I’m a big fan of many Tim Burton directed films. In particular, I like
his collaborations with composer Danny Elfman, whom I just learned wrote not
only the theme songs to “The Simpsons” and “Tales from the Crypt” but also “Desperate
Housewives”. But I digress.
Last night I wanted to watch something light and fun. 1989’s
“Batman” grabbed my attention while I perused my DVD collection. Perfect, I thought. Jack Nickolson’s
Joker is unforgettable. (Nothing against the late, great Heath Ledger, of
course.) And the visuals are stunning.
Alas, I had forgotten Vicki Vale. She probably showed as much dimension in the original 1948 comic book appearance. What a painful character
to watch.
Vicki starts out as a strong concept, a prize-winning photo
journalist. Yet she never once acts the part besides pulling out a camera once
or twice. Throughout the film, which Tim Burton proclaims he mainly considers
boring (!), Kim Basinger gets to do little besides shriek, faint, and follow Bruce
Wayne around like a puppy. At the end she meekly gets into the car with Alfred
as if she has zero interest in championing the world.
I guess she is too busy being some overshadowing dude’s girlfriend
now and must attend his needs. To use an eightie’s valley girl euphemism, gag me with a spoon.
Audiences purportedly disliked that Vicki earned a tour of
the bat cave. But honestly, what does it matter? It’s not like this namby-pamby
smudge upon female characterizations will do
anything with this information. This flick shows Ms. Basinger even more mincing
than as Elizabeth
in “9 1/2 Weeks”.
I have no idea what might have ended up on the cutting room
floor, of course. Was some redeeming scene left out with final cuts? Maybe I should
write a converse sort of fanfic for myself, just to get the bad taste out of my
mouth. Or maybe not. I’ve got more interesting things to do.
If you’ve seen the movie, what did you think of this portrayal?
-
I have been disgusted by female portrayals in movies for a very long time. And those of men. Men aren't the ones, most generally, out trying to save the world or do good deeds helping others. That is the real estate of women. Men hijack the role in movies, but it sure is not reality.
ReplyDeleteGood points! I've been blessed with good male role models in my life, but the majority of their good deeds are restricted to family and friends. Thank you for taking the time to read and comment.
DeleteAs a mere male, I'm treading very carefully after reading Strayer's comment. Dare I say I thought the portrayal added much to the film?
ReplyDeleteVisit Keith's Ramblings!
I thank you for weighing in, Keith. An opinion from the "weaker" sex is very welcome and I can't help wondering if your friend Rosey has any input. ~silly grin~ I must admit that Vicki Vale did have some nice moments such as the dinner scene when she called Bruce out on the ridiculously over-sized room. That was a fun scene.
Delete