Patrick H. Willems Explains Why BATMAN ’66 Is Great

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I disagree with his notion that the film is the perfect representation of the series, but it’s still enjoyable (if overlong for what it is). I really do miss that narration, though.

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Where would you have put the narration?

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Usually, the narration acts as a transition between scenes.

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I think the film didn’t measure up to many of the TV episodes, primarily because Adam West dictated the extent that Bruce Wayne, rather than Batman, would appear on-screen, which must have controlled the options in the script a bit. Lorenzo Semple, having written a number of first season episodes, may have already burned through his best ideas.
Also, as Bruce Timm found on the animated series, teaming up a bunch of villains runs the risk of making each appear less important and interesting. Also, for Pete’s sake, just pay Julie Newmar what you were paying the guys. And the final problem is that viewer good will towards the film spirals down rapidly after the finale’s melee. Just get the film over with! I think overall the action works better than the story or humor do.

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That’s why she wasn’t in it?

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The explanation given was that Julie was busy filming Mackenna’s Gold. But Burgess Meredith is in both Meckenna’s Gold and the Batman film (and making a lot more than Julie would have been paid). So my unproven assumption is that her absence was a salary dispute.

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Never assume anything

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Big fan of Willems’ coverage as usual. He typically doesn’t talk about comic book movies much, but when he does, his unique perspectives always make for a welcome change from the mainstream narratives that only talk about contemporary movies and never comics. Heck, for his video about R-Rated Super-Hero Movies, he interviewed Gerry Freaking Conway for goodness sake! Pretty cool in my opinion!

Because he usually doesn’t weigh in so hard on the mainstream narratives though, I’m kind of dreading his long awaited Zack Snyder video: I don’t really care what anyone thinks about Zack Snyder except for myself, haha!

But this video as with most others Willems makes, is a delight.

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Agree, and his video on Dick Tracy movie is fantastic

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He have any take on WW84?

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Not as far as I know. He doesn’t make a point to have a hot take on every new superhero movie like some do. Maybe he tweeted on it, idk, but there’s no video essay.

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Okay, just wondering if he reviewed it

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