The man who laughs: The Joker thread

[StarvingArtist]

If the scars are supposed to be an extension of his mouth, then I don't understand why the character doesn't have lipstick extending all the way to the ends of the scars, creating the big ass grin. I mean right now it just looks like he has a couple of scars on his face, not a demented smile. I would have dug the scar idea had they given the impression that he tried to make it look a little bit more like an actual maniacal terrifying grin and not some kind of stylistic body modification.

[StarvingArtist]

Right now ledger looks like a poor man's bermejo adaption, or someong dressing up to look like the joker, not the actual joker.

[dark_b]

why is it always that when a pic comes on the net the fans that dont like it are saying that it is not the final look? it was the same with venom.

[Mike_D202]

Originally Posted by Saint

I think you're being unfair, Regwec. There are plenty of people who genuinely like it--myself included. The response doesn't seem much different than the mixed reaction the batsuit got in '04.

I can see it really working. It's just the Joker with some conservative scarring added. Personally, I am extremely relieved--there were so many reports about the Joker looking horribly scarred that I was worried they'd go overboard. Worse, everyone on these boards seemed to agree--suddenly everyone was shouting that the Joker should look like a monster. Why should he look like a monster? He should look like the Joker.

That's what we've got here. I think the skin colour is in the right area--maybe needs to be a touch more pale). The problem with doing straight white flesh is that it simply reads as make-up (this is the same reason Mystique is has scales in X-Men, and Nightcrawler has scars--simply painting them blue would look like exactly that: people painted blue). I think they've struck the appropriate balance to make it look like a guy with his skin chemically bleached (though, as I said, I hope it's a little more white than it seems). The hair is exactly what I was looking for. I could have gone either way on the scars, and since they're subtle, they get the thumbs up.

Yeah, he's got kind of a grunge look, so I understand that some people don't like it, but I think it's pretty cool looking. I look forward to the finished product.

Agreed. I was scared as hell if we were going to get an "albino serial killer" like the early reports said (ala Davinci Code). I am RELIEVED that he looks the way he does right now, because he looks like the Joker (reguardless of scars or not). Everybody wanted something different than the '89 Joker, and now that its out, everybody wants the 89 joker back (or worse yet, the "albino" look like the first fake picture).

I'm glad Nolan went in this direction.

[Saint]

Originally Posted by RedIsNotBlue

God calm the **** down. I was just asking a simple question. My mistake for not seeing things as clearly as your all mighty eyes.

Why should I calm down? You're the one getting aggravated, not me.

I photoshopped it so it looks like hes more in character.

[Nivek]

Originally Posted by breyfogle_rules

For those who don't think it's Heath, check this out...



http://img19.imageshack.us/img19/8524/heathta1.gif

OMG, you may just have proven it is a manip!

Check out the points where that lines up (the eyes nose), and around the ear and jawline.

Unless he has makeup that lengthens his earlobes, that face is a cut and paste job.

[Super Kal]

let's all just chill and relax... all we need to do is wait to hear what the WB has to say about it.

then we can gripe and moan

[TRUE]

fake

[RedIsNotBlue]

Originally Posted by Saint

Why should I calm down? You're the one getting aggravated, not me.

No apparently you are too. You pretty much snapped at me calling me a stupid fanboy for asking a simple question. I mean god forbid.

[Rynan]

So...any news out of Chicago?

[Mike_D202]

Originally Posted by Crook

Fair enough, not many have exactly pronounced what I said in that post. But it's certainly implied, no? What more can you take from various posters asking if it's a fake, a test shot, or telling themselves it's an early concept design? Point is, if it's something universally liked, none of these questions would even come up.

When was the last time something was "universally liked" in a Batman movie?

[Saint]

Originally Posted by regwec

But, cumilatively, they do resemble one another.

Of course they do: they're two people with theatrical clown faces.

The scarring around Heath's mouth, though messy and inappropriate rather than bold and morbid, seems like an hommage to The Crow.

Not really. Jack's lipstick was closer to The Crow than Heath's scars.

coupled with lank hair and unrealistically shadowed eyes,

The Crow's eyes were not shadowed; they were painted. Also, Heath's eyes are not shadowed--they are unhealthy. I had a roommate with a similar problem; blotchy purpling in the skin around the eyes, almost like bruising that never goes away. Understandable for a man who falls into a vat of chemicals (I have personally always wondered how the Joker managed to avoid going blind).

[Octoberist]

Originally Posted by TheOnion

I photoshopped it so it looks like hes more in character.

i couldn't stop laughing. no offense.

haha none taken I was bored.

[Saint]

Originally Posted by Crook

Fair enough, not many have exactly pronounced what I said in that post. But it's certainly implied, no? What more can you take from various posters asking if it's a fake, a test shot, or telling themselves it's an early concept design? Point is, if it's something universally liked, none of these questions would even come up.

That's not an accurate conclusion at all. I suspect it of being a concept, text, or potential fake, and I'm one of the people who likes it. Likes it a lot, in fact. Being suspect of it is not indicative of dislike, it's indicative of common sense.

They don't look exactly the same obviously, but there are plain-as-day similarities. Half the people in this thread have already pointed it out, as well as the members at BOF and BT. Clearly most of us are seeing something.

Yeah, and a sizable chunk of people think the first photo is from the Crow. Obviously, a number of people here don't remember clearly what The Crow actually looks like. This is SHH after all, the photo-misreading capital of the universe. You'll understand if I put little stock in the opinions of people who think the Crow had a stitched mouth and who see pictures of Venom in Spider-Man's lens.

[regwec]

Originally Posted by Saint

Of course they do: they're two people with theatrical clown faces.

Alright, but that basic premise allows a great deal of variation- variation which is not sufficiently pronounced here to avoid direct and prolific comparrison.

Originally Posted by Saint

Not really. Jack's lipstick was closer to The Crow than Heath's scars.

In one sense you are right: Jack's grin was bolder, with better contrast. However, his prosthetic cheeks were moulded around it, giving the appearance that it was part of a mouth. Both the Crow and Heath's smiles are superficial markings on the cheeks, ajoined to the mouth. I think the look quite similar in that way.

Originally Posted by Saint

The Crow's eyes were not shadowed; they were painted. Also, Heath's eyes are not shadowed--they are unhealthy. I had a roommate with a similar problem; blotchy purpling in the skin around the eyes, almost like bruising that never goes away.

Sure, we have a different narrative root at work, but for something that I believe is visually very close.

[Mike_D202]

Originally Posted by Crook

The entire cast of BB for one, and the overall story Nolan told for the other. That good enough?

Are you forgetting the "bulky" batsuit, Bruce revealing his identity for the 40th time in the movies, the quick-cut-dizzying fight scenes, (keep in mind, these were all issues during and after the release in forums and media, not my problems with the movie), and Christian Bale changing his "bat-voice" every other scene?

My point is: just because its not universally liked doesnt mean its a P.O.S.

[Kud-Dukan]

It's funny. When I first saw it, I wasn't really impressed, but the more I look at it, the more it is starting to grow on me. I really want to see a better picture though, because it is hard to judge the look of the Joker from that picture.

[dark_b]

Originally Posted by Nivek

OMG, you may just have proven it is a manip!

Check out the points where that lines up (the eyes nose), and around the ear and jawline.

Unless he has makeup that lengthens his earlobes, that face is a cut and paste job.

he didnt want to tell you that he found the exact pic. he showed you that it is ledger because of the face.
plus the angle is different if you didnt notice

[U.N.Owen]

I, for one, was actually sort of surprised once I saw the picture.

[Saint]

Originally Posted by regwec

Alright, but that basic premise allows a great deal of variation- variation which is not sufficiently pronounced here to avoid direct and prolific comparrison.

Clearly, I disagree.

In one sense you are right: Jack's grin was bolder, with better contrast. However, his prosthetic cheeks were moulded around it, giving the appearance that it was part of a mouth. Both the Crow and Heath's smiles are superficial markings on the cheeks, ajoined to the mouth. I think the look quite similar in that way.

See above.

Sure, we have a different narrative root at work, but for something that I believe is visually very close.

Once again, see above.

I'm sorry, but these things are simply not the same:

[Kleric]

I asked a friend of mine who is a huge Heath fan to see what she could find. She sent me some pics that were REALLY close but none more than this one.



I think many could manip this into the image. Or it could just be real and that's why it looks close

[lordofthenerds]

I think he looks alright, but the scarring around the mouth looks a bit messy. If Heath was giving a Joker-like grin it would look better.

[etrigan69]

Originally Posted by Crook

Wow, now that's something. I'd like to give it up to Nolan..
....for proving once again that Raimi seems to be the only director capable of translating a villain's look from the comic books (GG aside) with great ease.

Way to go.

Yeah, he did a stellar job on the Goblins.......