Why So Serious?

Well …

To be frank, there’s a reason …

I can’t say I’m upset that the late Heath Ledger has managed to bag the Screen Actors Guild Best Supporting Actor award and a Golden Globe, as well for playing the Joker.   It seems a good way to commemorate his death, as well as honour the performance he gave in the part.

But I’m certain in myself that his death was a sort of double – possibly triple –tragedy.

Obviously, it’s is a HUGE loss to those who loved him.

And to his fans, and those who valued his film appearances.

But I’m also very aware that his death adds both poignancy to, and overshadows other performances, both in “Dark Knight”, and quite probably in other films.

As I said in my earlier post, Gary Oldman and Aron Eckhart both put in equally good performances.

It’s a shame those have been overshadowed.

A shame, overshadowed by a tragedy.

A quiet knight in: The Dark Knight — A Review

Saturday nights can be quiet, if your on a budget. But that doesn’t have to be a problem, with a branch of Blockbusters nearby …

Oh, and company. Company’s good, as well. It‘s just a shame we couldn’t head over to another friend’s place, but I was semi-expecting more people to turn up.

That’s countered, though, if you’ve got good company, and if you’ve managed to get your hands on a reasonably good movie: as it turns out, The Dark Knight is definitely a good movie.

I know it’s had a lot of hype —it’s hard not to be cynical and not define the death of one of the leading actors as a tragic, but very convenient, free advert— but Dark Knight deserves at least some of the positive comments I’ve seen in the media about it.

It’s beautifully shot, tightly scripted and nicely directed by Christopher Nolan. The actors give an all round great job, and I think I’ll put in a good word here, for three people.

I was very impressed by the late Heath Ledger, as the Joker.

Usually, I’m rather fond of Jack Nicholson: and his cut of the Joker has stuck in my mind for years, as being a standard to aim at. Admittedly, a comic book Byron to aim for, but none the less, the standard to aim for.

As Adrian and Paul both agreed, last night, Heath did a very good psychopath. I don’t know if he’d read Alan Moore’s “The Kiling Joke”, but I certainly felt that his interpretation had hints of it, but that could well be the scripting. I don’t know if he’ll get a posthumous Oscar for the role, but it’d be a strange universe if he didn’t get a posthumous Oscar nomination for it.*

Another standout, for me, was Aaron Eckhart, as Harvey Dent. Two Face, in other words, long a recurring villain in the comics themselves. And wonderfully portrayed, in this film, as a tragic figure, rather than the very cartoony villain played by Tommy Lee Jones, back in the day.

It must have been hard to keep up with the Heath Ledger post-mortem hype, but I feel that Aaron Eckhart, and Gary Oldman as Commissioner Jim Gordonº, both did.

I’m just hoping Paul and myself can persuade Adrian to not grow a ’tache — that would just be strange …

* I’ll be honest, I don’t know if I care for the idea of a posthumous Oscar, however deserving … but a posthumous Oscar nomination, now …

º I’m also going to mention Michæl Caine, as Alfred: rivetting stuff, but this is Michæl Caine we’re talking about.