Batman (1966 film)

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Batman
Directed by Leslie H. Martinson
Produced by William Dozier
Written by Lorenzo Semple Jr. (screen writer)
Bob Kane (comic book)
Starring Adam West
Burt Ward
Lee Meriwether
Cesar Romero
Burgess Meredith
Frank Gorshin
Distributed by 20th Century Fox
Release date(s) July 30, 1966
Running time 105 min.
Language English
Budget $1,377,800
All Movie Guide profile
IMDb profile

For the 1989 version starring Michael Keaton, see: Batman (1989 film).

Batman is a 1966 film spin-off of the popular Batman television series, and was the first full-length theatrical adaptation of the DC Comics character. It later acquired the video-box title Batman: The Movie. The 20th Century Fox release starred Adam West as Batman and Burt Ward as Robin.

Contents

[edit] History

Filmed at the end of season one of the ABC primetime Batman TV series of the 1960s (between April 25 and May 31, 1966 at an estimated $1,377,800), it featured four main criminals from the show, including the "clown prince of crime" The Joker (Cesar Romero), that "count of criminal conundrums" The Riddler (Frank Gorshin), that "pompous, waddling master of fowl play" The Penguin (Burgess Meredith), and the "fiendish feline" The Catwoman (Lee Meriwether). It was written by Lorenzo Semple Jr., and directed by Leslie H. Martinson, who won a Golden Gryphon for his efforts.

The 105-minute Batman opened at The Paramount Theatre in Austin, Texas on Saturday, July 30, 1966 (between the first and second seasons of the TV series). Like the television series, the movie featured saturated colors, campy dialogue and special effects, and over-exaggeration in acting performances, effectively being a tongue-in-cheek parody. The movie was moderately successful at the box office.

[edit] Plot summary

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

When Batman (West) and Robin (Ward) get a tip that Commodore Schmidlapp is in danger aboard his yacht, they launch a rescue mission. After a tangle with an exploding shark, Batman and Robin head back to Commissioner Gordon's office where, by case of deduction and wisdom, they figure out that the tip was a set-up by four of the most powerful villains ever (Joker, Penguin, Riddler and Catwoman), who seek to defeat the Dynamic Duo once and for all.

Armed with a dehydrator that can turn humans into dust, and a Navy surplus submarine, the "fearsome foursome" intends to take over the world, and Batman and Robin must stop them. Catwoman romantically lures Bruce Wayne into a trap, and Penguin even schemes his way into the Batcave, leaving the Duo unable to prevent the kidnapping of the dehydrated United World Security Council.

Spoilers end here.

[edit] Cast

Lee Meriwether as Catwoman.
Enlarge
Lee Meriwether as Catwoman.

[edit] Credits

1966 Batman movie title.
Enlarge
1966 Batman movie title.
  • A William Dozier Production
  • Music by Nelson Riddle
  • Associate Producer Charles B. FitzSimons
  • Director of Photography: Howard Schwartz, A.S.C.
  • Art Directors: Jack Martin Smith, Serge Krizman
  • Set Decoration: Walter M. Scott, Chester L. Bayhi
  • Unit Production Manager: Sam Strangis
  • Assistant Directors: William Derwin, David Whorf
  • Film Editor: Harry Gerstad, A.C.E.
  • Special Photographic Effects: L.B. Abbott
  • Sound: Roy Meadows, Harry M. Leonard
  • Makeup by Ben Nye, Bryce Hutchinson
  • Hair Styles Supervised by Margaret Donovan
  • Batman Theme by Neal Hefti
  • Orchestration by Gil Grau
  • Second Unit Director: Ray Kellogg
  • Second Unit Photography: Jack Marta
  • Aerial Photography: Nelson Tyler
  • Batboat: Glastron
  • Main Title by Richard Kuhn and National Screen Service
  • Color by DeLuxe
  • Written by Lorenzo Semple Jr. - Based upoon the characters created by Bob Kane appearing in Batman and Detective Comics Magazine published by National Periodical Publications, Inc.
  • Produced by William Dozier
  • Directed by Leslie H. Martinson

[edit] Trivia

  • Of the three new Batvehicles which first appeared in the Batman movie, only the Batcycle crossed over into the Batman TV series, as the others were beyond the financial limits of the show. Instead, snippets of the Batcopter and Batboat from the movie were stitched into episodes the TV series.
  • It's clear that actor Cesar Romero, who played The Joker, refused to shave off his moustache, as you can see it under his white make-up in certain scenes.
  • Director Leslie H. Martinson also directed a pair of Batman episodes; "The Penguin Goes Straight" and "Not Yet, He Ain't," both from season one.
  • Commodore Schmidlapp would end up being the final role for actor Reginald Denny, who died of cancer the year after the movie was released.

[edit] External links

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to:
Batman in popular media
Actors: Lewis Wilson • Robert Lowery • Adam West • Olan Soule • Michael Keaton • Kevin Conroy • Val Kilmer • George Clooney • Rino Romano • Christian Bale • Casts
Live-action television: Batman • Legends of the Superheroes • Birds of Prey • Return to the Batcave
Film: 1940s serials • Batman (1966) • Batman (1989) • Batman Returns • Batman Forever • Batman & Robin • Batman Begins • The Dark Knight
Animation: Batman/Superman Hour • New Adventures of Batman • Batman: The Animated Series/New Batman Adventures • Mask of the Phantasm • SubZero • Batman Beyond • Return of the Joker • Mystery of the Batwoman • The Batman • The Batman vs. Dracula
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