BATMAN: RETURN OF THE CAPED CRUSADERS Holy Lazarus!
released OUT NOW! 2016 | PG | Blu-ray/dVd/download Director rick Morales Cast adam West, Burt Ward, Julie Newmar, Jeff Bergman
The Batman TV show has enjoyed a renaissance in the past few years, from its own, pop-coloured comic book title to a box set of the original episodes, finally sprung from years of rights hell.
Now comes this new animated movie, reuniting the voices of original stars Adam West, Burt Ward and Julie Newmar. Ward still sounds as though he could slip into the tights; there’s more of a disconnect with West’s voice. He’s clearly older but his comic gift is intact and he effortlessly recaptures the deadpan sincerity of the Caped Crusader, straight man to the universe.
It’s all here: alliteration-crazed dialogue, demented death traps, Catwoman’s purr. A faithful celebration of the ’66 Batman, it also pushes beyond the limitations of the original show: at one point the adventure rockets into space, courtesy of a Bat-shuttle.
Throw in some sly satire at the expense of Frank Miller’s dreary old nihilism and you have a Bat-comeback to treasure.
Extras Behind-the-scenes promo featurettes for animated movies Batman Vs Robin and Son Of Batman. Nick Setchfield
Ward and West also voiced the Dynamic Duo in ’70s animated show The New Adventures Of Batman.