The Dark Knight Rises You Have My Permission To Lounge

[BatLobster]

A day late on this, but here's to you Heath. While we're excited to see Jared continue the legacy, the mark you left on this character will never be forgotten.

 

[The Joker]

Yeah I can't believe it's been 8 years. I watched The Dark Knight yesterday to mark it. His performance is timeless. Still as awesome to me as it was back in 2008.

 

[Decepticonus]

Ooh a new avatar Joker.

 

[Tacit Ronin]

Man, the east coast is utterly trampled by a blizzard.

 

[BatLobster]

Yup, this is the worst I've seen in a while. I'm having an amazing snowed-in, 'no choice but to stay in PJs all day and watch Netflix' time though.

 

[Tacit Ronin]

Me too. Watched Sicario. Amazing.

Gonna watch The Thing. Haven't seen it in a while.

 

[The Joker]

Ooh a new avatar Joker.

Yep, taken from one of my favorite Joker comics (The Laughing Fish) in one of the all time great periods of the Batman comics. The immortal Steven Englehart/Marshall Rogers/Terry Austin era.

 

[BatLobster]

Me too. Watched Sicario. Amazing.

Gonna watch The Thing. Haven't seen it in a while.

Sicario was great.

Watching Fury Road myself, first time since the summer.

 

[The Batman]

Laughing Fish is probably my favorite Joker story.

I love that Batman run. It had the right tone: dark, yet adventurous. Batman wasn't a dick, and Silver is one of the all time great Bat Love interests.

 

[The Joker]

Laughing Fish is probably my favorite Joker story.

I love that Batman run. It had the right tone: dark, yet adventurous. Batman wasn't a dick, and Silver is one of the all time great Bat Love interests.

Yep. It brought back Bat rogues that had not been seen in years (Hugo Strange, Deadshot), introduced Rupert Thorne as a major underworld player, and gave great stories to classics like Joker and Penguin.

It was also responsible for bringing about the infamous character trait in Joker for wanting to keep Batman around for his own crazy entertainment;

 

[Greens]

Nay, the Joker deserves Batman!

I love that.

 

[Tacit Ronin]

Damn. That gif is amazing, greens. Leto certainly gives all the others a run for the money in terms of maniacal Joker laughs. That pie hole is AGAPE.

 

[The Shape]

Yeah, can't get enough of that Joker shot.

 

[The Joker]

The grills and that stupid tattoo label spoil it for me. And now it's been spotted that he's wearing EARRINGS in some shots.

Bloody awful! The excess jewelry, the tattoos, the grills, they all take away from the look. They feel like an attempt to be different for the sake of being different, as opposed to a look that meshes with the characterization. Acting wise Leto looks like he's doing classic Joker, and that is the only saving grace he has going for him right now. So his performance so far as I've seen has actually made the tats and grills seem even more out of place for me. Especially when you take all those rubbish additions away you have a practically perfect Joker look (still miss the iconic purple suit though).

 

[Victarion]

You guys have any idea where his chemical bath baptism of Harley fits?

 

[BatLobster]

I hate that I'm saying this but I really cannot believe how much praise the new Affleck clip is getting. I'm trying so hard to see it and I can't. I LOVE the playboy Bruce stuff, but the minute he starts trying to do angry it's just like, nope. It's just so subpar to me and I struggle to take it seriously. Keep in mind, Affleck kind of knocked my socks off in the last trailer so this is not "you've made up your mind already and are biased" thing at all. I have been excited to see more footage of him as Bruce since seeing the last trailer.

But that clip did not do it for me, and it's becoming a consistent thing where his attempts at conveying Bruce's rage just come off incredibly forced to me and exactly like the worst-case scenario my mind drew up when I first tried to imagine him in the role.

I think Affleck will be in a better position once Bruce has sorted his beef out with Superman and transitions into being the Justice League Batman and the overall tone perhaps gets a bit lighter.

By the way, I'm not discounting the possibility that I'm just plain wrong or crazy, because the clip has gotten such a unanimous positive reaction. I just for the life of me can't see it. It's not terrible by any stretch, but I really can't believe people are using that to proclaim that Ben is the best Bruce evah.

 

[Greens]

The grills and that stupid tattoo label spoil it for me. And now it's been spotted that he's wearing EARRINGS in some shots.

Bloody awful! The excess jewelry, the tattoos, the grills, they all take away from the look. They feel like an attempt to be different for the sake of being different, as opposed to a look that meshes with the characterization. Acting wise Leto looks like he's doing classic Joker, and that is the only saving grace he has going for him right now. So his performance so far as I've seen has actually made the tats and grills seem even more out of place for me. Especially when you take all those rubbish additions away you have a practically perfect Joker look (still miss the iconic purple suit though).

The metal teeth MAKE that shot. They make him look like a monster, in a positive way.

Would I have designed the character this way had I been in charge? No. Never. But with every piece of footage my appreciation for the look grows.

 

[BatmanBeyond]

I hate that I'm saying this but I really cannot believe how much praise the new Affleck clip is getting. I'm trying so hard to see it and I can't. I LOVE the playboy Bruce stuff, but the minute he starts trying to do angry it's just like, nope. It's just so subpar to me and I struggle to take it seriously. Keep in mind, Affleck kind of knocked my socks off in the last trailer so this is not "you've made up your mind already and are biased" thing at all. I have been excited to see more footage of him as Bruce since seeing the last trailer.

But that clip did not do it for me, and it's becoming a consistent thing where his attempts at conveying Bruce's rage just come off incredibly forced to me and exactly like the worst-case scenario my mind drew up when I first tried to imagine him in the role.

I think Affleck will be in a better position once Bruce has sorted his beef out with Superman and transitions into being the Justice League Batman and the overall tone perhaps gets a bit lighter.

By the way, I'm not discounting the possibility that I'm just plain wrong or crazy, because the clip has gotten such a unanimous positive reaction. I just for the life of me can't see it. It's not terrible by any stretch, but I really can't believe people are using that to proclaim that Ben is the best Bruce evah.

Hmm, it's interesting to hear different reactions like this. I've actually just watched the clip and was pleasantly surprised by Affleck's acting in it - the clicheic "I can't see the actor, only the character" sprang to mind. That being said, it's beyond ridiculous how some have already proclaimed him to be better than Bale after that clip and I think some have even said that he reminds them of Conroy there.

In any case, I'll be reserving final judgments for after the movie myself, but this was a rather promising clip for me.

I do find it intriguing though - since they're going for the Batman vs Superman dynamic/conflict and with Bruce providing solid reasoning for why Superman is such a large threat for mankind, it'll be interesting to see what they do with the Superman character to convince both Batman and the world itself that he's a genuine force for good, as well as to go on and become founding members of the JL.

The grills and that stupid tattoo label spoil it for me. And now it's been spotted that he's wearing EARRINGS in some shots.

Bloody awful! The excess jewelry, the tattoos, the grills, they all take away from the look. They feel like an attempt to be different for the sake of being different, as opposed to a look that meshes with the characterization. Acting wise Leto looks like he's doing classic Joker, and that is the only saving grace he has going for him right now. So his performance so far as I've seen has actually made the tats and grills seem even more out of place for me. Especially when you take all those rubbish additions away you have a practically perfect Joker look (still miss the iconic purple suit though).

Yeah, the look is what's kinda ruining the new Joker for me so far. Performance wise, I'm pretty sure Leto will be good, great even, but yeah, I'm not really feeling the look at all. I think it's mainly because it seems they couldn't quite commit to just the one look/style - I mean, every time I see him I wonder if he's supposed to be punk, a mobster, a mental patient, what? It's frustrating because it seems like they could've gone for a truly interesting new look for their Joker, but instead made several design choices which were meant to come across as shocking more than anything else. Granted, it could (and hopefully will) all come together in the movie itself, but I digress.

 

[The Joker]

The metal teeth MAKE that shot. They make him look like a monster, in a positive way.

Not to me they don't. They ruin the shot and make him look ridiculous. Joker doesn't need a mouth full of metal teeth to have an eye catching menacing looking smile. Talk about trying too hard to improve something that is already effective. He looks like a Jaws wannabe;

Yeah, the look is what's kinda ruining the new Joker for me so far. Performance wise, I'm pretty sure Leto will be good, great even, but yeah, I'm not really feeling the look at all. I think it's mainly because it seems they couldn't quite commit to just the one look/style - I mean, every time I see him I wonder if he's supposed to be punk, a mobster, a mental patient, what? It's frustrating because it seems like they could've gone for a truly interesting new look for their Joker, but instead made several design choices which were meant to come across as shocking more than anything else. Granted, it could (and hopefully will) all come together in the movie itself, but I digress.

The potential for Leto's performance is the only thing this version of the Joker has going for it. I think he'll nail it based on everything I've seen. It's just that god awful design letting the side down.

 

[Greens]

Well, agree to disagree. It's pretty clear where we all stand at this point.

 

[The Joker]

Well, agree to disagree. It's pretty clear where we all stand at this point.

Seriously I'm pleased you like it, Greens. You've always been a respectable sort for different opinions.

 

[BatLobster]

Hmm, it's interesting to hear different reactions like this. I've actually just watched the clip and was pleasantly surprised by Affleck's acting in it - the clicheic "I can't see the actor, only the character" sprang to mind. That being said, it's beyond ridiculous how some have already proclaimed him to be better than Bale after that clip and I think some have even said that he reminds them of Conroy there.

Interesting to hear your take too, man. And nice to see you around again BB.

That's why I posted what I did, while I think people are being a bit hyperbolic, the reaction is so unanimously positive that I know everyone is legitimately seeing something there that I'm just not for some reason. It's kind of frustrating because I really want to see the character and not the actor. Maybe it'll all come together in the movie for me.

Also didn't help that I thought that was kind of a clunky line and a weird choice for a trailer soundbite.

 

[The Shape]

The metal teeth MAKE that shot. They make him look like a monster, in a positive way.

Would I have designed the character this way had I been in charge? No. Never. But with every piece of footage my appreciation for the look grows.

I pretty much feel the same way.

Is The Joker a character that NEEDS visual changes to be effective on-screen? No, absolutely not, but that doesn't mean certain visual changes can't work or add to the overall aesthetic of The Joker within the context of any given live-action project. I'm digging everything we're seeing of him so far, especially some pieces of the last trailer.

 

[BatLobster]

I will say, I do think the grill adds some creepiness to the shot in Greens' avi. With the lighting, and it being a medium shot- I'm okay with it.

But I still really dislike the "really, really...bad" closeup shot at the end of the Comic Con trailer. It's subjective, but in closeups I feel the design becomes way more distracting.

 

[Tacit Ronin]

Still, Leto's Joker hasn't induced a sense of terror in me yet. Remember the TDK December 07 trailer? Every time Ledger's voice or face appeared in the trailer it sent a shiver up my spine. He was utterly terrifying.

That's not a negative. Leto seems to be going for a more traditional Joker who is equal parts the jovial clown prince as he is the agent of chaos. I am sure he will have his bursts of terror. Balanced with him doing traditional Joker stuff.

He won't make you grit your teeth and twitch your fingers 24/7 out of anxiety and terror like Heath Ledger's Joker or Javier Bardem's Anton Chigurh would.