P-P-P-POKER FACE: CATWOMAN

For some Catwoman/Selina Kyle is a woman you should not trust at all. She may act sincere about certain things, but take her

words with a grain of salt. She might throw some in your eyes, which is why I titled this post as  Poker Face: Catwoman. Regardless of the actual meaning of the song, I think the song fits her just nicely. Based on The Dark Knight Rises trailer 3 and five minute footage descriptions, she plays both sides very well to her liking. Total Film released their The Dark Knight Rises Issue #194 and Anne Hathaway does not give away much on the movie. She has been very closed lipped about everything. I mean I would be too if I signed a contract indicating how they will sue me if I say anything about the film. Anyway, Hathaway told Total Film about her time on set with Christopher Nolan, fight scenes, and Catwoman:

“Chris is so intelligent and his instincts are dead on. He understands lighting. He understands pace. He understands writing. He understands costumes, for God’s sake! Hitchcock with an automatic.“

Nolan is just a hot to trot guy on set. This is the kind of director who has his hand in everything, the fact that Nolan took the time to understand everything makes his movies amazing. Most crew members would complain about a director’s inability to understand just the simplest things such as lighting, but Nolan communicates with his crew. This is probably why his crew respects him, so much that they became his secret agents in the production of The Dark Knight Rises. From the Chris Judge interview with David Boze, Nolan’s good pace is due to his few takes on set. If he feels the shot is good the first time, it is time to move on. However, Nolan’s pace sets up the actors to give their best performance in one or two shots. That is super effective. Nolan’s involvement in costuming, I believe is that he has a vision and a concept. He tells his costume designer, Linda Hemming, what he thinks the characters should portray and she delivers. I would be very interested in her costume design after the trilogy is complete. Earlier this year, Hemming spoke about the costume concept behind Bane’s overcoat. I would be really interested in Selina Kyle’s wardrobe and Miranda Tate’s. We know that Bruce Wayne is rocking his Armani suits, so there is a no brainer there. Hathway shares that as Catwoman she takes down fifteen guys in one fight scene. This is without Batman’s help, ha ha! Even though, she tokes a semi-automatic she is kicking some serious butt because she is all out of catnip. Corny, I know I had to. Hathway tells Total Film a little bit about Catwoman:

“It’s an incredible role. It’s one of the most famous comic-book characters for a woman. But, also, it’s Catwoman In this franchise.

It’s hard to talk about Selina Kyle because she’s intensely private and mysterious. She has her own ethics, which can involve doing things other people might consider questionable.”

Whether it is in the comics, animated series, or from Tim Burton’s Batman Returns; Catwoman is a bonafide loner. She dances to the beat of her own drum. It is also one of the reasons Catwoman is such an iconic character. Selina Kyle brings that air of mystery that makes you so mesmerized by her. While you are distracted, she might put a bullet in your knee cap then steal your valuables. Of course, that is my version of her. I am sure Nolan will provide a more sophisticated way  of Selina Kyle’s double crossing. Hence, Selina Kyle’s ability to disguise very well as a maid and as an aristocrat in the Gotham City’s airport.  However, when it comes strictly down to it Selina Kyle is a woman with shady morals. I think that her true self comes out through her eyes. If you look hard enough at her, you can tell when her good side kicks in or when she is emotional. If you have seen The Dark Knight Rises trailer 3, when John Blake interrogates her you can see that she is scared/nervous/anxious. It is not the mechanical words she speaks when she says “I don’t know.” It is the look in her eyes. Even in comic books, her emotions are found in her eyes. Catwoman as a villain is able to do things that may be questionable to a moral goodoer like Batman however, she has a good sense of right and wrong according to her guidelines. In the sense, she is not all the way much of a villain either. We can categorize her as an anti-hero. I think that is what makes Catwoman so impressive is that she not a hero, she does not have to always be morally good and selfless. She is going to do what she wants and when she wants to do it. This makes her so exciting for not only girls, but for guys too.

As for Nolan’s Catwoman not be conventional using a whip, she tokes a serious semi-automatic. Click, click, clack! I was not very fond of her having a gun. Her whip was more of a way to defend herself against a large group of people in field combat. Since she has a gun, it seems more reasonable for her in the real world and to take down three to five guys in seconds. I am very enthusiastic on Catwoman’s ability to shoot. As for her mask, I wonder why the Linda Hemming (costume designer) did not put black make-up around Hathaway’s eyes. I might have an answer for that. One, it would be awkward with those big eyes of hers. Two, the silts for the eyes in the mask are just too big. Three, would it even look right? I am not sure, all I know is that I wish the mask covered more. I am more into the essence of Catwoman (the acting), then her appearance and costuming. I guess I can say that I am falling more in love with Anne Hathaway’s interpretation of Catwoman as the movie nears.  What I am really interested in are your thoughts on Catwoman in general from any reference in comics, Tim Burton’s version, or any animated series of your liking.

Comment below or on DKN Facebook on your thoughts about Anne Hathaway’s interview on Total Film and what you think of Catwoman. What makes you love Catwoman the most? Is she a hero or an anti-hero in your mind? What do you think of her mask? Do you think this will be the last we see of the whip in Tim Burton’s universe?

Source- Total Film via Comic Book Movie 

-Kristina