Name: Catwoman, Aka Selina Kyle, played by Michelle Pfeiffer
Origin: Batman Returns, by Tim Burton, 1992
Why: It's actually hard to go back to the roots of my obsession with this character and this movie, but let's see... I guess that, being a bit of a super-hero obsessed geek, I've always appreciated the fact that she was a strong female character in such a male-dominated environment, and also that the writers and Burton really took the time to make her a rich, deep, layered character as opposed to just an accessory, like most females in super-hero movies. Of course she was incredibly sexual and an object of lust, but she kicked ass! I guess the whole transformation from Selina Kyle, the shy and bullied secretary, to Catwoman is a really strong feminist allegory. She goes from being ignored to rolling with the big guys, and she does that by proving that she is a match for them in both strength and intellect, the acceptance she receives isn't obtained by fulfilling men's expectations. Of course she uses her seduction as a ruse, but mostly as comic relief, and I've always loved the fact that her costume reflected that perfectly: it is outrageously sexual (at the time quite shocking I believe, referencing S&M codes that blatantly) but without showing any skin, she keeps it all hidden: it is a perfect metaphor of the character. Plus the fact that they ignored all the origin stories from the golden age of comics and the TV show made it something else entirely, the fact is that we never actually find out where all these sudden powers come from, apart from dying! I guess that's what I love about her, she leaves behind her meaningless life, metaphorically dies, and is reborn into everything she always wanted to be, yet she is still the same person, she had those powers all along. And since the fact that she dies or not is never really confirmed, we can only assume that the only difference between her former and her new self is just that she got rid of all of society's and people's expectations and is just determined to have it her way, and I believe that's another point which makes her a strong feminist icon. Plus it is perfect since it makes her an ideal match for Batman: truly she has no super-powers, she is just a normal person who found a way, through assuming a persona as a super-hero, to deal with her inner duality and struggles. The movie portrays that perfectly, all the main characters are haunted by this duality, and they all handle it in many different ways, to different levels of success of course. The Penguin and Max Shrek having clearly chosen the wrong side which led them to their end, and Selina being on the edge of the sword, hesitating the whole time.
In the end she doesn't make it of course, she is too obsessed with revenge, and I believe that last scene really shows what an understated actress Michelle Pfeiffer is, she looks perfect for the role, a modern crazy version of an HItchcock blonde, and she depicts insanity perfectly yet making you believe that there's still good in her, going from extremely sweet and lost to just batshit crazy, and that the scales are always moving, and that they could stop on any side, at any time. So, add to the incredible acting a superb set design, a great script, an iconic costume which will be remembered in the history of cinema, and Burton being, in my humble opinion, at his best, managing to create a fast-paced action movie which is still touching and often really sad, you then get a movie which is still one of the best super-hero movies of all times, and one of my personal favorites.
Let's just add that everyone should stay clear of that atrocious Pitof version with Hale Berry, and please, don't ever mention to me that skanky low-budget porno flick outfit of hers made of belts, it's best to just forget it ever happened!
Now, being a huge fan of Chris Nolan, I can only hope that he'll include Catwoman in the third installment of his Batman franchise, I'd be very interested in seeing what he does with her... Fingers crossed!
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