Batman and his youthful sidekick Robin work their way through a series of incidents, crimes, puzzles and other shenanigans in order to foil the dastardly plot of the dastardly Dr Daka, dastardly agent of the dastardly Japanese.
So - heroes: Batman and Robin. Villains: Dr Daka and assorted other slant-eyed Japs (I'm quoting! This cinema serial relects the xenophobic attitude of its time, less than 2 years after Pearl Hzrbor) as well as various underworld lowlifes. Romantic interest: none, although Linda Page is a damsel in distresx when necessary. Maguffin: yes, there is one, and it needs radium. Budget: not very much.
Yet, for all that, this series is quick off tge mark in bringing Batman to the screen. Lewis Wilson and Douglas Croft are pleasing as both Batman and Robin and Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson, and it is nicely directed.
There is repitition and a degree of treading water plotwise, and this is the result of it being a serial. Watching the whole three and a half hours on Youtube makes this very clear: it would be far less obvious watching a chapter every week.
I was impressed with the fight choreography, less so with the stunt work. And the lack of budget shows in sets and locations, but they did well with what they had.
So - heroes: Batman and Robin. Villains: Dr Daka and assorted other slant-eyed Japs (I'm quoting! This cinema serial relects the xenophobic attitude of its time, less than 2 years after Pearl Hzrbor) as well as various underworld lowlifes. Romantic interest: none, although Linda Page is a damsel in distresx when necessary. Maguffin: yes, there is one, and it needs radium. Budget: not very much.
Yet, for all that, this series is quick off tge mark in bringing Batman to the screen. Lewis Wilson and Douglas Croft are pleasing as both Batman and Robin and Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson, and it is nicely directed.
There is repitition and a degree of treading water plotwise, and this is the result of it being a serial. Watching the whole three and a half hours on Youtube makes this very clear: it would be far less obvious watching a chapter every week.
I was impressed with the fight choreography, less so with the stunt work. And the lack of budget shows in sets and locations, but they did well with what they had.