It's been three years, one month and three days since I first saw the Joker card set-up toward the end of Batman Begins.
And (not that I'm counting the days or anything) in three days time I'll be seeing the pay-off in all it's IMAX glory.
I can't fucking wait.
Till then let's bathe in some of the gentle swell of hype surrounding the greatest movie to be committed to celluloid in this or any other dimension, ever.
So what's so great about it? Well here's 10 things for a start:
1
It's a Batman film. Not just any Batman film though, it's a Chris Nolan Batman film that builds on an already amazing Chris Nolan Batman reboot. Both of which happen to star the excellent Christian Bale.
Now I'm not gay for Bale but I like him.
Generally since the Machinist I'll pretty much watch a movie because Bale is in it. Just to see what he does with the part. I liked him a lot in Batman Begins especially coming off the back of the frightening weight loss of the machinist.
So whatever happens you're pretty much guaranteed a good performance from Bale and a well written (thanks to Chris and Jonathan Nolan) and well directed Batman movie. A movie that should be all the better for being freed up from the constraints of an origin story.
2
The Joker!
1
It's a Batman film. Not just any Batman film though, it's a Chris Nolan Batman film that builds on an already amazing Chris Nolan Batman reboot. Both of which happen to star the excellent Christian Bale.
Now I'm not gay for Bale but I like him.
Generally since the Machinist I'll pretty much watch a movie because Bale is in it. Just to see what he does with the part. I liked him a lot in Batman Begins especially coming off the back of the frightening weight loss of the machinist.
So whatever happens you're pretty much guaranteed a good performance from Bale and a well written (thanks to Chris and Jonathan Nolan) and well directed Batman movie. A movie that should be all the better for being freed up from the constraints of an origin story.
2
The Joker!
Ever since I saw that Joker card I've been looking forward to this sequel. Joker is far and away my favourite villain, but who would Nolan cast as the criminal "with a taste for the theatrical"? Fanboy rumours brewed, lists of dream casting choices emerged on the message boards of geekland.
But you know who wasn't on any of those boards and lists?
Heathcliffe Andrew Ledger.
The blonde guy from A Knights Tale, Four Feathers and The Brothers Grimm? As the Joker?
Not the fans first choice apparently:
"With all of the great choices out there (Leary, Glover, Penn, Brody) they're gonna go with Heath FUCKING Ledger???"
"Ledger would be more miscast than Arnold Scwarzenegger."
"Wrong wrong wrong"
"The guy can't act for shit."
"Bad choice. Hope it's not true."
"Really bad. Ledger is a bit too nice looking for the Joker, isn't he? Are we going to see an annoying 'updated' Joker? Or is Ledger willing to do what it takes to really portray the character?"
Yeah, what? Fucking Ledger? Ppffft! I could but a green wig on my dogs cock and get a better Joker, why must Hollywood continue raping my childhood with this kind of shit. To be honest I was more in the 'wait and see' mob than the 'kill everyone involved' mob.
Soon after the production started rumours were flying about that Heath had drug problems, that his girlfriend had chucked him out, so he was doing even more drugs, and that he was getting 'too into the character of the Joker'.
6
This bus shelter advert...
7
This ranking on the IMDB 250 greatest films, of all time...
8
This ranking on Rotten Tomatoes...
9
These quotes from critics...
Nolan has painted a richly vivid landscape of death and iniquity. The view is breathtaking.
The movie isn't just a triumph, it is that rare pop-culture oddity: A masterpiece.
Do not worry about going in with unrealistic expectations. Your expectations pale in comparison with what The Dark Knight is prepared to deliver.
Believe every ounce of the hype surrounding The Dark Knight.
The Godfather II of comic book movies.
Better than Heat, the Godfather and Empire strikes back. Also happens to feature a man dressed as a Bat.
This film is not only one of the year's best; it may well end up as the finest of 2008. At the very least, it deserves consideration for Best Picture and Best Director, along with the expected Oscar kudos for Ledger.
Squaring off the best-ever Batman and the best-ever Joker would've been enough, but director Nolan sticks them inside an ensemble crime saga that should make Scorsese proud.
10
It cures cancer.
But you know who wasn't on any of those boards and lists?
Heathcliffe Andrew Ledger.
The blonde guy from A Knights Tale, Four Feathers and The Brothers Grimm? As the Joker?
Not the fans first choice apparently:
"With all of the great choices out there (Leary, Glover, Penn, Brody) they're gonna go with Heath FUCKING Ledger???"
"Ledger would be more miscast than Arnold Scwarzenegger."
"Wrong wrong wrong"
"The guy can't act for shit."
"Bad choice. Hope it's not true."
"Really bad. Ledger is a bit too nice looking for the Joker, isn't he? Are we going to see an annoying 'updated' Joker? Or is Ledger willing to do what it takes to really portray the character?"
Yeah, what? Fucking Ledger? Ppffft! I could but a green wig on my dogs cock and get a better Joker, why must Hollywood continue raping my childhood with this kind of shit. To be honest I was more in the 'wait and see' mob than the 'kill everyone involved' mob.
Soon after the production started rumours were flying about that Heath had drug problems, that his girlfriend had chucked him out, so he was doing even more drugs, and that he was getting 'too into the character of the Joker'.
He does look a bit 'distracted' here though, chilly in there Heath? Or are the cravings starting to bite?
Anyway eventually a picture surfaced of the new Joker. A disturbing Col. Kurtz meets The Cure style Joker. I was pretty excited, as promised Nolan was dragging the comic back into his realistic Gotham. This picture gave the first hint at how a 'real' Joker would be portrayed, I liked it.
The thing I've always thought about the Joker is that he's just a fucking lunatic. The things he does aren't funny, he just does them because they amuse him. I wanted a Joker who cracks babies skulls instead of jokes, a complete psychopath who finds everyone else's values, rules and restraint laughable.
But you should never be laughing - you should feel scared, disgusted and nervous. Maybe a nervous laugh slips out but only because you're in shock and your brain can't deal with what he's doing.
Like in Dark Knight Returns when Joker dresses up an ageing Selina Kyle (Catwoman) as Wonder Woman then beats her senseless, leaving her as a clue for Batman.
Or in The Killing Joke when he 'surprises' Commissioner Gordan's daughter by dropping by unannounced and shooting her through the spine. Then proceeding to strip her naked and take a series of porno snaps while she writhes around in her own blood and he sips wine.
The bullet will put her in a wheel chair for the rest of her life, meanwhile the pictures are enlarged and projected around the walls of an abandoned funfair where her father is forced to look at them while being held prisoner. Naked. In a cage.
That's the Joker I want to see, and it started to look like that's who was heading our way.
Reports said Ledger locked himself away in a hotel room for six weeks to come up with "...the psychology, the voice, the laugh even the walk for the Joker". He read through critical Joker issues of Batman comics including The Killing Joke and Batman #1 (which featured the first appearance of the Joker).
Yeah! Great stuff! More please! Really dig deep!
Then he showed New York Times reporter Sarah Lyall his 'Joker diary'. Filled with important scribblings and clippings he'd pieced together. It contained elements of the Jokers origin as well as writing on things the Joker would find funny, like AIDS.
Yeah Yeah! That's it. Fucking brilliant! He's actually going nuts!
Next came reports that Ledger was exhausted, that his daily performances were gruelling and that he was sleeping less and less. In an interview he was quoted as saying that he was getting about two hours sleep a night and that his mind was racing.
Yeah, woohoo more! I hope it sends him fucking batshit. I hope he actually becomes the Joker and needs locking up in the loony bin!
How much of that was Joker and how much of that was coke or insomnia is another matter. Still, coke, insomnia and method acting your way into the Joker's head would take it's toll on anyone.
But fuck it! Keep going Ledge, I want this to be the best Joker ever - I mean push it, really push it, don't kill yourself obviously...
Oh. Erm.
By now I didn't think anything could happen that would make me want to see this film more than I already did. But I'm ashamed to say that this sent my anticipation through the roof.
I know it's wrong, I know it's ghoulish and I know the whole sorry affair is an absolutely tragic waste of life. But putting that aside, Warner Brothers just got the kind of marketing campaign that money can't buy.
If it was a marketing stunt and he really had 'become the Joker' it would go down in history. Playing on the fact that whenever it seems as though the Joker of the comics is dead they never find a body - Ledger could pop out of a body bag at the premiere in full make-up! Ha ha, what a wheeze! I'm the Joker tee-hee... here's my film.
Sadly that isn't case.
Nevertheless, now I'm twice as eager to see it, especially when you hear people like Michael Caine saying Ledger plays the Joker as "a scary psychopath... so full on that the first time I saw him I forgot my lines".
3
Two-Face! Someone I work with mentioned that their friend was working on Two-Face effects at framestore last year. So now we have two amazing villains and the it sounds like the Joker is only part of the story. Plus since Harvey Dent is in the trailers then we must also get a Two-Face origin story into the bargain.
Anyway eventually a picture surfaced of the new Joker. A disturbing Col. Kurtz meets The Cure style Joker. I was pretty excited, as promised Nolan was dragging the comic back into his realistic Gotham. This picture gave the first hint at how a 'real' Joker would be portrayed, I liked it.
The thing I've always thought about the Joker is that he's just a fucking lunatic. The things he does aren't funny, he just does them because they amuse him. I wanted a Joker who cracks babies skulls instead of jokes, a complete psychopath who finds everyone else's values, rules and restraint laughable.
But you should never be laughing - you should feel scared, disgusted and nervous. Maybe a nervous laugh slips out but only because you're in shock and your brain can't deal with what he's doing.
Like in Dark Knight Returns when Joker dresses up an ageing Selina Kyle (Catwoman) as Wonder Woman then beats her senseless, leaving her as a clue for Batman.
Or in The Killing Joke when he 'surprises' Commissioner Gordan's daughter by dropping by unannounced and shooting her through the spine. Then proceeding to strip her naked and take a series of porno snaps while she writhes around in her own blood and he sips wine.
The bullet will put her in a wheel chair for the rest of her life, meanwhile the pictures are enlarged and projected around the walls of an abandoned funfair where her father is forced to look at them while being held prisoner. Naked. In a cage.
That's the Joker I want to see, and it started to look like that's who was heading our way.
Reports said Ledger locked himself away in a hotel room for six weeks to come up with "...the psychology, the voice, the laugh even the walk for the Joker". He read through critical Joker issues of Batman comics including The Killing Joke and Batman #1 (which featured the first appearance of the Joker).
Yeah! Great stuff! More please! Really dig deep!
Then he showed New York Times reporter Sarah Lyall his 'Joker diary'. Filled with important scribblings and clippings he'd pieced together. It contained elements of the Jokers origin as well as writing on things the Joker would find funny, like AIDS.
Yeah Yeah! That's it. Fucking brilliant! He's actually going nuts!
Next came reports that Ledger was exhausted, that his daily performances were gruelling and that he was sleeping less and less. In an interview he was quoted as saying that he was getting about two hours sleep a night and that his mind was racing.
Yeah, woohoo more! I hope it sends him fucking batshit. I hope he actually becomes the Joker and needs locking up in the loony bin!
How much of that was Joker and how much of that was coke or insomnia is another matter. Still, coke, insomnia and method acting your way into the Joker's head would take it's toll on anyone.
But fuck it! Keep going Ledge, I want this to be the best Joker ever - I mean push it, really push it, don't kill yourself obviously...
Oh. Erm.
By now I didn't think anything could happen that would make me want to see this film more than I already did. But I'm ashamed to say that this sent my anticipation through the roof.
I know it's wrong, I know it's ghoulish and I know the whole sorry affair is an absolutely tragic waste of life. But putting that aside, Warner Brothers just got the kind of marketing campaign that money can't buy.
If it was a marketing stunt and he really had 'become the Joker' it would go down in history. Playing on the fact that whenever it seems as though the Joker of the comics is dead they never find a body - Ledger could pop out of a body bag at the premiere in full make-up! Ha ha, what a wheeze! I'm the Joker tee-hee... here's my film.
Sadly that isn't case.
Nevertheless, now I'm twice as eager to see it, especially when you hear people like Michael Caine saying Ledger plays the Joker as "a scary psychopath... so full on that the first time I saw him I forgot my lines".
3
Two-Face! Someone I work with mentioned that their friend was working on Two-Face effects at framestore last year. So now we have two amazing villains and the it sounds like the Joker is only part of the story. Plus since Harvey Dent is in the trailers then we must also get a Two-Face origin story into the bargain.
The rise and fall of Harvey Dent.
How, when and why all this takes place is unknown but it means even more excitement on top of the already unbearable amount of excitement that is bubbling around in my Dark Knight addled brain.
4
Michael Caine, Gary Oldman and Morgan Freeman.
How, when and why all this takes place is unknown but it means even more excitement on top of the already unbearable amount of excitement that is bubbling around in my Dark Knight addled brain.
4
Michael Caine, Gary Oldman and Morgan Freeman.
Gah! Excitement!
5
IMAX - certain scenes (including the Jokers intro) were filmed specially for IMAX which is why that's where I'll be when I see it for the first time.
5
IMAX - certain scenes (including the Jokers intro) were filmed specially for IMAX which is why that's where I'll be when I see it for the first time.
More excitement!
6
This bus shelter advert...
7
This ranking on the IMDB 250 greatest films, of all time...
8
This ranking on Rotten Tomatoes...
9
These quotes from critics...
Nolan has painted a richly vivid landscape of death and iniquity. The view is breathtaking.
The movie isn't just a triumph, it is that rare pop-culture oddity: A masterpiece.
Do not worry about going in with unrealistic expectations. Your expectations pale in comparison with what The Dark Knight is prepared to deliver.
Believe every ounce of the hype surrounding The Dark Knight.
The Godfather II of comic book movies.
Better than Heat, the Godfather and Empire strikes back. Also happens to feature a man dressed as a Bat.
This film is not only one of the year's best; it may well end up as the finest of 2008. At the very least, it deserves consideration for Best Picture and Best Director, along with the expected Oscar kudos for Ledger.
Squaring off the best-ever Batman and the best-ever Joker would've been enough, but director Nolan sticks them inside an ensemble crime saga that should make Scorsese proud.
10
It cures cancer.
1 comment:
11. If you want you can spend the entire film nodding off, waking up, nodding off again… (Must watch it again when I'm not so knackered).
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