How did you guys view Selena as a villian? - Supergirl (1984) Discussion

[–] Eli_Zardo 16 years ago

Hammy and unengaging, she came across as petty/ill-tempered rather than truly threatening or charmingly evil. They should have gone with a male villain, that would have opened up a lot of interesting and easy to exploit possibilities. Selena was no more than lackey material.

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[–] skiop 16 years ago

Well, if it isn't mister "I don't like this movie, but I'll hang around to troll anyway." With this message, you really show your sexism, probably the true reason you didn't like this movie. With that said, in a (I'll assume genuine) early draft for this movie, Selena was Bianca's protégé.

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[–] Eli_Zardo 16 years ago

Well, if it isn't mister "I don't like this movie, but I'll hang around to troll anyway."

It's pretty obvious you think a "troll" is simply someone with a different opinion than yours, and that speaks volumes about what kind of person you are.

With this message, you really show your sexism

So it wasn't enough to falsely accuse me of trolling... now you're hurling baseless insults?

How about you stop with the personal attacks and discuss the film instead? How does that sound?

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[–] Lu-21 16 years ago

It was decent enough as an introduction to the character. A wee bit on the over acting side due to the underdevelopment of the story background of the character and some unexplained plotholes but all forgivable in the viewpoint of the movie's fans.

When you hire somebody like Faye Dunaway for a role, you need to give her something to sink her teeth into characterization wise or you end up with a semi caricature portrayal like she did in the film. Had the movie seen a sequel, maybe her character would have grown or developed its potential to be Lex Luthor type.

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[–] skiop 16 years ago

She's not comparable to Luthor. Luthor had a plan and didn't let anyone step in his way. Selena, on the other hand, was just crazy. I think Dunaway going over-the-top helped somewhat, because the character wasn't supposed to be sane.

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[–] Lu-21 16 years ago

According to the director's commentary, she was told to just do what she does best and they would tell her if it was over the top. I guess that is why the characterization turned out that way.

FLY HIGH SUPERGIRL !!!!! Inspiring all generations of women to be SUPER in their own way

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[–] skiop 16 years ago

I thought it was funny that Scott Bosco kept correcting the director. First, Bosco asks whether the bracelet was supposed to be a replacement for the tiara and Szwarc says that she gets a tiara later, and Bosco corrects him. Then, Szwarc says that this was the first time Dunaway acted like this, and Bosco mentions that it's basically the same as she did in Mommy Dearest (which I haven't seen, BTW).

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[–] Lu-21 16 years ago

I know what you mean. It was like Bosco and Szwarc made 2 different movies at times. Bosco seems to be more of the SG movie historian of the 2.

FLY HIGH SUPERGIRL !!!!! Inspiring all generations of women to be SUPER in their own way

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[–] skiop 16 years ago

Well, in Szwarc's defense, I doubt I could remember everything about a movie I made over 20 years prior. I'm surprised he remembered as much about the special effects as he did.

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[–] Lu-21 16 years ago

Well, it was definitely fun to read the 2 people who helped get Helen Slater cast into the role reminiscing about her and how they flew her into the scenes and other memories from the film. It gave me a very nostalgic feeling to hear the stories. I agree with them that the movie was sold to the wrong audience. Somebody dropped the ball but it wasn't those directly involved in the making of the film.

FLY HIGH SUPERGIRL !!!!! Inspiring all generations of women to be SUPER in their own way

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[–] patkav6 16 years ago

I viewed her as annoying. Unable to watch in all forms. From the costume inward. and I'm not being funny.

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[–] cluvonj 15 years ago

But Bosco said later in Mommy Dearest so Szwarc was right when he said the first time she acted this way. And Bosco replied by saying this typing of acting on her part came later in Mommy Dearest. HOwever he did correct Szwarc when he says something about SElena's comment on the monster being male and he said later its female. Szwarc says no it wasnt and he corrects him yes it is because we see the image of the monster and it apparenly has female parts. THen Szwarc says well the monster is a reflection of Selena so it takes on her characteristics.

And yes her over the top acting in this reminds me a lot of the Mommy Dearest character she played.

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[–] johnnyb94109 15 years ago

Definitely at the Lex Luther level! Selena was very human at times, and quite multi-faceted. I also found her more interesting, attractive and sexy than Slater--so you have that ultimate element when one roots for the villainess to prevail.

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[–] TruPretender 15 years ago

First off, Faye was fabulous in every aspect! There was no other actress that could, or would have played to role to such a delicious delight as the wonderful Ms. Dunaway, and it shows.

To words of "Unengaging" and Hammy"-WRONG! I believe the words you are looking for are "Ambitious" and "Enthusiastic". Faye was having a ball creating a wonderfully charming role as a witch, and she succeeded, no matter what trolls try to say. I would definitely agree that she is on par with Lex Luthor. Goodness knows, when you look at him, how campy is he at times???

Lu-21...semi caricature??? C'mon. Faye filled out the role to it's fullest creating a character totally unlike any she had ever portrayed before, and I DON'T CARE what a lot of you say, "Mommy Dearest" was a completely different movie, and those who can't seem to get that "through their thick skulls, and into their tiny brains" need to get over it already. Dunaway knew how to play that role to a T, and the film benefited because of it.

I like what johnnyb94109 said. That's about it. Except that Slater and Dunaway are both far too gorgeous to be compared.

...anyway...that's that!

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[–] irish_electrobass 15 years ago

First off, the director's cut gives a lot of justice to both Selena and the entire movie a hundred times fold so I will be giving my input from that.

I thought Selena was a very cruel and threatening villian. Where Lex Luthor was an evil diabolical genius, Selena started out as selfish, "down on her luck" broke bitch possessing every awful human trait a person could have plus thinking the whole world owed her something. Now, I don't know of any diabolical geniuses but I sure have ran into my fair share of Selenas and I would hate to think of what would happen if some magic ball dropped in their laps!

Also, Selena didn't have a plan or patience to obtain power like Luthor...she just flat out wanted it! Like a real horrid person who gets their first taste of power, Selena always acted on impulse which always lead to her hilarious misfortunes!

I think my favorite scene of hers will always be the part where she is being driven around town with Nigel in tow all chained up! I always wonder if that was necessary! LOL.

So yes, I dig Selena!

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[–] 15 years ago

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[–] irish_electrobass 15 years ago

No way!!!! I had no idea such a scene existed. After reading your post, I looked up the trivia section and there it was in black and white, lol! I had thought that the director's cut pretty much included all the deleted footage! Such a shame the film was a production mess! At least it was given a second chance with the new versions!

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[–] Lu-21 15 years ago

True, did you miss my post where I said that Faye was told to just run with the role and they would tell her if it was over the top? I meant that as a compliment to Ms. Dunaway actually. I am not very familiar with her work aside from the few ones I have seen on cable TV and CSI and I will be the first to admit that she is one of the best actresses of her generation. I remember seeing Mommy Dearest but I do not really recall much about the acting in the movie for one reason or another.

I will agree with you though, she created and owned the Selena part. What I meant about semi caricature was the fact that the story had been rewritten so many times by the time the movie was shot that nobody was actually sure of how to approach the roles they were given. Which is why I used the term. Even Helen herself admitted that by the time they started shooting, she had no idea of what story the movie was trying to tell. Although we all know the story by heart

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[–] zaltatalos 15 years ago

I personally think "Madam Selena" should most definitely be included in to main DC Comics continuity as part of Supergirl's rouges gallery, but I'd cut the camp out of her character and make her a completely heartless, evil and stuff of complete nightmares hell of a high priestess/sorceress (just like the '84 movie claimed as well as the original script format that was intended for Dolly Parton at the time which I've read online.) :D

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[–] lferrigon-1 15 years ago

Yes a Supergirl villian just like Superman and Batman have theirs.

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[–] 15 years ago

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[–] doorbomb62 15 years ago

A long-time Dunaway fan, I agree with Kirsty Cotton. (nice name BTW-)

Faye is a dynamite actress, and was perfect for the role. I can't see anybody else in the part, not Jane, Goldie, or Meryl. Not so sure about Meryl, but Fonda and Hawn were approached for the role apparently, and I don't think they would have pulled off half of the creative characteristics Faye put into what was a terrific villain.

The character Selena herself is an amazing and rapacious woman, written with great wit and strength, which matched with Faye's enormous talent, made for grand villainy that rivaled Helen Slater's superheroine.

"mondays are a bi+ch"

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[–] johnnyb94109 12 years ago

That would have been a delight to see!

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[–] johnnyb94109 11 years ago

The camp element definitely undercut Selena's credibility as a villainess.

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[–] LightningLad 14 years ago

I find her to be a good representation of many of the villains Supergirl faced in some of her comics, particularly her run in Adventure Comics. It's basically a Disney princess sort of scenario, with an evil witch, which works fine for me.

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[–] 14 years ago

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[–] xelaba75 13 years ago

The problem is Dunaway, a woman truly old and not enough attractive for be the arch-enemy of wonderful Slater's Supergirl.

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[–] HeartMonger 13 years ago

Actually, she was much younger than Gene Hackman who WAS a worthy adversary of Christopher Reeve's Superman so I really don't think your post holds the pacific, kiddo.

Faye Dunaway was the perfect Villainess as she was. There was nothing wrong with her. It was the audience mindset at the time - they were still shell shocked from "Mommie Dearest" and subsequently viewed her as over the top, or campy, when if she had NOT done Mommie Dearest, she would have been loved as much as Gene was in Superman...at least to those who said they didn't like her.
Many people that I know DID like her. She did her job.

"All I want in life is a thirty share and a twenty rating."

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[–] johnnyb94109 12 years ago

Selena was a witch, and certainly a very sexy one! Slater was youthful, yet dull and uninteresting in comparison to Dunaway....

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[–] 12 years ago

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[–] Mydoona 8 years ago

The plot was basically two women fighting over a man...eeeek

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[–] wrbc77 8 years ago

Ethan is just collateral damage. They're fighting over the Omegahedron. It is a source of power.

Whoever has power has the control. Power struggle people! It's all about power. Who uses it, and who abuses it. Very allegorical of 1980s if you ask me.

And BTW-Faye was an amazing villain. She's an imposing and intimidating woman as is, so casting her in the role was a treasure chest!

#madamselena

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[–] red_rackham_77 8 years ago

She is the femine Lex Luthor, she wants to rule the world and be worship, she has no love and no compassion. If I thought anything she maybe Lex's counsin or distant sister.

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