Atomic Batteries to Power?

General goings on in the 1966 Batman World

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Yellow Oval
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Atomic Batteries to Power?

Post by Yellow Oval »

I was just watching Fine Finny Fiends last night and watching the stock shot opening where they're revving up the Batmobile made me realize something. When Robin looks down to his left and then right while saying - "Atomic batteries to power..Turbines to speed..." - just what is he looking at? There are no gauges on that side of the dashboard and I doubt the Detect-a-Scope could be used for that purpose.
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AndyFish
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Re: Atomic Batteries to Power?

Post by AndyFish »

He's looking wherever the director told him to look when they were filming the scene.
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dell
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Re: Atomic Batteries to Power?

Post by dell »

A better question would be, what the heck does "Atomic batteries to power... Turbines to speed..." even mean? It was the 60's so I guess they jumped at the chance to use 'atomic' anything, but atomic batteries? Huh?
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chrisbcritter
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Re: Atomic Batteries to Power?

Post by chrisbcritter »

Probably the equivalent of the WWI pilot and his mechanic saying "Contact!" before they spin the prop. :mrgreen:
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John Mack
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Re: Atomic Batteries to Power?

Post by John Mack »

Atomic batteries do exist. A quick on, guess what? Google and here ya go!
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atomic_battery
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dell
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Re: Atomic Batteries to Power?

Post by dell »

I am aware that atomic batteries exist, but why would the Batmobile have them? Atomic batteries generate power by using nuclear decay. One of the main uses is in long term satellites where low amounts of power are needed over decades. One would think it would make more sense to have a system in the Batmobile that produces large amounts of power for short periods of time. This could be used to power the high energy weapons on the Batmobile such as the Bat beam.
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John Mack
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Re: Atomic Batteries to Power?

Post by John Mack »

He's Batman. Who knows how he's hooked things up lol
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BATWINGED HORNET
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Re: Atomic Batteries to Power?

Post by BATWINGED HORNET »

The short answer is that "atomic" was a real world energy source, so it was used to not only imply explosive power, but to forever separate it from every real vehicle in the world. The only problem is that the showrunners failed to create a dummy speedometer whenever it was needed on camera, so we were treated to the fantasy-breaking real speed of the car* (120 mph) instead of anything an atomic battery would provide.




* As seen in "Ma Parker" and "Scat! Darn Catwoman".
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clavierankh
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Re: Atomic Batteries to Power?

Post by clavierankh »

In the episode The Purr-fect Crime Alfred and Robin are shown attaching the Batmobile to the Atomic Pile to charge the Atomic Batteries. This indicates the batteries are charged with nuclear energy not nuclear themselves. Maybe Atomic Batteries To Power means the batteries are fully charged. They don't go through the routine outside the Batcave.

On another note about the scene. Notice Robin's loves are a lighter green. That's because they are reusing the scene from the pilot where his gloves are different.
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Mark Racop
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Re: Atomic Batteries to Power?

Post by Mark Racop »

11866304_391608637699123_3378526701617057308_n.jpg
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Mark Racop
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Re: Atomic Batteries to Power?

Post by Mark Racop »

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chrisbcritter
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Re: Atomic Batteries to Power?

Post by chrisbcritter »

BATWINGED HORNET wrote: Fri Mar 23, 2018 7:34 am The only problem is that the showrunners failed to create a dummy speedometer whenever it was needed on camera, so we were treated to the fantasy-breaking real speed of the car* (120 mph) instead of anything an atomic battery would provide.

* As seen in "Ma Parker" and "Scat! Darn Catwoman".
Must have been too hard to photograph the real Futura speedometer mounted in the steering wheel (which went up to 150 mph) so the prop department substituted one from a 1953 Buick Roadmaster or Skylark for those closeups.
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Mark Racop
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Re: Atomic Batteries to Power?

Post by Mark Racop »

The 1955 Lincoln Futura steering wheel, pre-Batmobile:
!BlE1I+gB2k~$(KGrHqYOKk!Etl1KsJelBL,JZEJvBg~~_3.jpg
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Mark Racop
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Re: Atomic Batteries to Power?

Post by Mark Racop »

This was a studio shot, meaning that it was never physically in the car (like the Remote Batcomputer Switch and the Parachute Jettison Button).
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BATWINGED HORNET
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Re: Atomic Batteries to Power?

Post by BATWINGED HORNET »

Mark Racop wrote: Mon Mar 26, 2018 11:55 am This was a studio shot, meaning that it was never physically in the car (like the Remote Batcomputer Switch and the Parachute Jettison Button).

Ma Parker speedometer.jpg
Incredible that the craftspeople did not think to raise the speedometer' to...400 or 1000...anything to support the idea that the Batmobile was no ordinary car.
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