Because of all the hype of this new blu-ray set I DVR'd a few episodes of Batman off of IFC. I watched it a little bit as a kid but as a child of the 70's who really didn't care for 60's genre television like Star Trek I never really got into it. The Incredible Hulk was my show and Batman just seemed so...lame in comparison.
But anyway I watched a few episodes again finally as a 40 year old adult and...Holy New Perspective I love this show now. It's like the freaking Naked Gun with all of its deadpan deliveries of utter absurdity. There is humor in there that is pure gold for an adult. It's so absurd, so campy, but completely brilliant. A little bit also like Looney Tunes with the humor and references that few kids will pick up. Sure it's got a lot of cheesy 1960's era silliness, but I immediately "get" what Schumacher was going for and utterly failed to achieve. I knew that he was really trying to channel some aspects of the show, and thought he was a moron for doing so back in the 90's, but now I see that if he had actually *succeeded* it would have been hella entertaining.
And I'm amazed at what that show accomplished without today's dramatic lighting, moody angst, sculpted suits over pumped up actors. In such a ridiculous setting with a far from superheroic physique and silly ass tights Adam West somehow was cooler than all other Batmans that followed. And I'd seen some jaw dropping bikini shots of Julie Newmar back in the day but seeing her in action as Catwoman just cements her as the sexiest woman to wear the costume. Her whole look and vibe, on the one hand weird and over the top in a Naked Gun kind of way, but still so daaaaaaaamn. I'm watching the silliness and I can't help but think "reform her Batman, she wants you, take her dude!"
The dutch angles, weird colored lighting, I absolutely see all of Schumacher's inspiration but he just couldn't capture the magic. I'm so into this "universe" now, and want to see all the different villains. Just a few minutes ago I ordered the complete set off of Amazon.
I can't get enough of West's delivery. I watched the episode where the Sandman stole the Batmobile and Batman comes into the Batcave and tells Alfred, "I took a bus and then batwalked the rest of the way up the hill." Just totally straight faced. "Batwalked" to just describe himself walking. I seriously laugh *out loud* like three or four times an episode. I love this show now.
The colors were pretty washed out on IFC. I can't wait to see what it looks like on blu-ray.