TO THE BATPOLES #133: Scott Sebring is here! Holy Bat-cyclopedia!

[bat-rss]

This episode, board co-moderator Scott Sebring stops by to talk about the history of the board, the search for Gotham Plaza and other Bat-shooting locations (and how that same structure was used in other TV shows!), the missing narration at the start of Hi Diddle Riddle, and more!

Then Tim presents a Bat Research Lab study that reveals a Joker episode that Lorenzo Semple Jr. rewrote to feature the Penguin! Which script was it, and which version was used on the show?

Also, Scott's 2004 Queen parody Batman Rhapsody (a musical retelling of why, up to that point, Batman wasn't on home video), and your mail about episode 130 "Reading Fan Letters in the Wayne Living Room" (mostly from the message board thread!)

https://tothebatpoles.libsyn.com/133-sc ... cyclopedia

[Scott Sebring]

It was a blast to hear guys but my gosh that Sebring guy sure talks a lot.

[Ben Bentley]

That was a lot of fun!.. Despite Scott's best efforts...

[Scott Sebring]

Well I spoke too soon on the podcast as far as how I thought the opening sequence to the Bookworm episode was filmed. I initially thought it was a well llt soundstage with a huge backdrop. After you folks mentioned that it looked like real daylight, I took another look at it with that in mind and not just the set dressing I was originally focusing on. Yep, shot outdoors for sure.

After studying the background and the foreground objects extensively, I consulted a couple of backlot enthusiast (not just Batman enthusiast) and our general consensus is that a matte painting overlay was used to create the illusion of the city background.

Something like this (not the actual matte)

After talking with a fellow who worked on the Fox lot back in the 70s, he felt that they may have used the bridge that used to run across a major LA road (Olympic Blvd) to connect two sections of the studio lot.

Bridge at Fox

After checking pictures of that bridge, I confirmed he was spot on with that guess.

Now we're speculating that it was possible that the matte painting used may have been a stock item used before in a Fox production and therefore costing Greenway way less than having one painted from scratch. Extra points for anybody who can figure out what film production used this city scape and bridge painting before because I'd love to know.

[Ben Bentley]

Well I spoke too soon on the podcast as far as how I thought the opening sequence to the Bookworm episode was filmed. I initially thought it was a well llt soundstage with a huge backdrop. After you folks mentioned that it looked like real daylight, I took another look at it with that in mind and not just the set dressing I was originally focusing on. Yep, shot outdoors for sure.

Batman S01E29 - The Bookworm Turns - 0013.jpg

After studying the background and the foreground objects extensively, I consulted a couple of backlot enthusiast (not just Batman enthusiast) and our general consensus is that a matte painting overlay was used to create the illusion of the city background.

matte painting.jpg
Something like this (not the actual matte)

After talking with a fellow who worked on the Fox lot back in the 70s, he felt that they may have used the bridge that used to run across a major LA road (Olympic Blvd) to connect two sections of the studio lot.

Fox bridge over Olympic Blvd.jpg
Bridge at Fox

After checking pictures of that bridge, I confirmed he was spot on with that guess.

ref 1.jpg
ref 2.jpg

Now we're speculating that it was possible that the matte painting used may have been a stock item used before in a Fox production and therefore costing Greenway way less than having one painted from scratch. Extra points for anybody who can figure out what film production used this city scape and bridge painting before because I'd love to know.

This is my favorite kind of Kool Aid! It warms my heart no end!

[High C]

Scott--This is terrific detective work!! Well-done.

I highly recommend Scott's appearance yesterday. Anyone who has met Scott knows he is a tremendously engaging and entertaining raconteur. I have not met him personally, being on the opposite coast, but I can attest to the aforementioned from the last few Bat-Chats. His DVD stories alone on this podcast are worth a listen!! Especially about how the set finally came to be.

Also from the podcast, thank you, Tim for the Bat-Research Lab experiment. I won't spoil it for folks who have not heard it yet, but it is fascinating to see Semple trying to flip a Joker script to a Penguin script. I won't mention which one or his ultimate decision, only to say it was the right one, IMO.

[clavierankh]

As I understand it Fox was able to release Batman The Movie on VHS and DVD/BluRay because a clause in the contract allowed Fox to release the movie in other formats. This was to allow them to release it cropped for television and for airline In Flight movies. They simply extended this clause to cover home video.

[chrisbcritter]

Brilliant detective work on the matte shot, Scott!
Hard to say what else a matte shot of an empty bridge leading into NYC/Gotham could have been used for; maybe it was a one-shot deal like the giant clock bell?

[Dr. Shimel]

in The Joker Goes to School, Joker notes how the botched electrocution of the Duo is similar to the East Coast blackout that had taken place roughly a month earlier.

Penguin's seduction technique was also in evidence in the final episode of the Zodiac teamup with Joker. He fools Venus (not a difficult proposition) in part by having Rob Reiner deliver her flowers.

[BATWINGED HORNET]

Interesting show, Scott (and the brothers still trying to get over living through season three)!

Although the '66 series is on blu ray, there is one last, major part of the series left for fans to discuss....you guessed it--the TV soundtrack. I've heard there are rights issues involved with the music, but I do hope that it is all straightened out. The music is as much of a "character" as the actors.

[bat-rss]

Scott, great research! Glad I mentioned the convincing sunlight in that scene. I'm curious what you mean by "matte overlay." Is this something that was added post filming?

[Kamdan]

The Smack in the Middle recap without the narration makes me think how the narrations were originally intended to be captions to resemble a comic book, eventually what the Wonder Woman television show used to establish settings. It would be interesting to see a version of the show with that element restored to the pilot.

Ever since I saw a YouTube video of the restored narration to the beginning of Hi Diddle Riddle before the DVDs came out, I was never fond of Desmond Doomsday telling the audience to cheer for Batman and hiss at the villains. Obviously it was added when the initial test screenings weren’t good and this was the solution. I go to the version without the opening narration when it comes to my anniversary screenings, which happens to fall on my birthday as well.

[Rayray]

Interesting show, Scott (and the brothers still trying to get over living through season three)!

Although the '66 series is on blu ray, there is one last, major part of the series left for fans to discuss....you guessed it--the TV soundtrack. I've heard there are rights issues involved with the music, but I do hope that it is all straightened out. The music is as much of a "character" as the actors.

Hear,hear! What I wouldn’t give for a comprehensive (or at least pretty thorough) collection of the show’s background music. Why, the Batgirl background music (that I used to hum in my head while riding my bicycle at ages 8-14) would be worth the price alone.

[Ben Bentley]

Scott, great research! Glad I mentioned the convincing sunlight in that scene. I'm curious what you mean by "matte overlay." Is this something that was added post filming?

"Matte paintings" or "matte overlays" were traditionally hand painted on to sheets of glass and then placed over live-action film footage to create or adapt environments as needed.

[Ricky]

The thought that went behind where that Bookworm scene was filmed is ridiculously brilliant.

Just listened to the Podcast, going back to the days where the DVD release seemed like an impossibility was like being transported back to the time where I was a regular around this board. All them stories coming back to me around legal issues and bootleg tapes got me digging up old files I had saved on a back-up from an old computer just to have a nostalgia trip essentially.

Going back to this board and the 'old days' as it were, I came across this forum (or original incarnation) when I was about 13/14 years old - i'm now 29 to put that into perspective. And I do remember in some areas the hostile environment that was present in some corners, back in those 'workshirtsales' days, correct me if i'm wrong but I distinctly remember it being called Yabb forums, always stuck in my head as I would always think 'Yabba Dabba Do' (Flintstones) in my head as I logged into it. What happened to the guys that run it? I always remember David and GDog not being around then all of a sudden David returned for maybe half a year then disappeared - along with his website. I hope them guys are well, wherever they are and whatever they doing in life. But yeah kudos to Scott for keeping the forum alive and online when it eventually crashed along with his youthful aid Ben Bentley - are you guys are the real dynamic duo?!