the dailymash

The Dark Knight, starring Christian Bale, is the sixth Batman film in a row to deliberately exclude the super-hero's trademark dance.

Instead the film is two and a half hours of Bale's existential angst as he rides around Gotham City, dressed like a giant bat.

Director Christopher Nolan told reporters his film was a soulful exploration of the different aspects of the Batman character, this time focussing on his big, pointy ears.

But he refused to take any questions on his decision - once again - to shun the Batusi.

Nolan also defended his ban on the words 'ka-pow!' and 'blam!' adding: "This isn't some comic book caper. Bruce Wayne is the tortured echo of our own darkest nightmares, who just happens to dress like a really big bat."

The Batusi, first performed by Batman in 1966, is the Caped Crusader's interpretation of the Watusi, a popular go-go dance of the time.

Batusi dancers make a horizontal V-sign with the index and middle fingers of each hand and draw them across the face, in front of the eyes, one hand at a time, while gryrating the lower half of the body. It is not dark or frightening in any way.