1966 Batman series on Blu-ray and DVD November 2014 discussion

[Christopher]

So it's just an outline by Ellison, and all the dialogue in the comic will be by Wein, then. That makes it a little less interesting, though the idea of finally seeing Two-Face in the '66 milieu is still intriguing.

 

[Ssosmcin]

Was there a particular reason that Ellison's script wasn't produced? Batman versus Gentleman Junkie or something?

Ellison's script wasn't produced because it was never written.

He didn't get past the pitch and outline because Dozier wasn't allowed by ABC to buy anything from Ellison. Den of Geek explains

Why didn't we get to see "The Two-Way Crimes of Two-Face?" Brain Movies editor, Jason Davis provided Den of Geek with some background information, which confirms the idea that Ellison's difficulties working with ABC stemmed from a physical altercation with Adrian Samish, head of ABC's Broadcast Standards and Practices department, which ended with Samish threatening that "Ellison will NEVER work on ABC again!" A threat Samish apparently made good on. From Mr. Davis:

Indeed, Ellison only pitched to Batman because Samish was leaving ABC; in a case of poor timing, his storyline went to the network for approval on Samish's last day on the job. Ellison remembers sitting in executive producer William Dozier's office as several storylines were approved while his was deep-sixed with the phrase "Ellison doesn't work on ABC." The vendetta evidently continued after Samish left ABC for Quinn Martin Productions, where Ellison's superb storyline for an episode of The Manhunter (in Brain Movies, Volume 3) was cut off before going to script.

Ellison was, in some ways, his own worst enemy. He made it difficult for himself to get work because he made it impossible for people to buy work from him. "The Two-Way Crimes of Two-Face" fell victim to Ellison's personal reputation.

The article doesn’t get specific, but reportedly, Ellison’s physical attach on Samish was over changes Samish wanted made to Ellison’s Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea script “The Price of Doom” (probably named something else at that point). They argued over changes Ellison felt were ridiculous, the exchange got insulting and Ellison took a swing at Samish. Samish fell backward, knocked a large model of the Seaview off a table, which fell and injured the exec. End result: no ABC writing assignments.

The details get more and less fanciful depending on who is telling the story.

 

[Allyn Gibson]

Not unlike the story of the Ellison/Sinatra throwdown.

I was musing on this story this morning, and I think calling it "The Lost Episode" as DC intends is massively incorrect. It's not a "lost episode" in that it wasn't written nor, for that matter, even commissioned. "The Two-Way Crimes of Two-Face" is, frankly, a pitch that didn't get bought, and that happens all the time in Hollywood. I don't think anyone who pitched Star Trek over the years would call their unbought pitches "lost episodes." I submitted two spec scripts in the early 90s when Paramount was open to that (one a DS9 script, the other a Voyager script), but I would never, ever call those "lost episodes."

There are genuinely "lost episodes" which were commissioned and scripts were bought, but which, for whatever reason, were never put into production. Alan Dean Foster talked at Farpoint about his lost Batman episodes; I don't remember the exact details, but the story involved India and Catwoman.

If Ellison weren't Ellison, would anyone really remember or care about "The Two-Way Crimes"?

 

[The Old Mixer]

Not unlike the story of the Ellison/Sinatra throwdown.

Ellison's lucky he didn't end up in concrete galoshes....

 

[RJDiogenes]

^^ Ellison is lucky to have lived to grow old, just in general.

Was there a particular reason that Ellison's script wasn't produced? Batman versus Gentleman Junkie or something?

Ellison's script wasn't produced because it was never written.

Ah, I see.

Ellison was, in some ways, his own worst enemy. He made it difficult for himself to get work because he made it impossible for people to buy work from him. "The Two-Way Crimes of Two-Face" fell victim to Ellison's personal reputation.

Indeed. Ellison is one of my all-time favorite writers, but he is a total nutcase. I love his story of how he worked at Disney for about ten minutes.

If Ellison weren't Ellison, would anyone really remember or care about "The Two-Way Crimes"?

Nah, there's probably a thousand unproduced pitches. Unless they're attached to a Big Name, nobody will care.

 

[Allyn Gibson]

^^ Ellison is lucky to have lived to grow old, just in general.

I think Ellison could live forever. Every time that Death comes for him, he'll nitpick the heck out of her, and she'll get tired of it and walk away saying, "I don't have time for this nonsense."

Indeed. Ellison is one of my all-time favorite writers, but he is a total nutcase. I love his story of how he worked at Disney for about ten minutes.

"You don't fuck with the Mouse!"

 

[Shaka Zulu]

This is great news and I will definitely be getting it-- sooner or later, depending on the cost.

I bailed on mainstream comics during Civil War. What is Batman '66?

It's a weekly digital comic that is set in the TV show's continuity. You can easily imagine them as comprehensive storyboards for unaired episodes. Hell, whenever Joker appears, he's drawn so much like Cesar Romero that the artists even include the moustache he refused to shave under the face paint. If you're a fan of the show, you cannot help being a fan of the comic. There is also a monthly digital comic of Batman '66 teaming up with The Green Hornet, done in the same way.

There's a physical book too.

 

[Christopher]

^Right -- it's a digital-first comic, not a digital exclusive comic.

 

[Agent Richard07]

Yeah, which I pointed out twice.

 

[RJDiogenes]

^^ Yep, and there's a collection available on Amazon.

^^ Ellison is lucky to have lived to grow old, just in general.

I think Ellison could live forever. Every time that Death comes for him, he'll nitpick the heck out of her, and she'll get tired of it and walk away saying, "I don't have time for this nonsense."

Indeed. Ellison is one of my all-time favorite writers, but he is a total nutcase. I love his story of how he worked at Disney for about ten minutes.

"You don't fuck with the Mouse!"

"The Three Most Important Things In Life" is one of the best things he ever wrote.

 

[tomswift2002]

Assuming the camera negatives weren't chopped up to make the syndication versions. That's what happened to I Love Lucy, although thankfully a few 16mm prints were discovered of the missing footage.

Fingers crossed, though.

Well Warner's has said that even the original network bumpers will be included.

http://tvshowsondvd.com/news/Batman-The-Complete-TV-Series/20098

(it's down at the bottom, just above the picture of the DVD & Blu-Ray box)

 

[Bad Bishop]

Does the home video release of Batman mean that The Green Hornet is on the horizon?

 

[Trevacious]

I was reminded of another Ellison Batman story I read not too long ago in an old back-issue of Detective Comics. It was a pretty funny one. Batman goes out looking for trouble and just can't find any that isn't quickly handled without him, which makes for a miserable night.

Cool news. Garcia Lopez is one of the all-time greats of comic illustration and any new work from him is a reason for high anticipation -- this project especially. His clean line-style always brings back fond memories of his packaging/design work on the Super Powers toy merchandise.

Yeah, if there was a single artist you wanted to model your universe of characters, he's the man for sure. Love his work, so classical and gorgeous, and he hasn't lost a bit of his touch.

 

[jefferiestubes8]

More details and reviews are starting this week! Finally.

As part of the run-up to next week's release of Batman: The Complete Series, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment have released a number of still photos from the classic Adam West TV series, as well as a split-screen demo that shows just how much crisper and clearer the remastered version looks as compared to the shabby transfers that have been in TV re-runs and circulating online for years.

Also

special features for the Blu-ray release, like the original Batgirlpilot and Burt Ward's screen test to play Robin.

The video comparison looks pretty good. I'm going to say it will be more like a revelation like in 2009 with Star Trek TOS on Blu-ray showing off the production values captured on 35mm film.
Batman: The Complete Series Split-Screen Sample Shows How Much Blu-ray Transfer Cleaned Up Footage
http://comicbook.com/2014/11/04/batman-the-complete-series-split-screen-sample-shows-how-much-bl/

 

[jefferiestubes8]

1st review

http://www.thedigitalbits.com/item/batman-complete-tv-series-bd

 

[Warped9]

I LOVED this series...when I was 7 in 1966.

When I was 11 four years later I and discovered serious Batman in the comics I could no longer stomach the series. It just made me cringe.

A few years ago I watched the theatrically relesed film on DVD and in parts I laughed...and cringed. I didn't feel any sense of nostalgia or fondness whatsoever.

I wouldn't pay any amount of money for this, and certainly not the extortion they appear to be charging.

The only thing I still like from the series: the Batmobile.

 

[RJDiogenes]

I loved this series more when I got older. I didn't even get most of the humor when I was seven.

I'll wait to see if I get this for Christmas and if not I'll buy it myself in January. I'm psyched.

 

[Christopher]

My experience with the show parallels a lot of people's experience. When I was a kid, I took it seriously as a really cool superhero adventure show. When I was a teenager, I scoffed at how silly it was and was embarrassed that I'd ever watched it. But once I was an adult, I realized that it had been silly on purpose, that it had been a comedy all along with a lot of clever humor that had gone right over my head as a child. It's when you get to that point that you can truly appreciate the show.

 

[Ovation]

My experience with the show parallels a lot of people's experience. When I was a kid, I took it seriously as a really cool superhero adventure show. When I was a teenager, I scoffed at how silly it was and was embarrassed that I'd ever watched it. But once I was an adult, I realized that it had been silly on purpose, that it had been a comedy all along with a lot of clever humor that had gone right over my head as a child. It's when you get to that point that you can truly appreciate the show.

Same here. I have the movie on DVD and my eight year old and I enjoy it (albeit for rather different reasons ). I've ordered the set and it'll be a joint Christmas present (did the same with the finally available The Wonder Years for my daughter). Looking forward to some quality entertainment in the new year.

 

[Icemizer]

I guess I can dump my old 1" masters of this show now.