The Dark Knight The many faces of the Joker. Which is the "real" one?

[Dark Sentinel]

i agree with BatMite, UF. i too have always had an optimistic outlook on the Joker's portrayal in TDK, permawhite or not

 

[I am a Guthrie]

maybe he wears make-up in part of the movie then he gets dropped into chemicals that makes his make-up stay? maybs?

 

[MiniBond]

maybe he wears make-up in part of the movie then he gets dropped into chemicals that makes his make-up stay? maybs?

I don"'t think there's gonna ba any chemical thing ! I'm sure of the contrary actually !

 

[Knightsaber Priss]

You know, I'm guessing all of our talk and contemplations is what Nolan wants us to do. He wants to keep us guessing all the time so that we will be hopefully pleasantly surprised with the finished product.

 

[bkey]

I don"'t think there's gonna ba any chemical thing ! I'm sure of the contrary actually !

I don't think there will be a "chemical bath" origin for the Joker or his looks. I think he wears make up, but there is something else going on behind it. One can't deny that his appearance changes from picture to picture, and its not just his makeup. I think something is going on that we don't know yet.

 

[Izzy_23]

You know, I'm guessing all of our talk and contemplations is what Nolan wants us to do. He wants to keep us guessing all the time so that we will be hopefully pleasantly surprised with the finished product.

Agreed. It's a good thing were getting the Prologue. That will give us a idea of what were in for.

 

[MiniBond]

I don't think there will be a "chemical bath" origin for the Joker or his looks. I think he wears make up, but there is something else going on behind it. One can't deny that his appearance changes from picture to picture, and its not just his makeup. I think something is going on that we don't know yet.

Yeah....maybe ! I really wonder why he looks so wrinkled in the last one !

 

[CrashNburn]

i think he'll go through some changes throughout the movie somehow...in regards to his face. that's why it looks different

 

[jtstriker155]

First time poster but being in the Television World for my job, the last pic of Heath we got will most likely be what he looks like, or well the closest to it.

The film will be shot through filters and such (much like the first one was). So whatever photos you saw before of Heath probably aren't going to be what he looks like. Post production will go a long way to making this movie look different than what you would see on set.

Yea there is probably lighting and stuff like that they do on set but most of it will be post production.

 

[Nivek]

Is the river that runs through Gotham in this movie called De'Nile?

Guys... its make-up, just make-up, no permawhite. This isn't even funny anymore. We have a freaking picture of the Joker with half wiped off Pancake make-up where you seen flesh-tone clear as day.

He doesn't evolve, just re-applies his damn make-up. Stupid, but I'll get used to it. You all should deal with it and move on.

 

[sglass03]

In not one of my posts did I say he was "perma-white," or anything remotely like that. I'm not sure why people here get so outraged over speculation, this is a message board after all. I'm just talking about the look of his makeup.

I would prefer he was the ol' traditional Joker from the comics, but him simply wearing makeup wouldn't ruin the film for me. Other people, taking note of Nolan's penchant for secrecy/twists, would like to hope this is all a ruse and Joker is perma-white. They may be totally wrong, but what's wrong with posting about it? Does it merit outrage in reply?

I'm just trying to put together what happens here, and why he looks different from photo to photo. Perhaps it's just lighting, perhaps it's because they weren't settled on a "look" yet when they took the first photo (the close-up one) compared to the other production shots. The newest pic also has that familiar tint to it, suggesting the other production shots are "unfinished," and coloring can do a lot to a look.

But we also know, from the leaked pics, that Joker's makeup runs at some point, and you'd imagine he'd re-apply it. I'm just suggesting he re-applies it differently, or perhaps finds a way to make the look permanent.

 

[-Æ-]

After reading that essay, I think everyone forgets that in 89 Batman the Jokers face was scared also which caused his perma smile also, that the back alley plastic surgeon couldn't fix.

 

[Mr. Socko]

If someone dyes their hair and applies white makeup to their face, it's not going to look the exact same every day. Sometimes he may be in a hurry- does a poor job of dying the hair so the brown roots show, as in the first picture, or other days he may take his time, getting the dye and makeup just perfect, as in the last picture.

Or for the sake of an argument, if he's perma-white, he may evolve throughout the course of the film, appearing more evil and sinister. Although I don't personally believe that one, it would be cool.

 

[gwynplaine]

First time poster but being in the Television World for my job, the last pic of Heath we got will most likely be what he looks like, or well the closest to it.

The film will be shot through filters and such (much like the first one was). So whatever photos you saw before of Heath probably aren't going to be what he looks like. Post production will go a long way to making this movie look different than what you would see on set.

Yea there is probably lighting and stuff like that they do on set but most of it will be post production.

Thanks for the insight and welcome to the hype.

 

[TheBatman072]

Why is this so important to you that the Joker has a permawhite skin? Does that add depth to the character? I don't think so. it's just a story of being faithful to the comic book. Well, in first couple appearances of the Joker in the comics, his skin color wasn't important so it won't have any importance in Nolan's The Dark Knight either. I think you are taking that permawhite thing too seriously, for me it won't add to the character himself or to the storyline.

That's not true at all. Becuase the writers and artists cared about it enough to actually show his torso as being chalk white, and the fact that he actually wears flesh-colored make-up over white skin in a disguise. IN his first couple of appearances.

So yeah, not true at all.

 

[kirbyfan]

Here's my two cents, I don't like the look of Nolans Joker at all! I want the classic comic book Joker.

They should of cast someone that looks like the joker, Willem Dafoe, or that guy from the Willard movie, Heath Ledger just isn't doing it for me.

This will probably be a great movie, but this guy looks nothing like the joker.

 

[the_monk]

Willem Dafoe hammed it up to no end in Spiderman. I really don't think he'd fit in Nolan's world at all. And Crispin Glover is seriously opposed to big budget Hollywood movies so he would never do it anyway.

/end argument

 

[TheBatman072]

Willem Dafoe hammed it up to no end in Spiderman. I really don't think he'd fit in Nolan's world at all. And Crispin Glover is seriously opposed to big budget Hollywood movies so he would never do it anyway.

/end argument

Heh. Like he has the CHOICE.

 

[Joe-ker]

After reading over the last few pages, I don't think it was the intention of this thread to drag us all back through the 'mud' of the 'perma-white' debate. I think, in fact, the question asked in the thread title is prudent and pretty interesting. The Joker does seem to have at least noticeable differences in each of the shots we've seen.

My answer? The same as many others have given. If you apply makeup every day, chances are, it's going to look different from day to day... at least slightly. Combine that with differences in lighting, photography, differences in actual stage makeup, and the fact that perhaps Nolan's ideas for the look have changed a little since the first photo was released and I think we have our answer. I don't think there's any grand design behind the change in look other than the director trying to get across the idea of the literal insanity with which the Joker applies his makeup... and perhaps asthetically accent the mood or state of mind of the character at certain points. Just my opinion.

 

[Devan]

Back...and to the left.

 

[Joe-ker]

Back...and to the left.

LOL!!!!

 

[KILLING JOKER]

The released pics do show a different kind of Joker each time. The permawhite debate is bound to come up here because we're talking about why he looks different. It could go one way or the other. I'm a permawhite fan myself. It's creepy, it's always been there and I don't think it's too unrealistic to be in the movie.

Either Nolan will have a great explanation for the Jokers appearance and at the end of the movie we'll be completely satisfied or he'll just splatter on make up and that, for me anyways, will be a bitter pill no matter how it's presented.

As far as the released pics the last one has certainly been the coolest.

 

[Chucktallica101]

i agree with BatMite, UF. i too have always had an optimistic outlook on the Joker's portrayal in TDK, permawhite or not

Agreed....

BTW...AUGUST BURNS RED is a crappy knock off of AFTER THE BURIAL.

 

[Joe-ker]

I certainly don't mean to offend any 'perma-white' fans... I'm just suggesting that all that can be said on the subject has been said. We've got a whole 'billion page' thread devoted to it. Joker's change in appearance COULD be, although linked, a seperate issue.

 

[Ravster]

The latest pic looks the 'real' Joker to me.