Audio Video News

Quick, to the Batcave! Fox Home Entertainment wants you to enjoy a souped-up Blu-ray version of the original Batman movie in the privacy of your home theater weeks before Warner's newer Batman Begins shows up in Blu-ray and The Dark Knight appears at the cinema.

The high-def version of the 1966 Adam West and Burt Ward film will be available on July 1, while Warner's claims on the franchise don't show up until later that month.

Fox chose Batman as its first Blu-ray flick to get the full audiophile treatment: The disc will feature DTS lossless master audio 5.1 surround, along with the entire isolated score of the film in the same format. Other extras include a 360-degree tour of the Batmobile, a pop-up trivia game, three new HD featurettes, and six galleries of stills. For true Batmaniacs, a collectible version of the disc, complete with a 1/18th scale replica of the Batmobile from Hot Wheels, will be available for $59.98.

Seems like this Blu-ray release will show up just in the nick of time to steal thunder from Warner's upstart take on Gotham City's masked avenger. -Rachel Rosmarin

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