Batman: The Movie (1966) — Holy Overacting, Batman and Beam Me Up, Scotty!
Written: May 01 '07 (Updated Jul 31 '07)
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Pros: Campy dialogue; overacting; chessy effects
Cons: Campy dialogue; overacting; chessy effects
The Bottom Line: Batman: The Movie is not Shakespeare nor is it going to win an Academy awards, but it is a runaway circus ready to entertain the masses. Just go with it.
Plot Details: This opinion reveals minor details about the movie's plot.
The hit 1966 Batman live-action television show starring Adam West and Burt Ward as the Dynamic Duo created a phenomenon known as “Batmania”. The mystery surrounding it defies all logic or any sensibilities, yet years later it is still fondly… or infamously… remembered by everyone. It was only a matter of time (the end of the first season, really) that this act was going to be taken to the big screen; hence, the campy world of Gotham City was displayed in all its glory in Batman: The Movie.
Gotham City is besieged when the most deadly villains in Batman’s rogues’ gallery decide to team up and create havoc. The Joker, the Penguin, the Riddler and Catwoman join forces to finally eliminate Batman and Robin once and for all.
The villains have concocted a device to drain all water from human beings leaving them as piles of dust in its wake. And it’s obvious why they built such a device, as Batman has so succinctly figured out.
Commissioner Gordon: “Penguin, Joker, Riddler... and Catwoman, too! The sum of the angles of that rectangle is too monstrous to contemplate!”
Batman: “We've been given the plainest warning. They're working together to take over...”
Chief O'Hara: “Take over ‘what’, Batman? Gotham City?
Batman: Any ‘two’ of them would try that!”
Commissioner Gordon: “The whole country?”
Batman: “If it were three of them, I would say yes, but ‘four’? Their minimum objective must be... the ‘entire’ world.
So let me get this straight. Four villains mean the conquest of the world, three villains equal the country while two obviously mean the city. What does one mean… a cardboard box under the bridge? Inquiring minds want to know what superhero handy book Batman is using to figure out this complicated mathematical equation.
But figure it out he has, and he doesn’t have a lot of time to stop all of them as they have targeted the delegation of the United World Security Council. What happens if Batman and Robin are too late to stop their plans?
Without a doubt, Batman: The Movie, like the television show, doesn’t take itself seriously with all the tongue-and-cheek parody played to perfection by all the actors.
Adam West and Burt Ward as Batman and Robin each deliver over-exaggerated and overacted lines with such aplomb that they both deserve awards for doing so in such a serious manner. The campy dialogue is incredibly over-the-top, but it’s the delivery of these lines that really make it special and believable, especially when Batman asks Robin “Hand down the shark repellent Batspray!” I wouldn’t have taken it seriously if Adam West didn’t believe it himself.
But, as we all know, it’s the villains who make it all very interesting. Cesar Romero (The Joker), Burgess Meredith (The Penguin), Frank Gorshin (The Riddler) and Lee Meriwether (Catwoman) are actually more convincing as villains than the Dynamic Duo are as crimefighters. Gorshin, in particular, really shines in his role as the hyperactive Riddler, something Jim Carey used as a model when he portrayed the same character in Batman Forever. Lee Meriwether is absolutely sexy as Catwoman, or her disguise of Comrade Kitanya 'Kitka' Irenya Tantanya Karenska Alisoff (Ms. Kitka, for short), as she replaces Julie Newmar who plays the same character on the television show. This was due since Julie Newmar couldn’t get out of another movie to film this one.
The camera angles during the fight scenes are trying to mimic comic book panels. The added animated onomatopoeic sound effects cannot be topped, however, as it makes the illusion of a comic book come to life. If there is anything that will be remembered the most, it’s all the “BAM! BIFF! POW!” exclamations flashing across the screen. That and the catchy theme song.
Batman: The Movie is not something the purists ever wanted to see at all. It was a slap in the face for those who saw this as the circus coming to town. There are no signs of the dark avenger anywhere, no pathos, and no grim ‘n’ gritty attitude. This is definitely not the Batman from the comic books. But the weird thing is that this campy Batman actually helped save the character from comic book cancellation. A couple of years prior to the show, DC was contemplating of killing off Batman, due to very low sales. A few changes helped prevent this and this new show, along with the movie, just propelled Batman’s popularity into the stratosphere. In a way, the purists have to thank the camp for prolonging his death.
As campy and ridiculous as it is, Batman: The Movie started to transcend the printed medium and really became a life of its own. It’s a stark contrast to Batman’s dark world, with all the bright and vivid colours splashed across the screen, but it also has its own merit as well. As much as I knock almost everything featured in this movie, I can’t help but be amused by it as well. It’s supposed to be an escape vehicle, one that doesn’t take it too seriously and, dare I say it, fun as a result. The acting is overdone and the dialogue is extremely campy (I swear, I think Adam West and William Shatner from Star Trek were trying to outdo each other), but it has an undeniable charm surrounding it.
Therein lies the true mystery of Batman: The Movie. How can something so bad be so good?
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