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

[Boom]

Ledger's Joker will go down as one of the greatest cinematic villains of all time. Easily.

 

[Brother Jack]

I love how each Joker is representative of the times. Heaths Joker really was a "realistic" take on the character. That's what made him scary.

That's not really true though. Visually it was more plausible because of the makeup and chelsea grin replacing the chemical bleaching. But in terms of how he operated in the story, he was completely larger than life. He was like an omnipresent demon that abruptly materializes in the city; pops in and out all over the place to kill, steal, and destroy; and then just as abruptly vanishes into thin air. He was almost less an actual man and more a force of nature.

 

[The Joker]

Ledger's Joker will go down as one of the greatest cinematic villains of all time. Easily.

He already has. 8 years later he's still lauded as one of the all time greats.

 

[Manofplastic]

Not really true though. He quickly materialised himself into a presence that would even have the mob on his side. In other words, he didn't operate alone, he had an entire force backing him up. He stole Maroni's money in the beginning and had enough money to pay goons. Many corrupt people on his side too in the police force so he had a lot of covers tracked.

He very much controlled batman because he know of his 'moral code' which he doesn't live by - knowing batman doesn't brake the rules, which 'he has to break' to 'win' from the joker

Offcourse there still should be some exxegaration for the purpose of entertainment.
Like any of the batman trilogy of nolan was possible, ever. It was all however presented 'realistically' instead of comic book 'dreamy' like the schumacher movies for example.

Anyway, Heath will maintain the best Joker performance still, as Leto simply doesn't cut it. Leto was more of a lunatic criminal whom has 'aides' working for him. Really much like a ghetto gangster. But Joker imho is not a 'ghetto gangster' , even though one might argue that Heath's ledger was too calculated and plotted to be a correct joker

if the comic book joker seems more of an 'out of control' crazyguy,
then i think Nicholson portrayed him rather the best.

Heath ledger then portrayed Joker as a absolute supervillain in the style of bond villains. Joker always was Bat's biggest villain, so it's not too incorrect. He was less
'insane in the membrane' like comic and nicholson's joker was though.

Leto to me is the oddball version that is not really comic book correct, though the story tries to be comic book correct. Too ghetto gangster. The only thing to say in fovour would be 'clown prince of crime', which doesn't fit heath.

Personally, i think the issue here above all is that Leto probably simply portrayed the character how this 'Snyderverse' imagined him, atleast for SS that is. Leto got 'into' that persona, but i feel like Leto had little to do with the actual 'imagination' and 'characterisation' of this version;

Jack Nicholson more or less acted like Jack Nicholson with a joker sauce, using the comic books to 'fill' the 'missing' gaps and make the character recognisable.

Heath however - atleast thats the way i tend to see it - seems to rather be the one that re-invented the character in HIS OWN way, and the Nolanverse embraced it and filled the rest out.
I get the idea that Ledger got more artistic freedom to put a believable performance.
There are videos out there where he probably got his voice and talking style ideas from. Including the tongue actions.

I think the studio rather came up with the make up style, so i dont know how much Ledger had an input there, but i do think that it was done in a way to compliment the type of person heath puts down as a joker.

Heath also stayed in character and supposedly went deep too. Leto rather acted like a psychotic stalker - perhaps that's the best description for snyderverse joker.
Ledger however 'took' the persona and 'became him'.

Either way. Heath remains KING.

 

[Boom]

Heath Ledger’s NYC apartment was a shrine to the Joker

Heath Ledger‘s well-documented obsession with his psychopathic role as the Joker in the Batman movie “The Dark Knight” has a new twist: He turned his Manhattan apartment into a shrine dedicated to the iconic supervillain, The Post has learned.

Police investigators who responded to the Oscar-winning actor’s Soho loft after his fatal 2008 drug overdose walked into a world filled with Batman comic books, literature on the Joker and clowns, small clown statues and recordings of Ledger practicing his oddly shifting Joker voice in high and low octaves, a law enforcement source revealed.

Ledger had immersed himself in the reading material that extended back to the very beginnings of Batman, the Joker and clown performers, the source noted.

“He was studying up on the origins of clowns and all of the previous Jokers like Jack Nicholson’s character and Cesar Romero’s, who was the first Joker on TV,” the source said.

“He was trying to make his role different from the roles of the other actors. He was even studying how to make his voice different from theirs,” the source added.

Detectives also noticed that the loft at 421 Broome St. was “immaculately clean,” with all of Ledger’s research on the Joker neatly stacked, the source said.

“He was a perfectionist who clearly had a lot of respect for the character. All of that stuff was very tidy. He cared a lot about it,” the source recalled.

Ledger’s official cause of death was “acute intoxication by the combined effects of oxycodone, hydrocodone, diazepam, temazepam, alprazolam, and doxylamine,” according to a report by the New York City medical examiner’s office.

“We have concluded that the manner of death is accident, resulting from the abuse of prescription medications,” including painkillers, sleeping pills and anti-anxiety drugs, the report said.

Ledger’s nude body was discovered on his bed by a masseuse who had arrived at his loft for a scheduled appointment. He was 28 at the time of his death on Jan. 22, 2008.

Later that year, a documentary on Ledger titled “Too Young to Die” was released, focusing on a chilling diary that the actor kept during the filming of “The Dark Knight,” which starred Christian Bale as Batman. (The movie, also released in 2008, became an instant box office smash, grossing over $1 billion.)

Ledger’s red-and-blue, bound journal with “The Joker” emblazoned on the front was composed of ominous photos, comic strips and drawings of the movie villain, clowns and hyenas. There was also a picture of Malcolm McDowell playing the brutish character Alex DeLarge in “A Clockwork Orange.”

On the back of one of the pages, Ledger made a disturbing notation, scrawling the words, “bye bye.”

Before his death, Ledger was interviewed by Empire Magazine and described how his interpretation of the Joker was born.

“I sat around in a hotel room in London for about a month, locked myself away, formed a little diary and experimented with voices — it was important to try to find a somewhat iconic voice and laugh,” he said.

“I ended up landing more in the realm of a psychopath — someone with very little to no conscience towards his acts,” Ledger said. “He’s just an absolute sociopath, a cold-blooded, mass-murdering clown … Nothing intimidates him, and everything is a big joke.”

http://pagesix.com/2016/10/24/heath-ledgers-nyc-apartment-was-a-shrine-to-the-joker/

Sources seem kind of iffy, so take with a grain of salt.

 

[Wildcard]

That's not really true though. Visually it was more plausible because of the makeup and chelsea grin replacing the chemical bleaching. But in terms of how he operated in the story, he was completely larger than life. He was like an omnipresent demon that abruptly materializes in the city; pops in and out all over the place to kill, steal, and destroy; and then just as abruptly vanishes into thin air. He was almost less an actual man and more a force of nature.

And that's what I love about the portrayal. And that's what I feel the Joker should more or less always be. Which is why I've always partially felt that in some respects the chemical bath thing kind of holds him back.

I liken the Joker to a character like Michael Myers back when he was the Shape in the 1978 immortal classic. It's far better to not have answers. To not know why this character takes on these actions. Or fully where this individual came from.

Having that mystery shrouding him only enhances the Joker. And Heath played that to perfect effect.

I still kind of wish TDKR would've at least mentioned him. I didn't ever want a recast or for them to try showing some silhouette of him locked up somewhere, but at least bringing him up would've been nice considering how he completely flipped Gotham upside down.

 

[shauner111]

Im glad im not the only one who doesn't care for the chemical bath.

 

[BaelaTargaryen]

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-11-12/heath-ledger-perth-exhibition-to-feature-memorabilia/8020490

Heath Ledger's family have contributed treasured childhood memorabilia to an exhibition that is set to celebrate the life and work of the late Perth-born actor.

Ledger's cameras, skateboards and high school blazer will be displayed alongside his Academy Award and Golden Globe in an exhibition, A Life in Pictures, that will be on display in a world-first at the Art Gallery of Western Australia in 2017.

Members of Ledger's family joined WA Arts Minister John Day to show a selection of the hundreds of personal and professional effects that have been collected for the exhibition.

Among them, the costume for Ledger's penultimate role as the Joker in The Dark Knight, his script from the film and a diary he kept while playing the role.

His father, Kim Ledger, said despite his son being a private person, he thinks he would have supported sharing the items.

"We're celebrating his life as a lovely child who we're terribly, terribly proud of but also as a foremost Western Australian who made his mark around the world in the film industry," Mr Ledger said.

"I think that the legacy that we remember him most for is his attachment to his family and his friends and to his generosity as a person was absolutely amazing."

Ledger was an avid photographer and thousands of his photographs will also be on display.

"Heath carried a camera around with him everywhere," Mr Ledger said.

"I am sure that everybody will enjoy the exhibition and enjoy learning a little more probably about our boy's creative talents on a number of levels."

A jacket Ledger wore in the groundbreaking film Brokeback Mountain is also part of the exhibit.

Ledger's mother Sally Bell said she was grateful her son was being honoured this way.

"It's emotional as well for us because every time we see, that's our boy he's not here but, you know, it's a great honour that everyone's bestowing upon him and us," Mrs Bell said.

"It's just wonderful that he's held in such high regard and we're delighted that everyone's so supportive of this project."

For now the exhibition will open in WA but there is discussion about it eventually travelling around Australia.

It is planned that Ledger's daughter, Matilda, will take ownership of the items when she turns 21.

 

[The Joker]

^ That's awesome

Such dedication to the role, and it paid off big time.

 

[antsman41]

Some actors have come close (for comic book villains; Fisk/Cottonmouth), but he has yet to be topped... even 8 years later.

 

[Wildcard]

I honestly don't expect that to change any time soon, either. Ledger set a massive precedent. Taking the world by storm like that and then winning an Oscar on top of it all? History won't ever forget what Mr. Ledger has done. And rightfully so.

And, just like every other time, visiting this thread makes me want to watch TDK again.

 

[Boom]

This photo creeps me out.

Spoiler

 

[hellblazer103]

This photo creeps me out.

Spoiler

" And ya didn't dissappoooint. Ya let five people die. THEN, ya let Dent take your plaaace ... Even to a guy like me, that's coooold-uh. "

 

[The Joker]

I believe that scene was one of the first scenes he ever filmed as the Joker. What a beginning.

 

[shauner111]

Wasn't it the very first scene?

 

[Wildcard]

Wow! It was? Never knew that.

And if I recall correctly, didn't Ledger tell Bale it was okay to actually punch the **** out of him? I remember Bale saying he gave him his best shot & Ledger took it in stride.

 

[shauner111]

Yeah pretty much haha. Probably because Bale had gloves on so he felt why not, let's make it look as real as possible.

 

[Tacit Ronin]

I'm surprised nobody made a "In Jared we trust: A letobration" thread.

...Go foresight and restraint!

 

[Wildcard]

Jared is my favorite Joker and all, but as stated before, can we just keep this about Heath Ledger? There's really no need to deviate whatsoever.

Go staying on-topic!

 

[shauner111]

Jared was playing Joker?

 

[The Joker]

Guys, lets keep the Jared trash talk out of here. It's just needlessly stirring.

 

[shauner111]

I'll stop. Heath is the best. There. I feel better.

 

[Wildcard]

Guys, lets keep the Jared trash talk out of here. It's just needlessly stirring.

Agreed 100%.

But anyway, from time to time (as I'm sure we all do), I always wonder how awesome a second performance from Heath as the Joker would've been.

I know he wouldn't have switched up his game completely but imagine the different ticks and mannerisms he could've implemented if he had a chance to do the role a second time. Man, what could have been....

 

[BaelaTargaryen]

Wasn't it the very first scene?

The bank robbery scene was the very first scene Ledger filmed and the interrogation scene was the first major scene he did. That's what Nolan said in Lincoln Center.

http://www.cbr.com/christopher-nolan-reflects-on-his-batman-trilogy-heath-ledger-more/

The first sequence we shot was the IMAX prologue, where he had a mask on. I think that freed him up to just enjoy that — not worry about it too much. Then there’s the moment when he pulls his mask off, which is tremendous, but it was the first time we’d shot with the IMAX cameras, and when we looked at dailies it was all a bit out of focus. So I just rescheduled…and I got this horrified phone call from him, sort of, “What have I done?” It was the first time he’d ever shown us the voice, and he’s like, “And you want to re-shoot it?” I’m like “No no no — it’s great!” But he never quite believed me, I think. He re-shot it very graciously, he was a tremendous professional, but…in the end, we actually used the out of focus one because it was just magic. The first scene of great length and depth that we did was the interrogation scene… I wanted him to commit to something up front… We planned it very, very carefully and gave ourselves a lot of time to shoot it.

 

[Wildcard]

Anyone ever notice that when Joker's standing on the corner is the only time his hair is slicked back and not frizzy and wild? Literally took me all of these eight years to notice that.