Why is there no discussion on Batman '66

[Travis K]

The Batman film from 66 was great. It had amazing costumes and awesome Bat-vehicles.

The scene where a shark is hanging from Batman's leg and he is punching it is classic.

[Kevin Roegele]

The Batman film from 66 was great. It had amazing costumes and awesome Bat-vehicles.

The scene where a shark is hanging from Batman's leg and he is punching it is classic.

As it doesn't treat the source material completely seriously, many young Batman fans have disowned it. Little realising, of course, that is is by far the most faithful comicbook adaption ever. Pick up the book Showcase Presents Batman, and you'll find no difference at all between the comic and the movie/TV show.

Adam West's Bruce Wayne is also the greatest ever, looks and behaves exactly like the comic version.

http://images.art.com/images/PRODUCTS/large/10103000/10103848.jpg

http://imagecache2.allposters.com/images/74/039_45746.jpg

http://www.geocities.com/~talotta/Batman/west2.jpg

Cesar Romero is also the best Joker ever, he is exactly like the comic version.

http://images.art.com/images/products/regular/11801000/11801046.jpg

[Nepenthes]

Why is there no discussion on Batman '66

Well what the **** is there to discuss?

(apart from the shark I mean. someone get that gif up here.)

[El Payaso]

The shark was rubber and this version of Batman is not very good.

[Nepenthes]

yeah nice avatar dude ^

[El Payaso]

http://www.itxp.ca/technology/images/headache.jpg

[Bat Attack]

I love the '66 batman movie. I own the DVD (the commentary by Adam West and Burt Ward is hilarious!) :up:

[El Payaso]

****, now I weant to have it just to hear them talking about it.

[Kevin Roegele]

The shark was rubber and this version of Batman is not very good.

It's not supposed to be a great version of Batman. It's supposed to be the greatest piece of camp ever, which it is.

[El Payaso]

I
I
I
V

[El Payaso]

Of course, the part where I'm supposed to love it is what's missing for me.

[The Joker]

Loooooooooove this movie. I was always a big fan of the 60's show.

The Penguin and Catwoman stole this movie. Meriwether was a great Catwoman. And her and scenes with Bruce Wayne were really great.

[DocLathropBrown]

The 60s series and movie was my first exposure to Batman (Yes, even before B89), and being only 3 in '89, that's quite a feat that it made me a fan.

[SHADOWBAT69]

I think its because the majority of people on the Batman boards are a younger generation. Hell, alot weren't even old enought to experience 89 or Returns. I dont mean this in any insulting way, but there just seems to be a lack of appreciation for the pre 80's history of Batman. We all talk about the bat hype of 89, but remember, there was an equal, if not greater, hype in the 60's. And it was all due to the West TV show. Also, as stated previously, the 60's series has been the most accurate to the comics of the time. Personally, Im not a big fan of the show or the movie, even tho it was one of my first introductions to the character, but I understand its place in Bat history and I respect it for what it did.

[Road Warrior]

I've always been a fan of the TV show and movie. As a kid I thought it was a spoof or something. Then, I realized that it was actually pretty faithful to the comics of the `50s and `60s. Either way I like it. People will say, "but you hate Batman & Robin." And I'll reply, "I don't hate Batman & Robin because it's campy. I hate it because it's stupid." The `60s Batman was campy, but it was fun and highly entertaining.

Here's some cool Batman `66 videos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_dRF8ctPBeM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0UJaprpxrk

[Bat Attack]

I remember one episode of the old batman show they got "Two Bat-burgers to go". lol I have a bunch of episodes on tape.

[El Payaso]

What about the pink bat-cowl due to radiation.

[Damiean Dark]

The movie is very enjoyable in particuler Frank Gorshin aas Riddler he has a certain darkness to his performance of the character that still stands out today.

[Sam Fisher]

I LOVE the 60's series. Too bad it's not on DVD{besides the movie of course}:csad:

[Bat Attack]

It's all because of the licensing issues between Warner Home Video and Fox or something that is keeping it from being released on DVD.

[Kevin Roegele]

I don't think I'd want the whole show on DVD. A little goes a long way.

[Bat Attack]

I have seasons one and two taped from TV Land and various other channels. I didn't tape any of the third season episodes though because those were the worst of the series (like the one where the Joker is buidling a spaceship to escape from prison).

[Sam Fisher]

Does B66 even come on TV anymore?

[Bat Attack]

No, but the '66 movie is on Fox Movie Channel sometimes though.

[Catman]

"Some days you just can't get rid of a bomb."

[Sam Fisher]

http://www.eccentric-cinema.com/images/movie_pix_a-i/batman07.jpg

http://www.gilligansisle.com/images/oaks/catwoman.jpg

http://images.allmoviephoto.com/1966_Batman:_The_Movie/tn/burt_ward_adam_west_batman_the_movie_001.jpg

http://www.eccentric-cinema.com/images/movie_pix_a-i/batman08.jpg

[Sam Fisher]

http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q293/SuperSpidey999/batman4.jpg

[Kevin Roegele]

GREAT review of Batman the Movie from IMDb:

"First, let me say that I hated the Batman television show of the 1960s; and watching a couple of episodes played on cable TV a few years back convinced me this hatred was justified. The TV show is garish, overly cute, badly put together, using a remarkably unsteady camera technique displaying all the worst qualities of "cinema verite" and none of the good. The essential joke - that the show was a parody of the old Batman serial films of the 1940s - only indicates what an overly-determined over-kill of banal humor the show actually was; surely the audience didn't need more than one or two "cliff-hanger" jokes before getting the message, that the old serial formula for cliff-hangers was inherently absurd. But the TV show lasted (if I remember) 4 years.

Batman the Movie is a different kettle of fish entirely, despite the fact that the film uses many of the same writing and the same film-making techniques of the TV show. The primary visual reason for this is that the unsteady camera-work has been suppressed. The film looks like a trashy drive-in B-move of the late 50s, but at least it never gets "psychedelic" as the TV show clearly attempted. Further, although the film remains a parody of cliff-hanger serials, there are only a couple jokes directly about cliff-hangers; and we know that the film is really going to end, unlike the TV show.

For me, what really works to make this film different than the TV show is that it is not simply a parody of the serial film, it is a satire on the American culture that produced the serial films - a culture of profound paranoia and equally profound - and absurd - optimism. Indeed, if one listens carefully to the dialog assigned to the villains, one discovers that it is this very optimism that they really loathe. What offends them about Batman is not that they cannot defeat him, but that he absolutely refuses to entertain the notion that he can be defeated. So their real goal, throughout the film, is simply to defeat Batman - to put an end to hope. If they can make a few bucks as well, all the better.

What this means of course is that the villains happen to be more like the audience than Batman could ever be. It's not that the intended American audience of the film wants to destroy hope; but beneath the overtly expressed optimism of American ideology, there runs a profound cynicism. Most Americans (now as in the 1960s) believe that things appearing to be good, can never be as good as they appear. For the audience of this film, that's a suspicion; for the villains it's an article of faith. This identification with the villains allows us to laugh at Batman, by laughing with the villains, as much as allowing us to deny this evident identification itself.

There's no point in saying this is a good film (it's not); one cannot even comment on the acting, since ham is intentionally the order of the day. And because it is an intentional satirical parody (that frequently works) one cannot say it is "so bad it's funny". It has no genre to belong to, and so there are no standards of taste one can apply to it. The closest recent analogies I can think of are a handful of films produced at Troma. Neither Batman nor any of the Troma films are constructed to persuade or seduce viewers to their respective causes: either one gets the joke, or one does not.

I did, so I enjoy this film. My suggestion is to see it at least once, if only to discover whether one likes it or not."

winner55

[Kevin Roegele]

http://www.filmhai.de/kino/kinoplakat/bilder_0008/batman_haelt_welt_atem/index.php?gal=1&pic=2

Cesar Romero was so good as the Joker, so exactly right, I don't think he'll ever be surpassed.

[Nepenthes]

Except for the time he never killed anybody

[Road Warrior]

http://www.gilligansisle.com/images/oaks/catwoman.jpg

I never understood why the Penguin and Joker had to wear a mask. Who are they hiding their identity from? :huh:

[El Payaso]

I never understood why the Penguin and Joker had to wear a mask. Who are they hiding their identity from? :huh:

That's the humour of the show. *shrugs*

[Road Warrior]

I know it's the humor of the show, but its a little too dumb. Even for B66 standards.

[El Payaso]

I know it's the humor of the show, but its a little too dumb. Even for B66 standards.

That was entirely my point, man. :cwink:

[The Joker]

I never understood why the Penguin and Joker had to wear a mask. Who are they hiding their identity from? :huh:

Or the Riddler. Everyone knew who he was, too.

I guess the mask was some sort of a statement when pulling off a crime in Gotham City lol.

[Kevin Roegele]

I never understood why the Penguin and Joker had to wear a mask. Who are they hiding their identity from? :huh:

If you don't understand that, I think the entire show is lost on you.

[Kevin Roegele]

Except for the time he never killed anybody

It doesn't make any difference. If you really think a story has to be dark and violent in order to be legitimate, then you are either not very old or very lowbrow. Or a comicbook geek. ;) Also, if you can't accept that Batman, when looked at a certain way, is joyfully ridiculous, then you're taking it too seriously.

The Joker is the mythical trickster figure, like Loki, he's there to bedevil and fool the hero. This archetype works in the darkest or lightest stories.

[Noir]

"Some days you just can't get rid of a bomb."

Batman and Robin?

[El Payaso]

^ That should have been the tagline for B&R. Would look cool on the dvd. Somebody a manip please? :)

[Nepenthes]

when you think about, that show is largely responsible for the todays shiiity mainstream perception of comic books. Wham pow funny-books

it's also responsible for many good things tho

[The Techno Bat]

Adam West is by far the greatest Batman out there. This was such a great show, and it's a crying shame that the networks/studios can't get on the same page and give us fans what we want and that is boxed sets of Batman '66 DAMMIT! ! ! ! ! :cmad:

Like previously mentioned if everybody can get past that it's a campy Batman and look at the comics and the time, Adam West & Burt Ward were playing Batman and Robin exactly how they were looked at in the comics, Campy, Silly, & Fun.

I think that the greatest thing about the show was whenever a villian was shown, the view us as fans had was it appeared as though the camera man was shooting them crooked, thus the joke Crooked Crooks, genious! ! ! !

Ceasar Romero refusing to shave his mustache, so they painted over it, added to the insanity of The Joker, Ceasar was by far the best Joker, better than Nicholson.

[Kevin Roegele]

Only 5% of the people on this board understand what camp is.

Camp is ironic, knowing celebration of things which are ludicrous and outlandish.

The Batman comics have never, ever been camp. They have been childish, brightly coloured, ludicrous and non-sensical, but they have always been intended to be taken seriously by their target audience (which has varied considerably).

The 60's TV was camp. The point of the show was to deliberately point out the comedy value inherent in the Batman concept. The brilliance of the show is that it barely exaggerates (if at all) the situations from the comics, it just shows what they would look like if they happened in real life. Thus it works on two levels; it's serious enough to be a straight adventure story, and camp enough to be amusing.

[batmaluco]

The funniest Batman ever:
http://www.batmania.com.ar/wallpapers/wallpaper009_800.jpg

http://www.batmania.com.ar/wallpapers/Wallpaper144_800.jpg

http://www.batmania.com.ar/wallpapers/wallpaper294_800.jpg

http://www.batmania.com.ar/wallpapers/wallpaper292.jpg

http://www.batmania.com.ar/wallpapers/wallpaper039_800.jpg

[batmaluco]

The craziest Joker ever:
http://www.batmania.com.ar/wallpapers/wallpaper338_800.jpg

http://www.batmania.com.ar/wallpapers/wallpaper365_800.jpg

http://www.batmania.com.ar/wallpapers/wallpaper406.jpg

http://www.batmania.com.ar/wallpapers/wallpaper413.jpg

[batmaluco]

The sexiest Batgirl ever:
http://www.batmania.com.ar/wallpapers/wallpaper140_800.jpg

http://www.batmania.com.ar/wallpapers/wallpaper397.jpg

:wow:

Is there a better way to celebrate 3000 posts? :up:

[The Techno Bat]

Definately a great way to celebrate your 3,000th post! I am not a huge fan of Batgirl and thought she actually ruined the show, but Yvonne Craig was pretty cute.

I have seen the '66 Batman movie a few times over the past few days, and like mentioned before if you haven't seen this film you should check it out twice, and the reason I say twice is the first time, watch the film normally, and then the second time through switch on the commentary by Adam West & Burt Ward while watching it. It's great hearing them talk about the series, the movie, and all the other stuff that went down

[ab38416]

http://www.66batman.com/member_art_doob/egghead.jpg

[DieSmiling]

Only 5% of the people on this board understand what camp is.

Camp is ironic, knowing celebration of things which are ludicrous and outlandish.

The Batman comics have never, ever been camp. They have been childish, brightly coloured, ludicrous and non-sensical, but they have always been intended to be taken seriously by their target audience (which has varied considerably).

The 60's TV was camp. The point of the show was to deliberately point out the comedy value inherent in the Batman concept. The brilliance of the show is that it barely exaggerates (if at all) the situations from the comics, it just shows what they would look like if they happened in real life. Thus it works on two levels; it's serious enough to be a straight adventure story, and camp enough to be amusing.

I think people know what camp is -- it's just that 99% of Batman fans will tell you that "campy" is the last thing Batman should be.

[The Shredder]

I love this flick, as well as the TV show which I will always have an affinity for. I remember the TV show coming on the fam channel back when Batman 1989 was still in it's theatrical run, and I would make it a point to sit and watch the show every single time it came on. Ah, good times.

[ab38416]

http://www.66batman.com/wallpaper/WP_animation_cel.jpg

[ab38416]

http://www.66batman.com/wallpaper/bat_wallpaper_014.jpg

[The Joker]

http://www.batmania.com.ar/wallpapers/wallpaper413.jpg

Wow, the moustache is really visible there.

[El Payaso]

The shark was rubber and this version of Batman is not very good.

Of course, the part where I'm supposed to love it is what's missing for me.

Listen pal, you're being a complete idiot. :cmad: I saw the movie recently and it's quite a fine piece of bizarre, very enjoyable if you're tuned with it.

[DocLathropBrown]

This show got me 'into' Batman. It's classic, it's cool. It's undeniably Batman.

[The Shredder]

Batman 1989 is what really got me into Batman back during my youth, but Batman '66 is cool with me as well. I always liked the 60's Batman show. It definately worked for what it set out to do. And I still find the show entertaining in that respect. :up:

[Darkness Falls]

who could ever forget
the Ultimate Fight scene

THE SUBMARINE SHOWDOWN
kickass :woot: :woot: :woot:

[K.B.]

This movie (and the show) was,is and always will be GREAT. Anyone who dosent like it or appreciate it is really missing out on some super stuff. Its just fun and should be veiwed as such. We got so many great performancs from some real great actors and we fans should be thankful that batman was as popular back then as it was.

Quote:
Originally Posted by El Payaso http://forums.superherohype.com/images/buttons/viewpost.gif (http://forums.superherohype.com/showthread.php?p=10973750#post10973750)
The shark was rubber and this version of Batman is not very good.

Quote:
Originally Posted by El Payaso http://forums.superherohype.com/images/buttons/viewpost.gif (http://forums.superherohype.com/showthread.php?p=10977887#post10977887)
Of course, the part where I'm supposed to love it is what's missing for me.

Listen pal, you're being a complete idiot. :cmad: I saw the movie recently and it's quite a fine piece of bizarre, very enjoyable if you're tuned with it.Today 08:55 PM

El Payaso...your great lol

I LOVE the "some days you just cant get rid of a bomb" gag and when I met West back i naugust I got him to sign a pic of him from this scene, bomb raised high and a crazy face..he looks like a madman in the pic lmao

[The Empire Ape]

The movie and the show is brilliant.

And every day a young and new Batman fan (who likes teh gritty and teh paranoid and teh brutal) feels "insulted" of this portrayal of his favourite character brings a smile to my face. :joker:

[CFE]

I watched the show religiously as a kid back when they aired reruns on the Sci-Fi channel in a 2 hour block along with "Wonder Woman," "Green Hornet" and "The Flash."

Adam had the right balance of charisma and humor that works for the Batman of that period, given the books (though as Frank will attest the show's campier than the comics were, even back then)

But I loved it as a kid and I couldn't get enough.

The villains, to date, were portrayed most faithful in the show, followed closely by the early FOX TAS.

And above all you can tell that everyone involved had a lot of fun making this show. To disregard it, I think, means that you're not a true Batman fan. BC a true fan has the ability to embrace every interpretation of the character.

Whether it's the 60s show, the Burton films...even "Batman & Robin" YES even "Batman & Robin"

But yeah the 60s show and film were great fun, and they bring out the bright and colorful world that comic books can be. I loved it, and I do wish they'd release the series to DVD.

CFE

[david icke]

It was on the UK's channel5 two days ago, I didnt notice and happened to flick on just as B&R were climbing up Ye Olde Benbow Tavern, ie just in time for the bomb scene, great great stuff, love it. I lent someone my dvd of the film 3and a half years ago and havent got it back yet so I wouldve liked to have seen all the stuff with Bruce going on the date with Miss Kit Carr which is a riot. I gotta say, despite all the obvious stunt doubles for the Riddler etc I get a total thrill out of the villans confronting Bruce Wayne and him giving them a good fight which they didnt expect. Both fights between BW and the villans are great. As are the flying umbrellas the villans travel on.
It was the 66 show that got me into Batman, it was repeated in the late 70's on UK tv every Saturday morning and i used to go ape***** for it. My older brother and sister had some Batman comics still lying around too(not many tho as my parenst used to throw them out, a practice i soon put a stop to.)

Oh yeah, the opening credits of the 66film are phenomenal, LOVE the music(good music all the way thru the flick too.)

[The Empire Ape]

Adam had the right balance of charisma and humor that works for the Batman of that period, given the books (though as Frank will attest the show's campier than the comics were, even back then)

There were not "campy" Batman comics. There were light-hearted, funny, bright, colorful or/and crazy Batman comics but they were actually played straight.

[CFE]

I never said they were...I was reflecting on Miller's comments from the "Legends of the Dark Knight" documentary.

I'm well aware of the straight faced attitude Julius Schwarz kept in the comics before and in spite of the television show.

CFE

[K.B.]

Anyone got pics of Vincent Price as Egghead? lol

[Mr. Socko]

Just found these small ones.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/5/57/Egghead_batman.jpg

http://www.geocities.com/hollywood/hills/1391/1966/CastPics/Egghead.jpg


Anyone know of a site where I could find episodes of the show for viewing?

[Why Are You Crouching Spock?]

Get the bat repellent shark spray!

http://andersb.files.wordpress.com/2007/07/shark.jpg

[Mr. Socko]

Lmao @ the foam shark

[Cain]

I'm also one who thought the movie was greatly superior to the series. Though I still love the series and hope that Fox and WB could finally come to some damn type of agreement on that matter. I want it on DVD so bad. With this movie the fight scenes with against the rogues are amongst my favorite in any live action Batman film. "You.....CRIMINALS!", "I'll kill you all" West's line delivery was second only to Shatner. Oh and the United Nations scene owns both in a satirical sense and based on strict entertainment value.

[Noir]

anybody gotta clip from TAS "Legends of the Dark Knight" where they have the homage to this series and Dick Sprang?

[K.B.]

Just found these small ones.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/5/57/Egghead_batman.jpg

http://www.geocities.com/hollywood/hills/1391/1966/CastPics/Egghead.jpg



My god.......all .....childhood...fears..rushing..... back......

[Nolan4evar]

omg so true

[Kevin Roegele]

There were not "campy" Batman comics. There were light-hearted, funny, bright, colorful or/and crazy Batman comics but they were actually played straight.

Only about 10% of people seem to understand what camp is.

[Sam Fisher]

Get the bat repellent shark spray!

http://andersb.files.wordpress.com/2007/07/shark.jpg
Jaws 5: This Time It's Bat-meat.

http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q293/SuperSpidey999/batman-2.gif

[Milu]

NrmPehlHK3w

:woot:

[Sam Fisher]

NrmPehlHK3w

:woot:What the hell is that?:D

[El Payaso]

ualeualeuale batman. A ytmdn classic :)

[CFE]

ah Chaccaron Batman...the best of times :woot:

CFE

[Milu]

I'd ask for someone to turn that Ualeualeuale Batman into a 75x75 avatar for me (once I reach that covenant 300-post mark), but my gimmick right now is Val Kilmer Batman :( .