The song featured strings which build to a dramatic conclusion. Lyrically, the song makes indirect references to the film's characters Bruce Wayne and Selina Kyle. "Face to Face" was heard in the film during a ballroom scene in which the characters dance together, not realising that, as their alter-egos, they are enemies. The lyrics reflected the characters' conflict '. At one point, Siouxsie can be heard purring like a cat, a reference to Catwoman. Tim Burton requested the Banshees to write the song of the film. He stated: "I've always been a fan – Siouxsie is one of very few women who can create a realistic primal cat sound." The recording sessions took place at Real World studios in Bath, South West of England. The strings' part were then recorded in Los Angeles with Danny Elfman who composed and supervised Batman Returns score. In the film Batman Returns, the song can be heard in one scene and during the end credits. Due to contractual problems, the song was released in the US only on cassette by Warner Bros. which owned the copyright for the Batman Returns'' movie soundtrack. Consequently, Geffen, the band's US record company, was not allowed to release the song on any other format. Outside the US, Polydor found an agreement with Warner to release the song as a single, on vinyl, 7-inch and 12-inch, and on cassette and CD.
Critical reception
At the time of its release as a single, the Stud Brothers wrote in Melody Maker: "It's a slow, heavily orchestral & sensuously tense piece with Siouxsie first tapt, then cracked and finally spiralling off into the ether". "Face to Face" peaked at No. 21 in the UK Singles Chart. It also performed well on American alternative rock radios, where the single peaked at No. 7 on the U.S. Modern Rock Tracks chart. 808 State remixed the song, issued as "Face to Face ".
Promotional video
Two versions of the music video picturing Siouxsie surrounded with cats were made: the video broadcast on music channels included shots from the movie with Michelle Pfeiffer as Catwoman. Burton initially wanted to direct the video but had to cancel after Warner Bros. asked for a new sequence to change the end of the movie. Burton's assistant Neil Abramson stepped in and "followed Burton's plan to match the video to the film".
