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Imserba Webstore - Batman - The Animated Series, Volume Two (DC Comics Classic Collection)
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List Price: $44.98
Our Price: $20.45
Your Save: $ 24.53 ( 55% )
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
Starring: Kevin Conroy, Mark Hamill
Directed By: Bruce Timm
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Average Customer Rating: 
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Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Binding: DVD
EAN: 9780790787527
Format: Animated
ISBN: 0790787520
Label: Warner Home Video
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
Number Of Items: 4
Publisher: Warner Home Video
Region Code: 1
Release Date: 2005-01-25
Running Time: 624
Studio: Warner Home Video
Theatrical Release Date: 1992-09-05
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Spotlight customer reviews:
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Customer Rating:
Summary: The best animated show, featuring its best episode.
Comment: Batman the Animated series is probably the best animated show to be released which makes it a must own for adults and kids alike. This season especially since it includes "Almost got Im" which is the finest episode the show made. Plus the featurette on the voice actors is great. Buy this with confidence.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Batman at His Best
Comment: Yes, I love the new Christopher Nolan movies. But I have to admit, this animated incarnation of Batman from the early nineties will always be the definitive version of the character for me. I readily admit I'm biased, as I grew up watching these shows, and seeing them today brings me back to a simpler time in my life. But even now, as an adult, I am amazed at how well the storytelling on display holds up over a decade later.
This set builds upon the solid foundation laid by the first volume (which is also well worth a purchase), coming across as almost universially strong. The writers and artist had clearly found their groove. The characterizations are stronger and more nuanced, the animation is more consistant, and even the weaker episodes here are leagues better than some of the clunkers found on the first set.
Special praise needs to be handed out to the voice cast, which is uniformly excellent. Kevin Conroy IS Batman. Period, the end. He switches between the playboy Bruce Wayne and driven Dark Knight with ease, and his "Batman voice" is nowhere near as grating as Christian Bale's. All of the villains' voices ooze personality without sounding like characitures. The performers really make you believe the characters have feelings and souls underneath their brightly colored costumes. And of course, special praise should be given to Mark Hamill's absolutely inspired take on the Joker, which you can hear numerous times throughout this set.
Although almost all the episodes on this set are good, standouts for me include:
-"Robin's Reckoning," the Emmy-winning exploration of the Boy Wonder's origins (although Part I is definitely sronger than Part II)
-"The Laughing Fish," a pretty straightforward adaptation of the seventies comic tale in which Joker tries to collect royalties on fish he has mutated to look like him
-"If You're So Smart, Why Aren't You Rich?," the Riddler's origin story and a far more interesting take on the character than the laughing buffoon seen in the Adam West TV series or the mid-nineties film
-"Almost Got 'Im," a brilliantly told series of vignettes in which each member of Batman's rogues gallery relates how they almost took out the Bat (Penguin and Joker's are the best tales)
-"Harley and Ivy," which is a fan-favorite and definitely in my top 5 list of all time great episodes. The always fun Harley Quinn (voiced to a T by Arleen Sorken) is thrown out by the Joker and teams up with Poison Ivy on a seemingly unstoppable crime spree. This episode is a riot, but it also features a rather adult and complex portrayal of the Joker-Harley relationship, where he's clearly the abusive boyfriend but they both genuinely love each other. Plus, who knew Poison Ivy could be so funny?
With 28 episodes on the set you get a lot of bang for your buck, and the featurettes and commentaries are an insightful look into the creation of the series (I genuinely wish there were more of them). Any Batman fan should purchase this set, as it features an adult take on the character without the disturbing violence and imagery seen in the recent films, making it perfect for family viewing. Both kids and adults will be entranced.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Adventures of the Dark Knight
Comment: This review focuses on Burton's Batman (Batman89, Batman Returns), Nolan's Batman (Batman Begins, the Dark Knight), and 1992 original Batman: The Animated Series. I'm excluding Schumacher's Batman (Batman Forever, Batman and Robin), the 1960's Batman series, and "The Batman", simply because I believe they are the weakest representations.
To be perfectly honest, I love Burton, Nolan, and BTAS equally. All three interpretations are so different, that they cannot be compared. And it is really annoying that I find people on YouTube trying to see which one is better (most opinions are biased). So here it goes with MY opinions:
BATMAN: Michael Keaton, Kevin Conroy, and Christian Bale have given us excellent performances. Conroy (from BTAS) has the perfect voice for Batman, though the physical depiction seems a bit too much. Bale really acts well as Bruce Wayne, but his voice for Batman is too deep and goofy. To me, Keaton is the ultimate "Bruce". He has the awkwardness and the eccentricity of the character, and plus his hoarse voice for the Bat is far superior to Bale's. It's too bad that he doesn't get that much screen time in both of Burton's films.
VILLAINS: Mr. Freeze, Riddler, Clayface, Mad Hatter, Scarface, Killer Croc, Bane, Baby Doll, Penguin, Clock King, Harley Quinn, Professor Milo, Poison Ivy, and Rupert Thorne appear only on BTAS, and they are marvelous in their own right.
The Scarecrow was better portrayed in BTAS (voice by Henry Polic II) than he was in Begins. Cillian Murphy looked too young as Doctor Crane, and the actual villain was much underused in the film. Two-Face had the scariest appearance in TDK; Aaron Eckhardt was flawless. However, Two-Face in BTAS (Richard Moll) had a much better origin. Years of suppressing anger can do that, you know. Ra's al Ghul is much more interesting in BTAS (David Warner); Liam Neeson's performance in BB was just above average as he wasn't very believable to me. The Penguin, one of my favorite Batman villains, has been blessed with both BReturns and BTAS. Danny Devito and Paul Williams have done superb jobs with this antagonist. Same goes with Catwoman: Michelle Pfeiffer had the better dialogue and better catsuit, while Adrienne Barbeau was a better Selina Kyle, and her chemistry with Batman is deeper.
Finally, for the Joker we have Jack Nicholson (B89), Mark Hamill (BTAS), and Heath Ledger (TDK). All three of them are perfect. Nicholson has the best dialogue, Hamill has the best laugh and look, and Ledger has the best sadism. Three different worlds, three different performances. People on YouTube should understand that.
SUPPORTING CHARACTERS: I couldn't see Michael Caine as Alfred, so it's thumbs down from me. Efrem Zimbalist Jr. and Michael Gough are the ideal Alfred's. Aaron Eckhardt is truly a one-of-a-kind Harvey Dent. I Believe in Harvey Dent! Billy Dee Williams was great in B89, also, and he had the tough and virtuous personality, as did Richard Moll in BTAS. Gary Oldman and Bob Hastings are the definitive Commissioner Gordon's; Pat Hingle is the weakest, but certainly not at all terrible. He's just a bit too short. Morgan Freeman is the one and only Lucius Fox; Brock Peters of BTAS had the better persona, but Freeman had the better chemistry with Batman.
GOTHAM CITY: Burton captured the dark and gothic feel of the hellish city perfectly. It looks as if "Hell came sprouting out of the concrete and kept right on growing. You gotta give credit to Anton Furst, the film's art director, for creating this atmospheric universe. Gotham in BTAS also has its advantages. The towering skyline, the dangerous alleys, and the red sky make it all more mesmerizing. Nolan's Gotham looks hellish, too, but it looks too much like Chicago (filming location for both BB and TDK). But other than that, it succeeds in creating a Faustian nightmare.
EVERYTHING ELSE: The gadgets in BTAS were the most realistic, while the Batmobile for B89 was better-looking. Keaton's Batsuit is classic, while Conroy's cape and cowl is ultimately frightening. The heroines (Basinger, Holmes, and Gyllenhaal) are lovely additions, although I wish Basinger would stop screaming throughout B89. And let's not forget the music: let's give it up for Danny Elfman, Shirley Walker, James Newton Howard, and Hans Zimmer. These are the composers who gave us those catchy Batman themes. We will never forget them or their work.
CONCLUSION: Burton's universe, Nolan's universe, and Timm's universe are near ideal. I love them equally, really. I can't wait for the next film.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Another great option for young Batman fans
Comment: You can read my review of Volume One. Rest assured there's plenty to enjoy in Volume Two.
I have two boys (a 5 year old and a 4 year old). They are too young to watch the Batman movies -- Batman Begins and The Dark Knight -- but that doesn't stop them from enjoying the Caped Crusader. These DVD collections are meant for die-hard fans but young children can enjoy them, too.
Customer Rating:
Summary: great fun!
Comment: This is a must have series for any Batman fan, and even if your not, give it a try. It was fun for the whole family and my husband said he felt like a kid again, waiting for the next episode. We all really enjoyed this!
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