The Dark Knight In Heath We Trust: A Ledgerbration: The TDK Joker Appreciation Thread - Part 1

[Matt.S99]

Happy heavenly Birthday, Heath!

 

[The Joker]

Belated Happy Birthday, Heath. You still always put a smile on my face. Like a true Joker.

 

[Gothamsknight]

Hard to believe I'm the same age Heath was when he passed. Happy birthday, Heath! We all miss you.

 

[Brother Jack]

The debut of Reeves' Joker has had me thinking a lot about Heath's incarnation of the character, and how inescapable it still feels 15 years later. It will never not be staggering just how well executed this version is, from conception to the writing to the performance. Ledger and Nolan really tapped into something ineffable here, and it's no wonder it's probably the most celebrated film performance of the last two decades.

 

[BatLobster]

The debut of Reeves' Joker has had me thinking a lot about Heath's incarnation of the character, and how inescapable it still feels 15 years later. It will never not be staggering just how well executed this version is, from conception to the writing to the performance. Ledger and Nolan really tapped into something ineffable here, and it's no wonder it's probably the most celebrated film performance of the last two decades.

I still honestly have a hard time wrapping my head around what he did. It was just so specific. It was like nothing we'd ever seen before from the character but yet instantly "Joker".

It's like...if you knew you had the safety net of "this is going to be iconic", then sure. It makes sense. Every choice, every little mannerism. It was going so out on a limb that it could've failed spectacularly, the way people assumed it was going to when Heath was cast. It just speaks to the strength of the vision and trust that was there between Ledger and Nolan that it became what it became. It felt so uninhibited and free, but at the same time so precise-- serving the story at every turn and never just mugging for the camera. Yet it still had all the flash and larger than life moments you crave from The Joker.

I just think it took tremendous b*lls from both Nolan and Ledger to present that version of The Joker, especially when the Jack Nicholson shadow loomed so large at the time, and it was such an iconic character that a version that was rejected would sink the entire movie. It was an all or nothing bet.

 

[Gothamsknight]

The debut of Reeves' Joker has had me thinking a lot about Heath's incarnation of the character, and how inescapable it still feels 15 years later. It will never not be staggering just how well executed this version is, from conception to the writing to the performance. Ledger and Nolan really tapped into something ineffable here, and it's no wonder it's probably the most celebrated film performance of the last two decades.

Yup. And after having a new Batman adaption given to us, along with multiple new Jokers, I really feel like nobody will ever come even remotely close to what Ledger did in terms of performance, and iconography.

 

[Boom]

I don't think I've ever seen this pic.

Fourteen years later and we are just now getting this gem of a photo.

 

[Blade Hoarder]

The debut of Reeves' Joker has had me thinking a lot about Heath's incarnation of the character, and how inescapable it still feels 15 years later. It will never not be staggering just how well executed this version is, from conception to the writing to the performance. Ledger and Nolan really tapped into something ineffable here, and it's no wonder it's probably the most celebrated film performance of the last two decades.

yeah. The impact he had on the character is massive. Nobody questioned that Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker would have face paint instead of bleached skin. It was a given. Ledger’s Joker moved the tectonic plates of public consciousness of the Joker that much.

 

[I Am The Knight]

Fourteen years later and we are just now getting this gem of a photo.

Looks like a "HIT ME!" moment, too.

 

[Jermobooka]

It’s kind of insane just how influential Heath’s Joker was, and still is.

There’s a bunch of reasons that The Joker is listed as top five best villains of all time consistently, and I think that Heath’s performance in TDK is one of the bigger reasons.

 

[BatLobster]

I was just doing a re-read of this thread from page 1, which is from 2011. Man this has got to be one of the most wholesome threads on this site haha. Just, pretty much nothing but love and appreciation. And it's remarkable how consistent it's been over the years. Sometimes things get overhyped in the moment and then fizzle a bit with time. But the love for Heath's Joker seems to have remained as steady as its been since the release of the film, if not grown over time. It's something special for sure.

It's crazy because prior to Heath, Jack Nicholson was kind of the elephant in the room when it came to this role, the shadow that loomed too large. I think that is definitively the space Heath Ledger occupies now. Even after we've seen other actors play the role, even after we've seen other actors WIN OSCARS for the role. This is the one that still feels like it's had the greatest impact- both on the character itself and pop culture as a whole.

 

[HBarnill]

Still can't believe it's been 15 years later. RIP Heath Ledger. You gave us the greatest superhero performance ever and you were taken far too soon.

 

[Matt.S99]

Wow. 15 years. I still remember the moment I found out he passed. It’s really a shame he never got to experience all the praise and love he gets from this film. So young. So skilled in his craft. Truly a generational talent.

 

[Gothamsknight]

 

[antsman41]

Happy Birthday, you beautiful person...

Need to re-watch Candy tonight, its been too long.

 

[Boom]

This loss still infuriates me.

 

[The Joker]

Imagine how many of these kinds of pics Heath would have posed with fans for if he was still with us.

 

[Awest66]

RIP a the greatest live-action Joker we will probably ever see.

 

[The Joker]

"You just couldn't let me go could you"

 

[squeekness]

Nice.

 

[Gothamsknight]

Imagine how many of these kinds of pics Heath would have posed with fans for if he was still with us.

I wonder if Heath would have done Cons?

 

[squeekness]

I wonder if Heath would have done Cons?

I'd like to think so, he seemed like a nice enough fellow.

 

[The Joker]

I think he would have too. He seemed to be very kind to his fans. I remember seeing that video of a fan flipping out when she saw him at the AFI awards, and he went right up and kissed her.

 

[Boom]

Did Nolan ever do a Comic Con? I can't even remember.

 

[Nardz937]

Imagine how many of these kinds of pics Heath would have posed with fans for if he was still with us.

Great picture! I'd never seen it. I'm guessing that was his double. Wish Heath could be here to have seen how beloved his performance is. It was once-in-a-lifetime caliber.