brayzie

Yeah, seeing Hathaway with more dialogue and in action convinced me that she's going to make a good Catwoman.

But it seems like the goggled Catwoman costume was just meant for film.

RocShemp

Although I like the Julie Newmar-inspired costume they ultimately chose, I must say I have more of a fondness towards the goggled costume.

Solid Snake

for those of you out of the loop...this is the costume.

neat, sexy, practical, and more realistic


makes you wonder what designs Nolan got to see during the costume design, no? I'd heavily assume this one came up at some point?

RocShemp

Well technically Nolan paid homage to it by making the ears turn into goggles in the movie costume, while at the same time paying homage to the Julie Newmar costume.

That said, I'm still surprised Nolan went for the high heels cliché. I get the razor blades on the footwear but not making said blades be in the form of high heels.

brayzie

Any theories on why Nolan didn't go with the goggled costume?

Nick Martin

Because he's doing his own thing which is homage to several interpretations not a straight out comic book copy would be my theory.

Everything in these films seems to be inspired by elements of the comics and other media combined with their own spin, and that includes the storylines.

I think the bigger question here might be is this goggles / no goggles the new "Joker isn't permawhite" of this film?

If so, I'll take the time to breathe (yet another) sigh of relief that I'm not a fan of comics with all that history and shit to keep up with and for the filmmakers, live up to. Expectations are too unrealistic because everyone has their own idea of what they should have used rather than be satisfied or even just plain open-minded about what makes it on screen.

But that's me.

Supermallet

I looked up Aiden Ashley and she looks like she'd be better suited to play Harley Quinn than Catwoman. But I ain't complaining.

Also, while Clooney wasn't the sole reason B&R was so utterly wretched, he clearly walked on the set, read his lines, collected his money, and left without ever putting in an ounce of effort.

brayzie

I was thinking that too, especially since the goggles costume has been the style for a decade now, with Halloween costumes of it every year and being featured in popular Arkham City games. It's just that Hathaway's costume looks like a slightly updated Julie Newmar costume.

Joker not having bleached skin wasn't the problem with "The Dark Knight." Things like the Joker lacking facial stubble during the interrogation scene is what lessened the realism of the film.

Catwoman is fine in Rises. I think the goggled costume, or something closer to that would have looked better but no biggie. What's messed up is that Bane looks little like his comic counterpart. Bane's mask is visually closer to a luchador mask, not a gas mask. Also, they should have picked someone more physically imposing. When Batman & Robin is truer to the source material you know you have a problem.

Artman

Despite our differences, we have found common ground! Well said. Really everything from the top down was pretty lazy.

Josh-da-man

Maybe they cast her as Catwoman because she can lick her own asshole.

Supermallet

A better reason than many casting choices.

Nick Martin

Except it's not a comic. It's a film.

Also, this is not a straight-up adaptation. It's an interpretation.

Like Batman himself over the decades, there is room for interpretation and therefore NOT a problem at all that Bane's mask isn't that of a Mexican Wrestler. If "Batman and Robin" somehow did Bane better all because of that mask and size, that's sad that a purely aesthetic aspect means more to you (and possibly many comic readers) considering the Bane in that film was not even close to the source material with regards to his characterization.
I find it to be more of a betrayal and I'm not even a comic reader. Bane is intelligent and strong, not a mindless green zombie who can't say anything but "BOMB".

Nolan chose the best actor for the role, and not just some oversized stuntman. Characterization is obviously going to be unique to this film and far more important than a purely physical / superficial aspect, and still honors the source material. I don't know about you but this Bane looks all kinds of imposing, both physically, emotionally and from the look of the film, politically. For all the nitpicks, Nolan clearly has a lot of respect for the source material - the comics - since everything is derived from them and then taken a step further with is own (there's that word again) interpretation.

In 1988 fans didn't think Michael Keaton was physically capable of being Batman and we all know how that nitpick about pure physicality turned out the following summer and in the years since.

brayzie

Good points.

I was looking at the parody Bane, and yes, physically he's more intimidating and closer to the comic book version. However, he gives off the impression of a dumb bruiser type.

So far, despite Hardy being far from a giant, from the trailers he comes across more calculating and fearsome.

Bane: It would be extremely painful.

CIA agent: you look like a big guy.

Bane: For you.

Also, casting a giant bodybuilder type would evoke memories of over the top, b-movie action films from the 80s when all the main characters looked like Mr. Universe contestants.

Supermallet

Also, Tom Hardy looks exceptional for a guy who isn't a professional body-builder. Have you seen Warrior? The guy is ripped.

Artman

I don't think we're gonna see him without a vest on though... it's more about how he moves, how he's shot, etc.

kgrogers1979

B&R Bane isn't true to the source material at all. While the costume may be somewhat more like the comics, that is the ONLY thing that is closer to the comics than Nolan's Bane. Comic Bane had a genius level intellect, not a retard like in B&R. Nolan's Bane is definitely better in that regard.

RichC2

I just watched Warrior the other night and yeah, the dude is jacked.

Oddly though, he actually looks scrawny in This Means War.

Solid Snake

Bane meant that it'd be extremely painful for the CIA guy if he took off the mask. Not that he was a big guy for the CIA agent.

Supermallet

"I built all these muscles just for you, CIA agent sir!"

Hokeyboy

"Bommmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmb!!!!"

That's what Bane needs to repeat about a half-dozen times in TDKR. Otherwise, death to all pigeons.

brayzie

RocShemp

Defiant1

Like Christian Bale, Tom Hardy seems to adjust his body for the role, often drastically. He's downright skinny in Star Trek: Nemesis.

bluetoast

It was an honor to see Mayor Carcetti get rocked by Bane in that IMAX intro.

bootsy

Yeah he got jacked up pretty good. He was probably thinking Baltimore was easy compared to this.