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

[Mastermason]

 

[Puddin]

The big reveal will be the shower scene.
Joker led to the showers and inmates laughing at him, calling him that wannabe clown. The inmates continue to jeer as Joker with his head low heads to the shower and turns it on. Steam fills the room and the water running down the drain with flesh colored make up. Out of the steam comes Joker completely pale white, screaming
"MY NAME IS JOKER, I AM NOBODIES *****. YOU ARE MINE!" the points at the biggest guy there and bashes his face in.

If it really isn't makeup, I think that'd be a really great way of going about the revelation. Still, it all looks like makeup to me, although I'm not going to assume I know everything about what's going on with that situation, and I don't think I will until either Nolan himself gives an official statement (not happening) or I see the film.

 

[Paste Pot Pete]

Nolan has already said that his appearence will change throughout the movie. Your description of the pictures are good but that still doesn't explain other pictures where he looks different. You even think he uses make up to hide what he really looks like and it's been reported from the people in the film as well!

Where and when did he say Joker's appearance would change? I'm not doubting you, I just never heard it. And are you sure he wasn't referring to wardrobe changes? Or disguises (the cop, the bank robbery mask, etc)?

What other pictures are there? The original super close up? Nolan obviously chose to release the most extremely detailed pic of Joker first in order to gauge reactions (if people were okay with the grotesque scars that close up, they would be fine with them in motion). Beyond that, all the pictures look the same, barring (like I said) obscured details like the coverage of his makeup or dye job. There are no glaring differences that imply change (unlike say, pics of Nicholson's "regular" Joker opposite pics of him in the "The pen is truly mightier than the sword!" scene.

 

[DV8]

well . . . the pic of Joker w/ the knife, and this latest pic arent' that much different . . . the make up is basically the same, IMO . . . just different angles and lighting . . .

the first shot that was released is obviously different, but it was a test shot, so the only difference I really see is that they 'toned down' his look . . . pry due to the chagrin of disgruntled fans after said 'test shot' was released . . .

and the pic of Joker as a cop, I feel may have something to do w/ him escaping the initial robbery . . . we can clearly see that under his mask (in the bank), that he's not wearing Joker make-up . . . so I bet he changes into a cop uniform to flee the investigation unnoticed . . .

 

[Hole Shot]

Seeing as we know the Joker is the Joker from the very beginning of the film, it is clear that at some point the Joker must use flesh make-up as you can see the skin around his eyes in this pic. Also, the hair is brown so he is either wearing a wig or has dyed it.

We've suggested in another thread that is a decoy the Joker is using to lure out a traitor in his gang. I know it seems a little far fetched but it makes the picture of him in the bank with his mask off in full make-up make some sense.

 

[Puddin]

well . . . the pic of Joker w/ the knife, and this latest pic arent' that much different . . . the make up is basically the same, IMO . . . just different angles and lighting . . .

the first shot that was released is obviously different, but it was a test shot, so the only difference I really see is that they 'toned down' his look . . . pry due to the chagrin of disgruntled fans after said 'test shot' was released . . .

and the pic of Joker as a cop, I feel may have something to do w/ him escaping the initial robbery . . . we can clearly see that under his mask (in the bank), that he's not wearing Joker make-up . . . so I bet he changes into a cop uniform to flee the investigation unnoticed . . .

Are the scars very prominent in the pics of Joker as a cop? I know he's supposed to be flesh colored there, but what about the scars?

 

[Amazing Afroman]

This is up on Latino Review now, so I thought I'd throw it out for comparison

 

[DV8]

edit

 

[DV8]

Are the scars very prominent in the pics of Joker as a cop? I know he's supposed to be flesh colored there, but what about the scars?

^just look at the pic . . . it's very poor quality, but you (I, at least) can tell there's some scarring there . . .

 

[DocLathropBrown]

You know, I think there's a little more physical truth to that little tidbit from Miranda Fox a while ago.

About Joker growing crazier and more and more Jokerish over the entirety of the film? Maybe that goes for his skin too.

Maybe we don't SEE the chemical bath, but it happened off-screen earlier. Like during the "intermission" between the monorail crash and the end of Begins. That's definately a possibility.

And, instead of acting as "insta-bleach," it slowly degrades his skin and hair over time? Over the entirety of the movie? His skin breaks and cracks and turns whiter and whiter, his hair turns greener over time.

Maybe?

As a purist who wants a representation of the comics with perma-white skin and green hair (I'd prefur perma-red lips, too, but I can deal with lipstick), I'd be totally down with this. As long as he doesn't just put makeup on, I'm happy. It would be true to the character (as in it's something he's not doing to himself) and it would be a new twist on the established. Here's hoping that's what Nolan is doing.

But with my luck, Nolan will have seen your post, realized that you guessed it, and hastilly change it so that it's different, just to keep us guessing.

 

[Puddin]

^just look at the pic . . . it's very poor quality, but you (I, at least) can tell there's some scarring there . . .

Ah, didn't realize those were the cop pics up there. Feel a little foolish, but yeah they definitely seem to be there.

 

[FrostBite]

People saying there is no differences but lighting are insane.

I don't simply say that over the make up either. Nor am I implying he is a fake Joker, or a permawhite Joker, or heck, I am not even implying that his hair is more green. I am simply saying, he is truly different.

I hate how he looks in the knife scene, his skin looks much more smooth, disgustingly so actually. Then in the newly released pic, it looks like his body itself is deteriorating. Wrinkles and folds in his skin, I love it.

Now I am not insinuating any type of evolution either, f*** the guy could just be stressed out from the Bat for all we know .

 

[MaskedManJRK]

Eh--it's very possible that he just wears the make-up, considering the pictoral evidence. It's also possible that Nolan is a sneaky vest-wearin' bastard that still has most of his tricks up his sleeve and one of them relates to Joker's appearence. Either way, Heath and crew have shown that they have enough of the actual character for me not to mind either way. t:

Although...

This is up on Latino Review now, so I thought I'd throw it out for comparison

Is it just me, or does his neck look paler then Heath usually looks? Could it be possible his skin is a light grey and he puts on pure white makeup on his face? Just a thought.

 

[FrostBite]

Is it just me, or does his neck look paler then Heath usually looks? Could it be possible his skin is a light grey and he puts on pure white makeup on his face? Just a thought.

Now someones just grasping at straws. I am open to theories for permawhiteness, but that one... no.

 

[gwynplaine]

That's a good look for the Joker, he looks like a mortician. I also love the lanky TKJ frame.

 

[-Æ-]

Its kind of annoying thinking that Heath Ledgers Joker is a fake....

Whats also annoying is the robbery scene, and deciphering what is what. That Latino review doesnt reveal anything spectacular.

 

[DV8]

People saying there is no differences but lighting are insane.

I don't simply say that over the make up either. Nor am I implying he is a fake Joker, or a permawhite Joker, or heck, I am not even implying that his hair is more green. I am simply saying, he is truly different.

I hate how he looks in the knife scene, his skin looks much more smooth, disgustingly so actually. Then in the newly released pic, it looks like his body itself is deteriorating. Wrinkles and folds in his skin, I love it.

Now I am not insinuating any type of evolution either, f*** the guy could just be stressed out from the Bat for all we know .

the only difference between the new pic and the knife pic is that the make-up is a little more worn off and . . . . the lighting . . . it's drastically different . . . that makes a big . . . umm, difference . . . what you're seeing is not Joker 'deteriorating', but the make-up wearing off a bit . . . mostly around the folds of his skin, and the parts of his face that change w/ his expression . . . the lighting is much more ominous in the latest pic, and the knife pic it's a lot brighter . . . that's pretty much the only difference . . .

the scene in the interrogation room is a little different cuz he just got his ass beat . . . so it's worn much more than any of the other pics . . .

 

[Mastermason]

From what's been revealed so far we know that when The Joker enters the bank he looks like this:

with very brown hair and flesh colored skin (importantly around the eyes). From the leaked bit of script we know that when he speaks to the bank teller he removes his mask and wipes his face (the towel is visible in the next pic). The bank clerk is horrified by his appearance. No one would be horrified by someone in makeup, but someone with ghostly white skin hiding underneath makeup would be very freaky.

In this pic he is still wearing the same clothes but we can see that there is no flesh tone around the eyes and his hair is very green.
This, taken with the hints from Nolan about the first Joker appearances, should give a pretty clear indication about The Joker's true look.
He applies makeup.
Flesh colored makeup.

 

[CaptainClown]

I have a strong feeling, there are two bank robberies. the first one being the five minutes at Imax. The bank robbery in BB, there will be a 2nd bank robbery where he is going to be in all his duds

 

[MaskedManJRK]

Now someones just grasping at straws. I am open to theories for permawhiteness, but that one... no.

Oh, I'm well aware, it could just be my colorblind eyes f**king with me, just what I noticed.

 

[DV8]

In this pic he is still wearing the same clothes but we can see that there is no flesh tone around the eyes and his hair is very green.
This, taken with the hints from Nolan about the first Joker appearances, should give a pretty clear indication about The Joker's true look.
He applies makeup.
Flesh colored makeup.

I understand your logic, but this pic doesn't reveal anything because it's out of context, and blurry . . . the 'look' of Joker in this pic is no different than any of the other shots of him when he's clearly wearing clown make-up . . .

 

[Joe-ker]

We discussed this "bank job appearance" thing back in the Seven Dwarfs thread. I remember, because that's the thread that finally coaxed me into posting here. My hypothesis was then and STILL IS that the person with the gun in the background of the bank pic is actually the Heath-Joker. The reason we see Heath without makeup in that outfit at some point, is that he's playing the Joker AND the decoy when he's under the mask... to sell the thought that "Hey, there's the Joker!"... then, if and when the mask is removed, it will be of course apparent that it's not Heath... And well.. i guess you get the point.

 

[fcrowelle06]

Can Anyone send me the Joker pic where he's laughing in a message? anyone?

 

[Jakk]

You know, I just realized something about the spy pics of Heath at the bank. Definitely been noticed before, since it's been hypothesized on, but....

....he has no scars on the one outside the bank.

 

[fcrowelle06]

well isn't he wearing a mask to hide his face and thus the scars as well when he's outside the bank?