Marry me, Christopher Nolan

[trinityvixen]

Okay, the Joker has been all over the advertising for The Dark Knight, but he's not the star? Why is this so much genius?

From the Man himself: The Batman Begins helmer also mentioned that The Joker, played by Heather Ledger, "sort of cuts through the film -- he's got no story arc, he's just a force of nature tearing through. Heath has given an amazing performance in the role, it's really extraordinary."

While I am disappointed on one level that the Joker isn't the center of the film, the way Nolan talks about him is so very on point with my idea of the character that I'm willing to bet--center or no--the Joker walks away with the picture. But just that imagery--"he's just a force of nature tearing through"--doesn't that just sound like madness? I love it!

And there's this very telling tidbit: "Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) is a tragic figure, and his story is the backbone of this film."

In other words, I think he's doing EXACTLY what I was intending to do for that fanfic that I will never finish before the sequel comes out with both of those characters. I'm still entirely sure I will be surprised and delighted by how it is pulled off (dollars to donuts, it will do it better than I would have managed even if I had finished).

Comments

[ivy03.livejournal.com]

omg you said dollars to donuts. I thought only Agent Doggett said that.

[trinityvixen.livejournal.com]

Who? Oh wait, you mean Agent T1000? He said that? Does that make me gruff and scary by association or what?

[ivy03.livejournal.com]

All the damn time. The online X-Files episode reviewer I read started keepin a "dollars to donuts" meter.

[trinityvixen.livejournal.com]

That is so hard to imagine, but then I never watched the show with him on it but for the odd episode here or there. It's such a hokey thing for someone so serious to say.

[equustel.livejournal.com]

See, I'm relieved that Joker won't be the centerpiece of the film - I don't want to step too far back into the olden days, where the villains were up front and Batman was relegated to "less fun, therefore less interesting" status. I must needs Bruce as the anchor, and Nolan's comment about Harvey's story being the backbone, while Joker remains static - screwing with and affecting everyone else's arc - sounds right on the money.

Aww, I do so love your fic. It remains a beautiful piece, even if you don't finish it - and be proud for nailing the direction everything went post-Begins. Vindication!

[trinityvixen.livejournal.com]

I ::heart:: your support. I really and truly feel like this sequel is literally bound for the same end results of the major characters that I had plotted for my story. I've even gotten so excited by all the developments and teaser stuff for The Dark Knight that I've been trying to fix up a few more chapters so I can show where I was going before the movie comes and spoils all. We'll have to see.

And I totally agree--I love the idea of the Batman and Bruce being the stars (THEY ARE STILL DIFFERENT PEOPLE OMG) and having the villains be as they ought: the reflections of him in a funhouse mirror. Harvey's twist is 180 degrees from Bruce's, and to have that in there after we've seen how to go crazy but good is going to KICK ASS. So happy!

[gryphonrose.livejournal.com]

I am very glad the Joker is NOT the center of the film. That was one of the things I hated about the Keaton-Nicholson Batman movie--it was 90% Joker, 5% Batman, and 5% Bruce Wayne.

I'm trying not to get too excited about the new movie. I really am. It's not working out so well. :)

[trinityvixen.livejournal.com]

That's because it was Jack Nicholson versus whatshisface (kidding, but Michael Keaton? Even though he did a good job, psshaw).

It's hard not to get excited when you see how much effort they put into evolving the character. As opposed to just throwing him into new adventures and hoping all the flash fixes the gaping plot/logic holes (Spider-Man 3, I am looking at you). It speaks to a real respect of the source material that has evolved, regressed, changed, and adapted to the times. Maybe in twenty years we won't recognize this Batman as definitive, but it stands a great chance of being perfect for our time's understanding of him.

[ecmyers.livejournal.com]

Excellent! The origin story of Two Face from Batman: TAS is one of my favorites, and I was really disappointed with how they removed all the emotional conflict from whichever of the Schumacher movies he was in. Nolan seems to have good instincts on characters and finding a good emotional hook into a narrative, so I have high hopes.

[trinityvixen.livejournal.com]

I love that read on Harvey--he's not a bad person at all, he's just screwed up a little worse than the next guy and it went spectacularly wrong. He's the evidence the Joker was looking for in "The Killing Joke": Harvey Dent is one bad day from being Two-Face.

And the damned thing is that, with a different story, they might have taken advantage of a sublime Tommy Lee Jones properly for that role. Alas. I think Aaron Eckhart will be fabulous, because he does cocksure and righteous with an undertone of monstrosity very, very well.