Filmation Batman - 1968

General goings on in the 1966 Batman World

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Yellow Oval
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Filmation Batman - 1968

Post by Yellow Oval »

At the risk of possibly rehashing an old question - does anyone know why Filmation hasn't released its classic old animated episodes from the 1968-69 The Batman/Superman Hour? I remember some episodes released on VHS back in the '80s. I loved (almost worshipped) it on Saturday mornings being as it was part of the late '60s Adam West all-things Batman era. Though it's a tad cornball now it's still fun.
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Scott Sebring
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Re: Filmation Batman - 1968

Post by Scott Sebring »

Yellow Oval wrote:At the risk of possibly rehashing an old question - does anyone know why Filmation hasn't released its classic old animated episodes from the 1968-69 The Batman/Superman Hour? I remember some episodes released on VHS back in the '80s. I loved (almost worshipped) it on Saturday mornings being as it was part of the late '60s Adam West all-things Batman era. Though it's a tad cornball now it's still fun.
I don't know why they haven't seen DVD release but they are available in digital download format through Amazon and iTunes.

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Amazon

iTunes
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Yellow Oval
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Re: Filmation Batman - 1968

Post by Yellow Oval »

As Johnny Carson would've said - "I did not know that! Did you know that, Ed? I did not know that!"

Thanks Scott. Very much appreciated info.
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batbelfry
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Re: Filmation Batman - 1968

Post by batbelfry »

And I'm pretty sure Warner Home Video holds the rights now, not Filmation.

Perhaps it's a property that they're holding on to until after they run out of current material, say, after Dark Knight Rises comes out. I mean, let's face it, after that, the well is going to start running pretty dry on Bat-material for DVD release. They've done all the movies, the old serials, the animated series from the '70's and the '90's, even the roast thing from the 70's...all that's really left now are the '66 Series and the '68 Filmation stuff.

I don't know whether or not the Filmation stuff has been "restored", but what I've seen of the digital downloads that Scott mentioned, the material looks pretty good, and is probably ready to go.

My two cents, anyhoo.
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Yellow Oval
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Re: Filmation Batman - 1968

Post by Yellow Oval »

Yes, all that's really left is the stuff we REALLY, REALLY WANTED from the get-go! What did they give us? BAT-MITE!!! To quote Charlie Brown - "AARGHH!" Ehh, I bought the New Adventures just the same.
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Robin Holyisms
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Re: Filmation Batman - 1968

Post by Robin Holyisms »

Scott Sebring wrote:I don't know why they haven't seen DVD release but they are available in digital download format through Amazon and iTunes.

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Amazon

iTunes
Could it be due to poor sales? Because only 17 episodes from that cartoon are available from Amazon and Itunes. But there were a total of 34 episodes in the particular series.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Advent ... n#Episodes
Bob
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Re: Filmation Batman - 1968

Post by Bob »

I loved the show, even Dr Bubbles and Simon the Pieman
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Scott Sebring
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Re: Filmation Batman - 1968

Post by Scott Sebring »

Robin Holyisms wrote: Could it be due to poor sales? Because only 17 episodes from that cartoon are available from Amazon and Itunes. But there were a total of 34 episodes in the particular series.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Advent ... n#Episodes
Incorrect.
There were 34 stories contained within 17 episodes. They are selling the 22 minute episodes with two stories , not each story individually. You need to click on the "more" button in iTunes on each episode to see the other story mentioned.
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66wasbest
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Re: Filmation Batman - 1968

Post by 66wasbest »

Do they have the original 1968 opening for The Batman Superman hour with the catchy theme song/
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Scott Sebring
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Re: Filmation Batman - 1968

Post by Scott Sebring »

66wasbest wrote:Do they have the original 1968 opening for The Batman Superman hour with the catchy theme song/
No. Just the Batman intro that can cause seizures with the constant flashing.
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Bat-Stan
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Re: Filmation Batman - 1968

Post by Bat-Stan »

Scott Sebring wrote:
66wasbest wrote:Do they have the original 1968 opening for The Batman Superman hour with the catchy theme song/
No. Just the Batman intro that can cause seizures with the constant flashing.
Hmm. Well that might explain why I still twitch whenever I hear the old intro. :shock:
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batbelfry
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Re: Filmation Batman - 1968

Post by batbelfry »

I still prefer the "seizure inducing" version to the mid-90's retooled version that ran on the USA Network and then later on Cartoon Network and Boomerang.
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NJ_Batfan
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Re: Filmation Batman - 1968

Post by NJ_Batfan »

This version (along with some remaining Superman episodes and the Superboy cartoons) is the last of the DC Filmations shows to get a DVD release. I'm guessing the 70s version saw release sooner because of Adam West and Burt Ward's voiceovers and therefore was the more marketable of the two Filmation Batman shows.

The Filmation company is no longer, so anything they licensed from DC is now DC's property. That is why Warner Archives can release the 70s Shazam series on DVD-R next month.

As for the well running dry, you're right. We've even seen Batman Meets Scooby Doo on DVD, so the 1968 Adventures of Batman is probably the holy grail. I'd welcome having an official DVD release,too, as it followed the flavor of the series, character designs close to Carmine Infantino's art style, and a goofy sense of fun.
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Catfan
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Re: Filmation Batman - 1968

Post by Catfan »

It may be worth a watch for me, as I never saw the series as a kid. I did not see a single episode until a couple of years ago. I thought the series had its fun, but stuck closer to the tone of the comic book than the 1966 series did.
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AHTrois
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Re: Filmation Batman - 1968

Post by AHTrois »

Back after a long hiatus! :D

Here are the lyrics to the original Batman-Superman Hour, as recalled by Ferd Appleby:

Batman! Su---perman!
Watch. out. villains. here. we. come!
(music then);
Penguin, riddler, jo-ker too...the caped cru-sader's af-ter youuu!
(music)
Batman!
(more music)
Batman!
To combat crimmmeee, they work together;
Batman....Batman,,,,,
It's a birrddd, it's a plannee.......
It's Suu-perman!
It's Superman, The Man of Steel, it's Supeman!
(music)
Batman!
Superman!
Batman!
Superman!
(announcer norm prescott): The Batman-Superman Hour!

Obviously one of the Holy Grails of Animation. ;)

Oh...and by the way, the 1968 Filmation version has been released on DVD (albeit with the 1969 intro and original 1968 end credits): :mrgreen:
adventures of batman dvd.jpg
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