Favorite Live Action Selina Kyle/Catwoman.

[Slade W]

Anne Hathaway is still my favourite, but I really liked Michelle too. Hathaway nailed the subtle cat mannerisms that I remember she said she was trying to do in an interview, IMO.

 

[Dede]

That’s

Correct.

Nonsensical plot, terrible fight sequences, can't understand half of what Tom Hardy says, one of the worst death scenes in history, terrible camera work on any action sequence.

It's a ridiculously bad movie and nobody wants to admit it because Christopher Nolan has a reputation.

thats why it’s critically acclaimed and made over a billion dollars

 

[Enriquespy]

It's a flawed movie, but it dared to end a Batman saga, and Bane is endlessly quotable.

Thing is, in that film Catwoman was just Ok. She needed some more edge.

 

[Dede]

It's a flawed movie, but it dared to end a Batman saga, and Bane is endlessly quotable.

Thing is, in that film Catwoman was just Ok. She needed some more edge.

I would say it’s about as flawed as Batman begins. This Catwoman fitted this universe the next one will probably be more edgy

 

[Batmannerism]

For me Michelle Pfeiffer all the way. Sure, her version of Catwoman was campy (well the dialogue certainly was) but MP worked the role beautifully, and made Selina a character we empathize with, even when she's doing bad.

Anne Hathaway had some good moments, but some of her dialogue was surprisingly lame although the character arc was good.

 

[Another_Fool]

Objectively speaking, Anne Hathaway in both potrayal and adaptation is the best Selina Kyle. However Michelle was such a fun performance. I guess I like Michelle better but Anne did a real fine job.

 

[Awest66]

Anne Hathaway is basically as perfect a live-action Catwoman as were ever going to get but I can definitely see why Pfeiffer is in the lead, It truly is an iconic performance.

Still sticking with Hathaway though.

 

[Awest66]

For me Michelle Pfeiffer all the way. Sure, her version of Catwoman was campy (well the dialogue certainly was) but MP worked the role beautifully, and made Selina a character we empathize with, even when she's doing bad.

Anne Hathaway had some good moments, but some of her dialogue was surprisingly lame although the character arc was good.

Was Hathaway's dialogue really more lame than Pfeiffers abundance of cat puns? Honestly "I am Catwoman, Hear me roar" was way more cringe than anything from Rises.

 

[Batmannerism]

Was Hathaway's dialogue really more lame than Pfeiffers abundance of cat puns? Honestly "I am Catwoman, Hear me roar" was way more cringe than anything from Rises.

IMO it worked within the context of a dark but campy film. Pfeiffer's dialogue was well OTT, but intentionally so, and she worked it much better than AH did, IMHO of course.

 

[AcidRain]

(1) Pfeiffer, (2) Newmar, (4) Meriwether, (4) Hathaway, (5) Bicondova, (6) Kitt

 

[Gothamsknight]

Anne Hathaway for me. She was the most accurate depiction of the character from the comics.

 

[AcidRain]

Honestly "I am Catwoman, Hear me roar" was way more cringe than anything from Rises.

It was not even remotely cringe. Pfeiffer was flawless in that role. Hathaway was given some flat lines, and her dry approach did not help fix them.

 

[Awest66]

It was not even remotely cringe. Pfeiffer was flawless in that role. Hathaway was given some flat lines, and her dry approach did not help fix them.

It's absolutely cringe and her abundance of cat puns (especially where she licks herself) were just as if not more so.

Hathaway was in no way "dry" as Catwoman, She played the part exactly as the traditional version of that character has always been played.

 

[Awest66]

IMO it worked within the context of a dark but campy film. Pfeiffer's dialogue was well OTT, but intentionally so, and she worked it much better than AH did, IMHO of course.

I don't agree. The licking herself part was stupid even within the context of the film.

What exactly was Hathaways "lame dailogue" by the way?

 

[P Supreme]

Elvira was pure perfection and the stitched up suit was so iconic

for those confused Elvira was MP character in scarface lol

 

[AcidRain]

It's absolutely cringe and her abundance of cat puns (especially where she licks herself) were just as if not more so.

Hathaway was in no way "dry" as Catwoman, She played the part exactly as the traditional version of that character has always been played.

Grossly incorrect on all accounts ... sorry !

 

[Awest66]

Grossly incorrect on all accounts ... sorry !

I'm most certainly not "grossly incorrect" on Anne Hathaway or her performance. If you prefer Pfeiffer that's fine but the Batman Returns version of Catwoman really was that character in name only.

 

[Pfeiffer-Pfan]

Hathaway was mostly lackluster, but that's more Nolan's fault than hers. I liked the updated Julie Newmar-esque costume and her involvement in some of the fight scenes, but everything else was both undercooked and lacking in bite. Something any Selina interpretation NEEDS.

 

[MovieSlave]

Anne Hathaway is basically as perfect a live-action Catwoman as were ever going to get but I can definitely see why Pfeiffer is in the lead, It truly is an iconic performance.

Still sticking with Hathaway though.

I liked Hathaway in the role but what I put in bold is a ridiculous statement.

 

[Awest66]

I liked Hathaway in the role but what I put in bold is a ridiculous statement.

Perhaps I should have said as "faithful" then.

 

[Awest66]

Hathaway was mostly lackluster, but that's more Nolan's fault than hers. I liked the updated Julie Newmar-esque costume and her involvement in some of the fight scenes, but everything else was both undercooked and lacking in bite. Something any Selina interpretation NEEDS.

I'm sorry but I completely disagree. There was nothing "lackluster" about Hathaway in any way, shape or form. She was essentially the character of Catwoman ripped right off the page of any given modern DC comic (most accurately the Jim Balent run from the 90s).

To me Michelle Pfeiffer's version was and remains a very well-executed alternate take on the character though and she's still a lot of fun. I just prefer traditional morally ambiguous, street smart, cat burglar Catwoman.

 

[theMan-Bat]

Michelle Pfeiffer's Catwoman has my vote, of course. To any thinking Michelle Pfeiffer's Selina Kyle was that character in name only: Well, Pfeiffer's is intentionally not the hooker of Miller's Batman: Year One and that was a post-Crisis reboot. In Fantazone #26 (1992) writer Daniel Waters explained, "My interest stems from the fact that they told me were going to be doing the Catwoman character and she was not going to be the Julie Newmar prototype of the [Adam West Batman] TV series or the hooker of the comic books."
Batman- The 1989 Film: Vintage Magazine Article: "Fantazone" Issue #26 Summer 1992

Burton was interested in the original Golden Age era comics versions for inspiration. Golden Age comics Selina Kyle suffered from amnesia due to a head injury when she crashed [Waters and Burton changed the crash from a plane crash to shoved out the window of a building] from Batman #62 (1950) "The Secret Life of the Catwoman" written by Bill Finger, art by Bob Kane and Lew Schwartz [reprinted in The Greatest Batman Stories Ever Told #2 (1992)]! Catwoman sets out to frighten the superstitious into believing that she possesses the nine lives of the proverbial cat, Catwoman says, "The underworld is superstitious - so I will prove to them that I can't be killed!" Her black cat says "Purr-rr-rr! Purr-rr!" from Batman #35 (1946) "Nine Lives Has the Catwoman" written by Bill Finger and art by Bob Kane and Ray Burnley [reprinted in Batman: The Dark Knight Archives vol. 8 (2013)].

But she has nine lives? She claims she does in the movie and in the first Burtonverse Batman movie it's claimed by the terrified superstitious criminals that Batman is a giant bat that drinks blood and can't be killed. Neither claim is true, but there is fear in the unknown, both Batman and Catwoman want to be feared. Waters explained, "To me, the whole nine lives thing was just a piece of dialogue and vague artistic license. It was never something I considered literally." 'Batman Returns' at 25: Stars Reveal Script Cuts, Freezing Sets and Aggressive Penguins
Burton explained, "The ambiguous nature of the Catwoman. You start out when you see the creation with the cats coming around and it's not supernatural but we feed into the mythology of cats and nine lives and all of that sort of thing, so in the same way with Batman, wanting to keep him sort of mysterious, we sort of treated the same idea with Catwoman a little bit and not come right out with it. It's not supernatural."

But she was brought back to life by magic cats? No, she falls through awnings which slows her fall and lands on snow and cats revive her by biting her fingers. She suffers from loss of consciousness, a temporary catatonic state [coma], and temporary post-traumatic amnesia, which are concussion symptoms of brain injury.

But she has kitty cat powers? In the Batman Returns script written by Daniel Waters it is explained that Michelle Pfeiffer's Selina Kyle had had physical training - in karate, and she obviously took gymnastics, but she was too timid before the head injury. "SELINA: 'I won some karate lessons. Radio thing. I'd been calling for Grateful Dead tix... anyway, I take the course. I was a most serious failure. The instructor kept chanting 'Your mind isn't clear, your mind isn't...' (disturbingly) It is now...'"
And "GRUFF WOMAN: 'Selina ... We've missed you at the rape prevention class ... It's not enough to master martial arts. You must stop seeing yourself as a victim--'" That's not explained in the movie because Burton wanted to make it a mystery. I don't need all the answers to be in the movie. If I had all the answers in the movie, I'd have grown bored.

But she's blonde *gasp*! So, Selina Kyle was portrayed with a blonde wig in Batman #3 (1940) "The Batman vs. the Cat-Woman!" written by Bill Finger and art by Bob Kane, Jerry Robinson and George Roussos [reprinted in Batman: The Dark Knight Archives vol. 1 (1992), Batman Chronicles vol. 2 (2006) and Batman: The Golden Age vol. 1 (2016)], Selina Kyle was portrayed with actual blonde hair in Batman #35 (1946) "Nine Lives Has the Cat" written by Bill Finger, art by Bob Kane and Ray Burnley [reprinted in Batman: The Dark Knight Archives vol. 8 (2013)], and Selina Kyle was portrayed with actual blonde hair in Batman #39 (1947) "A Christmas Tale" written by Bill Finger and art by Bob Kane and Ray Burnley [reprinted in Batman: The Golden Age Omnibus vol. 5 (2018)] and Selina Kyle was portrayed with a blonde wig again in Batman #47 (1948) "Fashions in Crime" written by Bill Finger and art by Bob Kane and Charles Paris [reprinted in Batman: The Golden Age Omnibus vol. 6 (2018)]. Bob Kane said that the creation of Catwoman/Selina Kyle was based on blonde bombshell Jean Harlow. Selina Kyle is also blonde in Batman: The Animated Series and Camren Bicondova's Selina Kyle is blonde in the Gotham TV show.

And the licking herself bit was Michelle Pfeiffer's own idea. Michelle Pfeiffer explained in Starlog #183 (1992), "The scene in the film when I would lick and clean myself where ideas I came up with, and Tim [Burton] said to go for it. And it's pretty risky stuff when you stop and think about it. I knew I was in good hands with Tim [Burton] in that scene, but with a lesser director, it would have been a gamble. You don't meow for just anybody."
www.1989batman.com/2013/09/vintage-magazine-article-starlog.html

 

[MovieSlave]

Perhaps I should have said as "faithful" then.

Still just as ridiculous. You're basically saying no other actress could ever put in a more faithful/comic accurate performance? Or even that no writers can ever write her better than how she was in TDKR??

 

[Schlosser85]

Out of what we've had so far, Anne Hathaway, though there's still room for improvement and a more definitive take.

Michelle Pfeiffer was great for what it was, but it wasn't the Catwoman from the comics.

 

[Awest66]

Still just as ridiculous. You're basically saying no other actress could ever put in a more faithful/comic accurate performance? Or even that no writers can ever write her better than how she was in TDKR??

That's not what I meant at all, Sorry if it came off that way. To be perfectly honest though, I don't see how another Catwoman performance could be more "faithful/comic accurate" Hathaway was. Just as "faithful/accurate" perhaps but More? I don;t see it.