Golden Globe Nominations

[Timstuff]

Only one nomination for TDK is preposterous. It's the most important movie of the year, and yet the only thing they gave it any recognition for was Heath Ledger's performance. What a load of diarrhea.

Well, on the bright side, the Globes haven't been a very good indicator of how the Oscars play out in recent years. Hopefully the trend continues this year. I want to see TDK steamroll the oscars like Return of the King and Titanic before it. I mean come on, what other movie came out this year that people will still talk about 20 years from now?

 

[Poetic Chaos]

Only one nomination for TDK is preposterous. It's the most important movie of the year, and yet the only thing they gave it any recognition for was Heath Ledger's performance. What a load of diarrhea.

Well, on the bright side, the Globes haven't been a very good indicator of how the Oscars play out in recent years. Hopefully the trend continues this year. I want to see TDK steamroll the oscars like Return of the King and Titanic before it. I mean come on, what other movie came out this year that people will still talk about 20 years from now?

Normally I'd say that's outrageous to even hope for but I was also on the boat that thought a Batman movie would never make $300M domestic. I guess you never know.

 

[Dodger]

Don't get me wrong, Heath Ledger's performance was great and it is at least worthy of a nomination. But to say that "The Dark Knight" would have been equally successful or buzzed had Ledger lived is a gross misstatement. We saw what happened on the boards after Ledger's death. Almost everyone who was skeptical of this film suddenly became infatuated with Heath's Joker. They started writing things like "Heath is this generation's James Dean" in their signatures, they started putting pictures of him at their avatars... there's no doubt in my mind that the mega-hype surrounding his death gave this film the legs it had in theaters.

The Dark Knight is a great movie, probably one of the best superhero movies ever made and definitely one of the best films of the year. But I doubt it would have grossed more than $350 million (and even that's a stretch) had Ledger survived and/ or the Joker role didn't receive so much attention as a result of his death.

See I disagree. I think the Dark Knight would of done just the same had Heath not died. Word of Mouth is a powerful thing for a movie, and that would of worked in huge for TDK.

 

[WarBlade]

I mean come on, what other movie came out this year that people will still talk about 20 years from now?

Wall-E

 

[Bobber]

Wall...eeeeee??

that's ridiculous.. i haven't even seen it!

 

[BlackLantern]

See I disagree. I think the Dark Knight would of done just the same had Heath not died. Word of Mouth is a powerful thing for a movie, and that would of worked in huge for TDK.

Peoples perception of the film changed with Ledgers death though....it became more than a 'Batman' movie, it became one of Heaths final performances

 

[Laderlappen]

Don't get me wrong, Heath Ledger's performance was great and it is at least worthy of a nomination. But to say that "The Dark Knight" would have been equally successful or buzzed had Ledger lived is a gross misstatement. We saw what happened on the boards after Ledger's death. Almost everyone who was skeptical of this film suddenly became infatuated with Heath's Joker. They started writing things like "Heath is this generation's James Dean" in their signatures, they started putting pictures of him at their avatars... there's no doubt in my mind that the mega-hype surrounding his death gave this film the legs it had in theaters.

The Dark Knight is a great movie, probably one of the best superhero movies ever made and definitely one of the best films of the year. But I doubt it would have grossed more than $350 million (and even that's a stretch) had Ledger survived and/ or the Joker role didn't receive so much attention as a result of his death.

Do you honestly believe 2/3 saw the movie in theatres JUST because Heath Ledger died? You cant honestly believe that? You know how much his death contributed to the box-office? 2 million maybe, and even that is a stretch. If you dont believe me, check out the movie 'Soul Men'. It has 2 people recently dying. Its has only made 11 million. Or check out any movie of any actor dying right after it was made.

People put his face on avatars of 2 reason: His performance in TDK, and as a tribute. It has nothing to do with box-office.

 

[BlackLantern]

Do you honestly believe 2/3 saw the movie in theatres JUST because Heath Ledger died? You cant honestly believe that? You know how much his death contributed to the box-office? 2 million maybe, and even that is a stretch. If you dont believe me, check out the movie 'Soul Men'. It has 2 people recently dying. Its has only made 11 million. Or check out any movie of any actor dying right after it was made.

People put his face on avatars of 2 reason: His performance in TDK, and as a tribute. It has nothing to do with box-office.

When I hear people in the theater saying "I just want to see Heaths last movie", yea I believe it was a big factor....

 

[luke1234]

When I hear people in the theater saying "I just want to see Heaths last movie", yea I believe it was a big factor....

It was a big factor, my mom and my grandmom went to see it just because of that factor, im sure it pulled in a much older audience, and dont compare this film to "soul men". Its not like that movie had any anticipation at all. The dark knight had much anticipation and his deah really helped to contribute probably.

 

[Laderlappen]

The Dark Knight had anticipation and people saw it because of it. If you see a movie because of a person of it died, the anticipation of the movie is not a factor. Its common sense that Heath death didnt contribute so much on the box-office. How many movies on the top 100 all time box-office had an actor in it dying right before the movie's release?

 

[Addendum]

Mad Men is a brillaint show.

I find it so annoying that Ledger is going to continue winning "sorry you overdosed" awards. If he was actually winning them and being nominated soley based on his performance I wouldn't have a problem but he's not so it's silly. The whole TDK thing is just so silly to me.

I agree. It makes me wonder if Heath was alive would people still talk about him and the Oscars

 

[Laderlappen]

I find it so annoying that people think Heath's win is a sympathy win when he 1) is so better than any of the other nominees 2) hasnt won anything yet. If Heath was alive, he'd probably have a even bigger chance of winning.

 

[Lunar_Wolf]

Nolan should of got a nod as well TDK for screenplay.
Glad to see Heath & Downey getting nods.
Is Revolutionary Road even out yet?

I don't really agree with this list.

 

[BlackLantern]

I find it so annoying that people think Heath's win is a sympathy win when he 1) is so better than any of the other nominees 2) hasnt won anything yet. If Heath was alive, he'd probably have a even bigger chance of winning.

It's a tough point to prove either way....I personally feel that his death is a contributing factor in the nomination

 

[Lunar_Wolf]

It's a tough point to prove either way....I personally feel that his death is a contributing factor in the nomination

His death or anyone elses death should never be a factor when it comes to nominations. Your rather good or bad. Heath deserves it because his performance was that good.

 

[BlackLantern]

...and that is entirely subjective....it was good, but I think Eckhart did more work as an actor because he plays 2 very extreme roles in the film, that'd be a tough transition for any actor

 

[Laderlappen]

I dont think that's just why Eckhart was great. Bale pretty much plays 3 characters in the film. I think Eckhart and Oldman are both very real in their roles, and it feels like the roles suit them both 100%. The only difference in them is that Eckharts role is more baity. Just like Heath's role is baitier than Eckharts. And harder.

 

[Cmill216]

Of course Heath Ledger's death was a major factor in TDK's success. Sure, the film had buzz before he passed away, but people became far more aware of the film when he died. Do you remember all the press this film received after January?

No one was passionately raving about the film that early in the game. That is, until Ledger's passing. Then everyone began talking about the performance, how great it was, how it was going to be such a lasting memory, etc etc.

So the buzz surrounding Ledger translated to the film. Read any summer preview from back this year and the first thing they say about The Dark Knight isn't that it was the sequel to Batman Begins, but it was all about Heath Ledger's passing and the performance he left behind. His death created more interest in the film.

If Heath Ledger hadn't passed away, The Dark Knight wouldn't have made $500 million domestically.

 

[Laderlappen]

Well movies aren't often talked about so early, and The Dark Knight was one of the most anticipated movie before he died. It isnt like people were gonna miss it anyway. LIke I said, maybe 2 million the death contributed. Not more. Look at the spider-man movie! It had worse actors, a less popular superhero, less popular and less famous characters, by most peoples opinions a worse movie, and The Dark Knight is "cooler". Still Spider-Man made 400M US, 800M WW. And that one didnt have an actor that died in it. Neither did any of the top100 all time box-office. Not right before the movie atleast.

 

[Sentinel X]

I just CAN'T wait to see what you all say (Im talking to those who say Heath's death was the cause of TDK's sucess.) when The Imaginarium of Doctor...Whatever its called makes 158+ million and 500+ million domestic as well...because that was Heaths last performance...should be HUGE.

 

[BlackLantern]

Well it was a perfect storm type situation....TDK was already a highly anticipated film and then the actor who happens to be playing one of comics iconic villains dies....it has an effect...

 

[Laderlappen]

Wouldnt it have less of an effect when the movie is already hyped?

 

[Cmill216]

Well movies aren't often talked about so early, and The Dark Knight was one of the most anticipated movie before he died. It isnt like people were gonna miss it anyway. LIke I said, maybe 2 million the death contributed. Not more. Look at the spider-man movie! It had worse actors, a less popular superhero, less popular and less famous characters, by most peoples opinions a worse movie, and The Dark Knight is "cooler". Still Spider-Man made 400M US, 800M WW. And that one didnt have an actor that died in it. Neither did any of the top100 all time box-office. Not right before the movie atleast.

Spider-Man's success was attributed to its own individual factors. Jurassic Park's success was attributed to its own individual factors. Any film's success is attributed to its own individual factors. So saying "Such and such film made such and such, at such and such time, and it didn't have such and such going for it" is not an argument.

I just CAN'T wait to see what you all say (Im talking to those who say Heath's death was the cause of TDK's sucess.) when The Imaginarium of Doctor...Whatever its called makes 158+ million and 500+ million domestic as well...because that was Heaths last performance...should be HUGE.

Talk about a complete and utter exaggeration. As if that film has half the potential TDK had.

Look, people. No one is saying The Dark Knight wasn't going to make bank by itself. It was going to be one of the top grossers of the summer regardless.

The difference is: the film's buzz within 2008 was primarily driven by Heath Ledger's death. We were all here when it happened. The amount of press that started pouring in. The amount of attention the film started to receive. How can you not see that?

 

[The Senator]

See I disagree. I think the Dark Knight would of done just the same had Heath not died. Word of Mouth is a powerful thing for a movie, and that would of worked in huge for TDK.

I doubt it. The demagoguery surrounding Ledger after his death was evident on these boards and I'm sure it resonated with the general public. I doubt you would have seen teenage girls who could care less about Batman going to see this film a first time, let alone during repeated viewings. Yes, they probably saw it multiple times because they legitimately enjoyed the film, but I doubt certain demographics would have showed up in such high volumes a first time had Ledger survived and the film didn't receive all that extra buzz as a result of his death.

 

[Lunar_Wolf]

Of course Heath Ledger's death was a major factor in TDK's success. Sure, the film had buzz before he passed away, but people became far more aware of the film when he died. Do you remember all the press this film received after January?

No one was passionately raving about the film that early in the game. That is, until Ledger's passing. Then everyone began talking about the performance, how great it was, how it was going to be such a lasting memory, etc etc.

So the buzz surrounding Ledger translated to the film. Read any summer preview from back this year and the first thing they say about The Dark Knight isn't that it was the sequel to Batman Begins, but it was all about Heath Ledger's passing and the performance he left behind. His death created more interest in the film.


If Heath Ledger hadn't passed away, The Dark Knight wouldn't have made $500 million domestically.

While I agree the passing of Heath's death helped TDK box office and interest wise, it's factors I think is over exaggerated. Ledger died in Jan, the film was played in July. By that time the shock and talk would have ****e off a good bit with the public. If the film was released in March, then I'd agree with your statement. You got to remember, people were going back for repeat viewings over and over. Heath's death got many people in the seats, BUT the same people went back for second, third and forth viewings. TDK was also coming off a Begins, which got a lot of the public interested in Batman again.

If Heath didn't die, TDK wouldn't have made $500 million, but it would have made an amount, not too far off 500.