Tuesday, August 5, 2008

Requiem for a cheeky 'Batman'


Lorenzo Semple Jr. is the award-winning screenwriter of such films as "The Parallax View," "Three Days of the Condor" and "Papillon." I've enjoyed his movie reviews on YouTube as part of the duo ReelGeezers (watch their review of Dark Knight here.)
But Lorenzo also wrote the original Batman TV show in the 60's. He's written a fascinating article in Variety about the TV show's creation.

From the very beginning, Bill Dozier and I had seen millionaire Bruce Wayne and his Bat regalia as classy comedy, hopefully appealing to kids as an absurdly jolly action piece and to grown-ups for its deadpan satire, entirely nonfraught with psychological issues. I mean, golly gee! How else can one view a character who enters a nightclub in full Batgarb and mask, accompanied by a gorgeous chick, and when greeted by the maitre d' with an obsequious "Good evening, Batman! A table for two?" gravely replies, "Yes, thank you. But please, not too near the music -- I wouldn't want to appear conspicuous.""
Read the rest.

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