Street Date July 1, 2008
Fox
Action
$39.98 Blu-ray,
Rated ‘PG'
Stars Adam West, Burt Ward, Cesar Romero, Frank Gorshin, Burgess Meredith, Lee Meriwether

In 1966, Adam West and Burt Ward brought camp to a new level with the “Batman” TV series and this feature film, which pits the Riddler, the Penguin, Catwoman and the Joker against the Dynamic Duo.

This high-def 1080p transfer keeps everything from those tights to the obvious plastic sets intact. Blu-ray brings out the original film’s many colors, and colorful characters, with a crisp picture and solid sound (although this film pre-dates Dolby 5.1, so your rear speakers won’t get much of a workout).

Audiophiles have the option of watching the film (and reading those “Pows” and “Whacks”), while listening to the isolated musical score track in DTS-HS Master Audio (still with limited discreet rear channel audio) as one of the bonus features. In some ways, cutting out the cheesy dialogue improves the experience.

The film comes with two entertaining and informative commentary tracks, one with West and Ward, the other with screenwriter Lorenzo Semple Jr.

Fox has delved into BD features with this title, which is anything but a cheap attempt to capitalize on The Dark Knight’s July 18 theatrical release. There are three interesting featurettes filmed in 1080p (a rarity on BD these days) worth watching. “Batman: A Dynamic Legacy” offers interviews with comic book artists, writers and fans who tell how the series became a pop culture phenomenon; “Caped Crusaders: A Heroes Tribute” focuses on the melodramatic acting style of West and the rest of the cast; and “Gotham City’s Most Wanted” looks at how the filmmakers took inspiration from the comics.

Fox also has recycled some extras from the 2001 DVD, all of which are in 480p, including behind-the-scenes featurettes and a tour of the Batmobile. A “Holy Trivia Track, Batman” offers pop-up factoids during the film.

Batman: The Movie, holds up well in terms of picture and extras, but the film is probably best enjoyed by those who grew up with it.