Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na - BATMAN!



OK - this is a rather surreal nostalgia fest but all day I can't stop thinking about Batman! And it's ages since I did a nostalgia blog so here goes!


Batman - iconic opening titles.


Not the countless movies made since the late 80s - no I mean the REAL Batman! Camp, OTT, BIFF! POW! Batman - which I grew up with in the 70s when it was shown at tea time on Monday nights on ITV by our regional broadcaster, the long defunct ATV. But when you look at these little piccies below, if you are of a certain age, a little flood of nostalgia should wash over you.

 

So what is it with Batman today? Well I have been playing a game called Song Pop on facebook. And for the first time ever I have done something I said I would never do - I've paid some money - $10 - to facebook so I can buy some more playlists. Paying to play a game! The shame of it - and I always said I would never ever pay if I could get it for free! In facebook terms this must be the equivalent of visiting a prostitute. Maybe. Bad analogy - anyway, let's get on.

By spending my $10 I was able to purchase a number of new playlists for the game which no-one else has which is great as it probably makes them think I am really good at it as I've got the money to buy all these playlists. Or possibly that I am just a bit sad for spending so much time on these games. Anyway, one of the playlists I purchased was "TV Themes" and one of those that came up was Batman.

It's one of those catchy tunes that sticks in your head. Like another old favourite, I will quickly digress to - the all time classic Rainbow - go on look at this picture and I bet the tune will come into your head!

Do do do do do do do do do, do do do do do
Anyway - Batman - what a show that was - from the amazing opening title sequence, to the ridiculous costumes, the ridiculously contrived cliff-hangers (Doctor Who has nothing on this), Commissioner Gordon, various Bat devices, "Holy Whatever, Batman", I just loved it.

Forget your Christian Bale etc - this is the Real Batman!!!

There's a very amusing story I recall from the time, late 80s when TV-AM, ITV's flagship breakfast show (which hardly anyone watched) went on strike for a month or two. To fill the gap, ITV hurriedly stuck on all these old Batman episodes that were gathering in the vault. Hey presto! No more Anne and Nick and ratings soared overnight. I'm surprised they bothered bringing them back - it was a great disappointment when the strike came to an end.

This show is so old - all the episodes were made between 1966 - 1968 that it was over (like the original series of Star Trek) before I was even born! Now that's old!

Anyway I would love to watch all these again - but can you believe it? They have never been released on DVD. I thought virtually everything of any note had been by now. But it seems not. Got to happen eventually though, right? I will be buying for sure!

But if not - BIFF POW! to all you TV executives!


Jason xx


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