The Dark Knight Lead Up vs. Finale?

[Ziggyman]

So...What was better...All the virals that lead up to the movie or the movie itself...The Dark Knight?

 

[FromThisGirl]

I'm not sure that I'd say one is definitely better than the other. If I had to, then the movie beats it, but for me it's like 60% vs. 40%. Both are pretty fantastic.

 

[Why So Serious?]

I don't think you can lump it in to two categories.

The virals were fantastic. But when I saw the film, I couldn't help but feel that in the long run, they were completely unrelated to the film. And I feel a little bad saying this, but after the film, I had this feeling like the virals were completely unnecessary.

Edit: To give an example: The Joker in the film didn't at all feel like the Joker we dealt with. To me, the Joker in the film probably couldn't care less about the sort of things that took place in the virals. I dunno. It's like they got Ledger's character all wrong. But I suppose that'll happen when things such as these take place.

Anyone know what I mean there?

-WsS?

 

[Ekricket]

I don't think you can lump it in to two categories.

The virals were fantastic. But when I saw the film, I couldn't help but feel that in the long run, they were completely unrelated to the film. And I feel a little bad saying this, but after the film, I had this feeling like the virals were completely unnecessary.

Edit: To give an example: The Joker in the film didn't at all feel like the Joker we dealt with. To me, the Joker in the film probably couldn't care less about the sort of things that took place in the virals. I dunno. It's like they got Ledger's character all wrong. But I suppose that'll happen when things such as these take place.

Anyone know what I mean there?




-WsS?

They had to be two stand alone entities. It would have been ridiculous to make having participated in the virals a necessity to understanding the movie, given that about 98% of the attendees had probably never seen a viral site. The first wave of people would have walked out of the theater wondering "what was that all about?" and told everyone else that while there were some good fights, they could not understand the plot or who these dead people were they kept referring to.
The movie also could not digress into explaining stuff that happened to the viral, they had their hands full just giving us the story they did.
The virals were unnecessary in a manner of speaking. They could have used the budget for them for traditional advertising and done alright that way to. But they tried a different approach here (not their only apporach as evidenced by all the product tie-ins and traditional advertisements) and what they were after I think was "buzz". They wanted the general public to know that there was something up, that there was more going on than just another movie - and it did not matter if the general public knew exactly what it was. Sometimes it is enough to know that there is something different going on, even if you don't know exactly what. Like the Matrix - even before people went to the movie they knew there was something different about the special effects (they were "cool"), but it was not something they knew every specific about. Even after watching the movie it was difficult to explain the effects to someone that had not seen it.

 

[Robbie]

I don't think you can lump it in to two categories.

The virals were fantastic. But when I saw the film, I couldn't help but feel that in the long run, they were completely unrelated to the film. And I feel a little bad saying this, but after the film, I had this feeling like the virals were completely unnecessary.

Edit: To give an example: The Joker in the film didn't at all feel like the Joker we dealt with. To me, the Joker in the film probably couldn't care less about the sort of things that took place in the virals. I dunno. It's like they got Ledger's character all wrong. But I suppose that'll happen when things such as these take place.

Anyone know what I mean there?
-WsS?

I agree. Watching the movie I loved all the little references, like the line "We're like sitting ducks!", but it made me realize that sadly, the Joker of the film wouldn't have wasted his time creating the Sitting Ducks game...

That being said, the movie was far and away the most amazing comic film (and heck, one of the best crime films too) I've ever seen and the virals where a blast, but in the end the virals felt tacked on.

Yeah, it was cool to say to my friend, "Hey, the judge that blew up real good...yeah, I voted her into office." But ultimately, said friend didn't care, and honestly, neither did I...

 

[Majic Walrus]

They had to be two stand alone entities. It would have been ridiculous to make having participated in the virals a necessity to understanding the movie, given that about 98% of the attendees had probably never seen a viral site. The first wave of people would have walked out of the theater wondering "what was that all about?" and told everyone else that while there were some good fights, they could not understand the plot or who these dead people were they kept referring to.
The movie also could not digress into explaining stuff that happened to the viral, they had their hands full just giving us the story they did.
The virals were unnecessary in a manner of speaking. They could have used the budget for them for traditional advertising and done alright that way to. But they tried a different approach here (not their only apporach as evidenced by all the product tie-ins and traditional advertisements) and what they were after I think was "buzz". They wanted the general public to know that there was something up, that there was more going on than just another movie - and it did not matter if the general public knew exactly what it was. Sometimes it is enough to know that there is something different going on, even if you don't know exactly what. Like the Matrix - even before people went to the movie they knew there was something different about the special effects (they were "cool"), but it was not something they knew every specific about. Even after watching the movie it was difficult to explain the effects to someone that had not seen it.

I agree.

I think it's important to point out that the virals themselves were what made us participate in the virals. We didn't have to participate in the virals to enjoy the movie and we didn't have to enjoy the movie to have enjoyed the virals.

They are two seperate things that are only loosely connected as far as plot or story is concerned.

 

[Why So Serious?]

That wasn't my point at all. What I'm saying is that the characters, specifically the Joker, didn't feel at all like the same person Ledger portrayed. To me, Ledger's Joker couldn't have cared less about most of the things he orchestrated in the virals.

And I'd have to strongly disagree when you say they were only "loosely" connected. We dealt with the exact same characters from the film. But after seeing the film, they honestly seemed nothing like their viral counterparts and vice versa.

Don't get me wrong. I thoroughly enjoyed the virals. But, as Robbie said, after seeing the film, they definitely felt tacked on.

-WsS?

 

[Majic Walrus]

I see how you would feel that way. I don't feel that they were tacked on but I see how the character of the Joker can feel different from the movie to the viral.

But I submit this. The Joker did Jokerize an issue of The Gotham Times. He also used clues on the playing card to identify his next victims. And obviously several key phrases "Why So Serious?", "And here we go" etc were used in the film. And he was unpredictable just like in the movie.

I always pictured the events as such; The Joker surfaces but only within the underworld. Only within a small collection of people. He's not well known but he is here. He's setting up a chain reaction of chaos. That's what happened in the virals... The movie was just the rest of his plan unfolding. It didn't necessarily have to enhance the movie in any way to still be valid.

I can see how you would disagree when I say they were loosely connected, but what I meant by that is only that the plots were loosely connected. They were the same characters definately but the viral was about as connected to TDK as Batman:GK was. Some of the same people in the same place, but not part of the same story.

The viral events were connected to the movie but I don't think 42E and WB ever intended for them to fit so tightly together with the movie that they would run the risk of alienating a huge percent of the people that weren't involved.

 

[3eyes]

I think that they were both good in their own way. I have never cared about a movie as much as The Dark Knight and that can only be attributed to the viral campaign. I liked that the viral campaign gave me a sense of what had already happened and I was able to notice the references to the viral campaign in the movie. Also, the viral campaign gave such a good glimpse of how the citizens of Gotham perceive Batman.

 

[fixit]

i think that the viral was more of a go between from batman to the dark knight both stand alone but tie in with each other

 

[Why So Serious?]

Also, the viral campaign gave such a good glimpse of how the citizens of Gotham perceive Batman.

Actually.... If anything, the virals painted them as a semi-noble group that existed to show public support for Batman. Then as soon as they showed up on screen Nolan showed them as the complete morons that they were originally intended to be.

-WsS?

 

[Andrizzle]

Actually.... If anything, the virals painted them as a semi-noble group that existed to show public support for Batman. Then as soon as they showed up on screen Nolan showed them as the complete morons that they were originally intended to be.

-WsS?

I think 42 actually gave us an out here...

Per GCN:

According to one GPD official, the Gotham Defense League is "a bunch of radical mavericks who think they know better than the police. They are would-be thugs who are going to get themselves and innocent people killed. These people are terrorists in my opinion.""

There is CFB, the non-vigilante group of batman supporters who lobbied for Prop D, and then there is the fringe idiot movement, "GDL."

...at least that is what I tell myself when I wear my CFB shirt.

 

[michephantom]

The internet virals gave me entertainment for a year, and created my intense longing to see the Dark Knight. I would have wanted to see it as soon as I saw the first preveiw, but the virals made me soo excited.

What MAY have spoiled the movie a bit is hanging around SHH and looking at all the clips and such (I'm weak-willed). Everything would have been a bit fresher if I hadn't watched those clips over and over (like the party scene).

 

[Ziggyman]

The internet virals gave me entertainment for a year, and created my intense longing to see the Dark Knight. I would have wanted to see it as soon as I saw the first preveiw, but the virals made me soo excited.

What MAY have spoiled the movie a bit is hanging around SHH and looking at all the clips and such (I'm weak-willed). Everything would have been a bit fresher if I hadn't watched those clips over and over (like the party scene).

Totally agree with you there! But it's fun spoiling yourself...Especially on all things TDK related!

 

[mmxvi]

I like that we have our own special connection to the movie that maybe the "masses" don't have- we were all gonna seee the movie anyway, but we all had a lot more fun than everyone else until it premiered

 

[Robbie]

There is CFB, the non-vigilante group of batman supporters who lobbied for Prop D, and then there is the fringe idiot movement, "GDL."

...at least that is what I tell myself when I wear my CFB shirt.

Nice, I was looking for a way to validate wearing my shirt again. I walked out of the theater from Kicking and Screening wearing my CFB shirt (and with my CFB Pizza mask in hand) feeling embarrassed and ashamed.

You've restored my faith, thanks man!

 

[crAziemutant]

Edit: To give an example: The Joker in the film didn't at all feel like the Joker we dealt with. To me, the Joker in the film probably couldn't care less about the sort of things that took place in the virals. I dunno. It's like they got Ledger's character all wrong. But I suppose that'll happen when things such as these take place.

Anyone know what I mean there?

-WsS?

yea, i'm with you. to me, i feel that the Joker from the virals were more about fun and games. but the Joker in the movie, felt way more agressive and had one goal, to make a mess of everything. in the virals, he was just having some fun. so i'm with you when you say the viral joker didn't match with the movie joker.

 

[wwmanman]

TDK lived up to the hype...but you should have added a 3rd choice...both the viral campaign and movie were equally great

 

[funkycrime91]

Well I did love the "Gotham White Knight" reference to Dent. I totally called that out and told my friend he was like "wha?". But yes they seem to loose. Cloverfield did better with tying in the viral to the movie, I believe the Joker in the film was a user, so why would he acknowledge our help. If you catch my drift?

 

[The Caped Knight]

So...What was better...All the virals that lead up to the movie or the movie itself...The Dark Knight?

IMO I loved both .

 

[Quinzel]

I loved the whole trip.

I personally hope that at next Comic Con, they have riddler or mad hatter or two face clues or something signaling a new ARG.
But i doubt it.

 

[tuffenoughtoroc]

The virals were phenomenal, the movie was phenomenal, 'nough said.

 

[Ziggyman]

The virals were phenomenal, the movie was phenomenal, 'nough said.

Equal...? It's a tough decision!

 

[Quinzel]

The Viral in it's awesomeness, kept us going until the movie in it's awesomeness.

So there. haha.

 

[harleyquinn19]

While I can see where some people would think that the virals had nothing to do with the movie, I like to look at it this way...

I feel like the virals gave us a glimpse at things that were giong on leading up to and during the movie that we just didn't see in the actual film itself. It made me feel like we knew something everyone else didn't. As soon as Brian said his name, we all knew exactly who it was, and we all reacted. While the movie itself may not have been chock full o' viral crap, it was most of the stuff leading up to the actions in the film that we took part in, which would make sense, seeing as the virals were, in fact, before the film. We "put Harvey in office" (Even though come on, that election was SO rigged), we knew what was going down with the CFB, we knew where those buses were headed when the Joker left the bank, things like that.

As far as wearing my CFB shirt, I like it. I think the whole thing is pretty damn funny. I'll still gladly wear it with pride and say "Yep, i'm one of THOSE!".