DVD : Batman - The Movie

In association with Amazon.com

Rating:

- Campy Batman A Silly Phase That Hasn't Stood The Test Of Time
Detective Comics from the late 30s and 40's portrayed Batman as a crime fighting detective / vigilante. The nonsensical and totally absurd TV series / movie was based on what the books had become by the 50s and early 60s. A low point in sales for DC at the time.

Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 (May 1939). The character was originally written in the style of the pulps and this influence was evident with Batman showing little remorse over killing or maiming criminals and was not above using firearms. Batman proved a hit character, and he received his own solo title in 1940.

By 1942, the writers and artists behind the Batman comics had established most of the basic elements of the Batman mythos. In the years following World War II, DC Comics adopted a postwar editorial direction that increasingly de-emphasized social commentary in favor of lighthearted juvenile fantasy. The impact of this editorial approach was evident in Batman comics of the postwar period; removed from the "bleak and menacing world" of the strips of the early 1940s, Batman was instead portrayed as a respectable citizen and paternal figure that inhabited a "bright and colorful" environment.

It has also been suggested by scholars that the characters of Batwoman (in 1956) and Bat-Girl (in 1961) were introduced in part to refute the allegation that Batman and Robin were gay, and the stories took on a campier, lighter feel. In the late 1950s Batman stories gradually become more science fiction-oriented, an attempt at mimicking the success of other DC characters.

By 1964, sales on Batman titles had fallen drastically; Bob Kane noted that as a result "DC was planning to kill Batman off altogether." Editor Julius Schwartz was soon assigned to the Batman titles and presided over drastic changes. Beginning with 1964's Detective Comics #327 (May 1964) - cover-billed as the "New Look" - Schwartz introduced changes designed to make Batman more contemporary and return him to more detective-oriented stories.

And then came the TV series and movie. Although both the comics and TV show were successful for a time, the camp approach eventually wore thin and the show was canceled in 1968. In the aftermath the Batman comics themselves lost popularity once again. As DC Comics editor Julius Schwartz noted, "When the television show was a success, I was asked to be campy, and of course when the show faded, so did the comic books."

Starting in 1969, writer Dennis O'Neil and artist Neal Adams made a deliberate effort to distance Batman from the campy portrayal of the 1960s TV series and to return the character to his roots as a "grim avenger of the night." O'Neil said his idea was "simply to take it back to where it started. I went to the DC Comics library and read some of the early stories. I tried to get a sense of what Bob Kane and Bill Finger were after."O'Neil and Adams first collaborated on the story "The Secret of the Waiting Graves" (Detective Comics #395, Jan. 1970). Few stories were true collaborations between O'Neil, Adams, Julius Schwartz, and inker Dick Giordano, and in actuality these men were mixed and matched with various other creators during the 1970s; nevertheless the influence of their work was "tremendous." Giordano said, "We went back to a grimmer, darker Batman, and I think that's why these stories did so well . . . Even today we're still using Neal's Batman with the long flowing cape and the pointy ears.

In essence, DC Comics hated the way the Batman TV series / movie butchered their crime-fighting detective. The proper and most accurate point of reference that one should subscribe to are the original comic books - Tim Burton it seems did to a degree and Christopher Nolan has most definitely given us the best portrayal of the "classic" Batman.

At the end of the day, if you like the campy style, that's fine. I just like keeping up with all the historical facts of a fictional character spanning almost 70 years.

For reference, parts of this commentary was accessed from Wikipedia and yes I do have a comic book collection into the thousands with several hundred Batman books dating back to the early 60s.

It's interesting that a lot of people seem to think that comic books are for kids only and that they should just provide slapstick entertainment, devoid of intelligent dramatic dialogue and social commentary.

In fact comic books have been a great study resource because of their anthropological reflections.

Look at what Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko and many other great storytellers and artists did in the early 60s at Marvel Comics. Super hero comic books that were wonderfully entertaining, incredibly scripted, dialogue that was realistic, dramatic, fun, quirky, serious and occasionally touching on social commentary.

What a great balance. It's little wonder Marvel Comics has remained at the top of it's field and even better that DC Comics in the late 60s returned to faithfully representing the true classic Batman ethos.

Rating:

- Holy Excellent Movie, Batman
Holy Review Here, Batman!

I've always liked Batman the Movie with Adam West as Batman and sidekick Burt Ward as Robin.

I remember watching this back in 1979 as a 3 year old on local TV.

This movie is the one to watch when there's nothing to do.

I hope that the TV series come out someday.

It's worth Bat-Keeping in that special Bat-Archive section.

Holy Movie Time, Batman.

Rating:

- SAME AS THE 2001 RELEASE
Well I purchased this 2008 version and have learned it is identical to the 2001 release. All the interviews are from the last release. The only difference is the packaging ! All the interviews mention the 35th anniversary of Batman the series but we are now at a 42 year anniversary. Its a great movie with wonderful extras but it would have been nice of Fox to add a little something extra since they re-released this disc. If you own the 2001 edition as I do you will be disapointed spending more money for a package with a red bat. Well I guess that is one way for Fox to ride the coat tails of Warner Bros pending the new Dark Knight movie.

Do not waste your money on this edition if you have the 2001 edition !!!!

Rating:

- USELESS DOUBLE DIP! SAME DISC NEW BOX
If you love all things BATMAN then you'll enjoy this childish adventure. If you already own the previous DVD you do not need to buy this...there is nothing new to offer. It is a reissue in a new box...all the content is the same...down to the transfer!

Rating:

- Holy Bat Review!
My kids had never seen the old Batman show. Within the first couple minutes, they saw Batman climb down the bat rope ladder (labled by sign at bottom) then attacked by a shark. The shark was attached to his leg, until Robin climbed down with the bat shark repellent. If this is the kind of humor and action you want to see, then definitely buy the movie. My family was almost in tears, we were laughing so much.

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