Well, I finally got to see the "The Dark Knight" and let me just say that it was freakin' amazing! I had a few nitpicky type complaints here and there, but overall it was one of the best movies I've seen in a very long time. Typically, I'm not one to gush about any particular actor, but Heath Ledger was simply the best Joker EVAR!!! I especially appreciated the "pencil trick". It completely captured the essence of the character (namely that he's utterly, irredeemably twisted and evil). There are many more moments throughout the movie that demonstrate the core identities of the main characters. Batman is thoroughly conflicted between his role as savior and the sometimes unsavory things he is forced to do to defeat his foes. Harvey Dent aka Two-Face is.... pretty much spot on. I've never been that big a fan of Two-Face as a villain. He always seemed a little shallow and contrived to me. The whole split personality angle has been done and redone in story after story and there's really not much more to explore there, I think. However, that said, the movie makers managed to give ol' Harvey some genuine depth and a very good rationale for his tragic fall into madness. The special effects for the mangled half of his face were top-notch as well. Truly disturbing to look at, just as it should be.
But, I have to come back to Heath Ledger as the stand out here. There's no way I can describe the stunning quality of his performance. You just need to go see it for yourself. Despite the ridiculous cost of going to movies these days, this one is well worth it. It's truly a shame that Mr. Ledger has passed on. After putting in the performance of a lifetime, to have him die so unexpectedly is like a sick joke on par with something the Joker himself might have cooked up. (cue the maniacal laughter and fade to black....)
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I wish either studios or the actors themselves would write a mental health clause into every contract. "I, the Method actor, do agree to see a psychologist before filming begins, at regular intervals during filming, and for six months following close of filming; to preserve my own personality and help me process the personality of my character. The charge included in my pay for this is $XXXXX, to be rescinded if my psychologist reports {insert number here} of missed appointments."
Because from what I've read, Mr. Ledger had a history of taking his characters a bit more personally than is really supportable. Gods rest the man, it made him a good actor...but... ~sad sigh~
Hmmmm.... maybe the Joker ended up killing him after all. But then, I thought all actors were inherently unstable to begin with. Goes with the job description. I'm pretty sure the big names can (and do) pay for lots of therapy on their own. It's a shame that it apparently didn't do Mr. Ledger any good in the end. Just proves that fame and money are meaningless when the Fates decide to snip your thread.
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