Most people remember Adam West’s Batman and Burt Ward’s Robin because of the legendary TV show, but the stars also brought the BAM! POW! and WOW! to 1966’s Batman: The Movie.
In the same vein as the series, this isn’t Michael Keaton or Ben Affleck’s Dark Knight. This version of the character doesn’t take himself too sullenly or seriously, leaning more into the camp factor of a man dressing up as a bat and fighting crime rather than someone suffering from the childhood trauma of witnessing his parents’ murder. Here, it’s as much about the theatrical aspect of the cape and cowl as it is the over-the-top action.
Having said that, Batman: The Movie features some high stakes. Gotham City’s greatest villains – Penguin (Burgess Meredith), Joker (Cesar Romero), Riddler (Frank Gorshin), and Catwoman (Lee Meriwether) – assemble as the United Underworld, and their collective scheme is more devious than anyone could ever imagine. They have discovered a dehydrator that’s capable of turning humans into dust (they can be rehydrated, though, since these villains aren’t entirely evil). As part of their nefarious plan, the United Underworld wants to turn the United World Organization’s Security Council into dust and hold the world for ransom.
Yeah, it’s an absolutely ridiculous story, but it’s never boring or tedious. Instead, it wildly entertains the audience, packing each scene with the excitement and wonder that you’d expect from these iconic characters. If you encountered this tale in an issue of Detective Comics in the ’60s, you would have devoured it in one sitting, because it never feels as if somebody is trying too hard, or attempting to imitate the flavor of the week of the era. There’s a sense of originality to the whole thing – something that the current crop of DC movies often lacks.
In terms of the lead characters, Batman: The Movie builds on what the audience is familiar with from the show – except on a much bigger budget. The Dynamic Duo aren’t short of trademark quips, nor gadgetry and tricks, as they use everything they can think of to fight crime and unexpected enemies. Remember all the jokes about the shark-repellent Bat-Spray? That’s from this movie.
Oh, and that meme where Batman runs around with a bomb over his head and says, “Some days you just can’t get rid of a bomb”? Also from here. It’s a film bubbling over with famous moments that continue to be a part of the pop culture zeitgeist to this day.
Above all, Batman: The Movie understands the difference between fun and parody. It knows how to have a good time, but there’s never any disrespect shown to the characters. They’re simply more lighthearted in their tone and behavior – akin to their Lego counterparts as a direct example. However, this never becomes farcical.
As it turns out, this is something that Adam West fought for on the show and film. “I was at war with the producers at the beginning because of that,” West told Den of Geek. “They wanted it to be stiff and at one level. I wouldn’t do it. So the letters and memos flew back and forth, but after a week or so, a wonderful thing happened – they trusted me. They said ‘Let him go, let him do what he’s doing.'”
There’s a glee in watching Batman: The Movie that never gets old. It’s unapologetic in its joyful telling of superhero shenanigans. It serves as a reminder that the Dark Knight doesn’t need to be broody or wrapped in grit and realism all the time. Sometimes, the willingness to lean into the absurd with affection and respect is all that’s necessary for the viewer to say, “Holy marathon! I’m getting a stitch, Batman!”
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Where to watch Batman: The Movie (1966):
