'Batman' 1966-68 live-action TV series wish for Blu-ray/DVD
- Thread starter jefferiestubes8
- Start date
Who was the target audience for 'Batman' series during the initial broadcast run [NOT syndication]?
children between 5-12?
Oh, that's the beauty of it. It was two different shows in one, for two different audiences. Kids watched it as a straight-up comic-book adventure, while adults enjoyed it as a farcical sitcom, catching the satire, in-jokes, and sexual innuendo that flew right over the kids' heads. It was aired in early prime time, 7:30 PM, accessible to all age groups. It was quite popular with college students, just as a lot of prime-time animated shows today are.
As a child, I took the show completely seriously and was genuinely impressed by the action and danger. As a teen, I realized how silly it was and looked on it with disdain. But once I was grown up, I took a fresh look at it, realized it was supposed to be silly, and gained an appreciation for what an innovative, unique comedy it was. And my experience was pretty common. According to producer William Dozier, quoted in The Official Batman Batbook by Joel Eisner (1986, Contemporary Books), p. 11:
There's also a problem with some of those cameos being in character. There's one where Ted Cassidy appears in character as Lurch from The Addams Family, for instance.
There's some good info on this here.
soundtrack theme song
I have a TV theme song CD for 50's-60s and all the songs are in mono.
Does anyone know if the original Batman theme song recording was released in stereo on a CD?
All television shows were mixed in mono in the 1950s-1986 and that would include any music.
I am not talking about a cover by another artist but the original recording used for the TV show mixed in stereo for an album release.
If the original theme song were mixed in stereo for a 70s-80s re-release perhaps the song could be used in stereo on a Blu-ray/DVD release during the shows intro?
Doubtful original elements remain as even with TOS-R the original theme song could not be remixed into stereo or 5.1 surround sound so they decided to re-record it in 2006.
I have a TV theme song CD for 50's-60s and all the songs are in mono.
Does anyone know if the original Batman theme song recording was released in stereo on a CD?
All television shows were mixed in mono in the 1950s-1986 and that would include any music.
I am not talking about a cover by another artist but the original recording used for the TV show mixed in stereo for an album release.
If the original theme song were mixed in stereo for a 70s-80s re-release perhaps the song could be used in stereo on a Blu-ray/DVD release during the shows intro?
Doubtful original elements remain as even with TOS-R the original theme song could not be remixed into stereo or 5.1 surround sound so they decided to re-record it in 2006.
Re: soundtrack theme song
^I have an old cassette-tape edition of a soundtrack album featuring music cues and dialogue excerpts from the show (digitally remastered from the original recordings), and it doesn't say "stereo" anywhere on the package (it says "Dolby System," not "Dolby Stereo"). However, I just popped it in my old portable cassette player, which amazingly still functions (though the volume controls have very corroded contacts so there's a ton of crackling when I adjust the volume). It does appear to be in stereo; the da-da-da-da ostinato is audible on both channels, but the annoying "Batmaaaan" singers fade out when I turn down the right channel to zero, and there's a bridge portion (not used on TV) containing a flute melody that's audible only (or mainly) on the left channel.
Okay, you owe me one, because now I've got that annoying "Batmaaan, Batmaaan, Batmaaan" stuck in my head. I loved Nelson Riddle's score for the show, but I could never stand the singers in the Hefti theme.
More info on the soundtrack: My tape is apparently a rerelease (and remaster) of a 1966 Polygram release entitled simply Batman: Exclusive Original Television Soundtrack Album. That might mean that the "remastering" was from the master print of the soundtrack album, rather than the actual master recordings from the show. The album apparently features cues and dialogue from the first (Riddler), second (Penguin), fourth (Mr. Freeze), and fifth (Zelda the Great) 2-part storylines.
^I have an old cassette-tape edition of a soundtrack album featuring music cues and dialogue excerpts from the show (digitally remastered from the original recordings), and it doesn't say "stereo" anywhere on the package (it says "Dolby System," not "Dolby Stereo"). However, I just popped it in my old portable cassette player, which amazingly still functions (though the volume controls have very corroded contacts so there's a ton of crackling when I adjust the volume). It does appear to be in stereo; the da-da-da-da ostinato is audible on both channels, but the annoying "Batmaaaan" singers fade out when I turn down the right channel to zero, and there's a bridge portion (not used on TV) containing a flute melody that's audible only (or mainly) on the left channel.
Okay, you owe me one, because now I've got that annoying "Batmaaan, Batmaaan, Batmaaan" stuck in my head. I loved Nelson Riddle's score for the show, but I could never stand the singers in the Hefti theme.
More info on the soundtrack: My tape is apparently a rerelease (and remaster) of a 1966 Polygram release entitled simply Batman: Exclusive Original Television Soundtrack Album. That might mean that the "remastering" was from the master print of the soundtrack album, rather than the actual master recordings from the show. The album apparently features cues and dialogue from the first (Riddler), second (Penguin), fourth (Mr. Freeze), and fifth (Zelda the Great) 2-part storylines.
I would love a DVD/Blu-Ray set of Batman. The fact that it hasn't been released is painful. I hope the rights get resolved soon. I'm personally hoping for a Blu release, but I'll probably take anything for Batman...except Blu-Rays. Batman wouldn't like that. 
Re: soundtrack theme song
Christopher, have you ever heard The Who's cover of Hefti's Batman theme? Keith Moon's drumming is surprisingly restrained, and hearing Daltrey and Townshend do falsetto voices is fun.
I would love a DVD/Blu-Ray set of Batman. The fact that it hasn't been released is painful. I hope the rights get resolved soon. I'm personally hoping for a Blu release, but I'll probably take anything for Batman...except Blu-Rays. Batman wouldn't like that.
THREAD NECROMANCY!!!!
Bah, too lazy to dig it up.
