The 1942 Serial Has The Best Line Ever

i actually thought that was interesting. Up until i got the DVD, i've never seen the first half before. I've had part 2 on VHS since i was small, so this was like discovering the holy grail. The whole part about Batman fighting crime was really cool too.

 

"The shifty eyed Japs". Yeah, wow. Harsh. First time you hear that line from the narrator you think, what did he just say?, lol. I'm glad they had the balls not to censor it. It's historical. It's part of Batman history.
I love the Batman introduction in the 1943 serial (it's not from 1942). It describes Batman as the terror striking creature of the night he was created to be.

High atop one of the hills which ring the teaming metropolis of Gotham City a large house rears it's bulk against the dark sky. Outwardly, there's nothing to distinguish this house from any others. But, deep in the cavernous basement of this house, in a chamber hewn from the living rock of the mountain, is the strange, dimly lighted, mysteriously secret Bat's Cave. hidden headquarters of America's number one crime fighter--Batman. Yes, Batman--clad in the somber costume which has struck terror to the heart of many a swaggering denizen of the underworld. Batman--who even now is pondering a plan of a new assault against the forces of crime. A crushing blow against evil in which he which he will have the valuable aid of his young, two-fisted assistant--Robin, the Boy Wonder.

It's the Batman version of the intro to the 1952 Adventures of Superman TV series.

Faster then a speeding bullet. More powerful than a locomotive. Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound---"Look, up in the sky, It's a bird, It's a plane, It's Superman"--Yes, it's Superman--strange visitor from another planet who came to Earth with powers and abilities far beyond those of mortal men. Superman--who can change the course of mighty rivers, bend steel with his bare hands, and who, disguised as Clark Kent, mild mannered reporter for a great metropolitan newspaper, fights the never ending battle for Truth, Justice and the American Way.

 

Those dang kids, them and their "charleston" dance and, and their hoola hoops.

 

Lol.

 

I really want to buy the serials on DVD once I get some money.

 

The 1949 serial is not like the 1943 serial. The 1943 serial directed by Lambert Hillyer, the director of the horror film Dracula's Daughter (1936), with Lewis Wilson as Batman has a shadowy horrorish atmosphere. The 1949 serial directed by Spencer Gordon Bennett, the director of Superman vs the Atom Man serial (1948), is redicules and unintentionally funny. Everything happens in Broad Daylight. John Duncan was to old to be Robin. He was 24 years old. Bob Lowery was Fatman, not Batman, with floppy ears.
John Duncan said: "On the set, between Bob and I, we’d call ourselves Fatman and Bobbin.
Yeah. Well, we had to put a girdle on him or, yeah, a corset. We had to put a corset on him. But no one knew it at that time, and I don’t think he minds it now because he did (laughs) you know, we had to put this corset on him and tie him in every morning about 5:30 or 6 o'clock in the morning because he loved to drink beer, and he had kind of a beer belly. So we’d tie him in—I would. I’d put my foot on his butt and pull these strings together, you know, ev-ery morning."
He would really run out of breath, He needed oxygen on set.
"We’d be running, doing a scene—because a long shot, you know—and the camera'd be fifty yards from us, and we’d be traveling up a hill, and I’d tell him to hurry up because I was—Robin had to stay behind Batman, you know?
And so it’d make him look good, and the director wanted him to take big, long steps, you know, when he’s running, you know? And so that really killed Bob because he was trying to stretch his steps out, and running and I was running normal, you know? And I wasn’t havin' no problem, but he was having a lot of problem. And he’d say, (gasping) "Cut! Tell him to cut," you know, "I can’t go on no more," you know. Then we’d fall down on the ground when he cut. When the director would cut, why, Bob would fall down on the ground, and his cape would be over his face, and he says, "Oh my god, please don't—" (Laughs)."
The acting is weak Lyle Talbot is bland and lacking in authority as Gordon and went on to appear in Plan 9 From Outer Space! The Wizard is a dull villain. He's just a silly man in a hood. The cliffhangers are lame. Batman never seems to be in any danger. At one point Fatman magically pulls out big oxygen breathers and a huge two foot long blowtorch from his utility belt! That he lights with an equally big sparker! The opening titles of each title are pretty funny as Fatman and Bobin glance wildly in all directions, run forward a few steps and then pause to again look around confused. Guess there suppose to be on the lookout for danger, but they just seem totally lost!
Here's a link to the John Duncan interview http://www.grouchoreviews.com/index.php?module=subjects&func=viewpage&pageid=63

 

lol I thought this too when I saw these opening titles for the first time. They were supposed to be and they were like ...

 

back to the original topic, i think the best line in the '43 serial is when one of the henchman says, "So long, suckers." it had me rolling. i've heard it so many times on the simpsons, but hearing it here just caught me by surprise. it was hilarious.

 

I love this line from the '49 Serial:

*Thug punches Batman, doesn't phase him*
BATMAN: That hurt.
*Batman punches Thug the hell out, tosses him away*

 

Someday I´m gonna buy these serials just out of curiosity.

 

Which would you say is better, the 49 serial or the 42 one. I have the 49 serial and I liked it.

 

The 1943 Batman serial is much better then the 1949 Batman & Robin serial. The 1943 serial is the very first screen appearence of Batman. Director Lambert (Dracula's Daughter) Hillyer was a great choice to helm the 1943 moody and horror styled serial. It has a creepy atmosphere with zombies, a living corpse, a cave of horrors and man eating alligators! Director Lambert Hillyer uses shadowy lighting to give Batman a menacing look. Lewis Wilson makes a excellent Batman. He played the role in a straightforward and sincere manner. He looked like the character as drawn by Bob Kane. He was a better actor then he was given credit for. Even his disguise as Chuck White is believable. Bruce Wayne is as lazy as he is in the original Bob Kane/Bill Finger comics. Douglas Croft is the only actor to look the right age for Robin, He was only about 13. It's also true to the comics, golden age source material. Bruce Wayne's girlfriend nurse Linda Page (Shirley Patterson) is from Batman #5 (1941) and had charm. She's made into a brain-controlled zombie who will follow any orders. The 1943 serial actually added things to the books: The Batcave debuted in the serial and grandfathers clock entrance. William Austin was so great as Alfred that Alfred in the comics was redone to look and act just like William Austin! He's the only actor to ever really look like Alfred in the comics! J. Carrol Naish (Dr. Daka) was a great charactor actor. He was the hunchback in the House of Frankenstein. Dr. Daka is a great sadistic mastermind. Bob Kane even makes an appearance in the first chapter of the 1943 serial as a newsboy. Bruce Wayne waves a gun and smoked. Alfred even shots a gun. Batman kills lots of Daka's men in various ways. The buildings are not sets. Real people in real places. The fights seem realistic, like real brawls. Batman is shown actually climbing and jumping with no special effects! The 1943 serial is awesome!

 

Yeah. . .that's a f--ked up line. lol. But, anyway, glad to see you posting again, Gabe.

 

thats disgusting! yet hilarious!.never seen the serial.