|
|
Post by Xenorama ™ on Aug 27, 2007 17:11:37 GMT -8
Robert Lowery ... Batman/Bruce Wayne
Johnny Duncan ... Robin/Dick Grayson (as John Duncan)
Jane Adams ... Vicki Vale
Lyle Talbot ... Commissioner Jim Gordon
Ralph Graves ... Winslow Harrison [Chs. 7-8]
Don C. Harvey ... Henchman Nolan [Chs. 1-6]
William Fawcett ... Prof. Hammil
Leonard Penn ... Carter - Hammil's valet
Rick Vallin ... Barry Brown
Michael Whalen ... Private Investigator Dunne [Chs. 2, 9, 12]
Greg McClure ... Henchman Evans [Chs. 1-6]
House Peters Jr. ... Henchman Earl [Chs. 7-15]
Jim Diehl ... Henchman Jason [Chs. 3-15]
Rusty Wescoatt ... Henchman Ives [Chs. 3-13]
1. Batman Takes Over
2. Tunnel of Terror
3. Robin's Wild Ride
4. Batman Trapped
5. Robin Rescues Batman
6. Target--Robin
7. The Fatal Blast
8. Robin Meets the Wizard
9. The Wizard Strikes Back
10. Batman's Last Chance
11. Robin's Ruse
12. Robin Rides the Wind
13. The Wizard's Challenge
14. Batman vs. Wizard
15. Batman Victorious
according to Bob Kane, a young actress named Norma Jean was up for the part of Vicki Vale.
|
|
|
|
Post by Xenorama ™ on Aug 27, 2007 18:28:24 GMT -8
a crime wave hits Gotham. Batman and Robin are battling it on a regular basis.
Vicki Vale visits Bruce. Gordon calls Mr. Williams to tell him he is sending out a guard for his new remote control weapon. the machine gets stolen and Prof. Hammil, the cranky wheelchair bound inventor yells at them. Batman wants to know how the Prof. knew it had been stolen so quickly.
the machine sends a beam out that can put any other machine under it's control. the prof. also uses a machine that lets him use his legs - gives him vitality, anyway. then the Wizard shows up. he always has a plan to get the diamonds to used to run the remote control machine.
while driving with Vicki, our heroes hear an explosion. Batman and Robin foil the robbery with a fistfight. the Wizard then publicly announces he will be stealing diamonds from a plane.
Batman and Robin are the new pilots for the diamond plane. the Wizard uses the remote machine to take over the plane. after retrieving the diamonds makes the plane explode!
beautiful print, but they really could use a real Batmobile. they keep their costumes in a drawer in the Batcave (which is more spacious and tidy than the previous serial). Robin is old enough to drive in this one. Batman is on good terms with Gordon in this one.
next~ Tunnel of Terror
|
|
|
|
Post by Xenorama ™ on Aug 29, 2007 17:57:23 GMT -8
our heroes force the door open and escape moments before the plane explodes. Batman later switches the diamonds the gang took. the Wizard is annoyed that the diamonds are fake.
Barry Brown predicts another robbery by the remote control unit. Bruce sees a train manifest get stolen. Batman and Robin race to stop the robbery. a fight breaks out on top of the train!
next~ Robin's Wild Ride
|
|
|
|
Post by Xenorama ™ on Aug 29, 2007 19:00:02 GMT -8
Batman slides down the side of the train before it enters the cave. the Wizard stops the train and a fight breaks out. the gang gets the X-90 shipment, and the Wizard takes over Batman's car and makes it overheat.
unfortunately the gang didn't get the detonators for the X-90. Prof. Morton is hijacked by the gang, as he knows where they are. the Wizard then hypnotizes Morton. Vicki gets away and tells Bruce of her harrowing ordeal.
Batman heads out to find Morton and over takes the gang. a fight breaks out, right near a precipice! the Wizard causes Batman to fall over the edge!
next~ Batman Trapped
|
|
|
|
Post by Xenorama ™ on Aug 29, 2007 19:22:20 GMT -8
a handy tree saves Batman. the thugs want Robin who runs away. that doesn't work. he has to battle while Batman climbs back to the road. Robin listens to the gang talk to Morton. the Wizard shows up to do the hypno bit again.
the Batman shows up just in time to save Robin. they find out the Wizard uses a television screen. they then take Morton to a hospital.
Barry then tells the world where Morton is at the hospital. the gang puts a bug in the room to listen, and hears where Morton's formula is hidden. Bruce finds the bug, and Batman and Robin head out. they arrive in time to fight the gang, but Batman gets pushed into a generator!
next~ Robin Rescues Batman
|
|
|
|
Post by Xenorama ™ on Aug 30, 2007 22:10:31 GMT -8
Robin revives the merely stunned Batman and they take off after the gang. the Wizard uses a remote control car to decoy our heroes away from the real one.
Vicki's brother Jimmy is part of the gang, and she has a photo of him with the gang. she tells Bruce what's going on. naturally Batman and Robin are going to help out. at the meeting place a fistfight breaks out between our heroes and the gang.
Batman picks up the charred negative and works some magic in the Batcave to restore it.
Vicki goes to get her brother, and Batman and Robin have to rescue her. naturally, a fistfight breaks out near the dock. Nolans throws a lantern into the water and sets it on fire around Batman and Vicki!
next ~ Target--Robin
|
|
|
|
Post by Xenorama ™ on Aug 30, 2007 22:28:00 GMT -8
Batman and Vicki easily swim away from the fire. Bruce makes himself up to be the prisoner Robin caught and heads to the Wizard's hideout. it works, and he gets taken to the base. Robin trails them there.
they catch Robin and want to have "Mac" kill him. so he does! but it's a fake and they head out in a hurry. Robin has messed their car up. the Wizard is furious with Nolan and wants to replace him. the Wizard has Mac (from jail) talk to Gordon, who tells Batman the next hit will be on Marine St.
our heroes race over there and go into the building. the gang starts flooding it with CO2!
next~ The Fatal Blast
|
|
|
|
Post by Xenorama ™ on Aug 30, 2007 22:45:52 GMT -8
Batman pulls two breathing tubes and a torch from his utility belt. he cuts a hole into the door to rescue himself and Robin.
Barry Brown announces Batman and Robin are dead, but Bruce and Dick surprise Alfred.
the Wizard then sends a note to Gordon demanding a ransom or he will stop all the trains in Gotham. Barry then broadcasts (does this guy ever sleep?) about the whole deal.
Batman and Robin head out to see if they can stop the Wizard. Harrison's car gets stopped and the gang goes out to greet him. Batman and Robin to the rescue! Batman and Harrison go to the cabin, which has an unpleasant surprise for them in the form of a time bomb. the gang fires at them in order to keep them in the cabin. BOOM!
next~ Robin Meets the Wizard
|
|
|
|
Post by Xenorama ™ on Aug 30, 2007 23:23:58 GMT -8
Batman and Harrison are safe via a cellar in the cabin. Barry reports the $5 million will be given to the Wizard. Batman and Robin have the money "fixed" so that it gives off a radioactive signal, and will burst into flames when exposed to air.
they then follow the trail. when they get to the base, Batman goes in to investigate. the Wizard conks Robin a good one. a fistfight breaks out, and the money is exposed and it ignites, setting the warehouse on fire. the thugs knock Batman out and leave him in the inferno!
next~ The Wizard Strikes Back
|
|
|
|
Post by Xenorama ™ on Sept 2, 2007 23:01:26 GMT -8
Batman comes to and gets out of the inferno easily. the Wizard, upset at not getting his money, halts ALL conveyance, but his machine burns out the diamond bearings. he plans on stealing more synthetic diamonds.
Vicki's no good brother phones, saying he is in trouble. Batman and Robin follow her and take Jimmy to talk to Gordon. too bad it's all a double cross. Batman figures it out (with help from Gordon) and he and Robin head out to stop the robbery.
the Wizard stops them with the remote control machine, so they take on from a citizen passing by- he's glad to help out. the Wizard makes this car crash into a lake!
next~ Batman's Last Chance
|
|
|
|
Post by Xenorama ™ on Sept 3, 2007 12:24:49 GMT -8
our heroes leap out of the car well before it lands in the lake. they have lots of things to worry about, one being they are not watching the traitor Jimmy Vale. and true to form, he heads back to the gang, with Vicki following him.
she gets caught, but is able to phone Bruce and tell Alfred almost where she is. Batman runs into a trap and gets knocked cold. Jimmy is trying to help Vicki escape and finds out Batman's secret ID!
Batman comes to, and get into a very good fistfight with several of the gang members- he gets knocked out a window!
next~ Robin's Ruse
|
|
|
|
Post by Xenorama ™ on Sept 3, 2007 13:39:30 GMT -8
turns out "Batman" fell to his death- and that was the last heroic sacrifice of Jimmy Vale. the Wizard doesn't believe it was only Jimmy, and now is thinking it's Bruce Wayne who is Batman and plans on concentrating on him.
Bruce falls into a trap and the Wizard's gang picks him up. he lets Robin know where he is though. when Robin arrives he begins a decoy mission for the gang and frees Bruce. Alfred is dressed as Batman at this time!
the Wizard is again annoyed that Bruce can identify most of the gang. Batman and Robin are in pursuit when the Wizard uses a smoke screen to confuse Robin, who promptly drives into a hill next to the road!
next ~ Robin Rides the Wind
|
|
|
|
Post by Xenorama ™ on Sept 3, 2007 23:22:15 GMT -8
Robin stops the car with minimal damage. they investigate the area and end up at Hamilton's house. they find a PI named Dunne (Robin actually gets behind him when Batman clocks him). Dunne has microfilm of Hamilton's plans for a "neutralizer" of the remote control machine.
Bruce plans a trap for Wizard. Hamilton is annoyed that they are "building" the neutralizer that belongs to him. the Wizard sends out his men to get the invention.
the Wizard's man in the plane drops bombs on Robin, making the truck crash over the side of the mountain!
next~ The Wizard's Challenge
|
|
|
|
Post by Xenorama ™ on Sept 5, 2007 14:18:30 GMT -8
Robin leaps to safety seconds before the truck crashes over the ledge. the gang hopes the neutralizer hasn't been damaged.  the gang isn't happy to have to go back the the Wizard.
Hammil gives Carter the neutralizer but it gets taken, despite the intervention of Batman and Robin. the invention now makes the Wizard invisible! he then tells Barry he will now steal the plans for the new super jet and Batman can't stop him.
the Wizard shows up (sort of) and gets the keys to get into the base. Batman hides in the vault. he knocks Robin out and sets an X-90 explosive device next to the vault. it explodes with Batman in the vault!
penultimate chapter: Batman vs. Wizard
|
|
|
|
Post by Xenorama ™ on Sept 5, 2007 15:55:25 GMT -8
Batman used his oxygen supply and stepped into the antechamber of the safe, and thus was safe. the Wizard becomes visible and easily seen and shot at! they find Dunne at the site, but can't quite pin him as the Wizard.
Batman ponders out that the Wizard is invisible. Bruce finds Carter's prints on the glove the Wizard left- they are Carter's! but as they speed over to Hammil's place, Carter gets shot by the Wizard!
later on Barry puts a broadcast out that the Wizard is going to kill Gordon, but gets strangled by an invisible assailant. then, at Gordon's office, a gun shoots at Gordon!
last one~ Batman Victorious
|
|
|
|
Post by Xenorama ™ on Sept 5, 2007 19:45:05 GMT -8
Vicki's warning made the Wizard shoot wide, and then Batman has the photograph she took (with a red light bulb) developed. Gordon has the operators listen in on various payphones, and they hear where the Wizard is hiding. he has to get the machines to keep him invisible.
Vicki's picture shows it's Carter- but he's dead! Batman thinks he has the answer. the Wizard steals a car, but the police are alerted to the driverless auto running about town.
the machine overheats and the Wizard is visible again. Vicki goes out by herself and gets caught by the gang. Robin discovers the Wizard's getaway and radios Batman. they meet up and infiltrate the base and make a henchman take them to the Wizard's HQ.
when they get there, a fistfight breaks out. they beat the thugs and Hammil confesses, but it's Carter's twin brother that is the Wizard! Batman apprehends him and later explains everything to Vicki and Gordon.
Vicki then invites Batman to dinner with Bruce and her, and he accepts. "Bruce" then phones Vicki telling her he would be out of town!
the (living) end!
overall, this is a fast moving and fun serial. quite enjoyable, and could have been a great one if they had better costumes and fights. the director also could have used more dramatic entrances for Batman as well, a complaint i lodged against the first Batman serial. such an iconic look, and they never use it, or it's accidental at best.
|
|
|
|
Post by Shonokin on May 2, 2008 16:02:35 GMT -8
I caught the first episode of this online and I actually liked the fight in this episode quite a lot. It wasn't the same old fist fight type stuff which just kills me with boredom. Robin getting his cape grabbed made me laugh, but not with derision but with a "yeah, about time that happened to some caped hero." Reminded me a bit of the whole cape thing in The Incredibles.
Besides that, Robin acted like someone who was small, dodging and avoiding more than just bulldozing in... which was obviously Bat's job, who was KOing the gangstas with one to two blows. Almost as good as The Spider with his 1 to 1 shoot to hit ratio.
I like the whized off Professor/Wizard. Nothing says "heavy" like an angry old coot who's not afraid to call EVERYBODY an idiot.
Anyway, I broke down and ordered the DVD. Have the first serial too but haven't had a chance to watch it yet. Guess I better get busy.
|
|
the gang isn't happy to have to go back the the Wizard.
