No matter how many different iterations of Batman there have been over the years, some folks still see colorful words explode across their memory of the caped crusader: Bang! Pow! Crash! For as dark as the adventures of Batman have progressively become, there’s no forgetting the brief era when the universe of “Batman” was a cartoonish, campy riot filled with tongue-in-cheek dialogue, scenery-chewing performances, and some very snug costumes. Comic books aside, it’s hard to believe that, for years, the TV show was essentially what people thought of when they pictured Gotham’s secretive hero, until 1989, when Tim Burton forever altered the way we view the Dark Knight.
The 60s TV show ran for three seasons on ABC. Still, the world got an extra dose of Batman soon after the first season concluded with Batman: The Movie, essentially a super-sized episode that brought four of Batman’s most...
The 60s TV show ran for three seasons on ABC. Still, the world got an extra dose of Batman soon after the first season concluded with Batman: The Movie, essentially a super-sized episode that brought four of Batman’s most...
- 3/11/2024
- by Eric Walkuski
- JoBlo.com
William Dozier's "Batman" TV series went off the air in March 1968, and it's been downhill for the character ever since. "Batman" is an unabashed work of genius, a series that took a pop figure from the late 1930s and updated him into a sublime comedic figure, wielded to satirize superheroes and the bizarre, colorful worlds they live in. Batman and Robin were upright citizens to the point of absurdity. They would drink milk, play chess, and trade trivia about the Ancient Greeks, before absquatulating to the Batcave where they, stonefaced, would talk about their surreal computer equipment and oddball costumes. As the stars, Adam West and Burt Ward were sublime, playing broadly comedic characters without once winking to the camera or letting the satirical façade crack.
It was gorgeous, broad, and colorful. Batman hasn't reached these highs since. Some of the other Batman movies and TV shows made since 1968 have been fine,...
It was gorgeous, broad, and colorful. Batman hasn't reached these highs since. Some of the other Batman movies and TV shows made since 1968 have been fine,...
- 1/24/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
For us 90s kids, Dick Tracy was an interesting monster of a movie. It seemed to take a lot of cues from Tim Burton’s Batman, which was released the previous summer, but it definitely had a distinct voice of its own. Dick Tracy was another classic pulp adaptation of an urban enforcer that had very dynamic visuals and an over-the-top rogues gallery. It even sported a score by Danny Elfman, which would have his signature atmospheric sound. The movie would introduce a generation of young audiences to the 1930’s film noir/ detective movie genre. Additionally, the movie brought back Warren Beatty after a three-year absence when his last film, 1987’s Ishtar, was a big flop. Having a star like Beatty in a big-budget franchise like this was an enormous asset for the re-budding intellectual property. And the star power wouldn’t even stop there.
Grab your Tommy guns. It...
Grab your Tommy guns. It...
- 1/21/2024
- by EJ Tangonan
- JoBlo.com
Everything Adam West did, Burt Ward did backward and in elf shoes.
Both West and Ward gave genius performances on William Dozier's 1966 TV series "Batman." The show took place in a cartoon universe full of outlandish villains and sexy criminals, while Batman stood in as some sort of cosmic straight man. Everything in the universe was strange, but the crimefighter dressed as a bat and his banana-caped sidekick in a domino mask both pretended that everything was normal and clean and, gosh darn it, even wholesome. West and Ward were stone-faced in delivering their weird-ass dialogue, elevating "Batman" from a simple adventure program to one of the most brilliant comedy shows in TV history.
Ward had it harder than West. Thanks to the face-covering design of the Batman costume, West could easily be replaced by a stunt performer for the show's many fight scenes. Ward, with his whole head exposed,...
Both West and Ward gave genius performances on William Dozier's 1966 TV series "Batman." The show took place in a cartoon universe full of outlandish villains and sexy criminals, while Batman stood in as some sort of cosmic straight man. Everything in the universe was strange, but the crimefighter dressed as a bat and his banana-caped sidekick in a domino mask both pretended that everything was normal and clean and, gosh darn it, even wholesome. West and Ward were stone-faced in delivering their weird-ass dialogue, elevating "Batman" from a simple adventure program to one of the most brilliant comedy shows in TV history.
Ward had it harder than West. Thanks to the face-covering design of the Batman costume, West could easily be replaced by a stunt performer for the show's many fight scenes. Ward, with his whole head exposed,...
- 1/20/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Rod Serling's "The Twilight Zone" delves into everything from the delightful to the macabre, where every incident exclusively takes place in the mysterious, unpredictable Twilight Zone. While some episodes lean into the deep-rooted fears of human existence, others probe into speculative fantasies about extraterrestrial life, time travel, and dream states that feel all too real. However, one particular episode of the show stands out: episode 5, "Walking Distance," is a deeply poetic and personal exploration of childhood nostalgia and the importance of moving forward, where some details were drawn fondly from Serling's personal life.
In the episode, a media executive named Martin Sloan (Gig Young) ends up near his childhood home in Homewood after his car breaks down within walking distance from his town. Serling based some of the details for Homewood on his own experiences of growing up in Binghamton, New York, and even inserted self-referential details such as...
In the episode, a media executive named Martin Sloan (Gig Young) ends up near his childhood home in Homewood after his car breaks down within walking distance from his town. Serling based some of the details for Homewood on his own experiences of growing up in Binghamton, New York, and even inserted self-referential details such as...
- 12/11/2023
- by Debopriyaa Dutta
- Slash Film
Robert Butler, who directed the pilots for a number of classic TV series including “Batman,” “Star Trek” and “Hill Street Blues,” has died at the age of 95.
Butler died on Nov. 3 in Los Angeles, his family announced via an obituary on the L.A. Times’ Legacy.com on Saturday.
The director was the cocreator of Pierce Brosnan series “Remington Steele” and directed its pilot. His credits also included work on “The Blue Knight,” “Hawaii Five-o,” “The Waltons” and more.
Butler and his friend screenwriter Lorenzo Semple Jr. were responsible for bringing “Batman” to the small screen and making it a 1960s camp sensation. The pair had been good friends since childhood, and when producer William Dozier tapped them for the comic-to-tv series, they were both ready to work together.
In the 2016 book “Batman: A Celebration of the Classic TV Series,” Butler said, “Dozier knew me when he was a CBS boss,...
Butler died on Nov. 3 in Los Angeles, his family announced via an obituary on the L.A. Times’ Legacy.com on Saturday.
The director was the cocreator of Pierce Brosnan series “Remington Steele” and directed its pilot. His credits also included work on “The Blue Knight,” “Hawaii Five-o,” “The Waltons” and more.
Butler and his friend screenwriter Lorenzo Semple Jr. were responsible for bringing “Batman” to the small screen and making it a 1960s camp sensation. The pair had been good friends since childhood, and when producer William Dozier tapped them for the comic-to-tv series, they were both ready to work together.
In the 2016 book “Batman: A Celebration of the Classic TV Series,” Butler said, “Dozier knew me when he was a CBS boss,...
- 11/11/2023
- by Stephanie Kaloi
- The Wrap
Robert Butler, the Emmy-winning, go-to pilot director who helmed the first episodes of such acclaimed shows as Batman, Star Trek, Hill Street Blues and Moonlighting, died Nov. 3 in Los Angeles, his family announced. He was 95.
Butler also co-created the Pierce Brosnan-starring Remington Steele (and helmed its pilot, of course), directed the first episode of Hogan’s Heroes in 1965, and called the first shots and set the tone for, Glenn Gordon Caron’s Moonlighting, Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, Sisters and The Division.
In 1973, he directed the William Holden-starring The Blue Knight — the first four-hour television miniseries — at NBC and then got the CBS series adaptation of the Joseph Wambaugh novel that starred George Kennedy off on the right foot.
Butler also helmed two episodes of The Twilight Zone (the fifth-season installments “Caesar and Me,” starring his old friend, Jackie Cooper, and “The Encounter”) and worked on The Dick Van Dyke Show,...
Butler also co-created the Pierce Brosnan-starring Remington Steele (and helmed its pilot, of course), directed the first episode of Hogan’s Heroes in 1965, and called the first shots and set the tone for, Glenn Gordon Caron’s Moonlighting, Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, Sisters and The Division.
In 1973, he directed the William Holden-starring The Blue Knight — the first four-hour television miniseries — at NBC and then got the CBS series adaptation of the Joseph Wambaugh novel that starred George Kennedy off on the right foot.
Butler also helmed two episodes of The Twilight Zone (the fifth-season installments “Caesar and Me,” starring his old friend, Jackie Cooper, and “The Encounter”) and worked on The Dick Van Dyke Show,...
- 11/11/2023
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Midway through the first big budget Batman film in 1989, Jack Nicholson’s Joker takes a moment to pout. The title character has just run off in the Batmobile while Mistah J stands by stunned and dejected. Finally he even laments, “Where does he get those wonderful toys?”
The irony of this scene is that, sure, the Batmobile is cool (especially that model), but for generation after generation, the man in the purple suit is always the one audiences savor playtime with. Whether it’s Nicholson hamming it up for ‘80s audiences, Heath Ledger vamping like a rock star from hell, or Joaquin Phoenix turning Travis Bickle into a clown, it seems our hearts are always won over by the guy with green hair. Consider that the Joker is one of only three roles that has produced multiple Oscar winners—putting Ledger and Phoenix into elite company with Marlon Brando and...
The irony of this scene is that, sure, the Batmobile is cool (especially that model), but for generation after generation, the man in the purple suit is always the one audiences savor playtime with. Whether it’s Nicholson hamming it up for ‘80s audiences, Heath Ledger vamping like a rock star from hell, or Joaquin Phoenix turning Travis Bickle into a clown, it seems our hearts are always won over by the guy with green hair. Consider that the Joker is one of only three roles that has produced multiple Oscar winners—putting Ledger and Phoenix into elite company with Marlon Brando and...
- 7/6/2023
- by David Crow
- Den of Geek
This article contains major spoilers for The Flash.
Holy revolving door, Batman! The Caped Crusader has been portrayed by more actors on the big screen than any other superhero in history. Most of them have lasted for just one film. After The Dark Knight Rises, Christian Bale became the first man to have played Bruce Wayne and his alter-ego more than twice on the silver screen. He didn’t have much competition – Michael Keaton was the only other actor to reprise the role at the time.
But Ben Affleck has now beat Bale for appearances as Batman on the big screen due to his return in The Flash movie, making that fourth time Affleck has donned the cape and cowl. Sure, these aren’t movies starring the Caped Crusader but they still count! Meanwhile, Keaton ties Bale for three appearances, with a much heftier role in The Flash than Affleck.
Holy revolving door, Batman! The Caped Crusader has been portrayed by more actors on the big screen than any other superhero in history. Most of them have lasted for just one film. After The Dark Knight Rises, Christian Bale became the first man to have played Bruce Wayne and his alter-ego more than twice on the silver screen. He didn’t have much competition – Michael Keaton was the only other actor to reprise the role at the time.
But Ben Affleck has now beat Bale for appearances as Batman on the big screen due to his return in The Flash movie, making that fourth time Affleck has donned the cape and cowl. Sure, these aren’t movies starring the Caped Crusader but they still count! Meanwhile, Keaton ties Bale for three appearances, with a much heftier role in The Flash than Affleck.
- 6/17/2023
- by Jbindeck2015
- Den of Geek
1966 was a good year to be a child watching TV. It was the premiere year of "Star Trek," of course, and little kids could easily fall in love with Spock (Leonard Nimoy) and the adventures of the U.S.S. Enterprise. Debuting at about the same time was "The Monkees," a playful riff on "A Hard Days Night" starring the eponymous pre-fab rock group that has always, to my eye, been way more interesting than the Beatles. 1966 was also the year of the fourth season of "The Avengers," the first season to feature Diana Rigg as Emma Peel.
1966 was also the debut of "Batman," one of the best TV shows of all time. Unlike most TV series, "Batman" aired two days a week, with the first half of a cliffhanger airing on Wednesdays, and the conclusion airing on Thursdays. It starred the impeccably funny Adam West and Burt Ward, two...
1966 was also the debut of "Batman," one of the best TV shows of all time. Unlike most TV series, "Batman" aired two days a week, with the first half of a cliffhanger airing on Wednesdays, and the conclusion airing on Thursdays. It starred the impeccably funny Adam West and Burt Ward, two...
- 5/6/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
A case can be made that Batman is the quintessential cinematic superhero. He’s certainly been the most adapted to the big screen, with the Caped Crusader starring in 12 theatrically released films when you count animation and William Dozier’s Batman: The Movie tie-in from 1966. There’s good reason for that ubiquitousness too.
The visceral mystique of a dark cowl and cape; the shadowy world of an urban landscape crying out for a hero; even the universally relatable origin of an orphan who seeks to fill the void left by his parents’ deaths. Much of the iconography Batman would come to define in superhero comics was on the silver screen first. After all, Batman co-creator Bob Kane once described the character as “half-Zorro,” and for most folks of his generation, Zorro was synonymous with Douglas Fairbanks in The Mark of Zorro (1920), the movie which made the story of a daring...
The visceral mystique of a dark cowl and cape; the shadowy world of an urban landscape crying out for a hero; even the universally relatable origin of an orphan who seeks to fill the void left by his parents’ deaths. Much of the iconography Batman would come to define in superhero comics was on the silver screen first. After all, Batman co-creator Bob Kane once described the character as “half-Zorro,” and for most folks of his generation, Zorro was synonymous with Douglas Fairbanks in The Mark of Zorro (1920), the movie which made the story of a daring...
- 4/28/2023
- by Rosie Fletcher
- Den of Geek
It's safe to say that the cultural influence of the 1966 "Batman" series peaked with the release of the 1966 feature-length spin-off movie. As detailed in "Batman: The Complete History" by Les Daniels, the series was met with declining enthusiasm when returned for a second season and was then canceled by ABC after the third season. Like the concurrently-airing "Star Trek" on NBC, "Batman" was a classic in the making, but cut short for contemporary audiences.
That's not to say the "Batman" team didn't try to save the show. For season 3, they mixed up the formula. To save costs, they cut the two episodes, one-story format -- aired on back-to-back nights -- from previous seasons. This also meant doing away with the trademark comic book-style cliffhangers. However, one innovation meant a budget increase: bringing in a third star alongside Batman (Adam West) and Robin (Burt Ward). That star was Barbara Gordon, daughter...
That's not to say the "Batman" team didn't try to save the show. For season 3, they mixed up the formula. To save costs, they cut the two episodes, one-story format -- aired on back-to-back nights -- from previous seasons. This also meant doing away with the trademark comic book-style cliffhangers. However, one innovation meant a budget increase: bringing in a third star alongside Batman (Adam West) and Robin (Burt Ward). That star was Barbara Gordon, daughter...
- 3/25/2023
- by Devin Meenan
- Slash Film
William Dozier's 1966 TV series "Batman," starring Adam West, Burt Ward, and a rotating bevy of charismatic character actors as the villains, possesses a rare genius. It is many things at once. A younger viewer will likely look at the fun costumes and colorful fight sequences and see an exciting adventure program. A savvy teen will look to the cackling, energized villains, and understand they are having more fun than a stuffed shirt like Batman. For a teen, the villains are the real heroes. An adult may look to "Batman" as a savvy, hilarious satire. The titular superhero and his loyal sidekick are both so fecklessly upstanding, and such loyal lapdogs to the local police department, that they become caricatures of 1950s moralism. All three of those age groups will likely, first and foremost, appreciate the joy and comedy of the show. It could be argued that Batman hasn't been...
- 3/19/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Looking back, it's somewhat astonishing that Tim Burton's 1989 film "Batman" was as big a hit as it was. Audiences were, of course, allured by the fact that 1989 offered the first time the character had graced a movie screen in 23 years and were likely intrigued by the fact that Batman was getting a massive budget and full-bore studio treatment. But the resulting film was odd in a way that wouldn't necessarily appeal to audiences today. Burton modeled the visuals of "Batman" after angular, shadow-filled German expressionist films like "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari," and cribbed its tone from bleak, nihilistic film noir pictures. The message of film noir is that there are no more heroes and morality is dead, and Burton had the temerity to drop a superhero into the middle of it.
What's more, "Batman" was strikingly violent. Characters bled. One character was electrocuted into a charred skeleton. The...
What's more, "Batman" was strikingly violent. Characters bled. One character was electrocuted into a charred skeleton. The...
- 3/16/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
To tamp down any speculation right away, this post will not be of a lascivious nature, and should not be confused with the rumors — started by Adam West himself in his 1994 autobiography — that he and his "Batman" co-star Frank Gorshin were once kicked out of an orgy because they wouldn't stop acting like their "Batman" characters. This is a story sans orgies.
It is a story about how William Dozier, the creator of the 1966 "Batman" TV series, became interested in the character after a TV executive went to a party at the Playboy Mansion in Chicago, and dipped into the mansion's screening room (!) to watch some of the "Batman" theatrical serials from the 1940s. This is a story chronicled by author Les Daniels in the 1999 book "Batman: The Complete History."
The conception of the 1966 "Batman" TV series was a strange convergence of trends and events that, perhaps dismaying to fans of DC Comics,...
It is a story about how William Dozier, the creator of the 1966 "Batman" TV series, became interested in the character after a TV executive went to a party at the Playboy Mansion in Chicago, and dipped into the mansion's screening room (!) to watch some of the "Batman" theatrical serials from the 1940s. This is a story chronicled by author Les Daniels in the 1999 book "Batman: The Complete History."
The conception of the 1966 "Batman" TV series was a strange convergence of trends and events that, perhaps dismaying to fans of DC Comics,...
- 3/16/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Tim Burton: ‘You Complain About ‘Batman Returns,’ Then Put Nipples on the Costume? Go F*ck Yourself’
Tim Burton’s “Batman Returns” ironically is when the famed director said goodbye to the DC franchise. Now, 30 years later, the Oscar nominee is weighing in on the legacy of the Caped Crusader — and having the last laugh.
“It is funny to see [Matt Reeves’ ‘The Batman’] now, because all these memories come back of, ‘It’s too dark,'” Burton told Empire magazine in honor of the 30th anniversary of “Batman Returns.” “So, it makes me laugh a little bit.”
Despite not having watched “The Batman” yet, Burton found irony in the jaded comic book superhero going darker in its modern storylines over the “wham! bam!” pop art aesthetic defined by the original comics, William Dozier’s classic TV series, and then Joel Schumacher’s “Batman Forever” and “Batman & Robin” films, which followed Burton’s two Warner Bros. installments starring Michael Keaton.
“[Back then] they went the other way. That’s the funny thing about it,...
“It is funny to see [Matt Reeves’ ‘The Batman’] now, because all these memories come back of, ‘It’s too dark,'” Burton told Empire magazine in honor of the 30th anniversary of “Batman Returns.” “So, it makes me laugh a little bit.”
Despite not having watched “The Batman” yet, Burton found irony in the jaded comic book superhero going darker in its modern storylines over the “wham! bam!” pop art aesthetic defined by the original comics, William Dozier’s classic TV series, and then Joel Schumacher’s “Batman Forever” and “Batman & Robin” films, which followed Burton’s two Warner Bros. installments starring Michael Keaton.
“[Back then] they went the other way. That’s the funny thing about it,...
- 6/7/2022
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
While Batman has been an institution in popular culture since the 1930s, it wasn't until the 1960s that the character gained a good deal of traction in the popular consciousness, thanks primarily to the William Dozier-produced CBS TV show. And while Adam West and Burt Ward were the stars of the show, one of the more attractive gimmicks of "Batman" was the regular rotating retinue of celebrity cameos and guest villains. In addition to mainstays like Cesar Romero, Frank Gorshin, and Academy Award nominee Burgess Meredith, "Batman" also featured the likes of Milton Berle, Shelley Winters, Lesley Gore, Joan Collins, Liberace (as twin brothers!), Anne Baxter, John Astin and...
The post The Best Live-Action Batman Villains Ranked appeared first on /Film.
The post The Best Live-Action Batman Villains Ranked appeared first on /Film.
- 3/4/2022
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
The final episode of "Batman," the sublime TV series starring Adam West and Burt Ward, aired in March of 1968, bringing to a close one of the best TV shows ever made. It would be 21 years until Tim Burton would make the world's biggest smash with his "Batman" feature film in 1989. And while, in 2022, we may be an additional 33 years away from Burton's film (and a full decade from "The Dark Knight Rises." Feeling old yet?), it is the William Dozier-produced TV show that may still carry the character's strongest legacy.
In 1989, when Burton's film was still on the cusp...
The post Why Adam West Didn't Take Michael Keaton's Batman Casting Very Well appeared first on /Film.
In 1989, when Burton's film was still on the cusp...
The post Why Adam West Didn't Take Michael Keaton's Batman Casting Very Well appeared first on /Film.
- 1/24/2022
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Laugh it up, film fans! Todd Phillips and Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker is almost upon us, ready to unleash a wave of crime — and think pieces — the likes of which Hollywood hasn’t seen since Heath Ledger terrorized Gotham City in The Dark Knight over a decade ago. But the story of the most infamous villain in Batman’s rogues gallery is itself as interesting as any of the character’s adventures either on screen or the printed page. Here’s a quick guide to the madcap history of the...
- 10/1/2019
- by Sean T. Collins
- Rollingstone.com
Family functions often go awry, but few end up quite as bloody as that of the DeKalb clan in To Your Last Death, a crowdfunded time travel splatter story billed as the world’s first feature-length animated horror film.
When warmongering megalomaniac Cyrus finds out he’s terminally ill, he summons his estranged children to his corporate headquarters to discuss his legacy. His paternal instincts, however, are a little askew, and the DeKalb kids—“whore” Kelsey, a Beverly Hills-type prone to self-harm, Collin, an uptight banker who publicly denounced his father’s handling of the state budget, and “autoerotic asphyxiator” Ethan, a wiseass who was “far busier doing his eighth-grade math teacher than eighth-grade math”—quickly find themselves stuck in Saw-style deathtraps devilishly modeled on the various ways they have disappointed dad. The sole survivor is “looney” Miriam, our protagonist, who escapes only to be approached by the mysterious Gamemaster,...
When warmongering megalomaniac Cyrus finds out he’s terminally ill, he summons his estranged children to his corporate headquarters to discuss his legacy. His paternal instincts, however, are a little askew, and the DeKalb kids—“whore” Kelsey, a Beverly Hills-type prone to self-harm, Collin, an uptight banker who publicly denounced his father’s handling of the state budget, and “autoerotic asphyxiator” Ethan, a wiseass who was “far busier doing his eighth-grade math teacher than eighth-grade math”—quickly find themselves stuck in Saw-style deathtraps devilishly modeled on the various ways they have disappointed dad. The sole survivor is “looney” Miriam, our protagonist, who escapes only to be approached by the mysterious Gamemaster,...
- 8/23/2019
- by Sean McGeady
- DailyDead
Comic book fans are still smarting from Netflix’s cancellations of Luke Cage, Daredevil and Iron Fist, but they are not the first superhero series to be cut short. For every successful Batman or Superman TV series, there are plenty of others that failed miserably on the small screen or never made it past the pilot stage. Here are just a few of the shows that nobody remembers. Who’s Afraid of Diana Prince? (1967) After the success of the Adam West and Burt Ward Batman series, TV producer William Dozier set out to create a Wonder Woman-ish show. A portion of […]
The post TV Superheroes who failed their missions appeared first on Monsters and Critics.
The post TV Superheroes who failed their missions appeared first on Monsters and Critics.
- 1/25/2019
- by Jeff Totey
- Monsters and Critics
Because of a "pre-existing licensing deal" with Tribune Co. "Archie" Comics had to kill their comic book reboot of plainclothes officer, private detective "Dick Tracy", with actor Warren Beatty ("McCabe & Mrs. Miller") continuing to hold onto the character's rights, despite a 'use it' or 'lose it' clause in a long-standing agreement with Tribune to produce a "Dick Tracy" movie or TV series:
The monthly comic book series was illustrated in a more realistic style, than that of "Dick Tracy" creator Chester Gould...
Created by Gould as a newspaper comic strip, 'Dick Tracy' has appeared in five movie serials from 1937 through 1941...
...six movies, including Beatty's 1990 feature, plus three TV series including animated cartoons.
In a previous announcement of the new comic book series, Tribune Co. was "...very excited to work with Archie Comics. 'Dick Tracy' is an iconic character, who still resonates with his fan base.
"The reboot of the franchise...
The monthly comic book series was illustrated in a more realistic style, than that of "Dick Tracy" creator Chester Gould...
Created by Gould as a newspaper comic strip, 'Dick Tracy' has appeared in five movie serials from 1937 through 1941...
...six movies, including Beatty's 1990 feature, plus three TV series including animated cartoons.
In a previous announcement of the new comic book series, Tribune Co. was "...very excited to work with Archie Comics. 'Dick Tracy' is an iconic character, who still resonates with his fan base.
"The reboot of the franchise...
- 11/5/2018
- by Michael Stevens
- SneakPeek
Death at an early age has a tendency to preserve, and oftentimes enhance, a star's fame, whether from film or music (Elvis Presley and John Lennon immediately coming to mind). And then there's Bruce Lee, the Hong Kong-American actor and martial artist who, since his passing back in 1973, has only seen his star grow brighter, but under very different circumstances from most other people. "He's the only iconic figure of the 20th century whose fame was almost entirely posthumous," offers Matthew Polly exclusively, whose exhaustive biography, Bruce Lee: A Life, will be published on June 5, 2018. "He died before the movie that made him famous — Enter the Dragon — actually made him famous, and there was no encounter with him beforehand as celebrity persona. People like James Dean and Marilyn Monroe were famous before they died early, but Bruce Lee, aside from viewers of The Green Hornet and a few martial arts fans,...
- 5/23/2018
- by Ed Gross
- Closer Weekly
Less than a year before her passing in 2015, actress Yvonne Craig was chatting with me about the enduring nature of the 1960s Batman series that starred Adam West in the title role, Burt Ward as his sidekick, Robin; and Yvonne herself in the dual role of Barbara Gordon and Batgirl. The complete series had been issued on Blu-ray at the time, which explained the excitement of the moment, but not the fact that people still loved that show nearly 50 years after its debut. “Part of it is that it is that it's a sign of our times,” she said. “Everyone would like to go back to the time of ‘Flower Power.’ You know, rather than blowing people up in all these different places like they are in the world, people are looking for an escape. And this is not only an escape, but it’s stilly and fun and filled with pretty colors.
- 4/17/2018
- by Ed Gross
- Closer Weekly
According to new reports, because of a "pre-existing licensing deal" with Tribune Co. "Archie" Comics cancelled their comic book reboot of "Dick Tracy", as actor Warren Beatty continues to hold onto the character's rights, despite a 'use it' or 'lose it' clause in a long-standing agreement with Tribune to produce a "Dick Tracy" movie or TV show:
The monthly comic book series was illustrated by Thomas Pitilli...
...with the first cover by Francesco Francavilla.
Created by Chester Gould as a newspaper comic strip, 'Dick Tracy' has so far appeared in five movie serials from 1937 through 1941, six movies, including Beatty's 1990 feature, plus three TV series including animated cartoons.
In a previous announcement of the new comic book series, Tribune Co. was "...very excited to work with Archie Comics. 'Dick Tracy' is an iconic character, who still resonates with his fan base.
"The reboot of the franchise will keep 'Dick Tracy' and...
The monthly comic book series was illustrated by Thomas Pitilli...
...with the first cover by Francesco Francavilla.
Created by Chester Gould as a newspaper comic strip, 'Dick Tracy' has so far appeared in five movie serials from 1937 through 1941, six movies, including Beatty's 1990 feature, plus three TV series including animated cartoons.
In a previous announcement of the new comic book series, Tribune Co. was "...very excited to work with Archie Comics. 'Dick Tracy' is an iconic character, who still resonates with his fan base.
"The reboot of the franchise will keep 'Dick Tracy' and...
- 1/17/2018
- by Michael Stevens
- SneakPeek
Archie Comics has confirmed a comic book reboot of "Dick Tracy", available April 11, 2018, as actor Warren Beatty continues to hold onto the character's screen rights, despite a 'use it' or 'lose it' clause in a long-standing agreement with Tribune Co. to produce a "Dick Tracy" movie or TV show:
The monthly comic book series will be illustrated by Thomas Pitilli...
...with the first cover by Francesco Francavilla.
Created by Chester Gould as a newspaper comic strip, the character has so far appeared in five movie serials from 1937 through 1941, six movies, including Beatty's 1990 feature, plus three TV series including animated cartoons.
Tribune Co. is "...very excited to work with Archie Comics. 'Dick Tracy' is an iconic character, who still resonates with his fan base.
"The reboot of the franchise will keep 'Dick Tracy' and his cast of rogue villains at the forefront of heroic characters in the battle of good and evil.
The monthly comic book series will be illustrated by Thomas Pitilli...
...with the first cover by Francesco Francavilla.
Created by Chester Gould as a newspaper comic strip, the character has so far appeared in five movie serials from 1937 through 1941, six movies, including Beatty's 1990 feature, plus three TV series including animated cartoons.
Tribune Co. is "...very excited to work with Archie Comics. 'Dick Tracy' is an iconic character, who still resonates with his fan base.
"The reboot of the franchise will keep 'Dick Tracy' and his cast of rogue villains at the forefront of heroic characters in the battle of good and evil.
- 12/13/2017
- by Michael Stevens
- SneakPeek
ComicMix’s crack legal columnist Bob Ingersoll is more than just a lawyer with a great wit, although that would be enough. For decades, Bob has been my go-to guy on the subject of television minutiae. So, it came as no surprise when he was the first to tell me and a group of our friends that Adam West died.
Yep, that sucks. Last week at this time, it would have been difficult to find a nicer guy in show business. Most of us are well aware of West’s résumé and I won’t bore you with it at this late date. Here’s the IMDb link – be sure to come back now, y’hear? But there’s one fun fact we tend to overlook.
Adam West saved the American comic book industry.
It was not a great time for the comic book racket. The founding families still owned...
Yep, that sucks. Last week at this time, it would have been difficult to find a nicer guy in show business. Most of us are well aware of West’s résumé and I won’t bore you with it at this late date. Here’s the IMDb link – be sure to come back now, y’hear? But there’s one fun fact we tend to overlook.
Adam West saved the American comic book industry.
It was not a great time for the comic book racket. The founding families still owned...
- 6/14/2017
- by Mike Gold
- Comicmix.com
Adam West, whose acting career began in the 1950s and remained busy right up to the present day, has died after a short battle with leukemia, according to The Hollywood Reporter. He was 88 years old. Before he landed the role that would define his career, the actor began appearing on television in 1959 as a contract player for Warner Bros., making guest appearances on a variety of shows. He also started to score supporting roles in movies, such as the sci-fi adventure Robinson Crusoe on Mars. Reportedly, it was West's appearance in a series of TV spots that prompted producer William Dozier to offer him the role of Bruce Wayne, also known as Batman. The series debuted in January 1966, with each one-hour show split into two episodes for...
Read More...
Read More...
- 6/11/2017
- by Peter Martin
- Movies.com
Wonder Woman almost wasn’t the strong, confident Amazonian hero fans know her to be today.
With Gal Gadot‘s critically praised Wonder Woman opening Friday, an unearthed clip of the first attempt to bring Wonder Woman to life in 1967 has surfaced — and it’s cringeworthy, to say the least.
Producer William Dozier’s failed attempt at a Wonder Woman sitcom titled Wonder Woman: Who’s Afraid of Diana Prince? starred Ellie Wood Walker as the titular hero and Maudie Prickett as her mother.
In the five-minute clip above, Diana Prince is berated for being single by her nagging...
With Gal Gadot‘s critically praised Wonder Woman opening Friday, an unearthed clip of the first attempt to bring Wonder Woman to life in 1967 has surfaced — and it’s cringeworthy, to say the least.
Producer William Dozier’s failed attempt at a Wonder Woman sitcom titled Wonder Woman: Who’s Afraid of Diana Prince? starred Ellie Wood Walker as the titular hero and Maudie Prickett as her mother.
In the five-minute clip above, Diana Prince is berated for being single by her nagging...
- 6/2/2017
- by Jodi Guglielmi
- PEOPLE.com
With the arrival of Wonder Woman in theaters this weekend, many are expecting the DC heroine's first major feature to be one of this summer's best. But the first attempt to bring Wonder Woman to life was an epic failure. The Hollywood Reporter shared a pilot for a Wonder Woman TV series that never saw the light of day. And its Bad, really bad.
Wonder Woman: Who's Afraid of Diana Prince? was produced in 1967 by William Dozier, who also worked on the classic Adam West Batman series. Words can't really describe just how awful this test pilot is, but you have to watch it.
Wonder Woman: Who's Afraid of Diana Prince? was produced in 1967 by William Dozier, who also worked on the classic Adam West Batman series. Words can't really describe just how awful this test pilot is, but you have to watch it.
- 6/2/2017
- by Kristian Odland
- GeekTyrant
Rob Leane Apr 5, 2017
Batgirl is the latest DC hero to be touted for a solo movie, with Joss Whedon at the helm. But who is Batgirl? Let's take a look...
Holy déjà vu, Batman! Only last week I was writing about the announcement that a new member of the Bat-family has been given their own movie among Warner Bros’ already-jam-packed DC Extended Universe slate. Dick Grayson, aka Nightwing, was the chap under discussion then.
Last week, on top of that, the news broke that Joss Whedon is writing, directing and producing a Batgirl movie as part of the Dceu. Warners is clearly serious about expanding out from Ben Affleck’s Batman to tell other stories about cowl-loving caped crusaders.
Here’s everything you need to know about Batgirl, mixed with some possibly-useless fan speculation about casting, villains and more...
Who is Batgirl?
As with most major superheroes, a few different...
Batgirl is the latest DC hero to be touted for a solo movie, with Joss Whedon at the helm. But who is Batgirl? Let's take a look...
Holy déjà vu, Batman! Only last week I was writing about the announcement that a new member of the Bat-family has been given their own movie among Warner Bros’ already-jam-packed DC Extended Universe slate. Dick Grayson, aka Nightwing, was the chap under discussion then.
Last week, on top of that, the news broke that Joss Whedon is writing, directing and producing a Batgirl movie as part of the Dceu. Warners is clearly serious about expanding out from Ben Affleck’s Batman to tell other stories about cowl-loving caped crusaders.
Here’s everything you need to know about Batgirl, mixed with some possibly-useless fan speculation about casting, villains and more...
Who is Batgirl?
As with most major superheroes, a few different...
- 3/30/2017
- Den of Geek
Mark Harrison Mar 15, 2017
The Lego Batman Movie and Return Of The Caped Crusaders have brought the light back to big screen Batman...
This article contains mild spoilers for The Lego Batman Movie and Batman: Return Of The Caped Crusaders.
Batman & Robin has a lot to answer for. Almost 20 years after its release, Joel Schumacher's brightly-coloured art nouveau confection is widely acknowledge as the nadir of the cinematic Bat-canon, even though that canon has very recently incorporated the DC Extended Universe entries, Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice and the Academy Award-winning* Suicide Squad.
But two decades on, it sometimes feels like the films have wound up going too far the other way. Warner Bros rightly ran in the opposite direction with the Dark Knight trilogy, which began eight years later with Christopher Nolan's Batman Begins. However, they haven't replicated the success of those films by doubling down on...
The Lego Batman Movie and Return Of The Caped Crusaders have brought the light back to big screen Batman...
This article contains mild spoilers for The Lego Batman Movie and Batman: Return Of The Caped Crusaders.
Batman & Robin has a lot to answer for. Almost 20 years after its release, Joel Schumacher's brightly-coloured art nouveau confection is widely acknowledge as the nadir of the cinematic Bat-canon, even though that canon has very recently incorporated the DC Extended Universe entries, Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice and the Academy Award-winning* Suicide Squad.
But two decades on, it sometimes feels like the films have wound up going too far the other way. Warner Bros rightly ran in the opposite direction with the Dark Knight trilogy, which began eight years later with Christopher Nolan's Batman Begins. However, they haven't replicated the success of those films by doubling down on...
- 3/5/2017
- Den of Geek
The Lair of the White Worm
Blu-ray
Lionsgate / Vestron
1988 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 94 min. / Street Date January 31, 2017 / 34.97
Starring Amanda Donohoe, Hugh Grant, Catherine Oxenberg, Peter Capaldi, Sammi Davis, Stratford Johns, Paul Brooke, Imogen Claire, Chris Pitt, Gina McKee, Christopher Gable, Lloyd Peters.
Cinematography: Dick Bush
Film Editor: Peter Davies
Special Effects makeup: Stuart Conran, Paul Jones
Original Music: Stanislaus Syerewicz
Written by: Ken Russell from the novel by Bram Stoker
Produced and Directed by Ken Russell
Wild man director Ken Russell struck back against commercial indifference with this alternately elegant and outrageous horror offering, that excepting a few hard- ‘R’ moments, comes off as a real (snake) charmer. Few horror movies have a real sense of wit, and fewer still can laugh at themselves without crumbling into sad parody. As if reclaiming horror as a British-made product, Russell’s The Lair of the White Worm shows us what a next-generation Hammer...
Blu-ray
Lionsgate / Vestron
1988 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 94 min. / Street Date January 31, 2017 / 34.97
Starring Amanda Donohoe, Hugh Grant, Catherine Oxenberg, Peter Capaldi, Sammi Davis, Stratford Johns, Paul Brooke, Imogen Claire, Chris Pitt, Gina McKee, Christopher Gable, Lloyd Peters.
Cinematography: Dick Bush
Film Editor: Peter Davies
Special Effects makeup: Stuart Conran, Paul Jones
Original Music: Stanislaus Syerewicz
Written by: Ken Russell from the novel by Bram Stoker
Produced and Directed by Ken Russell
Wild man director Ken Russell struck back against commercial indifference with this alternately elegant and outrageous horror offering, that excepting a few hard- ‘R’ moments, comes off as a real (snake) charmer. Few horror movies have a real sense of wit, and fewer still can laugh at themselves without crumbling into sad parody. As if reclaiming horror as a British-made product, Russell’s The Lair of the White Worm shows us what a next-generation Hammer...
- 1/28/2017
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
David Crow Sep 26, 2019
We look at what each of the movie Joker actors have brought to the role, from Cesar Romero in Batman '66 to Joaquin Phoenix.
Whether or not you liked Jared Leto as the Joker in Suicide Squad, you can't argue with a $746 million in worldwide box office. That 2015 movie once again reminded Warner Bros. that the Clown Prince of Crime is their most bankable screen villain, and not even anemic reviews could keep audiences away. For that reason, it's no surprise we are on the verge of getting our first solo Joker movie, this time starring Joaquin Phoenix in a completely original concept from director Todd Phillips and producer Martin Scorseese.
The Joker is a character historically infamous for his theatricality; he’s a scion of chaos, the maestro of malevolence, and a twisty yin to Batman’s straight-laced yang. He’s a comic icon that was...
We look at what each of the movie Joker actors have brought to the role, from Cesar Romero in Batman '66 to Joaquin Phoenix.
Whether or not you liked Jared Leto as the Joker in Suicide Squad, you can't argue with a $746 million in worldwide box office. That 2015 movie once again reminded Warner Bros. that the Clown Prince of Crime is their most bankable screen villain, and not even anemic reviews could keep audiences away. For that reason, it's no surprise we are on the verge of getting our first solo Joker movie, this time starring Joaquin Phoenix in a completely original concept from director Todd Phillips and producer Martin Scorseese.
The Joker is a character historically infamous for his theatricality; he’s a scion of chaos, the maestro of malevolence, and a twisty yin to Batman’s straight-laced yang. He’s a comic icon that was...
- 8/5/2016
- Den of Geek
David Crow Sep 26, 2018
We look at what each of the movie Joker actors have brought to the role, from Cesar Romero in Batman '66 to Joaquin Phoenix.
Whether or not you liked Jared Leto as the Joker in Suicide Squad, you can't argue with a $746 million in worldwide box office. That 2015 movie once again reminded Warner Bros. that the Clown Prince of Crime is their most bankable screen villain, and not even anemic reviews could keep audiences away. For that reason, it's no surprise we are on the verge of getting our first solo Joker movie, albeit the reviews might explain why it stars Joaquin Phoenix in a completely original concept from director Todd Phillips and producer Martin Scorseese.
This is a character historically infamous for his theatricality; he’s a scion of chaos, the maestro of malevolence, and a twisty yin to Batman’s straight-laced yang. He’s a...
We look at what each of the movie Joker actors have brought to the role, from Cesar Romero in Batman '66 to Joaquin Phoenix.
Whether or not you liked Jared Leto as the Joker in Suicide Squad, you can't argue with a $746 million in worldwide box office. That 2015 movie once again reminded Warner Bros. that the Clown Prince of Crime is their most bankable screen villain, and not even anemic reviews could keep audiences away. For that reason, it's no surprise we are on the verge of getting our first solo Joker movie, albeit the reviews might explain why it stars Joaquin Phoenix in a completely original concept from director Todd Phillips and producer Martin Scorseese.
This is a character historically infamous for his theatricality; he’s a scion of chaos, the maestro of malevolence, and a twisty yin to Batman’s straight-laced yang. He’s a...
- 8/5/2016
- Den of Geek
This month marks the 50th anniversary of the Batman TV show (1966-68) starring Adam West and Burt Ward as Batman and his teen partner Robin the Boy Wonder. The show was a huge hit when first released and still has a loyal following today. The show was a clever satire, not only on super heroes but also on 1960s pop-culture in general. Cinelinx celebrates ABC’s Batman at 50.
In January of 1996, a mid-season replacement show debuted on ABC and became an unexpected hit. It was originally planned to be produced for the fall ’66 season but it was moved up to January. ABC’s Batman was part of its 1966 “second wave” programming, being one of 4 shows that debuted during the mid-season. (Along with The Double Life of Henry Phyfe, Blue Light and The Baron.) While the other three are mostly forgotten, Batman became the sensation of the season—airing twice each week,...
In January of 1996, a mid-season replacement show debuted on ABC and became an unexpected hit. It was originally planned to be produced for the fall ’66 season but it was moved up to January. ABC’s Batman was part of its 1966 “second wave” programming, being one of 4 shows that debuted during the mid-season. (Along with The Double Life of Henry Phyfe, Blue Light and The Baron.) While the other three are mostly forgotten, Batman became the sensation of the season—airing twice each week,...
- 1/2/2016
- by feeds@cinelinx.com (Rob Young)
- Cinelinx
By Lee Pfeiffer
Actress Yvonne Craig, who specialized in playing perky and sexy characters in TV shows and feature films, has died after a long battle with breast cancer. She was 78 years old. Craig broke into the film and TV industry in the late 1950s, making her big screen debut in the exploitation film "Eighteen and Anxious". Before long, she was not only co-starring with Elvis Presley in "It Happened at the World's Fair" and "Kissin' Cousins", but also dating him as well. There was no shortage of work for the attractive Craig during the 1960s and she appeared on numerous TV series including "The Man From U.N.C.L.E." In fact, Craig filmed extra sequences for extended two-part episodes of the show that were released theatrically under the titles "One Spy Too Many" and "One of Our Spies is Missing". However, it was when producer William Dozier cast Craig as Batgirl...
Actress Yvonne Craig, who specialized in playing perky and sexy characters in TV shows and feature films, has died after a long battle with breast cancer. She was 78 years old. Craig broke into the film and TV industry in the late 1950s, making her big screen debut in the exploitation film "Eighteen and Anxious". Before long, she was not only co-starring with Elvis Presley in "It Happened at the World's Fair" and "Kissin' Cousins", but also dating him as well. There was no shortage of work for the attractive Craig during the 1960s and she appeared on numerous TV series including "The Man From U.N.C.L.E." In fact, Craig filmed extra sequences for extended two-part episodes of the show that were released theatrically under the titles "One Spy Too Many" and "One of Our Spies is Missing". However, it was when producer William Dozier cast Craig as Batgirl...
- 8/19/2015
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
From Wonder Woman to Red Sonja, here are the female comic book projects that we’ve missed out on…
Although Supergirl, Catwoman and Elektra are movies that exist, there are times when we wish they didn’t. To be honest, the ‘perfect’ female-headlined superhero movie is still the stuff of our cinematic dreams. Saying that, TV’s Agent Carter provided us with a brilliant example of bringing a female comic book character to the small screen earlier this year, which hopefully Hollywood will learn a lot from going forward.
Of course, Wonder Woman and Captain Marvel will be joining their respective cinematic universes soon, with Supergirl getting a pop at small screen success too. It looks like female comic book heroes will be getting the attention they deserve in the live action realm, finally.
This isn’t the first time the powers-that-be in Hollywood have tried to launch a slate of female superheroes,...
Although Supergirl, Catwoman and Elektra are movies that exist, there are times when we wish they didn’t. To be honest, the ‘perfect’ female-headlined superhero movie is still the stuff of our cinematic dreams. Saying that, TV’s Agent Carter provided us with a brilliant example of bringing a female comic book character to the small screen earlier this year, which hopefully Hollywood will learn a lot from going forward.
Of course, Wonder Woman and Captain Marvel will be joining their respective cinematic universes soon, with Supergirl getting a pop at small screen success too. It looks like female comic book heroes will be getting the attention they deserve in the live action realm, finally.
This isn’t the first time the powers-that-be in Hollywood have tried to launch a slate of female superheroes,...
- 3/18/2015
- by simonbrew
- Den of Geek
Batman Eternal, the Energizer Bunny of comics that keeps going and going and going and… (If I repeated “and going” for another thousand words think Mike and Glenn would complain? It would certainly make my job easier.) Batman Eternal is taking a novel approach to comic books, both figuratively and literally, by telling a year-long, novel-length Batman story. Here’s the thing about novels, though, to make them long enough to be novels, things have to happen. Usually lots of things. But here’s the thing about things, especially lots of things, not all things work.
So it is that we come to Batman Eternal #34, where something happened. Something that shouldn’t happen happened. No, something that couldn’t happen happened.
Seems that over the years, Batman secreted seventeen bunkers loaded with weapons and explosives in little hidey holes all over Gotham City . He financed these caches with his corporate cash.
So it is that we come to Batman Eternal #34, where something happened. Something that shouldn’t happen happened. No, something that couldn’t happen happened.
Seems that over the years, Batman secreted seventeen bunkers loaded with weapons and explosives in little hidey holes all over Gotham City . He financed these caches with his corporate cash.
- 2/6/2015
- by Bob Ingersoll
- Comicmix.com
Warner Bros. Home Entertainment (Wbhe) will provide fans with replacement discs and digital repairs to the few minor technical issues identified in its recent release of Batman: The Complete Television Series.
Amounting to less than five minutes of footage within the 50-plus hours of entertainment, the issues encompass one 60-second dropped scene in the episode entitled “Marsha’s Scheme of Diamonds”; a brief piece of rarely-heard William Dozier narration that originally opened the pilot episode, “Hi Diddle Riddle”; and an assembly of villain tags from the end of assorted episodes.
“The restoration process of this footage – spanning 48 years and two major studios – has been a super heroic task, and we deeply regret even the smallest of glitches occurring in that process,” said Rosemary Markson, Senior Vice President, TV Brand Management & Retail Marketing, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment. “We recognize our obligation to the fans of this landmark series, and we...
Amounting to less than five minutes of footage within the 50-plus hours of entertainment, the issues encompass one 60-second dropped scene in the episode entitled “Marsha’s Scheme of Diamonds”; a brief piece of rarely-heard William Dozier narration that originally opened the pilot episode, “Hi Diddle Riddle”; and an assembly of villain tags from the end of assorted episodes.
“The restoration process of this footage – spanning 48 years and two major studios – has been a super heroic task, and we deeply regret even the smallest of glitches occurring in that process,” said Rosemary Markson, Senior Vice President, TV Brand Management & Retail Marketing, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment. “We recognize our obligation to the fans of this landmark series, and we...
- 12/17/2014
- by Matt MacNabb
- Legions of Gotham
Opening Batman: The Complete Series, I said, “This is my childhood in a box.” When the ABC series debuted in January 1966, I was seven, the exact perfect age to be utterly captivated by seeing a comic book faithfully adapted to the small screen. Without fail, I was glued to the television set on Wednesday and Thursday evenings right until the final episode aired in March 1968, leaving indelible images in my mind. These were reinforced just a few years later when local syndicated reruns burned the stories, sounds, and characters deeper into my psyche.
I was too young to understand the context of the show and its impact on popular culture, DC Comics, or the world of licensing. I didn’t get the wry jokes, it’s knowing pop camp approach to storytelling, or how it cleverly worked on multiple levels (a rare occurrence on prime time back then). Instead,...
I was too young to understand the context of the show and its impact on popular culture, DC Comics, or the world of licensing. I didn’t get the wry jokes, it’s knowing pop camp approach to storytelling, or how it cleverly worked on multiple levels (a rare occurrence on prime time back then). Instead,...
- 11/15/2014
- by Robert Greenberger
- Comicmix.com
Washington, March 29: Lorenzo Semple Jr., who wrote the screenplays of 'The Parallax View', 'Three Days of the Condor, and 'Never Say Never Again', has passed away. He was 91.
According to the Hollywood Reporter, Lorenzo Semple Jr.'s daughter - Emmy-nominated comedy writer Maria - revealed that the American screenwriter died of natural causes at his home in Los Angeles.
Semple's name is associated with classics like 'Papillon', 'The Drowning Pool' and 'King Kong'.
Semple, who was hired by 'Batman' producer William Dozier to create the superhero show for 20th Century Fox Television and ABC, wrote only the.
According to the Hollywood Reporter, Lorenzo Semple Jr.'s daughter - Emmy-nominated comedy writer Maria - revealed that the American screenwriter died of natural causes at his home in Los Angeles.
Semple's name is associated with classics like 'Papillon', 'The Drowning Pool' and 'King Kong'.
Semple, who was hired by 'Batman' producer William Dozier to create the superhero show for 20th Century Fox Television and ABC, wrote only the.
- 3/29/2014
- by Amith Ostwal
- RealBollywood.com
The much anticipated home video release of the 1966-1968 Batman teleivsion series has been confirmed by Warner Home Video. A complete box set of the trend-setting 104 episodes will be out later this year in a date to be determined.
The announcement was made on the Conan O’Brien Show complete with a breaking news tweet.
Last year, Warner Bros. and 20th Century Fox reached an agreement to allow licensing from the ABC series to begin which spawned action figures, Barbie & Ken Collector’s Set, the well-received comic book Batman ’66 from DC Entertainment, and related merchandise. There were high hopes that the DVD announcement would be made at last summer’s Comic-Con International but it was not to be.
No details have yet been released regarding how this arrangement was completed but it has been long understood that there were legal entanglements between DC, 20th Century Fox, and Greenway Productions, the...
The announcement was made on the Conan O’Brien Show complete with a breaking news tweet.
Last year, Warner Bros. and 20th Century Fox reached an agreement to allow licensing from the ABC series to begin which spawned action figures, Barbie & Ken Collector’s Set, the well-received comic book Batman ’66 from DC Entertainment, and related merchandise. There were high hopes that the DVD announcement would be made at last summer’s Comic-Con International but it was not to be.
No details have yet been released regarding how this arrangement was completed but it has been long understood that there were legal entanglements between DC, 20th Century Fox, and Greenway Productions, the...
- 1/16/2014
- by Robert Greenberger
- Comicmix.com
Oscar-winning actor who played threatened heroines for Alfred Hitchcock in Rebecca and Suspicion
It was hard to cast the lead in Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca, filmed by Alfred Hitchcock in 1939. The female fans of the bestseller were very protective of the naive woman whom the widower Max de Winter marries and transports to his ancestral home of Manderley. None of the contenders – including Vivien Leigh, Anne Baxter and Loretta Young – felt right for the second Mrs de Winter, who was every lending-library reader's dream self.
To play opposite Laurence Olivier in the film, the producer David O Selznick suggested instead a 21-year-old actor with whom he was smitten: Joan Fontaine. The prolonged casting process made Fontaine anxious. Vulnerability was central to the part, and you can see that vulnerability, that inability to trust her own judgment, in every frame of the film. The performance brought Fontaine, who has died...
It was hard to cast the lead in Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca, filmed by Alfred Hitchcock in 1939. The female fans of the bestseller were very protective of the naive woman whom the widower Max de Winter marries and transports to his ancestral home of Manderley. None of the contenders – including Vivien Leigh, Anne Baxter and Loretta Young – felt right for the second Mrs de Winter, who was every lending-library reader's dream self.
To play opposite Laurence Olivier in the film, the producer David O Selznick suggested instead a 21-year-old actor with whom he was smitten: Joan Fontaine. The prolonged casting process made Fontaine anxious. Vulnerability was central to the part, and you can see that vulnerability, that inability to trust her own judgment, in every frame of the film. The performance brought Fontaine, who has died...
- 12/16/2013
- by Veronica Horwell
- The Guardian - Film News
Academy Award-winning actress Joan Fontaine, the leading lady known for her string of roles as demure, well-mannered and often well-bred heroines in the 1940s, and the younger sister of actress Olivia de Havilland, died today at her home in Carmel, California; she was 96.
Known best for her back-to-back roles in two Alfred Hitchcock thrillers -- the 1940 Best Picture winner Rebecca and the 1941 film Suspicion, for which she won a Best Actress Oscar, making her the ony actor in a Hitchcock film to receive an Academy Award -- she and her sister were enshrined in Hollywood lore as intense rivals, and their rivalry reached a peak of sorts when Fontaine beat de Havilland for the 1941 Best Actress Oscar.
Born Joan de Beauvoir de Havilland in 1917 in Tokyo, Japan, Fontaine suffered from recurring ailments throughout her childhood, resulting in her mother moving both her and Olivia to California. While her mother, stage actress Lillian Fontaine, desired for both her daughters to be actresses, it was only Olivia who initially pursued an acting career, as Fontaine returned to Japan for two years when she was 15 years old to live with her father, who divorced Lillian in 1919. Upon returning to the states, Fontaine found that Olivia was already becoming an established actress, and began to embark on her own career. Starting out in theater, Joan initially changed her name to Joan Burfield, then Joan Fontaine (so as to avoid confusion with her sister), and soon found herself in moderately noteworthy parts in such films as You Can't Beat Love (1937), A Damsel in Distress (1937, opposite Fred Astaire) and Gunga Din (1939, alongside Cary Grant, her future leading man in Suspicion). Though she garnered more notice in 1939 in the supporting part of naive newlywed Peggy Day in the classic comedy The Women, she was far eclipsed in fame and reputation by her sister, who had already starred along Errol Flynn in a number of romance adventures, and who received her first Oscar nomination for the blockbuster Gone With the Wind.
It was the same man who cast de Havilland in Gone With the Wind who would make Fontaine into a major star. Looking to follow up the monstrous success of Gone With the Wind with another noteworthy literary adapation, producer David O. Selnick snapped up the rights to the Daphne du Maurier bestseller Rebecca, in which an unnamed, demure heroine -- known only as "the second Mrs. de Winter" -- is taunted by the memory of her husband's first wife, the beautiful and seductive title character. Selznick brought director Alfred Hitchcock over for his first American production, cast matinee idol and rising star Laurence Olivier as moody, mysterious husband Maxim de Winter, and embarked on a Scarlett O'Hara-style talent search for his leading lady. Rejecting Loretta Young, Margaret Sullavan, Vivian Leigh (then Olivier's wife), and a then-unknown Anne Baxter along with hundreds of other actresses, Selznick decided on Fontaine, who though not an established star projected the right mix of beauty, insecurity, and tenacity needed for the part. Fontaine's insecurity, however, was heightened by Olivier's sometimes cruel treatment of her on set, as he had lobbied aggressively for Leigh to get the role, and Hitchcock capitalized on her inferiority complex to shape her performance. The resulting film, released in 1940, was an unqualified critical and financial success, catapulting Fontaine into the tier of top Hollywood leading ladies, establishing Hitchcock firmly in the United States, and nabbing the film 11 Academy Award nominations, includine ones for both Fontaine and Olivier; it would go on to win Best Picture.
Selznick, pleased with the combination of Hitchcock and Fontaine, signed the two on for a follow-up about a demure heiress who begins to suspect that her playboy husband is out to murder her for her money. Initially titled Before the Fact, it would later be retitled Suspicion, and Cary Grant was cast as the charming but caddish husband. Though the final ending of the film was tinkered with -- studio heads thought making Grant guilty would be bad for box office, and insisted on a twist to make him actually heroic -- it was another success, earning three Oscar nominations, including Fontaine's second Best Actress nod. It was at the 1941 Academy Awards that Fontaine, once considered the also-ran to her movie star sister, beat Olivia de Havilland for the Best Actress Oscar (de Havilland had been nominated for Hold Back the Dawn). In what became part of Hollywood and Academy Award legend, Fontaine coolly rejected her sister's efforts at congratulations, and What had always been a fractious relationship since childhood became officially estranged. Hollywood wags often reported that because de Havilland lost to her sister, she would retaliate by winning two Oscars -- in 1946 for To Each His Own and 1949 for The Heiress -- in order to top Fontaine. The two would officially stop speaking to one another in 1975.
Fontaine received a third Oscar nomination in 1943, for the music melodrama The Constant Nymph, and that same year essayed the title role in the commercially successful if moderately well-regarded version of Jane Eyre opposite Orson Welles. She remained a star throughout the 1940s, appearing in the comedy The Affairs of Susan (1945), the thriller Ivy (1947), and opposite Bing Crosby in The Emperor Waltz (1948). Fontaine also gave what many consider to be her best performance in 1948's Letters from an Unknown Woman, Max Ophuls' romantic drama opposite Louis Jourdan. In 1945 she divorced her first husband, actor Brian Aherne, and in 1946 married producer William Dozier, whom she would divorce in 1951. Two years later, she was embroiled in a bitter custody battle with him over their daughter, Debbie, and the ongoing lawsuit would prevent Fontaine from accepting the role of frustrated military wife Karen Holmes in the Oscar-winning drama From Here to Eternity -- Deborah Kerr was instead cast, and received an Oscar nomination for the part.
Though she continued to work throughout the 1950s, most notably in the lavish Technicolor adaptation of Ivanhoe (1952), Ida Lupino's film noir The Bigamist (1953), and in the pioneering if often campy racial drama Island in the Sun (1957), her work in both film and television lessened, and her last film appearance was in Hammer Films horror movie The Devil's Own (1966). Television work followed in the 1970s and 1980s, and Fontaine received a Daytime Emmy nomination for the soap opera Ryan's Hope. She published an autobiography, No Bed of Roses, in 1978, and after the television film Good King Wenceslas (1994), retired officially to her home in Carmel, California.
Fontaine is survived by her daughter, Debbie Dozier.
Known best for her back-to-back roles in two Alfred Hitchcock thrillers -- the 1940 Best Picture winner Rebecca and the 1941 film Suspicion, for which she won a Best Actress Oscar, making her the ony actor in a Hitchcock film to receive an Academy Award -- she and her sister were enshrined in Hollywood lore as intense rivals, and their rivalry reached a peak of sorts when Fontaine beat de Havilland for the 1941 Best Actress Oscar.
Born Joan de Beauvoir de Havilland in 1917 in Tokyo, Japan, Fontaine suffered from recurring ailments throughout her childhood, resulting in her mother moving both her and Olivia to California. While her mother, stage actress Lillian Fontaine, desired for both her daughters to be actresses, it was only Olivia who initially pursued an acting career, as Fontaine returned to Japan for two years when she was 15 years old to live with her father, who divorced Lillian in 1919. Upon returning to the states, Fontaine found that Olivia was already becoming an established actress, and began to embark on her own career. Starting out in theater, Joan initially changed her name to Joan Burfield, then Joan Fontaine (so as to avoid confusion with her sister), and soon found herself in moderately noteworthy parts in such films as You Can't Beat Love (1937), A Damsel in Distress (1937, opposite Fred Astaire) and Gunga Din (1939, alongside Cary Grant, her future leading man in Suspicion). Though she garnered more notice in 1939 in the supporting part of naive newlywed Peggy Day in the classic comedy The Women, she was far eclipsed in fame and reputation by her sister, who had already starred along Errol Flynn in a number of romance adventures, and who received her first Oscar nomination for the blockbuster Gone With the Wind.
It was the same man who cast de Havilland in Gone With the Wind who would make Fontaine into a major star. Looking to follow up the monstrous success of Gone With the Wind with another noteworthy literary adapation, producer David O. Selnick snapped up the rights to the Daphne du Maurier bestseller Rebecca, in which an unnamed, demure heroine -- known only as "the second Mrs. de Winter" -- is taunted by the memory of her husband's first wife, the beautiful and seductive title character. Selznick brought director Alfred Hitchcock over for his first American production, cast matinee idol and rising star Laurence Olivier as moody, mysterious husband Maxim de Winter, and embarked on a Scarlett O'Hara-style talent search for his leading lady. Rejecting Loretta Young, Margaret Sullavan, Vivian Leigh (then Olivier's wife), and a then-unknown Anne Baxter along with hundreds of other actresses, Selznick decided on Fontaine, who though not an established star projected the right mix of beauty, insecurity, and tenacity needed for the part. Fontaine's insecurity, however, was heightened by Olivier's sometimes cruel treatment of her on set, as he had lobbied aggressively for Leigh to get the role, and Hitchcock capitalized on her inferiority complex to shape her performance. The resulting film, released in 1940, was an unqualified critical and financial success, catapulting Fontaine into the tier of top Hollywood leading ladies, establishing Hitchcock firmly in the United States, and nabbing the film 11 Academy Award nominations, includine ones for both Fontaine and Olivier; it would go on to win Best Picture.
Selznick, pleased with the combination of Hitchcock and Fontaine, signed the two on for a follow-up about a demure heiress who begins to suspect that her playboy husband is out to murder her for her money. Initially titled Before the Fact, it would later be retitled Suspicion, and Cary Grant was cast as the charming but caddish husband. Though the final ending of the film was tinkered with -- studio heads thought making Grant guilty would be bad for box office, and insisted on a twist to make him actually heroic -- it was another success, earning three Oscar nominations, including Fontaine's second Best Actress nod. It was at the 1941 Academy Awards that Fontaine, once considered the also-ran to her movie star sister, beat Olivia de Havilland for the Best Actress Oscar (de Havilland had been nominated for Hold Back the Dawn). In what became part of Hollywood and Academy Award legend, Fontaine coolly rejected her sister's efforts at congratulations, and What had always been a fractious relationship since childhood became officially estranged. Hollywood wags often reported that because de Havilland lost to her sister, she would retaliate by winning two Oscars -- in 1946 for To Each His Own and 1949 for The Heiress -- in order to top Fontaine. The two would officially stop speaking to one another in 1975.
Fontaine received a third Oscar nomination in 1943, for the music melodrama The Constant Nymph, and that same year essayed the title role in the commercially successful if moderately well-regarded version of Jane Eyre opposite Orson Welles. She remained a star throughout the 1940s, appearing in the comedy The Affairs of Susan (1945), the thriller Ivy (1947), and opposite Bing Crosby in The Emperor Waltz (1948). Fontaine also gave what many consider to be her best performance in 1948's Letters from an Unknown Woman, Max Ophuls' romantic drama opposite Louis Jourdan. In 1945 she divorced her first husband, actor Brian Aherne, and in 1946 married producer William Dozier, whom she would divorce in 1951. Two years later, she was embroiled in a bitter custody battle with him over their daughter, Debbie, and the ongoing lawsuit would prevent Fontaine from accepting the role of frustrated military wife Karen Holmes in the Oscar-winning drama From Here to Eternity -- Deborah Kerr was instead cast, and received an Oscar nomination for the part.
Though she continued to work throughout the 1950s, most notably in the lavish Technicolor adaptation of Ivanhoe (1952), Ida Lupino's film noir The Bigamist (1953), and in the pioneering if often campy racial drama Island in the Sun (1957), her work in both film and television lessened, and her last film appearance was in Hammer Films horror movie The Devil's Own (1966). Television work followed in the 1970s and 1980s, and Fontaine received a Daytime Emmy nomination for the soap opera Ryan's Hope. She published an autobiography, No Bed of Roses, in 1978, and after the television film Good King Wenceslas (1994), retired officially to her home in Carmel, California.
Fontaine is survived by her daughter, Debbie Dozier.
- 12/16/2013
- by Mark Englehart
- IMDb News
Hollywood stalwart Joan Fontaine, best known for her roles in director Alfred Hitchcock's 1939 Rebecca and her Best Actress Oscar-winning role in his 1940 film Suspicion, died Sunday at her northern California home, according to several reports. She was 96. Details of her death were not immediately available. In addition to playing a mousey spouse in both the Hitchcock films, first alongside Laurence Olivier and then to Cary Grant, Fontaine's other well-known movies included 1943's The Constant Nymph, which got her a third Oscar nomination, 1944's Jane Eyre with Orson Welles, 1952's Ivanhoe with Robert Taylor, and 1957's controversial Island in the Sun with Harry Belafonte.
- 12/16/2013
- by Stephen M. Silverman
- PEOPLE.com
by Ryan Rigley
"I am vengeance. I am the night. I am... Ben Affleck." That's right, folks. Warner Bros. and Zack Snyder have officially announced who our next Dark Knight will be and it's neither Josh Brolin nor Ryan Gosling. Apparently, Oscar-winning director Ben Affleck has officially signed a multi-film deal with Warner Bros., meaning he'll play the Caped Crusader in the next few Batman films— including Snyder's "Superman vs. Batman" and the highly-anticipated "Justice League."
So far, reactions to Affleck's new role have been pretty mixed with several online petitions being made to recast the Dark Knight. Lest we forget, there have already been a few different interpretations of Batman throughout the years, including Adam West's Batusi-doing do-gooder. Speaking of which, here's a look back on the super campy, yet super awesome "Batman" TV series from the 60's.
Series Statistics
Network: ABC
Broadcast Date: 1966 - 1968
Seasons: 3
Episodes: 120
In...
"I am vengeance. I am the night. I am... Ben Affleck." That's right, folks. Warner Bros. and Zack Snyder have officially announced who our next Dark Knight will be and it's neither Josh Brolin nor Ryan Gosling. Apparently, Oscar-winning director Ben Affleck has officially signed a multi-film deal with Warner Bros., meaning he'll play the Caped Crusader in the next few Batman films— including Snyder's "Superman vs. Batman" and the highly-anticipated "Justice League."
So far, reactions to Affleck's new role have been pretty mixed with several online petitions being made to recast the Dark Knight. Lest we forget, there have already been a few different interpretations of Batman throughout the years, including Adam West's Batusi-doing do-gooder. Speaking of which, here's a look back on the super campy, yet super awesome "Batman" TV series from the 60's.
Series Statistics
Network: ABC
Broadcast Date: 1966 - 1968
Seasons: 3
Episodes: 120
In...
- 8/27/2013
- by Splash Page Team
- MTV Splash Page
Orlando Bloom, seriously?
Ever since the announcement was made at this year's Comic Con that the follow-up to Man of Steel would see Superman paired with - and in all likelihood, battling against - DC Comics compatriot Batman, speculation has been rife as to who might play the Caped Crusader in Zack Snyder's sequel...
With everyone from Ryan Gosling to Josh Brolin to Jeffrey Dean Morgan to old hand Christian Bale being linked to the part, the Week in Geek has chosen to produce a follow-up of our own, to a feature first posted upon Man of Steel's release.
Our sequel to June's 'Superman on TV' blog is the imaginatively titled 'Batman on TV' - join us for look at the best and worst of the Dark Knight on the small screen.
> Week in Geek - Doctor Who, Peter Capaldi and why it's good that Steven Moffat lies...
Ever since the announcement was made at this year's Comic Con that the follow-up to Man of Steel would see Superman paired with - and in all likelihood, battling against - DC Comics compatriot Batman, speculation has been rife as to who might play the Caped Crusader in Zack Snyder's sequel...
With everyone from Ryan Gosling to Josh Brolin to Jeffrey Dean Morgan to old hand Christian Bale being linked to the part, the Week in Geek has chosen to produce a follow-up of our own, to a feature first posted upon Man of Steel's release.
Our sequel to June's 'Superman on TV' blog is the imaginatively titled 'Batman on TV' - join us for look at the best and worst of the Dark Knight on the small screen.
> Week in Geek - Doctor Who, Peter Capaldi and why it's good that Steven Moffat lies...
- 8/13/2013
- Digital Spy
When even Joss Whedon can’t nail a character, you know there’s a problem. For decades now, film and television has been struggling to take Wonder Woman from the comics and bring her to a wider audience. So far, they’ve managed the Super Friends and the delightfully awful television series with picture-perfect Lynda Carter. However, there are scores of failed attempts beginning with the truly awful William Dozier-produced try out footage through last year’s cringe-worthy attempt from David E. Kelly.
Perhaps the most maligned of the attempts is the ABC Movie of the Week, Wonder Woman, which aired once in March 1974 and did well enough in the ratings for a series to be considered but was seriously retooled into the Carter vehicle. Thanks to Warner Archive, that 73 minute effort is now available for completists everywhere.
Yes, she’s Diana, princess of the Amazons and sent to man’s world.
Perhaps the most maligned of the attempts is the ABC Movie of the Week, Wonder Woman, which aired once in March 1974 and did well enough in the ratings for a series to be considered but was seriously retooled into the Carter vehicle. Thanks to Warner Archive, that 73 minute effort is now available for completists everywhere.
Yes, she’s Diana, princess of the Amazons and sent to man’s world.
- 5/16/2013
- by Robert Greenberger
- Comicmix.com
Enduring cultural figures like Batman endure precisely because of the slight but notable changes they incur over time. Batman has had a long history in the moving image, and while the character has maintained both the central conceit of being a crime-fighting detective, the cinematic Batman of seventy years ago bears little resemblance to the Batman we’re familiar with today. The character and his myth have been interpreted with variation by a multitude of creative persons other than Bob Kane and Bill Finger. In the moving image, Batman has been embodied by a range of actors including Robert Lowery, Adam West, and George Clooney, and Batman has been realized by directors and showrunners prone to various tastes and aesthetic interpretations like William Dozier and Christopher Nolan. While Batman is perhaps best-known by a non-comic-astute mass culture through the many blockbuster feature films made about him, including this summer’s hotly anticipated The Dark Knight Rises, the...
- 7/10/2012
- by Landon Palmer
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
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