Batman Complete Series (Repackage/Blu-ray)

it's hard to know where to start. what should i express first, my joy that it's made it to DVD at long, long last, or my still tingling frustration that it took so damn long?my Batman of choice is Adam West, first last an' always. i don't have a problem with "dark" superheroes per se, i just think there are other characters who are better suited to it. like Wolverine, for instance, or Daredevil, not to mention that mold from which Batman was cast in the first place, The Shadow. Batman, on another hand entirely, was at his most potent (not to mention unique) in the "theatre of the absurd" motif where i first met him.the '60s was hands-down the Golden Age Of American Television, and Batman is a textbook example of the wonderfully iconoclastic sensibility you'd almost think the Industry was going out of it's way to sidestep today. just look at the sitcoms. in the '60s just about anything could happen on a sitcom, whereas the sitcoms of recent decades almost seem to be taking pains to clone each other. it always seems to be the same everyday rut set in the same mundane living-room or office motif.so it miffs me to hear so many of my favorite American tv series - Gilligan's Island, The Addams Family, The Munsters, The Monkees, and of course the all-time best, Get Smart - dismissed as "kid stuff," but at least so-called kid stuff takes a certain imagination, a certain spirit, that you're never gonna get from the prosaic day-to-day "real world" of an Arrested Development or a 2 Broke Girls.nor, strictly speaking, is it "kid stuff" in the derogatory sense generally suggested. maybe in the sense that it'll appeal to kids, but that hardly obligates it to exclude adult sensibilities. quite the contrary, one of the delights of my adult life has been rediscovering the old series who's reruns i loved as a kid, and realizing how multi-tiered the approaches tended to be. they frequently walked a tightrope between innocence and sophistication and made it look like the easiest thing in the world. (as C.S. "The Lion The Witch & The Wardrobe" Lewis said, a children's story that adults can't enjoy as well is not a good children's story.)this is bound to sound redundant, since it's being stated, restated, and re-restated in these reviews, but like so many i had to grow up to fully recognize the spoof quality. i'm not saying it was completely over my head. even as a kid i'd always liked humor, so i knew that the occasional development was being played for the laugh. take the time Batman was almost married to Marsha Queen Of Diamonds (Carolyn Jones). his salvation comes in the form of Alfred (Alan Napier) and Aunt Harriett (Madge Blake) in the guise of his true wife and her lawyer. asked why he didn't mention that there was already a Mrs. Batman, our hero stammers "it slipped my mind." or the way that Catwoman (Julie Newmar) ostensibly "dies" more than once, demonstrating her nine lives. jokes that blunt are pretty obvious at any age.so i always recognized and appreciated that the series had a sense of humor, but it took a few decades for it to dawn on me that it was predominantly, rather than intermittently, a satire. one episode, for instance, concerns J. Pauline Spaghetti, who made her millions with pasta. how many kids even then would've known who J. Paul Getty was, and therefore gotten the joke? or, take the time a certain "pompous waddling master of fowl play" ran for office. every kid will understand why you don't want The Penguin (Burgess Meredith) in office, but how many will makes head-or-tail out of the accompanying political satire? it also occurs to me that when Batgirl (Yvonne Craig) was introduced, it might've been intended as a pun on Marlo Thomas' new sitcom, That Girl.another good example: on one occasion Batman asks why they always manage to outwit their opponents, and Robin surmises "because we're smarter than they are." to which Batman replied that he prefers to think "our hearts are pure." corny as i now realize they were consciously setting out to be, that would've sounded positively inspirational when i was 10 or 12.given the similarly iconoclast comedy maestros of whom i've since become a fan - The Marx Brothers, Mel Brooks, Monty Python - if anything i relish the series even more now than i used to.many fine comedies (Dr. Strangelove and This Is Spinal Tap, for instance) simply present an absurdity rather than trying to "riff" on it, and therein lies the genius of Adam West. he masterfully takes the piss out of the goody-two-shoes "square" character that more button-down age expected the hero to be, by doing no more than playing the standard rulebook of the age to the hilt. there are times when he comes off like Sgt. Joe Friday at a costume party. ("for indeed, no man is above the law, and no man is below it.")and he balances the two elements are artfully as could ever be done. this driven-snow version of Batman could've come off as a full-fledged prude if played by anyone but West.one of the major shocks of other versions for me is the lack of Robin. (after all, would you rob Sherlock Holmes of Dr. Watson or The Lone Ranger of Tonto?) i don't know if the concept of a teenage ward just works better from this satiric angel or what, but certainly Burt Ward's presence brings something. his role as pupil for the stodgiest class of grownup advice may be the prime example of the series' straight-laced spoofery. then again, maybe it's simply that West and Ward managed to attain that much sought but too indefinable to be manufactured quality known as chemistry. the all-time great "comedy double act" is of course Abbott & Costello. but West and Ward unquestionably have a place alongside Gilligan and Skipper and Herman and Grandpa Munster amongst the first runners-up.it's been said more than once that the most heroic hero is nothing without an equally formidable villain, and the series certain did it's duty in that department. it's been argued more than once that the villains were the real stars of the show, and that Batman himself is basically an emcee. i'm not sure i'd go quite that far, but certain the series doesn't exactly dispute the long-standing stereotype about the villains being more interesting. even in the reruns i recall how vividly one tingled, waiting to learn who the "special guest villain" was this time around. the actors always clearly revelled in the role, and a number of distinguished players - Julie "Catwoman" Newmar, Burgess "Penguin" Meredith, Frank "Riddler" Gorshin, Victor "King Tut" Buono, Vincent "Egghead" Price, Cliff "Shame" Robertson - achieved their most lasting fame and most ardent audience affection in the process. (Meredith certainly did something right, because he made something fun out of the single blandest villain character in comic-book history.) most famously, Cesar Romero made a deal to wear that Joker makeup, provided he didn't have to shave his trademark mustache, and in the process completely eclipsed literally decades of the "Latin lover" roles he was trying to maintain.it's interesting to note that the impressions they leave don't depend upon quantity. for instance, Bookworm (Roddy McDowell) and False Face (Malachi Throne) loom so large in my mind that i'm still waiting for it to sink in that they each threatened our heroes only once (at least while the camera was rolling). whereas The Mad Hatter (David Wayne), whom i'd completely forgotten, appears twice. go figure.if i have a bone to pick with the series, it's that poor Batgirl was so underused. granted it's more circumstance than anything else, since she was introduced so late in the series, but i still have to regret that poor Yvonne Craig didn't get to develop her promising character very far. (if nothing else, she should've gotten a chance to tussle with Julie Newmar's definitive Catwoman, rather than having to settle for Eartha Kitt's understudy version.)actors frequently tell us that comedy is the most difficult genre to perform, and i get the feeling that parody is the most difficult brand of comedy. because for all the fun it makes of conventional storytelling techniques, it's ultimately just as dependent upon them. an audience needs to connect with, to root for, Maxwell Smart and/or Austin Powers just as much as they do James Bond.i must admit, alas, that there is another factor. (yes, i know i've already said this, but since it applies here it has to be said in order to complete the report.)when Tim Burton's first Batman film came along, i'd reached junior high with literally no idea that the producers of the series had taken any liberties with their source material. it was all over the news how this was to be a more "faithful" approach, and the different flavor of the nuances was a bit jarring, to say the least. what really tipped the scales, though, is that it was around the same time that I discovered old-time radio. in that process i came upon the original superhero, The Shadow. i'm not suggesting that it was an exact carbon-copy - where Batman wore a costume, for instance, The Shadow was armed with "the hypnotic power to cloud men's minds so they cannot see him" - but for all dramatic intents and purposes they boiled down to the same basic "creature of the night" motif wielded by a "wealthy young man about town" who happens to be chummy with the police commissioner of New York/Gotham City. the most (if not only) significant difference is that The Shadow's adversaries never have the gimmicky affectation of a Riddler or a Catwoman. so it's close enough: this theoretically more "legit" version of Batman turned out to be a product of plagiarism at it's most shameless.that's official, by the way. Batman "creator" Bob Kane always freely admitted, in fact pretty much bragged, to having liberally appropriated his basic character from The Shadow and his storytelling technique from Dick Tracy.so this series may very well be "camp" (whatever the hell that means), but it's also a few other things that more recent depictions of Batman are not, such as unique and original. this is the one version where Batman manages to get out of The Shadow's, well, shadow and become something unique in himself.

With it's guest villains and multiple cameos, this hilarious "Batman" series is perfect for trivia. Here's some questions for you, test yourself! If you don't want to wait to watch the series, I give the answers in the first comment to this review:1. Who was the guest villain in the very first episode?2. Who was the very first oh-so-comely moll?3. What is the significance of 2F-3567?4. Riddle me twice, Batman. What kind of pins are used in soup? And what was Joan of Arc made of?5. What is the first gadget used from Batman's famous utility belt?6. A bust of what famous person sits on Bruce Wayne's desk, and hides the switch for "Access to Batcave via Batpole"?7. When was the first episode where someone opened a window to address the Dynamic Duo while they're climbing a building wall?8. Who was the first person to open a window?9. Who was the last villain to bedevil our heroes in the TV series?10. How many miles is it from the Bat Cave's street entrance to Gotham City?11. Of Batman's top 4 villains, which one appeared in the most episodes of the TV show?12. Who was the guest villain in the 2-episode show with the highest ratings?13. To whom was Commissioner Gordon referring when he said, "Who knows what devious tricks this evil balladeer could be up to."14. Of the three actresses who played Catwoman on the series and "Batman: The Movie", who was Adam West's favorite?15. Adam West asks this question himself, in Special Feature No. 5, "Inventing Batman": "This would be fun at parties. Trivial stuff. What was the first "Batman" comic balloon?"(He refers to the cartoon-y ZAP! BAM! that appears during fights.)I like this show because I cannot watch it and not be happy! Chief O'Hara and Commissioner Gordon say the most atrocious lines with a straight face ("Our only hope is that towering power for right and justice, the Caped Crusader"). Everything is tongue in cheek (a beauty contest called "Queen of Beauty", an exclusive perfume called "Canadian Perfume"). Double entendres galore (as Julie Newmar says in Bonus feature No 3, "C'mon! You can't miss it!"). Thirty-three guest villains in all. Innumerable minions, with appropriate names (such as Leo and Felix for Catwoman, Finella for the Penguin). TV shows in this era were known for encasing their female guest stars in wigs, but the costumiers went wild in "Batman" (including an odd toupee for Van Johnson). Impossible weapons and torture devices. GREAT guest stars, and that's not even including the cameos and window-openers. Great one-liners (Robin says, "That puncuated pipsqeak!").And now I can geek out by using pause button to see if I can tell from just where Batman pulled the Bat Shield.This Complete Series looks fantastic. The colors are sharp and everything is crisp. Almost too crisp, you see the sheen of sweat on Batman's lip and the veins sticking out on Gorshin's forehead. You get a 32-page Episode Guide with a Greeting From Adam West. The show is presented as "standard version presented in a format preserving the aspect ratio of the original exhibition" - a long way of saying 4:3 TV viewing. (Though my player's Widescreen setting works pretty well, also.) Sound is Dolby digital mono.Season 1 has 17 two-part shows, or 34 episodes of 25 minutes each without commercials. Season 2 has 30 two-part shows, with 25 minutes per episode. And Season 3 has 26 one-part shows, of 25 minutes each. That's a total of 3,000 minutes or 50 hours of excellent viewing.You can listen to the show in English or Portuguese. Or you can watch it with subtitles in English, French, Spanish or Portuguese.The seven Bonus Features are all on the last disc in the Season 3 set. The Bonus Features are the same whether you're buying DVD or BluRay. The viewing options are fewer for the Special Features. There is no dubbed option, and subtitles are available in only Spanish and Portuguese. The Complete Series has 225 minutes, or 3 3/4 hours, of Special Features....1. "Hanging With Batman" (2014, 29 minutes) This featurette is narrated by Adam West, and includes clips from interviews with him over the years. West had played serious roles before "Batman", but he wanted to get into comedy. That's just one reason he loved the 1st script when he got it, "Batman - some of you don't realize this - was a comedy."...2. "Holy Memorabilia Batman!" (2014, 20 minutes) I really enjoyed this bonus. "Batman" was the first TV series to have "a firestorm of collectibles". Commentators include Adam West, Ralph Garman (Batman collector), Jordan Hembrough (host of "Toy Hunter"), Kevin Silva (Batman Collector) and Mark Racop (owner "Fiberglass Freaks"). There is a great analysis of collecting - it gives you permission to dream.Garman shows Adam West his full-room collection, from originals when the show was airing to recent new stuff. It is very touching. West even tries on one of the prizes in the collection, an original cowl that Adam wore in the show. It still fits perfectly.Racop made his first '66 Batmobile in 1974 when he was 17. Now you can buy a fully functional replica from him, complete with a retractable bat beam antenna. And flame thrower, if you insist!...3. "Batmania Born! Building the World of Batman" (2014, 30 minutes) This short has 22 commentators, historians, publishers, producers, writers. It's a little analysis of why "Batman" was successful in 1966 - 1968....4. "Bats of the Round Table" (2014, 45 minutes) Adam West is joined at a restaurant by Ralph Garman, Phil Morris (actor, "Smallville"), Jim Lee (Co-publisher DC Comics) and Kevin Smith (Executive producer "Comic Book Men"). All are big fans of the '66 Batman and they talk about what the show meant and means to them....5. "Inventing Batman: In the Words of Adam West" (2014, 65 minutes) Adam West is at Warner Studios and is loaned his original script for the Season 1, episodes 1 & 2 in the series, "Hi Diddle Riddle" and "Smack in the Middle". The script has West's hand-written notations. We re-watch the two episodes with West periodically showing us his notes and what he was thinking as he created this new character. Of the script, West says, "It was written by the great Lorenzo Semple Jr., who said, 'It's the best thing I ever wrote.' And he won a number of awards for screenplays."West: "You can be as absurd as anyone imagines, but if you do it with a certain, almost invisible, ineffable dignity... Dignity, and the sense to the audience that you're doing everything you can to preserve that dignity. That becomes very funny."...6. "Na Na Batman!" (2014, 15 minutes) Twenty-four commentators bring up different points about "Batman"....7. "Bat Rarities! Straight From the Vault" (21 minutes total).......A. "Batgirl Pilot" (1967, 7 minutes) This was a short to see if they would develop a new series, "Batgirl". Instead, Yvonne Craig joined "Batman" for the 1st episode in Season 3, as Commissioner Gordon's daughter. She became crime-fighter Batgirl, and only the butler Alfred knew she was Batgirl........B. "Burt Ward Screen Test With Adam West" (6 minutes).......C. "Actors Screen Tests: Lyle Waggoner and Peter Deyall" (5 minutes).......D. "James Blakeley Tribute" (3 minutes) Blakeley was post-production supervisor for "Batman".As noted, almost all of the bonus extras above are new and not carried forward from the bonus extras on "Batman: The Movie" or the TV Special "Batman - Holy Batmania". While I'm at it, I'll put in a plug for these, too. Batman: The Movie (Special Edition) The Movie came out in July, 1966, a month after the last episode aired of the smash hit Season 1. This link is for the 2008 DVD Special Edition, presented in widescreen 1.85:1. It includes an OK commentary track, by Adam West and Burt Ward, and 7 other bonus features. In my review (buried amongst the other enthusiastic reviews), I detail a ridiculous conversation in Commissioner Gordon's office - proof that the writing for the movie was every bit as zany as for the TV show. Batman - Holy Batmania Hard to get now, I bought my DVD copy some time ago. This 2-disc set has the 109 minute made-for-TV documentary, plus a 90 minute biography of Adam West, 85 minute biography of Julie Newmar and a 45 minute biography of Cesar Romero. I like the documentary, but the biographies are the cream. Disc 2 does have screen tests as bonus extras.The photo added shows Batman dancing the Batusi in Episode 1.Happy Reader

Beautfiully put together set - full color high quality episode guide with photos and individual episode summaries - nice extra features/bonus disc & information. Overall a great boxset that is generously priced for such a great deal. Just have to make sure Amazon packs it properly so it doesn't come in a padded envelope smashed to pieces like every other DVD or CD I order from them does.

Dieser Batman und Robin sind Kult. Es sind keine durchtrainierten Martial Arts Anti-Helden, die sich durch ihre Traumas kämpfen. Batman sieht aus wie der Dude von nebenan, der sich eine Maske aufgesetzt hat. Und Robin ins seinem bunten Klamotten ist immer einen Lacher wert. In 25 Minuten langen Episoden stellen sich die beiden auf herrlich trashige Art und Weise den ebenso trashigen Bösewichten.Obwohl die Serie fast 60 Jahre alt ist, macht sie den Eindruck als ob sie als Antwort auf all die finsteren Anti-Helden "Superhelden" der letzten 10 Jahre gedreht worden wäre. Stories sind leichtgängig, die Kameraführung unaufgeregt und der Schnitt flott. Das Intro ist definitiv legendär und die "Kampfszenen" durch die Comicsprechblasen wie Bam und Kapow immer wieder zum Kichern.Das ist einfach lockeres Entertainment für zwischendurch in hervorragender HD Qualität.

Das macht richtig Spaß!Wer die Box kauft, weiß wahrscheinlich worauf er/sie sich einlässt. Das ist absoluter Trash.Die tollen Kulissen und die Selbstironie machen aber richtig Spaß.Und als Gaststars geben sich einige Größen die Ehre, z.B. Anne Baxter und Vincent Price.Die Box selbst sieht auch super aus.Die komplette Serie in einer Box zu einem guten Preis. 👍🏻

Blurays wurden in leicht beschädigtem Pappschuber geliefert (Kaufdatum: 01. Oktober 2019).Es handelt sich wohl um die korrigierte Synchronfassung, da lt. OFDB diese Version auf Disc 1 der ersten Staffel 1 noch ein paar Extras als Entschuldigung seitens Warner enthält.Das Booklet enthält aber immer noch die falsche Zuordnung der Episodentitel zu den jeweiligen Episodenbeschreibungen.Als Kind fand ich die Serie natürlich klasse, jetzt ertrage ich als Berieselung nur 2-3 Folgen am Tag ohne Unterbrechung.

Zwar ist die Bildqualität jetzt deutlich besser als früher im TV. Und blu Ray ist eben doch besser.Die stimmen sind original, die Gags die gleichen und insgesamt sehr ansprechend. Einzig und allein hätte man das eatio von ehemaligen 4:3 auf jetzt 16:9 anpassen können. So gibt es halt bei normalen ratio links und rechts unschöne schwarze Balken.Aber ansonsten echt prima.Habe mir die komplette compilation deshalb gekauft, weil es im normalen TV als auch bei prime oder sky oder netflix gar nicht mehr zu sehen ist.

Einige Folgen sind 5-Sterne-würdig. Mit Catwoman, Joker oder anderen Bösewichten. Spaß pur für zwischendurch. Aber einige Folgen würden von mir auch nur einen Stern bekommen. Die sind dann einfach zu nervig. Batgirl und die neue Catwoman hätten die sich komplett schenken sollen. Einer meiner Favoriten ist False Face, der sich innerhalb von Sekunden komplett in andere Leute verwandelt. Solchen Mist darf man in dieser Serie eben nicht ernst nehmen. Schlimm wird es erst, wenn es anfängt zu nerven...und das beginnt spätestens mit Batgirl. Aber als Fan gehört diese Box ins Regal.