Burt Ward and Adam West in Batman: The Movie.

Long before George Clooney starred in the worst Batman movie of all time, there was an even campier version; only this one was intended to be.

In the mid 1960's, Batman was a pop culture phenomenon. It was a hit campy television show that spawned plenty of merchandise and even a dance called the Batuzzi, a variation on the then popular dance, the watuzzi. So popular was the show that they even made Batman: The Movie. Long before Star Trek or The Fugitive, Batman was the first television show to inspire a movie.

The plot involves Batman and Robin doing battle with all four of their classic villains. But plot is not the point of this movie. This movie is psychedelically absurd, yet fun. The camera is often tilted and the dialogue is humorously ridiculous. At one point Batman, Robin and Commissioner Gordon are trying to figure out one of the Riddler's riddles. "What sits in a tree, weighs 6 ounces and is very dangerous?" The commissioner asks. Good thing for him the Boy Wonder is there because Robin figures it out: "A sparrow with a machine gun." He deduces and is of course right.

At another point, they figure out that Joker and Catwoman are involved because a shark was pulling on Batman's leg, which obviously means The Joker. Robin then points out that they were "...at sea and Catwoman begins with a "C"." Nothing gets by the Dynamic Duo.

My youngest son loves this movie but my oldest just thinks it's stupid. He is too old to find the action exciting but too young to appreciate the humor.

This is almost a cult classic. It should have run further with the jokes. It also has Lee Merriwether as Catwoman instead of the much sexier Julie Newmar. Speaking of superhero chicks, this movie should have found room for Yvonne Craig's Batgirl. I always loved her high kicks.

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