Things you didn't notice or remember until seeing the DVDs

General goings on in the 1966 Batman World

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blackkeno
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Things you didn't notice or remember until seeing the DVDs

Post by blackkeno »

I am amazed by the quality of the series on Blu-ray. Although I hadn't seen the show as often as some officianados on this board, I wanted to share some things I hadn't noticed before and hopefully prompt some discussion. I'm about halfway through the second season.

From a resolution standpoint, I was surprised to see the quality of the sets. I thought they had looked pretty artificial in syndication and expected them to look worse in high def. On the contrary, they looked great and realistic.

Of course there are also some things not meant to be seen... five o'clock shadows (including Robin), the artificiality of Penguin's nose, and a more conspicuous mustache under the Joker's makeup. Most surprising to me, I had no idea that Adam and Burt used stunt doubles so extensively. I would estimate that it is two or three times more common in the fight scenes than I had realized. There are other examples to like when the use the Bat boat to go to Sandman's island, and some batmobile distance shots.

From an editing standpoint, my biggest surprise was the amount of music. Seeing the Joker, and later, the Riddler singing songs was classic. I also notice more background music.

What have you found that you didn't expect?
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scottmandew
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Re: Things you didn't notice or remember until seeing the DV

Post by scottmandew »

The coffee stains on Batman's uniform, and how bad both the utility belt pouches look in some episodes and how bad some of the cowls really looked. It's amazing how much the lack of resolution hid back in the day.
And with that being said, I love every imperfection I see in these blu rays. I'm so happy Batman was finally able to be released on home video.
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NJ_Batfan
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Re: Things you didn't notice or remember until seeing the DV

Post by NJ_Batfan »

Just watched "Marsha, Queen of Diamonds/Marsha's Scheme With Diamonds" last night (despite the fact that we won't have the full version with the epilogue until the corrected disc is released). It has been noticed previously that after Robin is shot with a love dart, he suddenly has his cape draping over his right arm, leading to the conclusion that Burt Ward was concealing an injury, perhaps from the sword fight. Not only can you see the ace bandage covering his arm in some shots, but in the second part, it is also possible to see two red cuts and a reddened forearm when he awakens in the BatCave and walks to the Bat Computer.

I also noticed that Batman fails to place the telephone into its cradle properly in Gordon's office.

After viewing the episode, I listened to the Batcave Podcast covering these episodes and not even guest Rob Long was certain about the extent of Burt's injuries.
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TheBlueHombre
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Re: Things you didn't notice or remember until seeing the DV

Post by TheBlueHombre »

Until this bluray release, I had never noticed before that in the Season 3 opening credits when it says on the screen 'Yvonne Craig as Batgirl" that just before Batgirl and her cycle go off screen (moving right to left) that Batgirl turns her head towards the camera and offers a smile. I had always seen her zooming across the screen before in the opening credits but I had never noticed that just before she gets to the left side of the screen, her head turns toward center screen and she smiles at the camera.
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WayneGrayson
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Re: Things you didn't notice or remember until seeing the DV

Post by WayneGrayson »

I'd seen the head turn and the smile a long time ago. Always thought it was cute.
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Bill S.C.
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Re: Things you didn't notice or remember until seeing the DV

Post by Bill S.C. »

On a side note, in the animated opening, her cowl and batgirl cycle are as they appeared in the short pilot used to introduce the character.
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1966.batmobile
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Re: Things you didn't notice or remember until seeing the DV

Post by 1966.batmobile »

I forget which episode, but I noticed on disc 1 season 1 that the Bat logo on Adam's costume is all creased in one scene.
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kennetzel
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Re: Things you didn't notice or remember until seeing the DV

Post by kennetzel »

I don't know If it's my imagination, but I have had a series of bootlegs for a few years now, and they were advertised as being the complete shows...uncut. But now when I watch the Blu Rays, I'm noticing little scenes that were not there on the bootlegs but are in the show. Example...when the Riddler takes the mold of Robin's face off his head...that wasn't in the Bootlegs, at least not mine. It's like they cut out little snippets where they could to make room for more commercials or something.
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1966.batmobile
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Re: Things you didn't notice or remember until seeing the DV

Post by 1966.batmobile »

That is exactly what they did- they call it time compression. Removing a few seconds here and there that do not alter the story line so that they can fit more ads in. TONS of shows do this in syndication.
Talos63
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Re: Things you didn't notice or remember until seeing the DV

Post by Talos63 »

Something I noticed with curiosity is that shots of the Batmobile arriving at a given destination (even episode centric shots and not stock footage) the bat symbols on the wheels almost always end up the right way up. Not every time, but more often than you might consider coincidental.

Aside from the occasional dodgy looking control in the Batmobile, Batman's utility belt looks very dog eared at times. I think one of the stunt belts actually had sponge rubber 'pouches'.

David Wayne's mesmerising Topper had variable scuffs and scrapes on its brim in season 1.
I'm absolutely loving watching the show again. I've deliberately avoided watching the show cut down in more recent syndicated airings so I could fully appreciate the Blu-Rays. Glad I did.
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Jim Akin
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Re: Things you didn't notice or remember until seeing the DV

Post by Jim Akin »

I've noticed the utility belt pouches, too. And the batmobile batphone looks remarkably shabby in "The Joker Goes to School."

On the other hand, the gadgets in the batcave look even cooler than I remember, and all the Egyptian bric-a-brac and costume details in "The Curse of Tut" are gorgeous. I questioned this before, in a thread about Tut's sphinx, but I can't help wondering whether or not the producers were mined wardrobe and prop leftovers from Fox's 1963 "Cleopatra" epic to equip Tut and Co.

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Lou Szabo
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Re: Things you didn't notice or remember until seeing the DV

Post by Lou Szabo »

There is an episode with Bruce in a Chrysler Imperial, Black with a black vinyl roof. He must have sold it to Britt Reid for the fall season. I think it is in the first 10 or 12 episodes. Later he has a gold Imperial.
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epaddon
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Re: Things you didn't notice or remember until seeing the DV

Post by epaddon »

Quillpen Quirch wrote:I can't help wondering whether or not the producers were mined wardrobe and prop leftovers from Fox's 1963 "Cleopatra" epic to equip Tut and Co.
One thing they did mine from "Cleopatra" is in the photograph of Tut's hideout that Robin and Alfred see on the Bat Computer. That's a set from the aborted initial shoot of "Cleopatra" in England in 1960 with Peter Finch and Stephen Boyd that ended when Elizabeth Taylor nearly died during production. It was only months later they resumed with the production shifted to Rome and the male leads recast (which changed Taylor's life forever!)
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K.G. Bird
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Re: Things you didn't notice or remember until seeing the DV

Post by K.G. Bird »

I have recorded this series off of television and obtained the so-call uncut version out there. I was impressed by the quality at the time. Now viewing the Blu-Ray version I really feel like it is the first time I viewed this show. This officially release is absolutely perfect in A/V quality. The colors are beautiful. There are so many details that I have never seen before. Just Batman's costume looks so different from tv versions.
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High C
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Re: Things you didn't notice or remember until seeing the DV

Post by High C »

epaddon wrote:
Quillpen Quirch wrote:I can't help wondering whether or not the producers were mined wardrobe and prop leftovers from Fox's 1963 "Cleopatra" epic to equip Tut and Co.
One thing they did mine from "Cleopatra" is in the photograph of Tut's hideout that Robin and Alfred see on the Bat Computer. That's a set from the aborted initial shoot of "Cleopatra" in England in 1960 with Peter Finch and Stephen Boyd that ended when Elizabeth Taylor nearly died during production. It was only months later they resumed with the production shifted to Rome and the male leads recast (which changed Taylor's life forever!)
Great catch, epaddon!

And when Liz was extremely sick, whom was Fox considering to take her place? None other than Joan Collins.
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