Are there any "insiders" on this forum?

[The Boss]

For years, decades even I have been trying to find an ear into 20th Century Fox/Warner Brothers whi will listen to my vision of creating new episodes of the original series utilizing footage of the stars in character from a variety of sources combind with a bit of newly created bridging scenes with doubles and some new dub over voice work by the remaining stars to blend it all together and create a flowing story.

Even as the cast members continue to die off (I really wish that Frank Gorshin and Yvonne Craig were still with us) the advancement of technology allows us to do even more such as cut out moving figures from the original scenery and place them in a new unified background so they seem to take place in the same episode. This will allow us to rely less on doubles and feature more footage of the original actors. For instance an entirely new batfight can be created using stunt doubles (since doubles were often used anyway) while adding in close up shots of the dynamic duo (cutout from the original scene and placed on one that matches the new batfight sceneary) thowing punches so that you feel that it is indeed always them.

I have determined that there is enough footage to make at least 8 new episodes. I call them, "Batman: The Lost Episodes". Sadly I have failed time after time to find that one person who would hear me out and possibly help to get the ball rolling on such a project. Even with the loss of Frank Gorshin and Yvonne Craig I feel that it can still be done as long as we have Adam West, Burt Ward and Julie Newmar.

If there is anyone who has any inside connections Who could help to make this dream a reality I would greatly appreciate any information you could give me.

[John Mack]

Good luck. I know how you feel. All I want is for all the Batmusic to be released, uncut and with no sound effects or dialogue in a giant soundtrack box set. We all have our Batdreams, my friend. Not being smug, just saying dreams do come true. The DVD release was unbelievable. I'm content for the moment.

[dell]

It is certainly an interesting idea, but I imagine even Batman and Bruce Wayne would find the legal challenges daunting.

Since Hollywood is primarily driven by profit I can't see this happening. While I would love to see this idea come to fruition, I think most people would say "meh". So in my opinion the economics just don't justify the expense.

[Ben Bentley]

This can't help but make me think about the horrible results of similar methodology employed to cash in on the Bruce Lee phenomenon in the 1970's which resulted in two spectacularly underwhelming "movies" patch-worked together crudely from episodes of the Green Hornet television show.

I really don't see this as being an easy pitch, even to the right executive.

[AndyFish]

100% what Ben said.

[The Boss]

I agree that it would not be easy but I have seen stranger things happen and therefore I believe it's worth the try if only I could find some contact.

As far as the Green Hornet movie goes, what I have in mind is much more than simple patchwork. First of all this will utilize a whole bunch of footage that was not used in the series thus making the episodes feel unique. Second of all modern technology allows us to do so much more with the footage such as cutting the figures out and putting them on new background to give the feeling of unity and it was all recorded at the same time. Third, I envision creating a small amount of new footage using doubles (backs turned to us or from a distance) with Adam West and Burt Ward providing new dialogue which will give the feeling of a flowing story.

This is probably the last time the Batman craze will be this high while both Adam West and Burt Ward are still with us. If there was ever a time to do it now would be the time. I agree it's a long shot but I think it's something worth trying. If I can only find a good connection who will listen to me I'm certain I could sell them on it. I have done so much work on this project over several decades. It's more than a dream it's a huge opportunity that should not be missed.

Thank you all for your input. If anyone ever does join this website who's got inside contact information I would greatly appreciate the help.

[Dr. Shimel]

I agree that it would not be easy but I have seen stranger things happen and therefore I believe it's worth the try if only I could find some contact.

As far as the Green Hornet movie goes, what I have in mind is much more than simple patchwork. First of all this will utilize a whole bunch of footage that was not used in the series thus making the episodes feel unique. Second of all modern technology allows us to do so much more with the footage such as cutting the figures out and putting them on new background to give the feeling of unity and it was all recorded at the same time. Third, I envision creating a small amount of new footage using doubles (backs turned to us or from a distance) with Adam West and Burt Ward providing new dialogue which will give the feeling of a flowing story.

This is probably the last time the Batman craze will be this high while both Adam West and Burt Ward are still with us. If there was ever a time to do it now would be the time. I agree it's a long shot but I think it's something worth trying. If I can only find a good connection who will listen to me I'm certain I could sell them on it. I have done so much work on this project over several decades. It's more than a dream it's a huge opportunity that should not be missed.

Thank you all for your input. If anyone ever does join this website who's got inside contact information I would greatly appreciate the help.

The dubbing of voices using doubles with their backs to camera is known as "Shemping" or "Fake Shemp"--so named because The Three Stooges were forced to shoot four episodes AFTER Shemp Howard died. Columbia, which never gave them a raise during the 20+ years they were there, insisted that they had to fulfill their contract. That resulted in slapping together clips from a previous short, throwing in a few new scenes and re-working the plot.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fake_Shemp

[AndyFish]

I'm guessing in a few more years the technology of CGI will improve from it's creepy second world feel now to one that is eventually seemless with reality and at that point we'll see a movie where Batman meets the Three Stooges and Humphrey Bogart and all of us will be convinced it's lost footage.

But until that day, I think the body double idea has seen little improvement from the Shemp/Green Hornet days.

[BATWINGED HORNET]

This can't help but make me think about the horrible results of similar methodology employed to cash in on the Bruce Lee phenomenon in the 1970's which resulted in two spectacularly underwhelming "movies" patch-worked together crudely from episodes of the Green Hornet television show.

I really don't see this as being an easy pitch, even to the right executive.

Agreed. Audiences are hyper-sensitive about the original series and quality; piecing together episodes, augmented by CG and mismatched voices would be a disaster. Further, if this "lost episode" project builds on the notion of a 4th season--meaning its direct influence (in order of production) would be the third season, then I doubt a large number of Bat-fans would be itching to watch such an experiment.

[The Boss]

You are over thinking. If new episodes of the Batman TV series were to turn up you would watch just as surely as you will watch the animated movie next month.

[Scott Sebring]

You are over thinking. If new episodes of the Batman TV series were to turn up you would watch just as surely as you will watch the animated movie next month.

Pot, I would like to introduce you to kettle.

The animated feature is completely apples and oranges to what you are proposing. They're doing a genuine homage with as fresh material as they can create in their heads. With that, they present it in animated form since a real live action one wouldn't be possible with the original cast or budget for a 50 year old show.

What you are proposing is 'new" episodes cobbled together by rehashing existing or found footage with some tweaks and cheats to try and pull it off. The found bits and pieces would be more prevalent to dictating the narrative as opposed to an actual script. That's disaster in the making right there. It's got to start with a solid script otherwise you end up with Nora Clavicle all over again. A Frankenstein'd episode for the sake of that it might be possible doesn't merit any true interest for me other than a fan curio that one would find in so many YouTube "trailers" but certainly not something to expect anybody over at WB or Fox to even bother with. It was hard enough to get them to release the episodes that already do exist. They haven't done what you are proposing for TOS Star Trek and that's got waaaayyyyy more steam behind it than our own personal fandom for this wonderful show. Seriously diminishing returns.

Would it be nice to have new episodes. Yes. Animated? Sure. CGI animation? Certainly. New cast and new production? I'd be interested. Pieced together, manipulated and regurgitated footage strung together by only the thinnest thread of narrative for them to make any kind of sense? No thank you.

And I'm just a little more inside than many.

[Dr. Shimel]

I recall Billy Joel being asked if he had any backlog of recorded songs that could be released after his death. His response was essentially, "If there is, don't buy it because it'll be terrible."

[Mark Racop]

I see this as a one-off at best, akin to a "Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid" or a "Forest Gump." It might be amusing once, depending on who the new guest stars were and which original episodes were used from the show.

As a filmmaker, I have some practical questions: what do you bring to the table besides just the idea? Hollywood producers hear hundreds of ideas every single day. It is packages that actually have a chance of making it. Are you a CG expert, or do you have a team of CG experts that can do the hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of graphics work? Is the script written? And do you personally know recognizable movie stars that are just itching to do your project? Or better yet, do you have the capital to fund the entire production?

If you have all of this (and hopefully a lot more) already set up--and all you need is the rights--there is the slightest, tiniest, slimmest chance of pulling it off. If you are expecting someone else to take your project, however--fund it, cast it, and do all of the effects work--I don't see it happening.

[The Boss]

I see this as a one-off at best, akin to a "Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid" or a "Forest Gump." It might be amusing once, depending on who the new guest stars were and which original episodes were used from the show.

There won't be any new gust stars playing the heavies. There will however be plenty of room for guest stars to play the thugs whose rolls will play an important part in telling the new story and helping the reused/unused footage of the established cast actually seem as if it was newly recorded specifically for these episodes. Batman was known for reusing footage all of the time anyways ("Atomic battery's to power, turbine's to speed." "Roger, ready to move out."), so a tiny clip here and there won't stand out as long as the story is fresh.

As a filmmaker, I have some practical questions: what do you bring to the table besides just the idea? Hollywood producers hear hundreds of ideas every single day. It is packages that actually have a chance of making it. Are you a CG expert, or do you have a team of CG experts that can do the hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of graphics work? Is the script written? And do you personally know recognizable movie stars that are just itching to do your project? Or better yet, do you have the capital to fund the entire production?

If you have all of this (and hopefully a lot more) already set up--and all you need is the rights--there is the slightest, tiniest, slimmest chance of pulling it off. If you are expecting someone else to take your project, however--fund it, cast it, and do all of the effects work--I don't see it happening.

I have more than just the idea (albeit not much more). That is, I'm not just saying, "let's try this, I'm sure it would work." I have the entire layout of the episodes envisioned and the stories written so as to best utilize the unused footage so to tell fresh stories that do not seem like patchwork films. I have made sure that each episode tells it's own unique story while at the same time staying true to the series. While the scripts themselves are mostly completed, I have left them sufficiently open to allow the utilization of any new material that might turn up.

Even though it would be impossible to give a full fledged performance on this forum of how the episodes would play out (there is just no emotion in text) as both a salesman and promoter of professional wrestling I have extensive background in performance art that makes it very easy for me to sell someone on virtually any project once I meet them face to face. Sadly I have no connections.

As far as the practical film making end, I have no experience aside from cutting and pasting scenes together. But I want to take this project far and above that. It's definitely not something I can tackle on my own, yet at the same time I don't think that it can be done without my vision as guidance. In this case I would be the songwriter of a #1 hit that a popular singer recorded and made famous.

[BilltheBat]

Spockboy has this covered. I'm good with it as is.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1uJxTghyaO0