History YMMV / BatmanMaskOfThePhantasm

* HilariousInHindsight: The Joker says "Why so formal?" to Sal Valestra. Fast forward [[Film/TheDarkKnight about fifteen years...]]
** Possibly an inspiration for the line.

* TheWoobie: Bruce Wayne.
** [[spoiler: WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds: Andrea.]]

* SeinfeldIsUnfunny: This was considered by many fans to be the definitive portrayal of Batman in cinema. Hence those who started with Film/TheDarkKnightSaga may not be able to appreciate just how different it was upon its release.

* CompleteMonster: SelfDemonstrating/TheJoker both pre-transformation and post-transformation. More close to the 1989's Burton movie's origen of the character than the MultipleChoicePast's origen of the comics.

* CompleteMonster: TheJoker both pre-transformation and post-transformation. More close to the 1989's Burton movie's origen of the character than the MultipleChoicePast's origen of the comics.

* NightmareFuel:

** What TheJoker does to Arthur Reeves.

* CompleteMonster: TheJoker both pre-transformation and post-transformation. Cements the point of the Mark Hamill Joker and what differs him from the comic-book version; he is not a TragicVillain driven mad by One Bad Day- he is an evil, sadistic psychopath and he ''always'' has been.

* CompleteMonster: TheJoker both pre-transformation and post-transformation.

* CompletelyMissingThePoint: Not the movie itself, but afterwards it is established TheJoker is still alive, and the HandWave given in a tie-in comic is that the Phantasm spared him because he was insane, and not culpable for his actions, thanks to the accident that made him into a MonsterClown. The point of this version of the Joker, and of this movie in particular, is that he is ''not'' legally insane, and has ''always'' been an evil, murderous bastard even ''before'' his toxic bath. It didn't make him crazy; it just gave him an excuse to cause mayhem ForTheEvulz.

** [[spoiler: JerkassWoobie: Andrea.]]

* HilariousInHindsight: The Joker says "Why so formal?" to Sal Valestra. Fast forward [[{{TheDarkKnightSaga}} about fifteen years...]]

* SeinfeldIsUnfunny: This was considered by many fans to be the definitive portrayal of Batman in cinema. Hence those who started with TheDarkKnightSaga may not be able to appreciate just how different it was upon its release.

** [[spoiler: JerkassWoobie: Andrea.]]

* TearJerker: For some reason, the scene where Bruce's proposal to Andrea is [[{{Foreshadowing}} interrupted by bats]] fleeing the hole in the cliff gets to this troper a little bit.

* HighOctaneNightmareFuel: The grinning corpse of the murdered Sal Valestra.
** What TheJoker does to Arthur Reeves.

* TearJerker: For some reason, the scene where Bruce's proposal to Andrea is [[{{Foreshadowing}}interrupted by bats]] fleeing the hole in the cliff gets to this troper a little bit.

** [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6K1qNsE9v0&feature=related The Birth of Batman.]] The close-up to the eyes really sells it.

* CompleteMonster: TheJoker.

* TearJerker: The last two lines, which sum things up for both Batman and [[spoiler:Andrea]]. "Do you wanna be alone?" "I am."
** The flashback, in which Bruce receives the "Dear John" letter.
** ''"I didn't count on being happy."'' - Batman pleads with his (dead) parents and himself to let himself go from the path of vengeance of vigilantism in exchange for happiness with Andrea.

* SeinfeldIsUnfunny: This was considered by many fans to be the definitive portrayal of Batman in cinema.Hence those who started with the [[DarkKnightSaga]] may not be able to appreciate just how different it was upon its release.

** HePanneditNowHeSucks: Gene liked the movie a lot, but his statement that he didn't like [[MarkHamill the Joker's voice]] drew quite a bit of ire from fans.

** The flashback, in which Bruce receives the "Dear John" letter.

** HePanneditNowHeSucks: Gene liked the movie a lot, but his statement that he didn't like [[MarkHamill the Joker's voice]] drew quite a bit of ire from fans.

** HePanneditNowItSucks: Gene liked the movie a lot, but his statement that he didn't like [[MarkHamill the Joker's voice]] drew quite a bit of ire from fans.

* VindicatedByCable: In this case, home video. For their part, Siskel and Ebert publicly expressed their regret on their TV show that they didn't review this film for its theatrical run, considering how good they found it on its video release.