Batman '66 Marathon

 My dream has finally come true!  After years of delay due to the legal issues, the classic Batman TV show staring Adam West and Burt Ward has finally been released on DVD and Bluray in the US!!  

I was Bat-Crazy back in the day-- consuming everything Bat related including the 1940's serials, the 1989 Tim Burton movie & its sequal, Batman the Animated Series, and most importantly this amazing TV show.  Out of all those incarnations, the 20th Century Fox version of 1966-68 is most fun, campy, and brilliant.  It's been years since I've watched it though, since it wasn't available on DVD until this month.  I wondered how it would hold up over to the test of time-- and to my not being a kid anymore.  I'm thrilled to say that it's held up very well.

The show starts off a little weak- midway thru the first season it starts to become too predictable and formulaic.  They even re-use the same Batmobile footage over and over.  I'm sure this was a cost cutting measure.  Luckily the show really hits sits stride in the 2nd season.  The writing improves and so do the guest stars!

Two of my favorites are the incomparable Vincent Price as Egghead and the fabulous Liberace as Chandell.  These two represent the best of what this show has to offer.  Egghead isn't a villain from the comic book but rather was created specifically for the master of horror, Vincent Price.  He is brilliant in the role, bringing a deliciously creepy factor to what could have been played a simply a silly over-the-top baddie.  Likewise, Chandell makes no appearance in the comic books but was written for the famous piano playing showman Liberace.  He wasn't much of an actor but he brings his real flamboyantly gay personality to the show BRILLIANTLY!  

I can't wait to get to season 3 in my marathon to finally get to my favorite heroine, Batgirl!