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The show manages to embrace both a retro and futuristic style, as art deco architecture comfortably houses highly advanced computers, technology and vehicles. It seems the makers are asking us to cast our minds back to the birth of the hero, whilst acknowledging that this is (or was - over a decade ago) a contemporary production. Stylistically, the show is faithful to Bob Kane and Bill Finger’s dark origins of the character, and a cap is respectfully doffed to Fleischer’s 1942 Superman series in the fluidity of locomotion and the superbly rendered and manipulated shadows which seem to skulk in every corner of Gotham. The unashamedly melodramatic voice-acting (including Mark Hamill as The Joker) is contextualised and made to feel very natural by the imaginative and authoritative visuals. One of the great assets of the bat mythos is the supremely engaging rogue’s gallery. Batman: Animated highlights the low-lives skillfully, their foibles exposed and the viewer’s sympathy evoked, though we’re always happy to see Batman punch their lights out at the end! Setting this show aside from other efforts aimed at a similar audience is the melancholy which pervades the origin and motivation of many of the ‘bad guys’. Clayface, Mister Freeze and Two-Face are particularly tragic. We see Two-Face’s pre-villain alter ego - Harvey Dent - interacting with Bruce Wayne in early episodes, ensuring he’s an emotive, rounded character before he slips over to the dark side. The duration of the shows - around 24 minutes in most cases - belies a heart which eludes most Hollywood projects in their emotional and narrative depths, not to mention sheer panache. The dvd extras are mouth-watering for fans of the show, including the short pilot which earned the producers the gig in the first place, and warm, insightful commentaries on selected episodes. The illustrations used on many of the (non-animated) menus are a tad basic and flat, and offer little clue to the sumptuous visual treasures within.
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