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I just bought this DVD, which is the complete 15 chapter BATMAN serial from 1943. Tonight, I watched the first 2 chapters and based on what I saw, this will end up being about 4 hours of pure entertainment.
J. Carrol Naish plays Dr. Daka, a Japanese villain with zombie henchmen. The movie is very much a World War II propaganda flick, as the Japanese are referred to as "Japs" and the narrator tells us that the wise U.S. government has rounded up all the "shifty-eyed Japs," and that is why the streets of Little Tokyo are so deserted. Talk about being politically incorrect!
Greatness I have observed so far:
* Cheesy Batman and Robin costumes
* Batman's cape is black in some scenes and gray in others
* A few instances of very bad film editing
* Bruce Wayne / Batman has a terrible voice - - nothing like you would expect from a superhero - - he sounds sort of like Jack Haley as the Tin Man in THE WIZARD OF OZ
* Ludicrous scenes, such as Batman (carrying a woman over his shoulder) walking along a telephone wire stretched between 2 buildings
This entire serial was re-released in movie theaters during the 1960s to cash in on the BATMAN TV series. It was advertised as "An Evening with Batman and Robin." A guy I work with told me he saw it in Washington, D.C. He said there was a long line to get in and he had to sit in the aisle while his girlfriend sat in a chair.
I can't wait to see chapters 3 through 15.
I've been wanting to see this for a long time...I always enjoyed the old BATMAN TV show much more than the newer movies...and this looks to be even (unintensionally) cheezier=thus better! :thumbup:
Wow, this looks awesome. What do they use for Batmobile?
Quote from: AlexB on June 27, 2007, 03:24:12 AM
Wow, this looks awesome. What do they use for Batmobile?
They just drive around in a regular 1940s style car. Sometimes, Alfred drives them in a convertible. In one scene, Alfred drives into an alley and the caped crusaders change into their costumes in the back seat!
This must have inspired the folks who made Adam West and Burt Ward famous.
Robin's hair...yee,heehee! And that shot of "Bats" with his head in his hands....pur cheese!
I watched episodes 3 & 4 tonight. More notable cheese:
* Continuity goof: During a fight scene, Batman's cape falls off. About 2 seconds later, it is magically reattached to his costume!
* State of the art special effects for 1943 - Batman is nearly run over by a rear-projection locomotive - - that is obviously a miniature!
I have this one as well!
Pure cheese and I loved every chapter of it!
When You are done watching this.
Give the 1949 Batman serial A try as well.
It is everybit as fun as the 1943 serial. :smile:
Quote from: Ometiklan on June 28, 2007, 07:20:13 PM
When You are done watching this.
Give the 1949 Batman serial A try as well.
It is everybit as fun as the 1943 serial. :smile:
I bought the 1949 serial and intend to watch it when I am finished with this one. I aslo bought the CAPTAIN MARVEL serial . . . SHAZAM!
Quote from: The Burgomaster on June 27, 2007, 08:08:52 PM
* Continuity goof: During a fight scene, Batman's cape falls off. About 2 seconds later, it is magically reattached to his costume!
Pretty much every cliffhanger in the old serials is a continuity error. My favorite serial
The Crimson Ghost is chock full of them but it's still a lot of fun.