Gotham Knight and Batman: The Movie DVDs

Some new DVDs for collectors:

BATMAN: GOTHAM KNIGHT

(Available as single-disc and 2-Disc Special Editions)
What The Animatrix did for The Matrix, Gotham Knight does for Nolan’s Batman series. This straight-to-DVD anthology collects six animated segments, each with their own unique Japanese anime style, and acts as a segway of sorts from Batman Begins to The Dark Knight. The quality of the shorts are varied, with specific ones noticeably excelling in animation, story, and the amount they add to the Batman mythology, while others are a little more dull and feel essentially like filler. Overall though, there’s still enough here to appeal to die-hard and even casual fans. (That is, as long as you know what you’re in for.)
Blu-ray? Yes.
Notable Extras: The 2-disc set includes a sneak peek at Wonder Woman, an audio commentary, a documentary about Batman’s villains, a documentary about Bob Kane and the creation of Batman, and four episodes from Batman: The Animated Series.

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BATMAN: THE MOVIE (1996) on Blue-ray

Directed by Leslie H. Martinson
Starring Adam West, Burt Ward, Lee Meriwether, Cesar Romero, Burgess Meredith
Fox Home Video
Release Date: July 1, 2008

At this point in time, there is little I can say about the film itself that has not been said countless times before by others. This cult-classic film is the very definition of camp. It brought together four legendary villains in a scheme so absurd it could only be foiled by the combined efforts of Adam West and Burt Ward as the dynamic duo. Shark repellant spray, dehydrating the “entire” United Nations, and “some days you just can’t get rid of bomb.” At this point most already know if they love it or hate it. The real question is, is it worth repurchasing in “high-def”?

Though the idea of seeing the film on Blu-Ray may sound promising, the film really does not benefit from a 1080p transfer. The special effects are not exactly cutting edge and while the colors do really pop off the screen, it’s more likely due to their blatant lack of realism. In fact, when viewed in contrast of one bonus feature that allows a pop-up map of the Hollywood area to show where every scene of the movie was filmed, the unimpressive video quality is even more apparent. However, you can see more details in the mustache Cesar Romero refused to shave and instead painted white for his role as The Joker.

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