Past Entertainment Articles.

Article for the week of 7/4/06

Holy Special Edition, Batman: The movie!
By, Cozmic (the OTHER Penguin)

Some might consider it odd that we here at RPP review a movie released 40 years ago, but we always strive to... oh, who am I kidding, there were no good CD's out recently for me to review, and Superman returns or other movies that look interesting have not premièred over here. So thus, in my vein of reviewing Batman movies, ladies and gentlemen, and adventure-lovers everywhere that fit in to neither of those categories: Batman: the Movie: the review!
Now, before you watch this movie, there are some things you need to remember. That Batman is absolutely insanely cool.. in most incarnations in the last 20 years. Other than that, you are all set to go!
A lot of this movie can be explained by simply summing up one scene in the movie, which brings us perfectly into the plot. Batman has just narrowly avoided death by exploding, leg-eating shark, due to the shark-repellent Bat-spray. And thus begins the detective work of our noble hero Batman (Adam West), and his sidekick Robin(Burt Ward).
Batman: Pretty *fishy* what happened to me on that ladder...
Commissioner Gordon: You mean where there's a fish there could be a penguin?
Robin: But wait! It happened at sea... Sea. C for Catwoman!
Batman: Yet, an exploding shark *was* pulling my leg...
Commissioner Gordon: The Joker!
Chief O'Hara: All adds up to a sinister riddle... Riddle-R. Riddler!
Commissioner Gordon: A thought strikes me... So dreadful I scarcely dare give it utterance...
Batman: The four of them... Their forces combined...
Robin: Holy nightmare!
And there you have it. The Penguin(Burgess Meredith), Catwoman(Lee Meriwether), The Joker (Cesar Romero) and the Riddler(Frank Gorshin) have combined forces to some sinister plot nobody but the world's greatest detective can stop. And if you doubt Batman's brains, this movie is bound to prove to you that he is the smartest man alive. He does seem to have some small problems with recognizing faces, however. But that is all I have to say about that. Instead, I can go on to pick on the details of the movie, such as the costumes. So Adam West has a beer gut and nylon clothing. Two things that should not be combined, no matter how hilarious it is. The same goes for Robin's tights and frighteningly small shorts, and the less said about the Riddler, the better. The all-too-clearly labelled gadgets are all the better in that case. Such as the aforementioned Bat-spray or the Batmobile. You know, that thing that has that pimptastic look that makes every other Batmobile run crying off. In tears of laughter. Anyone trying to take this movie seriously would either be from the 60's or downright weird. It's bizarre, and does in no way manage to portray Batman as the cool crimefighter he is, while also having some of the funniest scenes in a superhero movie (and yes, I am aware Batman has no superpowers). The acting is over the top, the plot is hilarious, the moral pointers corny, and the effects.. my god, the effects! They hit you in the face with a mighty “POW”! Or a “thwack”, “zonk”, “bang” or other such things. And the fight choreographer was on vacation, I am guessing.
Now no Special Edition would be complete without special features, and here we get a still gallery from Adam West, the trailer for the movie, a look at the Batmobile, and a commentary by Burt Ward and Adam West that is guaranteed to get a few chuckles, considering it was recorded decades later. All in all, holy two thumbs up Batman! This is a bat-tastic movie and is a perfect way to see just how differently the Batman character can be interpreted.