Batman shooting fails to thrill fans

The plane was there, as were two helicopters. But anxious fans along the harborfront failed to catch a glimpse of the caped crusader or even the Batman logo.

The plane was there, as were two helicopters. But anxious fans along the harborfront failed to catch a glimpse of the caped crusader or even the Batman logo. The helicopters and a C-130 Hercules plane glided low over Victoria Harbour yesterday past skyscrapers in Central, giving workers in the multi- storied commercial buildings a rare glimpse of the filming of Batman: The Dark Knight. But fans gathered along the harborfront were unimpressed. The plane had taken off from Chep Lap Kok at 5pm and was joined by two helicopters but, as one mother said, it was far from inspiring. "My son expected to see the Batman logo. This was no different from any other aircraft," she said. She added she had wasted two hours hoping to get a taste of the Hollywood magic and had promised to show her son the Batman plane. Instead, what they saw was nothing out of the ordinary. But other fans, such as former lawmaker Tik Chi-yuen, who had with him a toy Batman car and two planes, were in high spirits during the shooting of the film. The use of low-flying aircraft had created some concern about possible noise nuisance. The latest furor has shifted to environmental concerns. In a letter sent to tenants and management companies in 60 buildings, October Pictures, the Hong Kong company handling the production, said director Christopher Nolan loved Hong Kong's glittering skyline and wanted to show it off in his film. October Pictures manager Chu Chen-on asked the building managers to ask residents to switch on all lights and signboards during the shooting period. But Gabrielle Ho, a project manager at conservation group Green Sense, said film-making was being put ahead of environmental protection. "We believe producers are able to create the same effects through post-production work, but instead they are asking us to turn on so many lights, wasting so much energy," Ho said. Television and Entertainment Licensing Authority Commissioner Maisie Cheng Mei-sze said despite the many logistical challenges involved in making a Hollywood blockbuster, the effort is well worth it for Hong Kong. "Hong Kong has a world-famous skyline set against green hills and a beautiful harbor, all of which combine to make a magnificent canvas for any movie maker," she said.