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Rating:  -
Oh yes, this looks like it was made in 1943, and all I can say is, if you are a Japnaeese American or a German American, you will not like this at all.
Rating: -
If you like Batman...and I mean a lot, then this is a good buy...but only if you want to see what Batman was like back in the days when we were still fighting Hitler. I would have given it one star if it were something other than Batman. The acting was terrible, the camera work was horrible, and they were so damn racist back then (but then again, it was the 40's which explains all of those set backs). I wanted to give it 3 stars, but I just doesn't deserve it...at all. Oh, and Robin is a creepy looking kid.
Rating:  -
I've seen, practically, every live-action version of Batman, in some capacity. That is, except for the 1943 & 1949 movie serials that followed the debut of the comic in 1940. So, it was with alot of excitement to get my hands on Batman-The Complete 1943 Movie Serial 2-disc DVD Collection. This is the very first film version of Batman ever made and, I must say, certainly fits the mold for the comic at the time. While politically incorrect, it is still a must-see for Batman fans. Keep in mind, though, that this was filmed during World War II and was made on a meager budget. Batfans will be disappointed that no villains from the comic are in the serial or no Batman's gadgets & whatnot. Directed by Lambert Hillyer, the serial stars Lewis Wilson, Douglas Croft, and J. Carrol Naish. In this serial, Batman and Robin go up against the likes of Dr. Tito Daka(a man obsessed with destroying Gotham City). It's up to them to stop his evil schemes of electronic zombies, alligator-infested pits and more.
My personal take on the collection? Well, I really enjoyed it myself. The serials' plot devices and action were a little tamer than the 1949 serial but I really enjoyed it. Back in those days, Columbia wasn't known for making good serials but this is one of their better ones of the day. I'm really glad I added it to my collection of all things Batman. However, I wish they had added some extra features of some sort to it(audio commentary, etc). It would've made this collection a little more inviting to me.
Rating:  -
I guess I love this serial so much because it takes me back to Batman's roots. Those silly, formulaic stories (always ending in a life or death cliff-hangar), the `40s cars, fedoras, suits, and gangster slang, all take me back to the core of Batman with an unfiltered lens. Unlike the Tim Burton film or Bruce Timm animated series, both of which tried to recreate a sort of 1940s Gotham City, this serial was actually there, filming as the 1940s were happening. In a way, that makes this feel like a more genuine Batman story to me, like the "real" Batman might actually swing by in the background while the episode is being filmed. The fact that Bob Kane assisted on these scripts only adds to this feeling of seeing it as it happened.
On top of that, the casting is brilliant for Batman and Robin. Lewis Wilson plays the best Bruce Wayne I've ever seen. He's adorably contemptible as a slacker who complains that he was only able to sleep until noon with a devilish smile. More importantly, his chemistry with Douglas Croft (playing Robin) is priceless. The two have that mischievous father/son relationship that always should have been in the classic Batman and Robin stories, but never came across quite right (even with West and Ward).
Finally, there's the over-arching plot. While the anti-Japanese hysteria in these episodes is downright embarrassing and absurdly racist, it captures the post-Pearl Harbor paranoia beautifully. Batman isn't just stopping the bad guys in these stories. He's trying to make America safe again. As campy as that sounds, it comes across quite genuinely in these episodes. Batman feels like more of a hero here than in any other context, waging a one man war against a terrifying enemy that made 1940s America shake in their beds at night.
Don't approach this serial looking for complexity or depth of character. Rather, what this film has to offer is rich period tone and, more importantly, a bright and cheery Batman/Robin team-up that offers more substance and a little less cheese than the 1960s TV series. If you can look past the blatant racial insensitivities and formulaic plot structure, you'll find a unique and highly rewarding interpretation of the Dark Knight.
Rating: -
Besides the normal fun of a serial, the politically incorrect terms used for the Japanese during the war and the wise government view of "internment" was shocking at first, but considering the fact we were at war with Japan and the Japanese had attacked before a formal declaration of war made the view understandable for the time. I loved the cars and dress of the time.
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