Batman: The Movie is a tie-in to the camp classic Batman TV series starring Adam West and Burt Ward. The long running problem with this series is how easy it for people to insult it and say how it tarnished Batman's name. These people obviously did not get the joke, or they have honestly never picked up an actual Batman comic from the 60s (Look up "Bat-Baby" and then tell me this series wasn't tame in comparison to the actual comics back in the day). This movie is the only film on DVD that shows true parody of the censorship act that comics had undergone during the late 50s and throughout the 1960s. This show, whether you like it or not, saved Batman from extinction so that he could move into the more serious medium we have today.
Enough about the history of the show! Batman: The Movie takes the manic energy of the infamous TV show and takes it up a notch (something that seemed impossible). The film is just downright funny, plain and simple- especially if you fully understand what it is that they are making fun of (bad, campy, propaganda filled comics of the 1960s). Sure, with films like Batman Begins and The Dark Knight it's hard to take Adam West seriously, but then again you aren't supposed to take him seriously in the first place! The plot is ridiculous, yet consistently entertaining as the dynamic duo of Batman and Robin are pitted against the fiendish supervillian team which consists of the wisecracking Joker (Cesar Romero), the sneering Penguin (Burgess Meredith), the scheming Riddler (Frank Gorshin), and the seductive Catwoman (Lee Meriwether). What is the villains' dastardly plan? To dehydrate the world's leaders into dust and hold the world at ransom! Batman and Robin will have to pass through a multitude of fiendish gizmos and traps in order to prevent universal chaos, but on the way they will undoubtedly bring laughter to the audience.
From an exploding shark, questions with an answer involving a machine gun toting sparrow, and cheesy romantic interludes this movie is a riot! Adam West's and Burt Ward's deadpan delivery of their lines is always perfect given the absurd nature of the situations they constantly find themselves in.
Anyone who doesn't get this series' humor and thinks it's a stain on the Batman franchise seriously needs to lighten up and go back to the older comics and find out how great their beloved Caped Crusader was during the censorship laws. Doing that, you'll probably have a greater appreciation for the humor of the Adam West era of the character's development.
So if you like comics or just like manic paced comedies with straight-faced acting (See: The Naked Gun, Get Smart) Batman: The Movie is definitely worth looking into! I recommend buying the 'Holy Special Edition' version of the film most because it has the best packaging and sets you up for comedy; the new DVD case is obviously modeled off of the Tim Burton Batman film's cases and just looks too serious considering the subject material contained within. I don't know about you but I like my DVD cases and art to tell me what I'm in store for. Putting the case aside both DVDs come with the same special features- features that are sure to make any Bat-Fan smile! If you haven't already done it: Do yourself a favor and purchase 'Batman - The Movie'
Enough about the history of the show! Batman: The Movie takes the manic energy of the infamous TV show and takes it up a notch (something that seemed impossible). The film is just downright funny, plain and simple- especially if you fully understand what it is that they are making fun of (bad, campy, propaganda filled comics of the 1960s). Sure, with films like Batman Begins and The Dark Knight it's hard to take Adam West seriously, but then again you aren't supposed to take him seriously in the first place! The plot is ridiculous, yet consistently entertaining as the dynamic duo of Batman and Robin are pitted against the fiendish supervillian team which consists of the wisecracking Joker (Cesar Romero), the sneering Penguin (Burgess Meredith), the scheming Riddler (Frank Gorshin), and the seductive Catwoman (Lee Meriwether). What is the villains' dastardly plan? To dehydrate the world's leaders into dust and hold the world at ransom! Batman and Robin will have to pass through a multitude of fiendish gizmos and traps in order to prevent universal chaos, but on the way they will undoubtedly bring laughter to the audience.
From an exploding shark, questions with an answer involving a machine gun toting sparrow, and cheesy romantic interludes this movie is a riot! Adam West's and Burt Ward's deadpan delivery of their lines is always perfect given the absurd nature of the situations they constantly find themselves in.
Anyone who doesn't get this series' humor and thinks it's a stain on the Batman franchise seriously needs to lighten up and go back to the older comics and find out how great their beloved Caped Crusader was during the censorship laws. Doing that, you'll probably have a greater appreciation for the humor of the Adam West era of the character's development.
So if you like comics or just like manic paced comedies with straight-faced acting (See: The Naked Gun, Get Smart) Batman: The Movie is definitely worth looking into! I recommend buying the 'Holy Special Edition' version of the film most because it has the best packaging and sets you up for comedy; the new DVD case is obviously modeled off of the Tim Burton Batman film's cases and just looks too serious considering the subject material contained within. I don't know about you but I like my DVD cases and art to tell me what I'm in store for. Putting the case aside both DVDs come with the same special features- features that are sure to make any Bat-Fan smile! If you haven't already done it: Do yourself a favor and purchase 'Batman - The Movie'