The Dark Knight Caine: "Heath frightened the life out of me"

[Spiderine]

Wow..that sounds great

 

[Tempest19]

This may change in ten years though, as said before- times have changed. Most guys are nerds now. Forty and below.

We get the conventionalist "comic books are for nerds" generation out of the picture- we'll start seeing superhero nominations as a norm.

 

[jimmy]

Yeah, but LOTR was written by just one d00d, whereas Batman is written by many d00ds, and so, if Nolan combines all the good stuff from all the d00ds who wrote Batman over the years, that's like the most baddest movie of all time.

 

[Tempest19]

normally i would say yes. but right now i think people are really loving this dark approach to batman. and i think people also really enjoy sick movies, if they are done properly. so i think the part of society who likes darker movies will really embrace this joker. and people who don't like dark movies wouldn't see the sequel to begins in the first place.

Just wondered because when I gave a presentation on Batman for class, there were a couple of guys that didn't like the idea of Ledger- even more sinister- because they stated "Nicholson is the only Joker".... whereas, I'm sure most fans would agree- the perfect Joker is actually Mark Hammil. Which Ledger will hopefully bring to screen.

But for those who only know the films- would they see it as the source or straying from the source?

Nicholson was eccentric, Ledger is going to be a psychopath.

 

[Luchastyle]

I'm looking but ultimately don't see a point. Jackson took the most well respected fantasy novel of all time, written by one of the most acclaimed literary writers of all time and turned it into a Multi-Billion dollar spectacle that won about 20 Oscars spanning over 3 years.

Think about it, Batman was created many years before Lord of the Rings, and I think Batman is much more fascinating, but you'll never hear the Academy say anything like this, nor will you hear the discussion of Batman comics on the same demeanor as JRR Tolkien's books.

it will take a long long time before people respect comic books in a literary sense. but it watchmen is a topnotch movie, then people will read the book. and then people will think "wow, comics books are not at all what i expected." which will open the doors for more mature and deep stories in mainstream comics. which will ultimately begin the turn of people's conception of comics. i think it's already changing a little. but it's a few years before they are widely accepted as any form of literature.

 

[breyfogle_rules]

Wait, what's the difference?

BTW- is there such a term as nerd or dork anymore, one of the top rated shows is 'Heroes'.... I mean, come on, we're all nerds/dorks now. Lol. Yesterday nerds, today- average.

Yes. We are all 'norks'. Or better, 'derds'.

More on topic...love Caine's hype for Ledger.

 

[Tempest19]

it will take a long long time before people respect comic books in a literary sense. but it watchmen is a topnotch movie, then people will read the book. and then people will think "wow, comics books are not at all what i expected." which will open the doors for more mature and deep stories in mainstream comics. which will ultimately begin the turn of people's conception of comics. i think it's already changing a little. but it's a few years before they are widely accepted as any form of literature.

Dude, that's just a generation.

Right now though seems to be the time of 'rise of the nerds'.

Major actors/critics/studios/directors are now leaning towards comic book properties because, largely thanks to Nolan, they are becoming widely praised:

On top of Batman, just look at the cast of Iron Man and Hulk and Kevin Spacey in Superman Returns! With all of these really really well respected actors going in this direction, finally being able to do this- I have a feeling that 'conventional thinking' will be a matter of history in ten-fifteen years tops. Because these guys aren't just in it for the role or gaining more attention from a younger generation, that's the generation that comics started it's build to the MASS MEDIA that it is today.

 

[Mr. Socko]

it will take a long long time before people respect comic books in a literary sense. but it watchmen is a topnotch movie, then people will read the book. and then people will think "wow, comics books are not at all what i expected." which will open the doors for more mature and deep stories in mainstream comics. which will ultimately begin the turn of people's conception of comics. i think it's already changing a little. but it's a few years before they are widely accepted as any form of literature.

I agree. Things are steadily changing.


Academy recognition for Ledger(even if a nomination) would certainly be a huge step up for comic book films.

 

[Luchastyle]

right, but superman returns wasn't very good. and we don't know about the others. it really depends. if these good actors go into comic book movies that end up being crap, then it will ruin their careers rather than change the perspective of comic book movies.

 

[Crook]

Casting respected actors for comic book roles was done way before Nolan....

 

[Tempest19]

Casting respected actors for comic book roles was done way before Nolan....

Yeah, but Nolan began the rise of it again and this time it's seemed to take ALOT.

The guy to do it first was Donner- obviously.

And since then it continued to rise to the point in which we have multiple respected award winning actors together in one film.

 

[Luchastyle]

I agree. Things are steadily changing.


Academy recognition for Ledger(even if a nomination) would certainly be a huge step up for comic book films.

yeah. it would be huge. and i think it's possible. there was a time when a killer would never be nominated. but then lecter changed that. and i think joker is the only comic book character (outside of watchmen characters and batman himself) who can really come across as oscar worthy. really, i guess only batman characters could do it, and again, watchmen. they have the real depth. most other comics are, meh, (excluding of course other moore works and the lesser known comics. i'm speaking strictly regarding mainstream heroes.)

 

[Mr. Socko]

Casting respected actors for comic book roles was done way before Nolan....

Dick Donner was the first to do that when he cast Brando as Jor El! The man was perfect.

 

[jimmy]

Casting respected actors for comic book roles was done way before Nolan....

Go make more threads about cats touching ****.

 

[Crook]

Yeah, but Nolan began the rise of it again and this time it's seemed to take ALOT.

The guy to do it first was Donner- obviously.

And since then it continued to rise to the point in which we have multiple respected award winning actors together in one film.

Yes, Donner started it, but even decades later when the comic book film genre got it's rise again, it was already being done.

I point no further than the cast of the Spider-Man and X-Men films, both of which have been more popular with audiences as a whole.

 

[Tempest19]

The one film- IF MADE RIGHT- that will change Hollywood history, imo, in winning an award for best film is 'Captain America.' If they make that film right, that's a shoe-in for an award.

Epic and sweeping war movies typically win.

Captain America done in a respectable and other-world fact history would be astounding and could get that best film nod.

It's the ultimate story of a soldier from WWII returning to today's modern days, make a strong political statement with the film and have it be a sweeping war epic like it should be and that's an award winning story right there.

Not overly superhero, but just enough.

 

[Mr. Socko]

The one film- IF MADE RIGHT- that will change Hollywood history, imo, in winning an award for best film is 'Captain America.' If they make that film right, that's a shoe-in for an award.

Epic and sweeping war movies typically win.

Captain America done in a respectable and other-world fact history would be astounding and could get that best film nod.

It's the ultimate story of a soldier from WWII returning to today's modern days, make a strong political statement with the film and have it be a sweeping war epic like it should be and that's an award winning story right there.

Not overly superhero, but just enough.

I've always thought this as well.

 

[Tempest19]

Yes, Donner started it, but even decades later when the comic book film genre got it's rise again, it was already being done.

I point no further than the cast of the Spider-Man and X-Men films, both of which have been more popular with audiences as a whole.

"And since then it continued to rise to the point in which we have multiple respected award winning actors together in one film."- All or the vast majority of the roles, not just a couple.

 

[Crook]

"And since then it continued to rise to the point in which we have multiple respected award winning actors together in one film."- All or the vast majority of the roles, not just a couple.

Well idk what awards have to do anything. Just as long as they are very well respected in their craft by their peers and audience, is what matters most.

 

[Mr. Socko]

"And since then it continued to rise to the point in which we have multiple respected award winning actors together in one film."- All or the vast majority of the roles, not just a couple.

Then that title firstly belongs to X-Men....

 

[graveyardtramp]

Dick Donner was the first to do that when he cast Brando as Jor El! The man was perfect.

Donner was the first to bring a team of A-list heavyweights to the screen for a comic book based film, no doubt. But also on TV 10 years earlier the BATMAN television show had a string of pretty respectable talent - Cesar Romero, Bugess Meredith, Vincent Price, Roddy McDowell, Eartha Kitt, etc. were pretty big names, even if some of them were a bit past their prime.

 

[Luchastyle]

that's true. the batman tv show had top talent for their villains.

 

[Tempest19]

Well, didn't mean to stress the award winning part other than just BIG names. As much as MULTIPLE in the vast majority of KEY roles rather than supporting or 'appearance' roles.

Superman:
- Marlon Brando
- Gene Hackman
- Glenn Ford

Batman
- Jack Nicholson
- Jack Palance

Batman Returns
- Christopher Walken

X-Men:
- Patrick Stuart
- Ian McKellan

Spider-Man:
- Tobey Maguire (even though at the time, I'm pretty sure he was still a 'rising' actor)
- William Dafoe
- Cliff Robertson
- Rosemary Harris
- J.K. Simmons

Batman Begins:
- Christian Bale
- Gary Oldman
- Michael Caine
- Morgan Freeman
- Liam Neeson
- Tom Wilkinson
- Rutger Hauer

Iron Man
- Robert Downey Jr.
- Terrence Howard
- Jeff Bridges
- Samuel L. Jackson
- Hilary Swank
- Gwyneth Paltrow

Hulk
- Edward Norton
- William Hurt
- Tim Roth

Note: Please tell me if I'm forgetting anyone... also trying to remain to those who were very well respected and known when the films first came out rather than their rise DUE TO the film. On a "during the day" rather than "looking back on the day" account.

 

[Mr. Socko]

I was about to reply then it hit me...Where are we going with this? What the hell does a recognizable cast and naming the ones from other superhero films have to do with this topic?

 

[Carnotaur3]

For those that say the Accademy won't recognize Heath Ledger's performance because he's in a comic book movie... did you guys pay attention to 2005 Oscars?

Batman Begins was nominated for Best Cinematography. Now I know that's not acting, but cinematography is pretty good for a comic book movie.