Batman - 1960's TV Series (1 Viewer)

[Greg Chenoweth]

I am not a pessimist by nature, but I have become that way concerning the 60's Adam West "Batman" series and a presentation on home video.

When the Michael Keaton movie came out in 1989, I was shocked that there wasn't any videocassettes put out of the series. I thought they would have sold a mint with the popularity Batman was receiving that year. The Family Channel was showing the series ad nauseum and it was fun to catch up on the cult hit that year on cable.

I didn't know then that the show was held up in legal snafus between Fox and Warner Brothers. Sometimes corporate greed can be a funny animal. I am very doubtful that this legal battle will be over in time for a DVD release by June, when the new movie comes out. If they couldn't settle it in the last sixteen years, how much closer can they be today?

I am not usually a skeptic, but I am on this one. I hope they all prove me wrong.

I am looking forward to the upcoming "Return To The Batcave" DVD. It's a start, but the real thing would be so much better.

 

[Bill>Moore]

Yeah - I'm pretty skeptical that they'll iron this out any time soon. I'd love to have it on DVD, but there's zero chance that it would arrive by June. They'd have to be hard at work on it right now for that to happen. I'm just hoping they'll settle their differences soon enough for the surviving actors to contribute something in the form of some extras.

 

[Sam Favate]

I think it makes too much sense to put it out, and the differences will be ironed out. Whether that is in time for June, I have no idea. There have been rumors that talks have been going on between Warner and Fox; no idea if that is true. But I firmly believe the series will be released on DVD someday.

 

[Charles Ellis]

Why don't they just make a 50/50 split on the profits from the DVD release from the 1966-68 Fox series? That way, everyone will be happy. (And if there's any justice, there'll be residuals for Adam West, Burt Ward, Yvonne Craig et al!)

 

[Carlos Garcia]

It's all about power. Fox feels that since they own the complete show, they should be entitled to alot more than 50%. Warner feels since they own the rights to all the characters THEY should be entitled to alot more than 50%...and so it goes.

I know you can't look back, but I'm sure if the powers that were would've been able to foresee the DVD future back then, either an arrangement would've been worked out between both companies, or the property would've been produced completely by one or the other studio. Right now though, I think we can forget Batman coming out on DVD...Let's see, it missed out on the VHS market, will more than likely miss out on the DVD market, and blue-laser HD-DVD is just around the corner. In 5 yrs will we be saying it missed that market too?

 

[Sam Favate]

I don't think that's a fair assessment. TV shows were never huge sellers on videotape, for a variety of reasons, including the fact that it took numerous tapes and shelf space, as opposed to DVD. TV on DVD is a big market, much bigger than the TV on VHS market ever was, and with so many varied shows coming to DVD, it seems very unlikely to me that Batman will miss out on that.

Holding out for a better deal forever makes no one any money. Any exec in charge of making those decisions would be fired for not maximizing the profit to the company from sources it owns.

Batman will not miss the DVD market.

 

[Carlos Garcia]

That didn't stop shows like Lost In Space or Perry Mason from being released on VHS through Columbia Home Video. Batman is in rights hell, and has been since before the days of VHS. If the show were to be released, don't you think they would've finalized a deal by now? After all, the latest big theatrical Batman movie will be released later this year, and it usually takes at least a year or more to get all the materials and promotional packages ready for a DVD release. Why would they want to miss out on releasing the DVDs as part of the new movie's promotion? The reason is simple, the greedy heads of both of these studios refuse to give in, both want alot more than 50% of the share for the show, and neither side is willing to give in. This is all about power and nothing else. To them, the profits for the Batman TV show is a drop in the bucket, and I'm sure they would rather hold each other for ransom, rather than give in to the other's demands. No, I don't see Batman coming to DVD in 2005, 2006, and not for a long time. If it were coming to DVD, it would've been announced last year sometime in order for the show to be released around the same time as the new movie later this year.

 

[Bryan Ri]

I really don't understand why there is a holdup on the sereis, but the 1966 film was released without an issue.

 

[Carlos Garcia]

That's because Fox was smart enough to have bought out the complete rights of the 1966 movie. They own the 1966 movie completely, but the TV show...that's another story. :frowning:

 

[Bryan Ri]

Well, damn...

Thanks for the info Carlos.

 

[Mark To]

Forget about shelf space. I think the main reason that TV on DVD has taken off is because of the abomination television has become. Network bugs (logos) in the whole time, credits squeezed so that you can't see them. Chopping for more and more commercials. Look at the Hallmark channel (I can't, it's too painful). They have shows that originally ran about 51 minutes or so cut to around 39 minutes. Oh, and the six minute commercial breaks aren't enough. Now we have promo inserts across the bottom of the screen during the shows themselves. So, no, it's not DVD vs VHS that has caused this booming market. This is something TV did to itself.

 

[todd s]

Exactly!

 

[Tony J Case]

Well, I picked up the Return to the Batcave just the other day. ALl I have to say is: A pox on you greedy bastards at Warners and Fox. Come down off your high horse and put the freaking series out.

Or do you not want my money?

 

[Jeff Willis]

It's another case of the infamous legal/rights issues.

"Holy lawsuit" Batman. When will it end?

 

[LizH]

IMO, the vast majority of what's on the air right now is nothing more than bland, derivative garbage (How many "C.S.I.", "Law and Order", and "X-Files" clones can a person stand? )

What's more, I'm not seeing ANYTHING on the fall schedule that makes me want to tune in. :frowning:



I LOVE TV-On-DVD; for once, I get to watch something I LIKE!

 

[Jeff Willis]

LizH, fantastic post "You took the words right out of my mouth...uh....keyBd "

Waiting for those 60's/70's/80's releases is tough

 

[LizH]

^ Tell me about it. :frowning:


***taps foot impatiently***

Where's "Max Headroom", Warner?

(While you're at it, how about a little love for "Birds of Prey"? You hinted at a DVD release in The New York Times.)