[Hning’s Note: This guest post is by Iwan Amir – a guy friend who keeps his hair very, very long.]
Even from the earliest movies, women were not to be messed with.
They wield weapons as well as any man. Fight with the ferocity of a horde of Ewoks. And kick butt while looking oh so fine. They make you ask, “Why did those eighteen men attack her? Now they’re bloodied and broken.” The following list of my top 20 best catfight movie scenes, which is sorted in CHRONOLOGICAL order so we can see how some things remain the same.
Note: only one-on-one fights qualify.
1. Marlene Dietrich vs Una Merkel (Destry Rides Again, 1939)
Yer basic clawing, hair-pulling and clothes ripping. Considered revolutionary at the time. Uh-huh.
2. Paulette Goddard vs Rosalind Russell (The Women, 1939)
These ladies presented us with a no holds barred catfight-o-rama at an elegant ball decades before Trish Stratus trashed Melina on the WWF ring.
3. Martine Beswick vs Aliza Gur (From Russia With Love, 1963)
Fighting over a man: Bond. James Bond. And they call this Gypsy culture (I’d sue if I were them).
4. Haji vs Lori Williams (Faster Pussycat, Kill, Kill, 1965)
Russ Meyer's finest scene. I still can’t believe that they did it without being obstructed by those huge breasts.
5. Raquel Welch vs Martine Beswick (One Million Years BC, 1966)
Well-groomed cavegirls fighting without breaking a nail. Raquel is da bomb!
Raquel Welch - Prehistoric Cat Fight by soulpatrol
6. Brigitte Bardot vs Claudia Cardinale (The Legend of Frenchie King, 1971)
Brawl between two European goddesses in a very American Western setting.
Catfight "Legend of Frenchie King" by goodcatfights
7. Pam Grier vs Jeannie Epper (Foxy Brown, 1974)
Who can resist a lesbian bar fight? Pam showed da sistas who’s da ma’am.
8. Michiko Nishiwaki vs Sibelle Hu (My Lucky Stars, 1985)
My absolute favorite. A Hong Kong cult movie classic where you’ll be stunned before the first punch is even thrown in this scene, and I’m NOT talking about the ‘80s hair-do. I love this fight not because of the realism, the gore, the special effects, the skin, or other philosophical meanderings, none of these are in the scene. I love it because despite the serious atmosphere of the scene, it was downright unintentionally (is it?) hilarious! You’ll know what I’m talking about when you watch the scene.
It’s dubbed in English, unfortunately. Just leave your brains behind and let your jaw drop.
9. Moon Lee vs Yukari Oshima (Iron Angels, 1987)
Brutal, bloody, and jawdroppingly awesome. Lee sez: "I am just a poor defenseless woman.” Yeah, right.
10. Sharon Stone vs Rachel Ticotin (Total Recall, 1990)
Too bad Arnie interfered. Now THAT is what I call a third-party-driven divorce.
End of Part I.
[Footnote: Part II will bring Teri Hatcher, Rachel Weisz, Hale Berry into the ring…]
