could have helped her. Bruce finds the locket with a photo of himself and Andrea in the cave. Meanwhile, Andrea stands on the deck of an ocean liner, alone (the fate of the Joker is not explained). The final scene shows Batman now permanently alone standing on top of a building, still in grief. The Bat-Signal emerges in the distance and Batman flies into action to continue his crusade against crime.

Cast

Appearances

Individuals

Trivia

  • A sequel comic to the film was produced in 1996, as Batman & Robin Adventures Annual #1: Shadow of the Phantasm, with writer Paul Dini.
  • In the Justice League Unlimited episode "Epilogue", it is revealed that the Phantasm was initially supposed to kill Terry McGinnis's parents, leading the way for him to become Batman in the Batman Beyond series.
  • Batman: Mask of the Phantasm is of one of only two DC animated films to be released in theaters. In 2016, Batman: The Killing Joke was released in theaters for only a short time, with Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill reprising their roles as Batman and The Joker, respectively. All remaining DC Animated films have been straight to VHS, DVD, and Blu Ray.
  • In 2017, a Blu-ray with the original theatrical aspect ratio was released through Warner Archive, with no extra features.
  • Writer Paul Dini participated in a commentary track for the film almost 20 years later with Kevin Smith.

Videos

Links