Is Anne Hathaway's Catwoman costume my absolute favorite? Not really. Do I love it? I do actually. It's a look that I know we're STILL not very fond of, but it's one of those things where I think much thought went into making this. Now I will say that "Well Batman has ears on his cowl," why doesn't Catwoman? I can understand that sentiment completely, and I relish how fans think that's a low blow for being too believable on screen. More could have been done.
But on my honest honest HONEST flip side though, I think if Nolan took that approach we wouldn't be responding the thought process that the director has earned with much high praise. I think if the goggles weren't the ears on the suit, I think it would dismiss the one thing I like about this version of Catwoman, and it can be said with one word: clever. Catwoman isn't just some leather cladded eye candy geeks like me drool over, she's an intelligent cat-like thief. And when I look at her costume, the people who were on board aimed for something COMPLETELY new like they've always done so far with Nolan's film, but at the same time go on to grab influences from the previous comics or celebrities important to pop culture.
When I see Anne Hathaway:
I see something new that's been brought up to the table for Catwoman, but finding great joy on what I recognize and am familiar with Selina Kyle throughout the ages. The first thing that comes to everyone's mind is that she's so in tune with the Julie Newmar:
That will always come to my mind when you watch Adam West's Batman on TV Land every Friday after school. LOL It also brings me back to the fact that once again, she was dubbed Catwoman for not looking like an actual literal cat, but was a great figure of speech of being like a cat in terms of burglary. Which pretty much brings up her first actual appearance in the comics.
Isn't that such an awesome way of thinking of it? Because in reality, Batman as a character seems to such a far more
Literal and honest person, while Catwoman on the other hand is a Figure of Speech and isn't the most trustworthy person in the world. It's a forbidden romance they try to cut corners and make work out, but in the end will never truly be fulfilled. So I think that contrast ALONE speaks to me and screams FAITHFUL.
But there's other things too, such as I see the arm high gloves and leg high boots from the 80's and 90's with Tim Sale, Jim Balent:
I'm also reminded that suit looks in tune with her stealing needs and has moved along with the 21st Century, so in Nolan's series adaptation is a must. And we've seen it very similar to are more FAVORITE renditions:
I won't go into the Audre Hepburn and Hedy Lamarr comparisons with Selia Kyle's clothing style and character feel, which I am IN LOVE with being the nostalgia fanatic I am, I'm really trying to stress the point that Anne Hathaway's Catwoman is all about the little details in which we may not always catch, but appreciate. I think it shows a lot of admiration to the character we've loved since it's inception, or to our own minds whether you were a kid watching the 60's show, walking into that movie theater to see Batman Returns, or playing in the living room corner playing with your toy Batcave and action figures when The Animated Series was on like me.
We fans need to understand that isn't a "Out with the old, in the New" dynamic. It's respecting and giving a proud salute to what we all cherished and forever familiar with, but breaking new ground and introducing more reinventions to the table. It's building a new foundation so that we can turn people and children of our new age into the latex-on-tight-beautiful-body loving nerds we are today.
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