Well as far as the past Bat-films are concerned beginning with Batman '89, I'm barely able to sit through any of them after what Nolan has done with the character. Don't get me wrong I have a lot of respect for what Burton, Keaton and Nicholson did to get people to take the character seriously once again. Since pretty much everyone expected a parody once Keaton was cast on the role, I appreciate what they were able to pull off. But after that initial movie it really went off a cliff. And frankly for me, B89 hasn't held up well, especially after what Ledger did with the Joker. After the success of B89, the studio gave Burton way to many liberties with the characters also which is why Batman Returns comes off as SO bizarre. If not for some individual performances, that movie would have no replay value as far as I'm concerned. Other than Keaton and the Commish, there really isn't much continuity or acknowledgment of the first film. Also did you notice how Burton got right back into his usual film making techniques with a lot of black and white colors and music box score. I think the only reason they had Elfman back was for the epic Batman theme from B89...Once the studio got feedback from audiences, Burton was pretty much pulled from the series as a director. And from there Joel Schumacher pretty much doused the franchise in gasoline and threw a match on it...
This series has everything a Batman fan could want and more. They respect and take the character seriously while still taking creative liberties. They somehow manage to weave multiple plot lines and characters into the story without making them seem like an afterthought. They put Batman at the forefront of the story without selling the villains short. Most importantly they understand the character and what makes him tick and therefore the audience understands why anyone would put themselves through what Bruce Wayne does every night...
