"Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders" Animated Release Talkback (Spoilers)

[James Harvey]

The Dynamic Duo ride again in this all-new animated movie based on the classic TV series!

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Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders
Studio: Warner Bros. Animation
Release Date: October 11th, 2016 - Digital; November 1st, 2016 - Blu-ray/DVD

Synopsis: It’s back to the 1960s as Batman and Robin spring into action when Gotham City is threatened by a quartet of Batman’s most fiendish foes – Penguin, The Joker, Riddler and Catwoman. The four Super-Villains have combined their wicked talents to hatch a plot so nefarious that the Dynamic Duo will need to go to outer space (and back) to foil their arch enemies and restore order in Gotham City. It’s a truly fantastic adventure that will pit good against evil, good against good, evil against evil … and feature two words that exponentially raise the stakes for both sides: Replicator Ray. Holy Multiplication Tables!

Adam West steps behind the microphone to bring Batman to fully animated fruition. Burt Ward joins the fun as Batman’s sidekick, Robin, giving The Boy Wonder his voice in animated form. And Julie Newmar, star of stage (Tony Award winner for The Marriage-Go-Round) and screen (Seven Brides for Seven Brothers), dons her feline ears to bring Catwoman to life. Rick Morales directs from a script by Michael Jelenic and James Tucker. Tucker and Jelenic also serve as Supervising Producer and Producer, respectively, on the film. Sam Register is Executive Producer. Benjamin Melniker and Michael Uslan are Executive Producers.

Blu-ray Bonus Content:
-"Those Dastardly Desperados" featurette – Joker, Catwoman, Penguin and Riddler are impossible not to watch! Those Dastardly Desperados explores how these fiends became more than just antagonists in a Batman story; they became icons in American pop culture.
-"A Classic Cadre of Voices" featurette – A new talented cast of actors join Adam West, Burt Ward and Julie Newmar in Batman: Return of The Caped Crusaders. Go behind the scenes and witness the vocal techniques and timing needed to deliver a classic Bat-Comedy!

Discuss the Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders animated release here!

Please note this talkback is for both the Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders animated feature and home video release. Discussion for both are now housed in one single talkback discussion thread.

Related News:
-Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders News & Discussion (Spoilers)
-Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders Soundtrack Talkback (Spoilers)
-Batman: The 1960s Classic TV Series Talkback (Spoilers)
-Batman: The 1966 Movie Feature Talkback (Spoilers)
-Batman '66 Comic Series Talkback (Spoilers)
-Batman: The Complete Television Series Blu-ray/DVD/Digital Talkback (Spoilers)

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[GWOtaku]

"Quickly Robin, to the crosswalk!" -Probably not even on the top 25 list of far out and awesome things said in this movie with such straightforward earnestness it almost hurts. No small number of them you could easily believe coming from the old Adam West Batman TV show. As for the story, my brief impression is that the plot in this movie is a labyrinth of far-fetched, outrageous plot twists. Just let it all wash over you, and it's glorious.

Maybe the biggest applause moment at the NYCC screening was when Batman and Robin first sally forth and we're treated to a full 360 camera pan of the retro Batmobile. Yyyyyyyyeeeeeeeesssssssss.

 

[RoyThomasConan]

I saw the screening last night with my girlfriend. Because of what an unexpected full house the theater was when we went to the Killing Joke screening, we rushed to get their early after work and, finding the threaten empty, snagged the best seats, and waited 40 minutes. When the movie started rolling, I was pretty surprised to see that we were still the only souls in the place, and a little dismayed too. About 3 or 4 minutes later, a pair of contemporaneous young couples shuffled in, and in the empty and very large theater chose to sit in the row in front of us. It was a poor choice for them, because I found myself tickled the entire film, obnoxiously so, and they seemed like they had no understanding of Batman '66 at all, and their confusion tickled me further. (One of the young ladies commented that I laughed like the Joker in the "good one they saw", but I took it as a complement). I say all this to mean that I'm worried this film may not go so well with the average teen to early 20-somethings.

However, if you're a fan of what Johnny Depp and my departed grandfather call "the real Batman" then you'll definitely find yourself treated. The little picture is by no means a perfectly executed film, but the heart is there in spades and the style and tone of the rapid fire shenanigans rings laugh out loud humourous 90% of runtime, you know, if you're not as rigid as Batman. I especially love the short lived commentary on how modern Batman has become pretty far removed from the core of what makes a good Batman. Adam & Burt were a jubilee for my ears, and though Newmar definitely and unfortunately couldn't keep up I was still glad to have her. Romero & Meredith's substitutes were admirable too, and while there was nothing wrong with the Riddler performance I admit I missed Gorshin. To talk anymore about the film would spoil the fun for those just reading this thread to decide whether to hop off the fence and check it out.
Oh, and the animation during the end-credits is mesmerizing. That is al.

I'm ridiculously excited for the sequel and to finally see Two-Face in the '66 world, portrayed by the star of the other 60's show I always recorded onto tapes late at night, Star Trek's William Shatner! The casting couldn't be more perfect, and I can't wait to see his realization of both sides of Harvey Dent.

 

[Spider-Man]

Probably my favorite animated Batman movie of the year. It was really fun and really well done. While I was disappointed there was no narration in the movie, it hit nearly every bit of what I expected from a cartoon based on the old 1960s cartoon. There were so many great callbacks to the original show plus some nice references and digs at Batman throughout the ages. They even had the climb-upside the building gag though no one made a cameo in the scene which would've been nice. I imagine some of the slight changes were due to right and stuff but overall the film really brought back to life the 1960s TV series. A great job and a really enjoyable movie.

 

[Otaku-sempai]

Still hoping for Batgirl in the sequel with Two-Face or--dare I say it? the one after that.

 

[Freddy]

The jab at Dark Knight Rises made me laugh out loud and that rarely happens.

 

[Pfeiffer-Pfan]

Apparently, Fathom Events are declining to release box office figures from Monday night. Hardly surprising considering all the reports/comments of empty theaters across America.

Batman: The Killing Joke had the perfect mix of ingredients that warranted a limited release, with appropriate hype. Lightning was never going to strike twice. Hopefully this dampens any potential plans to release Justice League Dark in cinemas.

 

[Otaku-sempai]

Batman: The Killing Joke had the perfect mix of ingredients that warranted a limited release, with appropriate hype. Lightning was never going to strike twice. Hopefully this dampens any potential plans to release Justice League Dark in cinemas.

I'm not sure why you are so averse to the very idea of more Fathom Events featuring DC animated movies.

 

[RoyThomasConan]

@Pfeiffer-Pfan
Well I hope it doesn't deter them from releasing future films in theaters. I know I can't speak for everyone but me and mine like to have a little fun in the theater with these flicks like honest to god movies.

 

[Pfeiffer-Pfan]

The point is not for Fathom to refrain from releasing DC animated products to theaters, the point is for them to become more selective moving forward. Not everything requires a theatrical release, certainly a relatively niche product that will be available in your living rooms less than 24 hours later.

None of the DC Universe DTV's next year (R ratings or not) or this films sequel really warrants a one night only event.

The Killing Joke was a perfect storm and they need something with that degree of interest for the next supposed event. I WANT Fathom to release more stuff, but novelty will wear off if they do it for every DTV.

 

[Troy Troodon]

Two questions --

1. Do you think they should have used a more simplistic character art? I feel it would be more fluent for the animation and more stylistic.

2. Do you guys think this film actually warrants a PG rating?

 

[Otaku-sempai]

Two questions --

1. Do you think they should have used a more simplistic character art? I feel it would be more fluent for the animation and more stylistic.

2. Do you guys think this film actually warrants a PG rating?

1, I think the art-style was fine. I don't think that the team should have attempted to mimic the Sprang-like style of the show's opening credits, if that's what you're asking.

2. The rating of 'PG' seems dead-on to me.

 

[Marvelman02]

Overall, a good effort. I missed the narrator. And, although I love Julie Newmar, her voice sounded... weird.

 

[James Harvey]

For those interested, The Worlds Finest has posted its review of Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders. Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders is a fun ride from start to finish, full of great moments, smart commentary and genuine laughs. Click on the image below to check it out.

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[Otaku-sempai]

For those interested, The Worlds Finest has posted its review of Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders. Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders is a fun ride from start to finish, full of great moments, smart commentary and genuine laughs. Click on the image below to check it out.

Thanks, James, though I've already found and read your review!

 

[ShadowStar]

I saw this last night, as it was screened in the UK a week after it was shown in the US. I really enjoyed it! Obviously it was outrageous and ridiculous - especially in regard to Joker, Penguin and Riddler having planned all of that as a distraction - but of course that was the point. It was charming and lots of fun. The voice cast did a great job (though Julie Newmar's age was apparent in her performance) and the score was brilliant. I loved the end credits sequence with Batman and Catwoman dancing, and Batman treating the bomb as a basketball! I'll admit that I felt the film dragged a bit towards the end when Joker, Penguin and Riddler resurfaced, but this is a minor quibble. All in all, a funny film and well worth seeing. Did we ever find out what Aunt Harriet's theory about Bruce and Dick's secret was, though? I can't remember. Hope the sequel will be at least as good as this film was!

 

[-batmat-]

I had a lot of fun watching this! Experiencing it on the theatre was a treat since I missed The Killing Joke. Burt Ward sounds like he's actually young! Loved the Batman 89, TDK Returns and TDK Rises references. A lot of fun!

 

[Pfeiffer-Pfan]

I was lucky enough to see this in my local cinema on Monday night (Had to do some overnight travelling for The Killing Joke) and as expected, it was an absolute joy through and through. I never had any doubt that Tucker and Jelenic would deliver, but frankly they outdid themselves with this beautiful homage/update. Think of if as the NBC TV movie that never was, with more effort and an increased budget.

What amazed me was how stunning the animation was. Yes, there were a few noticeable 'clearly DTV quality' moments, but there was a fluidity and a bounce to the characters that made it all pop on the big screen. A shame The Killing Joke wasn't given the same treatment.

The voice acting was amazing all around. Yes, you could hear the age in both West and Newmar's voice (Ward sounded spot on) but they pulled it off admirably and it was just a joy to hear them inhabiting these characters again. In fact, considering the plot twist with Batman, the grit in West's voice worked really well.

Special shout out to DMP for their stunning work on the score. I'll be keeping my eye out for the soundtrack.

As for any negatives, I have to agree with others that said the pacing felt sluggish in places and that the movie often felt longer than it actually was. Alot of the children in our theater were becoming restless and chatty at various points. However, the pacing always felt off on the TV show, so...

Overall, a fantastic effort that deserves all the praise it gets. I can't wait to own the blu-ray and see whats in store for the sequel. Who knows where this 'DC Classic' brand could take us...

 

[RoyalRubble]

I thought this was a lot of fun, a nice tribute to the 60s show but slightly updated with some neat references to other Batman projects made since then, which work surprisingly well. I wasn't expecting Adam West Batman to quote from The Dark Knight Returns, for example. The voice acting was good, it was nice having the original actors for Batman, Robin and Catwoman together again. They didn't sound exactly like on the show, but that's to be expected after 50 years. They all did their best though and the new voices for the other villains and supporting characters were pretty great replacements as far as I'm concerned.

The story was fun, though I admit it kind of dragged on in certain points, probably due to the length of the movie. But there were plenty of outrageous moments spread throughout, so I think it all evens out in the end. Batman's ridiculous deductions, the multitude of puns, alliteration attempts and catchphrases, the Utility Belt showdown, the all-out battle at the Gotham Palace, the long-standing relationship between Batman and Alfred... so many great moments. All pretty silly stuff but played with enough respect and seriousness from the actors. I think trying to compile a list of every reference in the movie is going to take a while.

I'll probably post more thought later on but in short, I really enjoyed the movie and I am looking forward to the sequel.

 

[Yojimbo]

Clipping thoughts from my review (I admit that I personally am not a diehard fan of the television series and I don't think I've ever watched a full episode start to finish):

• I liked how it felt more like a modern re-invention of the 1966 live action Batman television series than it was a carbon copy. Again, I'm not sure if that's the case. Those who are more familiar with the series would be a better judge than I.
  
• Essentially a salute to the old school mind control episodes, Batman starts acting incrementally darker and more violent but still in the nutty Silver Age way - I mean taking over Gotham City with an army of duplicates? Then Robin steps up and tries to fight back with an army of his own!
  
• There's also meta comments and nods to other eras of Batman peppered in between like Catwoman's blatant innuendo, quoting The Dark Knight Returns, calling the Gotham City Police Department incompetent, or Penguin's been there done that remark about Catwoman's mind control idea.
• Voice cast and music was amazing. Kudos to Burt Ward to playing teenage Robin like no time had passed.

My critiques

• The animation is still, too for the lack of a better term, modern and dark looking. It was probably unlikely the studio could 100% duplicate that vintage look without some sort of filter that would end up being more of a distraction than a benefit.
• Most obvious weakness had to be the pacing. The middle of the movie falls off the wagon with the 'Batman goes bad' arc and bogs the entirety of the movie down a couple notches. The movie goes on with it just long enough that I asked myself "What was this movie about again?"
  
• Once things get back on track, the big reveal of the villain's plan -- on one hand round about and convoluted but on the other, I guess this how they did the reveals on the television series? This is what they were after along and did all this other stuff for?
• The special features were lacking. As someone who watched very little of the series, I would have liked there to have been a primer on the history of the 60s series that could inform those with little prior knowledge of the content or as a refresher for long time fans. The omission of the 'From the DC Vault' in this release was a surprise. "Beware the Grey Ghost" from Batman: The Animated Series, which had Adam West as a guest star, or pretty much any episode from Batman: The Brave and The Bold, a series heavily influenced by Batman '66 would have been a perfect inclusion. And again, where is the commentary track? I'm sure the cast and crew had plenty to say about making this movie.

Overall, while it is true there were some minor pacing issues at the midpoint, everything overall ties back together for a satisfying ending. The heart, humor, and heroism is what makes this movie as must see. Even though I wouldn't say this was my favorite Batman movie of the year, I'm still appreciative of the strong showcase of titles audiences can now pick and choose from. There were the adult offerings from the DC Universe, "Batman: Bad Blood" and "Batman: The Killing Joke" which were miles apart from each other alone or for all ages audiences "Batman Unlimited: Mechs vs Mutants" and "Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders." If you don't like one, there's plenty more to choose from. Don't want Batman, there's even more to choose compared to past years. "Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders" is a recommended purchase and I wholeheartedly look forward to what this new DC Classics line has to offer in the near future <cough>better be some Wonder Woman '77<cough>and beyond!