The Dark Knight So what did Mr. Nicholson think of Ledger's Mr. J?

[Zmoker]

Anybody come by any quotes, or know if he's seen it?

Would be interested to hear them, especially since Jack was originally alleged to have thrown his toys out of the pram when he wasn't recast.

 

[CaptainClown]

there is an article in which he praises Heaths performance saying something like " I couldn't take my eyes off the screen" I am too lazy to look for it.

 

[Zmoker]

Okay first person to find and post that interview wins, er .... well, my love and respect.

 

[TLH]

Jack probably slept through the movie. He tends to do that sort of thing.

 

[Phoenix2088]

This is the guy that said he warned Heath for taking the part, which of course he made up and is complete BS. Jack is an asshat. Do people really care what he thinks?

 

[JaD]

This is the guy that said he warned Heath for taking the part, which of course he made up and is complete BS. Jack is an asshat. Do people really care what he thinks?

No he warned him about Ambien pills, and that you had to be very careful with them. I think when people heard him say "I warned him.." They took it out of context, the rest of what he was saying in that video is kind of hard to pick out.

 

[The Demon's Head]

He said Heath took it to another level, and that he couldn't take his eyes off the screen.

 

[CaptainClown]

Ya jack was talking about the sleeping pills not the role. I don't think Jack cared about the Joker role and don't bring up that other interview cause he was definitely joking around.

 

[Zmoker]

Yeah, it was re: the Ambien. All the Nicholson bashing's a little mean to be honest; hope this thread doesn't facilitate that.

Why does Praise for Ledger = slagging for Jack?

Jack gave us a fab and funnier Joker in the context of Burton's flick in 1989 at the height of the Topps bubblegum era when Killing Joke had barely hit the shelves .... Heath gave a great one in the context of a Nolan film post 9/11, twenty years later.

And besides .... Antoine's exit "hot under the collar" is as memorable as death by graphite, and that scene with Jack Palance after dark still scares the s**t out of me as much as any of Ledger's darkest moments.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wotScx3Q7ZY


And where the hell is that interview?

 

[FNSpidey]

Why does Praise for Ledger = slagging for Jack?

I'll never understand that. To this day I can't say for sure which Joker version I prefer (not to mention film). Ledger was fresh and entertaining, but Nicholson was delightful, too, not to mention more faithful to the source. And I'm in absolutely no hurry to label one as better, I'm just satisfied I can enjoy both of their performances.

 

[BatJeff7786]

I'll never understand that. To this day I can't say for sure which Joker version I prefer (not to mention film). Ledger was fresh and entertaining, but Nicholson was delightful, too, not to mention more faithful to the source. And I'm in absolutely no hurry to label one as better, I'm just satisfied I can enjoy both of their performances.

Not necessarily. I'd say both were faithful in some way. Jack's was physically more like the comic, and somewhat in personality (but with a Nicholson twist), whereas Heath's personality and ideals of the character were more rooted in the comics. It's an idea that Nolan has done well for both Ra's Al Ghul and the Joker. Both are altered in some way, but their personalities and ideals are intact.

 

[gwynplaine]

I'll never understand that. To this day I can't say for sure which Joker version I prefer (not to mention film). Ledger was fresh and entertaining, but Nicholson was delightful, too, not to mention more faithful to the source. And I'm in absolutely no hurry to label one as better, I'm just satisfied I can enjoy both of their performances.

To each their own and I respect everyone's taste and opinions but to me a fat, too old, permasmiled Joker who shakes a very large butt to the music of Prince is not necessarly more faithful to the source material.
I think that permawhite aside the Nolans and Ledger captured the spirit of the character much better than Burton and Nicholson. Burton and Nicholson take felt much closer to the 60's TV show while TDK was truly inspired by Batman #1 and 2 as stated numerous time by Nolan and it shows.
Jack Torrance was a much better Joker than Jack Napiert:.

 

[Bat-Mite]

Not necessarily. I'd say both were faithful in some way. Jack's was physically more like the comic, and somewhat in personality (but with a Nicholson twist), whereas Heath's personality and ideals of the character were more rooted in the comics. It's an idea that Nolan has done well for both Ra's Al Ghul and the Joker. Both are altered in some way, but their personalities and ideals are intact.

QFT.

 

[FNSpidey]

Not necessarily. I'd say both were faithful in some way. Jack's was physically more like the comic, and somewhat in personality (but with a Nicholson twist), whereas Heath's personality and ideals of the character were more rooted in the comics. It's an idea that Nolan has done well for both Ra's Al Ghul and the Joker. Both are altered in some way, but their personalities and ideals are intact.

To each their own and I respect everyone's taste and opinions but to me a fat, too old, permasmiled Joker who shakes a very large butt to the music of Prince is not necessarly more faithful to the source material.
I think that permawhite aside the Nolans and Ledger captured the spirit of the character much better than Burton and Nicholson. Burton and Nicholson take felt much closer to the 60's TV show while TDK was truly inspired by Batman #1 and 2 as stated numerous time by Nolan and it shows.
Jack Torrance was a much better Joker than Jack Napiert:.

I was talking faithfulness in terms of how the character acts. Permawhite and all that mean little to me.

Nicholson's Joker really seemed like he was having fun. Whatever he was doing, he was excited. And yes, he did dance to the music of Prince, but he did so preparing to put a permanent death smile to every citizen of Gotham, all during a celebratory parade. It really seems like something the established version of Joker would do.

Heath on the other hand did seem weird, but he didn't look like he was enjoying himself. At times he even seemed bored, not really a defining characteristic of the Joker. I did see glimpses of regular Joker behavior, especially during the interrogation scene, but overall he seemed unenthusiastic (the character, not the actor). Even in Batman #1, the Joker was smiling a lot at what was happening.

I agree with BatJeff7786, though. The ideals and beliefs of the Joker (if you can call them that) are exceptionally spot on in TDK. I could argue that the credit should go to the Nolans in this case, but I'm not. As I said, in the end, both performances are really enjoyable to me. In one case, I could use a little more insight into the Joker's mind, and in the other, I'd like the Joker to be a little more recognizable, but both actors were very entertaining.

 

[CaptainClown]

I think Jack wasn't similar to the joker until artist began drawing Joker like Jack.

 

[CaptainClown]

I was talking faithfulness in terms of how the character acts. Permawhite and all that mean little to me.

Nicholson's Joker really seemed like he was having fun. Whatever he was doing, he was excited. And yes, he did dance to the music of Prince, but he did so preparing to put a permanent death smile to every citizen of Gotham, all during a celebratory parade. It really seems like something the established version of Joker would do.

Heath on the other hand did seem weird, but he didn't look like he was enjoying himself. At times he even seemed bored, not really a defining characteristic of the Joker. I did see glimpses of regular Joker behavior, especially during the interrogation scene, but overall he seemed unenthusiastic (the character, not the actor). Even in Batman #1, the Joker was smiling a lot at what was happening.

I agree with BatJeff7786, though. The ideals and beliefs of the Joker (if you can call them that) are exceptionally spot on in TDK. I could argue that the credit should go to the Nolans in this case, but I'm not. As I said, in the end, both performances are really enjoyable to me. In one case, I could use a little more insight into the Joker's mind, and in the other, I'd like the Joker to be a little more recognizable, but both actors were very entertaining.

Actually i think Heaths Joker was similar to Frank millers Joker in which he was only truly happy when fighting Batman. So in that respect I feel Heaths Joker was just as strong and if not stronger to the comics in that it really brought the "you complete me" relationship with batman

 

[Etienne]

I gotta be honest, I don't really care what Jack has to say about Ledger's performance. I just came in this thread and saw Captain Clown's avatar and I LOVE IT! Aside from Chowder one of the best cartoons on CN.

 

[CaptainClown]

I gotta be honest, I don't really care what Jack has to say about Ledger's performance. I just came in this thread and saw Captain Clown's avatar and I LOVE IT! Aside from Chowder one of the best cartoons on CN.

yours is just as amazing! there are too many to pick. I was thinking of a chowder avvy though.

Also maybe even a hunter gathers post op pic from Venture Bros.

 

[gwynplaine]

I was talking faithfulness in terms of how the character acts. Permawhite and all that mean little to me.

Nicholson's Joker really seemed like he was having fun. Whatever he was doing, he was excited. And yes, he did dance to the music of Prince, but he did so preparing to put a permanent death smile to every citizen of Gotham, all during a celebratory parade. It really seems like something the established version of Joker would do.

Heath on the other hand did seem weird, but he didn't look like he was enjoying himself. At times he even seemed bored, not really a defining characteristic of the Joker. I did see glimpses of regular Joker behavior, especially during the interrogation scene, but overall he seemed unenthusiastic (the character, not the actor). Even in Batman #1, the Joker was smiling a lot at what was happening.

I agree with BatJeff7786, though. The ideals and beliefs of the Joker (if you can call them that) are exceptionally spot on in TDK. I could argue that the credit should go to the Nolans in this case, but I'm not. As I said, in the end, both performances are really enjoyable to me. In one case, I could use a little more insight into the Joker's mind, and in the other, I'd like the Joker to be a little more recognizable, but both actors were very entertaining.

The Joker is a weird character. What I saw with Heath were layers and a wide range of emotions. from joy to ecstasy, from pain to despair, it seemed to me that he covered a very large spectrum of human feelings as opposed to Jack who was always on "11", chewing the scenery and just generally being "Jack". I guess I like my Joker darker and more subtle.
I recommend "the last detail" and " The passenger" and many others (usually before 1980) for some of Nicholson more subtle work.

 

[gwynplaine]

I'd like to add that Mr Ledger also benefitted from a fantastic screenplay which was not really the case for B89. As a batfan I always dreamt of seeing a scene with The Joker and Batman just sitting in front of each other talking philosophical and thanks to the Nolans my wish was granted.
I would also like to add that, just like Captain Clown said, without B89 there probably wouldn't be a TDK, so respect to them.

 

[comic_guy04]

To each their own and I respect everyone's taste and opinions but to me a fat, too old, permasmiled Joker who shakes a very large butt to the music of Prince is not necessarly more faithful to the source material.
I think that permawhite aside the Nolans and Ledger captured the spirit of the character much better than Burton and Nicholson. Burton and Nicholson take felt much closer to the 60's TV show while TDK was truly inspired by Batman #1 and 2 as stated numerous time by Nolan and it shows.
Jack Torrance was a much better Joker than Jack Napiert:.

who the hell is Jack Torrance?

 

[CaptainClown]

who the hell is Jack Torrance?

Jack nicholsons character in the Shining

 

[gwynplaine]

who the hell is Jack Torrance?

The name of the character Jack Nicholson plays in Stanley Kubrick's "The shining".

 

[Jokers_Wild]

To me, Batman '89's Joker doesn't hold a candle to TDK's Joker.

I guess when I watch '89, I see Jack in clown make-up being himself. In TDK, I could see the Joker actually existing as a real character. I didn't see the actor behind the paint. I'm sorry but a method actor like Ledger, took the Joker character and knocked it out of the park with his hard work and research.

 

[comic_guy04]

The name of the character Jack Nicholson plays in Stanley Kubrick's "The shining".

Oh that's right, and I agree that does a seem a little more Joker like and less Jack.