The Joker is pure madness.  Heath Ledger played the part of a madman to perfection, making him deserving of the Best Supporting Actor Oscar at the upcoming Academy Awards.  To show you an example of his brilliant role, I’ve inserted a clip.  Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7EWpYvX29o

As of November 11, 2008, The Dark Knight has brought in $997, 535,317 in the box office.  When the blockbuster is re-released in January, it is expected that there will be more than enough moviegoers that will see the film again to push the film over the $1 billion mark.

The Dark Knight was a movie that could stand on it’s own with or without Ledger.  Director Christopher Nolan put a true masterpiece together when he filmed TDK.  However, none of this would have been possible if it wasn’t for the brilliant performance of Heath Ledger as the Joker.  Before his untimely death, the marketing plan for TDK was intended to center around the character of The Joker.  There was a reason for that.  The role was truly one of the all-time greats.

However, the death of Ledger has forever caused a cloud of mystique linger over his portrayal of The Joker.  Where would the story have gone after TDK?  What new heights could have been conquered my Ledger if he hadn’t have passed on in January?  That’s what is so interesting about this topic.  There are so many angles that one needs to consider that may make or break his Oscar chances, but then so many new angles are developed in your head that make you wander, in Lehman’s terms, “What if?”

When I first started this class and chose the outside-the-box topic of the Heath Ledger Oscar nomination, I chose the topic at first for the sole reason that I’m a Senior at Pitt and have written about pretty much anything you can think of.  As a person who has worked himself to the bone for my first three years, I wanted to write about a topic that I was going to enjoy for this class. However, since I began writing, I have become semi-passionate about the topic.  It has forced me to view The Dark Knight a few more times, and I believe now, more than ever, that Heath Ledger deserves the Oscar nominaton.

For those of you who haven’t had the opportunity to see The Dark Knight yet, I highly recommend you do, even if you’re not a comic book fan.  It goes so far beyond that.  Plus, you have the blessing of seeing Heath Ledger’s iconic portrayal of the Joker.  Believe me, if it wasn’t as good as I’ve claimed it is, I wouldn’t spend an entire semester writing about it.

The critics seem to agree thus far. They and fans alike have praised TDK as being the best film of the year (it has been a weak year for Oscar-worthy movies).  There is also a chance that it could take home the Oscar for Best Score.  The music (done by Hans Zimmer) set the tone throughout the movie and provide and even more eerie feeling than director Christopher Nolan did.

As funny as it may sound, Christian Bale, the one who actually played Batman and Bruce Wayne, doesn’t have much of a chance to win Best Actor.  This isn’t because his role wasn’t good or because his gravel-like voice was criticised.  Ledger simply overshadowed Bale.  His portrayal of the Joker was so praised that people were going to see the movie to see the Villian instead of the hero.

IF YOU HAVEN’T SEEN THE DARK KNIGHT, THE FOLLOWING CONTAINS SPOILERS

Here is my concern.  These two characters are obviously cemented in the history of Batman.  However, The Joker did not die in The Dark Knight.  The Joker is Batman arch-nemisis.  He’s a character that, if alive, that needs to be at least mentioned in the storyline.  Also, the detrimental effect he had on Gotham City has yet to be resolved.  He was responsible for the killing of cops, public officials, and Harvey Dent (who became Two-Face), Gotham’s District Attorney, or as Bruce Wayne called him “The White Knight.”

Here’s my opinion on the matter.  There are going to be other Batman movies after the third.  Some of these may even involve The Joker.  However, I believe that he won’t be involved in the third installment due to Heath Ledger’s performance.  Not only are all that took part in the filming of The Dark Knight still reeling from Ledger’s death, but Ledger has done such a brilliant job with the part that it may be hard for anyone to duplicate.  Fans and critics alike are going to be looking back on his portrayal of the Joker and realize that he just may be the greatest movie villian we have ever seen.  The process of bringing that character back into the mix is going to have to be handled gingerly.  Not just anyone can fill those shoes again.

First, I want to give you all a character description of the The Joker.  As he stated in The Dark Knight, when he was younger, a dangerous situation took place between himself and one of this loved ones.  Upon ultimately killing two of his prey in the movie, he asked both of them “Wanna know how I got these scars?” which referred to the scars that were abound around his mouth.  The first story he told had to do with his father.  According to the Joker, he placed a blade in his mouth and asked him “Why so serious?” and then said “Let’s put a smile on that face.”  His father, apparently, proceeded to scar his mouth.  The second story involved his girlfriend getting into an accident that left her mouth disfigured.  To show that he didn’t mind her scars, he put a blade into his mouth and swished it around.  She was so disgusted by this action that she refused to even look at him, leaving him traumatised.

The purpose of me telling you this is to try to get you realize the mindset that Heath Ledger had to put himself in to portray such a quardian of chaos.  One has to go completely outside of themselves and learn how to become a diabolical, unrenting homicidal maniac as soon as the director asks you to.  As I explained in a previous post, Ledger actually stay by himself in a hotel room for a month to learn the character.  Most wouldn’t be able to handle a role such as this.  Maybe this is why, upon hearing the news of Ledger’s death, Jack Nicholson simply replied, “I warned him.”  Nicholson is a seasoned movie veteran who is respected by just about everybody in the movie industry.  He knows what it takes to prepare for a role.  As a man to portrayed the Joker first in Tim Burton’s Batman (1989), he had to go through a similar process.

Keep this in mind.  Jack is still with us.  Heath is not.  I’m by no means saying that his portrayal of the Joker is a reason for his death, but it’s worth thinking about.  When Jack warns you, maybe one should take heed.

I find this to be a brilliant move by Warner Bros.  When the time comes to announce the Oscar nominations, as I have openly stated in class, it will be a news stort whose size and popularity will captivate the American audience in such a way that it will rival the Presidential election (I’m not saying that I agree that it should, I just agree that it will).  The re-release of The Dark Knight will be an opportunity to give critics a second look at a film that goes above and beyond just being another superhero flick.  This may give the film further credit to receive an Oscar nomination for something other than special effects. 

Most importantly, of course, the re-release will give critics everywhere a second look at the brilliant performace of Heath Ledger as The Joker.  I don’t think that a second look would even be necessary, but it should definately help.  Critics get a second chance to see that Ledger’s portrayal isn’t just a random duplication of a random goofy comic book character.  There hasn’t been a role such as this that has enthralled moviegoers everywhere in such a way since Jack Nicholson’s R.P. McMurphy in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest in 1975.  Ledger’s role is in a league of its own, and now gets a second chance to get recognized as such.

1.        “Could Heath Ledger Really Win an Oscar?”  CNN.  2008. CNN.com.  14 Sep  2008

http://www.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/Movies/07/02/film.ledger.oscarbuzz.ap/

-           This article dances around the idea that Heath Ledger could earn an Oscar nomination on January 22^nd.  This would mark the one-year anniversary of his death.  If this should happen , he would become just the seventh actor in the history of the Academy Awards to earn a posthumous nomination.  I plan to use this article for statistical purposes.  It talks about the one-year anniversary.  It also talks about Peter Finch, the only man to win an Oscar after his death. 

2.        Karger, Dave.  “An Oscar for Heath Ledger in ‘The Dark Knight ?”  Popwatch Blog.  2008. 

EW.com.  13 Sep 2008.  http://popwatch.ew.com/popwatch/2008/07/an-oscar-for-  he.html

-          Much like the afore-mentioned article, this one also dances around the idea of Ledger getting a nomination.  However, this one doesn’t just talk about just getting a nomination.  This one talks about him actually winning.  It also talks about the challenge Ledger might have against him, including many A-list actors who are also possibilities.  I want to use this article to show the challenge that Ledger may have with getting the nomination.  Not only is his role a comic book character, but he will also have esteemed actors as possible competition. 

3.        “History and Structure of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.”  Academy of         

Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.  2008.  Oscars.org.  13 Sep 2008.           

http://www.oscars.org/academy/history.html

-          I intend to use this website as a format to show how the Oscars are chosen.  There are various factors that go into a nomination.  This include the date of which the movie was released, genre, who qualifies as a member of the Academy, etc.  I can use this to show the process in which would happen should Ledger get the nomination. 

4.        Chadwick, Alex.  “Dear Oscars, Popular Movies are Good Too.”  Day to Day.  23 July 2008.

-          This newspaper article is written to argue that not every Oscar nomination has to go to a movie in which may not have been released to every theater.  This is often the case, which gets on the nerves of many moviegoers.  I want to use this article because I’ve cited the popularity of The Dark Knight and the Batman comic book series as an obstacle that must be climbed in order to have Ledger achieve an Oscar nomination. 

5.        “Ledger’s Role Reminds Us of Dark Loss.”  The Fresno Bee.  20 July 2008.

-          This article talks about how Ledger’s role as the Joker coincides with the way he died.  The role of the Joker is very dark and bitter role, which according to friends and family, was the  exact opposite of the way that Ledger was.  Ironically, he died of an accidental prescription medicine overdose, which is a dark way to pass on.  I want to use this to make the reader see the mystique that could go along with the possible Oscar nod. 

6.        Bowles, Scott.  “Ledger’s ‘Dark’ Joker Looks to be an Oscar Wild Card.”  USA Today. 

18 July 2008.

This article is much like the first two I mentioned.  It talks about the reasons in which Ledger could be nominated for an Oscar for his role.  One man even says that Ledger was on his way to be on the same bleachers as Marlon Brando…maybe even better.  It also mentions that comic book movies are thought of by many critics as a destination for kids on their summer break.  The Dark Knight turned that perception on its head.  That wouldn’t have been possible without Ledger’s Joker.

7.  Abaius, Cole.  “The Dark Knight Will Win Every Oscar.  Or Not.”  Film School Rejects.  2008.  12 Oct.

                2008.  http://www.filmschoolrejects.com/opinions/the-dark-knight-will-win-every-oscar-or-not.php

                - This internet article talks about the other awards that The Dark Knight may receive.  I think this is good food for thought to let my readers see that not only was Heath Ledger’s role more than just a comic book character, but the entire movie goes above and beyond what calls for a comic book-based movie.  The article talks about Ledger, screenplay, the score, and every award that TDK has a chance at receiving at the 2009 Academy Awards. 

8.  Wozniak, Adam.  “The Dark Knight Movie Review.”  Movies Online.  2008.  12 Oct 2008.

               
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-          I like to use articles like this to show use another fan’s point of view on the movie and, most importantly, Ledger’s Joker.  Wozniak has the same movie that I do about The Dark Knight being more realistic than the other Batman movies.  The others looked like comics, filled with bright lights and other flamboyant settings that made it look more like a circus than a dark, brooding Gotham City. 

9.  Bartyzel, Monika.  “New Image of Heath Ledger in “Parnassus” Hits!”  Cinematical.  2008.  22 Oct

                2008.  http://www.cinematical.com/2008/10/22/new-image-of-heath-ledger-in-parnassus-hits/

-          I think that the brief description of what the writer was feeling after seeing this picture and the picture itself is important for one to realize the kind of mind frame Ledger may have been in after filming The Dark Knight and while filming The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus.  I’m by no means saying that I agree that the role of the Joker resulted in his death.  What I am saying is that it adds a touch of mystique to the issue.  Even I, one who thinks the role had nothing to do with this death, will always wonder. 

10.  Greenberger, Robert.  “Spike Delivers Scream 2008 Awards.”  Comicmix.  2008.  21 Oct 2008

                http://www.comicmix.com/news/2008/10/21/spike-delivers-scream-2008-awards/

-          I used this brief review of what we might expect come this Oscar season.  Although the Spike Scream Awards are much less informal than the Academy Awards, The Dark Knight dominated, winning about half of the awards.   Of course, Heath Ledger won in every category he was nominated, which were “Best Actor”, “Best Villain,” and “Best Quote.”

11.  Campbell, Christopher.  “The Dark Knight’s Oscar Potential Goes Much Further Than Heath Ledger.”

                SpoutBlog.  2008.  22 Oct 2008 http://blog.spout.com/2008/10/20/the-dark-knights-oscar-potential-goes-much-further-than-heath-ledger/

-          Once again, here’s an article that talks about The Dark Knight’s Oscar possibilities beyond Heath Ledger’s Joker.  This article goes much more in-depth than the one supplied by Film School Rejects.  It explains that the movie is most likely to win in the field of special effects and cinematography.  He also believes that it deserves a Best Picture nod.  However, Ledger is the only actor in the movie who has a legitimate chance at an award for acting. 

12.  Brevet, Brad.  “Oscar Update.”  Ropes of Silicon.  2008.  18 Oct 2008.  http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/article/oscar_update_frosty_frost_nixon_reviews_and_my_early_best_pic_predicts_20081017

-          This article comes from a website that is a little more official than the others.  It talks about how The Dark Knight is just about a lock for a Best Picture nomination.  I know this isn’t a big deal to my particular issue, but I found it worth noting that Brevet spoke of this without even mentioning that it was a comic book movie.  This makes me think that the film and it’s cast is finally getting credit for its brilliance. 

            It was made perfectly clear by The Dark Knight’s director Christopher Nolan that he didn’t want another “Batman” film series that ended up being jam-packed with neon lights and cheesy catch phrases.   He wanted the atmosphere, as well as the characters, to be dark and gritty.  The darkest and grittiest character in comic book history is arguably the Joker.  To prepare for the role, Heath Ledger locked himself into a hotel room for a month.  He took that time to soul search and form the Joker’s mannerisms and voice.  As he was doing this, he made a diary in which he wrote as the Joker, penning is thoughts, feelings, and plans.  He used this diary to help himself along and keep himself in character.  As well as this, Ledger was given copies of Batman comic books titled “Batman: The Killing Joke” and “Arkham Asylum:  A Serious House on Serious Earth.” 

            This is true devotion to a movie role.  This devotion turned Ledger into the Joker not only on screen, but almost engulfed him while he wasn’t on the set for The Dark Knight.  Some even say that his infatuation with the role, which those close to Ledger claim caused lack of sleep and depression, may have been the final straw that led to end of his promising young career.

            Jack Nicholson played the Joker in Tim Burton’s 1989 hit Batman.  Upon hearing the news that Ledger had passed on, Nicholson replied “I told him.”

Now, many are going to argue that if Ledger indeed does get the nomination, it will only because of his death. For those who may be uninformed, Heath Ledger passed away this past January due to accidental prescription drug overdose. This argument is ignorant. Ledger’s performance was being talked about immediately after the filming of The Dark Knight. Michael Caine, who plays Batman’s butler, Alfred, in the movie, claimed that when Ledger read his lines to him, he was unable to speak due to being completely terrified. Caine has been in movies since 1956. A man who is that respected within the Hollywood ranks and who has been in that movies to say something like that speaks volumes.

If you need proof of my argument, I highly urge you to go see The Dark Knight, if you haven’t already. For those of you who have had the privilege to see the film, you have experienced one of the most incendiary movie roles we may see in our lifetimes. For those who haven’t, you will be at true loss until you do.