Nostalgia Critic's Batman (1989) VS The Dark Knight (2008) Video

[zDBZ]

A very interesting review. I prefer The Dark Knight to Batman by a slim margin, but I would agree with him on who makes the better Batman and disagree on which film had better action.

Still disagree Ledger was better than Nicholson.

He resembles nothing of the Joker I know in the comics, tv series, cartoons or previous film. He's a Hollywood creation, and has nothing in common in my mind to the comics of Batman.

Dont want to hear this 'Batman No.1' comic cr4p, Nicholson was more like the Joker in that comic. To me Ledger was just the usual Hollywood psycho with make-up.

I am not knocking his performance it was golden, just the characterization, which I enjoyed. But its not the Joker!

It's funny you put it that way. When I read the script, that's how I felt about the characterisation of the Joker on the page. As written by the Nolan brothers, the character came off as a sociopathic madman who was fascinating and intriguing but had much more in common than Hannibal Lecter and John Doe than *the Joker.* IMO, Ledger was the one who made the Joker of The Dark Knight into *the Joker,* and I think the most important thing he added into the character was humour. The Joker in the script had more than enough menace, but was missing the other half of the equation.

[Azrael]

Maybe he just relates with people that dress up like giant bats. I can't imagine why (cue: photo from Dracula)
At last! Someone had to say it. 

[The Dark Knight]

Dont want to hear this 'Batman No.1' comic cr4p, Nicholson was more like the Joker in that comic. To me Ledger was just the usual Hollywood psycho with make-up.

Couldn't agree more, Ledger Joker was his own creation, an the whole hes Batman 1 Joker is just a lie to try an do justice to thier inacurate Hero.

Hmmm. Whether he's the Joker from Batman 1 or not, the performance was great. I wouldn't discount it based just on that.

[Joker81]

Dont want to hear this 'Batman No.1' comic cr4p, Nicholson was more like the Joker in that comic. To me Ledger was just the usual Hollywood psycho with make-up.

Couldn't agree more, Ledger Joker was his own creation, an the whole hes Batman 1 Joker is just a lie to try an do justice to thier inacurate Hero.

Hmmm. Whether he's the Joker from Batman 1 or not, the performance was great. I wouldn't discount it based just on that.

No, but we shouldnt be beat around the head with 'Hes the Joker from Batman no.1' when he's clearly not - why because he's got a knife!? And no origin in Batman no'1. But sure batman had no origin in DC no.27!

I'm sorrry, but the Joker in The Dark Knight is not from anything I have seen before, not even Arkhum Asylum. He was a new creation in TDK, reimagined by Hollywood, and thats why I think people responded so positivley to him, mainly the normal every day cinema going, non batman fan, public!

[Paul (ral)]

I understand what you are saying there Joker81, but I can't agree to a certain extent - in general the Batman community, regardless of their problems with TDK, have been positive of Ledger's Joker.

[Joker81]

Which is why I am more confused Ral??? Its funny how everyone refers to the character as Ledgers Joker. Thats because they know it is a creation he and Nolan created. Not DC or Bob Kane.

Remember I am not taking away from Ledgers acting, everyone seems to think if you say anything against the Joker in TDK its an attack  on Heath Ledger. It is not. I am simply saying even those in the Bat community now agree with a unique vision of the Joker created by Hollywood. This is all a little bizzare to me considering hard core Batman fans should know the character better than anyone, yet they accept this brand new reimagined version by Hollywood.

[Joker81]

Oh and just to let you know, I like the Joker in the Dark Knight, he was right for that movie, very entertaining and Ledger done a tremendous job. But he is not the definitive Joker as many have tried to say. He was too serious for me and not flamboyant enough.

[Paul (ral)]

But he is not the definitive Joker as many have tried to say. He was too serious for me and not flamboyant enough.

That I can agree with.  As good a Ledger was (and I have said this from the start) there was a "little wink in the eye" missing. I'm not talking about a wink in the eye to the audience - I mean a little bit of glee.  Obviously he couldn't (and shouldn't) have given Nicholson's Joker, but a slight absorption of his madness into the performance would have been great.

[The Dark Knight]

He was too serious for me and not flamboyant enough.

Fair enough. Personally, I thought the mix was just right.

[zDBZ]

That I can agree with.  As good a Ledger was (and I have said this from the start) there was a "little wink in the eye" missing. I'm not talking about a wink in the eye to the audience - I mean a little bit of glee.  Obviously he couldn't (and shouldn't) have given Nicholson's Joker, but a slight absorption of his madness into the performance would have been great.

I had the opposite reaction to his performance, actually. Again, when I read the script, I thought the character was missing the glee and humour and the wink in the eye. Comparing the script to the finished film, that's the biggest ingredient that Ledger brought IMO.

As to him not being the Joker from the comics - there's certainly new material there, but the Joker serving as an agent of chaos and trying to drive Gotham mad isn't far from The Killing Joke.