Yes, having finished our discussion of Season One, it's time for us to discuss "Batman: The Movie"!
We discuss Nelson Riddle's fantastic score, the dangers on the Batman set, the references to Lyndon Baines Johnson (both the man and his policies!), and much more.
Chris Gould, author of Batman at 45 (and, it turns out, along with Tim, a fellow Tokyo-area resident!), joins the discussion.
Inspired by the recent To The Batpoles podcast based on the 1989 movie, I decided to re-listen to their podcast on the 1966 movie. Some thoughts:
--Chris Gould said Van Williams did the uncredited walk-on as the LBJ voice. I didn't know that. Definitely sounds like him.
--Paul made a good point about how the fake backdrop the criminals use to convince Schmidlapp he's at sea is similar to fake backdrops the film uses later. As he said, it's probably less a 'meta' thing than just them being cheap. Dough-zier
--They mentioned how Burt Ward, in the commentary, basically gave the wrong reason for Julie Newmar's absence, saying she was filming a movie. Diligent research by people on this board have shown that Newmar did, indeed, suffer a back injury that precluded her from appearing.
--I was surprised, because they usually are on top of such minutiae, that they didn't mention the 'mug shot' for Catwoman (Lee Meriwether) was taken in Wayne Manor. I guess that was because she came on board so late. They all liked her CW performance, although I must admit, I preferred her as Kitka more than as CW.
--They made a good point about how the criminals' idiosyncrasies definitely annoyed the other ones. A good idea in the script by Semple, although again, they liked Lee's meows and cat noises, while I thought they were slightly overdone and annoying. Although I suppose they were meant to be.
--I disagree with them saying Julie Gregg's cameo as the 'French lounge singer' was a lip-synch. I mean, I'm sure it was, but the implication was she was lip-synching to someone else's track. I think not, considering she was nominated for a Tony in 1969 for her performance in the 1968 Broadway musical The Happy Time. The late Gregg also played a singer in the 1972-73 period crime drama Banyon, so she had bona fides as a vocalist.
Sheepishly, I must admit that I too didn't realize until a few years ago she also played Finella, even though she wore the same gown in the movie that she did in the final scene of that Penguin arc.
Looking at it again, the two things that jumped out at me about the movie both came near the end. When CW trips and her mask falls off, Robin says, 'holy heartbreak.' Well, shouldn't that have given away Batman's identity to CW?
Also, I know it set up a twist ending, but I didn't like the idea of Batman incorrectly 'rehydrating' the diplomats. Up until then, Batman always had set things right by the end of an arc. I didn't like the idea of basically having him screw up.
'I thought Siren was perfect for Joan.'--Stanley Ralph Ross, writer of 'The Wail of the Siren'
My hobbies include gazing at the Siren and doing her bidding, evil or otherwise.
'She had a devastating, hypnotic effect on all the men.'--A schoolmate describing Joan Collins at age 17
I wonder how Julie's Catwoman would have reacted to the other villains? In the first Julie episodes she shows her temper, but in the movie I felt like she was more angry than Julie was, but I think she was a stunning Miss Kitka and likely better than Julie could have done (My opinion).
Despite the temper and how much I love Julie in her first two episodes, I prefer Lee as Catwoman overall. I think she brought beauty, brains and a sense of menace to the role that Julie touched on in those first two episodes but the character devolved into slapstick later on (which fit the show).
As for the ending-- cheap laugh. As a kid I didn't get that he screwed up. As an adult I laugh at it but it was a way for the producers to end on a joke.
AndyFish wrote: ↑Tue May 29, 2018 7:22 am
but I think she was a stunning Miss Kitka and likely better than Julie could have done (My opinion).
I totally agree with this. As talented as Julie was/is, I think the Kitka part of the role was better suited for Lee and she did an excellent job with it. Newmar excelled at playing Swedish, but never was asked to play Russian/Soviet AFAIK, at least not at that juncture of her career.
I also should give credit to Paul on the podcast for noting how bad a role being a 'guinea pig' was for the actors, and for researching the actual effects of 'heavy water' on a human being.
But I should note the deaths of those 'guinea pigs' weren't all in vain, as it led to sweeping reforms in henchperson safety in Gotham City, and the formation of Henchpersons' Local 666 union. Villains had to offer time-and-a-half for holidays as well as comprehensive medical and dental plans*. (Penguin settled a civil suit with the mothers of the guinea pigs for an undisclosed amount.)
*(Somebody used the dental plan for henchmen joke on one of the former incarnations of this board. I wish I could remember who it was. If anyone wishes to take credit, please step forward. I'm thinking perhaps the artist formerly known as JSA, but I can't be sure.)
'I thought Siren was perfect for Joan.'--Stanley Ralph Ross, writer of 'The Wail of the Siren'
My hobbies include gazing at the Siren and doing her bidding, evil or otherwise.
'She had a devastating, hypnotic effect on all the men.'--A schoolmate describing Joan Collins at age 17
I remember seeing something somewhere about the Catwoman still for the movie being in Wayne Manor, and how that happened. Don't recall now, nor whether I knew about that at the time we made the '66 movie podcast episode. Sometimes I know something but forget to bring it up! Particularly likely to happen when we have a guest, which inevitably causes the episode to be longer while also making it harder to bring up every point in my notes!
"I'm half-demented with whimsical outrage!"
-- The Joker, in a line cut from "The Joker's Epitaph"
I think the movie holds up well after 50+ years. Granted I'm probably one of the few here that really digs Batman when it gets really outlandish as it did in Season 3. But the movie seems to strike a nice balance between high camp and being somewhat serious.
My random thoughts: I guess there just weren't any meaningful parts for Madge Blake? I believe the movie was shot before her health began deteriorating.
Neil Hamilton was very good throughout. I can almost hear Burt Ward chuckle when he's conversing with him from the Batmobile, when Commissioner Gordon exclaims, 'Clever. Devilishly clever!' I don't know if phone conversations were filmed with the actors actually conversing, but it seems Ward heard Hamilton's line there and had a chuckle.
And speaking of which, it would seem Robin riding around the park with Alfred driving might have tipped off who they were.
Also, when Catwoman told Batman Miss Kitka dies if he takes another step, I almost got the sense she knew who he was.
I didn't interpret the mixed up United Nations members at the end as Batman's failure, but more so the failure of the molecular dust separator. Batman did the best he could, especially after Schmidlapp sneezed.
For 1960's technology, and whatever budget they had, I thought the ocean backdrop on the fight scene on the ship looked good.
Burt Ward may have had his facts wrong concerning Julie Newmar's absence. And wasn't it also Ward that set forth the notion (also dispelled here) that there was going to be a fourth season?
Commodore Schmidlapp wrote: ↑Tue Jun 05, 2018 1:07 am
Burt Ward may have had his facts wrong concerning Julie Newmar's absence. And wasn't it also Ward that set forth the notion (also dispelled here) that there was going to be a fourth season?
I think Adam, Burt, and Yvonne at various times perpetuated that story. As we discussed on a recent episode, it could be the story they were told by Greenway and believed, rather than their deliberately spreading falsehoods. Not sure we'll ever know for sure!
"I'm half-demented with whimsical outrage!"
-- The Joker, in a line cut from "The Joker's Epitaph"
I just wonder if there could have been a grain of truth to the story. Something like: The cancellation notice comes and Dozier gets a call from some middle management guy at NBC." We heard you got cancelled: We might be interested. What is the status of actors contracts, sets etc." Dozier having enough episodes for syndication and not really interested in continuing (added costs would make it take longer to turn a profit) tells him the Batcave set has been torn down and gives a ridiculous high ball estimate of rebuilding it. NBC guy says "Um, thanks but no thanks."
It would make a great story to tell and for the cast to tell that the series was still popular enough that another network was interested.
clavierankh wrote: ↑Tue Jun 05, 2018 9:53 am
I just wonder if there could have been a grain of truth to the story. Something like: The cancellation notice comes and Dozier gets a call from some middle management guy at NBC." We heard you got cancelled: We might be interested. What is the status of actors contracts, sets etc." Dozier having enough episodes for syndication and not really interested in continuing (added costs would make it take longer to turn a profit) tells him the Batcave set has been torn down and gives a ridiculous high ball estimate of rebuilding it. NBC guy says "Um, thanks but no thanks."
It would make a great story to tell and for the cast to tell that the series was still popular enough that another network was interested.
Yeah, it could be that it's not the NBC part that's false, but the "the Batcave had already been destroyed" part! Just a roadblock put up by a producer who was ready to move on.
"I'm half-demented with whimsical outrage!"
-- The Joker, in a line cut from "The Joker's Epitaph"
Commodore Schmidlapp wrote: ↑Tue Jun 05, 2018 1:07 am
I think the movie holds up well after 50+ years. Granted I'm probably one of the few here that really digs Batman when it gets really outlandish as it did in Season 3. But the movie seems to strike a nice balance between high camp and being somewhat serious.
Totally with you there.
If Season's Two and Three had kept the camp and nonsense to the level the movie was I think the show would have lasted longer and been better overall.
The series devolves into a copy of itself, which is often the case when you get writers who come in late and only know the show from what they've seen aired rather than the original creators working on the series.
