A behind-the-scenes video from Batman Returns reveals how good Michelle Pfeiffer was at wielding Catwoman's whip, as she performs a stunt in one take. Pfeiffer was the first actress to play Catwoman on the big screen, and her take in the Tim Burton film was one of the highlights of his sequel. This despite the fact that Batman Returns originally cast Annette Bening in the role, before she dropped out due to her pregnancy. It turned out to be a lucky circumstance, as Pfeiffer shone in the role.
Pfeiffer's version of Catwoman is easily the most popular to have appeared on screen, with Halle Berry's solo outing considered one of the worst movies of all time, and Anne Hathaway's Dark Knight Rises version forced to take a back seat to other characters. She'll get strong competition in 2022, though, from Zoe Kravitz, who is playing Selina Kyle/Catwoman in Matt Reeves' The Batman alongside Robert Pattinson's Caped Crusader. As for Pfeiffer, even critics who found Batman Returns too dark hailed her performance, made even more thrilling by her use of a whip. Pfeiffer actually learned to wield the weapon, a skill she still has, having posted a video demonstrating her skills 27 years later.
And a recently resurfaced behind-the-scenes video, posted on Twitter by Jarett Wieselman, reveals just how good her skills were while shooting Batman Returns. Shot by a crew member, the video shows Pfeiffer easily taking care of four mannequin heads with her whip, as Catwoman does in the movie, in one take. There do seem to be crew members pulling the mannequin heads backward as she hits them, but there's really no need as she hits her mark with deadly accuracy each time. The video ends with the crew erupting in cheers and Pfeiffer bowing in appreciation. You can watch the video below:
The crew's response says it all, and despite the video being very low quality, Pfeiffer's feat is still enthralling to watch. It's a pity that Batman Returns was Pfeiffer's only outing in the suit, though she has recently said she would play Catwoman in The Flash movie if asked. While the likelihood of that happening is slim, it's not impossible, considering Michael Keaton's Batman is returning for that movie.
Even if that doesn't happen, Pfeiffer's legacy as the best Catwoman is assured thanks to her solid performance in Batman Returns, and it's at least half thanks to her mastery of the whip. Zoe Kravitz certainly has some big shoes to fill, though she's probably not going to be asked to try and replicate Pfeiffer's antics with a whip, as movie safety has come a long way in the past 30 years.
Source: Jarett Wieselman/Twitter
