Batman: The Animated Series - Vol. 1  (1992)

Rating: NR

Distributor: Warner Home Video

Release Date: July 6, 2004
Review posted: July 7, 2004

Reviewed by Dennis Landmann

SYNOPSIS

Experience the thrills of vigilante justice as millionaire playboy Bruce Wayne and alter-ego Batman protect the streets of Gotham City from a host of villains. Starring Kevin Conroy, Bob Hastings, Robert Costanzo, Richard Moll, Efrem Zimbalist Jr., Mark Hamill, and Loren Lester, among others.

CRITIQUE

If you can believe it, I've never seen one episode of Batman: The Animated Series before sitting down with a copy to review the show. But now I've seen the first twenty-eight episodes of the first season that make up this first volume on DVD, and I'm glad to report the animated series is quite cool.

One thing I didn't expect to find is how dark the series is. The emphasis on the character Bruce Wayne/Batman is very well done, we learn more about him throughout the show. For example, his worst fear is shaming and disgracing his parents.

The characters in the show are fragile and twisted, their emotions rooted in dark pasts and their motivations usually based on revenge of some sort. This is especially the case in the introductions of the major villains, such as Scarecrow, Poison Ivy, Two-Face, Mr. Freeze, Clay-Face, and many more. Supporting characters like Commissioner Jim Gordon and Detective Harvey Bullock are handled well, too.

Most importantly, however, the storylines for the series are not your typical "good guy thwarts bad guy". There's something to be said about originality here. The writing is generally pretty smart and original when it comes to the stories, yet the series also sees its share of weak episodes, such as Christmas with the Joker, The Underdwellers, Be a Clown, and I've Got Batman in My Basement, among a few others.

Dialogue is usually very good, it is a bit silly sometimes, but never clichéd or boring. The voice work is quite remarkable, it sounds serious and realistic. Making the animated series cool, of course, is the incredible-looking animation. The action sequences are executed very well, colors look dark and ominous, and Gotham City is quite the dangerous metropolis.

Disc 1:
On Leather Wings
Christmas with the Joker
Nothing to Fear
The Last Laugh
Pretty Poison
The Underdwellers
P.O.V.

Disc 2:
Forgotten
Be a Clown
Two-Face Part 1
Two-Face Part 2
It's Never Too Late
I've Got Batman in My Basement
Heart of Ice

Disc 3:
Cat and Claw Part 1
Cat and Claw Part 2
See No Evil
Beware of Gray Ghost
Prophecy of Doom
Feat of Clay Part 1
Feat of Clay Part 2

Disc 4:
Joker's Favor
Vendetta
Fear of Victory
The Clock King
Appointment in Crime Alley
Mad As a Hatter
Dreams in Darkness

THE VIDEO

Warner presents Batman in its original 1.33:1 fullscreen format. The video image appears to look older than it is, but I don't know, I'm not an expert. However, what I do see in every episode is a lot of grain and many specks. These appear to be print flaws, however I feel they don't have a negative impact on the viewing pleasure overall. Colors look quite nice, but not great. The color palette is pretty dark, but lighter colors come across with nice enough clarity. There is a tiny bit of shimmering around the edges as well as interlacing issues, though sharpness and detail look good in general. I didn't notice any problems with softness or edge enhancement. Overall, the video presentation looks fine but also shares some flaws. Optional subtitles include English, French and Spanish. One rather frustrating flaw with the presentation of the shows is there are no chapter stops.

THE AUDIO

Warner presents Batman in English 2.0 Dolby Surround Sound. Where the video quality is only fine, the audio sounds pretty good actually. Dialogue is nicely and clearly spread across the front speakers with good positional audio and some bass. The sound effects, like explosions and gunfire, sound just fine, nothing special. The 2.0 track is not aggressive or anything, but it gets the "action" across with good results. Additional soundtracks include French and Spanish 2.0 dubs.

THE EXTRAS

There is commentary on On Leather Wings by Bruce Timm & Eric Radomski. It's an informative track, both men talk about the darkness of the show (maybe too much), animation, the idea of making the show realistic, etc.

The second commentary on Heart of Ice by Bruce Timm, Paul Dini & Eric Radomski is equally informative and conversational. They comment on the story/script, Mr. Freeze, the animation, voice work, and various other things, such as two instances where the color of the bat sign on the suit is reversed. A good commentary that fans will most likely enjoy.

The Dark Knight's First Night is a 5-minute featurette found on disc 1. It features interviews with producers Bruce Timm and Eric Radomski who talk about how things got started for the animated series. The pilot promo is shown three minutes into the featurette, although the original audio track is lost so it's replaced by the show's main theme.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Batman: The Animated Series is a neat show. It's got quality writing, animation, and voice work. Not all 28 episodes display equal quality, some are noticeably bad, but this 4-disc set is enjoyable as a whole.

VERDICT: RECOMMENDED

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