Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #8219 in DVD
• Model: F1-SGB
• Released on: 2003-10-06
• Rating: Universal, suitable for all
• Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Formats: Anamorphic, PAL, Widescreen
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 105 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
Batman: The Movie carries the high camp absurdity of the 1960s TV show to gleeful new heights. Shark Repellent Batspray, costume-removing Batpoles, a contraption that dehydrates political figures into coloured powder, and endless childishly easy conundrums. Bringing the primary-coloured show to the big screen was a natural move, since sets, costume and casting were all in place. But what elevates the movie above the series? Is it the wonderful new toys--the Batcopter, Batboat and Batbike? Is it the OTT direction, taking the Dynamic Duo on location far more than usual? Or is it the electrifying one-upmanship between Burgess Meredith (Penguin), Cesar Romero (Joker), Frank Gorshin (Riddler) and Lee Meriwether (a new Catwoman since regular Julie Newmar was busy elsewhere)? As Commissioner Gordon says, "The sum of the angles of that rectangle is too monstrous to contemplate!" Really, the best of the movie's magic is to be found in the sheer glee Adam West and Burt Ward exhibit in playing for the big screen. This was the most exciting event in their careers. And it shows in their colourful, zestful performances.

On the DVD: Batman: The Movie on disc includes an affectionate commentary from the two stars ("Oh lookee!" says West repeatedly), after which the duo are heavily involved in the wealth of additional material, even recording dialogue for the interactive animated menus. Seeing them on screen in the 16-minute featurette might be a shock, though. In the restored 1.85:1 film print they look much better! Additionally there's a five-minute "Batmobile Revealed" featurette with designer George Barris, a trailer page with some very humorous inclusions and two large galleries of behind-the-scenes photos.--Paul Tonks

DVD Description
The Caped Crusaders must thwart another evil master-plan to control Gotham City, but this time he's up against his most evil nemeses.

Special Features
1.85 Wide Screen
16:9 Anamorphic Wide Screen
DVD 9
English
Region 2

Customer Reviews

Holy Pure Entertainment, Batman!
It's difficult to add to the excellent reviews by Amazon and the other contributors, as they've summed it up so well!

The 1989 Batman movie had the Joker - and was very good. The follow up "Batman Returns" had the Penguin and Catwoman, and was pretty good too. The next one "Batman Forever" had the Riddler, but it wasn't up to much. And let's forget about the awful "Batman and Robin" one! This 1966 movie, however, has all these characters and has more entertainment value than all the more recent offerings put together.

Kids will love this movie, as will adults with an ironic sense of humour. There are so many laughs to be had, the characters are larger than life and it is quite evident that the actors are really enjoying it. With a few nods to the camera by Adam West as Batman, what we have here is the movie equivalent of a stage pantomime.

For me, the one scene that stands out is about an hour into the movie where Batman tries to dispose of a bomb. It's got to be one of the funniest scenes in cinematic history! But there are some wonderful throwaway gags that explain how Batman miraculously gets out of a sticky situation.

If you have a DVD player, this is a must-have DVD. There is a worthwhile commentary by Adam West and Burt Ward (Batman and Robin), stills galleries (some of the photos of the Riddler with a "circular saw - conveyabelt torture trap" appear to be from the TV series) and an interesting documentary. The presentation throughout is superb too. Absolutely flawless.

My only wish now is for the 120 episodes of the 1966-68 TV series to be released too! Maybe then we will finally get to see that conveyabelt of the Riddler in action!

Recommended to all families
In 1966, with the newly minted Batman television show already underway, this movie came out to drum up even more ratings. In this movie Batman (played by Adam West) and Robin (Burt Ward) face an uphill fight, when Penguin (Burgess Merideth), Joker (Cesar Ramero), Riddler (Frank Gorshin) and Catwoman (Lee Meriwether) team up to take over the world! With lots of Biffs and Whams, the dynamic duo takes them on head-to-head, and win with their hearts and minds. [Color, released in 1966, with a running time of 1:45.]

OK, this movie shouldn't be taken too seriously. With a low budget and tongue-in-cheek writing, it's hard not to laugh at the antics. But, that said, it is a fun movie, with lots of excitement and action. My children loved this movie, and I loved that it was clean and up beat.

By the way, a real selling point of this DVD is the extras. My favorite two extras were the look at the Batmobile (staring its designer, George Barris!), and a fun Batman featurette in which Adam West and Burt Ward let you in on all the behind-the-scenes hijinks. This is a great DVD that I highly recommend to all families! Watch it and have fun!

Ahead-of-it's-time genius
I love Batman, and I love any adaptation of Batman as long as it's tasteful. Batman Begins and Batman: The Movie are in my opinion the two finest Bat-creations ever made, despite both being radically different in every way imaginable.

This Batman, the Adam West Batman, is comic genius because not only is it entirely faithful to the comics of that day, but it's humour is still insanely clever, witty and sharp despite being made in the 60's, all the while being a brilliant spoof of Batman when put into the context of his modern, more grim and serious tales.

I personally think a lot of modern comedies such as Family Guy, Simpsons, Futurama etc owe a lot to the Adam West Batman I think.

It's so unbelievably (intentionally) poor, corny, badly made, and rough around the edges in most places you can't help but laugh at the funniness of it all coming together so perfectly. I wouldn't have it any other way. It's colourful, stylish and sums up everything that was cool and funky about the 60's (the intro sequence is particularly both very cool and funny - especially when Batman is introduced with his typical smug grin and big head wave to the audience) and it's still very very funny. Robin is so unbelievably naive and boystrous while Batman is so unbelievably smug it's hard to not to crack a smile just by looking at them and their mannerisms.

Kids will also love the adventure itself while adults will love the more subtle jokes. There is one scene where Batman realises Catwoman is really the girl he was falling for, Miss Kitka. Batman's face of heartbreak married with the sad tragic cheesy music had me in stitches.

Frank Gorshin (Riddler) and Adam West (Batman) are the stars of the show.

Some memorable quotes are things like:

"We must leave Robin. Inconspicuously. Out the window" - Batman to Robin

"Holy heart failure!" - Robin

"Hand me down the shark-repellant bat-spray!" - Batman to Robin

"The crimes happened at sea. Sea? C? C for Catwoman!" - Robin

"You........CRIMINALS!" - Bruce Wayne to villains

"I'll kill you all. I'll rend you limb from limb!" - Bruce Wayne to villains

Even The Joker couldn't write a movie as funny as this.