Batman and Robin (serial)

Batman and Robin is a 15-chapter serial released in 1949 by Columbia Pictures. It is a sequel to the 1943 serial Batman, although with different actors. Robert Lowery played Batman, while Johnny Duncan played Robin. Supporting players included Jane Adams as Vicki Vale and veteran character actor Lyle Talbot as Commissioner Gordon.

The serials were re-released as Video On Demand titles, by Rifftrax, the alumni project of Mystery Science Theater 3000's - Michael J. Nelson, Kevin Murphy and Bill Corbett. As of September 2014, they have released the entire serial series.

Plot
The Dynamic Duo face off against the Wizard, a hooded villain with an electrical device which controls cars and a desire to set challenges for the Dynamic Duo, whose identity remains a mystery throughout until the end.

Cast

 * Robert Lowery as Batman/Bruce Wayne
 * Johnny Duncan as Robin/Dick Grayson
 * Jane Adams as Vicki Vale
 * Lyle Talbot as Commissioner Jim Gordon
 * Ralph Graves as Winslow Harrison
 * Don C. Harvey as Nolan, a henchman
 * William Fawcett as Professor Hammil
 * Leonard Penn as Carter, Hammil's valet/The Wizard
 * Rick Vallin as Barry Brown, a radio announcer
 * Michael Whalen as Dunne, a private investigator
 * Greg McClure as Evans, a henchman
 * House Peters, Jr. as Earl, a henchman
 * Jim Diehl as Jason, a henchman
 * Rusty Wescoatt as Ives, a henchman
 * Eric Wilton as Alfred Pennyworth (uncredited)
 * George Offerman Jr. as Jimmie Vale, Vicki's brother and henchman (uncredited)

Production
"As usual on a Katzman production," note Harmon and Glut, "the low budget showed everywhere in money-saving shortcuts, and inadequacies." The Batman costume had a poorly fitting cowl and the Robin costume added pink tights to cover the "hairy-legs" of both the actor and stuntman. The Batmobile is again excluded, but instead of a limousine, as in the first serial, the duo drive around in a 1949 Mercury.

Several mistakes and failures of logic occur in the serial. One example of this is that the film shows the Bat-Signal working in broad daylight. Another occurs when, despite the fact that the heroes' utility belts had been replaced by normal belts with no pockets or pouches for this serial, in order to escape from a vault, Batman pulls the nozzle and hose of an oxy-acetylene torch from his belt to cut through a steel door (the tanks for the torch are not shown); to compound this mistake, it is a full-sized oxy-acetylene torch that would have been impossible to carry unseen on his person. Harmon and Glut suggest that this was probably scripted to be a miniaturised 3-inch torch, as used in the comics, but the film-makers improvised in following the directions for a "blowtorch".

Home media

 * The serial was released on DVD in 2005, timed to coincide with the theatrical release of Batman Begins. Unlike its predecessor, Batman and Robin: The Complete 1949 Movie Serial Collection has been given a restoration.


 * Rifftrax released a Video On Demand of the first installment of the short on July 16, 2013, featuring a running mocking commentary from Michael J. Nelson, Kevin Murphy and Bill Corbett of Mystery Science Theater 3000 fame. As of September 17, 2014, Rifftrax has released the first 14 episodes with commentary.

Chapter titles
Source:
 * 1) Batman Takes Over
 * 2) Tunnel of Terror
 * 3) Robin's Wild Ride
 * 4) Batman Trapped
 * 5) Robin Rescues Batman
 * 6) Target - Robin!
 * 7) The Fatal Blast
 * 8) Robin Meets the Wizard
 * 9) The Wizard Strikes Back
 * 10) Batman's Last Chance
 * 11) Robin's Ruse
 * 12) Robin Rides the Wind
 * 13) The Wizard's Challenge
 * 14) Batman vs. Wizard
 * 15) Batman Victorious