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Friday, September 19, 2008

Happy Birthday, Batman!



A very happy 80th birthday to Batman- or rather to actor Adam West, who played the Caped Crusader in the wonderful 1960s television series. There’s been plenty of dark, ultra pretentious and very violent remakes since then- but none are in the same league as the 1960s version. Quite simply, Batman, with its great comic villains, its deadpan humour and its inspired and intelligent direction was one of the funniest, most stylish and most enjoyable television series ever made. (And the theme tune wasn’t bad either).

Hand me the shark-repellent bat spray, Robin!

7 comments:

Roland Hulme said...

There's a new TV show called 'The Middleman.' I think it pretty neatly takes the cheesy old Batman's mantle as a cute, exciting, low budget adventure series.

If it's on TV in England, I recommend catching it.

Anonymous said...

With you there. When are we going to have it on dvd?

Anonymous said...

Sweet memories of childhood: definitively the best Batman!

Ken said...

Never heard of The Middleman but it is available via the filesharers, Neil. Sadly very few episodes of Batman are, but I do remember it from the 1960s and have little desire to see it again.

On the subject of TV series, is anyone watching the incredible True Blood which is going out on HBO at the moment? The Latin_American HBO doesn't have it yet, so I watch it via the filesharers, 24 hours after the USA. Well worth it.

Anonymous said...

Amen Neil.
Mr. West's Batman was streets ahead of the rest, there's really no contest. I'm enjoying the occasional episode on BBC4.
His appearances as Mayor West in Family Guy are pretty good too.

Cossack said...

Neil,

Right on you are. Especially about the theme music, done by an acquaintance of mine, Link Wray. Good program, wonderful theme music.

Anonymous said...

I enjoyed that show as a child, not really grasping that the Batman created in Detective Comics was a darker, scarier and more violent character than the one portrayed by Adam West.

This picture documents my enjoyment...