Confessions of a Shopaholic

"You know that thing when you see someone cute and he smiles and your heart kind of goes like warm butter sliding down hot toast? Well that's what it's like when I see a store. Only it's better."

Rebecca Bloomwood (Fisher) has a problem.  She can't pass up a good sale and has nine nearly maxed credit cards to make her purchases.  There is a collection agent stalking her to collect on her entire debt... and then the magazine she writes for goes under.

Luckily, she gets a job at a financial magazine, where she dazzles the editor, Luke Brandon (Dancy), with her understandable / accessible explanation of finances by talking about fashion.  She is using the job as a way to get closer to her dream job: writing for the prestigious fashion magazine, Alette, run by fashion expert Alette Naylor (Thomas).  With her best friend, Suze (Ritter) and her parents (Goodman and Cusack) behind her, can she get out of debt... score the job... and win the man of her dreams?


This may not seem like a lenghty or detailed explanation of the film, but this is a chick flick afterall.  I love a good (or, if we're being completely honest, a bad one) chick flick.  Not really sure what it is about them... they are formulaic and there isn't a lot too them, but I will probably watch them every time.  This film is no exception.  There aren't many surprises and it is heavy on the slapstick.

However, there is something endearing about the character of Rebecca.  You know what is going to happen, but you still cheer for her.  I think that mostly comes from Isla Fisher's performance.  The rest of the cast is comprised of seasoned actors who do well with their parts, but without Fisher the film would fall flat.

There isn't much else to say about the film that hasn't already been stated by other critics.  Funny but not earth shattering.

Confessions of a Shopaholic (2009) 104 minutes
Rating: PG for some mild language and thematic elements
Director: P.J. Hogan
Starring: Isla Fisher as Rebecca Bloomwood
Hugh Dancy as Luke Brandon
Krysten Ritter as Suze
Joan Cusack as Jane Bloomwood
John Goodman as Graham Bloomwood
John Lithgow as Edgar West
Kristin Scott Thomas as Alette Naylor

The Adventures of Baron Munchausen

"You do believe me, don't you?"

"I'm doing my best."

With explosions in the background, a troupe of actors perform a show about the amazing / fantastical adventures of Baron Munchausen.  The show is interrupted by a man claiming to be the real Baron (Neville), who says they are telling the story wrong... and picks up the narrative, enlisting the aid of the cast.  He claims to be the reason the city is under siege: the Turk (Peter Jeffrey) wants the Baron's head.  The show is interrupted again, by stray cannon fire.  The players and audience scatter.

The Baron believes the world no longer believes in him and wishes for death.

 "I'm tired of the world and the world is evidently tired of me."

"But why? Why?"
"Why, why, why! Because it's all logic and reason now. Science, progress, laws of hydraulics, laws of social dynamics, laws of this, that, and the other. No place for three-legged cyclops in the South Seas. No place for cucumber trees and oceans of wine. No place for me."

But he is stopped by the faith of a child, Sally (Polley).  With Sally's help, the Baron plans to find his amazing friends/servants so they can defeat the Turk, again.  They fashion a balloon out of women's undergarments and set out to find Berthold (Idle) the worldest fastest man, Albrecht (Dennis) who has incredible strength, Adolphus (McKeown) a marksman with incredible sight (and accuracy), Gustavus (Purvis) who has extraordinary hearing and the ability to literally blow away the competition, and the Baron's horse Bucephalus.

But will his friends agree to help?  Will they get back in enough time?  And what is really happening?


I love fairytales...  Especially the old German ones where anything could (and did) happen.  You know that it can't really happen, but you really wish it would happen.  And for that reason, I really enjoyed this film.  It is like a cross between a fairytale and reality, and like Sally, you don't really know what to believe.

The characters go to a slew of interesting places: the moon, to a planet inhabited by gods and goddesses, the belly of a rather large fish... and meet interesting characters.  The sequences are interesting, but some seem to drag out longer than others.  From what I have read there were many production issues (like money and interference from the studio/producers) which could have contributed to this problem... but perhaps the writers/director overreached their original vision or the technology that was available at the time.

All of the actors and actresses involved are talented and fit their roles well.  It was nice to see another former Python in the cast (Eric Idle), and it was interesting to see Uma Thurman and Sarah Polley towards the beginning of their careers.  It was also fun to see other Gilliam regulars, like Jack Purvis (Gustavus), Charles McKeown (Adolphus) and Jonathan Pryce (Horatio Jackson).  Once again Pryce is a great villain (like in "The Brothers Grimm," also directed by Terry Gilliam).

Overall, I didn't have any major objections to this film.  It was funny at times, sad at times, and serious/scary when necessary.  This film was to viewed as part of a trilogy of the ages of men (or thats how people view it) with "Time Bandits" as adolescence, "Brazil" as adulthood, and "The Adventures of Baron Munchausen" as old age, and I think that works as well.  Either way, an enjoyable film.  Not the best, but still good.

The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (1988) 126 minutes
Director: Terry Gilliam
Starring: John Neville as Hieronymus Karl Frederick Baron von Munchausen
Eric Idle as Berthold / Desmond
Sarah Polley as Sally
Charles McKeown as Adolphus / Rupert
Winston Dennis as Albrecht / Bill
Jack Purvis as Gustavus / Jeremy
Jonathan Pryce as The Right Ordinary Horatio Jackson

The Trail of the Pink Panther

"Well, it's about Inspector Clouseau. MI5 called and reported that Libyan agents heard a rumor that there might be an assassination attempt against Clouseau."
"Really? Who else wants to kill him? I mean, who is behind it?"

When the Pink Panther diamond (the largest diamond in the world) is stolen, again, there is only one man the Shah of Lugash wants on the case: Chief Inspector Jacques Clouseau (Sellers).  He begins the search by looking for the Phantom in England, and blowing up his own car... but the Sir Charles Litton (Niven) lives in France, and Clouseau thinks the exploding car is an assassination attempt.  He plans to continue the investigation in disguise in Lugash.  Back in France, Chief Inspector Charles Dreyfus (Lom) learns that Clouseau could actually be in trouble (see the quote at the beginning of this post).  And then Clouseau's plane does not reach it's destination.

Reporter Marie Jouvet (Lumley) decides to do a story about the real Chief Inspector Clouseau, by interviewing his colleagues.  Even though it appears Clouseau is dead, everyone believes he is still around:

• The thought causes Dreyfus to be on the verge of a nervous breakdown
• His manservant, Cato (Kwouk) isn't too concerned
• His former assistant, Hercule (Stark), thinks Clouseau's enemies may have more information
• The Litton's: Sir Charles and Lady Simone (Capucine), Clouseau's ex wife, think Clouseau is indestructible
• Mob boss, Bruno Langois (Loggia) doesn't want anyone looking for Clouseau, because they just might find out he's alive

Will they find Clouseau and the Pink Panther diamond, or is this really the end?


This film was made after the death of star Peter Sellers.  Director Blake Edwards used old footage that was cut from other Pink Panther films (specifically from the Pink Panther Strikes Again).  These scenes are tied together by new scenes with Pink Panther regulars.  The second half of the film focuses on Marie Jouvet's interviews, intercut with brief clips from other Pink Panther films.

It is a nice idea... a tribute to an old friend and great physical / slapstick comedian, who had the amazing ability to disappear into a character, but the execution could have been better.  The second half of the film is choppy as it jumps to different interviews.  It is nice to see familiar faces from previous films... but why didn't she talk to "The Great Balls" (Korman) or any of the love interests (other than his ex wife)?

The best part of the film, besides the opening cartoon and the closing montage of funny Clouseau moments over the credits, are the scenes with Clouseau's father (Mulligan).  He is funny, an older version of Clouseau right down to the pronunciations and saying "I know that."  It was also funny to see Clouseau at different stages of life: as a child (Lucca Mezzofanti) already interested in impressing beautiful girls by becoming a police offier, and then as a klutzy member of the French Resistance (Daniel Peacock).  Both actors are funny, child Clouseau doesn't say much... but he is adorable.

There are funny moments, such as at the Clouseau vineyard (mentioned in the previous paragraph), but it is too disjointed as a whole.  Revenge of the Pink Panther was a good way to end the character (even though Sellers was in the process writing a final Pink Panther film), and the series... but obviously the producers / director did not feel the same as there are 2 more films in this series (I'm not counting the Steve Martin films, which I believe can stand on their own).

The Trail of the Pink Panther (1982) 96 minutes

Director: Blake Edwards

Starring: Joanna Lumley as Marie Jouvet

Peter Sellers as Chief Inspector Jacques Clouseau (archive footage)

Herbert Lom as Chief Inspector Charles Dreyfus

David Niven as Sir Charles Litton

Capucine as Lady Simone Litton

Richard Mulligan as Clouseau's father

Robert Loggia as Bruno Langois

Harvey Korman as Professor Auguste Balls

Burt Kwouk as Cato Fong

Graham Stark as Hercule LaJoy

Andre Maranne as Sergeant Francois Duval

The Revenge of the Pink Panther

"Now, this time *I'm* going to stand on *your* shoulders!"
"What good will that do?"
"Because I'm taller than you are, you fool!"

In order to secure a major heroin ring with the United States, French crime boss Philippe Douvier (Webber) has to prove he is still in control.  His advisors suggest killing two birds with one stone: make a statement and get rid of a major problem,

"A man, New York knows even better than the President of France. A man with which our entire world organization is familiar, and would like nothing better than to see him out of the way."
"Who?"
"Who has given us nothing but trouble for the past ten years? Who has survived sixteen assassination attempts, including two by his own boss? Clouseau. You want to impress New York. Eliminate Clouseau."

But killing Chief Inspector Jacques Clouseau (Sellers) is not an easy task.  Bombs and trained assassins fail, so they plant an obvious trap because "it's so obvious that he's bound to think it can't be a trap."  When the car is destroyed, the world believes Clouseau is dead... but luckily, his car and clothing were stolen by transvestite criminal, Claude Russo (Sue Lloyd).

Clouseau decides to let the world believe he is dead in order to find the real killer.  With the help with his faithful manservant, Cato (Kwouk), and several disguises from his old friend, Professor "The Great Balls" Auguste Balls (Stark), he looks for clues.  He is joined by Simone (Cannon), Douvier's former secretary / mistress, who knows too much about Douvier's illegal activities.

Meanwhile, former Chief Inspector Charles Dreyfus (Lom) is cured of his insanity and reinstated as Chief Inspector.  His first assignment is to read the eulogy at Clouseau's funeral and then bring the killer to justice... despite wanting to rejoice and congratulate the killer.


I love this film, even though it is probably the most conventional film in the series.  It plays like a normal detective story... with Clouseau in many crazy disguises and a quiet ending (very unusual for the series).

This film has one of my favorite attack sequences.  After the bomb incident at Balls store and getting soaked by the fire alarm sprinklers at the office, Clouseau just wants to go home and rest... but he knows Cato will be waiting to attack him.  He wanders through the apartment shouting for Cato to listen, (paraphrased below because I can't find the clip I want in English on You Tube)

"Cato, this is your employer speaking.  I am cancelling the attack orders for tonight.  I know I told you to show no mercy and not to listen to a thing I say, but pay attention.  You will not attack Cato!"

The scene is great because Clouseau looks legitimately scared of what Cato will do, and he is running around with a trumpet to announce his approach.  I can't help but laugh through the entire scene.

This also marks the introduction of "The Great Balls" who is played by Pink Panther regular, Graham Stark, who repeats this role in the last two films of the series.  The character is funny and over the top... and is one of the few characters who doesn't questions Clouseau's methods, which is refreshing.  And putting Peter Sellers in different costumes, with different accents and mannerisms, while still being Clouseau was a brilliant stroke!

I also enjoy seeing Cato have a larger part in the film.  He should have been on more adventures with Clouseau, they are quite the pair!  And speaking of great teams, I love the character of Simone as the female lead.  The previous women in Clouseau's life have mocked or ignored Clouseau's outrageous antics; Simone just runs with it... it is a nice change.  While I am glad to see these roles, it is sad to see Dreyfus' part diminish after his co starring role in "The Pink Panther Strikes Again," but he doesn get some good moments.

Revenge of the Pink Panther (1978) 99 minutes

Director: Blake Edwards

Starring: Peter Sellers as Chief Inspector Jacques Clouseau
Hebert Lom as Chief Inspector Charles Dreyfus
Burt Kwouk as Cato Fong
Dyan Cannon as Simone Legree
Robert Webber as Philippe Douvier
Tony Beckley as Guy Algo
Robert Loggia as Al Marchione
Paul Stewart as Julio Scallini
Andre Maranne as Sergeant Francois Chevalier
Graham Stark as Professor Auguste Balls

The Pink Panther Strikes Again

"Now, I will walk you to the gate.  And I will kiss you good-bye.  And you will drive off in your new car, which should rightfully be mine.  And then I will have my interview with the Sanity Commission, and they will set me free.  And then... I will kill you!"

Former Chief Inspector Charles Dreyfus (Lom) has been locked away in a psychiatric hospital for three years.  He is now considered rehabilitated and is awaiting his appointment with the Sanity Commission, so he can be released and resume his former life.  But an unexpected visit from Chief Inspector Jacques Clouseau (Sellers) sends Dreyfus over the edge, and once again he tries to kill Clouseau.

That evening Dreyfus escapes from the institution and goes after Clouseau, who manages to survive due to a complication with his latest disguise and the helium it used.

"Do you know what kind of a bomb it was?"

"The exploding kind."

So Dreyfus turns to the other side of the law to get the result he wants: to kill Clouseau.  He recruits the worst criminals around and kidnaps a scientist, Professor Fassbender (Richard Vernon), and his daughter, Margo (Briony McRoberts).  Fassbender is working on a "Doomsday Machine" which Dreyfus plans to use to blackmail the leaders of the world to assassinate Clouseau.

Back in France, Clouseau is assigned the task of recovering the Fassbenders and capturing "that lunatic Dreyfus."  He tries to get information from the Fassbender's staff... but ends up with one clue: Oktober Fest in Germany.  Meanwhile, the world is convinced that Dreyfus is crazy and for the sake of self-preservation 20 countries send their best assassins to Oktober Fest, "Oh my God, it will like a shooting gallery!"


I love crazy Dreyfus... and my favorite quote from the Pink Panther series is the one listed at the beginning of this post.  Also, I love the fight sequence between Cato (Kwouk) and Clouseau pictured at the beginning of this post... it is one of my favorites from the series.  This film essentially picks up where "The Return of the Pink Panther" left off: Clouseau is in charge and Dreyfus is in a padded room.

This film is a little crazier than the others... and Dreyfus gets to be a bigger focus than he was in the previous films.  He carries the mannerisms well: the laugh and the crazy eye twitch, while still making the character attainable.  There are several funny moments in this film: the opening sequence at the psychiatric hospital between a clueless Clouseau and Dreyfus as he slowly loses patience and descends into madness.  Another standout is Clouseau interviewing the Fassbender staff / destroying the house.

And then there are the assassins at Oktober Fest: it plays like controlled chaos!  It's all in the delivery!!  I also love the little scenes between Clouseau and the old German hotel manager (Graham Stark).  Between Clouseau's fascinating pronunciations and the manager's hearing, it is gold.

"Does your dog bite?"
"No."
"Nice doggie."
[Dog barks and bites Clouseau in the hand]
"I thought you said your dog did not bite!"
"That is not my dog."

I love the mayhem!

The Pink Panther Strikes Again (1976) 103 minutes
Director: Blake Edwards
Starring: Peter Sellers as Chief Inspector Jacques Clouseau
Herbert Lom as Charles Dreyfus
Lesley-Anne Down as Olga
Burt Kwouk as Cato Fong

The Return of the Pink Panther

"The beggar was the lookout man for the gang."
"That is impossible. How can a blind man be a lookout?"
"How can an idiot be a police officer?"
"Well, all he has to do is enlist..."
"Shut up"

The famed Pink Panther diamond of Lugash has been stolen.  This time from the secure Lugash National Museum.  The only clue is a single white monogrammed glove: the calling card of the infamous Phantom.  The Shah of Lugash only wants one man for the job: Inspector Jacques Clouseau (Sellers).

Back in France, Clouseau has been demoted to traffic cop, but he still causes problems for Chief Inspector Dreyfus (Lom).  But when the call comes from the Commissioner, Clouseau is reinstated and sent to Lugash.  The clues lead Clouseau to the same conclusion he reached before: the diamond was stolen by "Sir Charles Phantom, the notorious Litton" and sets out to find his old foe.

Sir Charles (Plummer) is living the quiet life of retirement with his wife, Claudine (Schell) in France.  When news of the robbery reaches their home, Sir Charles claims innocence and vows to bring the guilty party to justice.  He leaves for Lugash to use old contacts to find the truth, but no one believes him.  Crime boss The Fat Man (Pohlmann) wants to collect the reward on Sir Charles' head and has squeamish henchman, Pepi, (Stark) track him.  And the head of the Lugash Secret Police, Colonel Sharky (Arne), has other plans for Sir Charles.

Meanwhile, Clouseau tries to get information from Claudine by following her to Gstaad, Switzerland.  And Dreyfus tries to keep his blood pressure and sanity in check, in spite of Clouseau's antics and a gun mixup.


The third film in the Pink Panther series, and probably one of my least favorites.  Why is that?  The same formula that worked in it's predecessor, "A Shot in the Dark" (made eleven years earlier), and that works in the subsequent films, is present... but too much of the film feels familiar.  The story is like the far superior Alfred Hitchcock film "To Catch a Thief."

The opening sequence is brilliant.  Beginning with a tour guide explaining the history of the Pink Panther diamond, and all the security precautions in place, and then the actual robbery, with the thief's face in the shadow the entire time.  There are other funny sequences, such as the scenes between Dreyfus and Clouseau (like the one quoted and shown at the beginning of this post)... but many fall flat, such as Clouseau trailing Claudine in the hotel.  Perhaps part of the problem lies in his cohort, the bellboy... but gags just aren't as funny.

Another problem with this film is the Littons.  Christopher Plummer is great, but I wish his character was a different Litton, Sir Charles brother or another nephew or a cousin or something... because Sir Charles from the original film, played by David Niven, was in a relationship with Clouseau's wife Simone, played by Capucine.  Changing the actress and the name of this woman changes the story... new Lady Litton doesn't know Clouseau, while Simone obviously did.  But, if this was a different Litton, Claudine could be a legitimate character.  Perhaps this is a small point, but it annoys me.  I'm also not a fan of the actress, Catherine Schell.  She laughs at several points, understandably but distracting, and just comes off as more annoying than knowing.

Not the worst in the series, but definitely close (for me).

The Return of the Pink Panther (1975) 113 minutes

Director: Blake Edwards

Starring: Peter Sellers as Inspector Jacques Clouseau
Christopher Plummer as Sir Charles Litton
Catherine Schell as Lady Claudine Litton
Herbert Lom as Chief Inspector Charles Dreyfus
Peter Arne as Colonel Sharky
Peter Jeffrey as General Wadafi
Gregoire Aslan as Police Chief Lundallah
David Lodge as Mac
Graham Stark as Pepi
Eric Pohlmann as The Fat Man
Andre Maranne as Sergeant Francois Chevalier
Burt Kwouk as Cato Fong

A Shot in the Dark

"You fool! You have broken my pointing stick! I have nothing to point with now!"

Inspector Jacques Clouseau (Sellers) is investigating murder at the home of millionaire Benjamin Ballon (Sanders).  All the clues point to the maid, Maria Gambrelli (Sommer), who was found in her locked room with a literal smoking gun in her hand, and the victim was her abusive boyfriend.  However, Clouseau is smitten with Maria and believes she is innocent.

His boss, Commissioner Charles Dreyfus (Lom), tries to take over the investigation, but is thwarted by higher powers.  Dreyfus believes Clouseau is completely inept, "Give me ten men like Clouseau and I could destroy the world!", but also marginally believes Clouseau could be right, and allows the case to continue, even as his blood pressure and sanity deteriorate.

Clouseau's assistant, Hercule (Stark), also questions his motives and contracting theories, but is willing to help with each assignment.  Clouseau releases Maria from prison, believing that she is protecting someone else, and given the chance will go to or contact the real murderer.  He follows her steps, even as the body count gets higher.  Hercule is assigned to watch the rest of the staff at the Ballon estate, and bail Clouseau out of jail as needed.

As the case twists around, Clouseau wants to be ready for anything and orders his manservant, Kato (Kwouk), to help him prepare:

"We must accelerate out training program. You must learn to attack me whenever and wherever I least expect it. And you, you must give no quarter."

This is without a doubt, the BEST film in the Pink Panther series... and is also one of my favorite films!  The original script was based on a play, and had nothing to do with Inspector Clouseau... Peter Sellers was to star, but he had the director replaced with Blake Edwards, who retooled the script into a Pink Panther film.

The script is great, winding around and keeping the audience (and police) from the truth, while providing alternate theories.  The opening sequence shows the various affairs within the Ballon estate, as the staff and owners sneak in and out of rooms without detection... culminating in the actual murder.  The entire sequence is filmed outside the building, tracking characters as they pass a window or walk in from the of the building.  It's perfect!

Also, this film introduces Clouseau's crazy French accent (he was klutzy in "The Pink Panther") and two other memorable characters: Herbert Lom's Charles Dreyfus and Burt Kwouk's Kato (spelled with a "c" in subsequent films).  Herbert Lom is the boss slowly descending into madness due to the antics of Clouseau... his scenes with Peter Sellers are always funny, as is his eye twitch.  And the Kato attacks scenes are also funny... since the audience, and Clouseau, never know when or where he will appear.  This character gets better and better with each film.

Another plus for this film is the plethora of supporting characters.  George Sanders is an excellent, serious foil for Sellers... and Graham Stark gets his first role as an ally of Clouseau (he appears in the subsequent films as a variety of characters).

Always makes me laugh, regardless how many times I see it, and is the first Pink Panther film I added to my extensive film collection.  Endlessly quotable and the best introduction to the series!!

A Shot in the Dark (1964) 102 minutes
Director: Blake Edwards
Starring: Peter Sellers as Inspector Jacques Clouseau
Elke Sommer as Maria Gambrelli
George Sanders as Benjamin Ballon
Herbert Lom as Commissioner Charles Dreyfus
Graham Stark as Hercule LaJoy
Andre Maranne as Francois
Burt Kwouk as Kato

The Pink Panther (1963)

"If I were my father, I'd have you tortured."
  "No. If you were your father, I doubt very much if I would have kissed you"

A ski resort in Cortina, Italy is overrun with excitement.  Princess Dala (Cardinale), the daughter of the overthrown Shah of Lugash, is on vacation with her bodyguard, dog, and the largest diamond in the world: the Pink Panther.

Meanwhile, the notorious jewel thief, the Phantom strikes again.  His alter ego is wealthy playboy Sir Charles Lytton (Niven), who also decides to vacation in Cortina... and has his next target picked.  He sets the plan in motion with the help of his assistant, Artoff (Thomajan).

Meanwhile in the U.S.A., Sir Charles' nephew George (Wagner) is in trouble.  He owes a large amount of money to a gangster, and flees to Italy to visit his uncle.  And to try his hand at stealing the Pink Panther.

Meanwhile, bumbling French Inspector Jacques Clouseau (Sellers), who has spent the last 10 years trying to capture the Phantom, is called to Cortina to protect the Pink Panther and arrest the Phantom.  He brings along his wife Simone (Capucine), who is actually in cahoots with the Phantom, unbeknownst to her husband.

As all the players converge on the ski lodge, who will walk away with the diamond?

These films (the Peter Sellers' Pink Panther Series) are an integral part of my childhood, I can quote extensively from each film and have a hard time being objective (but I will try).

It's funny... this was supposed to be a vehicle for David Niven.  The first in a series for his character, but Peter Sellers ended up stealing the show with his bumbling detective.  Because of that, this film has a different feel than the sequels, which lean more towards slapstick.

Niven is suave and realistic, but it is Sellers you remember.  The film works, but there aren't many standout scenes.  The best is in the Clouseau's hotel room, as Simone tries to juggle three men: to hide Sir Charles from George, who she then must hide elsewhere from her oblivious husband who just wants to be alone with her.

What stands out more in the film is the soundtrack.  This is the introduction to the know famous "Pink Panther Theme" by Henry Mancini, which plays over the opening credits with the cartoon pink panther, and is featured throughout the film.  The other memorable tune is "Meglio Strasera" (It Had Better Be Tonight) sung by Fran Jeffries (the Greek "cousin"), with the cast getting into it.  Check out the video on YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjeW3zBRvBM&feature=related). 

Not necessarily the best in the series, but every series needs a start and this film sets the stage nicely.

The Pink Panther (1963) 115 minutes

Director: Blake Edwards

Starring: David Niven as Sir Charles Lytton

Peter Sellers as Inspector Jacques Clousea

Robert Wagner as George Lytton

Capucine as Simone Clouseau

Claudia Cardinale as Princess Dala
Brenda De Banzie as Angela Dunning

Guy Thomajan as Artoff

Batman: The Movie (1966)

"You and your trained, exploding shark!"

"How was I to know they'd have a can of shark repellent Bat-spray handy?"

"Holy jumble! Where's the hope of the world now"
The citizens of Gotham know that the "Caped Crusader," Batman (West), and the "Boy Wonder," Robin (Ward), are around to take on any evil doers.  But what happens when four fearsome foes team up to take down the heros?

The costumed criminals: Penguin (Meredith), Joker (Romero), Riddler (Gorshin), and Catwoman (Meriwether), plot to use their combined skills to achieve world domination!  First, they kidnap the oblivious Commodore Schmidlapp (Reginald Denny), who believes he is on a luxury yacht, to steal the his latest invention: the dehydrator.  The dehydrator has the ability to remove all liquid from a human, turning the person to dust.

The crafty criminals set a trap to dispose of Batman and Robin... using what each brings to the table:

"I see the way to do it! We'll play each of our treacherous trumps in one hand, and we'll do it right here!"

"How?"

"How? The end! The end, oh... [giggles]  We shall spring them from The Joker's Jack-In-The-Box, through that window, out over the sea, and into the waiting arms of The Penguin's Exploding Octopus! [giggles again]  The trigger: one of my riddles, of course, and the bait: Catwoman!"

And then there will be no one to stop their plans. Will our heroes figure out the plans in time, or will their future be wiped away like dust?

Who knew Batman could be so much fun?  Yes, it's campy, but it works here and in the TV series that started the Batman craze.  I like the modern incarnations (particularly the revamped Batman directed by Christopher Nolan), mostly because I like Christian Bale and Nolan, and the writing is good... but I still enjoy the 60s version.

The villains look like they are having a blast, and deliver iconic performances.  Burgess Meredith is a sneaky Penguin, complete with evil (memorable) laughter.  Cesar Romero's Joker doesn't get to do much, but has a great laugh.  Frank Gorshin is the arrogant Riddler, who always has to leave clues "Outwitting Batman is my sole delight, my heaven on earth, my very paradise!"  And Lee Meriwether makes Catwoman slink across the screen, while still proving that she is a formidable foe (taking over the role from Julie Newmar from the TV show).  The heroes take a more serious tone.  Adam West's Batman spouts facts and life lessons with a serious expression, while Burt Ward's Robin gets the crazy outbursts "Holy heart failure, Batman!" and makes brash judgements.  Overall, they make a good team.

It's good for a laugh, especially the scene with the bomb... or the shark attack (trust me, funnier than it sounds), regardless if you are laughing at the film or with the film!  Check out the 1966 TV show, and it's slew of celebrity villains.

Batman (1966) 105 minutes
Director: Leslie H. Martinson
Starring: Adam West as Batman / Bruce Wayne
Burt Ward as Robin / Dick Grayson
Lee Meriwether as Catwoman / Kitka
Cesar Romero as The Joker
Burgess Meredith as The Penguin
Frank Gorshin as The Riddler
Alan Napier as Alfred
Neil Hamilton as Commissioner Gordon
Stafford Repp as Chief O'Hara