Search - Batman and Robin - The Complete 1949 Movie Serial Collection on DVD

Rick B. from GLENVIEW, IL
Reviewed on 2/23/2013...

Batman's cowl looks less bat-like than shrew-like, and stately Wayne manor is typical large suburban home, and 'newscasts' are wonderfully plot-dependent, about 15 seconds long each, and starting every time somebody turns on a radio.

It's adorable.

2 of 2 member(s) found this review helpful.

Batman on a Low Budget

Scott T. Rivers | Los Angeles, CA USA | 12/17/2000

(2 out of 5 stars)

"Upon viewing the first chapter, it's obvious that "Batman and Robin" (1949) will not emerge as one of the all-time great serials. With producer Sam Katzman at the helm, it's bargain-basement all the way - right down to the cheap costumes and an incredibly poor excuse for a Batmobile. Despite low-budget shortcomings, there's plenty of hokey fun as Batman and Robin face one contrived cliffhanger after another. The mysterious Wizard makes for an interesting villain, since he never appeared in the comic books. Robert Lowery does a good job as Batman, but John Duncan's Boy Wonder looks like a juvenile delinquent. It's nice to see character actor Lyle Talbot as Commissioner Gordon, even though he has a tendency to activate the Bat Signal in broad daylight. Flaws and all, "Batman and Robin" is an undeniable guilty pleasure."

For completist collectors

Neal C. Reynolds | Indianapolis, Indiana | 08/14/2002

(3 out of 5 stars)

"This 1949 serial will be of interest mainly to Batman and/or serial fanatics. It is fun to watch, though much of the fun comes from the improbabilities and inconsistencies. For instance, there's no Batmobile, just a car which can be identified as Bruce Wayne's car. Nobody except Bruce Wayne's girl friend, Vickie Vale, seems to notice this. There are very few good chapter endings here. Most of them are either lame or boring or borderline cheating. The characters are interesting, though. The villianous Wizard's
identity is of course kept secret until the last chapter, and you're given several red herrings to puzzle over, one of which is a bit overly done. A serial based on as popular a comic book hero as Batman should've been much better, but those who really enjoy the genre will probably want this, chiefly because it's one of the two serials featuring the Dynamic Duo."

Fedora Bashin' Fun

Drake | Douglasville, GA USA | 06/24/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"How does Bruce Wayne convert his car into the Batmobile? Why, he simply puts up the rag-top, of course! Yeah, okay, so the 1949 Batman Serial was not exactly "cutting edge" or "mind-blowing" or "good", but it has its charm. The dialogue is ridiculous, the fight scenes are clumbsy, and the costumes are ill-fitting at best, but for some reason, I absolutely love it. This floppy-eared incarnation of the Dark Knight is more a film noir private investigator than the shadowy, rooftop avenger that we know today. He and the Boy Wonder spend less time lurking in the Bat Cave and more time beating up the Wizard's greasy haired, fedora wearing thugs. Oh...and the Wizard! This guy is actually a pretty good villain. He is cloaked head-to-toe, has blank, glowing eyes, appears from time to time as a phantom, and remains a mystery through most of the serial. Pretty creepy dude, if you ask me, and a fitting opponent for Batman and Robin. If you're thinking about buying this one, take off your critic's hat and enjoy this gem for what it is: an old-school Bat-brawl. It's fedora bashin' fun!"