Anybody else remember the Batman '66 shunning of the late 80's ?

[Mikey]

Back when the first Batman movie came out in the late 80's it seemed like it was an on switch for Batman The TV Series hating.

Most people wrote off the TV series as a joke and not the REAL Batman.

I remember a lot of people saying they were happy Adam West was not even asked to participate in the movie.

By the mid 90's a lot of people did a 180 and seem to embrace Batman '66 again --- and even with an overpowering passion that lasts until today.

Why did the Tim Burton movie make everybody hate Batman The TV series for a short time ?

Watching Batman '89 today it wasn't without it's own campiness

This was more than people liking Chris Reeve more than George and vice versa ..

The Batman thing seemed more personal

[Hedji]

Batman 89 was heavily influenced by the 66 version... It just couldn't help it. Especially Prince's contributions: "Batdance", anyone?

There are those who will always (foolishly) dismiss the 66 version and use the "camp" word. (Is that word reserved strictly for Batman 66? I hate it. I'd never heard it before 1989, when people used it to describe the show.)

Don't blame it all on Burton, though. Miller and Moore must get their share of wanting to do a 180 from Adam West and Co.

With all that being said...

I remember the 89 hoopla led to a resurgence in all things Batman, and they began running the 66 show again in syndication, which, on my cable dial at least, it hadn't been on in ages. So in a way, 89 was pretty good for 66 Batman. And there was some 66 merch that came out that year too. I remember getting a LIFE cover Adam T-Shirt, and they re-released the 66 trading cards. I remember using two VHS decks to make my own Batman 66 music video to "Batdance" by Prince. I thought I was being superclever doing a mash up like that (I was probably 16 at the time).

[Nostalgiabuff]

I remember Cesar Romero blasting how violent the movie was. I do remember people talking about the campiness of 66 Bats as compared to the tone of the movie.

[Monstar]

Oh yeah. There was some major Batman 66 hate back then. As a life long fan of the Adam West show I got sick of having to defend it. I still hold a grudge, because now that the show is back in favor it seems like those same fan boys that were hating it back then, are all about it now, LOL.

I guess people hated on the show because for the first time in a long time there was a live action superhero that could be taken "seriously."

[hedrap]

The hate was due to '66 still defining Batman thirty years later in the pop culture, while the comics world was swimming in Adams, Miller, Moore, Year One, Killing Joke and Death in the Family.

'89 was the first "serious" attempt at a superhero property, where serious meant "action movie" instead of the usual "Kids G Disney" production. '66 was the poster child for camp so it took a pounding. The love for '66 made a comeback when the Dini/Timm animated was replaced by Brave & Bold and the bio books were released.

[Earth 2 Chris]

A lot of Batman fans go through a natural "hate" period for Batman '66 too, especially those of our generation, who saw it either first run or more than likely in HEAVY rotation in the 70s/early 80s. They meet Adam West first, and then go over to the comics and the Bronze Age Batman is a "dark avenger of the night", and as they enter their teen years, they can't reconcile the two, especially when they discover "hey, the show was a COMEDY!!!".

So they hate the show for a while, and for many of our group, this is when Dark Knight Returns, Year One, Killing Joke, The Cult, Death in the Family, etc., hit the comic shelves. And then the Burton film came out. So many were in that hatred phase at this time. Most moved past this at some point, hence the general embracing of it now. Plus, there have been even more varied iterations of Batman since, so it's just one of many.

I personally never hated the show. I will admit, I did consider it a crazy uncle I still loved, but I would still watch it on the Family Channel when they began showing it non-stop to capitalize on the movie in '89.

Chris

[mego maniac mark]

I always loved Batman 66 and enjoyed the reruns on nick at night or something like that around the time of the 89 film.
As batman fans, I believe we were just yearning to see a new live action version that lwas different from the camp of 66.
I personally love them both and will never not like any version of batman ( B&R 1997, bottom of list) that is produced.

That summer of 89, Adam West was at a local community college for what ever reason. So I decided to bring my cherished episode guide with me to hopefully have it signed. To my surprise, I walk into the hall of the building and Adam is just standing there alone. So it's just the two of us talking. I asked him to sign my book, which he graciously did and we chatted for 10 minutes or so. That was very cool looking back. I wish I could remember what we talked about, but vaguely remember chatting about the 89 film.

The next time I got to meet Adam was maybe in 93/94 at a signing and was being forced by his handler to pay for his autograph. I beleive i got the back to the batcave book signed.It was a great show that had Julie Newmar and Van Williams there. I was annoyed at the handler who must have been handling both Van and Adam because he would throw out a different price for whatever you wanted signed. to sign a mego toy was x, a batarang was y, a baby was z.
I have a gold key Green Hornet comic and the handler said that would be $20 more to sign. I was like ***?
Van was cool, and was like ,I'm sorry I have nothing I can do. He even was chatting me up later when I was standing off the line near the tables just watching. Long story short, I got the comic signed by him.

I also am fortunate enough to have the batman episode guide signed by Julie, Frank and Burt. Sadly not by Yvonne, may she rest in peace .
Sorry for the tangent.

[Hedji]

I'm proud to say my love for 66 Batman has never waned in the slightest, through all the eras since. I enjoyed the Burton films immensely too. There's always room for different interpretations.

Did people hate Lugosi when Lee came around?

I've always been saddened that there was an entire generation of 90s kids who were brought up without 1966 Batman as a moral compass. Im not exaggerating when I say I believe the world would be a little bit better place had the DVDs come earlier for those kids to grow up right.

[HardyGirl]

Adam's West's Batman has ALWAYS been the definitive Batman for me, probably b/c it was the first one I was exposed to, followed by the 60s Filmation cartoon, Superfriends, and 70s Filmation. When the 89 flick came out, I saw the previews on TV and thought "What the heck is ths?" I had no desire to see it in the movie theatre, but w/ all the hoopla, I was a little curious. So I rented the video when it came out, and I hated it! This was nothing like my beloved Batman, and haven't seen any of the other movies since. (Although my mom did watch Batman & Robin one day when I wasn't home...she said it was just OK, but she wasn't into superhero movies, really). I have never like Batman as a Dark Knight, and I'm glad Adam West version was out when I was a kid.

And BTW Hedji, the definition of the word "camp" can be found in an episode of the Partridge Family back in 1970.

[Hedji]

And BTW Hedji, the definition of the word "camp" can be found in an episode of the Partridge Family back in 1970.

Interesting. What was the context? Was that the origin of the definition as such?

[PNGwynne]

I'd love to see what the Partridge Family has to say about camp in a family sitcom; I have my own ideas.

I will say that camp has grown and changed as a cultural style as it shifted from a subculture to the mainstream.

[Brue]

A lot of Batman fans go through a natural "hate" period for Batman '66 too, especially those of our generation, who saw it either first run or more than likely in HEAVY rotation in the 70s/early 80s. They meet Adam West first, and then go over to the comics and the Bronze Age Batman is a "dark avenger of the night", and as they enter their teen years, they can't reconcile the two, especially when they discover "hey, the show was a COMEDY!!!".

So they hate the show for a while, and for many of our group, this is when Dark Knight Returns, Year One, Killing Joke, The Cult, Death in the Family, etc., hit the comic shelves. And then the Burton film came out. So many were in that hatred phase at this time. Most moved past this at some point, hence the general embracing of it now. Plus, there have been even more varied iterations of Batman since, so it's just one of many.

I personally never hated the show. I will admit, I did consider it a crazy uncle I still loved, but I would still watch it on the Family Channel when they began showing it non-stop to capitalize on the movie in '89.

Chris

Yep, that pretty much sums it up.
I still loved all versions -66 Tv, Burton/Keaton Batman, golden, silver, modern age comics, Conroy Batman, filmation cartoons... I love Batman.

I did have a hard time with the realization that 66 was meant to be comedic. I don't know that it was a comedy, but and action show wit a touch of drama and plenty of schtick. Honestly If you replace Adam West, the rest of it is less comedy and more comic-y. As an adult I have come to dislike West for this reason. The rest of the show is incredible.

The only Batman I haven't liked is the Clooney batman and the 3rd Bale batman. and at least the Clooney one has kid appeal.

[Hedji]

Honestly If you replace Adam West, the rest of it is less comedy and more comic-y.

For me, Burt Ward gets just as many, if not more belly laughs out of me.