Why No 1960s Batman TV Series on VHS, DVD, etc.?

[Professor Zoom]

Babaganoosh wrote:

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The Wiki link for the series says that some of these cameos were done as uncredited, unpaid walk-ons. How, if any, would this complicate the rights issues?

That's what he's saying: it probably isn't the complication.

Probably the real complication is ownership between Fox and WB, maybe Dozier...

And now with the Watchman case...the relations between Fox and WB isn't great...

[Christopher]

Babaganoosh wrote:

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The Wiki link for the series says that some of these cameos were done as uncredited, unpaid walk-ons. How, if any, would this complicate the rights issues?

It wouldn't. If they weren't credited or paid appearances in the first place, the performers in question couldn't get any residuals, ever. An extra cut of nothing is still nothing. And as stated, even most performers back then who were credited and paid didn't get residuals specified in their contracts.

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Christopher wrote:

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It wouldn't. If they weren't credited or paid appearances in the first place, the performers in question couldn't get any residuals, ever.

The Wiki link goes on to say that since some of the cameos were unpaid and uncredited, Fox has no home video clearances for them. Is this just inaccuracy on Wiki's part, then?

[Christopher]

I don't know, I'm not an expert. I don't see why there would be rights issues, but these things can be crazy, so maybe I'm wrong. Or maybe they're wrong.

[nx1701g]

Babaganoosh wrote:

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The Wiki link goes on to say that since some of the cameos were unpaid and uncredited, Fox has no home video clearances for them. Is this just inaccuracy on Wiki's part, then?

I could understand the no video clearances on them because there was no video back then. As for the cameos I can understand that being something that holds things up.

[Sephiroth]

the truth is, that I own the DVD rights to batman TCS, and i have buried the originals in my back yard

[The Old Mixer]

Well, it's not DVD, but...

http://www.youtube.com/view_play_lis...496A419A16E202

[RandyS]

NCC-1701 wrote:

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I love this series and would definitely buy the DVDs.

So do I, and so would I.

What I've never understood is why the fans of a more serious Batman (which I admittedly, am one), don't see this show for what it is: a spoof. Everything under the sun has been spoofed at one time or another, and this show was simply Batman's turn.

I think of it like this: Batman 1966 is to "serious" Batman, what Spaceballs was to Star Wars.

[The Old Mixer]

^Speaking from my own experience, it's because this show dominated the popular perception of what Batman was for over two decades. There was a time when, in the minds of "serious" Batman fans, it had to be brought down to make way for something more definitive.

But that time is long past. The "Dark Knight" Batman has been dominant for two decades now, and Batman '66 is no threat to that.

[RandyS]

The Old Mixer wrote:

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^Speaking from my own experience, it's because this show dominated the popular perception of what Batman was for over two decades. There was a time when, in the minds of "serious" Batman fans, it had to be brought down to make way for something more definitive.

But that time is long past. The "Dark Knight" Batman has been dominant for two decades now, and Batman '66 is no threat to that.

Well, if the 66 show is no threat to that, then release the damn DVD's already......

[The Old Mixer]

^Fan perception of the merits of the show has nothing to do with it not being on DVD. That's all about some legal issues between Warner and Fox.

[Sheliak]

There is no other Batman than 60's TV Batman.

[RandyS]

The Old Mixer wrote:

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^Fan perception of the merits of the show has nothing to do with it not being on DVD. That's all about some legal issues between Warner and Fox.

Yeah, I know. I was just venting. I want those DVD's. I've had the show on tape since the summer of 1989, and they are starting to wear out.

[RookieBatman]

N-121973 wrote:

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Speaking of old TV shows that should be on DVD, I think Disney should release the colourised editions of the old Guy Williams Zorro show from the 50s on DVD. I've watched a few clips of the colourised episodes on Youtube recently and they're quite good. Like Batman it was something I used to watch on Saturday mornings.

Well, if you (or any kids you might have) are a fan of various other Disney products, you might be in luck. The colorized first season and maybe half of the second is on DVD exclusively through the Disney DVD club. This means that you'd have to get like five other DVDs as obligation to the club membership, but if you like Disney stuff, that's no loss.
Along with wishing they would be non-exclusive, I wish they'd release the original b&w versions. I'm not really a fan of colorizing since I don't mind black and white. I just prefer things to be in their original format. But yes, in whatever form, I do wish they would put this show on DVD.
In addition to Zorro and Batman, the other must-release shows on my list are Maverick, the Lone Ranger (although, 36 episodes have been released, but with no more likely forthcoming anytime soon), the Green Hornet, Major Dad (hey, I'm a military brat), and the X-Men cartoon.

As for the question of cameos mucking up the works, I read about this Bob Hope movie called "The Paleface," a western comedy. Apparently, according to the IMDB trivia (or maybe Wikipedia?), Bob Hope had so much influence back then that he got a crazy amount of cameos from all the western superluminaries of the time. He had James Arness as Matt Dillon, James Garner as Brett Maverick, Fess Parker as Davy Crockett, and others. It seems that no TV presentation or video release of The Paleface has ever been totally complete, because they weren't allowed to use some of the cameos outside of the theatrical release. I don't know any of the whys and wherefores of that, but there might be a similar situation like that for Batman. I doubt that's the only problem, but consider; even if they just edited out all those cameos and released the show without them, that editing could cost a little more than they might care to spend, if they're under the impression that the DVD's wouldn't sell well since the dark Batman is so popular now (not that I feel that way; I think I'd be one of the relatively few younger people to buy them, but I think the nostalgia crowd would have them flying off the shelves).

[RookieBatman]

Christopher wrote:

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In my experience, the Adam West Batman is a show that you love as a serious adventure series when you're a kid, then dismiss as silly and campy when you reach adolescence and want to take everything seriously, then love again when you're fully grown up and finally figure out that it was a sitcom and was intentionally silly and campy, not to mention quite clever and subversive at times. Unless you're a comic-book geek who takes Batman way too seriously and insists on ignoring the historical reality that the character hasn't always been a grim avenger of the night.

Quoted for truth!
I know that's a little old to QFT, but I figure that I disagree with Christopher enough that I should give him his proper respects when I do so absolutely agree with him as in this case. I'm constantly surprised by the amount of adults I encounter who still don't get that the comedy was intentional. I feel kinda sad for them at what they're missing.