Anne Hathaway as Catwoman in The Dark Knight Rises.

Who is the best Catwoman?

In The Dark Knight Rises, Anne Hathaway steps into stilettos previously occupied by Julie Newmar, Eartha Kitt and Michelle Pfeiffer. And, uhm, oh yeah, Halle Berry (better not to talk about that unfortunate, filmed-in-Vancouver stinker). But who is the best Catwoman?

The star of Love & Other Drugs and One Day plays Selina Kyle, aka Catwoman in the last installment of director Christopher Nolan‘s “dark” Batman franchise. The movie goes into wide release this Friday July 20 2012. The New York Daily News calls her performance “super coy.”

Anne Hathaway looking “super-coy” in handcuffs.

But how does Anne measure up to the women who have played Catowoman in the past?

Julie Newmar (pictured below) had a great quote recently. In an interview with The Yo Show, she said she wasn’t so fond of The Dark Knight Rises.

“I remember sitting back in the fight scenes,” she said in the interview. “Catwoman would just kind of sit there in the fight scenes and she just sort of file her nails like that. She couldn’t be bothered with all that nonsense.”

Which, really, when you think about it, is exactly what a Catwoman should do.

Julie Newmar from the ’60s Batman TV series.

Eartha Kitt put a different spin on the character – she brought more Eartha to the role.

A singer, actress and cabaret performer, Kitt is probably best know for her Christmas song “Santa Baby”. According to Wikipedia, Orson Welles once called her “the most exciting woman in the world.” And, as we know, Welles was never one given to hyperbole (sarcasm).

But is she the best Catwoman?

Eartha Kitt as CW, also from the TV series

Former Miss America Lee Meriwether played Catwoman in the 1966 Adam West–Burt Ward Batman movie. This movie has to be seen to be believed (although we could say the same about Bat Pussy – but better you read Adrian Mack‘s review of that tawdry slice of ’70s superhero porn).

Lee Meriwether as Catwoman from the 1966 movie Batman.

Michelle Pfeiffer as Catwoman from the 1992 movie Batman Returns.

Halle Berry as Catwoman from the titular 2004 movie. Is it just us or is the costume getting worse with each iteration?

Leave it to the 2010 porn parody version of the 60s Batman TV series to bring it on home with Tori Black wearing a close approximation of the original outfit.