Best live-action version of Catwoman?

[CyberCubed]

I would say 60's Catwoman is still the best:

http://i.imgur.com/jajHQXO.gif

Meeeeeeow.

Man, I don't think they've ever gotten Catwoman truly right in either Returns or the Nolan films, but 60's Catwoman is still top cat.

[Leo656]

Pretty much.

[CyberCubed]

Pretty much.

Makes you wonder how they got away with this in the 60's.

http://img1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20111027011224/batman/images/4/4f/1000x500px-LL-99260619_julie-newmar_catwoman-133.jpg

I mean this was a kids show!

[TurtleTitan97]

Personally I prefer Michelle Pfeiffer's portrayal.

[MsMarvelDuckie]

Well, WHICH 60's Catwoman are we talking about here? Eartha Kitt, or Julie Newmar? It makes a difference.

My vote would probably go to Michelle, too- but I'm starting to really like Cat/Selena from Gotham!

Halle's version just wasn't Catwoman. Not her fault, she had a crappy script to work with. But it didn't fit the character.

[T-U-R-T-L-E POWA!]

Ann Hathaway for me. I really thought she was the highlight of DKR. I didn't really like that movie but enjoyed her in it. I know I'm in the minority there though. LOL!

[T-U-R-T-L-E POWA!]

Makes you wonder how they got away with this in the 60's.

http://img1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20111027011224/batman/images/4/4f/1000x500px-LL-99260619_julie-newmar_catwoman-133.jpg

I mean this was a kids show!

Man I grew up in the 80s and I look at things that were marketed towards kids and I can't believe the stuff they got away with. I mean RoboCop is EXTREMELY violent and they made a cartoon out of it. The same goes for Rambo. Karate Kid has quite a bit of foul language in it and we all loved it too. House Party was sort of a "teen movie" but had f bombs galore. Times have definitely changed as far as censorship is concerned. I've got buddies who also have kids and we talk about sometimes how that we got to watch some of the things we did.

[Leo656]

Pfeiffer wasn't Catwoman either, aside from being named "Selina Kyle". Every single other thing about her was different, and all for the worse. It really is a bad version of the character, once you get past the fact that she was hot and clearly having fun with her performance. She had a whip, aaaaand that's it. Otherwise it's lousy. Not her performance itself, but that interpretation of the character, her backstory and motivations, were lousy.

All the Burton/Schumacher takes on the villains were lousy. That's not a popular thing to say but it is a true thing to say. They got lucky the first time out by hooking Nicholson, and letting him just play Nicholson, so people have this nostalgic view that those movies "got the Batman characters right", but they really did not AT ALL. Every single character's behavior and motivations were so drastically different from the source that if you're not 100% in love with the Burton Style, or the actors themselves, it can be pretty frustrating to sit through. Everything people like about those movies comes from the actors elevating the sh*tty material they had to work with. Because God forbid Burton or any of his co-conspirators actually read a comic book based on the movie they're making. That's why the cartoon was so much better than the movies, it took what the movies got right - the atmosphere and the music - and threw out everything else - Tim Burton being himself all over the place, rewriting established characters to fit his non-story of "Freaks Being Freaks and how that's all so goddamn deep and interesting". I just want a Batman movie with characters I recognize, guy, who aren't "In Name Only". And enough with the prison stripes.

Hathaway was okay, but kind of unnecessary, not very fleshed out, and the movie itself wasn't very good so while I think she did fine, her performance kind of gets overlooked, understandably so.

It's pretty much just Newmar for me, but Lee Meriwether was also good. Catwoman's a tough character to do in live action, it can be incredibly cheesy and awful, too many people fall into the "cat" tropes and forget that she was only called that because she was a cat burglar, not a crazy cat-lady. I guess we can thank/blame the 60s show for making the purring and cat puns a permanent staple but it's not correct and it's cheesy as f*ck and I hate it. But Newmar's about 1.5 times hotter than anyone else to take on the role so she gets the top spot.

[GoldMutant]

Halle Berry. :P

[T-U-R-T-L-E POWA!]

Halle Berry. :P

...said no one. Ever. LOL!

[NinjaPug]

Lee Meriwether all day long

[Shark_Blade]

Michelle Pfeiffer (that white gold!).

The rest are fake ass bitches.

[CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy]

Ann Hathaway.

[Candy Kappa]

It's the ladies from the 60's Batman. Choosing one of the three, though. I personally like Eartha Kitt the best with Julie Newmar and Lee Meriwether shared second.

Michelle Pfeiffer looked pretty good, but not awfully interesting as Catwoman.

I didn't like Ann Hathaway's performance, the character was just there and felt pointless and the costume was pretty dumb for a "realistic" take on Batman. She sure didn't break her ankles running around in high heels. :lol:

It's funny that Halle Berry's proto-Catwoman costume looked more like a Catwoman outfit then the travesty she was wearing as the main costume. And the movie had nothing to do with Catwoman besides sharing Burton-verse origin and she likes to steal things... It's like making a Batman story where he's a murdering psychopath who rams his armored car through police cars, kidnaps a child calling him slurs and starves him and then paints himself yellow... Of wait, they did that.

I've not seen Return to the Batcave, so I don't know how Julia Rose performed, but as she plays an actor who plays Catwoman in a tv show, I suppose she doesn't count.

Camren Bicondova plays a adolescent Selina Kyle just fine I guess, but she's not Catwoman.

Maggie Baird certainly looked better then Halle Berry, but that's about it when I don't think she even had a speaking line in the flashbacks of Birds of Prey.

[MikeandRaph87]

Julie Newmar is Catwoman. The closest anyone came to it since Anne Hathaway.

[Turo602]

Pfeiffer wasn't Catwoman either, aside from being named "Selina Kyle". Every single other thing about her was different, and all for the worse. It really is a bad version of the character, once you get past the fact that she was hot and clearly having fun with her performance. She had a whip, aaaaand that's it. Otherwise it's lousy. Not her performance itself, but that interpretation of the character, her backstory and motivations, were lousy.

I'm sorry, but everything you said before and after she's hot is irrelevant.

[plastroncafe]

A Spankbait thread started by Cybercubed?
Well color me shocked.

With the glaring exception of her ridiculous heels, I liked Hathaway's Catwoman best. She was the one light of brilliance in an otherwise lackluster movie.

[CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy]

First Supergirl, and now Catwoman.

Take notes, class.

[Candy Kappa]

How do you accept reality when as a Meta Human your only superpower is being able to run in heels?

wear combat heels.
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/97/ca/93/97ca93aa728ff62b7c494a63bc208467.jpg

[CyberCubed]

Catwoman is supposed to be a sex object though, that's been her character in the comics since day 1. There's a reason half her stories are seducing Batman or some other male character.

Also didn't she start off as a prostitute in the comics too? That angle was removed for the movies/cartoons because it was too adult and anti-feminist, but I think it says a lot that was her comic origins.

[CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy]

I fully expect sister threads by you, Cubed, in honor of Harley Quinn, Talia al Ghul, and Poison Ivy.

Make it happen! :trazz:

[plastroncafe]

Catwoman is supposed to be a sex object though, that's been her character in the comics since day 1. There's a reason half her stories are seducing Batman or some other male character.

Also didn't she start off as a prostitute in the comics too? That angle was removed for the movies/cartoons because it was too adult and anti-feminist, but I think it says a lot that was her comic origins.

http://dc.wikia.com/wiki/Catwoman_Origins

Golden Age
Selina Kyle was not given an origin story until 1950. During a caper with Mister X, she's hit on the head and revived in the Batcave. It's revealed that she had been suffering from amnesia. Kyle explains to Batman and Robin that she was a flight stewardess, and the last thing she remembers is falling out of a plane as it crashed.

You're thinking of Batman: Year One (http://dc.wikia.com/wiki/Batman:_Year_One) which was written by Frank Miller. A man who believes all women are either prostitutes or strippers.

[chrisdude]

Earth Kitt, for sure. She's definitely my favorite of the 60's Catwomen. If your Catwoman doesn't purr, make cat puns, or collect shiny objects, I don't want anything to do with her. Michelle Pfeiffer was hot, but her Catwoman was actually crazy. Merriwether and Newmar were great, but Kitt's sexy voice puts her way over the top.

[ToTheNines]

http://img.memecdn.com/catwoman_o_441220.jpg

[ranger_scout]

Julie Newmar is my favorite, but Eartha Kitt is a very close second.

[Andrew NDB]

qRw27MNR2q0

[sdp]

unironically better than most live action catwoman's https://www.albawaba.com/sites/default/files/im/4B8418B800000578-0-image-m-6_1524608866867.jpg

[ranger_scout]

In 1992, the three Catwomen of the 60's show appeared on TV together with Adam West. As I said, Newmar is still my favorite, but Kitt is a very close second because she was very cat-like. Lee Merriwether was good considering she had big shoes to fill.

3T2gE76JEX8

[LeotheLateBloomer]

I'll take what I said about her from the Matt Reeve's thread and post it here for ya!

Zoe's Catwoman will do fine but I just realize for me personally every time they do Catwoman on the big screen, she's not all that interesting. And I don't mean in a fan-service type of manner, I mean all of her portrayals so far have been pretty bland. Michelle Pfeiffer's portrayal has aged even though it was fine for the time. Less said on Halle Berry. Anne Hathaway did her own take while at the same time, there was little about her that said "Catwoman" to me.

I would say 60's Catwoman is still the best:

http://i.imgur.com/jajHQXO.gif

Meeeeeeow.

Man, I don't think they've ever gotten Catwoman truly right in either Returns or the Nolan films, but 60's Catwoman is still top cat.

Yeah, I agree!

[Andrew NDB]

Can't speak to the zeitgeist before my time. 80s to now... Michelle Pfeiffer's Catwoman was HUGE. There was major stuff about a Catwoman spinoff with her... I think that could have been gigantic at that time if they'd let it happen.

Since then? No.

Halle Berry's Catwoman? It was already shoved out as an embarrassing thing from the get-go, with apologies coming almost simultaneous upon release. A non-starter.

Anne Hathaway's Catwoman? I admit, I was fascinated with Nolan's choice there. It's a bold choice. She was definitely an "actress of notice" of mine for a breadth of time. But gah. I feel like Nolan kind of hamstringed her in TDKR... she has a few moments but she never really, truly embodies "Catwoman." The name is never even said in the movie, to boot. Also, they should have spread her out of two movies. One that was never made between TDK and TDKR, and then TDKR. To make the audience sensibility they were going for really pay off.

[IMJ]

Can't speak to the zeitgeist before my time. 80s to now... Michelle Pfeiffer's Catwoman was HUGE. There was major stuff about a Catwoman spinoff with her... I think that could have been gigantic at that time if they'd let it happen.

Since then? No.

Halle Berry's Catwoman? It was already shoved out as an embarrassing thing from the get-go, with apologies coming almost simultaneous upon release. A non-starter.

Anne Hathaway's Catwoman? I admit, I was fascinated with Nolan's choice there. It's a bold choice. She was definitely an "actress of notice" of mine for a breadth of time. But gah. I feel like Nolan kind of hamstringed her in TDKR... she has a few moments but she never really, truly embodies "Catwoman." The name is never even said in the movie, to boot. Also, they should have spread her out of two movies. One that was never made between TDK and TDKR, and then TDKR. To make the audience sensibility they were going for really pay off.

It was huge for sure. It was that and "Married To the Mob" that gave me my teenage love-affair for Michelle :lol:.

But both Newmar and Pfeifer were absolutely top notch versions of Catwoman. I think Anne Hathaway was pretty good too, but she was incredibly constrained by Nolan's version of the Universe in general.

[Allio]

Funny enough me and my mother was talking about that, she said her favorite was Eartha Kitt as she loved her purring.

[CyberCubed]

I'm kinda shocked there's already been 3 black Catwomen. She's been black as many times as she is white. At this point she might as well be the Black Cat.

[AquaParade]

For my money, Burton’s is the coolest, but 60’s Catwoman is the most gorgeous woman I’ve ever seen.

[MikeandRaph87]

I would say 60's Catwoman is still the best:

http://i.imgur.com/jajHQXO.gif

Meeeeeeow.

Man, I don't think they've ever gotten Catwoman truly right in either Returns or the Nolan films, but 60's Catwoman is still top cat.

It's Julia Newmar by a mile. Then Anne Hathaway. Don't care for any other 'Catwoman'.

[Leo656]

You're all f*cking ridiculous. It's Tori Black by a mile.

....Or at LEAST, by thirteen inches.

[CyberCubed]

I mean does Halle Berry "count" as black these days?

[Leo656]

Halle's definitely got a little cream in her coffee as the saying goes but she's still definitely black.

[TMNTFanatic4Life]

For me it’s a tie between Julie Newmar and Michelle Pfeifer

[sdp]

No one mentions this catwoman?
https://www.cinemascomics.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/gotham-catwoman.jpg
She was alright, a bit overused which meant she had a lot of bad despite having great scenes as catwoman.

[IMJ]

Everyone in this thread should be careful or else a morally authoritative lefty might show up and admonish everyone for supporting "the male gaze" when it comes to Catwoman.

Catwoman will be lost to us forever. It's already happening in some articles that are crapping on the Akham Asylum art designs. :lol:

[Leo656]

Google Image says she grew up pretty nice. Although I'm certainly not going to dig too deeply because most of the pictures of her are from when she was a kid and it seems like the kind of stuff that gets you put on a watchlist. :lol:

No opinion on her as Selina, I only probably saw her in like three episodes. I remember that her insistence on being called "Cat" was just as cringe as everything else on that stupid show.

Regardless, none of these chicks ever took a baseball bat-size weiner up their tailpipe (at least not on camera). So Tori Black is STILL the overwhelming best Catwoman ever. To disagree means you don't go on the right websites. :trazz:

[sdp]

Bruce Timm as always set a new standard on how low her zipper could god own to.
https://thumbs.gfycat.com/HighSmartGermanpinscher-size_restricted.gif
https://i.makeagif.com/media/5-20-2015/y0fV_-.gif

[CyberCubed]

I'm surprised they've never toned down Catwoman from being sexualized. In today's modern world you'd think they would go after her.

[LeotheLateBloomer]

No one mentions this catwoman?
https://www.cinemascomics.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/gotham-catwoman.jpg
She was alright, a bit overused which meant she had a lot of bad despite having great scenes as catwoman.

Weren't they planning on making a spin-off show that focuses on this series' Bruce Wayne becoming Batman and Selina as Catwoman or am I just misremembering?

[IMJ]

Bruce Timm as always set a new standard on how low her zipper could god own to.
https://thumbs.gfycat.com/HighSmartGermanpinscher-size_restricted.gif
https://i.makeagif.com/media/5-20-2015/y0fV_-.gif

:lol:WTF was this from? A Batman hentai or something? LOL!


I'm surprised they've never toned down Catwoman from being sexualized. In today's modern world you'd think they would go after her.

See post #42. It was a joke for the board, but the foundation regarding the Arkham games was true.

[Leo656]

I think that was from one of the animated shorts they put in as a bonus feature on some of the animated movie DVDs. I forget which one it's from.

[LeotheLateBloomer]

I think that was from one of the animated shorts they put in as a bonus feature on some of the animated movie DVDs. I forget which one it's from.

It was a scene from Batman Year One

[Leo656]

Thanks, it's been a while. I knew it was one of those things but it's honestly been so long since I watched any of them a lot of it runs together in my brain.

[Andrew NDB]

https://i.ibb.co/mCcyg4Y/616-D2-MOJCLL-AC-SY780.jpg

I know this is about the favored live action Catwoman... but in comics, I've always been partial to the Jim Balent era.

[Leo656]

Definitely a classic era.

Still... Best Catwoman is still Tori Black.
https://w1680.luscious.net/788/lusciousnet_selina-kyle-ass-tori-bl_433564123.jpg

https://cosplaygirls.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/catwoman-by-tori-black-6-001.jpg

https://thumb-p6.xhcdn.com/a/rU965f9eCdrI7F1rzcmnEQ/000/192/494/076_1000.jpg

https://64.media.tumblr.com/07ca1db0f38c63afe223b5361f78a11c/tumblr_oar3d21QWD1vn43dho1_1280.jpg

Now. Then. FOREVER. :tgrin:

....Sadly I can't share any pictures from the "movie" where she actually played the role. But I can assure you, her performance was Oscar-worthy (and Steve-worthy, and Brent-worthy, and whichever other guys were around, I'm sure). And if you haven't seen it yet, you need to f*cking do that like Right Now. :lol:

Don't say I never gave ya nothin', nerds.

[IMJ]

Thanks, it's been a while. I knew it was one of those things but it's honestly been so long since I watched any of them a lot of it runs together in my brain.

Me too. Year One was decent but TDKR with Weller was awful and between those releases I had forgotten about their existence. :lol:

https://i.ibb.co/mCcyg4Y/616-D2-MOJCLL-AC-SY780.jpg

I know this is about the favored live action Catwoman... but in comics, I've always been partial to the Jim Balent era.

That Jim Balent series was really solid. I wasn't into it when it came out, but I've been buying it out of bargain bins for ten years now and if anything it's a gorgeous book.

Balent went into skin books with his "Tarot" series which is.... very strange material.

[ranger_scout]

Funny enough me and my mother was talking about that, she said her favorite was Eartha Kitt as she loved her purring.

Julie Newmar admitted that Kitt's purr was better than hers in this video. From 28:23 to 28:33. Yvonne Craig, who played Batgirl, said that she was glad that Kitt played her nemesis instead of Newmar because they were the same height and she could not fight Newmar from 36:50 to 37:03.

wxKTwNkyrOI

I also saw this video for the first time today. The three original Catwomen presented an award many years ago at the TV Land Awards.

QqwJDFA0Yfw

[ranger_scout]

Variety ranked 8 of the live-action Catwomen.


Michelle Pfeiffer, 'Batman Returns' (1992)
Eartha Kitt, 'Batman the TV Series' (1968 )
Julie Newmar, 'Batman the TV Series' (1966-67)
Zoe Kravitz, 'The Batman' (2022)
Anne Hathaway, 'The Dark Knight Rises' (2012)
Halle Berry, 'Catwoman' (2004)
Carmen Bicondova, 'Gotham' (2014)
Lee Merriwether, 'Batman the Movie' (1966)


https://variety.com/lists/catwoman-actors-ranked-batman-zoe-kravitz/eartha-kitt-batman-1967/