Not much on the TV front, so I guess the sets of the week will be two Filmation cartoon series, The New Adventures of Batman and the New Adventures of Superman. Batman was a Saturday morning cartoon in the 1970s, and us older types might remember it as the skein that featured Batmite. They only made a small number of episodes but reran them ad nauseum over the next several years. Adam West voiced Batman and Burt Ward played Robin. The show was somewhat campy, as you’d think from the inclusion of Batmite (sort of Batman’s Mr. Mxyzptlk, although more well-meaning), so many fans dislike it. It did feature most of Batman’s classic rogue’s gallery, though.
If I remember right, this show ran on CBS, at the same time that NBC ran the Superfriends show, which featured different actors playing Batman and Robin (notably Casey Kasem as the latter.) Ironically, the Superfriends vocal duo were also veterans in playing the Dynamic Duo, having voiced the roles for a Batman cartoon show back in the ’60s. The shows divvied up Batman’s villains; the Joker appeared here, for instance, but Legion of Doom members the Riddler and the Scarecrow did not, being cast members in Challenge of the Superfriends.
The Superman cartoon is the one from the ’60s, starring Bud Collyer, who had voiced Superman on the old radio show and the famous Fleischer theatrical cartoons back in the ’40s. (Joan Alexander, also a vet of the radio show and Fleischer cartoons, as well returned as Lois Lane. Meanwhile, Ted Knight played Perry White.) Trivia note: Kryptonite was introduced not in the comics, but in the radio show, so as to incapacitate Superman for a week while Collyer went on vacation, as Batman searched for the debilitated superhero.
The cartoon is memorable for Collyer’s dramatic voice change, when he would start his trademark sentence, “This is a job FOR SUPERMAN” in his high, piping Clark Kent voice and drop it several registers for his Superman voice. This show featured a ‘classic’ kids’ take on Superman, more innocent and reflective of the time.
Other TV fare this week: Dog the Bounty Hunter: Best of Season 2; Gomer Pyle USMC S2; Miami Vice S5; Monk S5; Psych S1; Reno 911 S.
For Jabootuites, one of the year’s biggest event is Warners’ release of four box sets of campy films, of the sort that might well otherwise not see release at all. I would implore everyone to buy as many of these sets as you can, and at least one or two of them, and to rent the individual titles that you don’t buy. Let’s really support this idea with our pocketbooks,* so that more sets like this come out.
[OK, I’m being kind of a hypocrite here. I’ve only bought two of the sets so far, because of my currently near non-existent DVD budget. However, I have put the others on my Amazon wish list, and if I don’t get them for Christmas or something, will pick them up during Deepdiscountdvd’s next semi-yearly 20% off sale.]For those who don’t want the whole sets, the films are available separately, albeit at a higher price per disc. All the film that it is appropriate for feature widescreen presentations—essential especially for Queen of Outer Space, which was brutally clipped on the VHS release—and commentaries on the films in sets one and four (why not two and three?). Nifty!
Camp Classics Vol 1: Sci-Fi Thrillers
Attack of the 50 Ft Woman: Awesome! A must buy. The commentary features noted b-movie scholar Tom Weaver with one of the great genre movie sexpots, Yvette Vickers. Presumably she will speak of her work here and in Attack of the Giant Leaches.
The Giant Behemoth: Some good stop-motion effects, courtesy of Willis O’Brien, but mated with some bad puppet work. The film itself is middling, and basically a haphazard remake of the same producer’s far superior The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms. His next underwater monster movie, Gorgo, used suitmation to realize the beasties.
Queen of Outer Space: Another commentary with Weaver, as he is joined by Laurie Mitchell, who played the titular role. Sadly, Zsa Zsa Gabor apparently opted out.
Camp Classics Vol 2: Women in Peril
The Big Cube Protoypical Women in Prison movie from 1950, obviously less sleazy than later entries. Some have argued this movie is genuinely decent, and shouldn’t be in a camp set.
Caged: This is more like it. Big, soapy show biz story starring Lana Turner. Has bared boobs (not Ms. Turner’s, obviously) and supposedly hilarious LSD scenes.
Trog: Silly revived caveman horror movie most remembered as Joan Crawford’s last film. To be fair, it’s better than Eegah, if not quite as entertaining. Genre vet Michael Gough is the bad guy.
Camp Classics Vol 3: Terrorized Travelers
Hot Rods to Hell: I’ve been waiting years to see this!
Skyjacked: Charlton Heston is the pilot of a jetliner skyjacked by a crazy Viet Nam vet (James Brolin). A hilarious second-rate ‘all star’ cast is featured.
Zero Hour! The film Airplane! was based on. (Hence, presumably, the shared exclamation marks.) Like Hot Rods, this stars the wonderfully stolid Dana Andrews.
Camp Classics Vol 4: Historical Epics
Colossus of Rome
Land of the Pharoahs
The Prodigal
Jabootu buffs will also thrill to the another box set of Mystery Science Theater 3000. Volume 11 features Ring of Terror, The Indestructible Man, Tormented and Horror of Spider Island.
Other films this week:
After Midnight Anthology horror flick from 1989, starring Marg Helgenberger. A college prof who teaches about fear tells his students several lame tales of the macabre.
Brutal River Supposedly a predictably lame (sigh) Thai giant crocodile movie.
Drive in Double Feature: Search and Destroy / The Glove The later is a fun, goofy Rosie Grier / John Saxon movie.
Erotic Ghost Story Chinese period tale with lots of boobs, fake sex and ghosts.
Frankenstein vs. Baragon 2-Disc set of the film better known here as Frankenstein Conquers the World. Supposed to be a very good set, featuring three (!) discrete versions of the film.
La Jetee / Sans Soleil: Criterion Collection Two influential French short subjects. The first is the film that inspired Terry Gilliam’s 12 Monkeys.
The Last Hunter: Italian Viet Nam war exploitation flick. Prime cheese.
The Last Letter Some kind of thriller with Grace Zabriskie, William Forsythe and Yancy Butler.
Mania! Mania! Vol 1: Commercial Mania / TV Mania General TV weirdness.
Mania! Mania! Vol 2: Dopemania/Sexmania Exploitation movies about the indicated subjects.
Transmorphers: “”A race of alien robots has conquered the Earth and forced humanity underground. After three hundred years of domination, a small group of humans develop a plan to defeat the mechanical invaders in the ultimate battle between man and machine.” Gee, I wonder what inspired this one?
Who Can Kill a Child? Spanish ’70s horror about adults trapped on an island full of murderous children. Can they do what is necessary to survive? Sort of a good Children of the Corn, I guess.
