Return to the Batcave: The Misadventures of Adam and Burt

Part reunion show, bringing back the original stars (Adam West, Burt Ward, Frank Gorshin and Julie Newmar) and part re-creation of the series shown in flashbacks, this is an affectionate tribute to one of the 60s most popular shows, and a must-see for series fans. Throwaway riffs (on, for instance, Adam West's cheapness and Burt Ward's weight gain) add to the fun as Adam and Burt are re-united to hunt for the stolen Batmobile, a hunt replete with the BIFF and THWAK sound effects, and cheap looking minimalist sets so characteristic of the show.

And as the movie goes along, we flash back through the progress of the series' production from casting to cancellation. It's a nice blend of affectionate nostalgia and silly post modern fun.

Lots of biography movies are not always laughable. But this one is every bit has laughable. The old Batman was campy, and this movie tries to be campy and funny has it was in the sixties. Adam West and Burt Ward seem to enjoy making fun themselves. They are at a Batman convention. But get pulled into action, when someone steals the batmoblie. During that time they remember the time on the set of Batman. A pure delight for Batman fans.

Talk about surreal? Yowza!

The Misadventures Of Adam and Burt is a genuine hoot, mixing (confusing?) the real-life Adam West and Burt Ward with the public persona others have of Adam West and Burt Ward and also with that of the legendary television characters they've never been able shake, Batman and Robin.

The appearance of Julie Newmar and Lee Meriwether (both played Catwoman) and Frank Gorshin (the Riddler), playing parts other than their legendary villain roles (or are they?), adds to the surreal fun.

Co-executive producer Dawn Wells (MaryAnn on "Gilligan's Island") has done some interesting things the past few years, but this is her creme de la creme.

Return to the Batcave: The Misadventures of Adam and Burt is loopy, goofy off-the-wall fun and deserves true cult status. I hope cable picks it up and airs it every now and then. I loved it!

Okay, I'll admit it: Reunion movies don't always work. They're almost always missing that special something that makes them pale in comparison to the original. That's what I was expecting when I tuned into this, but that's not what I got. "The Misadventures of Adam and Burt" is a BANG! POW! WHAM! gasser, especially if you're a long-time BatFan like me!

First, there's the cast. If there is any justice, Adam West and Burt Ward should be nominated for Emmys for their delightfully funny, wickedly self-parodying performances. Ditto Jack Brewer and, especially, Jason Marsden as their younger incarnations. All four of them truly seemed to be having fun with the roles. And that's the sort of enthusiasm that quickly finds its way to the audience. Sort of like the original series, come to think of it.

As to the other visitors from the series, Lee Meriwether has a delightful cameo as a waitress with at least one surprise up her sleeve. Julie Newmar still looks stupafyin'-ly super in her walk-on, and can still heat up the tube. If time has been a bit less kind to Frank Gorshin, he more than compensates with the sheer enthusiasm and good humor which has always been his trademark.

It's my hope that Fox will bring this out on VHS and DVD soon, ALONG WITH the original "Batman" series. I know BatFans would eat up both like BatBurgers.

God bless Adam and Burt, always heroes in the hearts of their many fans.

There are many kinds of reunion shows. One kind is where old actors are taken out of mothballs and set to recreate characters they haven't played for twenty or thirty years. These have mixed results. `Return to Mayberry', despite some silliness, was okay; `Return to Green Acres' as execrable (Eddie Albert used a word for the script I won't repeat here, but both it and the movie stink); `Rescue from Gilligan's Island' filled in a necessary gap in the story of the castaways, though the show itself was silly even from a `Gilligan's Island' viewpoint. In most cases, the scripts are weak; sometimes a silliness appears in the scripts that is too knowing – and in comedy it's nearly always fatal for the characters to know they're being funny. New characters are introduced who don't fit the mix. In the main, these reunion shows are pretty weak. A second sort of `reunion' show is the kind where the cast lays its past aside but sits around, telling stories, reminiscing, interspersed with flashbacks from the shows. Then there are movies based on the shows, which are rarely good; and movies based on the history of the show (`The Brady Bunch' has had both of these happen to it, with various results).

`Return to the Batcave' uses nearly all the above, with a wonderfully twisted viewpoint, which makes it the best of the reunion shows, and has raised the bar for the others.

Adam West and Burt Ward and summoned to a showing of the original Batmobile. While they are there, the car is stolen.

The Adam West of the movie is a man demented. He called Jerry, his butler, `Alfred'. He opens a bust of Shakespeare in his apartment and reveals a hidden pole to slide down to the parking garage. He's obsessed with being a crime fighter, when in fact he's merely a washed up actor. When the Batmobile is stolen he not only believes it's his duty as a crime fighter to recover it, he drags and unwilling Burt Ward in as his assistant.

The pursuit is largely loquacious, with West and Ward reminiscing about the old days. It is broken by `flashbacks' with actors playing West and Ward in the old days. The modern scenes and the `flashbacks' both have the wacky lack of reality the show maintained. There are also running gags that show West is able to make fun of himself: in Ward's book about his time on the show, he spoke frankly about West's libido and also his being a skinflint (West makes Ward pay for everything in their pursuit, down to tips and bus fare). The clues they follow, the characters they meet (even in flashback) all fit the mentality of the old series, and there are several homages, including a fist fight with written sound effects.

The whole thing is extremely funny and done with great panache. There are also cameos by Julie Newmar (looking like she's had one facelift too many) and Frank Gorshin, reminding us why he has such a cult following. Gorshin will be the Riddler when Jim Carey, his obvious successor, is long forgotten. The movie builds to a fairly obvious but funny climax.

This show is a model for reunion shows – unfortunately, there are few that can fit the pattern. This show had actors replaying their old characters; young actors playing a movie about the making of the show; the actors West and Ward reminiscing; and a modern-day movie with the real Adam West playing the demented Adam West. It has everything. If you loved the old show, this is the stopper on the bottle.