Batman: The SilentPete Edit

Great minds think alike, they say. And I'll be inclined to agree: this cut of Batman '89 was made way before SilentPete knew about my own edit "Batman: Descent Into Mystery" (remember that ancient thing?) and much less watched it, yet there's an incredible number of things that we did exactly or almost exactly the same. Objectives, character tweaks, reordering of scenes, specific solutions to certain problems, even additions. There was an incredible overlap. SilentPete and myself are pretty much on the same page regarding this film.

Not that I've done everything the same, of course, and in fact I didn't. For my tastes this one cut a little bit too much of Joker enjoying himself, which for me it's a major part of the fun but those who prefer more restrained versions of the character might appreciate this approach. Also, Batman's killer side mostly stays, as the editor opted for keeping more action in the story instead of sacrificing it to comic book accuracy. Just as valid, of course.

But the big issues and the approach to them are pretty much the same: no Bruce/Vicki romance, no Joker killing the Waynes, no Prince music video in the museum, no Alfred letting Vicki into the Batcave, none of that baloney. Also, if you thought my cut was short, this one is 80 minutes! Talk about fast pacing! Impossible to get bored watching it.

My own edit, being old as dust, is still SD, so until the day I decide to make it available on HD (maybe, maybe...) this is the closest thing to it. And it does look absolutely beautiful for an upscaled DVD source (with the added benefit of sparing us the godawful color regrade and replaced sound FX of the more modern releases). As for the content itself, it will depend on the viewer to prefer one or the other. For me, despite not completely matching my vision, it's a really great alternative, and one that makes me feel reaffirmed in that it seems my ideas weren't actually so bad after all...

I enjoyed this edit. The trick about watching an edit like this, where several things have been removed from the film, is paying close attention to what remains and whether it makes logical sense. This edit did a good job of that. There was only one tiny piece of audio that stuck out to me. During the final act, Vicki Vale says out loud, "Joker Smilex Gas" when she notices something seeping out of the giant float balloons. It stuck out to me because any other mentions of "Smilex" were removed from the film. But, that's not really a major quibble, more of a minor one. But what can I say, I'm a details person.
Overall though I think that it's definitely worth a watch, and sets out to accomplish the intention of the edit. The theatrical cut does seem too long to me when I try to watch it now, so it's nice to have a shorter, faster paced version.

I have a weird relationship with this movie. First of all, I grew up with Tim Burton's Batman films. At first I loved them both. Later, I only liked the first one and recently, when I rewatched them in preparation for the extremely mediocre Flash movie, I realized that I prefer the second one because a) it was more "mature" because Burton had the experience with the first and bigger budget, and b) Batman (1989) was just sooo long.

This edit is a testament to how useless was the romance between Bruce and Vicky. Plus, I didn't mind at all the light trimming of some of Joker's over the top silliness and the removal of him being the one that killed Bruce's parents. I didn't miss the removed scenes for a second and if this would be your first viewing of the movie, I guarantee you would never even know that there was a romance between Bruce and Vicky. That's how good this edit is. So, job well done SilentPete!

The reason I removed one point from narrative is because at the beginning at the gala where Knox and Vicky go, Knox nods Vicky to check out Gordon because he is discussing something seemingly important with the police officer, but then we abruptly cut to the scene in the armory room where Vicky and Knox went and Bruce enters and tells them he bought the armor in Japan. I was like, what? but this my only complaint.

For anyone who felt that either Batman was too long or the romance was unnecessary, this is your edit! I assure you this will be your go-to version in the future! I know it will be for me!

Thank you SilentPete for all your hard work and thanks to anyone who read my review!

The original Batman '89 was always a mixed bag for me. On the plus side, I loved the Batsuit and the Batmobile, and Jack Nicholson's Joker was arguably the best villain of the first four Batman movies. On the negative side, I've never liked the Vicki Vale romance and the idea of Jack Napier killing Bruce's parents. This edit takes care of all that, and the result feels like an extended episode of the 90's animated series in the best way. Highly recommended to all Batman fans.

SilentPete's Batman (1989) hits its goal of removing the Vicky Vale romance subplot bs and enhancing the film's pacing. By trimming certain scenes and eliminating specific subplots, SilentPete made a more focused and streamlined Gotham adventure. While some narrative elements may be missed by fans of the original film, this fan edit provides a fresh and engaging alternative viewing experience for those seeking a more streamlined take on Batman's. the subplot involving The Joker infecting house products and people with his toxin. While it contributed to the original film's complexity, its removal here allows for a more focused narrative. The Joker's involvement in chemistry remains a key element, with the reveal of his gas balloons and the street attack saved for the climactic finale.