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

[Gotham]

Jack was a great Joker, no matter what any of you people say. And I Stress the period!

I don't consider a fat, uninspired, crook as The Joker.

 

[Luchastyle]

I don't consider a fat, uninspired, crook as The Joker.

are you trying to say that carlos mencia ISN'T the joker?

 

[Wolfman]

Not sure if this has been posted anywhere, had a bit of a search and couldnt find anything so thought I'd post it here, if it's already been discussed the moderators can feel free to delete or merge.

Today's issue of the Melbourne Sunday Herald-Sun (Sept 23) carries a brief interview with Michael Caine talking about Heath Ledger's performance in THE DARK KNIGHT, suggesting he could be up for an Oscar nomination for his work.

Here's some of what Caine had to say:

"The worry going in was The Joker.

Jack Nicholson was the greatest Joker so, you know, how do you top that? Well, Heath Ledger's done it and he's extraordinary.

He's gone in a completely different direction to Jack. Jack was like a clown figure, benign but wicked, maybe a killer old uncle. He could be funny and make you laugh.

Heath is like a really scary psychopath. I did one scene with him and he was ready to go and had to come up in a lift and raid our place.

I didn't see him for rehearsal and when he came out of the lift he was so incredible I forgot my lines. He frightened the life out of me.

I'd never met him before. He's a lovely guy and his Joker is going to be a hell of a revelation in this picture."

The only photo accompanying the article is the pic of heath holding the knife up to Maggie G's face.

I had a dream about this In the dream I was sleeping, then I woke up, and so did Christopher Nolan, who was sleeping on another bed further away. He went to the balcony, because Heath was climbing in there in his Joker make-up. I saw his shadow against the white curtains and then a little glimpse of him, when wind blew the curtains a bit. Then, in the dream, my girlfriend woke up and asked who is it, and I just said "It's Heath". It was like we were in a hotel or something and Heath was just making a prank by coming in thru the balcony. Then I woke up for real. I saw Heath very quickly, but he had short, dark green hair. Weird huh?

 

[CaptainClown]

blasphemy Carlos mencia and Joker shouldn't be in the same sentence unless it is Joker gut Carlos on the Mind of Mencia

 

[Luchastyle]

well yeah, i mean he is a fat, uninspired (in the sense that all he does is do really old out of date racist jokes) and he's a crook because he steals jokes. my hatred for mencia can't even be described. i f-cking hate him. and i would like to see anyone gut him or shoot him in the face or whatever. it doesn't have to be the joker. i don't WANT him to die. but if he DID die, i would smile a little bit.

 

[dark_b]

well i think it's rare that this many actors in a movie go out of their way to praise one of the actor's performances. i'm sure it's happened. but it is definitely rare. and i think considering the level of talent involved in this movie, for them to praise heath just for the sake of praising him really says something about the performance. i hope it doesn't disappoint. and i don't think it will.

ldman and caine were talking about heath. its not like 20 people said that he is the best.

 

[dark_b]

Y'know, Michael Caine is great friends with Jack Nicholson...they've known each other for about 40 years. So I'll take Caine for his word when he says Ledger's Joker "tops" Nicholson.

i dont care if they are 40 yr friends. caine is in TDK and jack was in B89. caine will say that heath is the best. this is now modern. look at shia. he acts in interviews like everything that happens to him is the best thing in hes life.

i warn you guys. dont higher your expectations so high. at least waith for the official trailer to be 200% positive. i know how it feels when caine says those things. but watch out.

 

[Luchastyle]

i believe eckhart and bale also mentioned it. besides...oldman and caine, that's over 70 combined years of experience in the business right there. and they are very good actors themselves.

 

[mystory64]

This is ridiculous, no one here has even seen Ledger act as the Joker yet, pics and second hand info would make for an informed decision, it just goes to show how starved we all are for more real info on TDK. God I cant wait for the real trailer.....

 

[dark_b]

i believe eckhart and bale also mentioned it. besides...oldman and caine, that's over 70 combined years of experience in the business right there. and they are very good actors themselves.

what do you think if kingsley was asked about boll and loken in bloodrayne ?
what do you think he would say?
you konw where i am getting right?
heath is obvious playing the joker very different then jack.he os obvious playing him extreme. and because of that all actors are suprised. but that in noooooooooooooooooo way means htta comic book fans will like him.

so please stop saying that because actors from TDK are saying that he is the best that this means something.

p.s. caine didnt really forget hes lines. this is jsut how he wanted to describe heaths performance.

 

[Luchastyle]

yeah...well that's your opinion. all i know is that heath ledger is a damn good actor. so, he has that going for him. the joker is the greatest character of all time. so there's that too. and the nolans are great writers. so i really don't care what you say. i can believe that this will be a great performance based on those things alone, without seeing any footage. it's not a guarantee. but it is an opinion. my opinion, based on the above evidence, along with the praise (which, by the way, was never asked for. caine had posted something on his website about how terrific ledger was just for the hell of it a few weeks ago. no one asked him. he just wanted to say it.) from other actors on the project. so while michael caine saying it was brilliant hardly qualifies as proof, it also hardly rules out the possibility that this will be a great performance. can't imagine why the opinion and excitement of a couple fanboys bothers you so much, but i'll keep that opinion until i see the performance and it makes me think otherwise....


p.s. it will be a great performance, so that won't happen =D

 

[dark_b]

yeah...well that's your opinion. all i know is that heath ledger is a damn good actor. so, he has that going for him. the joker is the greatest character of all time. so there's that too. and the nolans are great writers. so i really don't care what you say. i can believe that this will be a great performance based on those things alone, without seeing any footage. it's not a guarantee. but it is an opinion. my opinion, based on the above evidence, along with the praise (which, by the way, was never asked for. caine had posted something on his website about how terrific ledger was just for the hell of it a few weeks ago. no one asked him. he just wanted to say it.) from other actors on the project. so while michael caine saying it was brilliant hardly qualifies as proof, it also hardly rules out the possibility that this will be a great performance. can't imagine why the opinion and excitement of a couple fanboys bothers you so much, but i'll keep that opinion until i see the performance and it makes me think otherwise....


p.s. it will be a great performance, so that won't happen =D

it doesnt bother me.

 

[Luchastyle]

k. that's good. i mean, i know what you mean, but if a bunch of people want to count on this being a great performance, then they can count on it being a great performance. if it's not they'll be pissed and it's their own fault for allowing it to be hyped so much. with the oscar talk and what not.

 

[CaptainClown]

now I got to bust out old Captain Clown quotes again. If he didn't care for Ledgers performance he could easily not blog about it or say stuff along the lines. "Batman fans are definitely going to be pleased with where Ledger is taking the character" or "this Joker is definitely unique and bold"

For Caine to mention something like he forgot his lines is high praise. To say something like, he just said that to promote the movie, is ignoring the fact he is saying (a veteran actor) he forgot his lines. That really isn't a great thing to tell everyone.

 

[Luchastyle]

i know. i don't know what's up with dark b. these quotes really don't appear just to be the typical "trying to sell movie tickets." especially when the flick is 10 months away.

 

[CaptainClown]

Ya, they are out of the ordinary quotes that are seldomly heard now a days, well at least for me. Now if his performance is amazing or not can not be decided with the information I know; but many people at Wizard World have commented "he is the Joker" and "amazing", as well as the compliments from Ledgers fellow actors. That is 1st and 2nd degree praise and then not to exclude the spy vids. I will make my pre judgment which is I have a feeling I might really enjoy this interpretation.

 

[Gianakin_]

Controlled optimism is the key, I believe.

 

[Luchastyle]

yeah i mean, i won't say without a shadow of a doubt he will be the best joker ever (except for the occasions where in which i stated that he will beyond a shadow of a doubt be the best joker ever, which was in fact, exaggeration for dramatic purposes), but i do really think there's a good chance that he will be. again based on his past performances, and the writing of the nolan brothers.

 

[CaptainClown]

Ya, nicely put Gianakin.

Statements like LEDGER IS GOING TO GET AN OSCAR! FOR BEST DIRECTOR AND ACTOR AND ACTRESS AND SUPPORTING TECHNICIAN! OMFGWTFBBQ!!!NOLANREALISMNOLANREALISMNOLANREALISMNOLANREALISMNOLANREALISM

are just kind of ridiculous, but hey you can lead a horse to water but can't force em to drink.

 

[Gianakin_]

Ya, nicely put Gianakin.

Statements like LEDGER IS GOING TO GET AN OSCAR! FOR BEST DIRECTOR AND ACTOR AND ACTRESS AND SUPPORTING TECHNICIAN! OMFGWTFBBQ!!!NOLANREALISMNOLANREALISMNOLANREALISMNOLANREALISMNOLANREALISM

are just kind of ridiculous, but hey you can lead a horse to water but can't force em to drink.

Plus, they give food for comments to several particular posters here. And the worst part is, that they are right in these occasions.

 

[Mr. Socko]

Ya, nicely put Gianakin.

Statements like LEDGER IS GOING TO GET AN OSCAR! FOR BEST DIRECTOR AND ACTOR AND ACTRESS AND SUPPORTING TECHNICIAN! OMFGWTFBBQ!!!NOLANREALISMNOLANREALISMNOLANREALISMNOLANREALISMNOLANREALISM

are just kind of ridiculous, but hey you can lead a horse to water but can't force em to drink.

lol

 

[NoirMan82]

I believe Caine. When I saw Joker he scared the piss out of me, and he didn't even speak a word to me.

 

[bkey]

I Believe in NoirMan

 

[typeorocks]

reading that gave me goose bumps

 

[The Dark Guybrush]

great article.. an extended trailer is much needed.