Batman

[Universal Steve]

The Adam West Batman stands alone as a icon by itself. Keaton was alright and Bale is good. Clooney wasn't bad but Val Kilmer was horrible. Wost Batman ever. I 2nd the post that like Batman:The Animated Series. Very well done. As for me, forget about Ledger and Nicholsen, the only Joker for me is Ceaser Romero. He portrayed the Joker just as I thought he should be. BTW why isn't the tv series on DVD or is it yet?

[Nicole]

Yeah, I had to go with Adam West for iconic status, as well. Didn't care for Keaton or Kilmer, and sadly, Clooney's Batman will always be synonymous with "bat nipples" in my mind. I loved The Dark Knight, but Bale's Batman... I don't know. Throughout the movie, he had this deep, forced voice that was just too comical for me, but otherwise, I guess he was pretty good.

[the_woolfman]

Adam West, hands down!

[depressedlarrytalbot]

Kevin Conroy.
The animated DC Universe rocks!!!
Treat yourselves ... BATMAN ANIMATED ... SUPERMAN ANIMATED ... and both versions of JUSTICE LEAGUE ... you can't go wrong.

[ICEMANN333]

there is only one batman..........adam west....is the best........puts the others to rest.......big j.

[MDG]

Basically the original TV show, as fun as it is, its pretty much a spoof of The Dark Knight.

I don't know how it can be a spoof of something it preceded by 20 years. I'd almost be inclined to call Dark Knight (comic or movie) the parody: what if we took the idea of a guy who dresses in a silly outfit to fight crime and took it super seriously?

I'm probably in the minority here, but I thought the movie was interminable. I remember walking out thinking, "OK, I know I watch Batman go to Hong Kong an hour and a half ago, but damned if I remember why he went there." The scene on the ferries was good, though.

[thelatewinslowleach]

     I think that those of us on the 50 + or - by a few years date range will always remember the phenomenon that was Batman 1966. What I think we also need to recognize is that Batman, like Sherlock Holmes or Tarzan is such a part of our film culture, that while there will be a core character, he's going to go through a reinvention on a regular basis, and lots of recastings.  I love the 1966 Batman for what it was. Especially at age 6, it was perfect for me. I really enjoyed the Tim Burton movies although his vision of Batman has overlaps but often differs with mine. I think in some ways with a good script and a director that did not go uber-camp on the film, George Clooney might have made a pretty good Batman/Bruce Wayne, but the material truly betrayed him. I enjoyed the Christoper Nolan movies but again, while legitimate in their way, vary from my vision. The best Batman adaptions were the 1990's WB channel animated series.
       Meanwhile, my photo with Frank Gorshin stays right here at my desk beside my computer.

Michael

[Paul L]

 First of all, why I enjoy reading comics & recognize them artistically, I don't follow or collect them (except for MAD & the Warren stuff).

Having said that, some may find me off the mark, but if not for the 1966 TV series & movie, I don't think the comics industry & the demand for like movies & TV would be what it is today. Just as Lon Chaney Shall Not Die, & Lugosi Lives Eternal, ADAM WEST is the REAL Batman.

[Creature Features]

Christian Bale.

[depressedlarrytalbot]

what if we took the idea of a guy who dresses in a silly outfit to fight crime and took it super seriously?

"Super" seriously indeed ... I don't know who else here reads the COMIC BUYERS GUIDE but a few years ago Peter David, "Writer Of Stuff", ran a thing over two or three columns called "The TruBatman Show". Premise: Bruce Wayne was space-napped by Kryptonians as a baby (Krypton did NOT blow up). The Kryptonians have a TV studio somewhere in space which is convenient to a yellow sun, and Batman's 'world' is a gigantic set, unbeknown to him, staffed by Kryptonian actors who act out his scripted life with him for the entertainment of the masses back on Krypton. Superman is a Kryptonian - of course - but so are Gordon, Robin, The Joker, even Alfred; and all of Batman's feats are engineered by very high-tech [but for Kryptonian science, everyday] special effects or very subtle use of the Kryptonian powers all around him.
Like Jim Carrey, he busts the scenario eventually, and demands to be restored to a life on his homeworld. For some reason the Kryptonian entertainment ethic does not extend to duping an aware subject so they reluctantly comply.
The story ends on a series of snatched news reports from Earth, of a suited-up crazy getting shot when he trips on his cape trying to prevent a robbery;  getting his enormous black roadster hopelessly jammed in a traffic tunnel; getting hopelesly tangled in his cape while standing on a windswept, moonlit rooftop; that sort of thing.
It was quite amusing and apart from the sci-fi angle, what you said made me think of it immediately. 

[Dr.Teufel Geist]

The winner is Adam West.

[Gasport]

Have to share this Adam West anecdote with my fellow UMA'ers... About 10 years ago i was attending a Chiller Theatre show in NJ with my childhood idol and good friend John Zacherle. On the Friday we arrived, i was helping Zach get ready to bring all his stuff down from his room in the Sheraton, to his table in the autograph tent. The weather was taking a turn for the worst and Zach wanted to stop off at the 2nd floor pool to go out on the terrace and see which way the storm was approaching from. As we entered this area we noticed Mr West [also a guest] lying face down on a lounge chair, in his bathing suit, reading a newspaper laid out on the floor in front of him. He was right next to us as Zach looked toward the approaching storm. Zach 's assistant, Arnie took note of the fact that Adam West had [for some reason] pulled the back part of his bathing suit down to expose about 4'' of his butt crack. Arnie announced ;[in a loud voice] '' Hey, i can see  Batman's butt crack!" I couldn't help myself and had to correct him by interjecting, "Ah...you mean BAT-CRACK!" At which point Mr. West looked up at me , rolled his eyes and shook his head. I'm almost ashamed to admit, i was very proud of myself.

[Scatter]

I remember seeing that villian now. As a kid I didn't know who it really was. Thanks Scatter!

I live to serve....

[Scatter]

Have to share this Adam West anecdote with my fellow UMA'ers... About 10 years ago i was attending a Chiller Theatre show in NJ with my childhood idol and good friend John Zacherle. On the Friday we arrived, i was helping Zach get ready to bring all his stuff down from his room in the Sheraton, to his table in the autograph tent. The weather was taking a turn for the worst and Zach wanted to stop off at the 2nd floor pool to go out on the terrace and see which way the storm was approaching from. As we entered this area we noticed Mr West [also a guest] lying face down on a lounge chair, in his bathing suit, reading a newspaper laid out on the floor in front of him. He was right next to us as Zach looked toward the approaching storm. Zach 's assistant, Arnie took note of the fact that Adam West had [for some reason] pulled the back part of his bathing suit down to expose about 4'' of his butt crack. Arnie announced ;[in a loud voice] '' Hey, i can see  Batman's butt crack!" I couldn't help myself and had to correct him by interjecting, "Ah...you mean BAT-CRACK!" At which point Mr. West looked up at me , rolled his eyes and shook his head. I'm almost ashamed to admit, i was very proud of myself.

You SHOULD be proud!! And thank goodness he was lying on his stomach, or you might have gotten a peek at the Bat-Pole.

[Scatter]

 

The winner is Adam West

I'll take "What sentence will never be uttered during an Academy Awards broadcast"  for $500 Alec.