Personally I would put Mark Hamill first because he made the Joker's laugh into a musical instrument. But I can completely understand, and respect, putting Heath Ledger as your #1.
The only reason I put Heath Ledger above Mark Hamill was because in the span of a two and a half hour movie he scared me so much more than Mark Hamill did in the entire run of Batman the Animated Series.
The only reason I put Heath Ledger above Mark Hamill was because in the span of a two and a half hour movie he scared me so much more than Mark Hamill did in the entire run of Batman the Animated Series.
That was because on the animated series the Joker was funnier, granted that I did laughed when I saw him run in that nurse costume :P
You can't straight up compare the Joker from TAS and the movies. They had different audiences and served different dramatic purposes. You have to grade on a curve.
You can't straight up compare the Joker from TAS and the movies. They had different audiences and served different dramatic purposes. You have to grade on a curve.
Remember my argument about cultural inflation? You also have to think about maturity inflation. You can't say a Joker made appropriate for ages 8 to 13 is "worse" than a Joker made appropriate for ages 14 to 65 (the later number being arbitrary). They are just different tools to do a different job.
If i've seen the movie, should I bother reading the comic?
Which comic are you specifically referring to? Aren't there many different Batman comics out there?
I don't recall the movie being based off any specific comic, just the general storyline of Batman. If anything, I suggest you read The Dark Knight Returns by Frank Miller and also listen to the Geek Nights podcast on it. I also heard Alan Moore's "The Killing Joke" is quite good as well.
I will admit during one point of the movie, a certain character was no longer there. I went "bat"-shit crazy thinking, "OMG! Is this real!? This has to be fake! How could they do that! NO WAI! He's a crucial reoccurring character!" Then later on, the movie answered my question.
I've never been able to adequately imagine the Joker's voice coming from Mark Hamill's mouth.
I didn't see The Dark Knight last weekend because I didn't want to fight the crowds. This weekend, Brideshead Revisited takes priority over The Dark Knight.
As far as Batman comics go, here's required reading for the modern (last 20+ years) of Batman:
Batman: Dark Detective - Steve Englehart The Dark Knight Returns - Frank Miller Batman: Year One - Frank Miller Batman: Year Two (Fear the Reaper) - Mike Barr The Killing Joke - Alan Moore The Long Halloween - Jeph Loeb Dark Victory - Jeph Loeb Batman: Arkham Asylum - Grant Morrison Batman: Knightfall - Doug Moench Batman: Hush - Jeph Loeb (totally worth spending the money on the Absolute edition)
edit: Forgot one - Batman: Under the Hood - Judd Winnick
My circle of friends and I have a running joke when it comes to Winick . . . He destroys good stories by introducing AIDS to a character, or something along those lines . . . Every goddamn time. He is not a good writer. I would not put anything he's written on that list. IGN has a definitive top 25 batman story list.
August ninth. Nine saw The Dark Knight, and found it to be awesome. I agree with most things said about this film in this thread, Heath Ledger was awesome, the Joker was awesome, Two Face's 'make-up' looked a little too over the top, his eye should've fallen out and his mouth unable to move, you cannot flex tendons ffs! The suit was cool though, but they don't explain how he got it, and no, real suits do not become cracked if they've been on fire, they get holes in them.
The only thing I disagree with is
- Too long
, yes, I found it to be exactly right.
Also,
Am I the only one who laughed at the fire truck on fire?
no, my sister and I started laughing really hard, and my my dad glared at us.
I grinned, but being civilised in a civilised cinema with civilised people around me I did not make a sound. n.~ True, one should enjoy the 'comedic' parts, but not loudly with this kind of film.
EDIT: One of the greatest parts, at least, the 'comedic' parts, was the flipping truck. Joker: HE MISSED! *Insert truck catapult*
I saw it a couple of weeks ago, and I have to say that I definately loved it.
Ledger's Joker is one of the best things in the movie, and the "agent of chaos" aspect is actually rather fresh for the character. And another thing: I was actually shocked to learn that Gary Oldman played Gordon, I never expected him to play a role like that.
And did anyone tear up at the end, where Batman's fleeing the police after taking the rap for Dent's rampage?
Comments
I don't recall the movie being based off any specific comic, just the general storyline of Batman. If anything, I suggest you read The Dark Knight Returns by Frank Miller and also listen to the Geek Nights podcast on it. I also heard Alan Moore's "The Killing Joke" is quite good as well.
So I had a slight fangirl angry moment for a bit.
I didn't see The Dark Knight last weekend because I didn't want to fight the crowds. This weekend, Brideshead Revisited takes priority over The Dark Knight.
Batman: Dark Detective - Steve Englehart
The Dark Knight Returns - Frank Miller
Batman: Year One - Frank Miller
Batman: Year Two (Fear the Reaper) - Mike Barr
The Killing Joke - Alan Moore
The Long Halloween - Jeph Loeb
Dark Victory - Jeph Loeb
Batman: Arkham Asylum - Grant Morrison
Batman: Knightfall - Doug Moench
Batman: Hush - Jeph Loeb (totally worth spending the money on the Absolute edition)
edit: Forgot one - Batman: Under the Hood - Judd Winnick
The only thing I disagree with is, yes, I found it to be exactly right.
Also, I grinned, but being civilised in a civilised cinema with civilised people around me I did not make a sound. n.~ True, one should enjoy the 'comedic' parts, but not loudly with this kind of film.
EDIT: One of the greatest parts, at least, the 'comedic' parts, was the flipping truck.
Joker: HE MISSED!
*Insert truck catapult*
Ledger's Joker is one of the best things in the movie, and the "agent of chaos" aspect is actually rather fresh for the character. And another thing: I was actually shocked to learn that Gary Oldman played Gordon, I never expected him to play a role like that.
And did anyone tear up at the end, where Batman's fleeing the police after taking the rap for Dent's rampage?