Riddle Me This, Batman

A long time ago, in a Gotham far, far away, Batman and Robin wore muslin long johns and drove a really lame car. Kevlar chest appliances hadn’t been conceived of yet (nor had decent cowls, to judge by Batman’s dishrag headdress, with its fuzzy, Peter Cottontail-meets-Satan ears), and Robin, the Boy Wonder, looked like a younger, more muscular version of the cantor at your local synagogue. Nonetheless, Columbia’s 15-episode serial is spiffy postwar crime-fightin’ at its cheese-ball, low-budget best. See Plan 9 From Outer Space‘s Lyle Talbot as Commissioner Gordon! Thrill to revered B-movie producer Sam Katzman’s nonexistent production values! Howl at George H. Plympton’s (not to be confused with Mr. Paris Review) hard-boiled dialogue! Much more enjoyable than anything Tim Burton’s done in ages, this is — you’ll pardon the pun — a killer serial.
New prints of the 15-part, 1949 serial Batman and Robin screen before select films throughout the Paramount Summer Film Series. See www.theparamount.org for more info.

This article appears in May 23 • 2003.

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