Cinema Savant; Entertainment
Fairfield Weekly

Fears of a Clown [list]
■ The Joker revealed
May 31 2007
By Mike Falcigno

Comic-to-film adaptations tend to be a tough sell, due in no small part to a legion of unrealistic comic book purists who can’t seem to understand that film is a different medium from the drawn page. Bottom line: no matter what a filmmaker does with a comic property, some melodramatic fan-boy is gonna complain that the “spirit” of the superhero was destroyed.

I’ll never understand such irrational thinking, because those same fan-boys apparently have no problem embracing changes made to a comic character when presented in graphic novel format. Batman has been around for decades and has been drastically altered (both visually and thematically) in countless comic spin-off’s, animated television shows, and no less than three live-action-film series, the latest being 2005’s Batman Begins . Directed by Chris Nolan (Memento ), Batman Begins offered the caped crusader a fresh start. Darker than Burton’s earlier series and decidedly more reality based, the film cast Christian Bale (The Machinist ) in the title role opposite Michael Caine (as Alfred the butler), Liam Neeson (as villainous Ra’s Al Ghul), and Cillian Murphy (as the sociopath Dr. Crane/Scarecrow). Garnering critical acclaim from both moviegoers and critics, Batman Begins wasn’t perfect, but in my estimation it’s the best cinematic interpretation of the costumed crime-fighter to date.

Currently filming in Chicago is Nolan’s bat-follow up, The Dark Knight , [**PLOTLINE, CONTAINS SPOILERS**] in which Batman and Lt. Gordan (Gary Oldman) attempt to bring Dr. Crane and a horde of unruly inmates to justice. Gotham’s new DA, Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart, joins in their plight along with his partner Rachel Dawes (Maggie Gyllenhaal, thankfully replacing Katie Holmes). All of the escaped inmates end up being apprehended except one, a madman named Jack Napier. Obsessed with destroying Batman, Napier (who calls himself The Joker) sets out to lure the caped crusader to his demise by killing anyone close to his prey.

Nolan’s bold choice to cast Brokeback Mountain star Heath Ledger as The Joker had many fans throwing hissy fits. Warner wisely released the official teaser shot to help combat the negative buzz. Sure, a slew of people are still bitching, but when viewed in context with the Gothic tone of the new series, Ledger’s Joker looks superbly diabolical.

Nolan’s vision is clearly taking the Clown Prince of Crime back to his roots as a psychopathic murderer. Fans of The Joker’s antics should visit www.ibelieveinharveydenttoo.com. The site offers a black screen with a red error message, but if you highlight the blackness endless rows of “HaHaHaHaha” appear. Sounds boring right? Wait, there’s more! Look closer and you’ll see a series of cryptic letters randomly placed amid the laughter. Piece them together and you’ll end up with an enticing message from ol’ smiley himself! At the very least, Warner wins points for creative advertising.

Copyright © 2007, Fairfield County Weekly