Is dead actor's Joker worth an Oscar?

Chris Gaynor

Much-awaited film The Dark Knight will explode onto the UK's cinema screens tomorrow. Movie fans will be asking that all important question, does deceased Hollywood star Heath Ledger, who plays the deranged Joker character, deserve an Oscar?

Ledger, who died last year of a drugs overdose aged 28, has been tipped by many to receive a post humous Oscar at the awards ceremony next year.

A feast of stars rolled into watch its UK premiere in London's Leicester Square on Monday amid regret that Ledger could not be with them to share in their capitalist money making success.

Director Christopher Nolan, who is famous for directing dark, oblique, sinister films such as Insomnia, has boosted the jaded Batman franchise with his rejuvenated look at Gotham City through the eyes of someone who has experienced US terrorism, and the paranoia of 9/11.

In the Independent newspaper, critic Geoffrey Macnab writes: "The Dark Knight is a film for troubled times."

He adds: "This is a summer tentpole movie that plays to the masochistic instincts of cinema-goers fretting over their own future."

Heath LedgerBut who remembers when the very first Batman film was unleashed on the people of the UK? A certain actor named Jack Nicholson, who portrayed the Joker villain like a clown, was also given worldwide acclaim for his spritely portrayal.

Christian Bale, the man who has to slink into the Batman costume, has also created a Batman frenzy with the rejuvenation of a once classic comic book hero, now spun into an at times over the top, but still highly enjoyable series of films.

So, is Nolan's Batman really any different from the Batman of the 80s. Ofcourse, some would say yes, as the US was once thought to be the safest nation in the world. No-one could attack the US from inside, let alone outside it. But there are still issues now, that were prevalent then. IDENTITY.

The Joker had an identity crisis, with Nicholson delightfully questioning who Jack, (Joker) really was. In the film there are two sides of the mask. And that is something that Bale questioned in the first installment Batman Begins.

He said in the film: "It's not who I am that defines me. It's what I do." And Ledger appears, from the reports read, to question same. Who are we in a world that is mixed up?

submitted by chris on July 23rd 2008

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Heath Ledger

On June 24th, 2009 geremy says:

I think Heath is the is an example of what a huge waste drugs can cause. Even today I feel sorry for his loss because he was such a promising young talent. Has he ever been in drug rehab treatment? Was he aware of how dangerous his drug problem is? It's too late now anyway but I hope his story will teach other a valuable lesson...

huh?

On July 24th, 2008 hannah_87 says:

I dont see the point of this article. The title does not correspond with the content and the content does not make any sense whatsoever. You come across like you dont know what your talking about, you clearly havent watched the film either. I'm a bit puzzled by what your point is.

My point is clear

On July 25th, 2008 chris says:

The point of the article was to remind people that when the very first Batman came out everybody was commenting on the performance of Jack Nicholson's Joker - and I am questioning whether this new Batman really does explore anything different to what the original did in the '80s. Of course I haven't seen the film. It hadn't been released when I wrote my piece. But, like most people, I have watched the others! I don't think you have to necessarily watch a film to be able to comment - especially if you know the basic premise of it. I would advise you go online and read the Independent's review in Wednesday's paper. Then you might realise where I was coming from!

Chris Gaynor

I read the Independent

On July 25th, 2008 hannah_87 says:

I read the Independent's review and nope, I still dont see the point of your article, for me it dont make any sense and its just a bunch of sentences about the film put together. How bout you watch the film and come up with your own conclusion.

My point is clear - part two

On July 25th, 2008 chris says:

Chris Gaynor

I'm not really sure what you don't understand from the article as I think I have made my points perfectly clear. I have planned to go and see the film anyway. I do not need someone to order me to go and see it, just because I make a series of comments before I see it. End.

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