BATMAN & ROBIN serials from 1949 on 5/22 (1 Viewer)

[Bob Furmanek]

That's when all the PC changes were made to the original Batman serial, deleting all comments about "japs" and other WWII-era references. I've seen 35mm prints from the 1954 Columbia theatrical re-issue, and all the "offensive" material was still intact.

Bob

 

[PatH]

As this is now out, has anyone watched it to determine whether it's cut? I understand that the VHS copies were missing about 10 minutes (no reason expressed or implied).

PatH

 

[Mark Zimmer]

I can't say anything definitive about whether it's cut, but there were no references to "Japs" that I recall from my review of it. So if they're supposed to be there, they've been cut out.

The DVD version runs 4h:24m:03s.

 

[LaurenceGarvey]

It is uncut. It was the 1943 serial BATMAN, not the 1949 serial BATMAN AND ROBIN, that contained a plethora of anti-Japanese slurs.

You reviewed this and didn't know that?

 

[Jeffrey Nelson]

He reviewed the 1949 serial, not the 1943 serial. So why should he be expected to know that? Did he claim to be an expert on cinematic Batman adaptations?

 

[Bill Williams]

Actually, the opening credits on the first "Superman" serial are kept intact on the first episode of each tape. The remaining episodes have the opening credits removed. I've got the 2-tape package that was issued and reviewed it again last night, and sure enough, the opening credits were gone from subsequent segments after the first episode on each tape. On "Atom Man vs. Superman", however, those episodes are completely uncut, with all opening segments intact.

I'll have to pick up the "Batman and Robin" serial on DVD! I was with my daughter yesterday at the local Blockbuster and noticed that the DVD was out, so I'll have to get it. That one was quite a bit better done than the 1943 version, in my opinion (sorry to disagree with ya there, Jack) - now you want to talk about extremely cheesy, the '43 serial is way up there in the Wisconsin cheddar factor! lol! Anytime the Batmobile is a gray sedan, Batman looks too overweight, and Robin looks 30+ years old, you know that that's definitely cheesy! It was low-low-low budget all the way, looks like it was filmed for about $1.95, whereas "Batman and Robin" was done a bit better thanks to Sam Katzman.

 

[MichaelSloan]

Someone needs to put "The Shadow"(1940) and both Green Hornets on DVD. Does anyone know if Serial Sqaudron's "Holt of the Secret Service" DVD is better then VCI's?

 

[LaurenceGarvey]

I dunno about the Squadron's HOLT, but I agree with you on THE SHADOW -- it's one of my top five favorites.

 

[Mark Zimmer]

The poster above didn't specify what serial he was talking about, so I got confused.