The Dark Knight What is your ideal portrayal of the Joker?

[itsthebatman]

A dead one.

You came out of your coffin for that?
Keyser's description is spot-on.
As long as he's permawhite.

 

[Numby_nutkins]

Hello first time caller long time reader.............

IMO the joker should be a mix between lecter and john doe from se7en, how bad ass would it be if after that pic we've seen of him and rachel if he just destroys her and sends bruce her head in a box (or something nuts like that)?? that would be enough to send bruce over the edge with him , but unlike burtons batman, joker CANNOT die, he is far too vital to the franchise to have him killed off in one movie again, i can see him getting his ass handed to him thoroughly and getting sent to arkham, but he can't die.

 

[TedKordLives]

Nice post, and excellent Birdman reference!

I agree, Joker must live. He's one of the three main points of the story. You have Batman, who is willingly a "freak in a mask," Joker, who can never take his mask off, and Dent/Two-Face, who is essentially the embodiment of the dichotomy of these two characters. That relationship is crucial.

 

[itsthebatman]

Nice post, and excellent Birdman reference!

I agree, Joker must live. He's one of the three main points of the story. You have Batman, who is willingly a "freak in a mask," Joker, who can never take his mask off, and Dent/Two-Face, who is essentially the embodiment of the dichotomy of these two characters. That relationship is crucial.

Nice. Joker is essentially Batman's opposite, he stands for anarchy and chaos, while Two-Face is the 'dark' Batman, a man who seeks vengeance, not justice, and steps over the line that Batman doesn't.

 

[LegendaryCaleb]

I want Him to be This generations Michael Myers....
I want everyone that talks about him after this movie to say that as a character in a movie...he gives them nightmares

but i dont want him to be a complete nut job...i want him to have jokes...most jokes should be completely crazy and scary more than funny...and with him laughing after saying them...should bring chills

i want him to be smart and near controlling...
...more of Joker in TAS and TKJ

 

[TedKordLives]

Exactly, he's Batman's ideals with Joker's morals. He even looks the part, with the scarring, etc. I have the feeling that that is a big part of why Nolan went with the scarred face for Joker.

 

[Numby_nutkins]

I want Him to be This generations Michael Myers....
I want everyone that talks about him after this movie to say that as a character in a movie...he gives them nightmares

but i dont want him to be a complete nut job...i want him to have jokes...most jokes should be completely crazy and scary more than funny...and with him laughing after saying them...should bring chills

i want him to be smart and near controlling...
...more of Joker in TAS and TKJ

i agree with you, i was almost going to put something to that point kinda like he jokes would only be funny to him, but would give any normal person chills, i still would like to see a little bit of backstory on the scars and just to see what drives him to go mad. Not like alot but little tidbits here and there would be ok

 

[itsthebatman]

Exactly, he's Batman's ideals with Joker's morals. He even looks the part, with the scarring, etc. I have the feeling that that is a big part of why Nolan went with the scarred face for Joker.

Possibly, but I think it's a visual choice also, to give the idea of a REALLY BIG SMILE, the kind we see in the comics all the time but wouldn't be able tto do on screen (cos no actor has that big a mouth), and they didn't want to give him a Jack-style permasmile.

 

[TedKordLives]

Possibly, but I think it's a visual choice also, to give the idea of a REALLY BIG SMILE, the kind we see in the comics all the time but wouldn't be able tto do on screen (cos no actor has that big a mouth), and they didn't want to give him a Jack-style permasmile.

I agree. It is a pretty smashing visual. I think the scarring choice, rather than something else to accomplish that effect may play into the Dent/Batman/Joker triangle somewhat, though.

 

[Crook]

Possibly, but I think it's a visual choice also, to give the idea of a REALLY BIG SMILE, the kind we see in the comics all the time but wouldn't be able tto do on screen (cos no actor has that big a mouth), and they didn't want to give him a Jack-style permasmile.

Heath's natural smile is fine. No one expects a ridiculously large grin, just as much as no one expects a live-action Superman to have a Mr. Olympic body.

Notice that the hundreds of manips we had of Heath, not many, if at all had scarring. No one complained that Heath's real smile was used.

 

[TedKordLives]

Heath's natural smile is fine. No one expects a ridiculously large grin, just as much as no one expects a live-action Superman to have a Mr. Olympic body.

Notice that the hundreds of manips we had of Heath, not many, if at all had scarring. No one complained that Heath's real smile was used.

The fact remains that it wasn't though, and given that fact, I think that the Dent/Batman/Joker triangle may provide some insight as to why the scarring was chosen. He reflects Dent's dark side.

 

[fcrowelle06]

Umm well, to be honest my version is the Batman:TAS version with Mark Hamill at the helm, he was never funny, EVER, he wasn't, he was a sadistic killer who relished pain, which was made abundantly clear with Phantasm, World's Finest, Injustice Gang, and Return of the Joker and pretty much every episode...the only problem is that we laughed, which tells you just how twisted we are doesn't it?....did you really think you laughed because you thought his dialogue...no, the Joker was never funny in that show, it's just that we found the insanity of the character portrayal so good that we couldn't help but enjoy it, that's basically what I want from Ledger

 

[aaron irvine]

i agree w/ keyser soze-- he should be a don logan/frank booth sort of character. i've read a lot on the mafia and the joker always struck me as a wiseguy sort-- like jimmy burke or tommy desimone (the robert de niro and joe pesci characters in goodfellas, respectively). both of those guys, and burke in particular, were much more sociopathic in real life than they were depicted onscreen. burke could be your best friend one moment and kill you without compunction the next. he killed women, children-- didn't care. if you got out of line, if you crossed him or another wiseguy, hell, if you bumped into him-- you were ****ed. and he'd laugh about it while doing it and order take-out after digging your grave. joseph pistone ("donnie brasco") wrote that wiseguys would beat someone up for accidentally bumping into their cars. and they'd laugh about it. they got off on violence. that, to me, is what joker is like.

there's this little-known chris walken/sean penn movie called at close range where walken plays one of the most evil characters, i think, ever portrayed in a movie. actually, de niro turned down the part because he thought the character was "too dark." a perfect combination of that sort of darkness and the charisma/bravado/lunacy of a jimmy burke would be the ideal joker, imo. maybe even a little bit of tyler durden in fight club, e.g., when he gets beat up by lou and all tyler can do is egg him on and laugh.

as far as appearance goes, i'm digging what i've seen of ledger so far. i like the gash smile, the panda eyes, etc. i was skeptical of the casting choice at first, but that began to change when i first saw the ibihdt picture. and i was officially stoked when bale called ledger's performance an "anarchic, punk rock" take on the character. but maybe that's because i grew up listening to punk.

 

[TedKordLives]

i agree w/ keyser soze-- he should be a don logan/frank booth sort of character. i've read a lot on the mafia and the joker always struck me as a wiseguy sort-- like jimmy burke or tommy desimone (the robert de niro and joe pesci characters in goodfellas, respectively). both of those guys, and burke in particular, were much more sociopathic in real life than they were depicted onscreen. burke could be your best friend one moment and kill you without compunction the next. he killed women, children-- didn't care. if you got out of line, if you crossed him or another wiseguy, hell, if you bumped into him-- you were ****ed. and he'd laugh about it while doing it and order take-out after digging your grave. joseph pistone ("donnie brasco") wrote that wiseguys would beat someone up for accidentally bumping into their cars. and they'd laugh about it. they got off on violence. that, to me, is what joker is like.

there's this little-known chris walken/sean penn movie called at close range where walken plays one of the most evil characters, i think, ever portrayed in a movie. actually, de niro turned down the part because he thought the character was "too dark." a perfect combination of that sort of darkness and the charisma/bravado/lunacy of a jimmy burke would be the ideal joker, imo. maybe even a little bit of tyler durden in fight club, e.g., when he gets beat up by lou and all tyler can do is egg him on and laugh.

as far as appearance goes, i'm digging what i've seen of ledger so far. i like the gash smile, the panda eyes, etc. i was skeptical of the casting choice at first, but that began to change when i first saw the ibihdt picture. and i was officially stoked when bale called ledger's performance an "anarchic, punk rock" take on the character. but maybe that's because i grew up listening to punk.

Awesome first post! You and I see eye to eye on a lot of this stuff, judging by your post. I too was nonplussed that Heath Ledger was the Joker, but now that we've gotten some insight into his portrayal, I'm pumped about it. Here here on the punk rock thing, too.

 

[Nessy]

I want The Joker to be a darker, more sinister take on a classic villain. I don't want him to be funny, or light-hearted, or endearing. He should be a frightening psychopath, in the vein of a Frank Booth or Don Logan, that sets you on edge whenever he is on screen, because you don't know what he might do, what he is capable of.

I also want the character to be a total mystery. Don't delve into how he got scarred, or why he became The Joker, or who he was before his transformation. He's just The Joker, right from the get-go, and as far as the film is concerned he has no alter ego.

While being utterly insane, he also needs to have the brains to provide a truly worthy challenge for Batman. I want to see The Joker as a master schemer, armed with a plan within a plan within a plan, unfolding like a Chinese puzzle box as the film progresses.

And finally, he needs to do something truly evil, something that deeply hurts Batman, and forever cements his status as Batman's ultimate nemesis in these films. More generally speaking, I want audiences to walk out of "The Dark Knight" thinking they've just witnessed not only the definitive live action Joker, but one of the most evil, most insane villains they've ever seen in a movie.

This would be a perfect Joker

 

[wd golf39]

from the way all the actors are talking about the joker i think he is going to be so badass and we are in for a treat.

 

[JoeCat]

I want The Joker to be a darker, more sinister take on a classic villain. I don't want him to be funny, or light-hearted, or endearing. He should be a frightening psychopath, in the vein of a Frank Booth or Don Logan, that sets you on edge whenever he is on screen, because you don't know what he might do, what he is capable of.

I also want the character to be a total mystery. Don't delve into how he got scarred, or why he became The Joker, or who he was before his transformation. He's just The Joker, right from the get-go, and as far as the film is concerned he has no alter ego.

While being utterly insane, he also needs to have the brains to provide a truly worthy challenge for Batman. I want to see The Joker as a master schemer, armed with a plan within a plan within a plan, unfolding like a Chinese puzzle box as the film progresses.

And finally, he needs to do something truly evil, something that deeply hurts Batman, and forever cements his status as Batman's ultimate nemesis in these films. More generally speaking, I want audiences to walk out of "The Dark Knight" thinking they've just witnessed not only the definitive live action Joker, but one of the most evil, most insane villains they've ever seen in a movie.

Awesome!
Well said!
Kudos!

 

[Penismightier]

This seems almost futile since Keyser Soze hit the nail on the head in this thread. But my idea Joker for this movie, Nolan's movie, would be Heath Ledger in Jack Nicholson's makeup. Ledger seems to be making the role his own and that's great. Of course, along with Nicholson's makeup would be the same theme, motivation, and exposition of the classic Joker. But ultimately the onus is on Nolan in whatever he does with the character. He just has to make what he does work on screen.

 

[Bright Knight]

This seems almost futile since Keyser Soze hit the nail on the head in this thread. But my idea Joker for this movie, Nolan's movie, would be Heath Ledger in Jack Nicholson's makeup. Ledger seems to be making the role his own and that's great. Of course, along with Nicholson's makeup would be the same theme, motivation, and exposition of the classic Joker. But ultimately the onus is on Nolan in whatever he does with the character. He just has to make what he does work on screen.

Ah... You mean PEN is mightier, as in, than the sword.

Gotcha...

Looked, like something else, for a second.

That could just have been a Freudian Penis on my part.

 

[Stotch]

I want The Joker to be a darker, more sinister take on a classic villain. I don't want him to be funny, or light-hearted, or endearing. He should be a frightening psychopath, in the vein of a Frank Booth or Don Logan, that sets you on edge whenever he is on screen, because you don't know what he might do, what he is capable of.

And finally, he needs to do something truly evil, something that deeply hurts Batman, and forever cements his status as Batman's ultimate nemesis in these films. More generally speaking, I want audiences to walk out of "The Dark Knight" thinking they've just witnessed not only the definitive live action Joker, but one of the most evil, most insane villains they've ever seen in a movie.

I 200% agree. I love the type of characters that get the adrenaline running every time they come on-screen t: Like "oh crap...what's he gonna do now?"

 

[nickyg641]

My ideal portrayel of the Joker? Nolan's current take (or, at least, what we've seen & heard so far).

But with bleached skin and hair that's more than 35% green. Give or take a cut smile.

 

[Yurka]

This was my ideal portryal, visually.

 

[GoogleMe94]

my ideal Joker portrayel? you know its Jack.

 

[orestes]

I want The Joker to be a darker, more sinister take on a classic villain. I don't want him to be funny, or light-hearted, or endearing. He should be a frightening psychopath, in the vein of a Frank Booth or Don Logan, that sets you on edge whenever he is on screen, because you don't know what he might do, what he is capable of.

I also want the character to be a total mystery. Don't delve into how he got scarred, or why he became The Joker, or who he was before his transformation. He's just The Joker, right from the get-go, and as far as the film is concerned he has no alter ego.

While being utterly insane, he also needs to have the brains to provide a truly worthy challenge for Batman. I want to see The Joker as a master schemer, armed with a plan within a plan within a plan, unfolding like a Chinese puzzle box as the film progresses.

And finally, he needs to do something truly evil, something that deeply hurts Batman, and forever cements his status as Batman's ultimate nemesis in these films. More generally speaking, I want audiences to walk out of "The Dark Knight" thinking they've just witnessed not only the definitive live action Joker, but one of the most evil, most insane villains they've ever seen in a movie.

Summed up quite nicely.

 

[gwynplaine]

I want the Joker to scare the s**t out of me.
I want the Joker to look like he could come out of "Freaks" or some long lost Lon Chaney or Conrad Veidt movie.
I want him to be smart and charismatic like Hannibal, hypnotize people with his voice and with his eyes.
Unpredictable and theatrical like Alex De Large in "A Clockwork Orange".
I want him to look like he was drawn by Mr Brian Bolland.
I want the other inmates in Arkham to be scared of him.
I want him to pose a real threat to Batman and the ones around him.
I want him to call his crimes in advance like in Batman #1 and possibly use his Joker Venom or go "Chelsea Grin" on people.
I want the Joker to be the greatest villain that ever graced the silver screen.
And if he is permawhite, all the better.
And I want him to be in Part 3.