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Christmas only comes once a year and when it does eventually roll round to those fateful December nights of darkness from five in the evening, it’s difficult not to get swept up in the magical month that brings snow, mince pies and most importantly great films. That’s right, Christmas means it’s time to break out our festive favourites and watch them until our DVD players burn out before they return to their rightful place on the shelf once again for another eleven months. After all, what would those cold winter nights be without a warm fire, mug of hot chocolate and our favourite Christmas film? All of these wonderful novelties are of course executed with the intention of getting us excited for the big day after the residual childhood magic of the season has well and truly vanished. So with this in mind, your Christmas film must be picked carefully in order to achieve the perfect balance of heartwarming seasonal spirit and a great story that makes you appreciate the loved ones you will pulling crackers over the dinner table with.
When people cast their minds back and think of their favourite Christmas film often accompanied by a deep sentimental connection from their childhood, Tim Burton’s BATMAN RETURNS isn’t usually one that springs to attention. However, Burton’s second tackle with the famous Caped Crusader happens to be my personal favourite Christmas film for a number of reasons. Although I think the fact that I spent the majority of my adolescent December nights curled up in bed watching BATMAN RETURNS, probably says more about me than why it is a great festive film with a heart warming message at its core.
The film begins with a woman giving birth in an extravagant mansion whilst her husband waits by a warm fire and window overlooking the picturesque city of Gotham accompanied by heavy snowfall. The scene quickly turns to horror when we begin to realise that the child is heavily deformed and abnormal, which causes the high class and ashamed parents to abandon the baby in the sewer. Thirty three years later and Christmas is once again looming for a cold, dark and snowy Gotham City, when the child re-emerges as a troubled and criminally insane individual who names himself ‘The Penguin’ after the animals he has grown up with in those underground sewers. The Penguin attempts to manipulate and control Gotham City through politics and false heroics by painting a sympathetic image of himself, before framing Batman for the kidnap of a woman chosen to turn on the Gotham Christmas tree lights.
The innocent Selina Kyle is also caught in the political web of lies that ensues during the film, which leads to her death and subsequent resurrection following an encounter with a gang of alley cats. Kyle suffers heavy mental trauma as a result of the ordeal and adopts the new persona of Catwoman, and becomes determined in seeking revenge on her corrupt boss responsible for her murder. After a brief team-up between the Penguin and Catwoman their partnership quickly breaks down and soon after the Penguin is exposed to the public as a fraud by Batman’s alter ego Bruce Wayne. This then leads to the Penguins final plan to murder the first born children of Gotham. Suffice to say, this twisted plan is thwarted by Batman, resulting in the Penguin’s death and Catwoman’s escape to unknown whereabouts.
While initially this seems like an incredibly dark premise that couldn’t possibly be considered at all within the realms of festivity, their are many comforting elements of BATMAN RETURNS that have lead to the film becoming a cult favourite Christmas watch. For starters the plot thread regarding the kidnapping of the ‘Ice Princess’ practically screams its narrative representation of the hero’s quest to save Christmas at the audience. However, when she is killed by a fatal fall from a tall building, the story becomes a little bit more complicated. The film then begins to express its true motivations which show the audience the price of corporate and vengeful violence. As the narrative begins to unfold, we see that Christmas is the perfect time for superheroes to shine and save the day (just check out IRON MAN 3). As Bruce Wayne risks his life to make the citizens of Gotham safe, it makes us appreciate our own safety as we sit with our loved ones by the warm fire watching Batman defend the lives of those less fortunate than himself.
The films dark and snowy mise-en-scene accompanied by Danny Elfman’s hauntingly gentle and comforting score is practically a blanket of Christmas spirit begging you to eat mince pies and drink eggnog by the fire. BATMAN RETURNS begins with the line ‘Merry Christmas’ and ends with Bruce sharing a touching moment with his ever faithful butler and them wishing each other the same. Michael Keaton’s finishing line of the film is “Merry Christmas Alfred, good will toward men and women”. This leaves us with the comforting and heartwarming thought that even after the horrific events that have occured throughout the film, Bruce is still rewarded with the enjoyment of Christmas and the chance to spend it with his loving and only remaining family.
BATMAN RETURNS is a truly rewarding Christmas film that is definitely worth watching for a more adult orientated and darker look into the the holiday season, which still shows you what it means to be selfless and caring towards not only your family but others too.
