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As a fan of
animation I get really tired of all the
really cruddy cartoons being made nowadays.
So many seem to be nothing more than animated
commercials, making kids beg their parents
for the latest toys. Where’s the fun
and excitement in animation? Just a few
days ago I happened to look at a TV Guide
and wondered what ever happened to the Saturday
Morning Cartoon Lineup on the major networks.
I’m sorry to say that I really hadn’t
noticed that they had disappeared. With
just a few exceptions, cartoons have really
become a lost cause.
As for the exceptions, I’d like to
talk (write?) a little bit about one. In
1992, one animated series paved the way
for superhero sagas, raising them above
the level of mere cartoons. “Batman
the Animated Series” took the legend
of the Dark Knight and delivered powerful
stories, punctuated by a highly stylized
form of art that was reminiscent of the
look of the 1930s while keeping it firmly
grounded in the present.
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Kevin Conroy provided the voice for the legendary
hero, and having done so over the course of this
series, a couple of animated feature films and
the short-lived “Batman Beyond”, essentially
became THE voice of Batman. Throughout the years
several famous actors provided the voices for
many of the villains, which was the main similarity
between it and the old campy 1960 series starring
Adam West. The most prominent being Mark Hamill,
who performed the Joker with an insane and wicked
glee. Much as Conroy became synonymous with Batman,
so did Hamill with the Joker.
The series has unfortunately been gone for a
while (and how I hope Warners releases it season
by season on DVD), as well as the superlative
“Batman Beyond,” but thankfully the
studio has continued to make Batman animated films
and is about to release its newest, “Batman:
The Mystery of the Batwoman.”
It seems there’s a new crime fighter in
town that has modeled herself after the Batman.
Initially this isn’t too much of a problem
as she becomes a thorn in the side of the Penguin,
but as is usually the case with some vigilantes,
she eventually crosses the line, and it’s
up to Batman to determine both her identity and
whether or not she is friend or foe.
The DVD does offer up a few extras, the best
being the all-new animated short “Chase
Me.” The disc also has a short featurette
that is more promotional than informational, but
it does allow us a look at some of the voice actors.
I know a few people who don’t want to know
what they look like as it blows the illusion for
them, but I love putting a real face with the
voice.
There are a couple of other featurettes, one
of which gives us a small look at the how the
animation is done, while the other gives some
of the creative team a chance to talk collectively
about the feature. Once you get through these,
you can look at character bios and some of the
gadgets featured in the film.
Though its not the best of the lot in terms of
story, the quality of the presentation has not
wavered. This is animation made for adults, without
necessarily being ‘adult’ in nature.
The action in the series as well as the movies
has always been exciting enough for the kids,
while the writing turned out some really nice
morality plays. “Batman: The Mystery of
the Batwoman” is a well paced and welcome
addition to what I hope is going to be a continued
string of movies.
Directed by: Curt Geda
Starring (the voices of): Kevin Conroy, Kimberly
Brooks, Hector Elizondo, Elisa Gabrielli, Kevin
Michael Richardson, Kelly Ripa, Kyra Sedgwick,
David Ogden Stiers
Extras: “Chase Me” – An All-New
Batman Short, Go Behind the Mystery of this Fantastic
Adventure, Batman P.O.V.: The Creators Share Their
Favorite Characters and Scenes, Character Bios,
Gadget Gallery, Explore the Making of a Scene,
DVD-Rom Game ‘Toxic Chill’
Specifications: Full Screen
Studio: Warner
Release Date: 10/21/2003
Region 1
MPAA Rating: PG (Action Violence)
Website
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We'll give Batman: Mystery of The Batwoman an
A.
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