Downtime

Sometimes I go on the net just checking out random stuff with the knowledge that it’s probably going to be handy in pub quizzes. It was on one occasion that I discovered the world of fan made comic book films. I haven’t seen many of them to be honest with you. These types of films are seen as “unofficial” but at the same time have a lot of dedication to the source material whilst spending a meagre budget.

I tend to think Watchmen is a fan film even though it’s got a multi-million dollar budget, Zack Snyder was highly reverential to the storyline,characters and the world they inhabited well, almost to the end.

Fan films are almost a genre in themselves I’d strongly advise to check out a Spanish Batman trailer that was based on the graphic novel, Arkham Asylum, it was quite elaborate. Could it work as a film possibly?

Another fan flick is “Batman Dead End” which went down a storm which blended the Dark Knight’s world with the creatures of Alien and Predator. The short was directed by Sandy Collora a designer who created the logo for Jurassic Park. Collora followed up Dead End with a trailer for “Worlds Finest” keeping the same cast of D.E, Collora allowed Batman to meet Superman for the very first time.

I recently saw “Batman City Of Scars” it was directed by Aaron Schoenke. On a budget of £16,000, I’d go out on a limb saying the production value is up there with the recent Batman film. You can check out City of Scars here

In the short as expected, Christian Bale is nowhere to be seen, instead Kevin Porter ably takes up the role of Bruce Wayne/Batman and does a good job of it. Porter’s Batman is supported by Paul Molnar who can really pull off an evil Joker in spite of Heath Ledger’s master performance.

The short focuses on Batman as he hunts down the Joker (Paul Molnar) when he kills the parents of a child, which is too close to home for Batman. The killings leave the Dark Knight questioning his methods of fighting crime in Gotham.

Much of the film has an internal monologue delivered by Batman (Porter) which is similar to a Batman comic, Legends of the Dark Knight. If you’re expecting the Batmobile to pop up, Bats has a nifty Batbike instead which he uses in the finale to track down the Joker. It’s also littered with cameos from characters from DC comics.

City Of Scars has the gritty feel of Alan Moore’s acclaimed storyline Killing Joke, which both Tim Burton and Chris Nolan read before going into Gotham City. Now obviously the makers couldn’t afford the armour like costume that Bale wore in the Dark Knight and I’m glad they didn’t try to emulate either, Porter’s Batman looks like he’s been ripped from the painted panels of artist Alex Ross, an artist well known for drawing realistic superheroes. In fact, a scene swipes a cover that Ross did a while ago.

Schoenke has made an inspiring film that rivals all previous Batman films that have gone before them. It should leave people sated well, until next year anyway or even give the reins to this guy after Nolan has left the Batcave.

Posted: 24/3/2011
Categories: Movies / Dc

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