The Dark Knight thread.

[Ilikemuppets]

It just made another 20 million on Tuesday! It's breaking records left and right!

 

[theprawncracker]

Just saw The Dark Knight for a second time... it does NOT lose its staggering appeal and all-around great everything. Quite honestly, I'd pay the price of the ticket just to see the scenes with Ledger as the Joker. There is nothing in the film that tops his performance. Nothing. Give this man an OSCAR. As someone said earlier in this thread, "this is what Oscars are made for."

And really, seeing it for a second time... this did NOT feel like a comic book movie. At all. I think it's because nothing overtly super-natural ever happens, everything wild and out there is explained and justified, and could actually happen in real life. I think that's what seperates this movie from other comic book movies, its teetering on the brink of reality and imagination. It's beautiful. Definitely the best film of the year. It's a crying shame if it doesn't at least receive the nomination.

 

[frogboy4]

The latest rumor for circulating on Rotten Tomatoes and elsewhere on the web is that Jolie is interested in Catwoman for the next Batman film. I don't know what to think yet. Sure, she could do it, but I'm still waiting for her to star in the Sin City sequels.

 

[JJandJanice]

The latest rumor for circulating on Rotten Tomatoes and elsewhere on the web is that Jolie is interested in Catwoman for the next Batman film. I don't know what to think yet. Sure, she could do it, but I'm still waiting for her to star in the Sin City sequels.

Really, I'm actually surpise they considering putting Catwoman in an upcoming movie, considering how awful the catwoman movie was, and all the bad attention it got.

But it would be interesting to see how they would do it, thinking about Jolie is neat, , might be in my dreams,

 

[peyjenk]

Really, I'm actually surpise they considering putting Catwoman in an upcoming movie, considering how awful the catwoman movie was, and all the bad attention it got.

But it would be interesting to see how they would do it, thinking about Jolie is neat, , might be in my dreams,

Well, if there's one thing that Batman Begins and The Dark Knight do well, it is not be concerned with previous movies. They really make the point to do things their own way, regardless of what's come before.

 

[Ilikemuppets]

The latest rumor for circulating on Rotten Tomatoes and elsewhere on the web is that Jolie is interested in Catwoman for the next Batman film.

Well if they do end up making one, let's just hope that they do not disappoint this time. Or that their not just trying to cash in on the DK's popularity and put out a bad movie for the sake up money.... Althouhg it it's anything like the last one, I don't know what anybody would want to ever e it...

 

[MartyMuppets]

I just saw the Dark Knight today. And it was breathtaking.

I haven't seen Batman Begins however. One day I will. I liked the cameo appearance of the Scarecrow and how it implied that Batman apprehended him alive and he is presumably locked up in Arkham Asylum.

Personally I would agree with what I have seen other reviewers say elsewhere online. Nolan was trying to establish the Batman Rogues' Gallery that was not permanently established in the original 4 movies. In all other Batman franchises villians like Scarecrow, Joker, Penguin, Riddler and Mad Hatter always keep coming back to plague the Dark Knight again and again. The first movies greatly altered this traditional plotline.

In Batman the Joker was killed off.
In Batman Returns the Penguin was killed off and the Catwoman was left open for a return appearance, but it never happened.
In Batman Forever Two-Face was killed off. The Riddler didn't die, but he was driven 100% mad never to return to harass Gotham City with his cryptic crimes again.
In Batman and Robin Mr.Freeze actually became good. Ala Jaws in the Bond movies. Poison Ivy was only arrested and sent to jail, though I wonder whether she was driven insane in the end by her vengeful cellmate Freeze, since Batman pointed out to him that she had tried to kill his wife. And I suppose, though it's a little ambigious, Bane was killed off. For one reason or another each villian could never be brought back as a baddie for a sequel.

With this new series I believe Nolan is trying to be more faithful to the potential rematches between Batman and his enemies. Scarecrow and Joker are both locked up until such time as when they break out to seek revenge against Batman.
And (MAJOR SPOILER WARNING) while they certainly seem to imply at the end of the movie that Two-Face is dead, it has been cleverly left open in this way. Others have speculated that since Two-Face falls from about the same height as a hood Batman is questioning earlier in the movie, and that man survives, and furthermore Batman and Two-Face fall together and Batman survives, there may be the possibility that Two-Face is only knocked out.
At the eulogy scene for Harvey, there is no casket. It may be a cover-up to keep Two-Face's real identity a secret from the public who looked up to Harvey Dent as their hero for justice.
This too is in accordance with the other Batman franchises as Batman's enemies have been "killed off" again and again, but with the way left open for them to return from the dead.

Anyway time will tell with the next movie/s.

And JJ. It's been a long time since we last exchanged PMes. How are you going?

 

[Drtooth]

If the 1960s Batman TV series (where are the DVDs? c'mon, Warners and Fox, get your act together, and release season sets!) was renewed for another season, the producers were considering adding Two-Face to the Rogue's Gallery. According to Adam West, the TV Harvey Dent/Two-Face would have been an anchorman who is disfigured when a television monitor blows up in his face. The actor the producers wanted? Clint Eastwood.

Oddly enough, the origen of him was later used (to a similar extent) for a villain named The Creeper in the last season(S) of Batman TAS (when it was moved to Kid's WB). Only, in this version, he fell into the same tank of chemicals that created the Joker, after being attacked by him. Apparently the nerve gas and chemicals made him crazy.

On a personal note, I tried to avoid any and all spoilers concerning the film; then one day, about two weeks ago, I was in Walgreen's, and spotted a Pez with a Two-Face head! D'OH! Fortunately that little spoiler, in the most unlikely of places, didn't come close to what the actual character looks like in the film, which is another masterpiece of make-up.

Of course, that waould also technically mean that the Riddler would have been in the film, as he has a PEZ too. But for me, once I looked at the free promotional "newspaper" for TDK and saw Dent, I knew what was coming.

Of course, I was thinking it was something that was to be built up for the next film... but well... if you didn't see the movie yet, I'm not spoiling it for you.

Me, I loved the movie and I give it an A+ too. Best movie I've seen all year, and the ones I've seen I really enjoyed. I'm just too tired to write a review.

Anyway:

Phillip Seymour Hoffman cast (as once rumored) as a villainous Russian arms dealer AKA the Penguin. Mere calling cards of mischief are left around Gotham by an unseen Joker on the loose (as a nod to Ledger). Bruce Wayne begins dating mysterious woman Selina Kyle. Gordon's wife is killed leaving him a single parent. Batman gains public support once again.

Some interesting ensemble real-world type villains could include:
cyber terrorism by Edward Nygma AKA the Riddler,
eco terrorism by Pamela Lillian Isley AKA Poison Ivy
assassin Floyd Lawton AKA Deadshot
Cillian Murphy's return as the Scarecrow
Eric Roberts' return as Salvatore Maroni

I really think that some of those characters could work to that extent. I think penguin would only work in this tone of film is he's got some ties to the Mob. Or something similar to his Batman TAS apperance, a rich guy above the law.

And I like what you did with the others too. I could see the Riddler as some sort of cyber terrorist or something. Just NO green suit and question marks... unless it's some sort of avatar.

Personally I don't want to see Catwoman in a film. Not so much because of the Burton films (which I also loved), but that horrible Hallie Berry film.

Anyway, I wanna see someone obscure that's a nod to the comic readers. I mean, Joe Schmoe probably didn't know who Raj Al Ghoul was.... And I was on the fence about them using the Joker, until I saw how amazing Heath was in the role (the logic? he shouldn't have to hold the Batman franchise up much less Lex Luthor with Superman or The Shredder with TMNT).

On that subject, if a 5th TMNT movie is ever made, I want to see Bishop and Baxter in it, not just Shredder again.

 

[Winslow Leach]

Of course, that waould also technically mean that the Riddler would have been in the film, as he has a PEZ too. But for me, once I looked at the free promotional "newspaper" for TDK and saw Dent, I knew what was coming.

Of course, I was thinking it was something that was to be built up for the next film... but well... if you didn't see the movie yet, I'm not spoiling it for you.

Oh yeah, TDK is definitely an A+ movie for me too, and the best film I've seen this year.

Didn't know about the Riddler PEZ, although there were some early rumors that he would appear in TDK; the imdb (I know, not the world's most reliable source) even had Anthony Michael Hall credited as Edward Nygma while the film was still in production.

**SPOILER**

I thought Dent would become Two-Face at the very end, setting him up as the main villain for the third film; nevertheless, Eckhart gave an outstanding performance, and, as I said before, I'm glad the character wasn't squeezed into the film like Venom, just to appease the fans.

 

[Winslow Leach]

I haven't seen Batman Begins however. One day I will. I liked the cameo appearance of the Scarecrow and how it implied that Batman apprehended him alive and he is presumably locked up in Arkham Asylum.

With this new series I believe Nolan is trying to be more faithful to the potential rematches between Batman and his enemies. Scarecrow and Joker are both locked up until such time as when they break out to seek revenge against Batman.
And (MAJOR SPOILER WARNING) while they certainly seem to imply at the end of the movie that Two-Face is dead, it has been cleverly left open in this way. Others have speculated that since Two-Face falls from about the same height as a hood Batman is questioning earlier in the movie, and that man survives, and furthermore Batman and Two-Face fall together and Batman survives, there may be the possibility that Two-Face is only knocked out.

If you liked The Dark Knight, Marty, you should definitely check out Begins (which is now my second favorite Batman film after TDK). I like how Nolan brought Scarecrow back, because, as you pointed out, the director seems more interested in bringing some of Batman's foes back, rather than kill them off.

**SPOILER**

I think Dent/Two-Face did die, allowing Batman to take responsibility for his death. Batman dropped the Eric Roberts character straight down from the building, while Dent was roughly shoved. While the Roberts character was undeniably hurt, I think Dent's injuries were more severe, as Batman sort of surprise-attacked him.

Batman survived (IMO) because he was wearing the suit. Dent presumably suffered a more fatal injury. This is only my opinion. It makes for a more powerful ending (again, IMO), with Batman assuming full responsibility, and living the life of a fugitive (at least until the next movie). It never actually crossed my mind that Harvey was merely unconscious.

That being said, I think The Dark Knight is the finest Batman adventure put on film so far (although I am a major fan of the Adam West series, and its movie); I can't wait to see what's next!