Batman: The Animated Series Description
The original series
was partially inspired by Tim Burton's 1989 blockbuster
Batman film and the acclaimed Superman cartoons produced
by Fleischer Studios in the 1940s. Timm and Radomski designed
the series by closely emulating the Tim Burton films' "otherworldy
timelessness", incorporating period features such as
black-and-white title cards, police blimps, 40s influenced
fashion, 40s influenced car styling and a "vintage"
color scheme in a largely film noir-influenced style. The
series initially took as its theme a variation of music
written by Danny Elfman for Burton's Batman film; later
episodes of the series used a new theme with a similar style
by Shirley Walker. The score of the series was influenced
by Elfman and Walker's work on Batman and Batman Returns
and the music of 40s film noir. The art style of the original
animated series was also partially a reaction against the
realism seen in cartoons like X-Men; the second series in
some ways was a further extension of that rejection of realism.
Like X-Men, the program was
much more adult oriented than previous typical superhero
cartoon series. In their constant quest to make the show
darker, the producers pushed the boundaries of action cartoons:
it was the first such cartoon in years to depict firearms
being fired instead of laser guns (only one person has ever
been actually depicted as shot; Commissioner Gordon in episode
49 was seen to have a gunshot wound after the firefight
was finished), as well as Batman actually punching and kicking
the antagonists; in addition, many of the series' backgrounds
were painted on black paper.[8] The distinctive visual combination
of film noir imagery and Art Deco designs with a very dark
color scheme was called "Dark Deco" by the producers.
First-time producers Timm and Radomski reportedly encountered
resistance from studio executives, but the success of Burton's
first film allowed the embryonic series to survive long
enough to produce a pilot episode, "On Leather Wings",
which according to Timm "got a lot of people off our
backs."
The Emmy Award-winning series
quickly received wide acclaim for its distinctive animation
and mature writing, and it instantly became a hit. Fans
of a wide age range praised the show's sophisticated, cinematic
tone and psychological stories. Voice-actor Kevin Conroy
used two distinct voices to portray Bruce Wayne and Batman,
as Michael Keaton had done in the films. This series also
featured a supporting cast that included major actors performing
the voices of the various classic villains, most notably
Mark Hamill, who defined a whole new career for himself
in animation with his cheerfully deranged portrayal of the
Joker. The voice recording sessions were recorded with the
actors together in a studio, like a radio play, unlike the
majority of animated films, in which the principal voice
actors record separately and never meet (various interviews
have noted that such an arrangement (having the cast record
together) was a benefit to the show as a whole, as the actors
were able to 'react' to each other, rather than simply 'reading
the words').
Mr. Freeze, who was most famously redesigned for the series.Key
to the series' artistic success is that it managed to redefine
classic characters, paying homage to their previous portrayals
while giving them new dramatic force. The characterisation
of villains such as Two-Face and the Mad Hatter and heroes
like Robin—who had not appeared in the Burton film
series—demonstrate this. The Penguin is based upon
his appearance in Batman Returns, which was being released
at the same time as the series. The series also gave new
life to nearly forgotten characters like the Clock King.
An often noted example of dramatic change is Mr. Freeze;
Batman: TAS turned him from a clichéd mad scientist
with a gimmick for cold, to a tragic figure whose frigid
exterior hides a doomed love and a cold vindictive fury.
Part of the tragedy is mimicked later in the plot of Joel
Schumacher's live action movie Batman and Robin, although
much of the drama was lost with the resurrection of the
pun-quipping mad scientist image. The most famous of the
series' innovations is the Joker's hapless assistant, Harley
Quinn, who became so popular that DC Comics later added
her to the mainstream
