What Was Up Spencer Tracy's Ass?

"Burgess Meredith was the second choice for "The Penguin" role in "Batman". Producers had originally wanted Spencer Tracy in the role, but Tracy wouldn't sign unless his character was allowed to kill Batman. Obviously, they did not want to kill the main character, so the role went to Meredith."

- Wikipedia

Dark Knight Indeed

A lot of people criticize the whole 1966 Batman thing for stripping away the comic's darker aspects and going for the camp angle. I'd agree with that, for the most part.

But then you got this thing. Another cash-in LP, this one by The Dynamic Batmen on Panda Children's Records. With a cover illustration by Sixties big-eyed artist George Buckett, it's plenty dark. Creepy even. I mean, dig that fox and the giraffe. It's sinister enough on the front (above), but it takes up the entire back (below)!

Note the copy in that yellow block on the front:
IMPORTANT MESSAGE
The beautiful full color illustration on the opposite side is made specially for framing or as a pin-up for your child's room. A most wonderful gift for the favorite children in your life.

"Mommy, I dreamed about that mean penguin smoking cigarettes and watching Batman on TV again. Make it stop."

Boy Wonder...

...just made a poopie.

Holy Eastmancolor!

Back in the Seventies, when many of us were watching Batman after school on our local stations, they were running 16mm prints. Printed on Eastman stock, today those prints will look something like this.

All those great colors – from the Riddler's green outfit to the red bat on the side of the Batmobile — reduced to this sickening purplish pink. Kinda ugly, huh? And every time they're projected, they fade a little bit more.

Around 1980, Martin Scorcese (every film nut's best friend) petitioned Eastman Kodak for an low-fade film stock, which soon became the industry standard.

By the way, this image came from a current eBay auction for a third-season Penguin episode.

If You Are, Indeed, Batman...

...or Bruce Wayne, let's just say.

And you are out fighting crimes, or whatever it is that you do.

And Alfred answers your phone in the Batcave, what are you?

LUCKY!

We all need an Alfred. Think about it:

He knows who we really are. He knows what we do for a "hobby."

And the motherfucker brings us tea.

Regardless.

BAD
ASS

Ever hate a movie out of spite?

Is it possible to be mad at a movie? If so, I'm cheesed off at MacKenna's Gold, a bloated western shot in Super Panavision 70. This "epic" kept Julie Newmar out of the 1966 Batman feature. Lee Meriwether proved to be up to the thankless task of filling the catsuit, but still...

However, it turns out that when I saw MacKenna's Gold, pan-and-scan, looking crappy on local TV (where it completely shot a Sunday afternoon), there were a few choice shots snipped out that us Batman fans might find worthwhile.



On second thought, maybe this thing is ready for reevaluation.

It's Julie Newmar Sunday!