1966 Batman DVD Coming! See Post 649 (1 Viewer)

[JoeDoakes]

I'm heading out to see Batman '66 in downtown Seattle shortly.  I would highly doubt there will be any news during the Q/A with Adam West and Burt Ward, but if there is, I'll report back.

Please report back regardless. Wish I was there.

 

[Osato]

Yeah. The shirt I bought was blue with a "distressed" black/yellow TV series logo on the front (see image) It's this one:

I had forgotten that Sheldon wore it on Big Bang. I snagged it a month or so ago on clearance for $5.00. I remember seeing them full price back in the late summer.

Very cool! Probably all gone at this point then...

 

[Richard V]

Very cool! Probably all gone at this point then...

Went last night to my JCP, alas none seen on the shelves.

 

[John DeAngelis]

I'm heading out to see Batman '66 in downtown Seattle shortly.  I would highly doubt there will be any news during the Q/A with Adam West and Burt Ward, but if there is, I'll report back.

Anxiously awaiting your report!

 

[Jason_V]

So...last night was so much fun! It was the kickoff event to the Emerald City Comic Con (continuing all weekend) and the doors were to open at 7. When I pulled around the corner, there was a line almost around the building at 6:30. I compared it to Best Buy on Black Friday to my partner on the phone. Young people, older people, men, women, geeks, hipsters, "normal" folks, people in Batman shirts and sweat shirts, people in plain clothes, a few people dressed up (one kid as Robin). In other words, a range of the people you find in Seattle.
Inside, the theater had grabbed some costumes-I think-from the EMP: there were 2 Battlestar Galactica uniforms, one from Logan's Run, the ST: First Contact uniform and then what I believe are the original Batman and Robin costumes (there were two more, too). All in the lobby behind glass. There was a buzz in the air--people were excited. You could hear it. The lady behind my in line was a huge Adam West fan, for instance. The kid in the Robin costume was jumping all around (making a fool of himself, to be sure) but he was having a BLAST.
The theater itself is beautiful. It was my first time to this location since moving to Seattle and...wow. This is what a movie theater should be: it looked almost like an actual "play" theater. Not like the Pantages or anything like that, but the ceiling had a texture resembling stars. It was amazing watching people stream in and find seats. This was, after all, a 40-something year old movie!
Adam and Burt were introduced and they answered questions from a local TV personality for about 45 minutes. I swear, Adam West can talk! He has this dry delivery without a lot of emotion and then BAM he comes in with a joke and everyone's laughing. Burt Ward clearly knows he's second fiddle here and interjected when needed, along with answering questions pointed at him. They spoke about when the movie was filmed and released in relation to the series, Adam West flubbing lines to fluster a director and interject double entendres into the show (which they were fully aware of), the guest villians in the movie, Burt Ward's tights and Fox doctors giving him pills he was sure would never allow him to have kids. There was even a gay joke about two grown men living together and running around in tights. Adam West asked if that was normal in Settle, the newscaster didn't know what to answer and everyone cheered. (Relevance: Washington voters approved same sex marriage in November.) You know everyone in modern times thinks about the hidden meanings of the show in this way, so it was a fun way to poke at themselves.
Adam and Burt were super gracious; Adam grew up in Walla Walla and he and his wife love the state. They apparently spend a lot of time here. There was no news or mention of merchandise or DVD's, but then I didn't expect it.
And then the movie started. There was clapping for every name in the opening credits and the first shot of Batman in the movie. And the laughter over the shark and pretty much every thirty seconds or so. It was wild to experience this "old" movie with a group of people who actually appreciated it in this venue. One thing I think everyone felt, though, was the middle of the movie drags just a bit. I know at least one person fell asleep behind me (I heard them snore). Then the night was over and everyone had to leave Gotham City to go home.
We were allowed to take pictures, but I was so far away from Burt and Adam, most of theirs are grainy to say the least. However, I will be putting them in a photo album on Facebook. I think I have all the defaults and security settings turned off. If the link doesn't work, let me know. I'll be adding the Burt and Adam pictures tonight. Just FYI: most of these were taken with my iPhone, so quality is subject to vary.

 

[Sam Favate]

Thanks for the report. West has gone on record many times saying the show was indeed coming to video, but usually in response to a question. Sounds like a lot of fun.

 

[Sam Favate]

Thanks for the report. West has gone on record many times saying the show was indeed coming to video, but usually in response to a question. Sounds like a lot of fun.

 

[Jason_V]

It was a very fun night. I likened it to a Big Bang Theory moment on Facebook; I was just missing my Raj, Sheldon, Leonard and Walowitz.
I wasn't sure how the Q/A would work and almost hoped the audience would get to ask questions. This was the easiest way to do it, I think, but it would have been nice to throw the DVD question at them.

 

[JMFabianoRPL]

If DC didn't want a campy version of Batman out there, why didn't they have a problem with the Brave and the Bold series?

 

[Greg Chenoweth]

I attended Emerald City Comicon in Seattle and was at a different event with Adam West and Burt Ward. Someone from the audience asked about DVD's and Adam said that the studio tells him that they are coming out very soon. It's the same line he's been using for several years now. I wouldn't put any credence in it until an official announcement comes along.

 

[Jason_V]

I had wanted to go to Comicon as well, Greg, but I was on a plane to Vegas very early on Sunday morning. Maybe next year!

 

[JoeDoakes]

I attended Emerald City Comicon in Seattle and was at a different event with Adam West and Burt Ward. Someone from the audience asked about DVD's and Adam said that the studio tells him that they are coming out very soon. It's the same line he's been using for several years now. I wouldn't put any credence in it until an official announcement comes along.

Actually, the last version I heard reported from him was that they would come out after Fox and Warner finished dividing the pie. Perhaps this response is progress (my guess is that it is).

 

[Steve...O]

Originally Posted by JoeDoakes
Actually, the last version I heard reported from him was that they would come out after Fox and Warner finished dividing the pie. Perhaps this response is progress (my guess is that it is).

My understanding is the same as yours. Adam and Burt have alwys acknowledged that there were issues and Adam apparently even put out his own DVD set of remembrances, etc to reflect the fact that official releases were hung up. I've seen a couple of references like what Greg said that he is now saying he's been told releases are coming. Hopefully progress and I do think there are signs pointing to movement on this front, but agree with Greg that until an official announcement comes we won't know for sure.

 

[Greg Chenoweth]

I want a DVD release (bluray would be awesome) very badly. However, I will always be skeptical until it is officially announced or it is obviously a done deal.

 

[Sam Favate]

DC Comics teased fans yesterday with this blog post:

http://www.dccomics.com/blog/2013/03/21/52-reasons-its-the-right-time-to-dig-the-batman-tv-series

As you can see from the comments, everyone thought a DVD announcement was imminent, but the event they alluded to was about merchandise, pictures of which can be seen on the Batman 1966 website forum:

http://www.66batman.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=922

Seems like it is all building to something.

 

[AndyMcKinney]

DC Comics teased fans yesterday with this blog post:

http://www.dccomics.com/blog/2013/03/21/52-reasons-its-the-right-time-to-dig-the-batman-tv-series

As you can see from the comments, everyone thought a DVD announcement was imminent, but the event they alluded to was about merchandise, pictures of which can be seen on the Batman 1966 website forum:

http://www.66batman.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=922

Seems like it is all building to something.

Well, I've said this before and I'll say it again. I don't care how much merchandise they release, that doesn't mean there are any DVDs or Blu-Rays on the horizon. The legal issues around the DVDs are more complicated than around licencing for T-shirts, action figures, etc.

No point in getting too excited yet. I've also said this before: if by some miracle everything's been worked out, I wouldn't expect to hear anything official until ComiCon, and if we don't hear anything then, we probably shouldn't expect to hear anything this year at all.

 

[Jack P]

In general, I agree that these merchandising things shouldn't be construed as indicators that we're finally going to see a DVD release. That said, shame on that blog post for the tease because given how on edge fans have been for years, they shouldn't do stuff like that. If it's only about more merchandise than tease it as something about more merchandise and leave it at that.

 

[darkrock17]

Why is 20th Century Fox logo not included on any of the merchandise?

 

[JamesSmith]

Has anybody thought what other products (besides Blue Ray DVD's) could come out now?

I would love to see a Doris Kindersley visual Guide to the 1966 series.
Another soundtrack to just the tv background score. Not the film CD that came out several years ago.
A reissuing of the the original Adam West/Burt Ward soundtrack which had comedy bits, and bit of background music.

Any others?
Bat-pencils?
Bat lunch boxes (with Adam West's face on it)
Bat-toilet paper?

You know, back in the heyday of the series, Adam West, Burt Ward, Burgess Meredith, and Frank Gorshin did novelty songs in character. It was sad that Julie Newmar and or/ Yvonne Craig never did one. I don't think they had to be any great singers to do that.

JamesSmith

 

[Greg Chenoweth]

DC Comics is putting out a digital comic of the '66 Batman series starting this summer.