Besides being Humphrey Bogart’s birthday, the 25th of December is also significant as it was the release date in 1993 for an often-overlooked installment in the history of the Caped Crusader’s big-screen adventures. It was, in fact, the only animated Batman film to get a theatrical release for well over two decades. Though, it wouldn’t be surprising if you were unfamiliar with it, since most people over the years seemed to be, especially at the time. That’s a real shame, too, because it’s truly a great one. It’s called Batman: Mask of the Phantasm.
A bit of backstory might be in order here. With the success of of the Tim Burton-directed Batman and later Batman Returns, it was decided the time was right for Batman to return to the small screen in what would come to be known as Batman: The Animated Series. The basic premise remained the same, with orphaned billionaire Bruce Wayne (voiced by the late stage actor Kevin Conroy) donning a mask and cape to fight crime in Gotham City, armed with formidable martial arts skills, state-of-the-art technology, and a brilliant detective’s brain. His familiar allies included faithful butler Alfred, Gotham PD’s Commissioner Gordon, and ward Dick Grayson as sidekick Robin (though the latter was often depicted as being away at college and only appearing in the series sporatically, and sitting out the aforementioned film entirely).
Most of the rogue’s gallery of villains and side characters from previous series, comics, and films would also return and gain new depth, as well as some new ones being introduced. Perhaps the most influential new character would be the Joker’s mischievous and long-suffering girlfriend Harley Quinn (voiced by Arleen Sorkin, who sadly also left us this year). Another Batman foe who gained new depth was Mr. Freeze. Formerly, a simple stock mad scientist character with ice-related weapons, Dr. Victor Fries would become a tragic character, confined to sub-zero temperatures. The good doctor was driven by the dual obsessions of desperately seeking a cure for his ailing and cryogenically frozen wife, as well as vengeance against the greedy businessman who caused his accident (voice by Star Wars actor Mark Hamill, who would take on a far more iconic role in the series soon after). On the other side of the law, one fleshed out character would the uncouth, loudmouthed Detective Harvey Bullock, who nursed a long grudge against Batman. Apparently, the detective had some sort of objection to a masked vigilante running around the city, with tacit approval of the police commissioner.
With the successful release of the series in 1992, a feature-length film was planned for the following year, though intended at first to be released in the then-new market of direct-to-video releases. Early into production, however, the studio was sufficiently impressed with what they saw that they decided to give the film a theatrical release instead. Of course, this would require a great deal of adjustment to make the film suitable for a theatrical screen, as well as rushing it for a Christmas release only months away, when most animated film take years to produce.
The story has Batman investigating the deaths of several mob bosses, who have been picked off by a hooded, Grim Reaper-like figure known as the Phantasm (voiced by Stacy Keach, though it’s worth noting that term is never spoken in the film). Most of the public assumes the cloaked figure is Batman himself, which causes the Dark Knight a number of problems. First, an up-and-coming local politician named Arthur Reevas (voiced by Hart Bochner, whom you may remember as the douchebag who gets himself killed in Die Hard) is eager to make a name for himself by publicly denouncing Batman as his supposedly vigilante murders. Second, one of the mob bosses, in desperation, approaches Batman’s most notorious enemy, the Joker (voiced by Mark Hamill) and attempts to hire him to take Batman out for good.
While not technically an origin story, the film also features a number of flashbacks to Bruce Wayne’s earliest crime-fighting days, when a chance encounter with a woman named Andrea (voiced by Dana Delaney) nearly led him to abandon his mission and start a new life with her. In a moving scene, Bruce kneels at the graves of his parents, pleading for their unspoken permission to choose love over self-imposed duty. “I didn’t count on being happy,” he says.
Batman, the Joker, and the Phantasm’s final confrontation is a conclusion that I won’t spoil here, but if you’re even a passing fan of Batman, this one is worth checking out.
Unfortunately, a lack of sufficient promotion on Warner’s part meant the film did quite poorly at the box office. Mark Hamill recalled in one podcast interview, that he had taken his family to the theatre to see it in New York on release day, only to find a half-dozen or so other people in the audience.
It’s a real shame, given the acclaim the film would later get among Batman fans, but world may have simply not yet been ready for a mainstream animated feature with such mature story elements. (The film would apparently fare much better upon video release, however). Robert Pattinson would even cite it as an inspiration for his own take on the Caped Crusader, years later, in the 2022 film The Batman.
If you get a chance, check it out. Perhaps even convince your family to watch it today, if you can. It’s a truly moving tale of the Dark Knight, and perhaps the most faithful on-screen adaptation yet.