The Dark Knight The Man Who Laughs: The Joker Thread 2.0

[ronny]

So Chris Nolan approached Heath about Joker?I though it was the other way around..... And does anyone else find it interesting that he didnt really read much of the comics but yet he was able to do such a good Joker..

No, that doesn't surprise me one little bit.
In fact, his lack of appreciation for the comics only made his performance better. Because he took it on as an acting role.
Some people would get the Joker and say "I'm in a comic book movie, let's ham it up".
They'd patronisingly read the material and then make a mockery of it.
But Ledger approached it with total seriousness, not as a fan but as a professional doing a job. And I think that detachment added to what we saw in The Dark Knight.

 

[johnlennon696]

Everyone knows how Michael Caine spoke of how Ledger would be talking and realxing during shooting breaks and that the moment the camera rolled he would just stand up and be this different person, and how much that shocked Caine... I didn't really think to much about that until I saw two things.

One that spy footage of Ledger speaking with filmakers as they are filming the Joker riding in the back of the truck. You can see that its just him, standing up straight, laughing and talking with others.

And then the scene where the Joker crashes harvey's fund raiser. You seen Caine in the background backing up as the joker enters the room with the shotgun... and it just feels like a legitimate reaction... Michael Caine is literally thinking WTF is going on? Who the hell is that??? HEATH???

It just really hit home with me today as I was rewatching those two videos. Especially Ledger relaxing in the spy vid, he's standing tall, no predatory slouch, no tics no twitching, hes focused sure, but its him and then WHAM...

I highly suggest people to go watch those videos side by side. Truly amazing. And please stop posting imitations of the Joker on youtube, for your own sake, not ours.

,

?

Any links to these 'Spy' vids?

 

[regwec]

No, that doesn't surprise me one little bit.
In fact, his lack of appreciation for the comics only made his performance better. Because he took it on as an acting role.
Some people would get the Joker and say "I'm in a comic book movie, let's ham it up".
They'd patronisingly read the material and then make a mockery of it.
But Ledger approached it with total seriousness, not as a fan but as a professional doing a job. And I think that detachment added to what we saw in The Dark Knight.

It worked because the Nolan's did the research and that side of the job for Heath.

Heath's performance was indisputably brilliant, but I do think there needs to be a fair assessment of how much credit is due to him and to others for the way the character finally appeared on screen.

This effects the plausibility of the role being recast, as well. Some people always object that Heath's Joker was unique, and visionary, and that no other actor could match it. But the role, as it was handed to him, was a gift- a golden opportunity for him to showcase his talent. Another actor, in a Chris Nolan movie with a script penned by Jonah, stands a good chance.

 

[Ace of Knaves]

yea Heath obviously put in a monumental performance, theres no doubting that. but the Nolans deserve alot of credit too.

 

[DieSmiling]

This effects the plausibility of the role being recast, as well. Some people always object that Heath's Joker was unique, and visionary, and that no other actor could match it. But the role, as it was handed to him, was a gift- a golden opportunity for him to showcase his talent. Another actor, in a Chris Nolan movie with a script penned by Jonah, stands a good chance.

Couldn't agree more.

 

[shapeshifter]

No, that doesn't surprise me one little bit.
In fact, his lack of appreciation for the comics only made his performance better. Because he took it on as an acting role.
Some people would get the Joker and say "I'm in a comic book movie, let's ham it up".
They'd patronisingly read the material and then make a mockery of it.
But Ledger approached it with total seriousness, not as a fan but as a professional doing a job. And I think that detachment added to what we saw in The Dark Knight.

I agree
if you had a serious comic fan in the role you would have ended up with a train wreak like "Patient J"
*shudders*

 

[p4poetic]

Everyone knows how Michael Caine spoke of how Ledger would be talking and realxing during shooting breaks and that the moment the camera rolled he would just stand up and be this different person, and how much that shocked Caine... I didn't really think to much about that until I saw two things.

One that spy footage of Ledger speaking with filmakers as they are filming the Joker riding in the back of the truck. You can see that its just him, standing up straight, laughing and talking with others.

And then the scene where the Joker crashes harvey's fund raiser. You seen Caine in the background backing up as the joker enters the room with the shotgun... and it just feels like a legitimate reaction... Michael Caine is literally thinking WTF is going on? Who the hell is that??? HEATH???

It just really hit home with me today as I was rewatching those two videos. Especially Ledger relaxing in the spy vid, he's standing tall, no predatory slouch, no tics no twitching, hes focused sure, but its him and then WHAM...

I highly suggest people to go watch those videos side by side. Truly amazing. And please stop posting imitations of the Joker on youtube, for your own sake, not ours.

,

?

Please do share! I saw screen captures and I've wanted to watch the clips ever since.

 

[The ?]

Uh, the clips are on youtube, you guys have probably seen these.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0-Skvzil8k
this is the spy footage, the other clip was posted by the superherohype and yeah
watch them side by side, because one is heath in makeup and being himself and the other is just, well its the film, so its great to watch them both one after another.

,

?

 

[SPIDERMAN117]

Uh, the clips are on youtube, you guys have probably seen these.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0-Skvzil8k
this is the spy footage, the other clip was posted by the superherohype and yeah
watch them side by side, because one is heath in makeup and being himself and the other is just, well its the film, so its great to watch them both one after another.

,

?

Hopefully we see some behind the scenes with him on the skateboard

 

[sv2]

Check this video out at 3:40, Mark Hammil doing the Joker voice in person t:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqSXB4iG4-I

 

[The Caped Knight]

Andre@s back from his Vacation , and with that he's brought with him new pics of THE CLOWN PRINCE OF CRIME . enjoy

 

[The Caped Knight]

 

[The Joker]

Jesus, those pics are incredible. I love the one of Joker dangling upside down.

 

[Beanjuice]

omgi love your avy lol

 

[TheDarkVictory]

It worked because the Nolan's did the research and that side of the job for Heath.

Heath's performance was indisputably brilliant, but I do think there needs to be a fair assessment of how much credit is due to him and to others for the way the character finally appeared on screen.

This effects the plausibility of the role being recast, as well. Some people always object that Heath's Joker was unique, and visionary, and that no other actor could match it. But the role, as it was handed to him, was a gift- a golden opportunity for him to showcase his talent. Another actor, in a Chris Nolan movie with a script penned by Jonah, stands a good chance.

i kind of disagree about the last part, to be honest. from what i've read, heath was brought on before the script had even been written, and had a very big hand in crafting the portrayal of the joker. he came up with the look and the voice, which are two very huge things. who else would have thought to have the joker talk like a ventriloquist dummy? the fact that he holed himself up in a hotel and wrote a joker diary speaks to how much he created.

yes, the role was impeccably written but we can't be sure how much of that may have been heath's input along with the nolan's. plus, a lot of the wonderful little joker moments aren't even in the script and were on set improvisations. so yeah, it was sort of a gift, but it was like...a christmas present for himself that he also wrapped.

i could be wrong, though, but if i recall a few interviews with nolan and heath both backed up that he was cast before the script...but maybe i just made that up?

also, sorry if this comes across as rant-y, i'm just one of those anti-recasting folks, i guess. i think deep down i know someone else could probably do it, but i'd much prefer they just let it be.

 

[Symbiotic]

Smiling really is contagious. The new one of him sitting in the cell grinning made me do the same.

 

[TheDarkVictory]

Smiling really is contagious. They new one of him of him sitting in the cell grinning made me do the same.

i love that picture, and that moment in the film, how he just kind of chuckles to himself and sort of rolls his eyes. that picture of him falling though is like my new favorite, i just love the look of glee on his face.

 

[Toxin72]

All these new pics were just added to the joker myspace page. Did WB make it or is it a fan page?

 

[The Caped Knight]

Check this video out at 3:40, Mark Hamill doing the Joker voice in person t:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqSXB4iG4-I

Whoa !!!! That's awesome , I wish the best of luck to Hamill on his movie being a Successful hit .

 

[Rorschach II]

That's a shame really, because, along with 1989 and the here and now, it marks one of the periods during which Batman had a massive bearing on the public perception, and a huge fan base.

I can accept the old 1960s series for what it is; a lighthearted and jaunty echo of the themes within the comics at the time. Some of the performances remain very strong- there is little likelihood that The Penguin would have remained an A list rogue, appearing as the priciple antagoinist in a movie over 20 years later, if it was not for Burgess Meredith, for example.

I also read somewhere that it was Romero who gave Joker his hyena laugh. He was always themed on a clown, of course, but he never had "HA HA HA" written everywhere on the page when he appeared in the comic books until Romero came along. After that, the Joker laughing ludicrously became the status quo.

 

[johnlennon696]

Awesome Joker images, great stuff!!

 

[Uber Venom]

His fingernails are long.

 

[p4poetic]

Uh, the clips are on youtube, you guys have probably seen these.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0-Skvzil8k
this is the spy footage, the other clip was posted by the superherohype and yeah
watch them side by side, because one is heath in makeup and being himself and the other is just, well its the film, so its great to watch them both one after another.

,

?

1:07
That shot there reminds me of Beetlejuice t:

 

[p4poetic]

I also read somewhere that it was Romero who gave Joker his hyena laugh. He was always themed on a clown, of course, but he never had "HA HA HA" written everywhere on the page when he appeared in the comic books until Romero came along. After that, the Joker laughing ludicrously became the status quo.

I love how Romero's henchmen names were Ha, He and Ho.

 

[Anita18]

Hopefully we see some behind the scenes with him on the skateboard

Bahahaha they're filming him with the IMAX camera. How utterly awesome.

I'd bet it was for a test though, since other people on set don't seem to care all that much.

It's neat to watch Heath out of character in the Joker makeup, since the Joker is different from who he really is, even posture-wise.