Rooms on Film: The Dark Knight Rises

Here's a room I've been dying to cover ever since The Dark Knight Rises opened back in July. It is seen very briefly, but it was fabulous all the same. If you don't do action/superhero flicks you probably missed this one. And no, it isn't "stately Wayne Manor."

It is the home of down-on-her-luck, trapped-in-a-life-of-crime, kickass master thief, Selina Kyle. The person never once referred to as Catwoman even as she battles alongside the notorious outlaw known only as The Batman. 

And her pad does not disappoint. It would be nice to see the bedrooms and bathroom in such an excellent, moody, pre-war building, but hey. What we do see is pretty damn great, right?

the grungy hallway

textured wool seating, throws and carpets

tantalizing entry: through a room that seems to be the kitchen

dig the vintage half-fridge in the background; love the interior glass everywhere to maximize the scant natural light

seems to be some typical criminal equipment in the far room: jeweler's tools? counterfitting tools?

And, voila, Vintage Bohemian charm...

This scene took me by surprise and left me gasping. Color + Texture + Pattern as far as the eye can see. It was completely distracting watching Selina flit about desperately packing in her bid to get the hell out of Gotham before either the cops or the gangsters got her. (Personally, I would have left with the clothes on my back waaaay before sunrise. Maybe that's lazy thinking, but all this folding seems to have slowed down what could have been a successful flight from justice/retribution. If only she'd had the sense to hike across a bridge in the dark hours before dawn.) 

But I digress... layered kilims, embroidered silks on the wall, velour davenport, large pillows covered in various textures, tufted chairs, worn trunks, wool curtains, paisley upholstered armchairs, brass lamps... Is there anything to NOT love in here? Even that view of terracotta roof tiles looks great. Sure, it's no vista, but it's not a brick wall or someone else's windows.


The close-ups don't get too close and they focus sharply on the woman instead of the room. This whole scene was maybe five minutes, mostly moving, so we have to enjoy what little detail there is:

Perfect pad for a master criminal with a heart of gold?

It shouldn't have come as such a surprise. When has Catwoman's abode ever failed to impress, even in a bad way? Remember Patience Philips' (Halle Berry) spacious art loft in Catwoman? Or Selina Kyle's (Michelle Pfeiffer) Pepto-pink tenement in Batman Returns?

No? Well, we'll get to those soon.