Return to the Batcave Revisited

General goings on in the 1966 Batman World

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AndyFish
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Return to the Batcave Revisited

Post by AndyFish »

I had the occasion to re-watch the Dawn Welles produced bio pic of the Batman TV show and while there was a lot to like the film suffered from a goofy storyline in the then present day that didn't match the more serious (and therefore more interesting) flashback sequences. It made the whole thing feel disjointed as if Team A didn't know what kind of movie Team B was making.

One of the more ridiculous scenes in the flashback was Adam West emptying his utility belt for Burgess Meredith, as if he actually carried anything in the belt up until he needed it. The belt in the film had real pouches and we know season one (of which this was supposed to be) featured a belt with painted blocks of wood. I get the whole exaggerate for the sake of entertainment but it cheapens the integrity by making you wonder how much more of this is embellished (and I would bet quite a bit of it).

Overall it's head and shoulders above the 1979 NBC Specials but that's not saying much. I liked those at the time, well at least the first one, and I liked this for what it was but it would have been nice to have a film that respected its audience a bit more.
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Batfanman
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Re: Return to the Batcave Revisited

Post by Batfanman »

I re-watched it a few years back and had a better appreciation of it as well as greater understanding as to why the story wound up largely structured the way it was. The tangled TV show rights and not being able to use footage was the most prominent. It could and would have been a different story otherwise. My subsequent take away is that despite some off-putting moments, they did a pretty good job dancing around the limitations placed on them.
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Ben Bentley
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Re: Return to the Batcave Revisited

Post by Ben Bentley »

Points duly noted AF, your description of the right hand not knowing what movie the left hand is making is actually one of the best allegories for the movie i've heard over the years.

I rewatched RTTBC for the first time in at least a decade last year during one of the lockdowns. It hasn't aged well, but then again it had that feeling when it was released too, which on some level is almost...impressive?! Haha Aside from the long-established critiques of story, accuracy, structure etc (which all remain true and as valid as the day the movie came out), the kick I got from the more recent rewatch was seeing Adam and Frank at a sweet spot within their older years. It put a smile on my face. Is it still a very confusing and wildly flawed movie? Absolutely. It will continue to hold a place in my heart and the legacy of the show though, as the truly bizarre and revisionist time-capsule that it is.
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High C
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Re: Return to the Batcave Revisited

Post by High C »

The reason Dawn Wells was an exec producer was that there previously had been a similar TV movie on, of course, Gilligan's Island. It followed the same premise--behind the scenes stories from when the show was made interspersed with a silly plot from the (then) present day. As you noted, Andy, that's the problem. It comes across as completely disjointed and that is partly because they are following a template that really doesn't fit them.

To me, the best part was the chemistry between Adam and Burt. That was still as rock-solid as ever. I also thought Jason Marsden was decent as Burt.
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Mark Racop
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Re: Return to the Batcave Revisited

Post by Mark Racop »

Am I the only one that absolutely adored this movie? Sure, the plot was hokey; sure, it was low budget; yes, they took liberties with facts and used the books written by Adam, Burt, and Yvonne. BUT...it was such great fun to see Adam, Burt, Julie, and Frank together again. I loved the running gag of Burt having to cough up money. From "There are stairs?" to "Stuntman," I thought it was funny and cute. Seeing Adam and Julie dancing the batusi was a blast, and the fight scene in the bar was a hoot. I thought the younger actors did a great job of playing Adam, Burt, Julie, and Dozier--not an easy task. There were some poignant moments regarding Burt's divorce, Adam's first wife, and the cancellation of the series, which grounded the movie for me. I loved seeing the stories in their books come to life.

Did any of you watch the first of these movies? It was "Return to Gilligan's Island." They broke the fourth wall all the time and it was more of a narrated documentary than a story. I liked both, for different reasons, but I thought "Return to the Batcave" was a much more polished production.

All points of view are valid, from my perspective, so no worries there. It's just so odd: I've hosted many gatherings to show this movie, and it has always gotten good reviews. I wonder why there's such a disconnect for those that don't like it compared to my audiences?
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AndyFish
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Re: Return to the Batcave Revisited

Post by AndyFish »

Hey Mark-
Over the years I've taught classes on cinema-- for many years in person through a full semester, and then switching to an online format to reach a broader audience which coincidently soon worked out because of the pandemic. I found the in person audience was often much more polite and forgiving of what was shown, as if it was somehow a slight on me for choosing the film, while the online remarks are much more direct and seemingly honest.

My original post is in no way a dig on anyone who likes the movie, more power to those of you who did.
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Mark Racop
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Re: Return to the Batcave Revisited

Post by Mark Racop »

No worries, Andy! I didn't take it that way at all. Differing opinions about a movie are absolutely fine. I am a film producer, script writer, director, and editor since 1980, so I totally get all aspects of production--from the script through test audiences. The movie doesn't get much love among the '66 crowd, surprisingly, and I was just curious if I was the only one that enjoyed it. It's all good.
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