Batman The Complete TV Series Limited Edition (11/11)(Blu-ray)(DVD) Available for Preorder (1 Viewer)

[The Obsolete Man]

Watched the first two episodes. Couldn't wait.

Beautiful transfers. Glad I went with the blu. I mean, how could you fully enjoy Adam West's spastic Batusi in anything but HD?

Batman isn't a fun character anymore. Too dark and grim and gritty and serious. But not this Batman. This Batman, I like.

/honestly, I find the new super grimdark Batman more of a parody than the '60s version.

 

[Reed Grele]

It's the same with Bond as it is for Batman. If you were a child of the sixties, Sean Connery was James Bond, and Adam West was Batman. Then, now, and forevermore.

 

[The Obsolete Man]

It's the same with Bond as it is for Batman. If you were a child of the sixties, Sean Connery was James Bond, and Adam West was Batman. Then, Now, and forever more.

Actually, my Batman would be Michael Keaton (born in the 80s... perfect age for Batmania 2.0 in 1989). While not as... fun? campy? as the Adam West run, Keaton and the Tim Burton years were a fun time for Batman, and weren't the constant depressing, joyless, whiny "MOMMY DADDY WHYYYYY" slog that Batman has become.

/The Animated Series was in that same era, and that was the best of all worlds, IMO.

 

[Tony Bensley]

It's the same with Bond as it is for Batman. If you were a child of the sixties, Sean Connery was James Bond, and Adam West was Batman. Then, now, and forevermore.

Hi Reed!

And Burt Ward was Robin, and George Reeves (Though deceased by the sixties!) was Superman!

CHEERS!

Tony

 

[Reed Grele]

Hi Reed!

And Burt Ward was Robin, and George Reeves (Though deceased by the sixties!) was Superman!

CHEERS!

Tony

Absolutely!!

 

[Bob_S.]

So the "Batman in Color" was never there for the original broadcast? Does anyone know where that came from?

 

[TravisR]

/The Animated Series was in that same era, and that was the best of all worlds, IMO.

I love the fun of the Adam West Batman but I agree that The Animated Series is the best representation of the character.

 

[Carabimero]

Can someone give me a link to buy the animated series you guys are talking about, the one you agree is the best representation? Thanks.

 

[Reed Grele]

So the "Batman in Color" was never there for the original broadcast? Does anyone know where that came from?

"BATMAN
In Color"

Preceded the program in the original sixties run. I know. I was there.

 

[Bob Furmanek]

Batman in Color was on the network broadcast. That's how the show started.

The "Following ABC program is in color" on the bootleg copies were not.

 

[MaxMorrow]

It's the same with Bond as it is for Batman. If you were a child of the sixties, Sean Connery was James Bond, and Adam West was Batman. Then, now, and forevermore.

Child of the late 70s/early 80s here, for what it's worth. I also equate Batman with Bond, but in the manner that I think each of them have their charms and for the most part, they're all valid (if not always successful in my eyes) interpretations of the character. Their longevity is such a product of their ability to change with the times and public tastes as far as I'm concerned...and I enjoy the different permutations they've gone through in a variety of media because they function as a reflection of the era in which they were produced.

 

[Claude North]

Received my set today and am very impressed with the quality of the transfers. Reminds me of when I took a class called "Language of Television" in college and, in the recitation section, the TA screened what I assume was a 35mm print of one of the Catwoman episodes. (It was the episode that ended in Commissioner Gordon's office, with Catwoman sort of nuzzling Batman.) Having been used to watching the episodes on my local UHF station, I was wowed by the richness of the image -- the sort of richness that comes through only when a piece of celluloid is projected onto a screen. Sampling these episodes, I felt the same way. The depth of color, the texture of the film grain, the increased visual details (Adam West's 5'o clock shadow!) -- it's like seeing these episodes for the first time.

I do have a question, though: what happened to the "Next Week" bumpers? I was under the impression they would be included, but the episodes I checked didn't have them.

Mind you, I'm NOT complaining or nitpicking. Based on my samplings, the set looks terrific and I'm very happy to have it. I'm just curious as to the whereabouts of these bumpers. Was it a case of their not being part of the original film elements? A clearance issue?

In any event, kudos to WB for doing such excellent work on this release.

 

[Greg Chenoweth]

The next week bumpers didn't start until the end of the first Mr. Freeze episode where they highlighted that next week would feature Zelda the Great. They weren't on every episode of Season 1.

 

[GMBurns]

OK... If I read this correctly the DVD set has *all* seasons in digi-paks? I saw the S1 release at Sam's yesterday and was a bit excited to see it in a amaray case thinking that's what the full set would also use. I *hate* digi-paks! Enough so that I would consider cancelling my order to wait for releases in standard amaray cases in spite of not getting the episode guide.

Yes, the dreaded digi-paks. That was disappointing enough, but then to have it crumble in my hands before I even unfolded it reminded why I too hate digi-paks. But Walmart to the rescue with Season 1 in a friendly amaray case. There is also a tri-fold episode guide with the first season set, you just won't get it in the pretty booklet form that comes in the complete set.

 

[Jack P]

And the Zelda episode gives a next week bumper for Joker when the next episode was Riddler.

 

[BobO'Link]

Yes, the dreaded digi-paks. That was disappointing enough, but then to have it crumble in my hands before I even unfolded it reminded why I too hate digi-paks. But Walmart to the rescue with Season 1 in a friendly amaray case. There is also a tri-fold episode guide with the first season set, you just won't get it in the pretty booklet form that comes in the complete set.

Thanks! You just made my decision that much more difficult! But in a good way...

 

[David_B_K]

Can someone give me a link to buy the animated series you guys are talking about, the one you agree is the best representation? Thanks.

BATMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES

The show debuted around the early 90's in the wake of the Tim Burton films. The theme music was based on Danny Elfman's theme from the movies. The animation had a retro look. Cars looked like they were from the 40's, TV was black and white, etc. Basically, they were going for a look similar to the Fleischer Bros. Superman cartoons of the 40's.

The stories were faithful to the comics - not the campy ones, but more along the lines of the Denny O'Neil/Neal Adams/Dick Giordano style.Lots of great voice talent was involved. Mark Hammill was a standout as a Joker who managed to be psychotic and funny at the same time.Kevin Conroy, who voiced Batman used a different voice style for Bruce Wayne and Batman (suave for Wayne, a sort of deep growl for Batman).

The 4th season is not quite as good IMO as the first three. They oriented it more for kids, and the character design was a tad cruder. There was also an excellent feature movie based on the series called BATMAN: MASK OF THE PHANTASM.

 

[Jack P]

Okay, I have some bad news to report that I was just alerted to on the Batman message board. An episode is missing its entire tag sequence, "Marsha's Scheme of Diamonds" which is part two of the first episode featuring Carolyn Jones as Marsha. It shows her dotty Aunt Hilda now teaching a cooking class at the Bruce Wayne School of Home Economics. The running time is too short (24:17) and goes straight from the end of the previous scene to the end credits but the curious thing is when I hit the display it indicates there should be five chapters and when it goes to the end credits its only Chapter 4 of 5. I am beginning to suspect there was an authoring screw-up on this particular disc in general in the original production that caused a scene to go missing entirely.This is to put it bluntly, not good. I have found much to praise in this set but this is an alarming development. Someone fell asleep at the switch for this.

 

[ahollis]

Just an FYI, the bootleg sets have been edited and manipulated.For instance, the show never opened with an ABC in Color logo and not every episode had the Next Week promo at the end.On this restoration, you're seeing what is on the original 35mm elements.

Maybe my memory is going but I do recall the first couple of seasons, or at least the first season opening with the ABC color promo, then the card that said BATMAN IN COLOR. This was the era that that the networks changed from Black & White to color. They did everything to push color sense NBC had a head start on them.

 

[Carabimero]

Okay, I have some bad news to report that I was just alerted to on the Batman message board. An episode is missing its entire tag sequence, "Marsha's Scheme of Diamonds" which is part two of the first episode featuring Carolyn Jones as Marsha. It shows her dotty Aunt Hilda now teaching a cooking class at the Bruce Wayne School of Home Economics. The running time is too short (24:17) and goes straight from the end of the previous scene to the end credits but the curious thing is when I hit the display it indicates there should be five chapters and when it goes to the end credits its only Chapter 4 of 5. I am beginning to suspect there was an authoring screw-up on this particular disc in general in the original production that caused a scene to go missing entirely.This is to put it bluntly, not good. I have found much to praise in this set but this is an alarming development. Someone fell asleep at the switch for this.

Was the tag on the bootleg set?