comics – Super Love Unknown

Much like Richard Donner’s Superman (1978) no other film has broken more ground for the superhero genre and film noir quite like Batman Returns. 25 years ago Tim Burton, screenwriter Daniel Waters and Danny Elfman delivered a one of a kind gothic noir masquerading as a superhero movie to the world of cinema. Although the film performed well at the box office and was given mostly high praises from critics, audiences and comic book fans alike were dissatisfied with the film because of its misunderstood direction and the grotesque nature of the Penguin. Even companies like McDonald’s along with parents panned Batman Returns for its dark tone and sexual humor.

Despite some of the misunderstandings and complaints about the film, Batman Returns remains not only my favorite superhero film, but one of my favorite films of all time. There’s many wonderful things I could say about the performances from Michael Keaton, Danny DeVito, And Christopher Walken, but those performances are completely dwarfed by Michelle Pfeiffer’s iconic role as the larger than life, unrestrained, latex adorned Catwoman.

Selina Kyle (Catwoman) first appears on screen as a timid secretary pouring coffee in Max Shreck’s boardroom as Max pitches his plans for a new power plant to the mayor and partners. As the meeting wraps up Selina attempts to make a suggestion to Shreck’s proposal to the group of men, but decides against it when she gets their attention. Shreck makes a condescending remark about her not being housebroken yet.

Selina is seen later returning to her apartment. While walking through the door, Selina says the now famous lines, “Honey, I’m home! Oh, I forgot. I’m not married.” She then listens to her phone messages after feeding her cat and is reminded she has to return to the office. While at the office, Selina pries into the protected files of Max Shreck regarding the true intentions of his power plant plans. Selina tells Shreck what she knows as he comes into the office. Shreck then violently pushes Selina out of a window several stories above ground where she falls to her death.

*Honey, I’m home! Oh, I forgot. I’m not married.*

Selina soon after is miraculously reanimated by stray cats in the snow. Selina returns to her apartment in shock and after listening to her phone messages goes into a violent rage while defacing her apartment. Selina begins to fashion her latex catsuit. With her new appearance and persona while being fueled to take the life of Max Shreck, Catwoman is born!

Selina as Catwoman is truly magnificent as she prowls the night streets of Gotham City strutting in her latex glamour with her whip and claws. Catwoman is completely fearless, tenacious, secure and confident with who she is. Before becoming Catwoman thanks to the accident, Selina was the polar opposite of her new self. She had very little self worth, referred to her self as pathetic to her cat, and even before Max Shreck pushed her out the window asked him, “How can you be so mean to someone so meaningless?”

*How can you be so mean to someone so meaningless?*

But the new Selina can take on the world, could care less what people think of her and doesn’t need saving. Before Selina fretted over her love life and jokingly commented on the sexcapades of her cat while Selina’s significant other couldn’t be bothered to go with her on a Christmas getaway because he “needs to be his own person, not an appendage. But the Selina now is sensual, complex, assertive, has no problem garnering attention or attracting billionaire playboys like Bruce Wayne who in actuality aren’t that different from one another even in their alter ego’s.

Believe it or not, Michelle Pfeiffer wasn’t initially cast to be Catwoman in Batman Returns. Annette Bening was supposed to play the role before she got pregnant. Michelle was so excited that she might get another opportunity to play Catwoman, a character she was obsessed with since she was a girl that she pitched the Idea to Tim Burton just as he was halfway done with the script.

I think myself and countless others are fortunate that it was in the cards for Michelle Pfeiffer to play Catwomen. Michelle was so brilliant and unique as Catwoman that no other actress since has even come close to matching her performance, let alone outdo the sex appeal of her catsuit decades ago.

All in all, I couldn’t think of a more deserving actress to bring such an iconic character to life on the big screen and I’m sure Batman Returns wouldn’t have been as big of a hit without Michelle’s Catwoman. Heck, she even got a teacher to help her master using the whip and kickboxing. Michelle’s Catwoman wasn’t just the sexiest, most athletic, most iconic, and most memorable, above everything else her Catwoman is still cherished the most among fans.