Adam West reads a few lines from DKR...

[DocLathropBrown]

Sorry there's no online clip of this yet, but it's so trippy that it's only a matter of time before it hits YouTube...

The recent PBS documentary "Superheroes: A Never-Ending Battle" (a must-see, by the way) features commentary from many people in the industry, but the only on-camera-associated talent interviewed is Adam West and Lynda Carter. West doesn't see much interview time in the main docu (but the Blu-ray has tons more interview stuffs, I'm told), but most fun of all is West voices Batman a few times in motion-comic-like snippits, reading some famous comics dialogue.

In the first part he reads the 'Tec #33 "Superstitious, Cowardly Lot" bit from the origin, which is alright (he sounds too old for it), but most excitingly of all (that I can't stop geeking out over) is when they get to the '80s and Miller's DKR, he reads just a few lines, and he does it completely straight.

He reads the following:

"Do you know who I am, punk?

I'm the worst nightmare you ever had. Kind that made you wake up screaming for your mother.

You've got a mother, don't you? Every punk should have a mother..."

Yeah, it's short, but is it ever sweet. The fun fact is that this is the only time we've had the dream scenario (as poorly realized as it may be) in that a former Batman actor is reprising the role years later for DKR. Even Kevin Conroy didn't voice Bats in the TAS rendition of it (and he was the current actor then anyhow). West does deliver the lines with enough conviction to have a sense of ferocity, but his natural age also adds to the grizzled quality. He reads it with the EXACT qualities I've heard it with in my head all these years, whereas Weller in the movie did it all (for me) wrong.

It just makes me realize Warners really f***ed up by not having him voice Bats in the animated movie. Peter Weller sucked the big one in it.

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna rewind the DVR a few times to hear it again and again...

[Paul (ral)]

I quite like Weller in the role, but I would love to hear West doing this.

[BatmAngelus]

Video clip is now online:
http://a.pomf.se/zjumcq.webm

[DocLathropBrown]

I just got the chills all over again! Thanks BatM!

[The Dark Knight]

I'd love to hear West read the "never again" segment from TDKR.

It'd be very powerful to imagine the 66 Batman lost Robin and retired straight after.

[DocLathropBrown]

What funny is, and I think there's conflicting reports on this, I think Miller intended the Batman that's in DKR to basically be the Silver Age version of the character coming out of retirement... which is why it was supposed to be so poignant; the older days were never as dark as the era presented in DKR itself. It was supposed to be a huge leap forward, that it was worse than it had ever been.

So in that light, it is utterly proper that West give voice to Batman in that particular story.

[BatmAngelus]

That's pretty much how we see it too:
http://www.batman-online.com/forum/index.php?topic=2340.0

[The Laughing Fish]

Adam West sounds like he has lost mind by reading that line. But it does fit the "Batman is insane" stigma.

What I love about West's voice is he still sounds badass despite his goofy delivery, e.g. yelling "I'll kill you all" to the Joker, Penguin and Riddler when Bruce and "Kitka" are taken hostage in the 1966 movie.   

[DocLathropBrown]

West very much has a great voice; has always had a great voice. But it has absolutely aged, and even when he's attempting to replicate his performance as Batman from nearly 50 years ago, he can never match the same vocal qualities, however I don't think it takes away from his talent.

Sadly, for him (or perhaps not, as it seems to suit him), after Batman, nobody has ever wanted him to perform seriously. Since the show he's been stuck in pastiche-land. But anything you see him in prior to the cape and cowl (that Three Stoogers film aside), he's appropriately serious. He has so much range that we never get to see anymore.

But his performance as Batman has always been very much beloved by me, and not just for its humorous qualities. In fact, to heighten the comedy, he played it so straight that there are times when you can take his Batman completely seriously. After all, it's not like every line on the show was a joke. Sadly, I'd have bet better money on his Batman vs. Bane in The Dark Knight Rises, over Bale, haha.

[The Laughing Fish]

After all, it's not like every line on the show was a joke. Sadly, I'd have bet better money on his Batman vs. Bane in The Dark Knight Rises, over Bale, haha.

I watched the '66 movie last week, and I was surprised how I totally forgot what a great fighter West's Batman was. Especially when he single-handedly beats up the villains out of costume to make his escape.

He was the definition of brain (i.e. pretending to play dumb that Penguin was innocent so he can track down the villains' hideout) AND brawn (i.e. the example above).

Off-topic: Hardy's Bane would fit in the 60s TV show perfectly, in my opinion.