Alicia Silverstone Has No Business Being In a Batman Movie

[TMC1982]

Joel Schumacher basically tried to rationalize her being cast on the special edition DVD by saying that she was popular with teens at the time. Stunt casting Alicia Silverstone to bring in young people circa 1997 would be like today casting Miley Cyrus, Amanda Bynes, Ashley Tisdale or Hilary Duff to play Batgirl today, or casting Zack Efron to play Robin.

And watching the old interviews, it strikes me how absolutely ignorant and airheaded (and that dimwitted, lispy voice of hers) Alicia Silverstone is about the Batman universe. She claimed that she watched the old TV show with Adam West but had absolutely no clue that there was a Batgirl (I guess, she never watched Season 3). I wish that actors would do research about the source material before playing a comic book related character.

 

[Cain]

Well he was asked to produce something that was marketable on a mass level not something where he had to cast what was suitable for a great story. It's the same reason Batgirl was even included in the first place to add more marketing and merchandising. So what could he do but not cast the flavor of the moment in the film? Clueless was a huge success and still relevant at the time. It's the same reason he cast Arnold and Jim Carrey.

 

[Riven]

Alicia Silverstone Has No Business Being In a Batman Movie

It's taken you 11 years to figure that out?


Congratulations.


Could you just move on now? The rest of the world more or less has...

 

[TMC1982]

It's taken you 11 years to figure that out?


Congratulations.


Could you just move on now? The rest of the world more or less has...

So I suppose, a shouldn't be allowed to disect every imaginable facade of a critically lambasted movie since it's over 10 years old!? Get real, I don't give much of a damn what you or the rest of the world thinks on the contrary.

 

[Riven]

Calm down, or should I say chill...

There are many threads dedicated to the rights and wrongs of the previous franchise, where you can vent your apparantly still very fresh anger about B&R in all its facets.

If you insist on tackling one at a time, your next one could be "Arnold Schwarzenegger has no business being in a Batman film", then Uma Thurman, Chris O'Donnell, Coolio, Elle MacPherson, campy sets, pink neon lighting, songs by R Kelly, peeing bulldogs, etcetera etcetera.

It's just that starting a thread specifically dedicated to one aspect of the film, seems pretty pointless. It's of course a contention that all threads on these boards are in fact pointless, but I don't think we should be striving to find the most pointless thread of all.


But what do I know, I'm not a moderator, so go ahead... It's just that we have a current Batman franchise that's very very different from the old one. And while the old one being some years old is indeed no argument not to discuss it futher, the new one is a hell of a lot more relevant today. I just thought this particular subject wouldn't generate any kind of interesting debate. I mean, is anyone going to disagree with you? These conclusions are already a decade forgone, and I'm sorry, but this just seems like beating a dead horse.





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[Matt.S99]

with the right stuff, she could have probably done a good job, but that wasnt the case.
And who cares if she didnt/doesnt know that much about the batman universe, alot of actors cast in Comic movies dont know much about the comic and or character(s)

 

[Nightwing1977]

with the right stuff, she could have probably done a good job, but that wasnt the case.
And who cares if she didnt/doesnt know that much about the batman universe, alot of actors cast in Comic movies dont know much about the comic and or character(s)

Yeah. If she improve her acting better with the right script & director, I think she would've make a decent Batgirl.

And just because you don't know or follow a comic book character don't mean you're wrong for the part. Look at Hugh Jackman. He was fantastic as Wolverine & he wasn't familiar with X-Men before he got the role. In fact, I remeber him saying he was a fan of Plastic Man.

 

[Rockbottom]

Who cares... shes fit. In a film that bad, she is the only nice thing to look at. Glad she was there (y) .

 

[CFE]

I thought it was absolutely hilarious on the SE DVD to have Schumacher claim "There was no one more perfect for teh role of Batgirl than Alicia" and then immediately following that up with Alicia saying "I actually had no idea that there WAS a Batgirl."

CFE

 

[MrSmith1114]

Wow, don't you think you're being a bit harsh on her?

She played a role in a film that came out eleven years ago, and you're still pissed about it?

Move on, man.

Some say Katie Holmes had no "business" being in Batman Begins, yet she was. This kind of thing happens all the time. It's just business. Pure and simple.

 

[The Guard]

It was her or Julia Roberts. I'll take Silverstone for the role as written any day.

 

[Spider-Fan83]

Joel Schumacher basically tried to rationalize her being cast on the special edition DVD by saying that she was popular with teens at the time. Stunt casting Alicia Silverstone to bring in young people circa 1997 would be like today casting Miley Cyrus, Amanda Bynes, Ashley Tisdale or Hilary Duff to play Batgirl today, or casting Zack Efron to play Robin.

I highly protest, this kinda comparison, Silverstone was not some disney, pop star wanna-be, actress

at the point in her career that she was cast, aside from "clueless", her body of work was mostly serious roles in, dramas, thrill, mystery, kinda movies

not, saying with was the best actress at the time, or even best for the role
but, to put her in the same category as these girls, is way off base

 

[Jackasscoley15]

I highly protest, this kinda comparison, Silverstone was not some disney, pop star wanna-be, actress

at the point in her career that she was cast, aside from "clueless", her body of work was mostly serious roles in, dramas, thrill, mystery, kinda movies

not, saying with was the best actress at the time, or even best for the role
but, to put her in the same category as these girls, is way off base

As much as I'd hate to admit, I must agree with this statement. Putting Silverstone into THAT category is a bit demeaning, seeing as she has at least some talent.

 

[Darkness Falls]

She was damn hot in that batsuit

and lets face it there wasn't much else to enjoy in that movie

 

[Nightwing1977]

She was damn hot in that batsuit

Too bad her batsuit don't have the nipples like Batman & Robin does. Why, Joel, why?!?

 

[Man Who Laughed]

Too bad her batsuit don't have the nipples like Batman & Robin does. Why, Joel, why?!?

I've often wondered that myself. It had a nicely sculpted butt, though.

 

[Matt.S99]

actually she did have very unnoticable nipples

 

[Spider-Fan83]

I've often wondered that myself. It had a nicely sculpted butt, though.

though, the fact that her uncle designed it for her, kinda made it awkward
I mean, he seemed to of known, her butt alil to well, to of made such a perfectly fitted suit LOL

 

[The_Mighty_Thor]

Of all the horrible things in that movie her playing Batgirl was the least offensive!

 

[Man Who Laughed]

though, the fact that she uncle designed it for her, kinda made it awkward
I mean, he seemed to of known, her butt alil to well, to of made such a perfectly fitted suit LOL

OMFG! Never even thought of that! I will never be able to watch the "suiting up" scene the same way again!

 

[Nightwing1977]

I've often wondered that myself. It had a nicely sculpted butt, though.

At least I'm glad Joel focus on the hormone-rage men in us with that closeup of her butt in the suit. Still should have shown the nipples on the suit anyway. If Batman & Robin have one, so should Batgirl. I mean, come on!!

 

[TMC1982]

Well he was asked to produce something that was marketable on a mass level not something where he had to cast what was suitable for a great story. It's the same reason Batgirl was even included in the first place to add more marketing and merchandising. So what could he do but not cast the flavor of the moment in the film? Clueless was a huge success and still relevant at the time. It's the same reason he cast Arnold and Jim Carrey.

And that was one of the main problems with the Burton-Schumacher Batman series. They seemed more intent on casting whomever they felt was the most marketable instead of who can best portray the character. If the movie is good than people will be willing to buy the merchandising anyway. Besides, I strongly don't believe that people first see a Batman movie because Alicia Silverstone, Jim Carrey, Arnold S. or George Clooney is in it, they go see it because it has something to do with Batman!

 

[TMC1982]

I highly protest, this kinda comparison, Silverstone was not some disney, pop star wanna-be, actress

at the point in her career that she was cast, aside from "clueless", her body of work was mostly serious roles in, dramas, thrill, mystery, kinda movies

not, saying with was the best actress at the time, or even best for the role
but, to put her in the same category as these girls, is way off base

That wasn't my point (i.e. her not being some Disney, pop star/wannabe actress)! My point was that Joel Schumacher and company's critieria for casting Alicia Silverstone was mainly because she was a relevant teen idol (off the heels of "Clueless") at the time.

 

[TMC1982]

Wow, don't you think you're being a bit harsh on her?

She played a role in a film that came out eleven years ago, and you're still pissed about it?

Move on, man.

Some say Katie Holmes had no "business" being in Batman Begins, yet she was. This kind of thing happens all the time. It's just business. Pure and simple.

Richard Pryor had no business being in "Superman III", but should I let that go and move on since that particular movie came out 25 years ago!? What's the point of analysing films past and present films if you're not going to give much scrutany to the actors?

 

[DeathRaven]

I really love the title to this thread, gave me a good chuckle.

But really, she was only in Batman and Robin....and that dosent even count!