Holy copyright infringement Batman! Today's entry will take us to the warm waters of 1960s Acapulco (Mexico) and the not so safe lands of blatantly stealing somebody else's idea.
La Mujer Murciélago, AKAThe Batwoman is a 1968 Mexican wrestling superhero film directed by Rene Cardona and starred by Mexican Italian bombshell Maura Muti. Yes, you read that right "Wrestling superhero" was a popular movie genre in Mexico. In a nutshell, most of these films would have a super powered wrestler aiding the police in solving the weirdest cases: Aliens, vampires, werewolves, mummies, gangsters, imposters, you name it!
Acapulco city is no longer a safe city for wrestlers and fit people. Some madman that goes by the name of Dr. Williams has been plotting murders of the best specimens available: Luchadores! Obviously, the police are too stupid to find out who's behind these surgical precise murders. The FBI sends one of their best agents to aid detectives Mario Robles & Tony Roca: The Batwoman!
A mad scientist that looks like an early Two-Face.
A sea creature! Call Aquaman!
Set to work undercover (because she dresses casual, like everybody else does) Our Batwoman is actually, Gloria, a rich woman who's champion of all martial art, wrestling and scuba diving. Everyone loves her, and everyone wants to befriend her or fuck her. Being so popular, no one will notice her undercover work at a local gym where the best wrestlers work out.
Why didn't DC Comics notice this movie?
Being so popular with the now classic show, Batman was the number one superhero in the late 60's. Toys, apparel, candy, records, stickers and even a movie and a strong influence over the actual comic book, guaranteed millions of dollars to the property owners. So why didn't DC Comics stopped the production of this rip-off? Perhaps they didn't think their comic books were sold south of the border. Be that as it may, we can't help but notice how shameless this rip-off is:
Like Bruce Wayne, Gloria is a rich loner, master of all martial arts. Check! She also wears a batsuit with the exact same color pattern as Bruce does! check! She has black car with red stripes that kinda looks like the magnificent Batmobile from the original show.
Fight crime with an ergonomic suit.
Look gorgeous at any situation.
So what's original in Batwoman's world?
Well, she's more like a hero wrestler. The likes of El Santo and his many imitators. Also, she fights evil scientists and sea creatures. Not that Batman didn't, but there are subtle differences here. In addition, she wears a skin tight bikini to fight crime. No nip slips, no pubes in broad daylight. On the other hand, Batgirl had a full body suit, or a skirt depending on the version. A lot less kinkier in the source material if I might add. Another aspect that would make therapy charlatans shit in their pants, is the fact that evil Dr. Williams was ahead of its time! The reason behind murdering perfect athletes is because they can be the best pineal gland donors! Yes, the bad guy is depleting the substance to create the ultimate man-fish warrior! And yet, here you are wasting your money on scam therapies to feel happier! Wait no more and call now! Dr. Williams can turn you into a perfect creature in no time! Oh, wait, you're neither a wrestler nor living in 1968. Oh well, whatever, nevermind!
¡Arriba las manos y abajo la verga!
It's not wise to upset a lady.
Believe it or not, the film did so well in Mexico that they sold it to France & Italy where it caused a big sensation. Sadly, you can't get an official copy of it in the U.S. because, DC Comics! However, it's on YouTube.
Now, what makes this film memorable, is the fact they got away with it, and of course Maura Muti's perfect body. A shame she never posed nude or worked in dirty movies. Plotwise, La Mujer Murciélago isn't an original story. As a matter of fact, it plays like a standard wrestler hero movie. The bad guys don't help either. Cloned from 50's horror films Dr. Williams is cliched as fuck. Same with the sea monster which looks to be taken straight from TheCreature from the Black Lagoon. On the other hand the action scenes cause a mildly better impression on the viewer. There's an excellent car chase sequence, and while there aren't a lot of fight scenes, they're well staged as well.
Hands up! panties off!
Sometimes we feel like fucking justice, don't we?
Overall, The Batwoman can be an odd addition to those looking for some entertainment during these pandemic times. Just don't expect too much, enjoy the visual spectacle Maura Muti is. Here's the movie trailer:
After a mysterious prologue, Turkish Clark Kent is told by his parents that he is an
Alien from space and that he must leave to accomplish his destiny. They
give him a green gem (an early Infinity Stone?) which he takes into a nearby cave. There, Jor-El, minus half of his front teeth, appears and reveals to Clark that he is
Superman...
Anyone familiar with Turkish cinema (at least the ones that have made it outside Turkey) know that Turkish remakes of popular American films are made
with an extremely low budget and are filled with footage and music
stolen shamelessly from the source material. "Supermen Dönü Yor" is no
exception. Directed by Kunt Tulgar and starred by Tayfun Demir as Tayfur/Supermën, Güngör Bayrak as Alev, damsel in distress, and Yildirim Gencer as Ekren, the bad guy.
The plot generally follows the original (and official) 1978
version, but with numerous corners cut that are just plain laughable.
For instance, the film opens in outer space. It's clearly Christmas
ornaments hanging from strings in front of a black screen covered in
glitter. The most-used and funniest example is watching Superman fly. A
doll is held in front of the camera while stock footage is used over and
over again in the background!.
Clark Kent is actually...
...Superman!
You can tell right away from the opening sequences that this will become
a non-stop spitfire of hysterical laughter and stomach aches, and you
don't even have to be wasted or pay close attention to the whole film.
When we witness Superman flying for the first time, he looks like a fake Mego action figure hanging by a thread in front drawn clouds and people waving
at him from the deck of a ship. It's brilliant, truly brilliant! Clark
Kent, named Tyfun in Turkish, is a tremendous dork with a spectacular
pair of glasses and he walks around like there's a cloth hanger stuck in
his suit. His nemesis isn't bald like Lex Luthor is, but actually looks
a lot like the Turkish version of Lee Van Cleef.
The most striking
thing about "Turkish Superman" is how very anti- spectacular it is! Our
hero hides behind trees, doesn't bother much to hide his double identity
and conducts the lamest rescue operations ever. Superman stops an
out-of-control truck descending a mountain road, NOT by jumping in front
of it, NOT by pushing it back up a cliff and NOT by pulling the rear
end like he's an anchor… Superman stops the truck by taking place behind
the wheel and using the brakes. Oh, how heroic! I guess the budget
didn't allow them to wreck the truck. That's also the same reason why
the lead actress drives a Lada instead of a real car(no pun intended).
Clive Owen?
Oh yeah, a Mego TV ad, right?
The fight
sequences are hilarious as well, since they look like a bunch of heavily
mustached men group-hugging each other. The creators of "Turkish
Superman" didn't just steal the plot of "Superman" but also the
soundtrack of James Bond(!). The scene where Superman single-handedly
prevents a train collision from happening is perhaps even the ultimate
highlight of the film. According to the most rudimentary rules of
physics his rescue act is just impossible, I don't care if you're a
superhero or not.
As for the acting, I really can't
fully comment, since I don't know any Turkish (but does it really matter?). However, the actor who plays
Superman appears to be competent, and pulls off dual personas of
Superman and Clark Kent. Superman in this film is quite mean. He is
indirectly responsible for the deaths of three villains(for example, he
throws a henchman into a wall, where he is impaled by an extended pipe).
You wouldn't like me when I'm angry!
In the nick of the time!
Now, let's dig into some interesting facts you probably didn't (want to) know about this great artistic piece:
Popular movie soundtracks were used the complete the score: Some Superman (1978)'s main themes (by John Williams) and some scores from the 60's James Bond's movies (including the James Bond Theme composed by Monty Norman).
According to the director, in the shot were Superman unveiled his identify opening his shirt, it was Tayfun Demir
himself who had to re-sew the buttons of his shirt for the next shot.
After take 4, the actor did not want to sew the shirt anymore.
Also According to Kunt Tulgar,
the director, he advised the actor who played the Turkish version of Jor-El to join
his upper lip so as not to show his lack of teeth. The actor refused to
do simply by saying "But I am an alien from another planet."
In addition, Tulgar said, Tayfun Demir
was actually a friend him and he was not an actor. At that time Tayfun
was doing military service, but the film team got him to ask for a
week's permit to shoot the film.
Filmed without sound, all the actors were dubbed with different people.
Watch out Superman!
Oh well...
The
only disappointing aspect of this film that renders it a cut below its
fellow Turkish remakes is a bland, generic super villain that bears no
resemblance to Lex Luthor. Still, for the no-budget visuals and
eye-popping incompetence, "Turkish Superman" is worth a look for
Superman fans or fans of bad cinema.
Here's the movie trailer:
Here's the movie in full Turkish language for your linguistic enjoyment:
Anyone who has seen this movie can't help but give a wide grin upon the
mention of its name, but it means more than "just another low budget
Turkish rip-off" to me. It is an artifact of great pride, the proof of
what can be achieved despite having no money to make a
film and/or no respect for copyrighted material. Movies somehow have a great effect on contemporary Turkish
culture, much more than in any other country. Turkish people love
movies. They love their actors, themes, they never get tired of watching
the same movies over and over (so do we, don't we?). Like anything else that has the
"Turkish" brand upon it, this is rather difficult to describe to someone
who's never been to Turkey. But let me just say that, an old Turkish
movie which has been run, say, 50 times on TV, still gets the highest
rating on its 51st run, and even if it's broadcasted a second time within
that week, it will still remain as the rating lead.
official promotional pictures.
These aren't the stormtroopers we're looking for.
Cuneyt
Arkin, probably the best-known and loved Turkish actor, is known for
such movies. Although most of his movies are no less cr*ppy than the
linguistic skills of some of my fellow reviewers here, he has also made
some remarkable films and has won awards. He can do circus acts (he's
worked in a circus) like no Hollywood actor can do, does his own stunts,
he's very good-looking and a better actor than most of his
contemporaries. However, most of his filmography consists of no-budget
films (Dunyayi Kurtaran Adam is one of the highlights) therefore he
sometimes gets reviews that he never deserves, which is the case about
this movie. In a period when making a high-budget Turkish movie
was virtually impossible (even if you had the best actors, producers,
directors) Arkin took the low-budget to an art form. All funny stuff
aside, the so-called Turkish cinema (!) of the 90's-2000's is virtually
no better than Arkin's films. Apart from a handful of exceptions, these
late-era Turkish movies have never been able to reach the audiences'
hearts and minds, and will probably be forgotten in a few years. But
Arkin's films, no matter how ridiculous they may look at times, have
caught the spirit of his people, grabbed their hearts and benumbed their
senses, and are being discussed on the internet even 30 something years after
they've been made.
The bad guy that kinda looks like The Mandarin.
Damsel in distress.
As for the movie itself... It's unbelievable,
that can't be denied. And unless you've lived for at least some months
in Turkey, some of the things you'll see will pop your eyes out of their
sockets, like scenes copied/pasted from Hollywood favorites (something
that will shock the copyright-sensitive Americans and Europeans). This
movie is certainly something that no modern moviemaker would dare make,
and although a truly unforgettable experience, it's not Cuneyt Arkin's
most incredible film. That's right, at least in this movie
there's a rather straightforward story, you know who's good and who's
bad, what they're trying to do, etc. But Arkin has some films (the
populist reviewers who only know Dunyayi Kurtaran Adam must surely be
ignorant of these) in which you never know if he's good or bad, if he's
the brother of the star actress or if he's her husband, in some movies
even his character's name is never mentioned. He's Cuneyt, he beats the
crap out of everyone and saves the girl, that's enough. He doesn't need a
name. In some films, the plot twists so radically that you sometimes
wonder if you're still watching the same film. Dunyayi Kurtaran Adam, AKA The Man Who Saves The World, AKA Turkish Star Wars, is
not that bizarre, but it experiments with something that Turkish cinema
rarely deals with: special effects, and perhaps that's what makes it so
funny. Other than that, I (and probably most of you) can name quite a
few Hollywood movies which, in terms of content, are far worse than this
movie.
The production team decided to market the film primarily to older
children, and to cut the running time by about 1 hour because the studio
was concerned that the 2-1/2 hour length of the original cut--far
longer than the typical 75-minute Turkish film--would hurt the film's
market potential. This resulted in the film's disjointed and frenetic
pacing, its emphasis on action, and its lack of on-screen plot
exposition, with major plot points only being explained in voiceover.
The film was reportedly embraced eagerly by its youthful target market, and was very successful in Turkey.
Kung Fu in space!
Cardboard sword V/S oversized Teddy bear.
Now, moving on to what really made this rather freaky film so popular, let's take a look at how many times this film breaks the legal barrier by "borrowing" intelectual property:
1. The decision to incorporate pirated footage from Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977) was made after elaborate spaceship film sets constructed on a
Turkish beach were destroyed by a storm before shooting was scheduled to
start. The studio refused to finance the sets' reconstruction and did
not want to delay the film's release, leaving the producers with no
feasible way to create all-new space battle footage. Çetin Inanç
solved the problem by bribing the night watchman at a Turkish film
distributor to let him borrow a print of Episode IV, which was hastily
copied overnight. Moreover, the material from Star Wars was spliced in from an anamorphic print, while this movie was
shot in academy format, resulting in a non-correct aspect ratio during
the Star Wars footage (e.g., the Death Star looks more like a Death
Egg).
2. The movie also includes soundtracks from Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) (throughout the film), Moonraker (1979), Flash Gordon (1980), Planet of the Apes (1968), and The Black Hole (1979).
3. The Wizard's wife's transformation into an old hag and a spider, the
swirling yellow vortex that turns men into burnt, shambling zombies, and
a character turninhlg into a hairy ogre are all taken from Bert I. Gordon's The Magic Sword (1962).
Promotional poster.
Millenium what?!
Think you've seen it all? Well then don't hesitate to try watching Dünyayi kurtaran adam not only borrows but begs and steals
elements and music from "Star Wars" (natch), "Raiders of the Lost Ark"
and "Flash Gordon"; many scenes simply run clips from "Star Wars"
interspersed in otherwise non-space scenes, probably just to keep
reminding you this is taking place in a galaxy far far away.
The "original" special effects scenes are perhaps the funniest this film delivers. From red-cell
tints, back projection, stop-motion brains,
shag-rug aliens, party masks (one alien is a red-colored devil mask,
complete with goatee, widow's peak and horns! MAN!!), toilet
paper-wrapped zombies, and the Star Wars stuff again where there are a lot of SW clips played through a partially blocked-out screen.
And the heroes? Two non-Solos who
wear polyester shirts (that blue one with the two yellow flowers on the
chest - STYLIN'!) and give karate kicks and chops and sport physiques
like any well-schooled middle-aged banker would possess. Nice hair,
though.
As far as the dialogue goes, couldn't get a word of it. I
don't speak Turkish, but who needs dialogue; this is apparently not a
movie that takes great pains to make a brave new world.
The fan made trailer with English subtitles:
Here's the film for your viewing pleasure, and no, you don't need subtitles, the film is pretty self explanatory:
