BATMAN (1943)

[The Burgomaster]

       

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.

[RCMerchant]

 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!

[Dr. Whom]

Wow, this looks awesome. What do they use for Batmobile?

[The Burgomaster]

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!

[Flangepart]

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!

[The Burgomaster]

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!

[Ometiklan]

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.

[The Burgomaster]

When You are done watching this.
Give the 1949 Batman serial A try as well.
It is everybit as fun as the 1943 serial.

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!

[Oldskool138]

* 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.