In the past decades, actors playing Batman have come and gone, never staying long and never really becoming the role. They had big shoes to fill because there is one actor who so personified the Caped Crusader that even now, nearly 50 years since first playing the role, his name is still synonymous with Batman: Adam West. Even though the television show had a short run, West did such a great job, he was typecast as Batman and had trouble finding work when the show ended.
A new film, distributed by Filmbuff and available now on Starz, Encore, and VOD, is titled Starring Adam West and looks at what happened to the actor in the years and decades that followed. The picture isn’t always pretty and doesn’t hide the struggles that West faced; but as he emerges, shining and smiling, on the other side, his rise form the ashes feels even more sweet.
The film, which was Kickstarted in April of 2011 and chronicles West’s career before and after Batman while following his family’s attempts to earn West a star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame. The film showcases West’s distinctive deep-toned voice, quick smile, and deep appreciation for his fans, making Starring Adam West a sometimes gritty, but still charming, look into the life of an iconic man who nearly everyone fondly remembers as one of our very first superheroes. Watch it if you can.
