The Dark Knight Rises Anne Hathaway as Selina Kyle/Catwoman XXXI

[UaalaDan]

But equally Michelle made you lust after her but didn't make you fall in love with her like Anne did.

But the point of Catwoman is....lust.

I surely wasn't in love with her at all or cared for any of the female characters in this movie. I was in love with Gwen and Black Widow, though.

Agree to disagree then.

 

[Kansiov]

But equally Michelle made you lust after her but didn't make you fall in love with her like Anne did.

The thing about Michelle's character is apart from the final scene, her character is so bat**** crazy you just feel that this woman can't be helped. She's pretty much Harley Quinn in a catsuit.

 

[mao]

Nicely said.

There was no doubt that Bruce was intrigued by Selina after their first encounter...finds her fascinating the fact she doesn't give a damn about who he is. After researching, he acknowledges her background and where she lives and concludes two things why she does what she does: either she is saving for retirement after all the stealing or she's in deep with the wrong people. I believe he knows it's the latter and after the masquerade convo it's apparent Ms. Kyle does want a 'clean slate' it's just impossible.

Yes, after the betrayal she finds out Batman is Bruce Wayne...the man who she thought just lives large and leaves so little for the rest, when in truth she now knows he is the better man who would risk his life for the city. We now have the guilt-ridden Cat. Then comes Bane who took over Gotham...and witnesses what the 'storm' she was waiting for did to the city....you can tell when she was observing a photo of an abandoned home that this isn't what she wanted.

Bruce Wayne comes back from the dead...Selina's face showed her vulnerability: a mix of happiness, relief, and guilt..and of course Selina isn't the type to cry and give an apology after what she did. Bruce gives her the 'clean slate' technology in return for some help...and she questions why he would trust her after what she did to him. This is sort of the beginning of the turning point in Selina's life...where Bruce Wayne is giving her a second chance in life and at the same time states he sees something more in her that she doesn't. He fully knows her true intentions with the 'clean slate' and it's not to use it as a tool but to give her a fresh start she deserves, a fresh start that he also wants for himself. He trusts her, has faith in her because he understands her...and he knows she won't the same mistake twice. Selina has to be gradually falling for him at least.

Then comes the bat-pod scene. Not to mention she seemed jealous of his "stuck up" girlfriend. Ha! Anyways...Selina still believes no one can stop Bane..and Batman suggests with her help he has chance to win. Again she doubts herself...then proposes that he comes away with her and escape because she knows how much he has done for the city...and believes there's no chance he can win and basically he gave everything he's got. There's no point anymore. Major turning point: he says hasn't given them everything yet. This gives Selina something to think about. You'd wonder why she'd ask him to go away with her...they've developed a bond and by this time she does like Bruce, I don't think anybody else saw her differently except him.

Selina clears the tunnel..she can save herself while she has the chance. This is her epiphany moment...it's sort of parallels to the betrayal scene where she leaves Batman on his own to save herself. And after what Bruce/Batman has been saying...she knows she's not going to make that same mistake...she finally acknowledges the 'something more' she had inside herself and goes back to help Batman in his mission to try and save the people of Gotham.

My two cents on the matter.

Nice. You've obviously given this a lot of thought. What about on Bruce's side? He didn't really seem into that kiss. Did Selina win by default?

 

[mao]

Great, insightful post.

Now what I want to know is what life would be like to settle down with Selina and have babies with her? Would Bruce and Selina one day tell their kids that they were costumed crazies?

Sometimes I wish that we could have even just have a witty rom com sequel with Anne and Bale as Selina and Bruce hanging out in Italy, but not necessarily as their costumed counterparts. I think that the verbal sparring and chemistry would be great and Anne could bring dozens of laughs as this ex Cat burglar trying to go straight. I just want more of Anne's Selina.

Count me in on that. I enjoyed the Bruce Selina parts of the film better than the Bat Cat ones.

 

[Black Narcissus]

Anne was great.

 

[kvz5]

Yes.

 

[Candycane]

Nice. You've obviously given this a lot of thought. What about on Bruce's side? He didn't really seem into that kiss. Did Selina win by default?

My two cents on Bruce.

Well...like I said. Their first encounter...Bruce was fascinated with Selina because of how brazen she is. Everybody worships Mr. Wayne...except she's the only one who doesn't care. It was partly her fault Bruce came out of his shell. Like Bale said...Selina makes him laugh because she isn't like anybody he has met even when she is stealing his belongings.

Throughout his many interactions as Bruce/Batman...he begins to learn and understand Selina. That's when he firmly places trust and faith in her. Despite the things she has done to him...for some reason he knows she has a conscience/heart and believes she will do the right thing, not just for the benefit for herself only-- this is something Selina doesn't see in herself doing or would ever think she could do since her whole life was to save herself (stealing...etc..) -- she did what she had to, but after what she did what she had to...she never could do what she really wanted.

After Bruce found out that he wouldn't have ended up with Rachael either way...I'd think he would just make a first step towards moving on by going for Miranda since she made the first move by taking over his family's legacy and made a romantic gesture too. Yea Selina kissed him first...but the circumstances were different...and between Selina/Batman/Bruce at this point they've already established a connection/more than acquaintance/playful relationship.There's no doubt there's a bit of attraction. But for now...its Bruce/Miranda.

Then comes the Miranda betrayal. Selina comes back to save Batman in time.

Then the last moment before Batman goes off with the bomb. She realizes he's going to sacrifice himself. I couldn't make out what she said to him before the kiss, but he responded "you came back". And from this, I'm sure he knows he was completely right about her and that kiss...after watching the movie twice..even though we don't really see his full face b/c of the angle...to me it looked like he welcomed it. Hell, twice she made an intimate gesture...and proposal to go with her previously..obviously he knows she likes him. And he knows he's going to "die", might as well get something before that happens..hahahha.

I wouldn't say Selina wins by default necessarily. I mean...if he was never romantically connected with Miranda...I'd say he'd still end up with Selina. It seems other characters in the film complement Bruce/Batman whether they are in the justice/injustice side--and to me Selina represented his desire for a 'clean slate'. They are like kindred spirits...wanting a new life for themselves.

I would give anything to see how Bruce came back to see Selina and take up on her offer and start a new life together...AND Selina's reaction to receiving the object she likes soooo much..the pearls

 

[AnneFan]

I love how Anne puts her hands on her hips and smiles before going up and doing the backflip.

I love how Anne smiles at Batman while as Catwoman in a few scenes.

I love Anne.

 

[rashad]

I absolutely loved Anne in this film. She was a great Selina Kyle/Catwoman.

 

[DACrowe]

Not really. Maybe physically, but that might have been her stuntwoman.

Pretty much anything Hathaway did, Pfeiffer did something in a similar vein in BATMAN RETURNS, right down to the "damsel in distress" and the "little girl voice". And as Catwoman, Pfeiffer just "went there" in a way Anne simply didn't. Anne was playing a kind of sexy version of herself. Michelle played a weird zombie/manic character that barely resembled herself. She displayed far more range overall.

I will say it's hard for me to separate how much I prefer TDKR's version of Catwoman (other than the costume, pretty much all the best aspects of the character, IMO) to BR's version. But while Burton's CW/Selina Kyle has little to do with the comic book character, Michelle Pffeifer gives a powerhouse performance. She definitely gets to explore more emotions and have a very clearly defined arc that is rooted in German Expressionism, Film Noir and sometimes straight up camp. And Ms. Pffeifer pulls it all off brilliantly. Again though, I think the screenplay gave that character more dimensions to shine at. I still prefer Hathaway's Catwoman because I think she is a more interesting character and certainly a more entertaining one, even if she is less thoroughly explored as Burton's vision of her is.

Still, I disagree everything Hathaway did that Pffeifer did. Pffeifer only played the damsel at the beginning because she was one. One to be preyed on by abusing men in a patriarchal system she must break free from, etc. etc. Hathaway's Selina Kyle is a grifter who can switch personas at the drop of a hat. That kind of cunning and quick-witted survival instinct isn't in Pffeifer's performance at all. After she "returns," she can't help but be who she is and unleash her femininity on the world. She doesn't pretend to be anything she's not, because that's what she has done all her life up to that point. She's also nuts, so that ability to "adapt" is not really present. The Hathaway version is always having to stay a step ahead of everyone around her in any given scene.

 

[DACrowe]

But the point of Catwoman is....lust.

I surely wasn't in love with her at all or cared for any of the female characters in this movie. I was in love with Gwen and Black Widow, though.

Agree to disagree then.

I don't about falling in love with any fictional characters this summer, but I thought Anne Hathaway walked away with the most memorable, entertaining and interesting performance of the summer movie season. I like Emma Stone and I liked BW in Avengers (though more for how Joss wrote her than how ScarJo played her), but I thought Catwoman not only stole TDKR, but the female lead of summer movies for the year.

Just my opinion.

 

[TheScarecrow]

But the point of Catwoman is....lust.

I surely wasn't in love with her at all or cared for any of the female characters in this movie. I was in love with Gwen and Black Widow, though.

Agree to disagree then.

That's Black Cat.

Only the worst interpretations of Catwoman make her so overtly sexual in a one-dimensional way. The best interpretations of Catwoman make her sexy through confidence and her sharp wit and interaction...like Nolan's did. Are you saying that there's no love between Bruce and Selina in the comics, only lust? Because that's simply not true.

Selina is, as she was in this movie, Bruce's soulmate. That's the connection.

 

[jmc]

Another major point I think is that Bruce/Batman kept trusting her to do the right thing, no matter what. Steals his fingerprints and gives them to a guy hellbent on bringing down the Wayne empire? There's more to her. Betrays him to Bane? There's more to her. Gives her a bike and an escape route? She'll come back.

Selina was a crook who didn't have anyone besides Holly? Jen? looking up to her. Bruce/Batman saw the good in her, saw that she was deserving of a clean slate. I think that's what really made her want to run away with him.

This is why I would have loved to have seen more Selina in this movie, here's a character that could easily have been the back bone of the movie, I would have loved to see her wrestle with her conscious more and even delve into why she hides behind the walls she's created within herself. Deep down she has a heart, she's not a bad person, but you get the feeling she doesn't see it within herself, she does what she has to because that's all she's ever known, but she wants an escape route. There's so much more that could have been explored had they allowed it.

 

[MydnightPhoenix]

Are there any good pix in this thread of Anne as Cats? I don't want to go through the whole thing looking for some decent pix.

 

[dmorley21]

I won't go so far as saying Hathaway was better than Pfeiffer because she wasn't. But she still did a great a job, and I much prefer this take on the character than Burton's CatZombie (Pfeiffer's landmark performance aside).

I thought Pfeiffer was much better as Catwoman even though Anne's character was better written.

She was way more sexy too. That might be my personal preference for Blondes!

But, really, no scene in TDKR screamed of sexiness like that one in which Catwoman licks Batman's mouth in BR.

But equally Michelle made you lust after her but didn't make you fall in love with her like Anne did.

Maybe I'm bias because I simply did not like BR at all, or the characterization of Catwoman in that movie, but I'd say Anne was better than Michelle. To me Catwoman isn't a crazy in the comics that I've read, but someone struggling to find her place in Gotham. There's always something magnetic and attractive about her, but I wouldn't say she has to be portrayed as a ball of lust.

My favorite comics with her are: Long Halloween, Dark Victory, Year One, and When In Rome. I also really enjoyed her character in Hush. And while be a magnetic personality and very attractive, she's not really something you necessarily lust after. Sometimes, sure. But she's just so damn intriguing, Bruce/Bats can't help but be interested in her. And that was Anne's portrayal.

I'd also argue that the first scene, especially when she says "Goodnight, Mr. Wayne," is a pretty sexy performance.

 

[AnneFan]

I'd also argue that the first scene, especially when she says "Goodnight, Mr. Wayne," is a pretty sexy performance.

She had the sexiness covered. Also the toughness. I loved the punch Selina gives that guy at the airport, the trick she uses with her hat. Also her hair looking cute in the pigtail during the Blackgate arm twist scene.

 

[Pfeiffer-Pfan]

But equally Michelle made you lust after her but didn't make you fall in love with her like Anne did.

My very existence says different t:

I do agree with the writer of the article completely...

Conclusion
Part of the advantage of reboots is that characters we are intrigued by get a new interpretation, which may be the most enticing way they reflect their comic book origins. There's a lot to admire in each portrayal of Catwoman above, and as many critics have said Hathaway was a light in the midst of so much gloom. She did a fantastic job of bringing her confident wit and deft physicality to the role, and seems to deliver just what Nolan wanted. However, his willful neutering of this iconic femme fatale's wild side and overt sexuality makes his Catwoman feel a bit declawed.

Burton was far less interested in Selina Kyle becoming a master criminal, and more intrigued by her becoming a furious force to be reckoned with. Pfeiffer gamely embraced this passionate plot and ran with it, making one of the most fabulous and bold villainesses ever set to screen. Sure, she's not much of a fighter, and her manipulations are amateur, but she nails the emotional moments and so offers a Catwoman who is a more vivid and vexing vixen that feeds our id and tantalizes our imaginations.

 

[AnneFan]

My very existence says different t:

Anne and Michelle are the best Catwomen in my eyes.

I completely agree with that review, Hathaway being the light in a movie filled with gloom. Upon seeing the movie I've referred to her as a ray of light. That's what I meant as well. She lit up the screen and made me smile. And that's never a bad thing. It's a positive thing.

 

[Herolee10]

Side note; this is definitely one of my favorite pictures of Anne.

 

[rickfox]

Nicely said.

There was no doubt that Bruce was intrigued by Selina after their first encounter...finds her fascinating the fact she doesn't give a damn about who he is. After researching, he acknowledges her background and where she lives and concludes two things why she does what she does: either she is saving for retirement after all the stealing or she's in deep with the wrong people. I believe he knows it's the latter and after the masquerade convo it's apparent Ms. Kyle does want a 'clean slate' it's just impossible.

Yes, after the betrayal she finds out Batman is Bruce Wayne...the man who she thought just lives large and leaves so little for the rest, when in truth she now knows he is the better man who would risk his life for the city. We now have the guilt-ridden Cat. Then comes Bane who took over Gotham...and witnesses what the 'storm' she was waiting for did to the city....you can tell when she was observing a photo of an abandoned home that this isn't what she wanted.

Bruce Wayne comes back from the dead...Selina's face showed her vulnerability: a mix of happiness, relief, and guilt..and of course Selina isn't the type to cry and give an apology after what she did. Bruce gives her the 'clean slate' technology in return for some help...and she questions why he would trust her after what she did to him. This is sort of the beginning of the turning point in Selina's life...where Bruce Wayne is giving her a second chance in life and at the same time states he sees something more in her that she doesn't. He fully knows her true intentions with the 'clean slate' and it's not to use it as a tool but to give her a fresh start she deserves, a fresh start that he also wants for himself. He trusts her, has faith in her because he understands her...and he knows she won't the same mistake twice. Selina has to be gradually falling for him at least.

Then comes the bat-pod scene. Not to mention she seemed jealous of his "stuck up" girlfriend. Ha! Anyways...Selina still believes no one can stop Bane..and Batman suggests with her help he has chance to win. Again she doubts herself...then proposes that he comes away with her and escape because she knows how much he has done for the city...and believes there's no chance he can win and basically he gave everything he's got. There's no point anymore. Major turning point: he says hasn't given them everything yet. This gives Selina something to think about. You'd wonder why she'd ask him to go away with her...they've developed a bond and by this time she does like Bruce, I don't think anybody else saw her differently except him.

Selina clears the tunnel..she can save herself while she has the chance. This is her epiphany moment...it's sort of parallels to the betrayal scene where she leaves Batman on his own to save herself. And after what Bruce/Batman has been saying...she knows she's not going to make that same mistake...she finally acknowledges the 'something more' she had inside herself and goes back to help Batman in his mission to try and save the people of Gotham.

My two cents on the matter.

and then comes----
You could have gone anywhere you wanted to, run away somewhere… but you came back here.”
“So did you…”
“Well, I guess we're both suckers"
and that passionate kiss

that is great. thank you, Candycane

btw,I keep noticing one scenario(I watched TDKR 4 times so far) ---- after she killed Bane, while Bruce was giving her instruction about carry out assult from both air and ground,Selina's eyes fixed to no where but his waist(that fresh wound inflicted by Talia )and try to say something.

 

[Dark Raven]

I want to say that if I were Austin Powers and had been on ice since the 60s, then if I were unfrozen now and saw TDKR, Catwoman would look to me the same as she had always done since Julie Newmar. She would be instantly recognisable. I'd probably get confused by any of these other interpretations in the intervening years and may not even recognise them, but Anne's Cat would be something very familiar.

BTW I do really wish that Anne used a Miss Kitka alias in this movie as one of her fake identities. They could've had that at the train station perhaps, or maybe when Bruce was looking her up after he first met her.

 

[Batman jr.]

Oscar nom for kitteh.

I dare.

 

[Batman jr.]

Not really. Maybe physically, but that might have been her stuntwoman.

Pretty much anything Hathaway did, Pfeiffer did something in a similar vein in BATMAN RETURNS, right down to the "damsel in distress" and the "little girl voice". And as Catwoman, Pfeiffer just "went there" in a way Anne simply didn't. Anne was playing a kind of sexy version of herself. Michelle played a weird zombie/manic character that barely resembled herself. She displayed far more range overall.

Why do you always need to overanalyze things & drag a thread down to the level of whiskey-drinking bitterness? As far as I can remember, Pfeiffer's Selina is not sane, she indeed acts like Harley Quinn in a catsuit.

Michelle looked sexy in that catsuit too, that's pretty much the only thing they have in common for the whole 100%. And I take you mean that they both use violence? Guess what, Batman does that in both interpretations too. Carbon copy of Keaton's interpretation?

Anne's NOT a carbon copy of Michelle.

 

[Batman jr.]

But the point of Catwoman is....lust.

I surely wasn't in love with her at all or cared for any of the female characters in this movie. I was in love with Gwen and Black Widow, though.

Agree to disagree then.

Where is it established that the point of Catwoman is sorely lust?

You complain, but I saw more than enough lust in this Cat.

 

[Pfeiffer-Pfan]

As far as I can remember, Pfeiffer's Selina is not sane, she indeed acts like Harley Quinn in a catsuit.

No.