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BVSM: Batman v Sadomasochism Main MenuBvSM: Batman v SadomasochismMichael Mazzacanef533f3a5f9847748fd9de9087b048c44d60a6a6f
What Dreams May Come
12019-12-28T14:47:32-08:00Michael Mazzacanef533f3a5f9847748fd9de9087b048c44d60a6a6f361012plain2019-12-28T14:55:37-08:00Michael Mazzacanef533f3a5f9847748fd9de9087b048c44d60a6a6f It is here that we return to the start of the film and the redux of Man of Steel’s climax. The restaging of that sequence is more in line with superhero films, intensely locked on the Bruce Wayne’s human point of view as he navigates the chaos of Metropolis in vehicle and on foot. He is unable to stop the destruction around him but able to save his employee Wallace and the anonymous little girl. The sequence originally connotes Bruce Wayne’s phallic, heroic, nature. But as the film goes on with the addition of two dream sequences and its overall function as transitional moment, audiences must question the reliability of that depiction. In the next pair of dream sequences, the rhythmic humming of the World Engine can be heard in the background marking a temporally abnormality connoting the surrealist dream logic that is to follow. It is on second thought how masochistic and dreamlike the sequence is, yes Bruce Wayne can deftly navigate the chaos but he is repeatedly rendered unable by the actions of Zod and Superman to save everyone in his surrogate family. Psychically punishing himself with these little victories meant to reinforce his victimized legitimacy and spur him into arduous physical action. The next pair of dream sequences, reinforce this internal struggle between Bruce and Batman, masochist and sadist. One features Bruce paying a visit to his parents graves, specifically his mother’s with fresh flowers. Only to be overrun by surrealist blood seeping from her tomb before being consumed by a large bat like creature. In the final and most elaborate dream sequence, known as the Knightmare, Bruce phantasmically imagines a world conquered by Superman resulting in a post-apocalyptic scenario. In this scenario, Bruce has given fully into the Batman persona, wearing the cowl over his army fatigues and most strikingly using guns. He cast himself in an insurgent role trying to obtain kryptonite the object that can weaken and kill the Superman. Only to have everything, like the Battle of Metropolis, ripped from him and his eventually downfall in the face of the new masculine other.
With himself fully consumed internally by the Batman and some extra prodding and manipulation by Lex Luthor, Batman is finally left to go on his final, suicidal, masochistic, mission: kill Superman and regain coherence and the phallus.
1media/batman_v_superman_dawn_of_justice_xlg.jpg2019-12-29T10:25:23-08:00Michael Mazzacanef533f3a5f9847748fd9de9087b048c44d60a6a6fBvSM: Batman v SadomasochismMichael Mazzacane7book_splash2019-12-29T10:48:18-08:00Michael Mazzacanef533f3a5f9847748fd9de9087b048c44d60a6a6f
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12019-12-28T14:48:19-08:00Batman v Superman - Dawn of Justice - The Ultimate Edition - Nightmare 13The jarring nature of the cut into the sequence and the out of time quality of the cinematography/editing, and surrealist imagery, highlight the sequence as a dream. It is the low rhythmic hum of the World Engine from the start of the film that ties the films trio of dream sequences togetherplain2019-12-28T14:50:14-08:00
12019-12-28T14:52:50-08:00Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice Ultimate Edition - Nightmare Scene 2: The Knightmare1This second, but retrospectively third, dream sequence is the most apocolyptic and nightmarish with the remnants of Gotham and Metropolis appearing next to a hell pit from the Jack Kirby Fourth World of Apokolips. Once again the rythmic humming of the World Engine can be heard introducing the audience to the dream world.plain2019-12-28T14:52:50-08:00
