Batman: The Movie

I remember my father taking me to see this in the theater when it first came out. Several decades worth of growing up has taken a measure of the gilding off the movie, but its still super-campy and if thats what youre looking for, then its good. Not the best use of my time but it fit the bill for an evening I wanted to be entertained without thinking. (Besides, theres Lee Meriwether in her Catwoman costume... somehow I didnt notice her quite as much the first time I saw the movie!) It kinda all just peters out at the end, but there are still some laughs.

Some TV shows and movies date themselves, but Adam Wests Batman is so perfectly cartoony that it will never grow old. Rotten Tomatoes gives this 1966 movie 81%! This is a review for the 2008 Special Edition DVD reissue. [Edited to add 07/15] When I wrote this review, Batman: The Movie was only available in DVD. After the (finally!) release of the TV series on BluRay/DVD, this movie has been released on BluRay. Ive been told the extras are different. The movie starts out with this dedication, which exemplifies the campy humor, fake seriousness and double entendres of the movie and TV show: We wish to express our gratitude to the enemies of crime and crusaders against crime throughout the world for their inspirational example. To them, and to lovers of adventure, lovers of pure escapism, lovers of unadulterated entertainment, lovers of the ridiculous and the bizarre ... To fun lovers everywhere... this picture is respectfully dedicated. If we have overlooked any sizable groups of lovers, we apologize. -- The Producers Batman and Robin go in a huddle with Commissioner Gordon and Chief OHara after Batmans hilarious fight with a shark, on a rope ladder, hanging from the BatCopter, where he hits the shark and it sounds exactly like hes hitting a rubber fish, said rubber shark finally repelled with a handy can of Bat Shark Repellent. The crime duo had been tracking a yacht, which mysteriously disappeared in the middle of the ocean. The four huddlers come to the horrible conclusion that they are up against four supercriminals working together: Batman: Pretty fishy what happened to me on that ladder. Commissioner: Where theres a fish there could be a Penguin. Robin: It happened at sea. See? C for Catwoman. Batman: The exploding shark was pulling my leg. Commissioner: The Joker! Chief OHara: It all adds up to a sinister riddle. Riddle-er. Riddler? Aaargh!! Yes, the fab four criminals are after the yacht owners new invention, the Total Dehydration Machine. With it, you can turn a person into a pile of colored dust. Later, just add water, and the person pops back up. How will our favorite crime fighters defeat them, especially when Catwoman dons the disguise of a Russian reporter to get close, very close, to Bruce Wayne? Dressed in a leopard skin hat and coat, she first introduces herself to Batman at a press conference: Comrade Kitayna Ireyna Tatanya Kerenska Alisoff. I am from the Moscow Bugle. Aaargh again! This movie is great fun to watch, with all sorts of verbal and visual jokes. And everybody seems to be having a great time. The movie is presented in widescreen 1.85:1 aspect ratio. The menu and extras, however, seem to be TV-sized. Heres the extras on the 2008 Special Edition DVD: 1. Commentary. You can watch the movie with commentary by Adam West (Batman) and Burt Ward (Robin). As theres only two commentators, there are some pauses, but it was fun. Like me, you may wish that Julie Newmar had played Catwoman in the movie. Ward remembers that Newmar was busy filming MacKennas Gold and not available. West says: These tights were not terribly comfortable. Ward: Holy Understatement! I called them my python pants, because they strangled me to death. The TV show ran for three years on ABC. Ward remembers that the Bat Cave was a very expensive set. When we were cancelled, if they hadnt destroyed it, NBC was gonna pick up the show and we would probably still be shooting today. 2. Batman Featurette. This is a 30 minute short with interviews with Burt Ward and Adam West, accompanied by movie outtakes and stills. Ward remembers that he had a great stuntman, but he still kept getting hurt. During the first episode, four days in a row in the emergency hospital. I didnt think I was going to survive the first week. West remembers that the TV show had 250 guest stars, including the people who pop up out of the window while Batman and Robin are doing their infamous wall-walk. This was a coveted guest appearance and people who wanted to do it but couldnt get the scheduling included Frank Sinatra! The short ends appropriately, with Ward crying, Holy DVD, Batman! 3. Batmobile Revealed, with George Barris. This short is an interview with the designer and builder of the original BatMobile. I dont know about you, but THATS the BatMobile I want! It includes a hilarious remembrance of being arrested in Fargo North Dakota for driving the BatMobile with no windshield wipers and incorrect taillights. 4. From the Vaults of Adam West. These are photos and stills from Adams collection. 5. Behind the Scenes Still Gallery. More photos. 6. Theatrical Trailer 7. Spanish Theatrical Trailer 8. Teaser 9. Planet of the Apes Cross Trailer. A theatrical preview showing snippets from Charleton Hestons Planet of the Apes to introduce the remake of the same movie. 10. Languages available: English stereo, English mono, French mono Captions available: English, Spanish This movie is a lot of fun, but you have to put your silly hat on, or youll just be groaning as you watch it! After you watch the movie, watch the great 2-disc TV special

Just as great now as it was when I was a kid!

All I can say is that I hadnt watch any of the campy, classic 1960s Batman for decades and this was my reintroduction to it. It was sooo much better than I thought it would be. All the stuff I noticed as an adult that got past me as a kid! Lee Meriwether is a perfect Catwoman, and its just a great story too.

Yes, its silly but youre probably not going to watch it unless you are a fan of the TV series as well. I bought this on DVD several years ago as a fix until the series became available. Its still too expensive for me to buy the whole show on either blu ray or DVD but the movie has all the same characters and bat-gadgets crammed into one goofy package. The quality of the streaming was really good and we dont have the best quality wifi signal in our house. Recommended as a diversion to chores or on a rainy day.

Movie had a few scratches Skips a little

This movie never gets old. I love Adam West. He will always be Batman to me.

I love all the batman movies from 2 Barton to Joel Schumacher to Christopher Nolan et cetera but this is definitely my #1 favorite in the series. Adam west was the original batman probably be my favorite. This is epic its just like the tv series. Burt Ward is excellent as the loveable sidekick. if your Batman fan. youll love this

I remember watching the reruns of the show back in the 80s. Loved it. Then I watched then again in the 90s. Funny thing is I had never really seen this movie. Id seen clips of it but never in its entirety. Movie is great, still holds its humor and adventure after all this time. Definitely a movie for a simpler, less technology rich time. Nostalgia probably has a lot to do with it honestly, but I still highly recommend it.

Ridiculous? Yes Dumb villains trying to get caught? Yes Too many labels? No A good movie to relax to with the wife and kids? Definitely! Silly and unrealistic, this movie is a good time if you can let go of reality and live in a dream world where good and evil is black and white. Plus, Ceasar Romero (The Joker) didnt even shave his mustache. They just put the white make up over it. From the shark repellent at the beginning to the Dynamic Duo climbing walls with celebrity cameos this movie is F - U - N!