I'm Batman... well... not really. But I could be...

Batman after a night of doing shots with Penguin and Two-Face

I had got permission to take my Saturday Graphic Novel class to see the actual costume Michael Keaton wore in Tim Burton's 1989 blockbuster film BATMAN. Mind you, this was in the middle of Saturday's big public opening of the Higgins Armory Collection. Thankfully I had a small class, so getting permission to have them view the costume was a little easier than if I had the full 18 students.

This was really a unique experience for me. I've always been a fan of Batman. Not nearly the Batman aficionado my buddy Andy Fish is. But I had always liked the character. Whether you call him the Caped Crusader, Masked Manhunter or the ever popular Dark Knight. Batman has always been my favorite costumed hero.

And I enjoyed Tim Burton's movie when it first came out. So, seeing the costume relatively up close and personal was kind of like fulfilling a childhood wish.

13 or 14 year old Bret would have been quite pleased with 38 year old Bret.

The costume itself is a little rough shape. They did a great job trying to restore it. But heavy rubber, latex and leather do not do very well under hot lights with an actor sweating underneath.

This costume was also fashioned to fit Michael Keatons. Which left me with this thought. Theoretically I could be Batman. Judging by the size of the costume, Keaton wasn't really that much bigger than me.

Still, how Tim Burton got away with it in 1989 is really a testimony of Michael Keaton as an actor. Fans weren't terribly happy and neither was creator Bob Kane who envisioned his Dark Knight/Caped Crusader being a Cary Grant type actor. But both groups were won over by Keaton's performance.

Now that taller more physically built actors like Christian Bale have take the role. I don't think an actor under 5'10" would be accepted in the role anymore.

Nevertheless, it was a neat to see the costume.

ART AUCTION: Beetlejuice Color Art

Brand new year means brand new Bunny and the Badger art auction to kick off 2014!! Bid on BEETLEJUICE AND LYDIA 11x14 color art!!

The look and the color scheme of this artwork was very much inspired by both the 1988 movie and the Animated Series which ran in the late 80's and early 90's.

Much like previous auctions of this nature, once the winning bid is met a print of the image will be made on 11x14 high quality glossy carstock and SIGNED PERSONALLY to the winning bidder and dated. Then the digital file this image exists on will be PERMANENTLY DELETED to ensure this to be one of a kind art.

Click on the link below to check it. Happy Bidding and Happy New Year:

BEETLEJUICE AND LYDIA (11X14 COLOR ART)

Beetlejuice Goes Hawaiian (2015??)

Thought I'd have a tiny bit of fun at the expense of you all. But lets go on the assumption that not only BEETLEJUICE 2 gets made. But they finally produce Tim Burton's original concept for the sequel which sees Beetlejuice and the Deetz family going to Hawaii. Seeing the original plot was written in 1990, of course several things would have to change. Especially considering Winona Ryder is quite a bit older when she played the part of daughter Lydia Deetz.

But here's how it could work.

26 years have passed since Lydia Deetz last did her mid-air Tango to Shake Shake Shake Senora (Jump in the Line) after nearly being forced to marry Beetlejuice. Since that time, she had not seen or heard of Beetlejuice and assumes he's stuck in the netherworld.

She has long since stopped dressing like a groupie at a Cure concert and has followed in her father's footsteps as a real estate developer first working with her Dad to create a super successful company and then starting a family with a pre-teen daughter who looks somewhat the way she did in the previous movie.

Although, Lydia has left most of her old life behind, the one thing she did keep was the model of the town Adam Maitland made from the first movie. The Maitlands are said to still haunt the house and gave Lydia the model as a gift when she left for college.

However, little did Lydia know that Beetlejuice somehow found a way out of the afterlife and is back to residing in the model town. Since Lydia has become more "ordinary", she no longer sees him. However, Lydia's daughter does. And that's how she's first introduced to Beetlejuice.

Before all this, the story begins with Lydia and her family moving to Hawaii. Lydia has been sent there to build a resort. However, she is unaware due to a scrupulous business partner (perhaps played by Paul Reubens) who does not tell her that the property resides on an ancient burial ground. During the dig, Lydia's daughter finds an Tiki idol.

Not unlike the one around Greg Brady's neck...

Which unleashes the spirit of an evil Kahuna spirit.

During dinner (because that's when all these conversations are brought up) Lydia's daughter asks her Mother about Beetlejuice. This awakens Lydia's memory. Especially what happens when you say his name three times. She tries to convince her daughter that there's no such thing and her daughter obviously imagines it. When Lydia's daughter nearly says his name a second time, Lydia snaps at her not to say his name. Lydia's daughter asks why? Lydia, no longer able to keep up the charade, tells her daughter everything and what a horrible person (or ghost) Beetlejuice is.

Things get worse (as they usually do) and the Kahuna spirit causes troubles in both Lydia's development and on the island. The island now being threatened by a volcano. Lydia's craven partner puts the blame on her and Lydia and her family are being threatened by everyone.

Lydia's daughter talks to Beetlejuice. Tells him that she knows what happened between him and Lydia. Beetlejuice promises he has changed (of course he hasn't) and says he can make everything right.

All she has to do is say his name two more times.

Which she does, much to Lydia's chagrin. And Beetlejuice is back.

Dialogue between Beetlejuice and Lydia might be something like this.

BEETLEJUICE: "Come on, babe. Aren't you glad to see me?"

LYDIA: "You disgust me!"

BEETLEJUICE: "Aw come on! You've gotta be a tiny bit glad to see the ol' B Man again?"

LYDIA (angrily): "YOU TRIED TO FORCE ME TO MARRY YOU!!"

BEETLEJUICE: "And I forgive you for leaving me standing at the alter. Hey! I'm not the kind of ghoul that holds a grudge."

Beetlejuice stays true to his promise and offers his service to deal with the Kahuna spirit. He challenges the Kahuna to a surfing competition.

What that might look like.

Beetlejuice wins dispatching both the Kahuna spirit and Lydia's scrupulous partner. Everybody loves them again and Lydia builds the resort in another part of the island. Later on Beetlejuice reappears and he and Lydia make amends. That is until Lydia realizes that Beetlejuice and the Kahuna spirit are now buddies. Beetlejuice and the Kahuna spirit reassure Lydia that everything is cool with the Kahuna spirit now that they are building in a different spot and Lydia's daughter returned the idol (yeah, that happens somewhere too) to its resting spot.

What Beetlejuice and the Kahuna spirit might look like in the film.

To prove it the Kahuna spirit breaks into a very Don Ho sounding rendition of Shake Shake Shake Senora with her daughter doing a mid-air tango much like her mother did in the first film. Lydia is holding out at first, but ultimately joins with her daughter, Beetlejuice and Kahuna.

Beetlejuice 2. And no. It won't star Robyn Thicke...

According to Michael Keaton, they've been given the greenlight to make BEETLEJUICE 2. What this means is that they have the go ahead to make the movie. That doesn't necessarily mean that they WILL make the movie. They've been talking Beetlejuice sequel since the movie came out in 1988.

To be honest, my feelings are mixed. Visually, I thought the original was a great movie. However, it was a movie I didn't necessarily enjoy. My biggest problem at the time (and still is) was the fact that title character played by the aformentioned Michael Keaton barely appears in the film. However, he stole the show in the scenes he appeared in.

I also found myself at the time very disturbed by some of the "deaths" portrayed during the Maitlands tour of the afterlife. I was just too young at the the time to really understand the jokes such as the "recently exorcized". Again, too young to appreciate the humor.

Like I mentioned, having the greenlight doesn't mean the movie will be made. They may talk about it for a year or so and then the movie ends up dying a slow death in pre-production hell. And much like previous attempts at a sequel, it never comes to fruition.

Personally, I think they should go with their original idea of BEETLEJUICE GOES HAWAIIAN. Tim Burton's concept was beach movie meets German Expressionism. To give you a better idea take BEACH BLANKET BINGO...

Now add THE CABINET OF DR. CALIGARI...

And there you go.

The story followed the Deetz family moving to Hawaii, where Charles is developing a resort. They soon discover that his company is building on the burial ground of an ancient Hawaiian Kahuna. The spirit comes back from the afterlife to cause trouble, and Beetlejuice becomes a hero by winning a surf contest with magic.

Seeing the time that has gone by since the first film, I'm sure changes could easily be made. Instead of having Charles Deetz developing the resort, having an adult Lydia Deetz now running her father's business. You could either have her married with a family, single mother or never married. Thinking Beetlejuice is long since out of her life, he suddenly reappears after all this time. If they were to make Lydia older and long since ditched the Robert Smith look from the first film, they could introduce a pre-teen daughter who dresses not unlike the way her Mum did in the first film who meets Beetlejuice much to Lydia's chagrin... or something.

Sure, if they were to produce that storyline it might end up being a complete and utter train-wreck. But it would be a train-wreck I wouldn't mind seeing just because I'd love to see beach movie meets German Expressionism.

However, something tells me if Beetlejuice 2 does see the light of day, it will be an all new story that will reintroduce the character to a new audience.

That is, if it is ever made.



If you say BEETLEJUICE three times, Robyn Thicke will appear. So DON'T say it... EVER!!



Alice in Wonderland (2010)

Well, I suppose it was inevitable I would talk about this one.

I have made mention of this before but Tim Burton has always had a very "Hammer Films" approach to his adaptations. His movies like Sleepy Hollow, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and even Batman are not entirely faithful adaptations.

 However, they're not bad ones either.

I really didn't hate this film. I wasn't entirely in love with the overall "Tween Disney" feel to the film. Or how it was given a very Chronicles of Narnia vibe to it by giving the characters and what the "drink me" bottle contained.

However, I'm not the film's intended audience for this film. Then again. I'm not the intended audience for the original Alice story.

Much like the original Alice tale, it was intended to delight and amuse children and not have craggy 36 year olds to endlessly debate and philosophize over it.

Although in this case, I think the film is geared more towards the tween crowd. And it's in 3D. And it's Disney. So of course there's going to be a pop hit and the Mad Hatters hip hop style dancing thrown in. Yes. That annoyed me.

But again. Read above.

As I mentioned before, Tim Burton creates his own version rather than doing the original. So instead of young Alice discovering Wonderland (or Underland) for the first time, we have a much older Alice escaping her engagement party from a potential fiance who could quite easily win the Upperclass Twit of the Year Award.

By establishing this is a much older Alice, Tim Burton doesn't treat his audience like they're stupid by making them believe Mia Wasikowska is supposed to be playing a seven year old girl. It gives Burton a chance to tell a slightly older action/fantasy style story.

And older kiddo's will connect with an older Alice rather than a seven year old one. I suppose it also allows filmmakers to get away with more too. Like the insinuation of a giant naked Alice standing behind a shrub. Try and film that with a seven year old and yes you will have police stopping by your house to question you  and probably confiscate your computer Ala Gary Glitter.



Tim Burton seems to have casted all my favorite actors in one film with Stephen Fry as the Chessur the Cheshire Cat, Michael Sheen as Nivens McTwisp The White Rabbit, Alan Rickman as Absolem, the Caterpillar, Christopher Lee as the Jabberwocky and Michael Gough in his last screen performance as the Dodo. Gough had retired from acting. However, he would break from retirement to star in one of Tim Burton's movies.

It wouldn't be a Tim Burton movie without Johnny Depp someplace as some character. I know Burton has received some criticism for working too much with Depp over the last decade or so. And that Depp has become a bit over-exposed between that and the Pirates of the Caribbean series.

But in Johnny Depp's defense, as an actor you want to work. If you don't work you don't get paid. Although, I suppose there's also royalties. But I digress.



But it's Helena Bonham-Carter who absolutely steals the show as the very childish Red Queen. She is an actress I really like because she puts everything she has into her performance. Despite how silly the role seems, she plays it like it is the most important role in the world.

And I respect that!!

I did not get to see this film in all it's 3D glory. So watching the film without the aide 3D glasses many of the objects and characters flying towards me made me feel as though I was watching the Paddle ball scene from Vincent Price's House of Wax. Another film made during the 3D craze of the 1950's that seem to lose a bit of it's Oomph without the aid of 3D... you know the scene I'm talking about.

But as stated, it's not a bad film and worth at least one viewing. 3D glasses or otherwise. If you take it at face value as a fun adventure story, it's enjoyable.

If you over-analyze it... well... think of it this way. You're over-analyzing a children's booking.

Up Next... Alice: 1999

Looking at the new Dark Shadows movie from the right perspective

Okay, Ladies and Gentlement. Boys and Girls. If you go into Dark Shadows either comparing it to the original series or expecting this to be up there with Tim Burton films like Pee-Wee's Big Adventure or Nightmare Before Christmas you're just setting yourself up for disappointment.

I went in with neither expectation and I enjoyed myself. Don't let the trailer for the movie fool you. The movie is actually pretty creepy and not as goofy as the trailer might suggest.

I'm getting a little sick of reading some critics reviews of this film and suggesting Tim Burton has only made five good films in his career. Which I think is ridiculous. And it makes me wonder if some of these reviews were written by bitter little toads who are just upset because Tim Burton rejected their screenplay.

 I especially enjoyed the cameo by Lara Parker, David Selby, Kathryn Leigh Scott and Jonathan Frid during a party scene at Collinwood. And not just one of those blink and you miss it type of cameo's. They even gave them a nice line too.

True this may not be one of his best of all time. But it's far from being his worst. That section in cinematic hell is reserved for Mars Attacks and Planet of the Apes in my opinon.

I didn't look at this movie as better or worse than the original series. Nothing ever beats the original. I look at the big screen treatment as a tribute to the original series as well as Tim Burton's version of it.

I suppose if I'm going to complain about anything as far as Tim Burton's current crop of films is I really miss the stop-motion special effects he used in some of his earlier films like Pee-Wee and Beetlejuice. But we live in a supply and demand age and I suppose it's easier to get a picture out there faster put together effects on the computer than to toil countless months trying to get the stop-motion effects right.

But with that said, I still have a soft spot for stop-motion creatures.

Go into Dark Shadows with an opened mind and you won't be disappointed. And if I listened to every movie critic out there, I wouldn't enjoy half the movies I'm into.

The House of Dark Shadows Illustration

Illustration of Barnabas Collins I did recently. The sepia tones are inspired by the restored version of The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari.

Spring Auctions!!

I have just posted THREE new pen and ink illustrations just in time for Spring. Two of them in the case of the Dark Shadows and Beetlejuice are subjects I have not done before.

And I am surprised I haven't done them before.

Anyways, click on the images below to check out their respective auctions!! And happy bidding:

Holiday Art Auctions

Two new art auctions just in time for the Holidays.

It's A Lame Christmas Tree, Charlie Brown (with thanks to Andy Fish for the title idea) 9x12 pen and ink

The Doctor, The Widow and the Wardrobe 9x12 pen and ink

The ideal gift for the Charlie Brown or Doctor Who fans in your life. Simply click on the link below and Happy Bidding:
Bret's E-Bay Auctions

You must be - double dead!

A design I just completed for one of my E-Bay clients for a tattoo design based on Jack Skellington and Sally from The Nightmare Before Christmas. Ironically, Jack and Sally was the names of my late Grandparents. Only my Grandmother's name was spelled SALLEY.

Illustrated in Deleter #4 Black Drawing Ink with Crow Quill Pen and some Brush on Canson Smooth Bristol Board.

I've graduated to #4 since they didn't have anymore #3 at That's Entertainment.

The Red Hood

Inspired by my previous illustration of the Joker and Bat-Man, I thought I would do a second illustration. This time I thought I would incorporate the Red Hood origin into the illustration a little more.

As I stated in my previous post, I had always kind of liked that origin. Especially the way it appeared in Detective Comics #168 The Man Behind the Red Hood (February 1951). They mention that's how the Joker became the Joker but they still leave the exact identity of the Joker a mystery.

And as much as I like both the Tim Burton Batman and the Killing Joke, I don't particularly like how they give him an identity like Jack Napier or the stand up comic name Joe. Although, Alan Moore does hint at the fact this might not really be a true origin of the Joker and just one of his delusions.

But still. I think the latest Batman film got it right by never revealing who the Joker was. It makes the character a little more dangerous to have that bit of mystery.

Some Halloween movies to add to your Netflix list

All of which are perfect for your Halloween horrorfest:

Cabinet des Dr. Caligari., Das (1919)
Nosferatu, eine Symphonie des Grauens (1922)
Frankenstein (1931)
Dracula (1931)
The Body Snatcher (1945)
The Curse of Frankenstein (1957)
Dracula (1958)
Also Known As:
Dracula 1958(USA)
Horror of Dracula(USA)
The Hound of the Baskervilles (1959)
The Mummy (1959)
Pit and the Pendulum (1961)
A Study in Terror (1965)
The Oblong Box (1969)
Nachts, wenn Dracula erwacht (1970)
The Abominable Dr. Phibes (1971)
The Ruling Class (1972)
Nosferatu: Phantom der Nacht (1979)
Murder by Decree (1979)
The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
Sleepy Hollow (1999)
From Hell (2001)