The Dark Knight TDK Nearly Upon Us: A SHH Reflection Thread

[Hole Shot]

the "Joker wears a mask" interviews that confused so many.

I remember the theory that he wore a mask that somehow bonded to his face permanently.

 

[Watson]

albuquerque


that is all.

BWHAHAHAHA. Yes I remember much rage directed at alberquerque that day.

I was gonna say. We've certainly come up with our own lexicons here! "Permawhite," "Albuquerque," "teh puffy"....."hippos"....

I remember being here from the beginning, when the first image of Heath as Joker came down, but I managed to somehow miss the whole SDCC funness cmad. I don't really recall Rory the pumpkin, I suppose I just checked in every now and again to see if things changed.

And then I got sick of people asking the same questions again and again in the Mausoleum game so I edited the Wiki page for it and went, "HEY GUYS GO HERE!" and voila! My online notoriety was born. And it's got me sucked into the vortex, because I spend more time here or on the Wiki way more than I do at work. I have such a love/hate relationship with the ARG now. I hate how obsessed I am (and how much time I waste!) with cataloging everything, but I love it so

This is the first time I've been this into a film before it came out, watching how it all went down. Most of it has to do with the ARG, cause I figure there are only so many permawhite/suit/Joker discussions I can take before I go, "Eh, I'll just wait and see!"

It's been a seriously fun ride, guys. Thanks for the memories.

Aw, Anita . You and some of the other loungers are what made me stick around this place in the beginning. Thank you for all the hard work.


As for my memories...I would have to say the standout was actually getting to particpate in a real life TDK scavenger hunt in Toronto, and chasing the WB ninja around and cutting off rush hour traffic on University Ave. Great fun

I love the in jokes (Czech Gang member #5, Falafel Guy), I love the debates even when they went crazily out of hand (permawhite vs. make-up, the new Batsuit vs. a good sense of style). But mostly the reports, and finding a place to vent my comics/Batman obssesion.


I feel like we're all graduating high school and signing everyone's yearbook . Keep in touch! See you next Batman film!

 

[StillTheKing]

Does anyone remember (I dont think it's been mentioned) when someone said they bootlegged the wizard world footage and said they would upload it in a day or two, and he rick rolled everyone? Then some guy recorded himself saying he had his address and was going to go to his house and then you could hear him playing with a gun. Pretty creepy stuff.

 

[TheBatman072]

Does anyone remember (I dont think it's been mentioned) when someone said they bootlegged the wizard world footage and said they would upload it in a day or two, and he rick rolled everyone? Then some guy recorded himself saying he had his address and was going to go to his house and then you could hear him playing with a gun. Pretty creepy stuff.

I remember that.


Funny stuff.

 

[CFE]

I actually got a PM to re-post my retrospective, so for anyone who missed it...here it is:

-----------

Well here we are...hard to believe the ride it's been.

Despite "Batman Begins" succeeding in resurrecting the franchise and character, one thing was certain...for all fans, eyes were pointed to the future. To the imminent sequel.

First there were the rumors that flew.

It would be called "Batman Continues"
Penguin and Black Mask will be featured...
Who could possibly play the Joker?

The names came soon after.

Adrien Brody, Crispin Glover, Paul Bettany...until finally.

HEATH LEDGER.

At first, most were skeptical. Could the guy from "A Knights Tale" and "10 Things I Hate About You" make any sort of impact on the level of Nicholson?

Only time would tell...and tell it did.

The odyssey of production was a long one. A journey where anything could happen, and it most often is the case with films inas much anticipation as this particular one.

First there was the Viral Marketing:

WHY SO SERIOUS?

We collectively held our breaths during the Scavenger Hunt at Comic Con 07 as Jokers all painted up roamed the streets while we found clues online and through phone numbers and AIM (Yep, I started that giant IM experiment...great fun lol).

And we were rewarded with the most teasing Teaser trailer EVER:

[YT]UWw0ov-cAUg[/YT]

We watched in pain staking agony as a little Pumpkin baptized as 'Rory' decomposed more and more as each day passed.

We longed for the Joker to appear so we could "See Him In December."

Then "I Am Legend" hit...and no one could care less about the exploits of Will Smith:

[YT]WaIR9dAZRR0[/YT]

Through it all, the discussions increased in quantity, if not all together quality...

The New Batsuit

"It's so cool!"
"It's too busy!"
"It looks like Robocop!"
"Wait until it's lit in the film!"

The Bat-Pod

"What the heck?"
"Totally Bad Ass!"
"No way that thing could work in the real world!"
"I WANT ONE!"

Aaron Eckhart

"What a great choice!"
"I Loved 'Thank You For Smoking!"
"Harvey Dent isn't Blonde!"
"What's his Two-Face going to look like!"

and of course...

...

"THANK GOD!!!"

------

Throughout the months, we waited and we watched. Through it all we were given incredible posters, tantalizing clips, one amazing TV Spot after another...and a plethora of dialogue...making it one of the most quotable Batman films...and it wasn't even released yet:

"This town deserves a better class of criminal...and I'm gonna give it to them!"

"A little fight in ya...I like THAT."
"Then you're gonna love me!"

"WHY SO SERIOUS!"

"Any psychotic ex boyfriends I should be aware of?"
"Oh you have no idea..."

"I Believe in Harvey Dent."

"I'm a man of my word!"

"Never start with the head, the victim get's all fuzzy!"

"When the chips are down...these civilized people will eat each other!"

"I've seen now what I have to become to stop men like him."

"I was meant to inspire good...NOT madness..."

"Don't make me your only hope for a normal life."

"To them...you're just a freak. LIKE ME!"

---------------

We also endured tragedy...loss had been present on the set of the film, but the loss of Heath was a significant one. To this day, and with the release of the film, it's hard to remember that he's ultimately gone despite the anticipation to see him on the screen in a role that has unanimously been praised for its bold viceralness and imaginative portrayal. But he will forever live on through the legacy of Nolan's Batman universe and in our hearts as a milestone in the elaborate history of the Joker character for years to come.

-----------

All in all we've been through a lot on this particular production.

From cluttered Batsuits to obnoxiously slow pumpkins...From the "Perma-White" arguement to more digital timers and global coordinates than you can shake the Bank Managers shotgun at...

From a 'Calling Card' in the final scene of "Begins" to July 18th ... the ride has certainly been one to remember.

And as a proud member of the Super Hero Hype I will say only this.

It has been an privelege...and an honor to follow the creation of this dazzling comic book spectacle with the finest Batman fans I've ever known on and off the internet. You all are a truly unique breed of fan, and I cherish every day I can follow this crazy world of comic book movies with each and every one of you.

----

TDK...FTW

Let's hope the ride for "BB3" is just as enjoyable...if not more so!

CFE

 

[TLH]

All I remember distinctly were a bunch of paranoid people who said Ledger would suck as the Joker. Now we're all essentially bowing to his performance even though we have yet to see it in its entirety.

 

[deathfromabove]

brings a tear to my eye

 

[Nepenthes]

the first picture of Joker was the back of his head, taken through a window

 

[Anita18]

the first picture of Joker was the back of his head, taken through a window

Ah, yes. Those were the days.

 

[Shingato]

I remember the confusion that ensued over the first teaser that was supposedly attached to The Simpsons Movie, but only for some theaters.

 

[Commodore Schmidlapp]

Oh god, when people thought the second trailer was on 10,000 BC.

 

[Hole Shot]

Or how about all the random actresses that were casted to play bimbo number _____ to hang on Bruce's arm and people would be like

OMGZ TEH HARLEY QUINN!!!!!!!

 

[Anita18]

Or the Superbowl spot that never came!

..it don't look like TDK needed it now, actually...

 

[Commodore Schmidlapp]

I remember racing to downtown Cleveland to retrieve a cake, only to be beat to it by mere seconds.

 

[Hole Shot]

I remember racing to downtown Cleveland to retrieve a cake, only to be beat to it by mere seconds.

I remember running around downtown San Diego in Joker make-up hoping to god no one I work with or was trying sleep with saw me. But still had a blast and then walked into a WB focus group for Gotham Knight to which I spent the whole time telling them how much their cartoons suck nowadays (even though I never watch them). And then I stole their staffs' lemon bars.

And then I took the money from the focus group and went drinking in Gaslamp before going back to comic con and I met a friendly guy at the bar who was in town for the con and him I talked comics, bought eachother rounds and then he relieved his sexual preference to me

 

[Excel]

Boys...raise em. A toast.

To the journey of TDK.

May the journey following Batman 3 be just as rewarding as this past one

 

[Superhobo]

Ah, raging over the injustice that is the new Batsuit.


Those were satisfying debates, I say.

 

[ThePunchLine]

I remember that dodgy website, badtaste.it, saying the trailer will hit on the weekend, and it never did. everyone got pissed off, but then they were like...oh yeah....who is this website to pull any credible date for the trailer's release?

i also remember the fake dodgy scripts which were just hashings of spoiler tid bits.

 

[Nepenthes]

there was a time when people were actually debating whether the Joker should wear purple or not

Miranda's casting sides were the first big sign of how big this movie would be, of all the thematic elements involved

 

[wootbaby]

Ah memories!

I remember that one night sitting on my ass in front of the computer typing this or that and reading about something on the internets... What highs! What lows! What emotions!

Or the other night sitting on my ass in front of the computer. Or that other night! The messages I read I tell you! The messages I read, there will never again be kin to such glory! Truly it was glorious. Furiously typing this or that trying to get my opinions out into the internets! Knowing it wouldn't make one iota of difference to how the movie would turn out but knowing in MY HEART that just to type my opinion was the most important thing in the world

Should the joker wear makeup??? THAT was a topic truly that THEY tried to stop discussion on but WE refused to be intimidated. What was up with the batpod? ANOTHER truly heroic discussion. Organic webshooters? Clone troopers? Kobe>Jordan???? THEY tried to stop us be WE the HEROES knew it must be discussed!

So as the movie approaches... cheers MEN! WE did our part (typing) Nolan did his part (writing, casting, directing, editing, thinking, breathing, living)... TOGETHER we did it! Congrats and see you at Batman 3

 

[Bond]

Boys...raise em. A toast.

To the journey of TDK.

May the journey following Batman 3 be just as rewarding as this past one

It will be hard to top this journey. It was truly fun, and I will never forget it. I miss the people who were a part of it that don't post here anymore, and it's fun to see the people who still are here. Cheers.

 

[raxor]

It will be hard to top this journey. It was truly fun, and I will never forget it. I miss the people who were a part of it that don't post here anymore, and it's fun to see the people who still are here. Cheers.

The journey is not going to end my friends.. it's just going to begin.. We'll have a lot to discuss once the movie comes out..

 

[TheBatman072]

It's been a hell of a ride ladies and gentlemen.

To all those footsoldiers who were on the ground live.

To all those on the internet braintrusts gathering the clues for the footsoldiers.

To those of us who couldn't participate in much of anything, even though we wished we could.

To everyone at 42 Entertainment. Thanks for caring so much about the little details and for keeping us from killing each other from boredom.

To the crew of The Dark Knight. From the lowly grip to Mister Nolan himself. Thank you all for crafting such a superb film for everyone to enjoy.

To the cast of The Dark Knight. Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman, Aaron Eckhart, Maggie Gyllenhaal and to all the rest of them. Thanks for bringing your immense talent to this project and treating it with the respect it deserves.

And finally, to Heath Ledger. Thank you, sir, for giving us something very special. For giving everything you had and everything you were to this performance and making it your own, while simultaneously giving us the live-action interpretation of our favorite villain we've all been craving for so long. Thank you. So much.

 

[OctaviusINC]

I must say this board has gotten me amped up for such previous films as the Spider-man Films, and Batman Begins, but NOTHING tops The Dark Knight.

I've done things for this movie that I've never done with ANY other film. I waited in line at Wizard World to be one of the 1st to see footage. I snuck on a set and tried to steal stuff. I skipped school to sit in line at Navy Pier for 7 hours to see the 8 minute prologue. I spent countless amounts of money into making a Joker costume. I devoted countless hours making TDK artwork and manips. I spent an UNGODLY amount of time on these boards. Geez, I even wrote a song only using words from the second trailer(which I've seen at least 60,000 times).

Every little interview, tv spot, review, picture(leaked or not), article, whatever, I devoured it. Who knows how much hair I pulled out of my head while posting in that treacherous "TeH PErmAwHiTez?" thread or "Teh PuFfy" discussions.

I just came back tonight from the CFB meeting, and realized I really cannot wait for this film. Viewing it will be heart attack inducing. This is probably the only film that I've followed extremely extremely closely close since the beginning. But I got some great viral swag out of it and awesome experiences.

The only experience left?

TO SEE THE DARK KNIGHT.

Geez, I've been waiting to say that for over a year.

 

[ThePunchLine]

Pretty crazy stuff. Never have i followed a movie development so closely. I wasnt on board for the full run though. I saw the link on aint it cool news to the teaser trailer and after hearing the joker's voice, i knew i had to follow this movie's developments right to the very end- knowing with Nolan at the helm this is going to be something extraordinary.