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Rating:  -
I was looking forward to this one, but Columbia and Sony should be utterly ashamed of their presentation of "Batman 1943" on two fronts:
(1) I've been aware of the anti-Japanese-propaganda aspect of this WWII-era serial for a long time, but some customers might not. Not only is this important parental-guidance issue mentioned nowhere on the package, the package itself is designed to look as much like "Batman Begins" as is legally possible. Real nice, guys.
(2) As other reviews have noted, the transfer quality is unprofessionally sloppy. Chapter One looks washed-out and is full of uncorrected film flaws. While the video and sound quality improves thereafter, in the middle of Chapter Two the video abruptly reverts for a few seconds to a scene that occurred earlier--a DVD transfer error, not in the original film--and the cliffhanger ending and "capper" of that chapter is cut short.
I'm in the middle of Chapter Three right now, and I can only HOPE that nothing else is so seriously screwed-up about this collection.
This was put together by people who did not give a tinker's damn about the quality of the finished product.
Rating:  -
First, I would also like to say thank you to the studio for releasing the uncensored version of this movie serial. I had seen it previously on a vhs tape and realized later that what I had seen was an edited (censored) version. I was happy to see this serial released on dvd format and happier still to find that it was the uncensored version as originally released.
THE DVD
The picture and sound are better than the vhs tape I used to have. I have also seen part of a "non-commercially released" dvd which was sold online and the picture and sound here are also better than other releases you might find. Because of the age of this film, the picture is not 100% crisp and clear. I'm sure those who had the pleasure of seeing them in the theater or who own the film prints can argue they could have been better, but I think this is probably the best that will be available. As in previous reviews, I agree that the picture on Chapter 1 is contrasty and not as sharp as the other chapters, particularly the first shot of Batman sitting in The Bat's Cave. I do not know about what the availability of a better-looking master for this first chapter, so I cannot give a lower rating because of this.
My only complaint is that the preview for Chapter 3 which comes at the end of the cliffhanger in Chapter 2 was not present. Why they left this off, I do not know. You have the complete story, so it isn't like you're missing part of the story because of this omission, but it's still a curiousity.
Also, I noticed in Chapter 2 as well, when Bruce Wayne is making a telephone call to Linda Page, on my disc there is a brief flicker of the picture to the scene just previous showing a shot of the villains. Did anyone else notice this?
THE CONTENT
I had the pleasure of reading some of the original Batman comic books in reprints. I recommend The Batman Chronicles and The Greatest Batman Stories Ever Told as containing some early Batman tales. Batman in the Forties looks good too, but I haven't yet read that one. Having said that, I can say that this adaptation is much more true to the concept of Batman as he originally appeared than any of the later incarnations. Batman wasn't all-powerful and occasionally makes mistakes. Sometimes he gets knocked unconscious or overpowered by a group of mobsters. A few henchmen are also killed because of Batman's actions. Bruce Wayne is an act. He's a fop, a rich playboy who pretends to live the party life and tires easily. Alfred is much more bumbling comic relief than his later incarnations. Robin/Dick Grayson... what's up with his hair? I think he's sort of creepy. The police are depicted as lazy and corrupt, particularly Captain Arnold. It's interesting to see Batman at his beginning so that we can see and appreciate how his character has evolved over the years.
You won't find the Batmobile here. It hadn't been introduced yet! Batman and Robin were driven around in Bruce Wayne's car and they often have Alfred pull into an alley so they can change into their costumes. Also absent are Commissioner Gordon and any of the well-known villains.
As for censorship, I am glad to see the uncensored version of this dvd released. Racism is an ugly thing, and the fact that the country was at war at the time this movie was made is not an excuse. But, censorship is an ugly thing too. Only be releasing things in their entirety, the uncensored version, can we get it out in the open and talk about it. We learn from the past and from our mistakes, not by sweeping them under a rug and ignoring them or pretending they didn't exist. Again, I would like to commend Sony for releasing the complete unedited version.
CONCLUSION
This movie is goofy and was intended as Saturday morning or afternoon fun. Superheroes were not treated with the same reverence we have for them today and it was not give that same treatment. I recommend watching it for several reasons. First, it's entertaining. Second, for the bat-fan who wants to see Batman's first live action appearance and a close interpretation to the original character concept. Finally, for the historical significance of watching an old movie matinee serial and as a little time capsule to see the world in 1943.
I give this dvd 4 stars. It misses a higher rating only because of the little goofs in Chapter 2 which look like they should have been corrected before it was released.
Rating: -
The very first film adventure of the Batman as he goes up against a Japanese spy plotting to destroy the US and assist the Japanese in taking over the world during WWII. Firstly, I'd like to praise Sony for releasing this uncensored and unedited. There are quite a few racial slurs throughout that were common when we were at war and patriotism is played up here quite heavily. The serial is interesting if just for witnessing the depictions of the Americans, the Japanese, and the sellouts who work for Daka, the villain.
The serial introduced "The Bat's Cave" to Batman and also the grandfather clock entrance to it. There's no Batmobile or much of anything pulled out of the utility belt. Plenty of fisticuffs play out on screen with a fight in almost every chapter. This is not something to watch straight through. It's best to take it a chapter at a time as each subsequent chapter replays how the previous one ended.
Thee acting is good for a 1940s serial. The story is nothing special, to be honest, but it's easy to follow though a bit predictable. Lewis Wilson does look a bit dumpy in the Batman costume, but the costume for this film is probably closest to the original intended costume. There's no rubber armor are.
Overall, an enjoyabel time as long as you don't take it seriously and don't get offended easily. It helps to remember that the Batman character was only four years old at this point so a lot of the mythology had not developed and the character was not engrained into the public consciousness as he is now. Good for what it is.
Rating: -
Folks that expect some kind of mind-altering experience out of the old serials, will definately not like either the 43 or the 49 versions. For those who grew up in the years when kids used their imaginations and looked forward to seeing the current serial that would pick up where it left off...they are the people that make up the buying audience. Them and the collectors that may be much younger, but have an imagination (something so many children grow up without). I remember the excitement, in the very early 60's, when Lowe's Grand (where "Gone With The Wind" was first released and shown) ran a special one-day-only marathon of both of these Batman collections, 35mm, uncut/uncensored/unedited; popcorn, drinks and candybars were all cheap, as was admission. This was quite an exciting day and everyone that came was just as excited. For me, it was something I never would've thought would be, yet here it was, hours of Batman & Robin serials, complete - I had never seen but a few of the episodes before; and seeing Robin, again, with what was almost an afro was hillarious. I can easily remember the fun I had that day; it was like that whenever the Superman TV series came on. This current hollywood trend of bringing to "life" so many superheros from the past and more recent years is also wonderful; I think many kids will grow up with them and the enjoyment they bring to those who have the spark of an imagination.
Anyway... If you have an imagination and still have that fun loving kid inside, you'll like these. If not, you should know in advance that the Superheros serial-movies from the 30's to 40's aren't going to be slick hollywood productions; they are what they are, e.g. the best of what there was for that genre at the time and really bring back good memories the rest of us. Sure, Republic had a couple of the best special effects guys, and directors, writers etc., but all of the studios involved in this genre of films did the best for their low budgets, and really did a fine job overall. Captain Marvel, the originator of "Shazam!" was a good serial and then there were a couple 15-chapter Superman serials out in 1949-1950. The first set was "Superman" and the second set was "Atom Man vs Superman," both well done. Interestingly enough, Noel Neill played Lois Lane in BOTH of these serial sets, yet she was not the first choice for Lois in the TV series! Even though I believe she was in the pilot, she was not to be cast as Lois Lane until a number of episodes into their production. Seeing her and Jimmy Olsen in the first new Superman movie, even if very short cameos, was a great touch.
In closing, that these movies, serials and virtually anything that was ever filmed are being transferred to DVD (music to CD), the perfect storage medium that has an inherently long life (longer than the majority of folks live at the moment) is great; we get the enjoyment from them and historians will have something to keep documentarians busy in the next century!
These Batman & Robin serials, complete as their original counterparts, are worth the virtually small amount of money spent for the hours of enjoyment you'll get. Go for it and have fun!!
Rating:  -
Jonathan Drake has it right in his review.
Aside from the poor picture quality, the original
soundtrack has been so filtered that the background
music drops out when dialogue stops.
I have seen this serial in 35mm and it was superb
on all counts. Too bad it has been ruined.
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