Who Still Likes Jack's Joker Or Thinks He's Better Than Heath's Joker?

[Kevin Roegele]

I find it impossible to choose between Nicholson and Ledger.

Or Cesar Romero. He is just as great, and if you are talking about faithfulness to the comics, he is the one.

 

[Chris Wallace]

Truthfully, I would say that they each embodied different aspects of the Joker; Nicholson went for the more obvious, over-the-top, manic characteristics while Ledger was more the sociopathic, calculatingly chaotic side. For years I believed that there were 3 JOkers; (not physically, of course) 1 who wanted to run the mobs, 1 that just wanted to commit random crime & chaos and 1 who just liked to antagonize Batman. But then I realized he hits the mobs so he can fund his random crime & chaos, which he does to draw Batman out so he can antagonize him. Both Ledger and Nicholson fulfilled this characterization to a "T", but in very different ways.

 

[El Payaso]

I find it impossible to choose between Nicholson and Ledger.

Or Cesar Romero. He is just as great, and if you are talking about faithfulness to the comics, he is the one.

Truthfully, I would say that they each embodied different aspects of the Joker; Nicholson went for the more obvious, over-the-top, manic characteristics while Ledger was more the sociopathic, calculatingly chaotic side. For years I believed that there were 3 JOkers; (not physically, of course) 1 who wanted to run the mobs, 1 that just wanted to commit random crime & chaos and 1 who just liked to antagonize Batman. But then I realized he hits the mobs so he can fund his random crime & chaos, which he does to draw Batman out so he can antagonize him. Both Ledger and Nicholson fulfilled this characterization to a "T", but in very different ways.

 

[weezerspider]

Truthfully, I would say that they each embodied different aspects of the Joker; Nicholson went for the more obvious, over-the-top, manic characteristics while Ledger was more the sociopathic, calculatingly chaotic side. For years I believed that there were 3 JOkers; (not physically, of course) 1 who wanted to run the mobs, 1 that just wanted to commit random crime & chaos and 1 who just liked to antagonize Batman. But then I realized he hits the mobs so he can fund his random crime & chaos, which he does to draw Batman out so he can antagonize him. Both Ledger and Nicholson fulfilled this characterization to a "T", but in very different ways.

Great Post.
I think they both were great. Jack's looked more like his comic counter part and used the goofy gadgets, but Ledger's acted just like Joker too. The Pencil Scene is really a "goofy gadgets" type way of killing someone. As far as portrayal of the character, I can't decide. From an acting performance, I think Ledger's performance is a tad better than Jack's, but not by much. I also feel like Nolan's superior writing and directing helped Ledger's Joker. Jack was kinda working by himself. No offense to any Burton fans, but I never felt Burton really understood the characters of Batman and Joker very well. That said, I enjoy Batman 89.

 

[Chris Wallace]

I agree. But then, Burton has publicly declared that he would NEVER read a comic book. Nothing made this more evident than "Batman Returns".

 

[weezerspider]

I agree. But then, Burton has publicly declared that he would NEVER read a comic book. Nothing made this more evident than "Batman Returns".

Didn't he read the Killing Joke? If I recall correctly that was the only comic he read.

 

[redfirebird2008]

Watched Batman '89 a couple days ago and currently watching TDK. Sorry Jack, but I feel Heath's acting was stronger. Interrogation scene FTW.

 

[WolfCypher]

I voted for both of them. As always, it just feels as if they took two different, yet acceptable, approaches to the Joker, and both were done superbly.

 

[El Payaso]

I agree. But then, Burton has publicly declared that he would NEVER read a comic book. Nothing made this more evident than "Batman Returns".

Wrong. His lawyer said that after the Kevin Smith incident but Burton himself had said "I loved THE KILLING JOKE... It's my favourite. It's the first comic I've ever loved." That clearly implies it is not the only comic he has ever read.

What both Burton and one of the writers of B Returns said is that while making the movie they never thought about the fans or what they could think about it, which I couldn't applaud more.

Didn't he read the Killing Joke? If I recall correctly that was the only comic he read.

No, he said that it was his favourite and the first comic he ever loved.

 

[Bad Superman]

Voted for Both, since they both did great, but Heath has the edge.

 

[Hobgoblin]

Cant they both be enjoyed for the different, yet valid and entertaining, ways they portrayed the character?

 

[Chris Wallace]

Some of us agree on this.

 

[ALP]

Heath put on a stronger performance, he pulled off more as a character as opposed to Jack who used a lot of himself(nothing wrong with that though). I also liked how Heath created a very distinctive Joker voice- the best since Hamill. And thirdly, Heath was more menacing and terrifying.

But I preferred the look of Jack's Joker, it was more classic. And I liked the portrayal of how vain and daper he was, he had on a different outfit in every scene and had that show stopper quality about him. Heath's Joker killed to prove a point- he had a master plan of sort and I liked how his point was to bring others down and drive Gotham's best to insanity. But I also liked Jack's completely wacky Joker who's motive was nothing more than to kill just for the fun of it. Loved all the different Joker gadgets and venom he used too. Both have their ups and downs.

 

[Original Spawn]

I never found Nolan fans starting discution, the only thing i found everywhere i go is people hating nolan fans and starting discution of how they prefered jack nicholson or how hey hated the dark knight.
For me Nolan fans are not the causers of discution.

 

[ALP]

What are you talking about? Where here do you see a group of people bashing Nolan and saying they hated TDK?

 

[Original Spawn]

No, i am saying this because in the beggining of this thread the user said that he didn´t want this to become a battlefield because of nolan fans and many people ou of this tread also hate nolan lovers and hate TDK, i´m only making a statement.

 

[ALP]

Oh okay, I see. yeah it sort of goes both ways.

 

[El Payaso]

Heath put on a stronger performance, he pulled off more as a character as opposed to Jack who used a lot of himself(nothing wrong with that though). I also liked how Heath created a very distinctive Joker voice- the best since Hamill. And thirdly, Heath was more menacing and terrifying.

But I preferred the look of Jack's Joker, it was more classic. And I liked the portrayal of how vain and daper he was, he had on a different outfit in every scene and had that show stopper quality about him. Heath's Joker killed to prove a point- he had a master plan of sort and I liked how his point was to bring others down and drive Gotham's best to insanity. But I also liked Jack's completely wacky Joker who's motive was nothing more than to kill just for the fun of it. Loved all the different Joker gadgets and venom he used too. Both have their ups and downs.

I loved that on Ledger's Joker, but it was weird how much he talked against people who "have a plan" and are "schemers" and he was one of them. It's just that his plan was pure evil.

That said, Nicholson's Joker was much more anachic in that sense, he was truly killing for the sake of it, not to prove a point. Nevertheless he did prove a point at the end; that in spite of media saying he was a killer, decent people went to his parade at the promise of free money. His points? People will do whatever TV says and will do whatever for a couple of bucks.

In the end both Jokers proved the same thing. There are no decent people. It's just a thing of knowing how to manipulate people's insticts.

Oh okay, I see. yeah it sort of goes both ways.

Certainly.

 

[Brother Jack]

I loved that on Ledger's Joker, but it was weird how much he talked against people who "have a plan" and are "schemers" and he was one of them. It's just that his plan was pure evil.

He was lying and manipulating. Actually almost everything he says is a lie or a half-truth.

 

[The Joker]

He was lying and manipulating. Actually almost everything he says is a lie or a half-truth.

Yep. His two different stories he tells about how he got his cut smile being a great example. I'd love to have heard what story was going to tell Batman in the climax.

 

[Brother Jack]

Yep. His two different stories he tells about how he got his cut smile being a great example. I'd love to have heard what story was going to tell Batman in the climax.

He was the most honest with Batman, especially in their last scene together.

 

[El Payaso]

He was lying and manipulating. Actually almost everything he says is a lie or a half-truth.

Kinda my point.

 

[Kevin Roegele]

The Joker is undoubtedly the best adapted comicbook character to the screen. Every version has been fantastic.

 

[Optimus_Prime_]

The fact is, nearly every Joker has been fantastic. I'd have to say if you're picking one over the other you're being way too biased.

I mean certain Heath Ledger's Joker is fantastic, no one argues this. I would say he strayed the most from the comic, but did so in a way that still seemed brilliant. Each Joker fits a certain version, from a certain era. I'd have to say really, if comic accuracy alone is your metric then Ceasar Romero was the hands down best, followed by Hammill, then Jack, then Heath. Then you'd certainly have to give Heath a nod for his Oscar win. Jack Nicolson really nailed the 1980s version. Hammill was the best synthesis of a number of Jokers, and has the quintessential voice.

They're all great, and the best part is they're all really different enough that you don't have to rank them at all.

 

[Optimus_Prime_]

I think part of the reason that Heath Ledger's Joker is so well liked is because no one pictured Heath Ledger playing the Joker even reasonably well before we finally saw him.