Adam West's Batman vs the modern "Dark Knight" version - which do you prefer?

Discussion in 'Visual Arts' started by Michelle66, Oct 31, 2010.

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  1. Michelle66

    Michelle66 Senior Member Thread Starter

    Well, you're in luck! They *did* work together!

    Right before each got his respective series, Shatner & West made a pilot for a TV show called "Alexander The Great". (It wasn't aired until after Star Trek and Batman had been on for some time.)

    Here's a clip of the two of them together:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eR14SH5tby4

    It's too bad more of these weren't produced. (But, if ATG had gotten picked up, two other era-defining shows never would have gotten made with their iconic leads.)

    Update: West & Shatner can seen in better quality at the 5:00 point in this longer clip:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95dgLCYtSMI
     
  2. wildroot indigo

    wildroot indigo Forum Resident

    A commercial TV series seems basically different from a feature film, so I'm not sure about comparisons there...

    The Adam West series was a sort of surreal comedy-drama, which might be enjoyed on different levels... Something about it wasn't quite right for me; I don't know exactly what. I remember the narration as somewhat intrusive. I thought West, the art direction and Nelson Riddle's incidental music were great, also some of the guest villains: Cesar Romero memorable as the Joker--clearly insane, yet not chewing scenery--and (with all due respect to Eartha Kitt) Julie Newmar's Catwoman a super sexy villain.

    It was a cultural force, of sorts... The Who covered Neil Hefti's Batman Theme, which also clearly inspired the blues chorus in Pink Floyd's "Vegetable Man".

    I don't think I made it through the Adam West feature film... I saw the first two with Michael Keaton, found those disappointing: in some ways as surreal as the West series, yet strangely unfunny (decent dramas, though).

    Only caught about 10 minutes of the Christian Bale "The Dark Knight" feature, so I can't comment on the movie as a whole; what I saw seemed sensationalistic, not my thing really. I don't understand the appeal of CGI in general. Yes, it can be used subtly and effectively; it just seems like it almost never is. It doesn't look good... to me, anyway.

    *runs away*

    :laugh:
     
  3. JC-L

    JC-L New Member

    Location:
    Virginia
    I used this to soundtrack a kids' Batman-themed birthday part this summer. Big parenting win!
     
  4. jook

    jook New Member

    Location:
    Australia
    I would've voted for the Burton films if the Animated Series was not an option.

    I wonder how many people here haven't seen the Animated Series?
     
  5. htom

    htom Senior Member

    Location:
    Montreal, Canada
    What CGI?
     
  6. jook

    jook New Member

    Location:
    Australia
    Good point... I appreciated "The Dark Knight" (or rather, "Batman Begins") a lot more after seeing the "Making of" on the DVD. Honestly, it's quite amazing, in this day and age, how much of that was actually made, as opposed to just rendered.

    They built Gotham City inside a giant aircraft hangar... water, sewerage, lighting, it was truly an artificial city made from scratch.

    Similarly, the Bat Cave was made there and flooded with water to make it look natural...

    The Bat Rumbler car-thing (which I originally hated, compared to the fantastic art deco masterpiece in Burton's and the Animated Series's) ... that was an actual project car designed and conceived for the movie. They spent a bundle making that an actual experimental car with actual performance advantages... it was quite ridiculous the lengths they went to, for a movie, which most people will mistake as being computer generated.
     
  7. wildroot indigo

    wildroot indigo Forum Resident

    That's the only part of the film I've seen. When I searched the overall credits online, I found some CG artists... Does someone know which parts of the movie might be computer-generated? Perhaps a fine line... some things "enhanced" maybe?
     
  8. guppy270

    guppy270 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Levittown, NY
    But if you can't tell what is or isn't, isn't that a successful use of CGI? That it doesn't stick out like a sore thumb, as in so many movies?
     
  9. wildroot indigo

    wildroot indigo Forum Resident

    Yes, it could be... I'll attempt to keep that in mind when/if I actually see the film. Paradoxically, if I remain open-minded, it may just fly right out of my head.

    :)
     
  10. jook

    jook New Member

    Location:
    Australia
    They elaborated in the Making Of for "Batman Begins". They showed how CG was used in the scene where they were flying over the cityscape. But emphasized that Chris Nolan was going out of his way to use as little CG as possible. There was a lot of stuntwork too.

    I don't know if that carried over to "The Dark Knight" actually. I wish they named the movies a bit more distinctly. Apparently the third Nolan movie is going to be called "The Dark Knight Rises" no less.
     
  11. MAYBEIMAMAZED

    MAYBEIMAMAZED Don't think Twice it's alright

    Location:
    DFW TEXAS
    Liked the original of course but Michael Keaton was the best and sexiest bat man !
     
  12. Robert Campion

    Robert Campion New Member

    Location:
    Thailand
    I would agree that the CGI in the Nolan films is subtle, but it's certainly there. Much of the train sequences in "Batman Begins," and I wasn't fooled by the truck flip/helicopter scene in "The Dark Knight." I guess the "Two-Face" CGI was good, but I wish it could have been done with a prosthetic. How much CGI is there in "Inception"? I haven't seen that yet . . .

    I hate CGI. CGI is just as fake but not as surreal as having a huge submarine mock-up, and 3 feet of water lapping against a painted horizon. I haven't watched the series in a long time, but one thing I liked about the '66 movie was the long shot which begins in the bat-mobile, goes to the dock, and then out on the water. Then we cut to rear projection with Adam West/Burt Ward.

    Jack Lalaine is on the roof doing exercises as they fly over in the helicopter.
     
  13. Hard Panner

    Hard Panner Baroque Popsike & Fuzz

    For me, the winner is: Adam West's TV (& movie) portrayal of the 60's.

    One big reason is Adam West himself - he plays a great Bruce Wayne and Batman - even if it's just for fun.

    Another reason - the sound that is used for the Batmobile starting up its engine while still in the Bat Cave. One of my favorite sounds ever - still gives me goosebumps. Of course, the '66 Batmobile is a HUGE reason why I love the show.

    I really, really like the Nolan Batman movies, I just don't like Christian Bale. I was hoping Nolan was going to use Guy Pierce in the role since he worked with him in 'Memento'.
     
  14. Ghostworld

    Ghostworld Senior Member

    Location:
    US
    I'm the sole other because I liked the comic. Period.
     
  15. htom

    htom Senior Member

    Location:
    Montreal, Canada

    Part of the helicopter sequence was CGI, but not the truck flip. As to using makeup/prosthetic for the Two-Face effect, I'm not sure how you could use anything but CGI for such a reductive effect.
     
  16. daglesj

    daglesj Forum Resident

    Location:
    Norfolk, UK
    The only two things that annoy me about the Nolan movies are they are maybe 10-15 minutes too long and Bale's frankly ridiculous voice as Batman.

    Adam West's Batman is for kitsch curiosity value only. I prefer his work on Family Guy to be honest.
     
  17. fabtrick

    fabtrick New Member

    Location:
    NorCal
    As a child I loved the Batman TV series - he became, and remains, my favorite superhero.

    As a young adult, and now a geezer - I prefer the Christian Bale version of Batman. As long as they don't bring ROBIN into the thing, it will remain the version most like what it was in the very beginning - a lone avenger. Robin's arrival was to calm the parents of kids who saw Batman as a "bad example". Then VOILA! Batman is a PARENT - now he's a-OK! I have no interest in that.

    Michael Keaton was a GREAT Batman. I was SO excited at the thought of Batman coming to the big screen, and being portrayed properly. And Keaton does a good job; I liked him in the role. However, it may have said "BATMAN" in the title, but it was more about the JOKER, and then Penguin, Cat-Woman etc. I don't watch those movies, and never even bothered with "Batman & Robin" at the theatre - I can't even say I've watched it straight thru. Sure, they made a lot of $$$ on the first couple of movies, but they eventually killed the franchise. Batman became the guest star in his own movies, played by THREE different actors!!!

    Jack Nicholson was the wrong guy to play the Joker - it always should have been WILLEM DAFOE - who had the perfect leering smile required. But when the biggest star of the movie is NOT the hero - well, you see what happened.

    I hope they NEVER bring Robin into the picture in the current series of movies. It would mean the end of a good thing!
     
  18. Lonson

    Lonson I'm in the kitchen with the Tombstone Blues

    I've seen episodes of both the Batman and the Batman Beyond series. They're good, but I'm just not a fan of animated shows. I guess I never watched enough cartoons as a youngster.
     
  19. paustin

    paustin Member

    Location:
    columbus, oh
    since we're voting on Batman's portrayal it doesn't seem fair to lump Clooney in with Kilmer although now I retract that because I remember the gay romp that both these films were (no offense to gay people). Although on a purly acting level I prefer Clooney to Kilmer.
     
  20. Walt

    Walt Forum Resident

    Location:
    Baltimore, MD
    I LOVE the music from the Adam West series... and the line "Somedays you just can't get rid of a bomb." But that's it, for me.

    I voted for Batman: The Animated Series (Adam West even voiced a has-been actor who once played a televised hero... (The Grey Ghost)). The characters were perfectly cast (Mark Hamill IS The Joker, as far as I'm concerned). I can't wait until my nephew gets a little older so I can watch some of these episodes with him (he's six and recently dressed as Batman for Halloween).
     
  21. JC-L

    JC-L New Member

    Location:
    Virginia
    I've seen just one episode of Batman Beyond and didn't care for it, but I have the first disc of The Animated Series on the way from Netflix.

    I don't typically go for animated shows, but that Spectacular Spider-Man show from a few years back was great. Someone got the first season as a gift for my son, and the whole family became hooked on it. Now if they'd only release the second season in a single set, rather than 3 or 4 episodes at a time...
     
  22. czeskleba

    czeskleba Senior Member

    Location:
    Seattle
    Exactly. The problem was that Burton clearly did not find Batman as interesting as his antagonists. Burton is not interested in heroes and has no affinity for them. He did his best to turn Batman into a quirky, antisocial outsider (pretty much the template for all Burton characters) but he still was inevitably drawn to the villains as being more in step with his sensibilities, so he focused on them. Beyond the collection of tics he displays, Batman is a cipher in the Burton films. Burton was a really odd choice to direct Batman films. About all I can say for them is that it looked nice. I suspect he was chosen in large part because of his visual style, and the sense it was "comic booky."
     
  23. Oatsdad

    Oatsdad Oat, Biscuits, Abbie & Mitzi: Best Dogs Ever

    Location:
    Alexandria VA
    :righton: on both points. "Dark Knight" is just awesome Batman, and "Begins" is excellent as well. I really love the two Burton films as well...
     
  24. guppy270

    guppy270 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Levittown, NY
    LOL...the "somedays you just can't get rid of a bomb" has been a line used by my friends and family as a joke for YEARS. I think that's the main part of the film that anybody remembers. I loved that movie when I was a kid in the mid-seventies...I watched it a few weeks ago with my daughter and, man, that thing draaags.
     
  25. Michelle66

    Michelle66 Senior Member Thread Starter

    The 60's movie is nowhere as good as the series, as they tried to pack too much in it.

    It does have its moments, but the style and pace of the first season of the TV show is hard to beat.

    Unfortunately, with a legal mess keeping the series unvailable on home video, the movie is all there is.

    BTW, for a real shot of superhero cheesiness - including Adam West and Burt Ward appearing in their familiar roles - Warner Archive has just released the two 1979 "Legend of the Super Heroes" TV specials. (Those of you who need your comic book heroes all serious and dark, you'd better not look. These two specials might give you a rash...)
     
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