Today marks the 25th anniversary theatrical release of Batman's first real big screen debut in Tim Burton's 1989 masterpiece, "Batman". While the movie may seem kind of chintzy when compared to today's explosion-fest superhero films, Batman started the supehero-as-blockbuster model. Regardless, the production and art direction of the film certainly set a tone that still holds up today–if not more now than then.
So what were superhero films like before Hollywood had the (mis)fortune of CGI to do the heavy lifting? Miniatures, physical set design, matte paintings...Batman had it all and this blog of the 1989 Batman spectacle will give you a good indication of all the hard work that went in. Check it out here.
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