Reviews

I'm not a huge fan of the original film so when I saw the stage show I wasn't expecting to enjoy it. However I absolutely loved it. So when I realised the stage show would be made into a film I was delighted. In the stage-show I saw my comedy idol Lee Evans as Leo bloom, so I wasn't sure how I'd take to Matthew Broderick. I thought he was super though, and as for Nathan Lane. Wow. I just missed his run as Max Bialystock in the London Stageshow, so it was great to see him in the film. Broderick and Lane were hilarious in the title roles, it's a long time since I laughed so much. I thought Uma Thurman (Ulla) was not quite as good as the Ulla I saw in London, but she did OK. And Will Farell was funnier than I thought he'd be as Franz Liebkind. Having the DVD means I can feel like I'm watching the stage-show anytime I like. The Songs are amazingly good. It's a shame that the film missed out "The King of Broadway" from the stage show, as that is my favourite song. However songs such as "Along came Bialy" "We can Do it" and "Springtome for Hitler" were superbly performed in the film. I would love to see Matthew Broderick and Nathan Lane in more remakes, such as "The Odd Couple".

I've seen the Film and the stage show, and I actually prefer the stage show. However I was born after the film was released so it would be interesting to see it on a larger screen. I saw the stage-show a couple of years ago while visiting my sister at university. The songs were so infectious that we danced through the streets of Canterbury for hours. I cant' believe the energy of the actors, they danced and sung live, unlike most Pop Stars. I love the contrast between high octane songs such as "Staying Alive", to poignant songs such as "how deep is your love" My main problem with the film is that it lacks the energy of the stage-show. Th scene where Bobby throws falls of Brooklyn bridge, it had a much greater effect in The Stageshow.

As a child I adored the 1960s version of Batman. The Batmobile used at this time was definitely the best. There is a tendency to over complicate all of Batman's gadgets these days. However, in the '60s it was unspoiled by computer graphics and special effects. I loved it when the words "Biff" and "Bam" etc came up on the screen during fights. The fights were like American wrestling, you knew they were planned but it was still entertaining. The 1966 film was brilliant as it brought together all the best aspects of the T.V series. The Joker, Catwoman, The Penguin and The Riddler were by far the best Villains. They were perfect together in the feature length version. The film also contained the greatest fight scene ever, The one on the Submarine. The storyline of the film was wonderfully bizarre, those characters being turned into sand and then "rehydrated", I also loved the fact that it didn't take itself seriously. The Tim Burton versions in 1989 and 1992 were good, but I'll always love the '60s take on Batman. Adam West and Burt Ward were wonderful as Batman and Robin, they gelled together. It's a shame their careers petered out, they could have been a long running double act.

I can't understand why reviews for this film have been so bad. OK it was hardly fantastic, but but the "Razzie" was harsh. I thought the special effects were good, and despite a slightly dodgy script it was a generally good film. I thought there were very dramatic scenes. When Patience discovered her company was corrupt and "killed" by her bosses, I thought it was very atmospheric. Halle Berry played the part well, people need to accept that the wonderful performances of Julie Newmar and Eartha Kitt are in the past. It's a shame that Halle Berry may never play Catwoman again. She made the part her own and was brave enough not to be too much like previous versions of the character. With Tim Burton as director and a revamped script, Catwoman would have been a lot better and there could have been sequels.

I only saw this series once or twice as a child and thought it no longer existed, however I managed to track it down a couple of years ago on video. Though it is not as good as the 1943 series, it is still a great production. It has better visual effects (most notably The Wizard becoming invisible),which must have been amazing in 1949. There was also more intrigue than the 1943 series, the question about The wizards true identity was well written. William Fawcett was wonderful as the eccentric Profeser Hamill, my favorite character from the series. Robert Lowery and Johnny Duncan were superb as Batman and Robin. Johnny Duncan was not as "in your face" as the 60's Robin, which I really admire. The ending was not greatly acted, however the series was low budget even for the 1940's so It might have been filmed quickly. I really like the car Batman Drives as well, it was just a normal car, allowing Bruce wayne to be drive it as himself and Batman. The fact that it was filmed in Black and White makes it more dramatic. It has the same effect as Tim Burtons dark films.

My Dad Recorded this series off the telly many years ago, and I've watched it several times since I was a child. I used to think "oh i'll just watch a couple of episodes" and before I knew it I'd watched all 15 and lost a whole afternoon. I think it's a shame that people say that it is not "PC", the anti Japanese vibe could easily be edited. Also, it was made during the War when America and Japan were not good friends (due to the Pearl Harbour attack). I like this series because it is so simple, anyone can understand the storyline. Batman and Robin steal a powerful new weapon from "Daka" in episode 1. The remaining 14 episodes centre around Dakas attempts to get it back. Why does it need to be more complicated? As a child I enjoyed the fact that each episode built up to a fight scene, before ending on a cliff hanger. My favourite episode was the one with the fight on the railway bridge. I used to use my Batman Action figures and my train-set to act out the episode. Daka was a great villain and should be bought back in modern day productions of Batman. His hide out in the "Haunted house" fairground ride was one of the best in Batman history. Daka could be a good partner for the Joker, they are similar characters and could even be related.. It is worth remembering that the series was made in the 40's, in a time before expensive special effects and sky high budgets. I would like to see more Serials like this nowadays in cinemas, it would be a good way for young directors and actors to get exposure. They would also be entertaining.