I think these new Batman movies are very disturbing to look at.
I wasn't around here at the time of Heath Ledger's death...what did everyone think of that?
I heard a stunt person got ran over and was killed by the Batmobile making this movie, so they say it's cursed.
It's sad about Heath ...did they ever determine if his death was accidental or intentional?
Someone I know ...ended up in the ER tonight...he's only 19 years old....he almost over dosed...and I can't understand it at all. My mom spent the night of her birthday in the ER with him...his mom is my mom's best friend. He was 10 minutes away from death.
Just 2 months ago a young boy that this boy knew.. died of an over dose too. I don't understand what kids are thinking any more...with taking drugs like they do...they think they won't die.....or don't they even care?
I never knew anyone to do drugs...it was never around in the group of kids I hung out with. Yet now it seems so many kids are hooked on taking prescription medication. I don't understand what they get out of taking medication. I can't even stand to take Tylenol.
It is such a serious issue going around with really young kids. Kids that are 12 and 13 are taking prescription drugs already.
They named off all the drugs in Heath Ledger's system....it's terrible that it happens so often, and yet people don't think it will happen to them.
I keep seeing the previews of the movie, and knowning that he is dead and the way they portray The Joker...it really is going to be hard for me to attempt to see it.
I have never liked anyone that has ever played Batman in any of the movies, not even the 80's movies. I have never thought that they ever cast a good Batman yet.
Posted by SammyHain 44DDD-26-36 (Member # 3150) on :
The newer Batman movies are truer to the original Batman concept. They were always on the darker side.
Heath Ledger's death was ruled an accidental overdose of perscription drugs which I believe he had perscriptions for all of them.
Posted by aTomiK (Member # 6575) on :
At least the trailers are amazing so i believe that this movie will be really good.
ISIS, what do you think, who would be the best Batman? Just curious...
Posted by Helen_S (Member # 5804) on :
quote:Originally posted by ISIS: I have never liked anyone that has ever played Batman in any of the movies, not even the 80's movies. I have never thought that they ever cast a good Batman yet.
Oh, I think Michael Keaton was just perfect in the role Posted by MotleyRulz (Member # 3598) on :
The drug problem has been around for years with kids nothing new there either. That being said, I think Christian Bale is the best Batman after only one movie followed by Keaton. The role just didn't suit Kilmer or Clooney. Sam's right the new movies are truer to the original concept. No Robin going Holy Gees everytime something happens, no pink tights,no one dancing to 80s music, no cheesy gray pajama outfits,etc. The characters were dark so therefore the movie is gonna be dark. This will be the summer movie to see. It'll be interesting enough to see Ledger's performance as it has been hyped to the max. I've even heard rumors of him possibly getting an Oscar nomination.......
[ 02. July 2008, 05:54: Message edited by: MotleyRulz ]
Posted by TKO (Member # 1471) on :
Personally I love these new Batman movies. Just because they are darker and truer to the original comics. Before it wasn’t much more than a guy in a funny costume. Now Batman is scarier … ghostlike almost. I think Christian Bale does a wonderful job in portraying the Dark Knight. And from what I can tell from the pictures I already saw.. this is by far the best Joker I have ever seen.
I honestly can’t wait to see it!
Posted by ISIS (Member # 1780) on :
I do get that it is more close to the comics, but everything else that is out now is dark too.
I loved the Batman TV show when I was a kid, but it is a little too cartoonish for me to sit through now.
I just don't know why there isn't a middle ground anywhere.
I don't think Maggie Gyllenhal or Katie Holmes look like leading "women", to me they still like they are about 15-16 years old.
That's another thing about today's stuff...the women who are actors today look like little girls...maybe it's because I am older now...but I think about the age they are in comparison to Farrah Fawcett, Jacklyn Smith, Cheryl Ladd and Lynda Carter...and those women looked like women and they were in their late 20's when they were doing their shows.
I never could picture Michael Keaton as anything but Mr. Mom, and him doing comedies...so I never could picture him as Batman...he didn't even have the body for being Batman.
Christian Bale has the body and he has the personality...I don't find him attractive looking though.
Someone that I think might be good at it, is an actor off the soap-General Hospital.
Let us not forget Kevin Conroy's great turn as the Caped Crusader on The Animated Series, which largely hit the right tone for the character (as well did Mark Hammill's Joker, which for many will always be the definitive one).
It's perhaps a testament to Batman's pure power as a character that he can exist in both dark and light worlds as we've seen over the years. Each series works in the universe it presents itself in nicely. Apart from George Clooney's bored "can I get back to the ER now?" turn, everyone to date has been at the very least passable, with Keaton's probably the second best lived action take. I think Bob Kane would like the current series; as had been noted, it is along the lines of his and Bill Finger's initial concept (in his first year of existence Batman offed thugs left and right until DC decided this wouldn't be a good way to go with a hot property). It's a benefit certainly to know exactly how he gets his equipment and a bit more of his psyche, and I too am ready for the next one.
Posted by MotleyRulz (Member # 3598) on :
Ya know when I watched Clooney play Batman I got the same impression. The "I don't really wanna be hear how much longer does this last" feeling. I personally don't care about how attractive someone looks if they can play the role let 'em. That's a major problem: someone having to be considered attractive before they are considered to be a talented actor/actress......
Posted by NowhereGirl (Member # 465) on :
michael keaton was the best batman ever. and christian bale is doing a great job as well.
isis - i actually agree with you, katie holmes just didn't cut it for me. i can't give an opinion on maggie, because i have to see the movie first. i cannot wait for this movie. tickets have already sold out for the midnight showing on opening day...they've even added 3am screenings. it's going to be huge.
did anyone else collect any joker figures from the dark knight? a new one is being released july 9th. they resemble heath ledger so much that they are going for $90.00 or so.. and will be worth more once the movie is released (and harder to get).
Posted by ISIS (Member # 1780) on :
I have seen Maggie in other stuff...and she just was very plain. I think when you have a huge movie and your a superhero...you should be good looking...unless your the villian...or unless you go the other way with Batman...and he's meant to be dark and creepy...then that's different...but I always thought they wanted him to be this billionaire, playboy- Bruce Wayne...who gets all the girls....so you have to be attractive to be doing that unless your buying them with the billions...but I don't think Daniel Craig is even slightly attractive...(from the neck down he is)... I think he's very unattractive and doesn't do it for me in the slightest to be James Bond.
I honestly can't think of 1 man out there today that I have seen in anything...who I think is good looking....just guys on the soap General Hospital...I think it has the best looking men on TV on it-but I can't stand to watch it, because the plot is so stupid.
I remember watching tons of stuff and thinking the men looked really good. I am watching ChiPs and I think the guy who plays Baricza is cute...his name is Brody Greer....I wonder what he's doing now.
I just don't think people are that good looking any more.
If you go on there and look at the magazine pictures...the covers from the 70's...that she was in...the people were gorgeous....I look at the magazines when I am standing in the grocery store check out and I don't see anyone that I think is as glamourous as what people were in the 70's and 80's.
The Superheroes that are out now....
Robert Downey Jr., Edward Norton and Tobey McGuire....if you do compare Christian Bale to any of them...then absolutely he wins....but ick..those guys aren't superhero material.
Posted by ISIS (Member # 1780) on :
Back in the 70's/80's I think Gregory Harrison would have made a good Batman.
Posted by SammyHain 44DDD-26-36 (Member # 3150) on :
Too bad all Batmen couldn't look like Adam West. Guess he set the bar too high for all future super heros.
Posted by TKO (Member # 1471) on :
quote:Originally posted by SammyHain 44DDD-26-36: Too bad all Batmen couldn't look like Adam West. Guess he set the bar too high for all future super heros.
You betcha. Here's a picture to prove it.
"Sheez mom... not now !!!" Posted by pettyfan (Member # 2260) on :
I'm sorry...what does being good looking have to do with being a good actor or actress? My answer: NOTHING. I don't watch movies because the guys in the movie are cute. I watch them because, well, it's something I'm interested in.
As for the Batman movies, I saw the first couple...I'm not sure if I saw the George Clooney one or not...they were pretty good. I didn't see the one with Christian Bale, but I would like to see the Dark Knight just to see if Heath Ledger really did give an awesome performance.
Posted by MotleyRulz (Member # 3598) on :
People aren't that good looking anymore? Now I've heard it all LOL. Alot of celebs prefer shambles over glam these days it's the in thing I guess you'd call it. Just because someone doesn't dress the part doesn't mean they aren't rich. Adam West should bow to the west and pray daily to Seth McFarlane for saving his lack of a career.....
Posted by ISIS (Member # 1780) on :
I never said once that I thought Adam West was good looking, or a good actor...and I have met him, and he's extremely rude, and personally I have nothing good to say about him.
I also never said a person has to be good looking to be an actor.
I said that if your playing the lead role in a movie and your the superhero you should be good looking .....
I never said that people who don't dress nice...don't have money either...
I think when your are casting a movie for any role...the person who gets the part has to have the physical charastics of the role they are playing....that's all I am talking about...and I can't honestly think of 1 guy that I'd really cast as Batman who is an actor from today. If we went back in time, I could name some...but nobody current appeals to me at all.
Posted by MotleyRulz (Member # 3598) on :
4 hours and 13 minutes until The Dark Knight but whose counting??!
Posted by ISIS (Member # 1780) on :
My son....he wants to see it on opening night...but I think he's going to have to settle for the Sunday matinee.
Posted by MotleyRulz (Member # 3598) on :
We just got back from seeing this and I have 2 words to describe it: blown away! Bale was spot on but Ledger's Joker character definitely stole the show IMO. You can tell he really got into the character even the manneurisms. I watched Ledger's unbelievable performance in both amazement and sadness knowing that this was his last role. I think for me his performance was even more eery knowing that he's gone at such a young age and had so much more to give. Aaron Eckhart was awesome as Harvey Dent/Two Face as well. It was very, very dark as many predicted but guess what so was the comics. If Ledger doesn't get an Oscar nod, well quite frankly the Academy's crazy. It was the first movie I've personally saw in a long time that actually lived up to the hype. I'd have to give it a 9 out of 10.......
P.S. Those who go see it watch carefully they drop a couple hints about who the next villian may be.......
Posted by NowhereGirl (Member # 465) on :
wow. i just read on imdb that it's currently ranked #4 on the top 250 movies of all time, with a rating of 9.7 out of 10.
of course that is gonna change but how intersting!
i am going to see tomorrow morning with a group of people - can't wait.
i see that it's 2 1/2 hours... wow. hope my butt doesn't get flat! Posted by jdocster04 (Member # 5752) on :
Motley,
Thanks for the SITREP... Gotta' check it out... Posted by ISIS (Member # 1780) on :
I just saw it. It definately had good special effects...but that was it. Heath absolutely acted the part of a crazy person. But, the whole movie was so hard to follow...and everyone was back stabbing each other. It was so hard to know who was a good guy and who was a bad guy.
I left the movies with a terrible feeling after seeing it.
First of all there are some 80's connections...
When anyone else sees it...see if they do the JCPenney's commercial that they remake The Breakfast Club.....they did that terribly. Those kids in the new commercial weren't even close to being like the originals.
Anthony Michael Hall is in the Dark Knight-he plays the news anchor. He is looking really old, he is so far gone from being Farmer Ted...it's like he's not even the same person any more. Eric Roberts is in this movie too-which I didn't know that either....I use to like him as an actor-he was in the movie Raggedy Man-and I loved that movie.
I don't know about Heath getting an Academy Award...I honestly can see where he'd be nominated...but if that is Academy Award winning stuff...then that's messed up.
There was a kid at this movie who was about 6 years old...this movie was one killing scene after another from the first 2 minutes in to it, to the very end. And there is a scene where someone has a gun to a kid's head...and it has one of the grossest scenes in a movie that I have ever seen, and it will give me nightmares-I am sure.
The first Batman with Christian Bale is on regular TV right now...I kind of liked it. When I saw it in the movies I liked it alot. It doesn't have that background music playing over and over and over like this one and I like the scene where all the bats gathered around him, I thought that was neat.
The theater was packed with people...and I listened to see what everyone was saying about it on the way out...and nobody was talking.
1 thing...it was WAY to long...I kept thinking...when is this ever going to end. My leg fell asleep. I was really bored in 2 places in the movie.
I thought at first I was going to hate it...then I thought I was going to give it a chance...I even thought I was starting to feel sorry for The Joker-his lines were exactly- the same as Jack Nicholson's...are those lines from right out of the comics?
Then when he was telling people why he looked the way he did...he gave 2 different stories about that...are we suppose to believe either one of them?
This movie made 155 millon in 2 days, and is breaking records.
What else is out now to go see?
I didn't get one positive feel for any of it...and I didn't understand at all why they made Batman seem like he was a bad guy.
They previewed some movie called The Watchmen that looked horrible, and then they previewed a Rated R movie at a PG-13 movie...I don't understand that one at all?
I don't care if everyone else likes it. Unless something major comes out that looks incredible...I am sick of going to the movies.
Posted by Original Nomster (Member # 2688) on :
Ok,
Here goes.
Isis said...
"It definately had good special effects...but that was it."
So there was NOTHING else good about it?
"But, the whole movie was so hard to follow...and everyone was back stabbing each other. It was so hard to know who was a good guy and who was a bad guy."
Maybe you'd like a programme with printed instructions...pay attention to what's going on then!
"When anyone else sees it...see if they do the JCPenney's commercial that they remake The Breakfast Club.....they did that terribly. Those kids in the new commercial weren't even close to being like the originals."
What has this got to do with the movie?
"Anthony Michael Hall is in the Dark Knight-he plays the news anchor. He is looking really old, he is so far gone from being Farmer Ted...it's like he's not even the same person any more. Eric Roberts is in this movie too-which I didn't know that either....I use to like him as an actor-he was in the movie Raggedy Man-and I loved that movie."
Breaking news. Actors do get old. Who knew?
"I don't know about Heath getting an Academy Award...I honestly can see where he'd be nominated...but if that is Academy Award winning stuff...then that's messed up."
Pulling out a career best performance when the public initially condemned the choice. You're right all Oscars should continue to go to Tom Hanks.
"This movie was one killing scene after another from the first 2 minutes in to it, to the very end. And there is a scene where someone has a gun to a kid's head...and it has one of the grossest scenes in a movie that I have ever seen, and it will give me nightmares-I am sure."
Don't you rate April Fool's Day as one of your favourite movies?
"The theater was packed with people...and I listened to see what everyone was saying about it on the way out...and nobody was talking."
And this means its a bad film why?
"1 thing...it was WAY to long...I kept thinking...when is this ever going to end. My leg fell asleep. I was really bored in 2 places in the movie."
You'd soon complain if you were spending your money on 80 minute movies that were lacking in plot and substance.
"This movie made 155 millon in 2 days, and is breaking records."
Obviously not everyone hates it.
"What else is out now to go see?"
I don't know. Look it up on a movie site. Apparently new movies come out all the time...
"They previewed some movie called The Watchmen that looked horrible"
Universally regarded as the greatest comic book ever made.
"I am sick of going to the movies"
STOP GOING THEN
Noms Posted by ISIS (Member # 1780) on :
I am stopping....
Batman did me totally in on new movies.
The Breakfast Club commercial was playing at the Preview for Batman...and to me that just shows the lack of new movies coming...when they start doing commercials and ads for the Navy, then you know nothing good is being made.
April Fool's Day was a horror movie...and even though that's what it was...you never actually saw 1 person being killed in the movie-otherwise the movie wouldn't have been what it was.
This movie is marketed towards kids...there's kid's cereals and all kinds of kids merchandise...and because it is a "Superhero" movie-kids are going to go. It should have been Rated R.
I was trying to pay attention to the story...I figured good vs. evil.. it shouldn't be hard to follow...but the part with Harvey Dent becoming two-face....I couldn't really understand what made him evil....I know what he says did...but they were trying to save him....so what does he do...he goes nuts...I actually liked his character the best out of everyone in the movie....until the end...and then they made him so graphically disfigured that it was so gross to look at him...do you really think that kind of stuff wouldn't scare the heck out of little kids?
The Joker was so scary....I actually felt sorry for him...I thought he seems like someone who had an awful childhood and never had any friends, and was just looking for attention...and for someone to notice him....but he was a murdering maniac.
The kind of violence in this movie isn't just someone getting punched...they are showing people being blown to pieces (literally)...burned all over their bodies, shot for no reason- they showed a man punch a woman right in the face....they had a gun in a kids face...they killed innocent people and showed that happening on video.
In the beginning crime was just out of control...and it seemed like there was no where near as many good people as there were bad...and it seemed like alot of the people you thought were good- weren't...and it just seemed like there was no hope for Gotham City...that the whole place would be better if they just blew it all up and started over again....and the more it went on...the worse it got...and I still do not understand why the people in the city...wanted Batman to turn himself in...and why they thought he was a bad man...when he was the only thing out there protecting them.
The Watchmen preview....there was a giant naked blue man and a girl that had what looked like duct tape covering her body...and it looked all computer generated...which I think the people were....I couldn't tell from that preview what was going on...because it was a big mess.
[ 21. July 2008, 07:10: Message edited by: ISIS ]
Posted by Original Nomster (Member # 2688) on :
"I am stopping..."
Good for you. Does that mean no more whining about the state of modern cinema. I fear not...
"The Breakfast Club commercial was playing at the Preview for Batman...and to me that just shows the lack of new movies coming...when they start doing commercials and ads for the Navy, then you know nothing good is being made."
In the UK, we have often had commercials showing before the movie. Doesn't make the movie any better or worse. I would argue that there are plenty of good movies on the horizon but as you are not going to see them what's the point.
"April Fool's Day was a horror movie...and even though that's what it was...you never actually saw 1 person being killed in the movie-otherwise the movie wouldn't have been what it was."
Your point being? Violence is violence whether seen or implied. How you can justify it for one movie yet condemn it for another makes no sense at all.
"This movie is marketed towards kids...there's kid's cereals and all kinds of kids merchandise...and because it is a "Superhero" movie-kids are going to go. It should have been Rated R."
Its rated as 12A in the UK which means nobody under 12 should be allowed to see it without their parents. Similarly the Tim Burton movie was given a similar rating when it came out. Just because there are toys and cereal doesn't make it a kids movie.
"The Watchmen preview....there was a giant naked blue man and a girl that had what looked like duct tape covering her body...and it looked all computer generated...which I think the people were....I could tell from that preview what was going on...because it was a big mess."
Its blatantly obvious that Watchmen is not for you. However, fans of the graphic novel are totally looking forward to it and if you could be bothered to search for it, you'd see that the images in the trailer are pretty faithful to the source material.
The way that you constantly put down modern movies with no real substance to your argument merely demonstrates that you have zero credibility as a movie reveiewer. Arguing about the violence is pretty weak when you take a look at some of the violent movies from the decade you profess to love so much. The Dark Knight is supposed to be grim, dark and violent as its based on a grim, dark and violent graphic novel.
Noms
PS In further response to your earlier question about the Joker's conflicting stories about his origins. You are not supposed to believe either of them. Again, as referenced in the comics, the Joker does this deliberately to maintain an air of mystery.
Posted by NowhereGirl (Member # 465) on :
quote: The Dark Knight is supposed to be grim, dark and violent as its based on a grim, dark and violent graphic novel.
that is true.
can i suggest something everyone? how about when we discuss a movie in detail, let's use the **spoilers** alert for those who haven't seen the movie that may pop in to read.. sound fair?
i saw the movie last night and my goodness, what a great flick!!
heath ledger, aaron eckhart and gary oldman all gave great performances.
watching heath ledger as the joker... i was just to appreciative that he gave us all one last brilliant performance, and seriously.. he did a fantastic job. i mean, i was at looking at him, trying to 'find' heath somewhere in his character and you couldn't, because he was that good.
after the movie, everyone cheered and applauded. dark knight was well worth the money i had spent! yes, i am going to see it again this weekend!
Posted by ISIS (Member # 1780) on :
I didn't say that I don't like horror movies....I am talking about movies like this one, that are extreme violence....and even though they have a PG-13 rating...people take their kids to them...I am talking about kids 10 and under....
You don't thinking marketing a product has something to do with getting people to go see the movie?
If adults like it...then good....but they do target kids for this movie. April Fool's Day doesn't have it's own lunchbox or cereal.
I would love to talk more about this movie...about certain parts of it...that I don't get why they did it the way that they did...but I'd give to much of the actual movie away...
Yes....I do have 1 good thing to say about it now....my mom has red hair and she use to be a nurse...so my son did think that the Joker dressed as a nurse...would be a good Halloween costume this year for her...and I agreed.
I never said the commercial had anything to do with the movie...I said there was some 80's related stuff going on at the movie...with that preview and some of the actors in the movie.
My son said the next movie won't come out for 4 more years....doesn't that seem like a long time?? My kid will be 19 by then.
Christian Bale will be as old as Michael Cane by then.
Ronnie-what did you think of Maggie?
I didn't like or dislike her....the scene at Bruce Wayne's penthouse...was the part that I thought I might get to liking the movie then...but then after that is where it totally took a turn for the worse to me...and I just thought the violence over powered everything in it...that it was one fight scene after another...and it was very chaotic.
My family liked it....my son thought it was better than the first one...he said that it had alot of "action" in it. Action to me means Violence...so that's what bothers me...is the extent that they take that too.
******Spoliers********
Here's the part I thought was so gross....was the guy at the jail...with the stitches on his stomach***....if you saw that...you know what caused that, and what happened...that made me want to throw up.....that's where the whole movie changed to me, and then went over the top on the violence.
And I am not trying to be an unbiased reviewer.....I never claimed to be that....I am just saying what I saw...and if I liked it or not...just because I didn't...doesn't mean everyone else will love it.
Posted by ISIS (Member # 1780) on :
Oh and what is funny...is two of my friends said ...how can you go see that movie...it looks evil, and that guy died after making it...and I thought...they are right...why am I even going...but I thought like people on here...to try and give it a chance...maybe it wasn't that bad. So....I talk on here to people who supposedly love movies...because I have always loved movies....but not any more...they aren't the same...and the reason I did come back on the Rewind...is because nobody I know in real life...knows anything at all about the movies of the 80's that I love...they can remember a few of them...but not in detail...and nobody that ever comes here at my Bed N Breakfast or who's my friend ...none of them ever go to the movies any more. I know the guy who runs our local theater and they don't know how they are going to stay in business because they don't get alot of people going to the movies like they use to...people can't afford it, they wait for DVD, and they don't like what's playing....I don't want to see my local theater go out of business...so I do try and go to movies that I "think" I might like. Plus, I like getting out of my house....and going out and doing something......I just wish they made better stuff.
Posted by NowhereGirl (Member # 465) on :
well, though i cannot find anything bad about the movie as a whole, i do feel that maggie (as well as katie) both underacted their roles. they could have been better, but it didn't hurt the movie either way. i'm not saying they should have chosen prettier females, but the acting could have been different.
i love the message of the movie..
***spoiler***
the joker said, quote: "madness is like gravity. all's you need is a little push." very true. how anyone who is good, can be bad. the joker proves the intention himself, example: harvey dent. another example: the two boats - one full of common people, the other full of inmates. they each were given a chance to kill the others.
omg, the scene with the joker dressed as the nurse...awesome! i could not stop laughing .
Posted by MotleyRulz (Member # 3598) on :
The Joker was supposed to be crazy and psychotic. Ledger deserves an Oscar for the role. I could have saved you some money by telling you ya wouldn't have liked it before you went. If somebody goes in with a negative attitude then naturally the movie won't be a positive experience. People weren't talking after the movie either where I went: they were either cheering or unable to say anything out of utter amazement......
Posted by pettyfan (Member # 2260) on :
Look, if a parent wants to take his/her six year old to see it, it's his/her business! Kids like this kind of stuff. Not all of them want to go see cartoons. That's why we live in a free country.
April Fools' Day? Pretty awful movie, IMO. Probably why it didn't have a lunchbox.
[ 21. July 2008, 15:09: Message edited by: pettyfan ]
Posted by Sam 'The Made Man' Hain (Member # 3150) on :
I just got homr from seeing this at a Monday Matinee. What a great movie and Heath was incredible. Totally played the part of a psychotic deranged individual perfectly. We had a few commercials before the previews too but unfortunately we didn't get The Breakfast Club one, I was kind of disappointed I didn't get to see that one.
Posted by 80'sRocked (Member # 6979) on :
I agree with the "SPOILER ALERTS" for ALL threads. PLEASE...watch the info you're giving out to us who haven't seen it yet. Thanks.
Posted by NowhereGirl (Member # 465) on :
hey all, just wanted to share... i found this interesting. interview with heath ledger just after he was casted as the joker:
taken from NEWSARAMA:
by Daniel Robert Epstein
I recently got the chance to talk with Heath Ledger at a press roundtable for the movie Candy. While on the hot seat I got the chance to grill Ledger about his upcoming role of The Joker in The Dark Knight.
Daniel Robert Epstein: Have you started to think about how you will play The Joker?
Heath Ledger: Yeah. I’ve been trying to delay my commitment to the preparation process on that because I’m trying to extend my holiday time. I definitely have an image in my head. I definitely have something up my sleeve. I want to be very sinister. It’s so early that I’m trying to be open at this point. I don’t want to be glued down to anyone.
DRE: Have you read many Batman comics?
HL: No and I think that’s kind of helping me a little bit. I was never really a fan of comic books or comic book movies. I never despised them but I was never one to read them. I never sought out the films but I would sit down and enjoy them. So because of that I really feel that I’m not carrying much pressure.
DRE: Have they given or asked you to read certain comics?
HL: The Killing Joke was the one that was handed to me. I think it’s going to be the beginning of The Joker. I guess that book explains a little bit of where he’s from but not too much. From what I’ve gathered, there isn’t a lot of information about The Joker and it’s left that way.
DRE: Is doing the role of The Joker scary after Jack Nicholson did it so well?
HL: I’m not going for the same thing he went for. That would be stupid. It is also two very different directors with different styles. Tim Burton did a more fantastical kind of thing and Chris Nolan is doing nitty gritty handheld realism. I love what [Jack] did and that is part of why I want to do that role. I remember seeing it and thinking how much fun it would be to put on that mask and attempt to do something along those lines. But it would obviously be murder if I tried to imitate what he did.
DRE: They’re talking about bringing in the co-creator of The Joker, Jerry Robinson, as a consultant on The Dark Knight. I don’t know if it would be more of an honorary title.
HL: It probably is [laughs].
DRE: Have you ever wanted to do superhero movies before?
HL: Not really. With the tights and undies and the boots, I would just feel stupid and silly. I couldn’t pull it off and there are other people who can perfectly. But I just couldn’t take myself seriously. I feel like this is an opportunity to be in one and not do that. I just gravitated towards the villain role because I felt I had something to give to it. I instantly had an idea.
DRE: Have you done screen tests with The Joker makeup yet?
HL: No, but I did do 3-D image scanning. I don’t know what they’re doing with it. This Bat truck turned up at my place in L.A.. It had these gadgets and cameras that zoom around you and up and down you. It instantly projects a three dimensional image of you. I’ve never used anything that high tech before in a film. I felt like I was in the truck from Knight Rider.
Posted by 80'sRocked (Member # 6979) on :
Interesting indeed...Doesn't seem like he was too into this project at the time of this interview.
Posted by NowhereGirl (Member # 465) on :
regardless of that, he still knew what he wanted to do, and it worked...beyond expectation.
Posted by ISIS (Member # 1780) on :
It actually is very sad about his death when you watch the movie...because in real life they said Heath was a really quiet person, that he hated people following him around-like photographers...he didn't seem very outgoing....it's weird that he was able to do what you have to do to be an actor...when he seemed so shy.
I can't help but to say this...Heath Ledger did say that playing that role really did goof up his head, and that he had alot of trouble dealing with it.....I really feel that this kind of stuff absolutely doesn't effect your mind. I have been asking lots of people in real life what they have thought of it, everyone who has seen it said they liked the first one better...and that even though it was "dark" too...that it wasn't so creepy. Everyone that I talked to said it was definately to long.
Posted by Sam 'The Made Man' Hain (Member # 3150) on :
i knew that it was approximately a 2 1/2 hour movie and I was really surprised when it ended because it didn't feel like I was sitting that long.
Posted by MotleyRulz (Member # 3598) on :
When a movie comes along that great it can last as long as it wants in my opinion. Like Sam I also didn't feel like I had been sitting for 2 and a half hours. I've already saw it three times and will be seeing it again this weekend....
Posted by NowhereGirl (Member # 465) on :
quote:Originally posted by MotleyRulz: When a movie comes along that great it can last as long as it wants in my opinion. Like Sam I also didn't feel like I had been sitting for 2 and a half hours. I've already saw it three times and will be seeing it again this weekend....
i completely agree. how can something that is that good, be too long for you to enjoy?
i too am going to see it again this weekend..so looking forward to it.
Posted by Sam 'The Made Man' Hain (Member # 3150) on :
can I go with you? I'll buy the soda and popcorn Posted by ISIS (Member # 1780) on :
Because there is a point where the movie has to end, and they surpassed that by 1/2 an hour...there were a bunch of scenes they could have taken out...and I actually think that if some of it had been edited better...it might not have been as bad as it was. I thought it was going to be over before the 2 ship scene happened...
*****spoliers coming -don't read ******
Ronnie-you said about the boat scene, and how it was proof that it proved that bad people aren't always bad....(which it was absolutely predictable that neither side would do it)...I knew that big guy wasn't going to do it.... but I didn't look at that as being "Noble", because like the other ship of people were saying...they had their chance, and they blew it...and they were all criminals....I wouldn't have blown them up either...but if I was a criminal and had any compassion in me...I would know that I had done bad stuff...and that I deserved to be where I was...so what he did wasn't surprising. That was actually the one and only good thing they stuck in the movie.
***another spolier****
Ronnie-you said about the Joker saying the gravity quote...well it is true....all people need is someone to push them and they fall right off the edge...and they proved his point with Harvey Dent...look what they did to him...they turned the best person in the whole movie...into a killer, and made what the Joker said...be the truth... what they should have done, was prove that not everybody can be pushed to turn to the Dark side. They all covered it up at the end...and that to me was the worst part of the movie...is that Batman made himself look like a criminal to protect a man who turned in to a criminal...to make him look like a good man-which he had been-but he changed, and the Joker got his point across to everybody.
******major spolier*****
This is the part I do not understand...they had to make a choice on who to save...and they saved the person they thought would save Gotham City...and in return for them saving him...he went bananas...it wasn't the Police who did that to him ...they were trying to save him...so why was he so ungrateful.....he could have gone for the skin graph.
Posted by Sam 'The Made Man' Hain (Member # 3150) on :
*********Spoiler************
The Joker flipped the addresses. The address he gave for Maggie was actually for Harvey Dent and vise-versa. Batman foolishly took The joker at his word and went for Maggie because of his feelings for her and the police went for Harvey or so they all thought. Harvey and Maggie were able to converse with each other and knew the circumstances at hand. Harvey felt that Maggie was worth saving more than himself. He felt that his life would have no more purpose without her in his life. So when Batman 'accidently' saved Harvey instead of Maggie thus toasting Maggie. Harvey than felt that there was no justice in the world and that his life up until that point had been a lie. Unfortunately he had no idea that The Joker gave the wrong addresses on purpose. Harvey was very easy to sympathize with. He was still a good person who just got pushed into a horrific situation. Batman realized that and knew that for the good of Gotham that he had to take the blame for Harvey's actions.
Posted by MotleyRulz (Member # 3598) on :
For those who are into something other than your typical cookie cutter movie (beginning, climatic middle, happy ending) this movie goes over some peoples heads perhaps. The whole point in the movie was to the dark side Isis. You simply don't understand to most Dark Knight fans, this movie was pretty much spot on with the comics. The editing was perfect and no scenes should have been cut. Perhaps if you were actually familiar with The Dark Knight comics series as opposed to the cheeseball movie they made in 1989 and labeled Batman then you'd be able to see why the movie is a cinematic masterpiece and make understandable comments on the movie. Not every movie begins and ends the way you'd want it to. Not every character falls in love and dances off into the sunset to 80s music. How boring would that be?
Posted by ISIS (Member # 1780) on :
I don't know why you think I think all movies should have a happy ending...or whatever...I am never saying that...you guys always put that out there as if I said it.
Well...I am not alone in not having read the comics...because neither had Heath Ledger. He said he hated comics...so not having read them...didn't seem to keep him from being praised for it....
Sam.....I really still don't get it....I know Harvey was in love with Maggie...and thought he couldn't live without her....but...no matter how they saved his life...if by accident...then he can't fault them for not saving her...when they tried and someone fooled them...either way...they were trying to save them both, and the whole thing was a mess...and that's the part that was driving me crazy...because it kept going so fast....
****spoliers****
I hated that they killed Maggie....if they would have saved her...then it would have been alot better...the fact they kill her...and everyone else-at least once in the movie-wether it was real or not....it just got monotonous with the killing stuff....I hated that scene with the guy in the bank....he starts blowing the bad guys away...like some action hero...then he gets shot and is laying there dying...then they stick a bomb in his mouth and blow everyone up...
The Joker stabs the guy in the eye with a pencil....they shoot everyone they came in contact with.... you just know ...everyone dies...and that they are going to die horrific deaths....
who in the movie does Batman even save??
I know that the Joker was suppose to be a maniac...but they don't have to be so over the top with the violence. That music was pounding over and over and over in every scene....it got to me. I have always loved action movies...like Lethal Weapon and Die Hard...but in admist the bad...there's alot of good....Like you see the Good Guys families...and the fact that they do have some morals...but I didn't like Bruce Wayne's attitude ...he was way to egotistical...so I only ever got the impression from him in this movie that he was a big spoiled brat.
I did come up with someone that I think would have been cool as the Joker.....
Christian Slater.
He's funny, and he always reminded me of Jack Nicholson...and he has been in action movies...and I have always liked him as an actor.
Posted by MotleyRulz (Member # 3598) on :
We say that because you are always questioning why everything is so violent and we are trying to say that's the way the comic book was. The point wasn't that Heath Ledger had never read the comics. The point was that fans who read the comics and the majority agree that this was a cinematic masterpiece. Christian Slater is a horrible actor who would have done the same disservice to the Joker character as Nicholson did. Bruce Wayne was in no way egotistical. What were you expecting? Him to be driving an 88 Firebird jamming out to Def Leppard? What you are suggesting they do to the movie is just exactly what you compain about everytime something is remade which is typically hypocritical. Maybe the movie would have been better to some had it had a bunch of 80s has beens in it who haven't done anything in years because they lack talent and are only able to snag cheesy roles in poor film.....
[ 23. July 2008, 17:02: Message edited by: MotleyRulz ]
Posted by ISIS (Member # 1780) on :
Cripes...Christian Bale totally screwed his lines up at the dinner table with the blonde and Maggie and Harvey...he talks like he has a lisp, and sometimes I couldn't even understand what he was even saying. So, I don't how he can be given such great credit in this movie...for acting. Heath Ledger really only had 1 liner parts in the whole movie. "Why , so Serious?"...and "Let's Put a Smile on that Face", and then some other profound words of wisdom.....but really he didn't have alot to actually say....so in a 2 1/2 hour movie.....for what he said and did....that's where I have the trouble with the Academy Award Winning....you look at actors like Robert Redford, Clint Eastwood and Paul Newman, and the movies they won awards for...believe me they had much more dialouge.
Posted by Sam 'The Made Man' Hain (Member # 3150) on :
Sometimes it's what you say with your body and eyes. Look at Louise Fletcher in One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest a role in which she won best actress. She didn't really say anything exciting in the whole movie but what she said with her eyes spoke more volumes than anything she said with her mouth. I felt she well deserved her Oscar for that performance.
Posted by ISIS (Member # 1780) on :
That's not totally comparable...she actually had alot more dialouge than The Joker...I have seen One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest...about 20 times...I do get your point though....but I still don't think this movie is an Academy Award winner in anything except special effects.
Posted by MotleyRulz (Member # 3598) on :
When was the last time Newman did something? Redford IMO is, was, and always has been overrated. Eastwood is the most talented out of the three you mentioned. He said exciting dialogue not dialogue as a whole when mentioning Louise Fletcher. Maybe if they'd had Bale dressed in leg warmers, talking Valley Girl talk, showing little talent it would appeal to some people. Sorry if a movie with actual plot confused you........
Posted by ISIS (Member # 1780) on :
I am talking about when they won Academy Awards...not like from last week...in 20-30 years from now...let's see where Christian Bale is.
Motley...you are just so funny....there was no plot to the movie...that's why I was confused.
Posted by MotleyRulz (Member # 3598) on :
How can you honestly sit there and say there was no plot? You also failed to specify the 20-30 year ago thing or was that to cover tracks? There was plot throughout the movie but as I said earlier I guess it was hard for those to see who like movies without plot or substance...
Posted by ISIS (Member # 1780) on :
Your so right.....wasn't The Joker wearing leg warmers??? Maybe not....I have to give him some fashion credit...he did have on some snazzy socks.
Posted by Original Nomster (Member # 2688) on :
Motley, you may as well stop arguing with her as she is always going to believe her point of view is the right one. Lets face it, everyone she spoke to said the first one was better and their opinion must count more than than box office sales and the 105,000 people who voted for it on IMDB.
Isis will always be one of thos people that will argue her point regardless and even though the vast majority on this board who have seen it enjoyed it, she still seems determined to criticise it.
Let's face it, she only came back because she missed the arguments.
Noms
[ 23. July 2008, 21:57: Message edited by: Original Nomster ]
Posted by deathbystereo80 (Member # 2005) on :
Oh MAN, I cannot believe this - they will only start showing this movie in German theaters starting August 21!!!! This is ridiculous. I guess we're about the last country in the world to get to see this.
Hello my fellow European Rewinders - I hope you are luckier than we are... Posted by pettyfan (Member # 2260) on :
Noms, you hit the nail on the head.
Posted by NowhereGirl (Member # 465) on :
august 21st? darn, that's another month away.
first off, i could care less who the academy believes is deserving of an award, i think they've disappointed at times. but for those who have won oscars, it's all about the performance, not the number of words spoken. acting isn't limited to dialogue alone.. come on isis, you know this. heath ledger really did a wonderful job playing the joker. he was unrecognizable in his performance, granted he wore make-up and costume, but it was everything else, his voice, his expressions, ....so much more. i think there are a lot of other people who saw the movie and know what i'm talking about.
one thing, i personally think it would be awesome if heath did get an oscar nod (not saying he will. oscars nods are usually given to the older generation of actors (and the same ones, at that). heath was 28 when he died and and now everyone can only wonder what could have been. he was a promising actor, with a lot of talent.
Posted by jdocster04 (Member # 5752) on :
Yeah, It is sad to loose a great actor at such a young age... I wouldn't be surprised if he wins the Oscar posthumously.
Posted by Muffy Tepperman (Member # 1551) on :
people who are super opinionated are like talking to a brick wall.......I gave up awhile ago...........and i'm not pointing a finger at any certain person.....haha
Christan Bale is an awesome actor!!!! Empire of the Sun......American Psycho!!!!
Plus honestly I wish I didn't have to hear from anyone anymore about the role of the joker and how it may or may not have tied to Heaths death.........we don't know and will NEVER know what was happening in his life......so let his family and daughter live in peace and let it go you know??? I hear that convo at work twice a day lately....
I have yet to see the movie but can't wait!
Posted by Kash (Member # 297) on :
Like Muffy, I've yet to see this movie: all the Batman flicks had something to love, if I had to rate them in order it'd be...
1) Batman Begins 2) Batman Forever (viva Val Kilmer---still the best Bruce Wayne) 3) Batman 4) Batman-The Movie (1966)---I hear Shark repellent batspray also works on lawyers & real estate agents 5) Batman Returns 6) Batman & Robin
Christian Bale can be a bit of a hit n' miss artist, there were a few awkward years('Velvet Goldmine' anyone?) but the Bale hasn't really put a foot wrong cinematically since 2000: 'American Psycho', 'Equlibrium', 'The Prestige', 'Harsh Times' (GREAT MOVIE by the way, very underrated), '3:10 To Yuma' and others.
Posted by 80'sRocked (Member # 6979) on :
quote:Originally posted by Muffy Tepperman: Christan Bale is an awesome actor!!!!
Yes he is. Did anyone see The Machinist? Great movie. He starved himself for 4 months to make that film. That is dedication.
Posted by Muffy Tepperman (Member # 1551) on :
the scene towards the begining where he's in the mirror sideways......oh man........they talked alot about Deniro and Raging Bull in interviews with Bale at the time.......about the weight drop and gain.......I do think he's an awesome actor plus the fact he's so handsome haha
Posted by NowhereGirl (Member # 465) on :
i remember seeing that movie. bale definitely did a great job. what a transformation.
Posted by ISIS (Member # 1780) on :
I am done now on the whole subject...because I thought the movie stunk...and you all can love it...I went looking for reviews for it...because of this whole topic...just to see what real "critics" had to actually say about it, and I found this one...and it is as if I wrote it...I want to write the guy and tell him, he said exactly what I was thinking about this movie...every single thing he said...is exactly how I saw this movie.....
I know now I am not alone in my thinking...even if 1 other person on the planet felt that way...I know it just wasn't me.
All I have ever said about any of this movie...or anything I get upset over...has to do with VIOLENCE, and then you all go ranting on me...that I don't like violence...as if the violence made the movie GOOD. Take out the violence, and what's left of that movie. Nothing. And I do know a thing or two about Superheroes...I have been a fan of Superhero stuff my whole life...I would never catergorize this movie as a "Super Hero" movie....he saved 1 kid from being shot in the head...wow, big deal. Then he runs away.
Posted by MotleyRulz (Member # 3598) on :
Friday the 13th, Nightmare on Elm Street, and April' Fool's Day were all violent movies. I guess since they were 80s it was ok though. End of my discussion. Thank you for your support.....
Posted by ISIS (Member # 1780) on :
Those movies were Rated R Horror movies...that isn't what this was...so that's not what I have ever been talking about...you miss the point, as usual.
Posted by MotleyRulz (Member # 3598) on :
Yet you fail again to mention another added stipulation as usual. Does that still justify violence in movies? You fail to mention until now that you were referring to only R movies. I'm gonna be the bigger person and end this conversation here. I enjoyed the movie as the majority of folks have and someone who disklikes a thinking persons movie isn't gonna change my mind. Heath was a young person who still had alot to offer the world and I feel this was his best work. Alot of actors and actresses past and present could learn alot from him......
Posted by jdocster04 (Member # 5752) on :
OR
Posted by 80'sRocked (Member # 6979) on :
I'd go with this one...You know, keep the 80's theme:
Posted by Ali_with_an_i (Member # 27) on :
I LOVED this movie! It was haunting and thought provoking. Bale was wonderful and I have been a fan of his for years(he was so cute in Little Women). I think he and Ledger are genuine and believable actors, too bad about Heath, he had a promising career. I hope they make a third but I can't see how they could top this one. It was a classic good vs evil, and the reluctant hero that we need but dont want. That is pretty much how the world is today anyway. Well thats just my humble opinion.
Posted by MotleyRulz (Member # 3598) on :
Just got back from seeing this again and suprisingly enough it gets better each time. It's one of the few movies I can watch over and over without the quality of the movie wearing down. It's supposedly being released to DVD sometime in November 2008.......
Posted by Sam 'The Made Man' Hain (Member # 3150) on :
The Dark Knight passes $300 million in a record 10 days besting Pirates of the Caribbean Dead Man's Chest the previous fastest to reach $300 million at 16 days.
Looks like this movie won't be slowing down anytime soon.
$6.25 of that was mine. I'm part of history folks Posted by TKO (Member # 1471) on :
I hated it.
And this has nothing to do with the amount of violence, acting performances or anything like that. Cause there was absolutely nothing wrong with that. I just felt disappointed in an almost emotional kind of way. On top of that, I felt even more bad after admitting it to myself, cause I haven’t been looking forward to a movie like this in years. So, in a way, I am disappointed in myself as well.
***SPOILERS*** Don’t read further if you haven’t seen it yet.
I think the main reason is, because this Batman is way too vulnurable. I know he is – unlike most superheroes – just a man of flesh and blood. Which is why Batman has always been my favorite superhero. But still... when he’s up against some tougher opponents, he barely makes it every time.
And now what?
What use is there for him to go on as the Batman? Ok, so he (nearly) won the fight in the end. But at what cost? He practically lost everybody that meant something to him, one way or the other. On top of that no one believes in him anymore, except for Alfred (and maybe commissioner Gordon). I even doubt if he still believes in himself.
Nope, I like the darker take on these new Batman movies, but guess this one's too dark for me. Call me naïve, but I need a real hero, Gotham City needs a real hero... But it feels like he is losing the fight. It almost sends out the wrong message: ‘crime does pay’.
The only thing worth remembering for me was indeed Heath Ledger’s performance, which was absolutely outstanding: the mimics, the speech, the make-up, the body language... I don’t think The Joker can get any better than this.
Posted by Original Nomster (Member # 2688) on :
Found an interesting item on wikipedia:
"An Internet troll, or simply troll in Internet slang, is someone who posts controversial and usually irrelevant or off-topic messages in an online community, such as an online discussion forum or chat room, with the intention of baiting other users into an emotional response or to generally disrupt normal on-topic discussion."
Hmm. Who does this sound like?
I think that rather than arguing with said troll from now on, a simple...
"DO NOT FEED THE TROLL!"
might be the more appropriate response...
Noms Posted by MotleyRulz (Member # 3598) on :
An extremely chilling Joker pic..........
[ 05. August 2008, 22:00: Message edited by: MotleyRulz ]
Posted by Kash (Member # 297) on :
I've seen this twice now, I liked it a lot though prefer 'Batman Begins' and can fully understand some of the criticisms, especially in relation to story and character development. One of the more annoying aspects were the obvious cuts they've made to secure 12A, lets hope Nolan doesn't do a Ridley Scott or Tarantino (I've all but given up on ever him releasing 'Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair') and rolls out the director's cut straight away. Heath Ledger was brilliant.
Posted by MotleyRulz (Member # 3598) on :
I've heard the Blu Ray DVD will include several deleted scenes......
Posted by Helen_S (Member # 5804) on :
Well I finally saw this and thought it was fantastic. It's now my second favourite Batman film, I don't think anything will ever beat Returns for me. I, in particular really enjoyed Aaron Eckhart's performance.
Posted by NowhereGirl (Member # 465) on :
hi helen, i'm glad you enjoyed it. and i agree aaron eckhart was great in his role! glad someone else noticed that.
Posted by Sam 'The Made Man' Hain (Member # 3150) on :
Man I wish it would beat Titanic but looks like we may have to settle for second.........
Posted by cindymancini (Member # 679) on :
I'm not going to get into the "controversy" here but I LOVED the movie. Nicholson is a hard act to follow and Heath did it! There were Nicholson nuances in his performance, especially his laugh at times, but Heath made it his own. The perfect blend of maniacal, sarcastic and comical. I can't wait to see it again! So many good quotes from this one!
[ 21. August 2008, 07:54: Message edited by: cindymancini ]
Posted by MotleyRulz (Member # 3598) on :
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