Synopsis:

Batman was/is a pretty solid film, but it does not get Bruce Wayne quite right, in my opinion. Also, the film itself does drag a bit. Therefore, wanted to see if a slimmed down version of the film would play better than the original. In my opinion, it does.

Intentions:

My intention was to speed the film up and remove the Vicky Vale love story, which is mostly out of character for Bruce Wayne, at least with how he is presented in this version of Batman.

Change List:

The film now opens directly on Gotham City and the family getting attacked by the two goons. The interaction between the two goons has been shortened. The credits now follow the teaser introduction of Batman. Both of the the political speeches by and with Harvey Dent have been removed. Those scenes served two purposes. 1, they set up Gotham as a city in peril. That is still achieved without the scene, however. 2, they are a set up for Dent himself who would have continued as a two-face in sequels had they not changed their minds. So, they did not really serve a purpose. Now, the film goes straight from the rooftop fight, to the credits, then back to the aftermath of the rooftop and Knox doing his investigation. The sub-plot of Jack having an affair with Grissom's girl has been reduced to implying it versus showing it. So the scene of Jack and Grissom's girl is gone. It is only there to give Grissom more of a reason to get rid of Jack, but Jack's defiant attitude really serves that function well on its own. The implication of the affair is intact, just not actually showing it. At Wayne mansion, Bruce's absent-minded behavior is removed, as is his interactions with Vicky in the middle of the party. Instead, we meet Bruce with Vicky and Knox in the display room. Batman does not try to save Jack after he falls over the rail. Instead, he just falls. Batman trying to save him shows him to be a good guy in front of Gordon, and that needs to be a mystery to him at this point. Bruce's date with Vicky has been removed. The scene of Bruce asking for the file on his parents has been moved here after the Joker surgery scene.. Bruce looking at the police files about his parents and his flashback to their murder has been moved here as a continuation of Bruce asking for the files from Alfred. The sub-plot of Jack being the killer of Bruce's parents has been removed, so moving the scene here keeps the story focused on Bruce and takes the place of Vicky sub-plot. The sub-plot of The Joker putting his toxin in house products and various people getting infected has been removed. In my opinion, it just slowed the film down. He is still working on something having to do with chemistry, but what that is is saved until the end with the big street attack and gas balloons. Because Jack did not kill Bruce's parents, he has simply seen the Joker at the attack on the street and recognized his as Jack, prompting at look at his police file and noting his interest in chemistry. The Joker's trip through the museum has been mostly removed. No Prince song and antics. Bruce going to Vicky's and his interaction with the Joker has all been removed. Everyone's accent to the top of the church has been trimmed down. Vicky meeting Alfred at the end has been removed. There are various cuts and trims here and there, but that is the bulk of it.

Additional Notes:

The primary strategy was to remove the Vicky Vale romance and keep the plot moving a bit quicker.

Other Sources:

The commercial DVD was used.