LBJ: I agree with the voice on Batman. I believe this Ledger had to more acting that Nicholson since Jack was being Jack. It is sad though that his legacy will be this character and he had no chance to add more layers in any sequell. Ledger has turned in some very good acting performances in his shortened career, but having said that his performance of the Joker has brought out many diffent schools of thought on his role and the post mortem of his acting ability in general.

I think I may be missing something with the portrayal, maybe I need to see the movie again to ensure my point of view. Thanks for sharing, it is sad when anyone leaves before his time.

quote:

Originally posted by oakislanddawg:
Just a few thoughts on this movie. I read all the buzz on the movie and went into the theatre with an open mind. I went with my brother who is a huge Heath Ledger fan. We are both over 50, I mention this because our perspective is one of character driven movies versus the huge special effects spectacles that garner most of the publicity these days.

This movie will be enjoyed by the masses of under 40 viewers since most of you grew up since Star Wars debuted and special effects has now dominated action-thriller movies and has entered the computer generated genre. Prior to 1975 most movies were character driven, i.e. an actor would take a character and with the aid of the director flesh out a role with emotion, humor, pathos, anger, and feeling.

Having said that I did not really enjoy this movie and neither did my brother. My brother who viewed this movie with me, wanted to leave halfway through the film. Sure if you enjoy special effects that dominate a movie then this movie is for you, as for a character driven movie it lacks in substance and texture. This perspective is reflective of both my opinion as well as my brother.

Ledger was okay, but he really did not have as many scenes or dialog in the movie that showed acting ability to the point of depth and emotion. I kept waiting for that scene where the great soliloquy of the Joker character that would be delivered to give the character the darkness that was the goal here, but it never happened, I was left hanging no pun intended. The best acting in the movie was the charactors of Harvey Dent and Commissioner Gordon. My brother thought that Ledger's protrayal was "hammy" and over the top, rather than dark, psychological, complex character that Anthony Hopkins played as Hannibal Lechter.

Another point is that Ledger's characterization as the Joker could be related to Johnny Depp's portayal of Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean, a dominating character but played differently than you would anticipate. Depp chose to play Sparrow as a effeminate and not as a dark blood thirsty pirate. Ledger who could have put a deep psychological edge on the character chose to give the his interpretation as a sneering, rasping, lip licking, villain who has little regard for human life. All flash and no substance.

The set direction and the makeup was superb in this movie, the plot somewhat convoluted and disjointed and the acting overall was good. But too me when a movie boasts the majority of the scenes depending on special affects, rather than actors characterizing and personalizing their respective rolls.

Leave the under 10 kids at home, be prepared for great special efffects, some scary moments, some great set direction, stay focused since the plot moves along at a rapid pace, and enjoy the performances.

I applaud all of you who have written about this movie and I hope that although you may not agree with my views you will repect them.

I would reply to your well thought out response with more than a few words, but I'm about to leave.

So, I'll say this... I don't look down on your opinion, but I'm not going to take it serious due to your statements about the special effects (Nolan hardly used anything special for this film, especially no CGI). That, and there were more than a few scenes where Ledger displayed the true sickness of the Joker (I.E. the pencil trick, his dialogue during the interegation scene, and the way he set up Batman to try and rescue Rachel over Harvey).

I'll type out more later, but that's it for now.

I'm seeing this again tonight.

quote:

Originally posted by Depart From Me

Why the name change Nikateen?

I was having a discussion with someone at work about truely epic and I guess movies that effect us socially.

The guy is a toy collector and I was commenting how strong Star Wars, GI Joe, and Transformers still are, being redone, and have not faded for the most part.

We commented on like Back to the future with the delorean, Ghost Busters getting a new game that serves as the 3rd movie, etc...

I was trying to figure out why no newer movies seem to be as iconic as movies from say around the 80s, atleast it seems.

Power Rangers, pokemon, while big, have seem to die. Lion King was pretty big for kids, but didn't have the child toy type impact say a Heman, GI Joe did (both cartoons).

We debated a lot of reasons, and we think we settled on society has so many fancy gadgets, big budget CGI movies, that it seems society has become ADD. We like something, think its cool, then we toss it and move on to the next big thing.

Was interested if anyone had any thoughts on this? I never really thought about it before, then once I did, it seemed odd and wondered why.

quote:

Originally posted by OgDawg:

quote:

Originally posted by Depart From Me

Why the name change Nikateen?

I quit smoking about 8 months ago and I just thought it was a childish name in the end.

congrats on quitting

quote:

Originally posted by OgDawg:
congrats on quitting

Thanks man.

Thought this was funny.

Monday Movie Buzz: Bale's Batman voice too much?
Sunday August 3 1:44 PM ET

Though "The Dark Knight" has been a bona fide cultural event, boasting rave reviews and boffo box office, it hasn't been immune to criticism. Some have quibbled with its political undercurrents, and others have criticized a muddled theme.

But here's the critique most widely held: Why does Batman talk like the offspring of Clint Eastwood and a grizzly bear?

Donning the costume for the second time, Christian Bale has delved deeper into the lower registers. As Bruce Wayne, his voice is as smooth as his finely pressed suits. But once he puts the cape on, the transformation of his vocal chords is just as dramatic as his costume change.

Particularly when his rage boils over, Bale's Batman growls in an almost beastly fashion, reflecting how close he teeters between do-gooder and vengeance-crazed crusader.

"The Dark Knight" hauled in $43.8 million to rank as Hollywood's top movie for the third straight weekend, fending off "The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor" which opened a close second with $42.5 million. It has earned $394.9 million in just 17 days, according to studio estimates Sunday.

Though much of the voice effect is Bale's own doing, under the guidance of director Christopher Nolan and supervising sound editor Richard King, the frequency of his Batman voice was modulated to exaggerate the effect.

Critics and fans have noticed.

"His Batman rasps his lines in a voice that's deeper and hammier than ever," said NPR's David Edelstein.

The New Yorker's David Denby praised the urgency of Bale's Batman, but lamented that he "delivers his lines in a hoarse voice with an unvarying inflection."

Reviewing the film for MSNBC, Alonso Duralde wrote that Bale's Batman in "Batman Begins" "sounded absurdly deep, like a 10-year-old putting on an `adult' voice to make prank phone calls. This time, Bale affects an eerie rasp, somewhat akin to Brenda Vaccaro doing a Miles Davis impression."

Before the similes run too far afield, it's worth considering where the concept of a throaty Batman comes from.

In his portrayal on the `60s "Batman" TV series, Adam West didn't alter his voice between Bruce Wayne and Batman. Decades later when Tim Burton brought "Batman" to the big screen in a much darker incarnation, Michael Keaton's inflection was notably but not considerably different from one to the other.

But it was a lesser-known actor who, a few years after Burton's film, made perhaps the most distinct imprint on Batman's voice. Kevin Conroy, as the voice of the animated Batman in various projects from 1992's "Batman: The Animated Series" right up until this year's "Batman: Gotham Knight," brought a darker, raspier vocalization to Batman.

Conroy has inhabit the role longer than anyone else and though animated voice-over work doesn't have the same cachet as feature film acting, there are quarters where Conroy is viewed as the best Batman of them all certainly superior to Val Kilmer or George Clooney.

The animated series are notable because they drew on the DC Comics of Batman as envisioned by Frank Miller, whose work heavily informs "Batman Begins" and "The Dark Knight." (Bale and Nolan were unavailable to comment for this story.)

As Batman has gotten darker, his voice has gotten deeper. As some critics suggest, Bale and "The Dark Knight" may have reached a threshold, at least audibly.

I think the voice is fine.

Bale is a perfectionist, so I doubt that Batman voice will ever change.

Do they show the Max Payne trailer before the movie?

quote:

Originally posted by Depart From Me:
I think the voice is fine.

Bale is a perfectionist, so I doubt that Batman voice will ever change.

So you think that he thinks that voice is perfect? YIKES! I guarentee it won't sound that raspy in the next film. It is just too much.

quote:

Originally posted by OgDawg:

quote:

Originally posted by Depart From Me:
I think the voice is fine.

Bale is a perfectionist, so I doubt that Batman voice will ever change.

So you think that he thinks that voice is perfect? YIKES! I guarentee it won't sound that raspy in the next film. It is just too much.

This sums up the Batman voice perfectly...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2yv8aT0UFc

Do they show the Max Payne trailer before the movie?

quote:

Originally posted by Depart From Me:

quote:

Originally posted by OgDawg:

quote:

Originally posted by Depart From Me:
I think the voice is fine.

Bale is a perfectionist, so I doubt that Batman voice will ever change.

So you think that he thinks that voice is perfect? YIKES! I guarentee it won't sound that raspy in the next film. It is just too much.

This sums up the Batman voice perfectly...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2yv8aT0UFc

haha I love that video

quote:

Originally posted by Slick:
Do they show the Max Payne trailer before the movie?

Nope, and thank God.

I seen the preview and it doesn't look like anything special.

quote:

Originally posted by Depart From Me:

quote:

Originally posted by Slick:
Do they show the Max Payne trailer before the movie?

Nope, and thank God.

I seen the preview and it doesn't look like anything special.

Yea I am kinda worried about it to. Mark Walbergh to be max payne? I dunno about that choice. I think Hugh Jackman would be a better pick for that role.

quote:

Originally posted by oakislanddawg:
Just a few thoughts on this movie. I read all the buzz on the movie and went into the theatre with an open mind. I went with my brother who is a huge Heath Ledger fan. We are both over 50, I mention this because our perspective is one of character driven movies versus the huge special effects spectacles that garner most of the publicity these days.

This movie will be enjoyed by the masses of under 40 viewers since most of you grew up since Star Wars debuted and special effects has now dominated action-thriller movies and has entered the computer generated genre. Prior to 1975 most movies were character driven, i.e. an actor would take a character and with the aid of the director flesh out a role with emotion, humor, pathos, anger, and feeling.

Having said that I did not really enjoy this movie and neither did my brother. My brother who viewed this movie with me, wanted to leave halfway through the film. Sure if you enjoy special effects that dominate a movie then this movie is for you, as for a character driven movie it lacks in substance and texture. This perspective is reflective of both my opinion as well as my brother.

Ledger was okay, but he really did not have as many scenes or dialog in the movie that showed acting ability to the point of depth and emotion. I kept waiting for that scene where the great soliloquy of the Joker character that would be delivered to give the character the darkness that was the goal here, but it never happened, I was left hanging no pun intended. The best acting in the movie was the charactors of Harvey Dent and Commissioner Gordon. My brother thought that Ledger's protrayal was "hammy" and over the top, rather than dark, psychological, complex character that Anthony Hopkins played as Hannibal Lechter.

Another point is that Ledger's characterization as the Joker could be related to Johnny Depp's portayal of Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean, a dominating character but played differently than you would anticipate. Depp chose to play Sparrow as a effeminate and not as a dark blood thirsty pirate. Ledger who could have put a deep psychological edge on the character chose to give the his interpretation as a sneering, rasping, lip licking, villain who has little regard for human life. All flash and no substance.

The set direction and the makeup was superb in this movie, the plot somewhat convoluted and disjointed and the acting overall was good. But too me when a movie boasts the majority of the scenes depending on special affects, rather than actors characterizing and personalizing their respective rolls.

Leave the under 10 kids at home, be prepared for great special efffects, some scary moments, some great set direction, stay focused since the plot moves along at a rapid pace, and enjoy the performances.

I applaud all of you who have written about this movie and I hope that although you may not agree with my views you will repect them.

I recall at least 3 soliloquies by the Joker in the movie - and all were fascinating and addressed some important themes of human nature. I think Ledger nailed it.

I don't recall any special effects that dominated the movie. The Director doesn't use much CGI.

I also think the character development was strong - and many national critics (who know more about this stuff than me) actually highlight the characterization as what makes this movie special. All I know if that I grew to care about what happened to the characters - especially Gordon.

BTW - did anyone see the preview for Watchmen? That's gonna be fantastic...

Yeah, Nolan really HATES using CGI, so I don't know what that guy was talking about.