Everyone remembers Batman and Robin. And with good reason; it's a travesty. But while much of the worst content, Joel Schumacher has claimed, was introduced by Warner Brothers marketing department, Schumacher has taken all the heat for the film. As one member of The Official Batman Fan Club has quite forcefully put it;

"DEATH TO JOEL SCHUMACHER!!! well not him just his directing career. i seriously hope....."

I'm here to say, LET SCHUMACHER DIRECT! I can hear you asking "Why? He's shit! He has to be stopped!" Well, he isn't. Yes, Batman and Robin sucked, but there are three films, very good films, which you really should check out. All of which Schumacher directed.



The first? Tigerland.

Tigerland is just about as far removed as you can get from everything that Batman and Robin is. Made in 2000 it is an extremely low budget film, shot on hand held cameras, with long shots with out cuts and some extremely good acting. The film is, dare I say, subtle? I dare.




The Tigerland is the last part of training Vietnam-bound soldiers go through before being shipped off to Vietnam. It's a jungle, where live ammunition is used and the finer points of not screwing up and getting everyone killed are drilled into the volunteers and draftees. The film is perhaps most notable for launching Colin Farrell's career internationally. Some of you may think that this automatically makes the film just as bad as Batman and Robin, but you would be stupid to pass up on an excellent Vietnam film, an excellent character driven film and well made and told story.The trailer doesn't give the greatest account of the film. After all there are very few music cues and it is not as action packed as the trailer makes it out. Think of Jarhead, but more interesting and smaller stars, and you're on the right track.




The second film of this list? Phone Booth.

Yes, yes, Colin Farrell is here again. But the thing is that these films were made when critics were still calling Farrell a young Al Pacino. And if anything, his latest film In Bruges, has shown he really can act. Anyway, Phone Booth is a tight, low budget film where Stu Shepard is beside a phone booth/box when the phone rings. Naturally, he answers. What follows is a short, tense thriller where a sniper tells Stu it's time to atone for his sins; it's time to become humble and seek forgiveness. The film also boasts a decent cast featuring, among others, Oscar winner Forest Whitaker. Hell, here's the trailer to explain the situation for you:




It's not subtle like Tigerland but it is a hell of a lot of fun. The action stays centered on Stu in the phone booth for almost the entire film and makes for a truly claustrophobic atmosphere which creates a fun little thriller. The film is only 70 odd minutes long and never drags. The film's quite the mind-fuck and great fun to watch. It's like a precursor to the first Saw film. With slightly less blood, and before it all went shit.



The last one? The Phantom of the Opera.

If you haven't heard of The Phantom of the Opera before, well, shame on you. It's one of the most famous opera's of the twentieth century, and easily one of the best. Starring, among others, Gerard Butler, Ciarán Hinds, Emmy Rossum and Patrick Wilson. Arguably Schumacher's greatest film, it certainly stands as an amazing musical in it's own right. This is a musical that people who don't like musicals enjoy. More than any of the other films on his C.V. The Phantom of the Opera has won large amounts popular acclaim and awards.




Does Schumacher deserve the crap he has gotten for directing Batman and Robin? After all doesn't every director make a 'bad' film at some point in their career? Batman and Robin was heavily dictated by WB, so can Schumacher really be blamed? Is he a man more sinned against than sinning? He has most certainly directed some good films, and some great films. What do you think?

Honourable Mentions:
Lost Boys
Veronica Guerin

Talk to ya later!

PS. The quote in the title is from Shakespeare's King Lear, just in case you were wondering.