“Some days you just can`t get rid of a bomb” – Batman
This weekend was dynamic and purr-fect with the 50th anniversary of “Batman: The Movie” starring Adam West and Burt Ward as the derring-do of Dynamic Duo known as Batman & Robin, who’d first “POW” their way into the hearts of viewers on January 12, 1966.
Like Clayton Moore’s masked rider known as “The Lone Ranger” and Guy Williams`s bold renegade of the midnight rider called “Zorro,“ Batman & Robin are ABC’s “masked vigilantes”: enemies of crime, caped crusaders against crime, enforcing law and order, and justice as masked deputies for the Gotham City Police Department with their cunning, wits, moral fiber – and the Batmobile.
This time, Batman & Robin are united in not only continuing their efforts in protecting the decent citizens of Gotham, but they’re united to help save the entire United States of America as well as the entire world against the united underworld of crime: the Riddler (Frank Gorshin), the Joker (Cesar Romero), the Penguin (Burgess Meredith), and the Catwoman (Lee Meriwether).
The film showed that Adam West and the television series didn’t jump the shark – literally. It was kinda more like the other way around, so to speak. Though you can think of it as a shark repellent, you can`t denied the cult appeal of grade-A Adam West as the campy, comical, tongue-in-cheek, over-the-top Caped Crusader.
Another reason the film and television series remains a guilty pleasure: the Bat and the Cat, but a wall will forever remain between the superhero and the super-villain.
After 50 years, Adam West may not be the Batman the world deserves, but he is still the Batman the world needs: a champion who shows no shame (really, no shame at all) in fighting for the united good of all against the united forces of evil.
Catch Adam West as TV’s “Batman“ every Saturday night on Me-TV.
(20th Century Fox)