Batman - Dissertation Proposal

INTRODUCTION

"Because he's not our hero. He's a silent guardian, a watchful protector. A dark knight."

When Batman made his first appearance back in May 1939, even the creators Bob Kane and Bill Finger (uncredited) couldn't have imagined that the character would one day, not only become one of the most prominent figures in the American pop culture, but a global phenomenon itself. Since his debut 73 years ago, Batman has been adapted into various media - from feature films to radio, from television to animated series, from musical plays to video games. Taking into consideration the huge fortunes earned worldwide by the merchandise sales, it is safe to say that Batman is a true cultural icon.

After Tim Burton successfully managed to bring the character to the big screen in the form of Batman (1989) and subsequently in Batman Returns (1992), the movie franchise saw a gradual decline in the 90s. Even though the Caped Crusader saw success in the form of Batman: The Animated Series (1992-1995), the lacklustre Batman Forever (1995) and Batman & Robin (1997) hampered the bankability of the feature films.

However in 2005, Christopher Nolan, a relatively unknown filmmaker then, took command and became instrumental in rebooting the movie franchise and re-establishing Batman as the Dark Knight of the silver screen itself.

AIM

Through the course of this dissertation, I plan to focus on The Dark Knight trilogy directed by Christopher Nolan and its impact on not only the 'superhero' genre, but the entire film industry itself.

It will comprise of five chapters. First would be the Introduction where I would provide a background of the character and the history of the movie franchise prior to the trilogy. Then a chapter each on the three films, where I will give a brief synopsis, and then explain the major prevalent themes. I would also look to give some background information and the making of each film. Following which, I would explain the phenomenon itself and the impact of the trilogy. Given below are the basic premises of every chapter, which will be elaborated with required research and corresponding data.

* Batman Begins (2005)

"You really started something. Bent cops running scared. Hope on the streets."

The Warner Bros. release directed by Christopher Nolan marked the first entry in the reboot. Nolan, alongwith co-writer David. S. Goyer, aimed for a more realistic and grittier portrayal of the superhero, away from the lines of the gimmicky Burton/Schumacher films. Christian Bale starred as Bruce Wayne/Batman. Re-telling the origin story of Batman, the film incorporated various themes of recession, class conflict, escalation and hope.

* The