#anton furst

[cgbcomics]

[annoyingthemesong]

SUBLIME CINEMA #407 - THE COMPANY OF WOLVES

Neil Jordan’s disturbing Red Riding Hood fantasy, this movie preceded Interview with the Vampire by more than a decade, but many of the same gothic touches are here. Anton Furst was behind the production design, which is beautiful, and it was the film that compelled Tim Burton to hire him for Batman. Furst tragically killed himself soon after winning an Oscar for that film, but his work remains notable for his artistry - he was a technician on Alien, and production designer for Kubrick on Full Metal Jacket. 

[noconcessions]

[outhouse-cartoons]

Here's my Tim Burton Batman Universe tribute!  All in desaturated colour!

[weirdlandtv]

Gotham location art for BATMAN (1989) and its sequel, BATMAN RETURNS (1992). By Anton Furst and Tom Lay, and (image 1) an artist I can’t identify.

[gregorygalloway]

Batman premiered on 19 June 1989 before opening wide 4 days later.

Tim Burton had been hired to direct in 1986 (after the success of Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure), but the project was not a guarantee until after the success of Beetlejuice (1988).

The announcement of Burton as director, and Michael Keaton as Batman caused an immediate controversy from fans who thought the film would be a campy comedy like the TV series starring Adam West (more than 50,000 protest letters were sent to Warner Bros.).

Burton and screenwriters Sam Hamm and Warren Skaaren were influenced by Brian Bolland and Alan Moore’s The Killing Joke and Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns.

Burton wanted to cast Brad Dourif as the Joker but the studio refused (John Lithgow auditioned for the role, but stated that he didn’t want the part). Producer Jon Peters wanted Jack Nicholson and agreed to his high salary ($6 million as well as a percentage of the box office, which Nicholson’s payout is estimated to be almost $90 million), top billing, and limited shooting schedule (Nicholson’s contract stipulated what time he would be available each day, how many days, and time off for Lakers games).

Due to the controversy of Keaton as Batman, the film was much discussed long before it opened in theaters on 23 June, and the marketplace had been flooded with movie merchandise (over $750 million worth of merchandise was sold before the film’s release), and when it finally hit theaters it quickly became the highest-grossing film of the year (more than 60 million tickets were sold at the box office).

Production designer Anton Furst conceived of the idea for the poster and Furst and Peter Young received the film’s only Academy Award, for Art Direction.

Tim Burton was less impressed, saying, “"I liked parts of it, but the whole movie is mainly boring to me. It's OK, but it was more of a cultural phenomenon than a great movie.“

Burton returned to direct the sequel, Batman Returns (1992).

[jddifferentspaces]

Day 14 : Clock 😊 Inspiration : the great concept art of Gotham City from Anton Furst and belfries from north of France. 😉

[vintagegeekculture]

Art designer Anton Furst posing with his two creations, the Batmobile and his expressionistic design for Gotham City.