The hype around Friday’s release of the “The Dark Knight” has reached a fever pitch, with Heath Ledger’s dark turn as the Joker generating an avalanche of posthumous Oscar buzz.
Peter Travers of Rolling Stone has called Ledger’s performance “mad-crazy-blazing brilliant,” while the sequel’s director Christopher Nolan has raved in the New York Times that Ledger’s portrayal of the sadistic makeup-caked villain is “stunning” and “iconic”.
The big-ticket Academy Award categories have typically been bereft of summer blockbuster nominees.
But is Ledger’s performance so bone-chillingly remarkable that it can survive the hype and the action-movie stigma?
As the 2006 best-picture shunning of “Dreamgirls” demonstrated, presumptive hype can lead to a snub when the Academy Award nominations are announced.
The Internet Oscar buzz alone for the Australian actor - lead by a gallery of fans likely still reeling from the shock of his untimely death in January - has eclipsed the praise of traditional critics, elevating the risk that Ledger will become a target for backlash.
The film is likely to surge above the $100-million mark during its opening weekend, placing the film in the same mega-earning category as “Iron Man” and “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull”.
Writing Ledger’s name on a ballot will perhaps become more palatable for Academy voters given the length of time between opening weekend and when Oscar nomination polls close on Jan.12, 2009.
This may be one time when fading memories are deemed an advantage amongst the fickle Hollywood elite - cementing Ledger’s legacy as an Oscar-worthy talent.
For full coverage of “The Dark Knight”, click here.
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give heath andrew ledger an oscar, SOMEONE
he deserves it.
dusty :@
heath has always been an AMAZING actor, with films like
-brokeback
-10 things
-brothers grimm
-batman
theres been loads
aswell as the fact he was on a soap aswell.
i think if people think hes just getting this attention because he is dead, they should think again its completly wrong he was and alwyas will be one of the greatest actors alive no matter what, and you just need to watch the dark knight to realise this
r.i.p. heathcliff
- Posted by Pollyxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Damn right he does. He did the best job I’ve ever seen on film playing a vilian. I was totally down after the movie. Not because it was bad, but because I wont ever see him play the joker role again. No one will ever do as good a job as Heath did. The best ever. Jack could only wish he did half the job as heath.
- Posted by christopher longi seen this movie yesterday.i really didn’t know he died but when they told me i was shocked.he played really great or fantastic.he made the jocker look creppy and a villian.i even thought he was kinda cute.loved the way he like liked his tounge.well i defentaly think he deserves a oscar no matter what.and if he doesn’t he will still be a legend to me.rip heath ledger.
- Posted by elyI saw this movie the day after it came out, which was three days ago, and I still cannot get Heath Ledger’s performance out of my mind! It was a chilling, haunting story. He brought a depth to the character, he made me feel almost sorry for him when other characters called him crazy after the Joker had made the pencil ‘dissappear’. I dare you to find another actor that could make you feel sorry for the villian.
- Posted by Katelyn[...] abuzz with Batman. While the comic book blockbuster broke box office records by raking in more than $155 million in its first weekend, the even bigger talk is Heath Ledger’s chilling portrayal of the Joker. The actor, who died in [...]
- Posted by » Blog Archive » Death Becomes YouWe just returned from seeing the movie and I must say this is the best movie I think I’ve ever seen in my lifetime. Heath Ledgers performance as the joker was perfect in every way. Just a phenominal job… can’t really say much more. We’ll be buying the dvd.
- Posted by KarenfromIrvingHaving just seen “The Dark Knight” here are my observations
- Posted by Mark… This movie was a roller coaster of entertainment.
2 hours 30 minutes of “cant take my eyes off the screen” entertainment. Bravo!!!
… The villain always have the juiciest parts, that being said, Heath Ledgers performance absolutely nailed the essence of a man wanting to “Burn it all - just to see what happens”, which is in truth the way the Joker and his insanity is meant to be played. - This batman franchise is 2 movies old and can not be compared to the previous servings. Jack Nicholson played the Joker as the old TV show required it to be played, a wise cracking, camp psychotic, who although sadistic, did not show the pure “menace” that the Ledger version did.
Comparing them side by side, this newer Joker is far more sinister, cunning and evil than the previous version.
Then again, so is the Batman. Ok franchise 2 ( Tim Burtons Batman ) had an edge, but still suffered from the very camp image that the TV show of the 60’s/70’s left on it. Franchise 3. Is Dark, menacing and very very Gothic. as Gotham City should be. Batman is darker, as he should be and the Ledger portrayal of the Joker rates with the all time baddies ( such as Anthony Hopkins in Silence of the Lambs ).
Worthy of an Oscar, who can say ( They are a rule unto themselves ), worthy of all other “Best Supporting Actor” awards, most definitely.
My advice - go see the movie with an open mind, enjoy the shocks, the violence and the twists. Then judge for yourselves. I did, and I am saddened we wont get a reprise of this role ever because of his foolish death.
Heath Ledger’s es el actor mas impactante que he visto y que ha podido sacerme de la boca un “que actor tan extraordinario”. simplemente el, el un actor con todo el sentodo del termino “actor” quien sin lugar a duda dejara marcado su historia en el cine. dejara marca. y su ultima pelicula (la pelicula, GRACIAS A EL, y a todos los demas actores, PERO EL)y su toque fantastico que hizo de psicipata perfecto es lo maximo, lloro por el simple hecho de que no podre ver obras buenas y nuevas en manos de este hombre tan extraordinario. Heath Ledger’s eres el mejor. con amor carol.
- Posted by carolinai saw the movie and, although great at it, heath was still just the joker in a batman movie. nothing else. if he were alive, this notion would never exist.
- Posted by amyI’m not a Ledger fan or a Batman fan. I’m a Bale fan. I saw the movie twice. The first time is I wanted to see what all the hype was about. The second time I watched it just so I could see Ledger again. I was never a fan of his. I just couldn’t bear to watch Brokeback, but heard it was great. Other roles he’s been in where all over the map in terms of his acting. With him dying, I knew he wouldn’t be able to match the hype. I WAS WRONG. He was an AMAZING Joker. His presence overshadowed all the other great actors in this film. He was so detailed with all his movements, voice inflections, mannerisms with regard to the Joker, it was awesome to watch.
- Posted by PatrickAnd one last thing.. The one bad thing the Joker (heath ledger) did, was do such a good job that he owned that movie period, and with his death also a sequel.. NOBODY WILL EVER OUT DO THAT PREFORMANCE and nobody has wat it takes to equal his preformance in that movie to even justify a sequel. There will never be a joker ever agian.. unless its some cartoon, and even then its risky business. And i swear if robot chicken or family guy make a joke epsiode about the dark knight or the joker i wil boycott them or something..
- Posted by MasonThe joker (heath Ledger) in The Dark Knight was the best acting i have seen in a long time.. it was undescribable how amazing he was.. i wasnt even wathcing it for batman after his first seen.. i was wanting to see the joker the entire movie. If he does not get an oscar then perhaps they should go repo someones oscar, because we all know that he did alot better then some other questionable oscar winners..
- Posted by MasonI was watching THE JOKER, not heath playing the joker.
- Posted by DavviI just saw the dark knight yesterday. i like all the other actors they were good and all but i was blown away by heath’s perfomance. he deserves every ounce of that “best actor” Oscar
- Posted by Daniel ClemI just came from seeing Dark Knight and I definately will be adding this to my list of all time favorite movies. This was actually the first Batman movie I sat through & it was well worth my money. Heath Ledger’s performance was absolutely great. It is so unfortunate that he was not able to live long enough to see his reviews or receive his Oscar!
- Posted by KizzyI’m glad to see so much positive feedback. The film was superb, the acting…Superb. This will never be just another Batman movie. I also agree that the oscar means nothing. I do think he truly earned it, but we all can see what he accomplished. I will undoubtedly miss Mr. Ledger as an actor. May he be forever remembered as the Joker.
- Posted by YeastIn each of these scenes and many others throughout the movie, Ledgers carries an aura around him. Notwithstanding the dramatic tone of the entire movie, I think Heath Ledger as The Joker was unmistakeably the entertainment tonight. And for this fabulous performance he deserves an Oscar,albeit posthumously! For, Heath Ledger might not be around to have the last laugh, but at least ‘Let us put a smile on that face’.
- Posted by Aishwarya RaoI like the old Batman movies(Comic Book)but “The Dark Knight” is more realistic and Ledger performance stold the show, he is down right disturbing, funny and very demonic! He really plays with the human psyche like no other villian has before… Ledger will be missed, God bless him! But the role of the Joker will be hard to fill, this is an Oscar!!!!
- Posted by TTonyI’VE SEEN THE TRAILER AND ITS STUNNING. AND INCREDIBLE PERFORMANCE BY LEDGER. HOWEVER THERE IS ONE THING THAT ALWAYS AMAZES ME. ” WHY CAN SOMEONE HEAR ALL THOSE NICE WORDS WHILE ONE IS ALIVE. PAUL
- Posted by PAULI can’t believe that Heath’s death is even a topic of debate for this film and his role in it. It has nothing to do with the perfect performance he gave. For people who have seen the movie, you know that it was not Heath Ledger on the screen. That was the Joker. He was creepy, insane, terrifying, and funny. That is what the joker is and that’s what was on the screen. I agree with everyone who says he out-acted or stole the show. He totally did. Not only from the other actors, he has even stolen NIcholson’s fire. Sitting in the theater you could not wait until the Joker came back on. As far as an Oscar goes, he is the winner in my mind, hands-down. Not only did Ledger completely become the character, it is perhaps the most entertaining and thrilling performance I’ve ever seen. Whenever they announce the oscar winner it’s usually totally expected because the Academy has their lame standards. It’s always a boring dramatic movie, with a very subtle performance. Should’nt the most entertaining movie of the year be the best one? Is it not the entertainment industry? The movie itself (TDK) should at least get nominated for Best Picture and Best Screenplay in addition to Heath’s award.
- Posted by Ken