Dark Knight – Joker’s New Controversial Look
If you haven’t seen pictures from the upcoming Dark Knight Movie then you’re missing out. You’re missing out on controversial makeup (yes, makeup can be controversial). Apparently the appearance of the deranged Joker is sparking debate. Mostly, some say he’s about as scary as a birthday clown that ran out of funding.
Now, normally I don’t talk a lot about superhero flicks, but Batman is an exception … because he’s awesome. And the Nolan brothers are, too. So is Christian Bale. Awesomeness quotient is definitely fulfilled, proceed with entry.
So the issue is that the Joker’s makeup looks like something out of a movie running on a $2 budget. It’s smudged, it’s vague, it’s … a whole bunch of things that all ring “cheap”. Now, why people don’t find that scary is beyond me. Frankly, the Dark Knight has me geeking out in anticipation, while at the same time wondering whether I’ll get nightmares about Heath Ledger from watching it (there’s something I never thought I’d say).
Let’s imagine a scenario. You’re on your way home from the movies (you saw Spider Man 3), and you’re so frustrated over its kiddy-appeal that you mindlessly take the dark-alley shortcut. Now, who would you rather meet in this dark alley:
The original Joker has makeup that looks as if it were put on 5 minutes earlier by a Swedish blonde makeup artist named Helga who really wanted to become a lawyer but couldn’t find the time because she was too busy watching Neighbors.
Now, Nolan’s Joker on the other hand has a smile that’s described on Wikipedia as follows:
A Glasgow smile (also known as a Chelsea grin or Chelsea Smile) is a nickname for the brutal practice of cutting a victim’s face from the edges of the mouth to the ears: the cut – or its scars – form an “extension” of what resembles a smile. Sometimes to further hurt or even kill the victim, he or she would then be stabbed or kicked, most notably in the stomach (or in case of kicking, the groin), so that the face would be ripped apart when the victim screams.
I got a knot in my stomach just reading that. I’m quoting this to give you a glimpse of the world that sculpted Nolan’s Joker: A realistic one. The $2 makeup is scary as hell because of its touch of realism, which is exactly what hero movies have been lacking. Of course the Joker’s makeup looks cheap  murderous psychopaths don’t read beauty magazines to figure out which makeup can withstand sweating (from slicing people up)!
I’m not saying that Jack Nicholson wasn’t a brilliant Joker  he fit in perfectly with the fantasty-cartoon element of Burton’s movies. And that cartoon element was fun for a while. Then it got kind of tired. Then all hero movies after it mimicked the same toony style.
Not that the show Heroes is comparable to the new Batman movies, but let’s take a look at how the “evil” Sylar is depicted: He’s always pretty. The guy can go without food and water for days, being on the brink of death lying in the middle of an obscure road in Mexico after a surgery that only a few days earlier had made him squirm if he got annoyed … but he’s still pretty! Even the dust looks good! Ugh. I know he cuts open people’s heads, but the scariness of it is lost in his bottomless makeup kit.
I don’t know about you, but I’m excited by the new direction of Batman. I want to see hero movies colored with a hint of realism. I don’t want a cushioned appearance tailored to appeal to all age groups  I want the Joker with the Chelsea grin!
Now, for anyone who wasn’t aware of this new upcoming movie, here is the official teaser:
And here is a fan made trailer:
Hrafn Th. Thorisson (hthth) usually discusses geeky science stuff over at Think Artificial, but regularly gets an urge to rant about clown makeup kits.
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I think there definitely suolhd have been more Christian Bale in the movie, but at the same time, the story didn’t need it. Everything about that storyline was amazing. I think it actually makes it better to focus on the Joker’s points and Dent’s fall from grace, and that whole thing was just SO. INCREDIBLY. POETIC. But I’m still sad at less Batman/Wayne. =(The disappearing pencil trick was my favorite scene. I have a pretty sick sense of humor, but I thought it went into his eye socket and my friend thought the Joker used the guy’s head to hammer it into the table. Either way, OUCH. I like the fact that Batman has a different voice, for storyline reasons, but I think it bordered on too much in this film. It didn’t bother me in the first one, though, so, I dunno. I just know that I can’t do that without sounding like an idiot. The catwoman thing–someone pointed it out to me, and I think it’s a perfect setup. I’d love to see how the Nolans wrote it, if they do, and also I think the more hard-core fans deserve better than Halle Barry’s (even though I myself had no problems with it). I think it’s also going to be interesting to see if the “villains” might hint that the Joker is still working in the background. I think they are going to get some Batgirl- or Catwoman-type thing going on in the next film, not necessarily because they killed off the Love Interest but because they killed off the female lead. But poor Bruce, I wanted to hug him when Rachel died. =( And Dent, too, when he was screaming “NO, NO, YOU’RE NOT SUPPOSED TO SAVE MEEEE” =C oh sadfaces.I think, possibly because I just reread American Gods this summer, but I think that my favorite bit of poetry in the film is Dent’s coin. As the White Knight he’s cheating, he’s making his own luck, but he’s doing good. Then–I’m still kind of lost as to what happens to him with the Joker in the hospital, because every time the Joker walked on I was just toally entranced by how silly he was–he gives in to chaos because its fair, and though his coin is still double-headed, there’s the light side, and the dark side. And the dark side, he shoots Batman. The light side, he doesn’t shoot himself. And the coin lands light side up for Gordon’s son, though whether that’s supposed to mean “he would have lived” or “Batman just saved his ass”, I’m not sure. But I still think it’s absolutely brilliantly beautiful.
OK listen. The old joker was way better. I don’t care that his make up wasn’t realistic or anything like that but he was more creative. He also laughed a lot more than the new one. Now why couldn’t they make the new joker laugh more? Find more amusment out of things. That would’ve been much better.
I think Nolans Joker looks more realistic,it makes perfect sense to give the Joker a glasgow smile to give him the appearance of a permanent sadistic smile and makes it more believable that this character could exist in todays world.
I’m so excited that the movie is just around the corner. I think Heath Ledger’s take on the Joker is going to be really wicked. Jack is Jack, but this isn’t the Shining. The younger generation need someone they can relate to and I think that the producers made an excellent choice.
Just learned that Heath Ledger died today, only 28 years old. Very sad news.
Looks like this movie is going to be a blast, nice to see them go a little different route in stead.
Kim:)
So for anyone who doesn’t already own it and is at ALL a fan of comics, comic book movies, graphic novels, hell, the strange and bizarre in general: The Dark Knight Returns graphic novel is a MUST own item. I’m an oldschool comic geek, and if you asked me what three comics you had to read in your lifetime, if any, this would be on the list without a doubt. The art is brilliantly dark, the characters twisted, and anyone in the (geeky) know will tell you it changed the comic industry forever. So, before or after you see the movie, BUY that graphic novel. In the great words of Stan Lee: ‘nuf said.
I really liked the old joker :)
jack is simply the best :D
@MG
Yeah, Schumacher did a fun (emphasis on fun, as in Looney Tunes fun) job when he did the one with Jim Carrey and Val Kilmer, but he totally LOST IT after that. Seriously overboard. If I was ever a fan of any hero, it’s Batman  but he’s always been a Dark character in my head, so I’m really happy with the new movies!
@Derek & Jake
Yeah, the description is damn vivid. Makes me wonder how far they’ll go in this movie with regards to a scary-factor.
They’ve mentioned that the character inspiration for this Joker is along the lines of Alex DeLarge from a Clockwork Orange. Which is getting me even more excited as that’s one of my favorite movies of all time.
I’m with you – this new direction is scary as hell!
Wow that info on the Glasgow smile was pretty intense. I wasn’t aware of the upcoming movie (but I’m not a huge movie buff anyways). I’d be pretty creeped out by a guy looking like that meeting me in an alley!
Those were my thoughts too. I didn’t want to short Jack for a job well done, but with Bale’s new Batman, things are darker and more realistic now. I was never huge into Batman, and adding in those corny actors like Arnie in that last one didn’t help much either.
But with the new one.. I really REALLY dug it.. I can’t wait :)