"Catwoman" Animated Short Talkback (Spoilers)

[James Harvey]

From the creative forces behind the DC Universe Animated Original Movie line, DC Showcase puts the spotlight on favorite characters from throughout the annals of DC Comics in fascinating, short-form tales sure to entertain longtime and new fans alike. DC Showcase Presents...Catwoman!

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DC Showcase: Catwoman
Included On: Batman: Year One Home Video Release
Release Date: October 18th, 2010

Synopsis: This entry to the growing canon of DC Universe animated shorts features the first first solo tale centered around Catwoman. The felonious feline’s adventure takes her through the seedy streets of Gotham City.

Comments?

Please post all discussions and comments about the Catwoman animated short in this thread! Please discuss the other aspects of the home video release of Catwoman in the proper talkback, as linked below.

Related Threads:
-Batman: Year One Feature Talkback (Spoilers)
-Batman: Year One Blu-ray/DVD Talkback (Spoilers)
-DC Showcase: Catwoman Animated Short Review (Spoilers)
-DC Showcase: Superman/Shazam: The Return of Black Adam Animated Short Talkback (Spoilers)
-DC Showcase: Green Arrow Animated Short Talkback (Spoilers)
-DC Showcase: Jonah Hex Animated Short Talkback (Spoilers)
-DC Showcase: The Spectre Animated Short Talkback (Spoilers)

Also Related:
-Batman: Arkham City Video Game Talkback (Spoilers)

Note: Remember, this talkback thread is for discussion of the animated short only. If you wish to talk about the home video release, please click on the appropriate link (s) above. We appreciate and encourage discussion, but please keep your posts civil, relevant and insightful. Please do not post any improper or inflammatory material, as we will issue warnings if we believe it necessary. And remember to keep the discussion ON-TOPIC!

 

[Apache Chief]

I didn't care for it. I found the strip club scenes to be sleazy and distasteful - nothing that belonged in a superhero cartoon.

I realize that sensuality has always been a part of the Catwoman character, but this was too overt. It's a shame, because the action that followed was quite good.

And as for Selina's gift to Holly at the end? What is a former child prostitute/runaway supposed to do with a handful of uncut diamonds? Possessing them will probably just invite more trouble into her life.

I don't think we're getting more of these DC Showcases. It's a pity. Most of them were great, and I would have loved to have seen an Adam Strange one.

 

[Bat-Fan Beyond]

I loved it. It's certainly not something I can watch with my 6 year old son, but it was sexy and well done for a mature fan like myself. I love this design for Catwoman and I'm glad to see it rendered in motion on screen.The animation was great, especially the action sequences, and I liked Eliza Dushku as the voice of Selina.

Of all the DC Showcase shorts, I still think The Spectre is the best, but I've enjoyed them all and Catwoman is no exception.

 

[klammed]

The stripper thing did seem a bit awkward being extended so long, mostly because I guess it was so stark and... plain? I mean, there was barely any mood lighting there to give it an extra flourish/ off-set possible distaste, or even to match the content being animated in the first place.

Other than that, I found the animation fluid, particularly during the chase scene. Granted, this doesn't have the poetry of 'Chase Me', but it suits as a Catwoman short and shows off the character's sass as well. I did especially like the little conclusion Holly got at the end (I know, I know, giving a teen girl diamonds meant for the black market make no sense, but still). Granted, she has come back into the comics, but between Year One and Long Halloween, she just kinda disappeared. Dushku was a delight to listen to.

 

[beyond94]

In my personal opinion, Eliza Dushku should be the new signature voice of Catwoman for future DC Universe animated films with Kevin Conroy's signature Batman voice. The story was not all that great but the animation was decent. I felt however instead of Rough Cut they should have use a female villain called Zephyr for the 80's solo Catwoman comic book series. All in all I thought it was a respectable animated short.

 

[Master Toon]

Why are you guys complaining about a salacious scene in an anime-inspired film?

 

[Bat-Fan Beyond]

Why are you guys complaining about a salacious scene in an anime-inspired film?

That's part of the problem with society, especially in America: It's ok to show people getting violently shot, or pummeled, or torn-up in a spinning tornado bloodbath of flesh-shredding money (see The Spectre short), but show a little side-boob in a cartoon and the whole world falls apart. We've become much too desensitized by violence and overly sensitive to nudity and sex. Personally, when done artfully, I love all those elements as ingredients to my entertainment. But we all just have to respect the ratings as a guide and use our own best judgement when exposing ourselves and our children to things that contain them. I found nothing wrong with the use of sexuality in this feature or the current Catwoman comic relaunch that's getting a lot of controversy. Catwoman is a vamp, a vixen, a seductive woman. It's part of her character and helps makes her interesting. These recent incarnations are just aimed at more mature viewers is all. The darker Batman gets, the more sexy Catwoman should get. It's evolution!

 

[klammed]

Why are you guys complaining about a salacious scene in an anime-inspired film?

Because anime did it better

In all seriousness, though, I wasn't so much bothered that the content was included, but that its inclusion feltredundant. Was I meant to feel that the place was sleazy? Why the hotel-room like greyish blue lighting in the background that made the scene feel so... beige (for lack of better expression and using a terrible conflating colour metaphor)? Was the stripper meant to be tantalizing? Why was the white light on her so... well, unsexy? It looked like nice little animated stills off a model sheet, with little else done to it.

 

[suss2it]

Just watched this, and I think it was good. The story was really straightforward, which is to be expected, but what really stood out I think was the animation. Very fluid. The action was good, Catwoman was cool and sexy, just like she should be, and Dushku did a good job voicing her. And this is now probably my favourite Catwoman design, prior to this I think all her cartoon designs were kinda weak. As for the stripping scenes, they didn't bother me, since Catwoman's always been a sexy character, and it's not like they had balls to go full frontal anyways.

 

[DerekPowers]

Loved this one.

Definately my favorite short so far. Catwoman was always my favorite supporting Batman character/villian, and this short delivered the goods. It was fun, it was action packed, it was gritty and sexy, and the animation was beautiful. I really really liked it.

I also thought it was clever how it takes place a few years after Year one. Its neat that they established that visually, via her costume and Holly's age.

I gotta be honest though, I wasn't crazy about Selina's voice. The acting was fine, but she sounded a little too girly for my taste. Just a nitpick. And that scene where the cable tears the ship in half, was AWESOME, but really didn't make much sense, but I'm glad it happened .

Plus I couldn't believe that she didnt get hit by atleast one of the million bullets shot at her during the chase. Like at times she wasn't even trying to avoid them, they just kept hitting the space around her. Hehe, not a big deal, but got a little jarring at one point.

The part where she gets caught by the exploding gas canister and stops herself using her claws against the road was really really great.

Anyway, I enjoyed the short more than the Year One feature. Great job to the creative team!!!

 

[Yojimbo]

I liked the subtle use of her ambiguous morality;

• she went into the strip club the back way and later fired warning shots into the ceiling which minimized the amount of bystanders injured/killed versus if she went in through the front door
• yet, she still totally messed up that driver at the docks
• gave a bunch of smuggled diamonds to Holly

Yet, somehow, she still did a good thing.

Plus I couldn't believe that she didnt get hit by atleast one of the million bullets shot at her during the chase. Like at times she wasn't even trying to avoid them, they just kept hitting the space around her. Hehe, not a big deal, but got a little jarring at one point.

Clearly, Rough Cut got ripped off when he bought his guns surplus. And I guess they don't make golden guns like they used to.

 

[ABrown]

I just Red Rox'd this bad boy. I think I enjoyed this short more than the actual film. I think the creators should've just done a full Catwoman movie, rather than just having this short on yet another Batman movie

I didn't care for it. I found the strip club scenes to be sleazy and distasteful - nothing that belonged in a superhero cartoon. I realize that sensuality has always been a part of the Catwoman character, but this was too overt. It's a shame, because the action that followed was quite good.

Actually, I enjoyed the strip club scene. Made me want to throw in my Stripperella dvds.

 

[BigFatHairyDeal]

That's part of the problem with society, especially in America: It's ok to show people getting violently shot, or pummeled, or torn-up in a spinning tornado bloodbath of flesh-shredding money (see The Spectre short), but show a little side-boob in a cartoon and the whole world falls apart. We've become much too desensitized by violence and overly sensitive to nudity and sex.

There is much more sexual content on TV these days compared to years past. People are only aghast at sexual content when it's broadcast in what's supposed to be G or PG settings, otherwise nobody cares.

I thought the short was okay. I don't know if these could ever be groundbreaking, so anything that is entertaining is good enough for me. One unpopular opinion I have of these is that I think if the action gets too over-the-top, it stops being cool and is just a big, cartoony cheese fest. DC animation seems to be keen on showing people crashing through windshields. I never like that; to me, showing someone crash through a windshield is the equivalent to dropping an anvil on someone's head. For these grittier, "realistic" cartoons, I understand the need to up the ante for action sequences, but beyond a certain point I start missing the simplicity of things like BTAS.

 

[Gravitea]

I enjoyed enjoyed all scenes in this short as it showed how much Catwoman kicked butt during the action scenes, her seductive side during the strip scene and her caring side, as shown in the beginning with the cat and

Spoiler

Holly right in the end

.

A 4/5

 

[Gold Guy]

I liked this one. The strip scene was kinda long, but not nearly as bad as some people make it out to be. The chase scenes and action scenes were all well-animated, and the voice acting was good too. I'm gonna miss these shorts.