The Dark Knight

As for Peter Jackson's KING KONG, I've had long and harsh discussions regarding that movie.

I don't have the experience with the historical background of Batman in comics books so I can't really view Batman movies in the context of the original source material. By basis of reviewing most movies (if a few exceptions) are from a stand-alone perspective without connection to their historical underpinnings. I can't appreciate the transference good or bad of some of these characters from the written/pictured page to the big screen. By basis for evaluating Batman for example is growing up watching television and Adam West which I assume would be quite horrifying for most comic book readers.

As for understanding the complexities of movie adaptations I've read two rather lengthy film biographies, one for BLADERUNNER and one for BBC version of PRIDE AND PREJUDICE. I've been introduced elements that go to the development of a theatrical film.

You two are really slugging it out on this film. That's good.

However, I just need to clarify something I mentioned on an earlier post. Ledger died in January of 2008. "The Dark Knight" was not released until July. It was definitely in post production at the time of his death (retakes, dubbing, and so on). Nolan had until May to make changes. Ledger's death changed that. It forced his hand to use what footage he had on hand. I continue to assert that had he been around, who knows what changes Nolan could have made to "The Dark Knight."

Terry Gilliam is also stuck with Ledger's performance "as is" in the forthcoming film, "The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus" with Johnny Depp, Jude Law, Colin Farrel, Christopher Plummer and Tom Waits. In this instance, Heath had only completed half of his role. Gilliam (Brazil, Twelve Monkeys, etc) must either deliver a finished product or shut his very expensive production down. He had to completely change his film or reshoot all of Ledger's scenes, a director's nightmare scenario. The film has a scheduled September release date. Good luck, Terry!

The footage he had on hand was enough.
Nothing to change.
It was just a matter of selecting what takes he would use.
And it seems as if he had a lot, because I've seen other scenes and alternate images from this movie.

If Nolan's hand was forced, it was only to decide exactly which takes he would use to cement Ledger's final film performance.
Other than that, he had everything he needed from Ledger.
The big lament here is that there will be no more footage of the Joker to use for future films.
Or are there some surprises in the vault?

His name was HEATH, cinemabon.
Not "health".

If Heath Ledger had been alive, as director I would have had several test screenings to see if the audience had any problems with understanding Batman's speech and if so consider reshooting or at least dubbing his lines so that the audience might have a better, if not absolutely clear understanding of what he said. Or on the otherhand, reshoot or dub this speech so it was more obvious that the audience wasn't really supposed to understand what was being said and just let the action speak for itself.

Another reason the Joker is so kick-ass in this Batman production is that Nolan allowed Heath to shoot some of his own scenes- the hand-held footage of the Joker interrogating the Batman imposter was done by Heath himself. He came up with that footage. His idea! His art!

Did you know that he was on track to become a director himself?
Terry Gilliam said that Heath was going to be a better director than he was. Now that's some serious tip of the hat!

Kubrick's influence over this film (to repeat) is in the controlled uncertainty, the consciousness of each scene, the "criminal" (as a fascinating film character- they never take life for what it is), some damn impressive camerawork that the Grand Master himself would agree was very fine indeed, and of course the Killing is all over the opening bank heist.

Not to mention the protagonist being in an intolerable situation, Ledger taking inspiration from A Clockwork Orange, etc.

I feel confident that Kubrick himself would find a
admire in The Dark Knight and Chris Nolan's craft.
Kubrick loved movies about situations, not necessarily about people. He didn't have much faith in people.
Dark Knight has plenty of situations for a viewer to ruminate on. Why does Batman do what he does in this film?
Why does he have the responses to the Joker's crimes that he does?

What seems to set this movie apart from other like movies was its intensity and multiple focus on emotional conflicts between good and evil and between the lesser of two evils. There was not clear right or wrong, there was a lot of gray, like real life. In addition to the action for action's sake there was a building, underlying riveting internal debate of having to make decisions where something bad was liikely to happen, evil was taking over, Batman suffers mightily and like a martyr, he suffers (perhaps needlessly) his public image, like an honorable Japanese warrior. This is what was most impressive despite the flaws in this movie when I watched it a second time.

Yes, it's hard to ignore the weight of situations in this film.
Some heavy shit is going down, and you better know what you're dealing with and act apropriately...

I actually talked to a guy who went to see Dark Knight twice in theatres and he said he fell asleep both times because he felt overwhelmed by the intensity of the movie.
Is that wacked out or what?
He was so overwhelmed he just closed his eyes and slept?!?!
What a waste of good ticket money!

This is one of the best video edits I've ever seen in my life.
It was done by a fan (SinnerMan of youtube) and he even uses the better clips of "Hit me!!" and "knife toss" that weren't in the feature film.

This is set to Massive Attack's "Angel" and it just kicks ass and takes fucking NAMES. Love it.
He made a "trailer" here that should be accepted by even the filmmakers. It's poetic, powerful, and a real tribute to the whole production. It just destroys, just like the film itself.

Thanks SinnerMan.
You did Heath and the whole Dark Knight production team really proud.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gdxsxA43-g

I've owned the limited edition steelbook DVD release of The Dark Knight for quite some time now, watching it over and over, and I'd like to point out some things.

The film is still a Masterpiece to me, but there are some things that bug me. (my opinions will be all over the place here- different parts of the movie)

1. the scene in the courtroom with Harvey Dent punching the dude on the witness stand- LAME. Everytime I see that scene I think of how ludicrous it is. First, how in the hell was that guy not shaken down before he entered the courtroom? He's a major crime syndicate man yet he's able to smuggle in a carbon-fibre Chinese-made gun? Does Mr. Nolan think that no one will take the time to wonder if that's possible? Or that Dent could punch him out and snappily tell the "fall guy" Sal that he should "buy American"? Only in the movies...
That scene had no point other than to introduce us to Dent's grandfather's lucky coin...and a high-falootin' public official like a District Attorney would NEVER be late for such a serious matter as Sal's day in court. I can think of better ways to show that Dent is a "White Knight" who nails bad guys.

2. When Batman goes head-on with the Joker in the huge truck while on the Batpod, "threading" the cables to upend the trailer reminded me of the AT-AT in The Empire Strikes Back that gets "threaded" and pulled down by a speeder piloted by Luke Skywalker. Anybody else notice that?

3. Events in this movie push the limits of credibility. How are copycat Batmans able to be taken seriously as the real thing by criminals? The copycats have no access to how Batman operates- they NEVER see him at work! They only hear about his exploits, or see him in the shadows, if they're lucky..
I mean, they get it wrong that he uses guns, but come on, how can they even remotely believe that they are doing the work of Batman? That they are actually taking on criminals and stand a chance? Especially in a crime-ridden city like Gotham? Wearing hockey pads? Don't they realize that they can DIE by impersonating Batman? I mean, the one tubby guy who says "What makes you different from us?"- is he retarded or what? What do you think is gonna happen if you pretend to be Batman? That's right- you might end up on a noose!

This film is extremely intelligent. But it really pushes it with credibility.
The Joker is "insane", with "issues", yet he's smart enough to "savour the little emotions" of those who are in their final moments because of him? And he's smart enough to orchestrate everything that he's able to pull off?

The most telling scene of the Joker's M.O. is when he says
"No I'm not"- referring to his mental state as being insane.
He is WAAAAAY ahead of everybody in Gotham- maybe too conveniently. When Gordon figures out that "he WANTED me to lock him in the ICU!!" That just seems too convenient.
You mean to tell me that the Joker is so sophisticated with his plans of anarchy that he can target all of these public officials in such streamlined ways? That he can orchestrate assassinations and plots from jail, where he can't communicate with anyone?
It was all done in advance? WOW. Planting the cell phone on the fat guy? Rigging the charges for Dent and Rachel? The boats loaded with explosives? Judge Cerillo's assassination? The man with the whiskey glass? What's-his-face who has to be dead in an hour or he blows up a hospital? Wow.
Not to mention his murder of Gamble, "coming back from the dead"- the Joker's got SERIOUS BALLS, MAN!
FEAR and ANARCHY indeed...

By the way, at Bruce's fundraiser for Harvey that the Joker crashes, the Joker is only there for what, two minutes and Batman appears to save the day? When did he have time to change into the Batsuit?!?! The Joker was there LITERALLY 2 minutes before Batman's on the scene? Was it a set-up?
I still don't know and I've seen the movie over and over.
Superman can wear his costume under his clothes and be ready in mere seconds. But Batman? It takes time to put on that armour!

But anyway, I still love the Holy Hell out of it...