The Batman vs. Dracula
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| The Batman vs. Dracula | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Directed by | Michael Goguen |
| Produced by | Duane Capizzi Michael Goguen Kimberly Smith |
| Written by | Duane Capizzi |
| Starring | Rino Romano Peter Stormare |
| Distributed by | Warner Bros. |
| Release date(s) | October 18, 2005 |
| Running time | 84 min. |
| Language | English |
| IMDb profile | |
The Batman vs. Dracula is a 2005 animated movie based on The Batman television series. It has a much darker tone than the show, and features Vicki Vale (in her first animated appearance). The movie was released to DVD on October 18, 2005 and made its television debut on Cartoon Network's Toonami block on October 22, 2005 (see 2005 in film).
Contents |
[edit] Cast
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Rino Romano | Bruce Wayne / The Batman |
| Peter Stormare | Dracula |
| Tara Strong | Vicki Vale |
| Tom Kenny | The Penguin |
| Kevin Michael Richardson | The Joker |
| Alastair Duncan | Alfred Pennyworth |
[edit] Plot
At Arkham Asylum, the Penguin is told by another prisoner that a large amount of money is hidden in Gotham Graveyard, in a crypt behind a tombstone with a cross. After the prisoner mentions he told the Joker, an alarm sounds and a guard yells that the Joker has escaped. Penguin uses the confusion to break out as well.
Penguin meets up with Joker on his way to the graveyard and they strike a deal - but Joker loses no time in double-crossing Penguin and knocking him out with an electrified Joy Buzzer. As Penguin watches, he sees The Batman following Joker.
Penguin reaches the graveyard, but it turns out that many of the tombstones have crosses. Meanwhile, The Batman and Joker fight, ending in Joker's apparent death, falling in water and being electrocuted by his own Joy Buzzers.
While in the graveyard, Penguin finds a crypt and cuts loose a suspended coffin. In the process, he cuts his hand on the blade of his umbrella and the blood drips onto the corpse inside. As Penguin leaves the crypt, the corpse reanimates and gains new flesh and organs.
Penguin hears the corpse and sees Dracula rise. He runs trying to escape but Dracula follows the scent and trail of blood from Penguin's cut. Dracula finds the night watchman and drains his blood. Penguin is surprised when he sees the watchman become a vampire, protesting that a dead man can't do that. Dracula replies that he is undead.
Dracula hypnotizes Penguin into becoming his servant to show him Gotham so he can feed. Dracula notes that Transylvania has changed, and is informed by Penguin that he is in Gotham City. Dracula concludes that he has been moved since his death.
Bruce has an interview with Vicki Vale at a restaurant. On his return to Wayne Manor, he tells Alfred that he invited her to the corporate dinner and a dinner on Saturday.
As the Batman patrols the city, a woman is robbed but when the crook is stopped before he can get there he decides he's not needed. Hearing the woman scream again, he sees that the night watchman is a vampire. The crook and the woman have also become vampires. The Batman fights them but is unable to defeat them and forces them to retreat. Penguin then wakes up Dracula who now looks more human, having fed on some people and plans to turn Gotham into a city of vampires.
Batman does not believe what he has seen, but knows something is wrong. At the party Bruce meets Dracula under the name of Alucard. Dracula takes an interest in Vicky Vale and says he is studying The Batman. When a waiter comes by with a tray of garlic shrimp he is noticeably disturbed. Bruce notices this and offers him some but Dracula hypnotises him and leaves. A moment later the hypnotised Bruce leaves Viki and wanders over to the balcony where Dracula is waiting to bite him. However just before Dracula is able to Alfred arrives prompting Dracula to disappear and Bruce to snap out of the trance. Dracula meanwhile feeds on one of the waiters. Alfred discovers the waiter is a vampire and narrowly avoids being attacked. Bruce meanwhile deduces "Alucard"'s true identity: Dracula.
The next morning it is reported that The Batman is causing people to disappear and is attacked that night on patrol. As he escapes from the police the police members are taken by Dracula. Batman encounters Dracula on a rooftop and tries to fight, but is unable to defeat him. Fortunately, Dracula retreats when the sun rises. Bruce wakes up later on in his bed after having a nightmare in which he sees his parents killed and sees the Batman as a vampire.
Joker shows up at the graveyard and demands his share from Penguin. He chases Penguin into the crypt where he opens Dracula's coffin and is attacked. Later, in a bloodbank, a nurse is attacked and The Batman finds Joker feasting on the blood from the numerous vials on the shelves. The two fight until they knock over the shelves. While Joker is distracted drinking blood raining down from a collapsed set of shelves, The Batman hits him with garlic bombs.
Batman takes him inside the Batcave and gets to work curing vampirism. Unfortunately, as he works toward discovering the cure, he stands up Vicky who is at a train station where she meets Dracula. Bruce tries to call her but gets no answer. He finishes work on the cure in the form of a serum, using it to cure Joker. He has lost his memory of what happened at the crypt.
Inside the crypt Dracula takes the ashes of his former wife, Carmilla, who was killed when exposed to the sun as she was also a vampire, and places them on a slab suspended above Vicky. He then begins to use her soul to reanimate her.
The Batman enters the crypt and cures all the vampires with the serum. He then rescues Vicky and fights with Dracula. Batman learns that the caves lead to the Batcave and uses explosives to delay Dracula and enter the Batcave. However, he is beaten and Dracula plans to kill him rather than turn him into a vampire.
Alfred stabs a vial of the serum into Dracula but it does not work as Dracula is the original - "evil incarnate". Batman then activates a device from Wayne Industries that can store and emit sunlight as well as turn it into energy. Dracula realizes too late that Bruce Wayne is Batman. Batman steps away from the sunlight which then dissolves Dracula, leaving only a skull with fangs.
In the meantime, Penguin is chasing Vicky, and is just about to catch her when he is freed from his hypnosis and they finally discover the gold. He is overjoyed but is then caught by police. News reporters state that the people were under Penguin's control and Penguin keeps saying they were vampires as he is taken away. Vicky sees The Batman and smiles knowing he saved the city.
[edit] Quotes
- Joker: (as a vampire, to Batman) Why do you torment me, Batsy? I thought you cared.
Batman: Trust me, Joker. I'm trying to help you.
Joker: THEN, FEED ME!!
- Joker: (as a vampire) Thirsty! Burning up inside! I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE!!!
- Batman: Don't get caught in the rain wihout your straightjacket.
Joker: Batsy, (draws two razor sharp playing cards) you're such a card.
- Joker: (to Penguin) By the way, who knew that the electro-shock therapy could be so vigorating? It doesn't matter about the bridge, because Joker's back from the grave.
- Joker: Nice hideout you got here, Pengy. Dripping with atmosphere.
Penguin: I'm warning you, Joker! There's nothing here for you!
- Joker: You wouldn't leave me hanging here out now, would you? (Batman was about to grab Joker until a raindrop hits the buzzer, and shocks it, making Batman refuse to hold him) Almost had ya. (falls) Bye-bye Batsy!
- Joker: You're the second batman I've met tonight and you're both a pain in the neck
[edit] Trivia
- A companion piece to this tale can be seen in The Batman Strikes! #15.
- The movie may have been inspired by the Elseworlds story titled Batman & Dracula: Red Rain; where Batman encounters Dracula and becomes a vampire.
- Dracula uses the pseudonym, Alucard at the party. The name is often used for Dracula's son as in the Castlevania series or for Dracula himself as in Hellsing.
- There have been two other movies in which Batman fought Dracula: Batman Dracula (1964) and Batman Fights Dracula (1967). However, neither of these movies was authorized by DC Comics.
- The movie marks the first time Vicki Vale has been portrayed in any Batman animated series.
- The movie was received fairly well and its dark nature applauded by critics, many of whom were opposed to the toned down, cartoonish nature of The Batman animated series.
- Tara Strong, who voiced Vicki Vale in the movie, voiced Batgirl / Barbara Gordon on The New Batman Adventures
[edit] External links
- The Batman vs Dracula at the Internet Movie Database
- The Batman vs. Dracula at TV.com
- The Batman vs. Dracula DVD - The Official Site
- The Batman vs. Dracula @ BYTB: Batman Yesterday, Today and Beyond
- The Batman vs. Dracula at Legions Of Gotham
- The Batman vs, Dracula at The World's Finest
- The Batman Strikes #15 - Review of the issue from World's Finest
| Batman | |
|---|---|
| Creators: | Bob Kane and Bill Finger • Other writers and artists |
| Supporting Characters: | Robin (Tim Drake) • Nightwing (Dick Grayson) • Batgirl • Batwoman • Alfred Pennyworth • Lucius Fox • Barbara Gordon • Commissioner Gordon • Harvey Bullock |
| Villains: | Bane • Catwoman • Clayface • Harley Quinn • Joker • Killer Croc • Mr. Freeze • Penguin • Poison Ivy • Ra's al Ghul • Red Hood (Jason Todd) • Riddler • Scarecrow • Two-Face • Other villains |
| Locations: | Arkham Asylum • Batcave • Gotham City • Wayne Enterprises • Wayne Manor |
| Miscellanea: | Batarang • Batmobile • Batsuit • Popular media • Publications • Storylines • Alternate versions of Batman |
