A BATMAN fan has created a $2 million home cinema based on the Gothic look of the Caped Crusader’s home.
It includes a Batmobile, batsuits, 180 degree film screen, winged gargoyles, private cylindrical stainless steel elevator with glowing bat symbol, mock secret tunnel exit, bat computers, and race-car inspired home theater chairs.
It is being built by Canadian-based Elite Home Theater Seating at a private home in Greenwich, Connecticut, USA. The ornately detailed study of the 12,000 square foot cinema echoes the confines of the home of billionaire Bruce Wayne, whose secret identify is the crime-fighting hero.
The installation includes a separate study which is the entrance to the hidden cinema. The study, complete with a stately grandfather clock, is flanked by bookshelves upon which sits a bust of William Shakespeare. A clockwise turn of the writer’s head the grandfather clock swings open to reveal the elevator doors. A real fingerprint scan is required to gain access to the elevator.
Stepping into the cylindrical stainless steel elevator a glowing Bat symbol pulsates at the bottom of the button panel. To the left of the symbol, is the letter ‘B’ that stands for Batcave.
After pressing the iconic glowing bat symbol, the elevator descends and the floor-to-ceiling mirrors on either side of the elevator come alive by displaying various body scanning graphics.
Once the elevator occupants have been properly ‘identified’, a robotic female voice states over the intercom system, ‘Security Clearance Granted’. The elevator doors slide open with a hydraulic hum. Entering the subterranean Batcave home theater, the first noticeable detail is the backlit, highly detailed, life-size Batsuit standing at attention across the room.
With a total of six Batsuits placed throughout the cavernous lair, the custom home theater almost resembles a secret underground, medieval armoury. On the left of the custom home theater is an enormous 180in film screen with Batsuits on each side. Art Deco-inspired architecture and an assortment of gothic pieces such as large, winged gargoyles tie-in the Gotham City theme.
Walking towards the screen are bookcases that look similar to the study bookshelves upstairs but with the pull of a secret book, these bookshelves slide open to reveal a life-size replica of the BatmobileTumbler that is 15 feet / 4.6 metres long and nearly 10 feet / 3 metres wide.
A mock, secret tunnel exit is approximately 30 feet / 9 metres long and ends as it turns a corner. At the rear of the theater is a large gas fireplace with ‘Batcomputer’ stations on either side.–GN