[to Batman] Come on, I want you to do it, I want you to do it. Come on, hit me. *Hit me!* -Heath Ledger as the Joker - Dark Knight 2008There are actors and actresses that put on a performance that embodies a career, one way or the other. You got Denzel Washington in Training Day, Jamie Foxx in Ray, Robert DeNiro in Ragin' Bull, or on the other slope Eddie Murphy in the Adventures of Pluto Nash and The Govenator in Kindergarten Cop (its not a tuuuuuumer). The one that will forever stay in the forefront of my mind is the Heath Ledger in the Dark Knight.
I have seen the Dark Knight about 8 or 9 times now. I first saw it at the theaters so I got the first hand big screen experience that had me as well as others awestruck. Now if you are a comic book head (i used to be real deep into em), you would know that Ledger played The Joker so close to the bone, that if you didnt know it was an act, that dude was really a crazed clown faced super villian.
As I watched maybe around the 3rd time, I noticed that he took elements from the comics Joker as well as the overtly campy Ceaser Romero from the TV series and Jack Nicholson's version from the original movie playing opposite of Michael Keaton. The Dark Knight's arch enemy was a dark, cold, and calculating son of a bitch, with no conscious, no compassion, and without a doubt no fear. The character in the 60's TV show was so corny that you just had to laugh at him and speakin of laughs, I found that in Heath's character. Along with the dark heartedness of Nicholson's Joker. It was the best rendition of any comic book villian ever, with Jim Carrey's Riddler a distant second. (Unless Johnny Depp, gets cast in that role for the next installment). Ledger rolled the best attributes of his predecessors (and probably mixed in a couple of prescription / non prescription street grade narcodics into one).
Its a shame that the talented Australian has died, cause I could actually see him reprising that role in a later Dark Knight epic. There will never be another person to play this part. He put his stamp on it and anyone that dares to play it will fail greatly. No one will ever be able to recreate the "disappearing pencil gag", stuff a grenade in a bank managers mouth, or pull off robbin all the gangsters in Gothem of their money and tell em that they can have it back for a "small fee". While talkin to Det. Stephans he said, "Do you want to know why I use a knife? Guns are too quick. You can't savor all the... little emotions. In... you see, in their last moments, people show you who they really are. So in a way, I know your friends better than you ever did. Would you like to know which of them were cowards? " or explaining his physical appearance...or when he had a knife to the inside of Gambol's mouth, "Wanna know how I got these scars? My father was... a drinker. And a fiend. And one night he goes off crazier than usual. Mommy gets the kitchen knife to defend herself. He doesn't like that. Not-one-bit. So - me watching - he takes the knife to her, laughing while he does it! Turns to me, and he says, "why so serious, son?" Comes at me with the knife... "Why so serious?" He sticks the blade in my mouth... "Let's put a smile on that face!" Even though I know someone wrote these lines, Ledger OWNED them, he had me wondering if he was really The Clown.
This has got to be one of the greatest performances ever caught on film. It ranks IMO with Gene Hackman in the French Connection, Marlon Brando in The Godfather, and every rappers favorite Al Pacino in Scarface. All memorable because they were characters that were so "lifelike", torn, and had such strong personalities that you really forget you are watchin a movie. Well I'm glad the Dark Knight is on DVD and I got a copy (I wont never open it, cause its gonna be worth something one day....you watch). Im also glad that the Academy of Arts and Sciences (the people that hold the Oscar awards) recognized a great performer and awarded him posthumorously with the Award for Best Supporting Actor (I think he was the lead actor anyway, Bale just happened to be the title character). Well done my good man and may your eternal rest be a peaceful one...at least you got to live down that Brokeback Mountain shit (no homo)
Here's my card....LOL!!!!
PENCIL GO BYE BYE
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