Fans didn’t quite know what to make of the announcement that Joaquin Phoenix would star in a Joker movie written and directed by Todd Phillips, the same man behind the Hangover films. They questioned whether or not it would be a comedy or even if it made sense. Upon its release, the film divided the audience even though it went on to do extremely well at the box office — to the point that the studio quickly commissioned a sequel. Those who enjoyed the movie applauded Phoenix’s portrayal of an off-putting, quirky man who acted extremely odd and crazed. But his performance wasn’t unique. In fact, Michelle Pfeiffer did it years earlier as Catwoman.
Many might dismiss the comparison, but it’s pretty clear in Batman Returns what type of Catwoman Pfeiffer was playing. There are many instances throughout the film to point to, but there’s one scene in particular that makes it obvious. After being pushed to her death and resurrected by cats, Selina Kyle returns to her apartment in a sort of daze. She’s definitely not in the right state of mind as she drinks tons of milk, making a mess in the process, and then proceeds to destroy her apartment in a manic fit of rage.
This scene is reminiscence of what Phoenix’s Joker does to his own apartment. He destroys it and even gets inside his fridge and closes the door. This kind of weird behavior adds to his characterization. But unlike Catwoman, Phoenix’s Arthur Fleck is detached from the film’s plot. It’s not really about anything, and his characterization just sort of stumbles along without having purpose. Meanwhile, Selina is driven by anger and revenge, which gives meaning to her behavior, thus making her a better Joker than what Phoenix had to work with.
Joker and Batman Returns are now streaming on Max.
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