My Top 15 Batman '66 Stories - video

[BAT 77]

This was really an exercise for developing my video editing skills, and I now have a nice backdrop for the start and end of the video.

This is my personal list of Top 15 favorite Batman '66 stories. Love to hear what everyone on the board would have on their own list. And feel free to "fact check" my narrative.

[robinboyblunderer]

I posted this in another topic but figured I could repost it here.

http://www.66batman.com/forums/viewtopi ... 345#p75345

Thanks for sharing your picks.

Londinium Trilogy----a mix of nostalgia of where I was when I first saw them plus the following qualities: the exotic environment, a lot of outdoor shots, and refreshing change of pace with the villainess's (sp?) taking an interest in Robin. Bonus points for the skeleton in the Londinium Batcave, Alfred busting open the gates and the Indian Rope Trick, and Adam's first season level of deadpan acting when discussing it. Sure, the African Death-Bee with its wire and googly eyes is the exact opposite of menacing but Burt and Lynne Peters sell the scene, a real sense of menace from her.

Purrfect Crime----the ultimate Catwoman episode? Her lair is fantastic, full of menace and unease and feels huge! The way she plays with her foes is fun and I also enjoy her disgust at the thought of dating the Joker.

And while I enjoy lovey-dovey Catwoman there's something about seeing her gleefully and completely evil that makes this a lot of fun. Plus you get two death traps, both with fun escape/resuce and a long batfight and Catwoman's seeming fall to her doom.

Death in Slow Motion---A fun episode, perfectly mixing Riddler's menace with surreal hijinks and costume changes. Too bad Pauline gets taken out at the beginning of part two. Another classic death trap, Sherry Jackson as "Bo-Peep", the wonderfully ridiculous batarang in teeth moment and a clever and convoluted plot. Plus there's something neat about seeing scenes from the show as a black-and-white ole timey movie serial.

Bookworm----Sense of menace, Lydia Limpet, scary opening with "Gordon" getting shot, a novel schtick for the villain. "English history." One of the best trap resolutions with Batman and O'Hara, perhaps the only time the two share the screen like that. Classic Adam West acting, focusing his mind on what was said! And of course, a giant cook book and the GCPD cheering when they blow it open! Sure, a bit late but good to see some level of competence from them. Henchmen's costumes perfectly fit the villian and the taking off glasses is just witty enough without becoming stupid.


Tut's Coup----Batman and his "fakir" speech. Tut's hamming it up a la Shakespeare quote (I think) as the sarcophogus lowers. The slave girls. Alfred and his "holy" moment & slamming his fist. Neila's change of heart---sorta. An exciting one-of-a-kind countdown with Robin about to be boiled in oil, perhaps the only episode where there's that kind of tight editing, from Tut, to Robin, to slave girls, over and over, faster and faster.

And the perfect epilogue with "milk and cookies!" Awesome. Very good for Bruce, clever, witty and right over childen's heads while making adults chuckle.


Hizzoner the Penguin----I really enjoy all the political satire. My favorite of Penguin going straight plots. When he realizes he can use all his dirty tricks in politics is a fine moment. Adam's delivery during his speech, the way he leans in and pauses while reading from his card while O'Hara dozes his amazingly funny.

These episodes dance right along the edge of the "stupid Batman" I detest without going over. A great Bat-Trap, what a design. Too bad they didn't have a better resolution than the acid-proof costume, though watching Batman dive into it was amazing.


Sandman Cometh----I like the mash-up of Sandman and Catwoman. He exudes this strange haughty menace since he's from out of the country and holds the Caped Crusaders in Contempt.

Spaghetti terrifying Sandman with her gallery of dead husbands. Very good!

Perhaps the best Batman escape ever, utilizing the trap and what was at hand, no Acid-proof costumes, or Alfred Ex Machina, just his own ingenuity.

Of course, Catwoman and her all female gang, Robin as their captive being put into the maze, along with the second of three times Robin is temporarily hypnotizied against Batman. Gordon and his team actually arresting someone on their own. The Alfcycle scene..! I've gone back and rewatched Adam ducking his head, this perfect body humor he mastered as Batman, and the way the music is queued up with that quick shot.

A lot is jammed in this one and it all pretty much works for me.


True of False Face----see my earlier post above

EDITED to add:

Mummy's Uncle---King Tut finally discovers Batman's identity! I remember the shock of seeing that the very first time as a child, how were they going to get out of this?!? I had no clue there'd be Bat-Amnesia gas used but it made pefect sense.

We get a great "old-fashioned" Batfight with original fight music instead of Season 3 in the Batcave. And of course, the ending chase through the mine shaft, Tut getting bonked and Batman getting philosophical with Robin after Pr. Mackelroy is led away. One of the best Tut episodes.

That's enough for now. Holy Overkill! Too much.

cheers

[Therin of Andor]

"The Entrancing Dr. Cassandra" -- my guilty pleasure! I know people often dismiss this adventure, but Ida Lupino is extraordinary in this. Something about her delivery and style, plus all six Arch Criminals. I use to imagine that it was the ultimate story, that would have blown the guest star budget, except they used six villainous stand-ins instead. And for some reason, I loved the batfight in total darkness and the reveal of all the unconscious villains.

"Enter Batgirl, Exit Penguin" -- I have a soft spot for all the Batgirl episodes (except the last Louis the Lilac entry). Loved her introduction here, and the set up for the next Penguin double episode.

"King Tut's Coup"/"Batman's Waterloo" -- The laughs are frequent in this one. Victor Buono's King Tut is great, and Grace Lee Whitney and Lee Meriwether are hilarious!

"An Egg Grows in Gotham"/"The Yegg Foes in Gotham" -- Loved meeting Egghead and loved all the puns. As a kid I was thrilled to recognise Vincent Price in so many things.

"I'll Be a Mummy's Uncle" -- Another welcome return by King Tut and some really witty and physical comedy scenes.

"The Great Escape"/"The Great Train Robbery" -- I never appreciated Shame as a kid, but my adult self was surprised that his episodes were such pithy, clever parodies.

"The Thirteenth Hat"/"Batman Stands Pat" -- As a kid, Mad Hatter's mesmerising beam in this hat was really scary. Stealing hats was one thing, but kidnapping all the former jurors as well was a wild idea! Robin gagged and tied to the horse statue was disturbingly... sexual(?) to me as a little kid. Robin was tied up often in the series, but this scene was off the scale!

"Hi Diddle Riddle"/"Smack in the Middle" -- my memory of watching the premiere on a Sunday night in 1967 with my whole extended family is still also vivid. Australia got the ending on the Tuesday night. The wait was soooooo long. (What I didn't realise until a few years ago was that the "Batman" movie received a short season in a Sydney CBD cinema, on a double bill with "Smoky", shortly after the TV show had started here. My mother and grandmother took us to "Winnie-the-Pooh and the Honey Tree", on a double bill with "The Ugly Dachshund", which played in a theatre just around the corner from "Batman"!)

"That Darn Catwoman"/"Scat! Darn Catwoman" -- There was some great chemistry between Julie Newmar and Adam West, and now we saw it between Leslie Gore and Burt Ward. And two great songs from Pussycat (often trimmed out in the 70s and 80s repeats!)

"The Joker's Flying Saucer" -- another guilty pleasure! This takes my list to 16, but I loved the humour in this one, although the actual flying saucer flight was so short. An "abandoned launching pad factory"? How many of those would there be? Oh, and Verdigris is a favourite henchman!