1. Michael Keaton - Batman
When it was announced that Michael Keaton was set to play The Dark Knight in Tim Burton's 1989 motion picture adaptation, there was initial outcry - being that the actor was most recognised for his comedic roles, in such films as 'Mr Mom' and 'Beetlejuice'; fans feared that the star's presence indicated that the movie would follow in a similar tone to the 1966 'Batman' television series. In actuality, Keaton's recognition as a comedy actor would actually play to his advantage when donning the Bat-Suit - "serious actors" of the time, who were all in line for the role of Batman (names that included; Harrison Ford, Dennis Quaid and Kevin Costner) would have all likely received unintended laughs from the audience. The humorous Keaton - no stranger to wearing unconventional garb in motion pictures - is able to don the iconic outfit without appearing self-conscious; giving a deadly-serious performance - his experience in comedy allowing him to summon a tinge of insanity to the character, something very few 'serious' action film-stars are able to convey. Physically, Keaton is the antitype of the tall, muscle-bound, square-jawed Caped Crusader of the comics - on paper, the concept of this actor as Batman, seems completely inappropriate; until one views the opening scene of Burton's film. The armour-plated Keaton emerges from the darkness, meters on-the-spot justice to two sleazy street thugs, and murmurs in a voice no louder than a whisper "I'm Batman" - suddenly, the casting that originally seemed perplexing, makes perfect sense. Keaton's 'normal-sized' Batman reminds us that the character is one of the only comic-book heroes who is no more than a mortal man. If the actor were a hulking brute, as depicted in the comics - there would be even less need for the bat-costume itself; for Keaton, who appears as the 'everyman', the moulded muscular physique of the outfit is essential in 'enhancing' Bruce Wayne - giving him superhuman visual aspects. The 5'8" Michael Keaton, presents a believable character, who would HAVE TO don a bat-costume in order to fight crime in Gotham City. Essentially, the key to making Batman plausible is to make Bruce Wayne believable, and through his employment of mentally unsound characteristics as well as physical attributes, Michael Keaton is able to portray the tortured billionaire misfit to perfection. From Wayne's introductory scene at his mansion party - even before the man is revealed to the audience as Batman - Keaton's character is intriguingly aloof; as Vicki Vale asks him - "Which one of these guys is Bruce Wayne?", the young man's eyes show an adhering focus as he replies "I I'm not sure." Quite simply, his words are the truth; Bruce Wayne is an illusory concept, lost behind the persona of Batman. We do however, see aspects of Wayne seep through in Keaton's performance - especially during a blistering outburst of anger during his confrontation with The Joker in Vick Vale's apartment, as Keaton puts it;- "What nobody understands is that the key was not Batman. The key was Bruce Wayne - that's where the real power comes from." The emotional spectrum displayed by Keaton's Batman/Bruce Wayne surpasses the likes of Val Kilmer, George Clooney and Christian Bale - in Burton's films, we witness an unhinged Batman with a fiery temper, a murderous streak and perhaps the only two convincing depictions of the hero in love. The casting of Keaton in response to Jack Nicholson's Joker was another ingenuous decision - both actors share similar traits; with their flare for comedic wit, suave mannerism that echo through their tonally comparable nuanced baritone line-delivery as well as their physical appearance; including their wicked way with an eyebrow. During the confrontation in Vale's apartment, Keaton's crazed shouting of; "you wanna get nuts? Lets get nuts!" features strange allusions to Jack Nicholson's deranged performance in 'The Shining' - completely fitting, as clearer parallels between The Joker and Wayne are drawn earlier in the scene, as both characters identically comment on Viki Vale's apartment upon entering - both saying "Nice place you've got here. Lots of space." These subtle dynamics make Michael Keaton, in my opinion, the best actor ever to don the cape and cowl - as well as the best piece of casting in any Batman movie. As Tim Burton said; "there aren't many performers that when you look into their eyes, you see a lot going on" - this is precisely true; Keaton gives Batman a fascinating degree of depth, whilst subtly acknowledging in his portrayal that "Bruce Wayne and Batman was a little crazy" - something no other actor has managed to captivate in the role.