The Dark Knight

Haha I was musing about DDL playing the Joker as well. He has played psyco's and sociopaths, although somewhat different from the Joker. He is incredibly selective though, I should hope the idea of a comic book movie wouldn't sway him. Its his pickyness that gets him the best roles.
 
John C Lyons said:
OK, so I saw The Dark Knight last night for the 2ND (and last time in the theater) and a theory popped into my head clear as day during one of the final scenes (mainly the scenes where Dent, Gordon, and Bats are chatting). Now this may be insanity talking, but bear with me here:

Batman is George Dubya.

Seriously. The movie has undertones and obviously they are making various commentaries with the whole Bat-sonar and privacy and whatnot. But ala George Romero with the Zombie movies...

Has Christopher Nolan just made not only a great Batman movie but a major social commentary on the West, terrorism, Iraq, security vs. privacy, etc?
Click to expand...


I can't believe you just caught that... and secondly... you're putting the countdown on this thread.

This notion started with the people standing up for themselves (even though they failed)... and the theme continued with each encounter... With the two boats that underlying commentary got obvious... pre-emptive strike to save yourself? Will "people" do the right thing? Maybe the prisoners weren't out to hurt people afterall?... the whole movie is "pop relevant"... all of it. The Joker was a singular villian who set out to tear people apart through terrorizing events...

Um... countdown continues I guess... whatever. I agree with you however.
 
You guys are insane.

CrazyDude#2 said:
Will "people" do the right thing? Maybe the prisoners weren't out to hurt people afterall?
Click to expand...

No. They were just misunderstood. They were all innocent and locked up by a corrupt system.
 
John C Lyons said:
OK, so I saw The Dark Knight last night for the 2ND (and last time in the theater) and a theory popped into my head clear as day during one of the final scenes (mainly the scenes where Dent, Gordon, and Bats are chatting). Now this may be insanity talking, but bear with me here:

Batman is George Dubya.

Seriously. The movie has undertones and obviously they are making various commentaries with the whole Bat-sonar and privacy and whatnot. But ala George Romero with the Zombie movies...

Has Christopher Nolan just made not only a great Batman movie but a major social commentary on the West, terrorism, Iraq, security vs. privacy, etc?
Click to expand...

Don't agree at all on this point...

I think maybe some "relevant" elements came into play subconsciously for the writers, but I HIGHLY doubt they were going into this trying to tell a political message, it NEVER struck me...
 
He's dark, broody and moody. So serious. Such Gravitas. So ...for Godsakes, he's wearing a Bat Suit! Am I the only one who notices. Not to be hating on Frank Miller, but the ultra serious tone and bat suit combination, I still find unintentionally comical. At least with Tim Burton and Sam Raimi there's an understanding that men in spandex require a wink, nudge and some levity. Smell the coffee, he's wearing a bat suit. Grow up big guy. It's as funny as Christian Bale doing Stand Up.

Ok, bring it on.

Tim Naylor

PS. You can mail the parcel bombs to my address at Universal....
 
I thought the same thing, Tim, but since it's a Batman movie, I let it slide.

I also think if he just wore kick@ss armor that they wouldnt stand for his kick@ssedness. At the end of the day when they wring their hands over what to do about this crazy man doling out vigilante justice, some guy in the back of the room says "He's wearing a BAT suit. What damage can the nut do?" Then they all agree then go to the pub for a pint.

In Gotham they have "pubs" and "pints". Not "bars" and "beer". Learn the lingo.
 
Man I totally dig the classics because it was what pioneered the way but these new superhero flics call on our industries finest for top of the line cg and and special effects. and there will always be something there for me to appreciate...
 
Havent caught the flic but the trailor's as good as the hype its created. It seems they invested some serious time with the audio to back up such killer phootage
 
I'm waiting for someone to come in and translate what he's saying. I figure if I just say "yes" I will sound like I understand and thus seem smarter.

How DARE you accuse me of bricemanning.

For shame.
 
Actually I read somewhere about the allegory between the homeland security chaos and 9/11 somewhere... see if I can find it. But I can totally see that.
 
Tim Naylor said:
He's dark, broody and moody. So serious. Such Gravitas. So ...for Godsakes, he's wearing a Bat Suit! Am I the only one who notices. Not to be hating on Frank Miller, but the ultra serious tone and bat suit combination, I still find unintentionally comical. At least with Tim Burton and Sam Raimi there's an understanding that men in spandex require a wink, nudge and some levity. Smell the coffee, he's wearing a bat suit. Grow up big guy. It's as funny as Christian Bale doing Stand Up.

Ok, bring it on.

Tim Naylor

PS. You can mail the parcel bombs to my address at Universal....
Click to expand...

Yep, that was something that felt out of place. But I do not think this happens because of the dark Knight's tone or seriousness, but the "world" the action takes place. In Frank Miller's Batman, for example, Gotham is portrayed as a Gothic Town, with huge buildings who look like churches, very noirish. In The Dark Knight, Chicago is, well, Chicago. So where does Batman, an expressionistic character living in an expressionistic world, not unlike "Nosferatu", in film therms,for example, fits in this "world"? It doesn't. The essence of the character could work, but its the costume, the cape, the mask that just don't fit.

I revisited Burton's Batman, and while I have to concede its "campiness", the truth is Batman somehow "fits" in that world. In Batman Returns, however, I believe Burton found the right balance between Batman and its "world". Its a fully realised Gotham city, IMO. Now imagine this same cast, and this same script, in a Batman Returns set. That would be absolutely brilliant IMO.

However, The Dark Knight is, indeed, a good Superhero film. I liked it.

PS- One more thing that annoyed me, though- Bruce Wayne. He has to look like a playboy, a cliché billionaire...But damn, he has so much money, I feel he's the biggest crook of them all!

SPOILERS

He buys hotels for impulse, he owns the best restaurants, he gets the whole Russian Ballet for him...And appears in a Chopper, with 2 gorgeous women, and throws a very intelligent speech about the DA? I mean it seems like Bruce Wayne actually OWNS Ghotam...He could run the damn place!

Wouldn't Dent not want to be associated with such a cocky, full of himself guy?

I really liked Burton's take on Bruce Wayne: Someone that while wealthy could get lost in a crowd- look average. Remember the first scene when Vicky Vale sees Bruce Wayne? Exactly.
 
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just saw this movie today. loved it.


spoilers


the first few minutes were so kick ass. i loved that the city looked less gothic and more contemporary. it made it look more real and accessible. like "heat" with a killer clown. to me using chicago was a solid choice. i don't mind the goth look in the previous batmans but this movie's take was really cool.

i thought ledger's joker was spot on. sick. twisted. he nailed it. he licked his lips and walked and talked in all the wrong ways. you could almost smell his oily hair. awesome job.

bale did a good job too, he was brooding and that, to me, is bruce wayne. brooding.

the plot had big holes but i didn't care at all. maybe they made joker a bit too smart but i liked that he was always two or three steps ahead of everyone, it made for much suspense and i'd rather have that than be bored with a cliche ridden story.

i too think there are many political underpinnings in the movie. i dont know whether it what was on purpose or not. it is hard to avoid the many problems of the day so who knows.

all in all awesome awesome flick and worthy of the attention. looking forward to where this goes if they do a third movie.
 
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