The Batmobile of 1995

For the third movie, Batman Forever (1995), Tim Burton was replaced as director by Joel Schumacher. Apparently, Warner Brothers thought Batman Returns had been too dark and grim (which it was) and wanted a lighter tone for the next installment in the "franchise." Schumacher swung the pendulum way past light into camp. Part of the change included new costumes and a new Batmobile.

The new design was even more retro than the first movie Batmobile. It had separate fenders for the front wheels like a car from the 1930's. It brought back the tall center fin that had been a prominent feature on the Batmobiles of the 40s and 50s. But like many other things in the movie, this was exaggerated to an extreme. The fin was so long and tall as to be unwieldy. It wobbled and, when it split into two halves (for no apparent logical reason), it flapped like a bird's wings (or should that be bat wings?). The silliest feature of the design, though, was the slits in the body of the vehicle which revealed its blue-glowing internal machinery. Combined with the illuminated wheels, the brightly glowing slits made this Batmobile a gaudy lowrider instead of the dark symbol of avenging power it ought to be. And I couldn't help thinking those slits left the internal works very vulnerable to a stray bullet.

Despite its faults, the basic design of this Batmobile is not bad and the central fin is reminescent of the earlier Batmobiles, even though it is exaggerated. Still, I had not planned to build the model of this version until I had an idea of a way to get rid of those silly slits. It occurred to me that just as the first movie Batmobile had been able to protect itself with an armored cocoon, this Batmobile must have an "armored mode" that would protect its vulnerable inerds by covering the open slits with armor plates. This would smooth out its skin and give it a sleeker, all black exterior. That seemed worth modeling.

Model of the 1995 Batmobile

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