Batman - Holy Batmania
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Movie Reviews of Batman - Holy Batmania
Movie Review: Holy documentaries!
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a Batman's fan dream! Never mind that the documentaries have some footage in common. And yes, they could have included more. But with four documentaries plus an extra DVD full of TV spots and tidbits that only a real fan could appreciate, who's complaining? This is a 5-in-1 package no fan of the television series should be without, with three specific documentaries about the actors (Adam West, Julie Newmar and Cesar Romero), one about the series as a whole and a second disc full of extras.
Of all the documentaries, the one I liked best was the Julie Newmar one. Even if her parents were home movie buffs (something I can only assume), it is still hard to believe that there exists so much footage of Julie from her childhood to her twenties! She seems to have as much footage of her early years as any celebrity child, except, to my knowledge, she wasn't one. It is great to be able to see little Julie in the swimming pool, in her dance classes, then again as a teenager, and even the aspiring actress starting a new life in a new town.
All the documentaries include excerpts from other movies and projects the actors were involved in before and after "Batman". Cesar Romero was the only one of the three who had long made a name for himself prior to the television series and had already secured a place in movie history. Relatives and acquaintances are interviewed and it is touching to hear Adam's children speak fondly of their father.
The real treat on DVD 2 are the screen tests of Adam West, Burt Ward (who got the parts), Lyle Waggoner and Peter Deyell. Both the Batman costume and the sets were different from the ones they would eventually use in the series. The Batcave looks darker and smaller, being more reminiscent of the 40's serials and comic books. I'm glad they chose Adam and Burt instead of Lyle and Peter, though their tests are interesting to watch. This is a must for Batman fans. I just hope they don't take too long to release what we are all waiting for: the series, of course!
Movie Review: THE SHOW THAT KEEPS CHANGING, YET STAYS THE SAME
Summary: 5 Stars
This series was like Haley's Comet. It would air every five years or so. I was too young to catch its original ABC run. But jumped on the BATWAGON when it ran in syndication on WPIX New York on channel 11. So if your somewhere in your mid 40s like I am, or even early fifties then you might relate to what I'm about to say. When I was 8-10 years old, BATMAN was a serious crime drama. When I was a teenager, BATMAN was a silly embarrassment that if I wasn't making fun of it, my peers would surely put me in a bat-trap that not even Batman himself could escape. When I was in my mid 20s, BATMAN was the most innovative sit-com ever creative. When I reached my 30s, BATMAN was what it alway has been... THE GREATEST AND MOST BRILLIANT TV SHOW EVER. I'm also a fan of the comic books and this series mirrored the comic book very closely during the 1960s. It wasn't until the 1980's that the comic books started to re-emphasize Batman's origin, the painful memories of his parents' murder, his determination to protect the helpless at all costs. The knowing his next nightly patrol could be his last. But that's no reason to hate this show. Adam West and Burt Ward were on the now defunct David Lee Roth radio show earlier this year and said they were finishing up work on the Batman DVD, so there is still hope for the series to be released.Movie Review: Holy Nostalgia! Worth Climbing A Wall For!
Summary: 5 Stars
This release of the Biography channel's look at the Batman TV series is excellent, especially for someone who grew up on the Series, like yours truly. It features clips from interviews with the series creator/narrator, the writers, and the actors involved.
Highlights include Frank Gorshin (the Riddler) pointing out how Adam West (Batman) made one of my favorite lines from the '66 movie work and a few of the cameos (e.g. Lurch from the Addams Family TV series; fitting, since both Addams and Batman were light-hearted '66 series based on darker comic strips).
Allow me to compare this with "Return To The Batcave". This features documentaries from the original, including several scenes from the series, while "Batcave" used actors playing the younger versions of the series actors. The atmosphere of this documentary is also more wholesome, showing some of the flaws in the people involved but still very upbeat and suitable for the family; "Batcave" seemed aimed for the not-as-wholesome mindset we have today.
Movie Review: "Same Bat time. . . .same Bat channel"
Summary: 5 Stars
It really doesn't make any difference how one percieves the quality of the television series Batman back in the 60's. The bottom line is that it was there for all to enjoy in all it's colorful jest and superhero humor! People who insist on seeing seasoned actors with deep meanings behind character are in for a real jolt with off the wall campiness that this series meant to project. Batman Begins was hailed as an extreme Batman movie because it was "deep", and the leading actor presented his problems, like the other Batman movies tried before previously, but failed with undeciding paths to seriousness, and campy humor. This Batman version shows no such struggle, but relishes in it's campiness with humor, costumes galore, camera angles, and added animation imagery. The villains in this series have become legendary, even if one doesn't side with the superheroes. I liked it, as well as the continued cliffhangers from the great television era long past us. So glad it's now available on dvd, for those hooked on superhero campy humor.Movie Review: Good Documentary
Summary: 5 Stars
The main feature is really well produced and features interviews with all of the main cast and crew of the series. It goes right from the start of the series, all the way through to the stars' work and appearances of recent times, for instance, Adam West's appearance on "The Simpsons".
There are lots of good extras too.
Like everyone else on here, I must implore someone to help get this fantastic programme released on DVD, in all it's glory!