Batman serials
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There were two Batman serials released in the 1940s, starring the DC Comics characters Batman and Robin. Both were released by Columbia Pictures. Information for the serials, The Batman (1943) and Batman and Robin (1949) is given below.
The Batman (1943)
Batman was the first DC comic character to star in a serial. The film, simply titled The Batman, was released in 1943 and starred Lewis Wilson as Batman and Douglas Croft as Robin. J. Carrol Naish played the villain, an original character named Dr. Daka. Rounding out the cast were Shirley Patterson as Linda Page (Bruce Wayne's love interest), and William Austin as Alfred.
The film is notable for being the first filmed appearance of Batman. Also, the film introduced "The Bat's Cave". The name was altered to the Batcave for use in the comic books as well as the Grandfather's clock entrance. Also, the comic Alfred was overweight and clean-shaven prior to the serial's release. Austin was trim and sported a thin moustache. The comic Alfred's appearance was altered to match that of Austin's, and remains the same to this day.
The film's plot dealt with Batman and Robin's struggle against Dr. Daka, a Japanese spy who invented a device that turns people into pseudo-zombies.
The film was made during World War II, and like numerous works of popular American fiction of the time, contains anti-Japanese slurs and comments (in one scene, Robin tells Daka, "You're as yellow as your skin!"). The film also suffered from a low budget, indicative of many Columbia serials. No attempt was made to create a Batmobile, so a black Cadillac was used by Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson, as well as Batman and Robin. Alfred chauffered the Dynamic Duo in both identities.
The serial was released on home video in the late 1980s in a heavily edited format that removed the offensive racial content. A reviewer for the magazine Cinefantastique commented, "The changes aren't surprising when you see that Columbia is now owned by Japan's Sony Corporation. It appears that some of Daka's operatives escaped Batman's justice and were rewarded with positions at the new George Orwell department at Columbia." It should be noted that the edited version was not released by Columbia, but Goodtimes Home Video, an independent distributor.
However, in the early 1990s, the cable network American Movie Classics, aired both Batman serials on Saturday mornings, with the 1943 serial uncut and uncensored.
Sony released the serial on DVD in October 2005. The DVD release is an unedited version.
Lewis Wilson's son is Michael G. Wilson, producer of the James Bond movie franchise.
Chapters
- The Electrical Brain
- The Bat's Cave
- Mark of the Zombies
- Slaves of the Rising Sun
- The Living Corpse
- Poison Peril
- The Phony Doctor
- Lured by Radium
- The Sign of the Sphinx
- Flying Spies
- A Nipponese Trap
- Embers of Evil
- 8 Steps Down
- The Executioner Strikes
- Doom of the Rising Sun
Batman and Robin (1949)
In 1949, a follow-up serial, Batman and Robin, was released. Robert Lowery played Batman, while Johnny Duncan played Robin. Supporting players included Jane Adams as Vicki Vale and veteran character actor Lyle Talbot as Commissioner Gordon.
The plot dealt with the Dynamic Duo facing off against the Wizard, a hooded villain whose identity remains a mystery throughout the serial until the end.
The film's budget was even lower than the first one, and as a result, Batman drives a Mercury convertible. However, the acting was regarded as better than the first. In particular, Lowery is regarded as being a much tougher Batman than his predecessor Wilson.
The serial was released on DVD in 2005.
In 1956 Robert Lowery co-starred in the television series Circus Boy, which starred a young, pre-Monkees Micky Dolenz. In the early 1990s, Dolenz was considered to play The Riddler in Batman Forever.
John Duncan was featured in three East Side Kids films.
Chapters
- Batman Takes Over
- Tunnel of Terror
- Robin's Wild Ride
- Batman Trapped
- Robin Rescues Batman
- Target--Robin
- The Fatal Blast
- Robin Meets the Wizard
- The Wizard Strikes Back
- Batman's Last Chance
- Robin's Ruse
- Robin Rides the Wind
- The Wizard's Challenge
- Batman vs. Wizard
- Batman Victorious
External links
| The Batman movies | |
|---|---|
| Batman serials | The Batman | Batman and Robin |
| Adam West movie | Batman |
| 1989-1997 series | Batman | Batman Returns | Batman Forever Batman & Robin |
| Bruce Timm series | [[Batman: Mask of the Phantasm]] | [[Batman & Mr. Freeze: SubZero]] [[Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman]] | [[Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker]] |
| The Batman series | The Batman vs. Dracula |
| Christopher Nolan series | Batman Begins | Untitled Sequel (in development) |
| Other films | [[Return to the Batcave: The Misadventures of Adam and Burt]] |
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