I'm not really comparing the TV show and first serial, but there IS something I noticed recently:
Have you noticed how often Batman was involved in the cliffhangers in the serial, but was seldom caught by the villians and put into death-traps by himself, unless it was as Bruce Wayne or because of Robin? For example, when Batman was put into the coffin by King Tut, it was because Robin had been captured and Batman tried to rescue him. He was overpowered because Robin was tied up by Tut's henchmen and COULDN'T help. Another example is when Batman was trapped in the plaster by The Mad Hatter because Robin was knocked out due to Batman's carelessness and Batman was trying to make sure The Boy Wonder was alright.
Why was this done? Was it in Adam West's contract? Was it done to show how much better Batman was? Was Batman in the serial just more impulsive? Thoughts?
He didn't have much in the belt in those first four years, rope, baterang (spelled that way) not much else. The crazy gadgets came later. The show was heavily influenced by the serials.
AndyFish wrote:He didn't have much in the belt in those first four years, rope, baterang (spelled that way) not much else. The crazy gadgets came later. The show was heavily influenced by the serials.
Actually according to an interview that William Self did for the book Eye on Science Fiction, this
dosen't seem to the case at all.
You can read the rest of his interview for the book here.
gonebats wrote:I love the 43 serial, my only pet peeve is that Batman never uses any bat-gadgets, at all-whats up with that?
Yeah, the '43 Batman's only brush with a fantastic gadget was one created by his enemy--Dr. Daka. The villain used a futuristic, blasting "radium gun" that would have been equally at home in the Flash Gordon / Buck Rogers serials.
The Batman series developed over a period of time, initially as a straight drama with former NFL star and current Tarzan slated to play Batman, then the serials got replayed all around the country as well as the playboy club in Chicago where TV EXECS were present, the camp aspect of the serials was duly noted and eventually led towards that direction.
I've read Self's comments before, and that's fine. Dozier too, but it was the huge lines at revival and college campuses showing AN EVENING WITH BATMAN AND ROBIN (which was either a two or four hour marathon showing of the serial) in early 1965 which got the ball rolling.
There is no question that the screen test costume was based on the serials. It's a near hybrid of both serials.
If the serial revival played a role in the development of the TV series, the strange part is when Castle Films (producers of licensed 8 and 16mm home movies) released heavily edited versions of the serials with animated fight sound effects that were not a part of the original serials. Obviously, that was trying to Dozier-ize the serials, so would that be a case of the egg leading the chicken leading the egg?
BATWINGED HORNET wrote:If the serial revival played a role in the development of the TV series, the strange part is when Castle Films (producers of licensed 8 and 16mm home movies) released heavily edited versions of the serials with animated fight sound effects that were not a part of the original serials. Obviously, that was trying to Dozier-ize the serials, so would that be a case of the egg leading the chicken leading the egg?
