Bane revisited

Earlier I wrote a bit about Christopher Nolan's version of Bane and how the character did not get enough attention in the movie The Dark Knight Rises. Well, since then I have been continuing on my Bane crusade, and I wanted to provide an update of where it has lead me.

Last month, for Christmas, I received what is without a doubt one of the greatest gifts a Dark Knight fan can ask for. It is a 12:1 scale replica of masked man himself. Look!

Now, I know what you're thinking. "That replica isn't accurate. For one thing, at no time in the movie does Bane hold up Batman's cowl level or above his own head. And even when he is holding the cowl in the movie, it is broken."

Well, these things are true, but who cares? Look at the amazing detail that went into the armor, the muscles, veins, and scars, and the way Bane's fingers loop through the eye holes of the cowl. It is extremely impressive craftsmanship. Needless to say, Bane is now the commander of the nick-knacks in my room, and he stands triumphantly on the coffee table whenever I am watching The Dark Knight Rises.

I also mentioned in that earlier post that I often envision Tom Hardy's Bane as the villain in other movies, but that I am not creative enough to flesh out the details of how he would replace Voldemort or the Wicked Witch or whatever. Well, along those same lines, I happen to come across an awesome youtube video of what The Dark Knight Rises would have been like if Bane's intentions were a little different. The link is below. Obviously the credit goes to those who made the video, and did a fantastic job. I wish I was half as pointlessly clever as they are.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IkMPZ7WeDck

Death Blow! (Bane)

This is a silly thought, but I feel like writing about it. I really like Bane as a villain, the way he was portrayed in The Dark Knight Rises. Let me rephrase that. While I think Bane deserved more screen time and more back story (and less love story), I found Tom Hardy's performance just the right mixture of menacing, disturbing, brutal, and smart. And since that movie, I can only ever picture Tom Hardy as Bane.

Lawless is Bane kicking the shit out of people in the Prohibition-era South. Warrior is Bane kicking the shit out of people as an MMA fighter. And Bronson is Bane kicking the shit out of people... because he enjoys the attention. I'm not saying Hardy is a typecast actor; on the contrary, he is very talented. But something about the character Bane left such an impression on me.

Lately my obsession over the Bane character has overflowed into other movies. I now envision Bane as the ultimate villain, finding his way into other movie franchises. For example, I am right now watching a Lord of the Rings marathon. The fell beast just grabbed Theodin and his horse and threw them across the battlefield. And as the Witch King of Angmar instructs the beast to "feast on his flesh", I, for some reason, picture Bane dismounting, cracking his knuckles and saying, in his raspy, slightly mechanical voice "now I will break you".

And then my imagination just gets out of control. Thus my envisioning Bane as every villain in Lord of the Rings. Or Bane as a Bond villain. Bane working for Gustavo Fring. Bane in the zombie apocalypse. Bane tasting half-and-half and getting some on his mask. Bane waiting on a bench at a bus stop in Alabama. Bane going through airport security. Bane on a blind date....

I think I have a problem.