was *THE DARK KNIGHT* always this DARK??

[@alexhefnerstvmovievault]

Last time I saw this movie was in theaters 14 years ago (I was 14) Hope you guys enjoy this reaction! Love you all

[@alichehab5804]

W

[@teish]

Cover the HP franchise? Pretty please!

[@MrZics]

Heath Ledger died of an accidental overdose caused by the misuse of multiple prescribed sleeping medications at once. He had been suffering repeatedly from extreme insomnia every time he took up an acting role.

[@sean-douglasroberts5150]

Your gonna love the Dark Knight Rises

[@AkaiAkuma_]

oh buddy u call this dark, wait till u get to The Batman (2022)😎

[@maxacorn]

here's an interesting story. aaron eckhart, who played harvey/two face, said what it was like working with heath. he said he saw him in the hospital room, preparing to do the scene but he never said a word. he was more focused on the physical actions, rather than the words. aaron took this as inspiration and joined him in acting out the scene, neither of them saying a word. by the time it was time to shoot the scene, they not only had the lines down but they were able to convey the emotions of harvey and joker through their movements and gestures. he said working with heath was one of the greatest experiences he ever had as an actor.

[@alexhefnerstvmovievault]

both great actors!

[@maianikaido]

I never knew that before... At the movie, i prefer More Harvey/Two Face as a character because Eckhart gave a dreamed performance for Gotham's attorney becoming the villain.

[@eclat4641]

Amazing !!

[@KungFuLasse]

to be fair, being more focused on the physical actions, rather than the words is just what acting is. all actors out great focus on how they interact with the room.

[@christophermorgan598]

I saw this in theaters. It was PACKED. Not a single empty seat. When the pencil thing happened, the ENTIRE theater audibly gasped at the same time. It was amazing. Heath Ledger as the Joker is the single greatest actor portrayal of a character in movie history.

[@alexhefnerstvmovievault]

one of a kind performance!

[@Gideonite]

I saw it opening night at midnight and they some how allowed people to sit on the ground it was so packed. Our crowd gasped and laughed 😂

[@sarahbroom1636]

When I saw it in the cinema and the pencil scene happened I laughed out loud, and it still makes me laugh.

[@coolmanplayz438]

To me the Joker has a "Holy Trinity" of actors that played the character perfectly for their era. Jack Nicholson, Heath Ledger, and Joaquin Phoenix are the actors that I put in that trinity. Jack Nicholson played the Joker's campy and comedic, yet completely insane and psychotic persona perfectly. Heath Ledger played the perfect Joker for being a force to be reckoned with, having an intimidating presence, being a master of the domino effect, with some humor to stay true to the character. Joaquin Phoenix played the Perfect Joker for the modern era, a societal reject that became a murderer because of the abuse society gave to him. All three perfectly played their movie's version of the character and all three bring a unique and and distinct take on the character that elevate the movies they appear in.

[@DannyPhantom992]

Same when I went to go see it! Only difference was while the entire theater gasped... I laughed lol the "TADAAAA!" really got to me lol

[@Andrew.Grabowski]

Batman not only does NOT kill, he also doesn’t use guns to make sure he doesn’t kill. That’s how the scarecrow knew it wasn’t him.

[@nathanmead9585]

Along with his parents having been shot. Which was partially just an object lesson (a gun makes it too easy), but I wouldn't be surprised if he gets a little triggered by them.

[@ricardovonkrypton8908]

Batman does not kill. It is core to his character and system of belief, and a crucial point of so many fantastic stories in the comics. "If you kill a killer, the number of killers in the world remains the same." - Batman For a superb Batman movie, check out the animated Under The Red Hood! :)

[@alexhefnerstvmovievault]

good point, andrew

[@psycho42069]

I always find it interesting tho how in pretty much every movie he indiscriminately blows up civilian vehicles and buildings without any regard whatsoever to may or may not be inside. Case and point in this movie, the two boys in the car watching as he drives by after completely obliterating a row of cars, any one of which could have just as easily had another family or other innocent people inside. Also if I remember correctly, in the Tim Burton Batman movies it seems like Batman racked up at least 2 "on purpose" kills which I always found strange.

[@thechad4485]

@@psycho42069 And that’s a point where pretty much every movie has failed. Batman in the comics is calculated and precise. He’d consider the movie Batmen, even the ones that don’t kill, messy or sloppy. One thing the new Batman has going for it is that the sloppiness is one of the ways the director plans on showing the character’s growth into the full comic book Batman.

[@WhiskeyPapa42]

The story is that the party scene (16:00) was the first introduction for some of the characters to the Joker, so their unease was authentic. Michael Caine (Alfred) said he was terrified, and completely forgot to say his lines. He thought it was just more friends of the party arriving when Heath tore out of the elevator with his entourage.

[@thomaskilroy4573]

He uses a different origin story every time because one of the most important parts of The Joker as a character is that no one knows who he is or how he became that way. He ALWAYS tells different versions of his origin story and no two are ever the same. It’s crucial because it’s part of what makes him so mysterious and iconic. He even says himself…”Sometimes I remember it one way, sometimes another. If I’m going to have a past I prefer it to be multiple choice.”

[@alexhefnerstvmovievault]

Thats so cool!

[@aaronbeatdown]

It also would technically would obscure any attempt to try to narrow down his identity since nothing he or anyone who claimed to have information on him could be considered credible.

[@Rhodair]

@@aaronbeatdown yup, compounded even further by Joker's preference to work with schizophrenics

[@stefanlaskowski6660]

In the comics, it was once revealed that the Joker was actually three different people. Even Batman couldn't accept that.

[@thomaskilroy4573]

@@stefanlaskowski6660 Well actually no, it was later retconned that The Joker actually just created those two other versions himself to fuck with Batman and force him to forgive Joe Chill so that he could take Chill’s place as Batman’s greatest pain.

[@tay-dor7147]

It hurts so much that Ledger died so young. We were robbed of such an amazing talent.

[@UndyingHatred_]

fr

[@Ai7CH2]

Apparently he got too into the role it became his personality and he had to kill himself so he didn’t hurt anyone

[@tay-dor7147]

@@Ai7CH2 Not true.

[@tylarjackson7928]

​@@Ai7CH2No. Dude employed method acting, so he self-isolated trying to stay in that headspace. Self-isolation to such an extreme degree often leads to depression, which in turn can cause insomnia. Dude was taking benzos, pain meds, and an antihistamine cold medicine. Benzos and opiates by themselves are very rarely prescribed together, because they're both strong CNS depressants, which can cause you to just stop breathing.

[@KungFuLasse]

@@tylarjackson7928 true.

[@samratcliffe5253]

No, this role did not under any circumstances kill Heath Ledger. As a matter of fact, he was by all accounts profoundly happy and fulfilled by this role. His passing came from a tragically all too common miscalculation of prrscription meds. I think he was just so in love with his job that he couldn't turn his mind off to the point where he had to medicate just to sleep. He had moved on to his next, and sadly final, role before he passed, but his passing coincided with the release of Dark Knight so there was a lot of conflation between this role and his untimely death.

[@abovewater6918]

Yes Christian Bale even confirmed in an interview that it didn't kill him. And that when the cameras stopped rolling, he went back to being Heath, dropped the joker persona

[@AdeptusCaeiusIII]

I believe the going diagnosis is overdose of sleeping meds he was taking as treatment for chronic insomnia...? IIRC. The insomnia DID present during his time working on the movie, but I remember reading somewhere that it was less that the role itself was an issue, and more that he was an obsessive and just refused to sleep for long periods while working on the role. He was well-known for wanting to get his roles perfect. Chronic over-achiever in acting.

[@spaceghost27]

he was a known heroin user along with pills of all sorts.

[@tastyneck]

@@abovewater6918 Michael Jai White also said the same thing about Ledger.

[@joenobody5631]

@@abovewater6918 Michael Jai White said the same thing. Heath was having the time of his life filming this movie.

[@MichaelEvans-i2r]

Heath Ledger: People (specifically young kids) like to mythologize the idea that Heath Ledger was a method actor who went off the deep end, but the reality is that, no, playing the Joker did not make Heath Ledger insane. He'd already completed work on "The Dark Knight" and was in the midst of production on the Terry Gilliam film "The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus" at the time of his death. He died of an overdose of sleeping pills, and from the sound of things, his death was the result of self-medication.

[@FatCat715]

Thank you for including the scene where the Joker says "No, I'm noT". Most reactors don't include that scene because they don't realize the weight it carries. Well done.

[@LifeisANovel]

I literally thought of this today. Like that to me was big

[@alexhefnerstvmovievault]

thank you Drew

[@guts311]

Can you explain the part/meaning?

[@HAbarneyWK]

@@guts311 in the Jokers head he is not a lunatic, for him it all makes sense.

[@Belnick6666]

@@HAbarneyWK as it does to everyone

[@davidhart6291]

13:01 - never in the history of movies have the words “LOOK AT ME!” been delivered in such a ferociously terrifying way. BTW, it’s easy to miss that he actually says “look at me” very quickly and quietly right before that. When “Brian” doesn’t comply, he goes feral with it. Bone-chilling!

[@norryonbass6574]

It also showed that he was putting on a fake speaking voice the entire time. For me it suggests he had a naturally deeper voice but, like his appearance, he disguised his true self and created the Joker as his public face.

[@beussta]

finaly someone talking about this... the way he said this was so terrifying

[@SigTheSauceMan]

Man... Heath Ledger's performance as the Joker will NEVER be surpassed. Down to absolute most miniscule movements, the way he delivered every single line... simply legendary.

[@justingarrett1675]

This is my personal opinion counting animated versions Heath is 2nd best Joker of all time. 1) Hammil 2) Ledger 3) Phoenix

[@alexhefnerstvmovievault]

legendary for sure

[@Rhodair]

@@justingarrett1675 You don't even include Jack Nicholson?😮

[@Arthaius]

@@Rhodair - I know right? No one ever remembers the best joker characterization ever played. Literally no one has ever played Joker better than Jack Nicholson, for starters he actually played the character as it was originally written. Don't get me wrong, the new modernized versions where they add a more edgy feel to Batman and Joker characters to appeal to the more desensitized modern viewer are good roles, well played by talented actors. But These edgy new characters are not the originals, so technically they are new characters - but true joker is exactly as Jack Nicholson portrayed him, before they took artistic license to change the way Batman/Joker is characterized.

[@jesustovar2549]

@@Arthaius And also Jack grew up reading Batman comics, so it was a pleasure to him for playing the Joker, I feel like Jack really understood his clownsy personality, even using Joker weapons, he literally stoled the movie just like Ledger did in TDK, now Jack lives retired of acting, with millions of dollars provided by his pay deal in Batman, no wonder why this man was one of the greatest actors ever.

[@MrZomg17]

Like Joker said to Harvey Dent " i'm just a dog chasing cars,once i catch it,i wouldn't know what to do with it" speaking about his insanity

[@runescapian1999]

In the old comics there was a great line that the joker delivered. ‘If I have to have a past, I prefer it to be multiple choice’ In a creepy joker tone obviously, that’s why he changes his story

[@richarddollar4912]

Was there a comic scene of joker shooting at the cars trying to get Batman to hit him? Cuz that’s my favorite scene tbh

[@AdeptusCaeiusIII]

I believe it was in Killing Joke? Was in the late 80s sometime.

[@mage1439]

I think the real power of that line is that if anybody knew his real story, it'd weaken him. He has the advantage in every situation because nobody can get ahead of him by profiling what he might do.

[@peterbrazukas7771]

@@mage1439 The exact reason I have no desire to see the Joaqin Phoenix Joker film. For me, it ruins the mystique of the Joker by giving him a concrete past and a real name. That's just not who the Joker is to me so I'd rather not have that aspect taken away; even if by all accounts it is a good movie.

[@mage1439]

@@peterbrazukas7771 I feel like the best way to take the Joker movie is as a very alternate reality story. He seems, in all honesty, not smart enough to be THE Joker, but at the same time making him a version of the Joker enhances the story beyond what it would be if he were just some guy.

[@ashleyva1461]

27:57 Fun fact! Heath Ledger actually allowed Christian Bale to punch him in this scene. Since his Joker was created through method acting, the punch helped him get into the scene and act it out how the Joker would.

[@surlycanadian]

Every Batman movie costume from 1989 to this point had the head, neck and shoulders integrated so the actors and therefore Batman couldn’t turn their necks. They always had to do torso twists to look side to side and arch their backs to look up.

[@mage1439]

It's so iconic you could play a drinking game with just Michael Keaton Batman that'd leave you in shambles 🤣

[@aaronroibeard]

It’s crazy NONE of them thought to turn his head before this movie….. 😂

[@surlycanadian]

@@aaronroibeard I think they decided that the character of Bruce Wayne ignored it and pretended it wasn’t an issue because the filmmakers wanted to maintain the single piece look from the comics and avoid it looking like a motorcycle helmet. But since the Nolanverse is supposed to be set a bit closer to the real world they decided to address it in the storyline. It was a nice touch.

[@aaronroibeard]

@@surlycanadian for sure….

[@Werewolf914]

You beat me to it, I was just about to comment the same thing

[@obscillesk]

that "Look. At. Me." is one of my favorite lines just because of how its delivered, you don't even see him in the shot but its so all-encompassing followed closely by that "I'm a man of my word" and the cackle

[@alexhollon7526]

I know Heath gets all the love, but honestly EVERYONE kills it in this movie. Special mention to Aaron Eckhart.

[@alexhefnerstvmovievault]

all the cast was terrific!

[@wilder11]

Absolutely. Honestly it took a sec for the hype to wear off so I could properly enjoy the Joker. But Two-Face was the dark horse star of the movie for me from the get go. Totally underrated.

[@JiggyGig]

I actually worked on this movie as a background extra. I'm in the scene toward the beginning where Joker is standing on the corner holding his mask and waiting for the crew to pick him up. I'm in the top right corner of the screen walking away from camera. Am really glad I have that memory of Heath Ledger. You should check out The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (Heath's final film) just to see their solution for finishing the film after Heath passed.

[@ka1serrfps]

Hey that's a nice moment

[@Maxssx3]

Fun fact: At 15:10 when the Joker shot up in the air, Alfred was supposed to say some line here, but it was the first time Michael Caine saw Heath Ledger in the Joker. He was speechless, he forgot his line. You can see him hesitant to speak.

[@alexhefnerstvmovievault]

unexpected things make the best scenes

[@TheLeonard185]

A lot of fun facts in this section

[@chocolatesquirrel2002]

@@TheLeonard185 heh, alot of non planned scenes on this movie apparently

[@strider5119]

got a link to prove it?

[@stevecristian6932]

That's not true at all

[@scottyanderson19]

This movie thought about every little aspect and i love it. The piece of glass next to the joker in the interrogation scene so you know how he escapes, when Dent sneaks into the backseat of the car you can see him in the side mirror getting in when the door opens, little things like that. So so good. Also he tells different stories because he's an unreliable narrator, the viewer realizes he's telling different stories and knows he's completely out the gate and nothing he says can be trusted

[@tomwin6975]

Well, I liked the reaction, but quick correction - Joker isn't an "agent of chaos" - he just wants others to think that. He has very particular plans, which he fulfills at the end of the movie. Look at it like that: He plans the heist perfectly. To the second. He plays the mob like he wants to - they give him half of their money. He plans the attempt on the mayor, and his breakout, as well as Rachel's death before he gets the message in the paper. He succeeds in turning poster boy Dent to "monster" All in all - he's prepared, understands psychology, knows his way around explosives, weapons, martial arts, manipulation, even interrogation ("don't start with the head, the victim gets all fuzzy"). Add that to the talk about "truck full of soldiers blowing up" and his record being clear - no prints, dental, etc - and you have a pretty convincing theory, that he was some kind of black ops, CIA or something. And whats best - he accomplishes all he wanted. Which was, believe it or not, destroying Gotham's mob and making it a better place. After what he did - burning almost all of their money, sending them to jail by Harvey (from which, in his memory, noone will let them out), kills corrupted judges, and forcing the Batman to take a fall for Harvey's deeds, the Gotham is a safer place. Mob is disorganised and almost nonexistent, Batmans absence stops the escalation (about which Gordon talked in the first movie), Bruce is able to retire for literal years, before Bane comes in third movie. Joker literally saves Gotham from corruption, mob, criminals overall. The last thing you can say about him is that he "does things just because he's crazy"

[@secretmedicine]

in all fairness, the definition of agent is "a person or thing that takes an active role or produces a specified effect " he very much produces chaos from Gotham's everyday citizen. He is a mastermind to the point that chaos is just a tool in his kit.

[@tomwin6975]

In a short term - surely. But I'd say only as much as Batman, blowing cars on the parking lot and leading police on high speed chases through the city. But in the long run - after his plans were carried out, the Gotham was pretty much safe, ordered and quiet for everyday citizen for years (hence Bruce's retirement). Something Batman was never able to accomplish

[@oleksandrbyelyenko435]

Thank you for this comment. Very few people think that way

[@alexhefnerstvmovievault]

he's very smart for sure

[@Rhodair]

Aye, Joker seems to be quite the fan of entropy. He'll promote the idea that _everything_ he does is chaotic when it benefits him. However, he certainly does put a lot of thought into his twisted, sociopathic jokes on society.

[@OrangJoe1077]

Also and yes the hospital was a practical effect, they blew one up that was already scheduled for demolition.

[@alexhefnerstvmovievault]

that's crazy!

[@FriendlyCloaker]

Fun fact: The little tongue licks Joker does were actually due to the prosthetics starting to peel off, so Heath Ledger licked them to keep them in place and he ended up incorporating it into one of The Joker's many tics.

[@mage1439]

It's funny how many iconic things are just something practical that ends up almost defining a portrayal.

[@alexbartha274]

Not true at all. It was something he made up in preparation for the role. Apparently it had to do with getting the voice right. This was a massive box office oscar film, they could afford makeup that worked.

[@alexhefnerstvmovievault]

crazy!

[@versecontro4898]

@@alexbartha274 no it is true lol. Yes they could gotten better prosthetics but it was Heath’s choice to keep the ones he had

[@YouWillBeHappyOrElse]

I also love how all of his words are formed in the very front of his mouth--exactly the habit a man would develop if he suffered catastrophic damage to his face.

[@juanvargas-qz6vd]

It gets me everytime, this movie is filled with memorable scenes and quotes and one of the scenes that makes me tear the most is when the prisoner throws the detonator away , it shows you that even criminals have a soul and they can truly reform

[@4Everlast]

The dialogue and the script are oscar worthy. Intelligent, complex yet easy to follow, memorable as well.

[@alexhefnerstvmovievault]

agreed!

[@liakwriter7726]

The licks Heath Ledger did were actually to help keep his prosthetics in place since there was an issue - he took an obstacle and turned it into an incredible character quirk - he was so amazing people didn't even CONSIDER there was a reason like that for the madness.

[@becksimilian2955]

The jumpscare of the dead faux-Batman banging against the window is so effective... even after seeing this hundreds of times, it's still so good

[@alexhefnerstvmovievault]

fr

[@alexhefnerstvmovievault]

it is right

[@jflaugher]

The Joker has different stories for his origins because, in Alan Moore’s classic graphic novel, "The Killing Joke," the Joker says, "If I’m going to have a past, I prefer it to be multiple choice!" Batman doesn't kill people. That is Batman's one rule, he won't kill anybody.

[@shadowbane7401]

alan moore mad overrated and so are you

[@GoddessofAnubis]

Man. This movie. I had grown up with Jack Nicholson and Mark Hamil as respective Jokers so me and my dad were a bit skeptical about Heath Ledger being picked. Then we went in premiere night. I ended up seeing this movie 10 times before it left theaters. The mannerisms, the subtext, the original design that STILL references so much of his original self from comics, tv, cartoon AND live action...It's all so incredible. And it's one of the big reasons I got into professional writing! Always enjoy your reactions, since you bring so much fun commentary but still pick up on the small details.

[@alexhefnerstvmovievault]

love you!

[@GoddessofAnubis]

@@alexhefnerstvmovievault Thanks a ton, man!! Loving the vids and I'm excited for Monday!

[@donaldnewton3149]

The Old Man that Joker threatens "I Hated My Father!" at 15:50 is real life U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy, who is a big fan of the Batman franchise.

[@OilyAnimal3]

Highly recommend another one of Heath ledger's movies called a Knight's tale

[@mage1439]

This times a hundred. Also a chance at a great and underappreciated performance by Alan Tudyk. "It's called a lance... hello."

[@DillyDilly13]

This is good shit here.

[@boneidle8420]

@@mage1439 you have been weighed

[@robinjennings88]

Yes,yes,yes!!

[@noahtaube9323]

As I grow older I'm beginning to realize that the villains make very valid points. The joker was literally trying to bring the worst out of everyone. He was trying to reveal everyone's dark side. The boat scene was a prime example. Batman couldn't kill him because he'd be no better than him.

[@inarar5334]

Watch footage of all the Batmen starting with Keaton, and you'll see how meta the "you want to be able to turn your head" bit was. Keaton particularly had some really weird motions that made him seem otherworldly. Like when he has to literally lean and bend backwards to look up.

[@alexhefnerstvmovievault]

interesting

[@marcusberggren9241]

"you either die a hero or live long enough to become the villian" - brilliant quote. Absolutely love it.

[@sympotaz2960]

There was an interview with one of the other actors ( MIchael Jai White) and they asked him about woring with heath ledger and his death and the mental impact this role had on him as, the rumors were that he lost himself in the character (Due to the fact he spent a few months alone in a hotel room perfecting his voice, laugh, tics, and mannerism). But michael said that once the cameras were not rolling health was completely himself and there was no problems that he was showing that the role had any negative impact on him. So his death is still sort what a mystery to me.

[@AdeptusCaeiusIII]

IIRC, he developed chronic insomnia after all the work he did to perfect the role. Or at least somewhere around that time. The role itself is partly to blame, but not because of it haunting or tormenting him. He just wanted to do such a good job playing such a complex character that he simply couldn't sleep. Add an accidental over-prescription of sleeping medication, and you get a loss of life, sadly.

[@sympotaz2960]

@@AdeptusCaeiusIII Something i wasnt aware of thanks. I knew playing the character had some, no mater how small of an impact but i wasnt aware that it was that bad.

[@jikookmints]

@@sympotaz2960 very late but Heath had problems sleeping way before filming The Dark Knight so no, this role is not to blame. It definitely didnt help that he was jumping from project to project tho but still, he had sleeping problems so he was taking meds for that, and got a cold (some say pneumonia) while filming his latest movie. He was taking meds for that too. He took a combination of pills that lead to him passing away

[@skith8432]

@@AdeptusCaeiusIII there is also somewhere out there where jack Nicholson talked to heath when he took this role to be careful. It took jack many sessions of therapy to kick off being the joker.

[@dominus5893]

When I saw this in theaters I forgot I was watching a Batman movie at times. Heath did such an amazing job and his loss is still felt

[@All-Fur-Coat_No-Trousers]

"What were you trying to prove? That deep down, everyone’s as ugly as you? You’re alone." That always stuck with me. As brilliant as The Joker is in this movie, his philosophy doesn't account for basic human goodness.

[@Rhodair]

While I like how it played out, most people are opportunistic and can do some wild things out of self preservation. I consider it more a fluke that neither boat went off, and it's totally worth the shock on the Joker's face because it's like Batman won the lotto in that moment.

[@YouWillBeHappyOrElse]

@@Rhodair Do you include yourself in "most people," or do you consider yourself one of the shining, admirable exceptions?

[@andrewvasquez7872]

the funny thing about the tongue licks was that they werent intentional, Heath kept doing that because the prosthetics kept drying his lips.

[@jrotvtube]

Have to just say I respect you being true and not trying to pretend like this is a first time watch. So many people with fake personalities out here these days and you keep it real.

[@alexhefnerstvmovievault]

thank you bro, always keep it real

[@josephD32]

@@alexhefnerstvmovievault even if you have seen it before. Even if someone has seen it recently, they might not catch everything. Take for example, when Joker hands Two-Face the gun, pointing it at himself, the entire time he's holding the hammer back so that if the trigger is pulled, the gun wouldn't fire. I didn't notice that for years. Also, the hospital explosion botched in real life. Only a few went off at first, then the rest went off in a delayed reaction, so when you see Joker running off, that's a legitimate "oh shit" moment from Heath Ledger.

[@beussta]

yeah, i spotted a lot of "anime" react who said things they are not supposed to know, especially on attack on titan 1st episode "i swear i've never heard nothing about it" and 2 episodes later say a thing you only know in season 3 LOL

[@ItsYaBoiChenny]

the semi truck flipping and it not being cgi is amazing. also the hospital explosion is real too.

[@egp014]

His story about his scar is inconsistent because that's true to his character, he's an agent of chaos with an unknown background, no one knows who he is, where he's from, what his motives are, when he's being serious or when he is bluffing, an unreliable narrator, unpredictable. It's what truly makes the Joker such an amazing and terrifying villian. He's an actual wild card

[@alexhefnerstvmovievault]

YEP HES SO UNPREDICTABLE

[@davidr1050]

3:29 -- William Ficthner -- One of my current favorite actors. Born on Long Island and lived in upstate.

[@davidhasselblad2898]

The hospital was an actual demolitions project. And when the joker turned around and kept clicking the button. Purely adlib. There was an actual delay in detonation. So heath ledger just played along as the joker and then the rest started blowing up. He laughed and gets on the bus. Also the cop who got killed said "mam we're moving him now" showing they had already evacuated the rest of the patients from the hospital.

[@nF_Rhythm]

This has been confirmed to be untrue. Confirmed by several sources that the delay was planned.

[@Xonslaught1]

A guy I used to work with his sister lived blocks away and they were notified but were told they shouldn't be worried about anything, and apparently the blast blew out her windows, and she swears if she ever meets Nolan she was going to beat him black and blue

[@DillyDilly13]

ALSO there’s an deleted scene that shows how Joker jacked the bus and got those people on the boat. Why that was cut I’ll never know.

[@ThePandaaa]

@@Xonslaught1I’ll take things that never happened for 500!

[@nicholasconlin5228]

So glad you're going through this series! Easily one of the best movie trilogies ever, let alone the best Batman movies ever. I saw this opening weekend in IMAX with 20 of my friends. Best movie experience of my life.

[@bigernmacrackin6176]

Fun fact: I use to work in that hospital building, it was Brachs candy factory. Sad to see it go

[@alexhefnerstvmovievault]

thats sad

[@henryviper9091]

Great reaction bro! I remember seeing this in theaters opening night, I was 21. I grew up a Batman fan and Joker was always my favorite villain out of like anything, anyways we did some bong rips and then each smoked our own blunt on the drive to the theater. I remember being in awe cause they played the Watchmen trailer before the movie and that looked so dope, and then I was just in total awe during this movie. Probably greatest theater experience of my life, Ledger's Joke was not at all what I expected but it was so amazing, I probably would have teared up if I wasn't so high. Top tier film. I still have a Dark Knight movie poster autographed by Christian Bale.

[@alexhefnerstvmovievault]

thats so cool, jealous of that! love you Henry

[@MrGpschmidt]

A towering achievement in filmmaking with a legendary turn by Ledger as the Joker - truly iconic - Bale continues to add layers to his Bruce Wayne/Batman - and dude c'mon The Code of Batman is you don't kill someone. Saw this in IMAX and it's truly amazing since Nolan employs that medium so well. The truck & hospital stunts are all REAL.

[@THEMASKPLAYGROUND]

I really enjoy how the joker says he doesn’t have any plains but throughout the whole movie you see all his plains unfold just shows he does everything with intent he’s really a genius

[@alexhefnerstvmovievault]

yep hes smart

[@comandantethorn9929]

i love that scene where they make Gordon Commissioner and Joker just claps because you can tell that he was genuinely surprised and annoyed that he got bested

[@EthanRom]

So genius, he played with Batman's temper and emotions in that interrogation scene that he practically wasted their time. Same I'm pretty bad with addresses, but it's standard cop training to be pretty good with memorizing addresses especially with 911 calls so I'm not surprised Batman and Gordon got it

[@matthewdennis4572]

The part with the hospital blowing up, the last part where it took a minute to explode, the jokers actions were improvised because there was a legit technical difficulty.

[@alexhefnerstvmovievault]

thank you for that Matthew!

[@jonathanhoward1306]

OMG! the 29:45 scare was hilarious! Incredibly genuine reaction of being scared shitless! Makes me laugh just thinking about it!

[@alexhefnerstvmovievault]

thanks for watching!

[@mityakiselev]

Actually, I think this Joker tells his backstory in different ways not necessarily because he "prefers to be multiple choice" like the one in the comics, but because it helps him intimidate the victim more. When he talks to a criminal, he goes for daddy issues, since he would probably relate to it more, and when he talks to Harvey's love interest, he goes for a tragic love story. IDK what exactly would he have picked for Batman at the end of the movie, but I assume it would be something self-sacrificial. It's also great how he sometimes looks to the upper right when telling the story, which a lot of psychologists say is a sign of him making it up on the fly. He says he's not a man with a plan, but that's absolutely not the case. His plan was aimed at showing everyone that even the best of us are bad, no matter what it costs him. He literally wants Batman to kill him, first on the motorbike, then in the interrogation room, then on the construction site, to show he's not as morally immovable as he pretends to be (at least the Joker thinks it would work). He says that in their last moments, people show us who they really are, and in his "last" moments (presumably falling to his death) he laughs like a maniac because he succeeded. Batman would be a murderer. Then, just in case, he has been preparing an ace in his sleeve the entire duration of the movie: Harvey. The Joker made sure Harvey had a personal motif to kill a bunch of people, and he even redirected his anger from himself by spinning him a story about chaos, all that while literally holding the flint of the gun with his thumb. Harvey wouldn't have been able to kill him regardless. He was not the one the Joker saved his own death for. The ending was basically a win-win situation for the Joker: either Harvey kills Batman and/or Gordon's family, making it literally impossible to cover up, or Batman kills Harvey, technically becoming a murderer, and takes the blame for all the stuff Two-Face did, ruining his image of a hero. In any case, the Joker wins, even if he's not there to witness it.

[@winterhell2002]

You'd be amazed at how many of the effects are practical. Flipping the truck over, pushing the police van into the river, blowing up the whole hospital, the batmobile and the bat bike. Crashing a real lambo.

[@alexhefnerstvmovievault]

big budget movie haha

[@mashakos5377]

I think the Bat Pod emerging from the Batmobile is the only time going to the movies where I jumped from my seat from sheer excitement.

[@alexhefnerstvmovievault]

pretty crazy scene

[@jamesmorante8427]

LOVE your videos and just binge-watched your Marvel marathon! I'm sure The Joker is on your watch list and can't wait to get your take on your Joker portrayal preference. I never thought anyone would get close to Ledger's performance, but gotta say Phoenix is right there with him.

[@MsLivy919]

Alex, you need to watch the documentary about Heath. It explains that alot of the little quips ie: the faulty explosion at the hospital was a "blooper", Heath had to lick his lips to make sure the mouth slit prosthetic stayed in place, & when the joker approaches Rachel at the party - Maggie had never seen Heath in the makeup before that day. He was an amazing actor. He did win the Oscar for his performance as the joker. His family received the award for him. It was said that Heath did stay in character most of the time on set, or he secluded himself in his trailer. RIP Heath. Gone too soon.

[@BryonAutry]

It's a staple of Batman's character that he doesn't kill his villains, he actively avoids killing. That's why more recent interpretations of the character got alot of criticism.

[@dcmastermindfirst9418]

Lol Batman has killed plenty. Go read a comic. Casual

[@TheMediaMonologue]

7:42 I like how you noticed that too. Few actors can become the character the way Ledger did in this movie.

[@thegreatmrt]

He didn't die due to the role, he was dealing with mental health issues for years and was big into becoming the character acting like bale, but he was on multiple medications and after this film he was working on 2 other ones and medications he took werent supposed to be taken together and sadly it was in his blood stream due to upping the dosage and the doctor didn't know he was on another medication as well so both mixed due to the higher dosage of one of the medications and he went into a coma and stopped breathing. But it was well after this film was finished, but it happened about a little over a month after it was to release originally.

[@DirtCheapFU]

Also the bazooka thing. And where to find one. Look up Rondo Number 9 and Rocket Launcher. Random goon in Chicago had a bazooka. [Bad] Ol' Chiraq.

[@mogwiawolf4354]

Also the Reason to why he always changes his story is because there are so many different origins for how he got them that it's best just to have it that he always changes the story which keeps it interesting and kind of fun but also keeping that scaring likeness to it as well as join how crazy he is take a deal if that makes sense

[@hitmixhyepock9405]

Or he changes the story because it's all a lie and he makes it up

[@ziggythedrummer]

Awesome film and great reaction :) The reason for the Joker's different stories about his scars is that, even in the comics, his true past and origin have never been revealed - not even his real name. The film carried on that tradition, in the spirit of one quote from the comics: "If you're going to have a past, why not make it multiple-choice?"

[@joedeluca2277]

Fun Fact: That last Hospital explosion wasn't supposed to be delayed. Heath Ledger knew this and was genuinely surprised when it didn't go off. That part where he looks back and throws his arms up and starts hitting the button repeatedly was completely improvised and NOT in the script. Nolan loved it and left it in the movie. RIP Heath.

[@aimp4598]

Fun Fact: That's a fabrication, but people keep repeating it, because when people hear something they like, they embrace it as truth. Fun facts are rarely fun, and almost never factual.

[@jobebachand3419]

Not true

[@TheImmortalRin]

So at 15:20 when he eats the tomato off the shrimp skewer, everytime I've watched this before I thought that was a flower -.-

[@sersastark]

This movie is a Nolan MASTERPIECE!!!

[@alexhefnerstvmovievault]

yep it is!

[@bekindandrewind1422]

17:49 -- I know Heath's level... Isolation, and depression will drive you to madness.. I loved a woman who stopped loving me.. She abused me, isolated me.. I was alone in her house every day when she went to work.. No car, no friends, no escape.. Admittedly, I did go a little insane. God, I would love to be an actor and give all those demons a chance to be let out and go play... --- But in a way, aren't we ALL actors in one way or another?

[@jackmarshall3255]

You should watch the joker movie if you haven’t seen it already it takes place in a different universe but it gives jokers back story and it’s actually pretty good. Fun fact about this film when Batman is hitting the joker to get info he actually punch the actor because they want it too look real.

[@dracoargentum9783]

A few of the Jokers tics are actual actions that Heath Ledger had to do: for example, the mouth licking; the mouth prosthetics refused to stick causing untold delays between sets as they had to reapply makeup, until Heath discovered if he just licked his lips to keep them wet, the prosthetics stay stuck

[@someones5551]

I think the idea behind changing the stories is that he is trying to screw with the victim. They seem like they may be customised based on the victim too. Rachel being a middle age female, a story which undermines love and the dedication of partners might seem suitable. Gambit being a criminal is more likely to have experienced an abusive or broken household so a story of an alcoholic abusive father might seem more suitable.

[@garrethdaniels5929]

Great reaction. You should watch that half the Jokers appearances and aspects came from Heath Ledger himself

[@davidhasselblad2898]

I think one reason Joaquinn Phoenix as Joker. Other then him being a phenomenal actor. Is because people realized this role needs someone very strong. And after Joaquin's past. He would absolutely annihilate this role and still be around for sequels. And he did. He killed this role. I actually prefer him over Heath but that's all personal preference. Amazing reaction as always big Haus.

[@mage1439]

I don't think any real fan would give you any crap over preferring Joaquin, Heath, or Mark, and I personally wouldn't give you crap if your preferred Joker is Cesar Romero or Jack Nicholson. If you prefer Jared Leto, now...

[@davidhasselblad2898]

Omg a real live action mark Joker.... Would be sooooo cool. Omfg that would be sensational. And yeah no Jared is the weakest on screen joker. I see what they were trying to do... But it fell short at every scene really. He felt more like Harleys side bitch more then anything. I did like his Snyder cut action. But I think it was the chemistry between him and Batman more then anything.

[@DarthSoto78]

By what I understand like 80% of Jokers scenes where cut out of suicide squad, and he was going to be a more fleshed out character. Of course the source is Leto so it my be his way of saying "I don't Suck."

[@davidhasselblad2898]

Dont get me wrong there were parts I respected the character and I think he did as best as he could. I would've liked to see more of his takes to really get a feel for it. But he felt very mainstream. I think I like him more as Mobius even though the editing in that killed the movie too.

[@strider5119]

Joaquin's Joker is fantastic, however, it should stay as a standalone film. As much as I enjoyed his Joker, it doesn't belong in a Batman movie. It serves its purpose, making a point about mental health and neglect etc. That would be lost in a proper Batman film imo

[@Stardust_7273]

When Thor went to Asgard and got to talk to his mom... ur right, about what u said about giving anything to have a moment like that. My dad died 13 years ago to an aggressive and rare cancer, and we had things that were unsaid and unresolved, and we never got to reconcile because he went downhill so fast. If I were able to see him again, talk to him... I live with that regret and always will, because he's gone... Please, don't leave things unresolved that you really need to say to a loved one, because you never know what the future holds...

[@thesplawn]

Heath's constant licking of his lips wasn't technically a character trait that he developed, the make up prosthetics were said to have dried out his lips so he constantly had to lick his lips to keep them hydrated. Also, the scene where the Joker shows up to the party and Rachel confronts him, that was the first time she had seen Heath Ledger in makeup so that was legit terror you see on Maggie's face. The stories Joker tells about how he got the scars are all different origin stories from different comic runs.

[@alexhefnerstvmovievault]

crazy!

[@WarriorPleb]

15:10 Michael caines reaction here is so good, apparently he was supposed to have lines to say in this scene but being the first time he actually laid eyes on Ledger's Joker he was stunned

[@Colin-bowser]

Rip Heath Ledger😢

[@alexhefnerstvmovievault]

FR! RIP

[@davidriddick82]

Heath Ledger got so invested in the character, not only did he study jokers in the past but he went deep into the comics and even rehearsed his looks, voices and mannerisms in between shooting and even his preparation, it’s one of the best villain roles done in history IMO RIP HEATH LEDGER 🌹🌹🌹🌹

[@drakke125Channel]

Being unable to turn his head is a nod to the older Batman movies where he has to turn his whole body to turn his head. "He owns this place?!" Remember he gave a check to the guy in the first movie and bought the whole place?

[@SuperBaccaPlayz]

Man, I love this movie so much! I remember the feelings I got watching this in theaters as a kid. The bass in Heath's voice at the beginning when he said "What doesnt kill you simply makes you..stranger." God every single time I watch this movie I still get goosebumps at that part. Such a good performance and overall movie. As a comic book movie its incredible, as a film in general I think its still incredible. You don't need to be a comic book fan or a Batman fan to enjoy this movie. I loved your reaction to this movie!

[@shawnderrick1952]

I felt the same way about Jeff Bridges' performance as Obadiah Stane in Iron Man.It was the best,most unexpected performance as a villain I had ever seen from someone I didn't think had that type of darkness.I was blown away by both Jeff Bridges and Heath Ledger and both deserved the Best Actor in a Supporting Role Oscar that year,but Heath tragically died,so while Jeff was nominated, everyone knew it was going to Heath for his deliciously creepy turn as the Joker.

[@LOREandEXPLORE]

One of my favourite films ever. Awesome direction and production. Plus, an outstanding film score!

[@geoffkeil3135]

"Was this the role that killed Heath Ledger?" Nah ... that was just a rumour that people made up. Watch interviews with some of the cast ... including Michael Jai White. According to Jai White, Heath Ledger was having too much fun with the Joker role ... for it to have a "dark effect" on him. It was just playtime for him. And besides he actually passed away during the filming of The Imaginarium Of Doctor Parnassus anyway ... well after The Dark Knight. My favourite Joker portrayal by FAR. A great actor .... sadly missed.

[@kennethstevenson4817]

The filming of this movie in Chicago worked out well for a lot of people, the hospital was an old candy factory that was scheduled to be demolished and ports of the streets destoryed by the bat mobile was about to be reconstructed as well.

[@bullymaguire7854]

The reason The Joker licks his lips like its a tick is because the facial prosthetics used would keep coming loose, and he would lick his lips to keep it in place. Eventually it became part of The Jokers character.

[@alexhefnerstvmovievault]

thats crazy! worked out

[@TherealRasdino]

@@alexhefnerstvmovievaultfirst like 👀

[@worldofgreenhell]

25:07 my same exact reaction to this, that semi flip is one of the best stunts I've ever saw.

[@KuroSlick]

Alex loves the gooch 😂 My favourite Batman movie by a landslide lol

[@alexhefnerstvmovievault]

yep its great! love ya

[@KuroSlick]

@@alexhefnerstvmovievault Calling me a gooch? Boy don't make me throw gooches at people 🤣 Just kidding, looking forward to Monday!

[@CasperTheLivingGhost]

Hey Alex!Love your content! Keep it up. Honestly, whenever I'm having a bad day, your content puts me in a good mood every time, so thank you for that. It's always a great feeling whenever I find a fellow movie buff, that appreciate not only the entertainment value, but the joy it brings with every showing. Again, thanks for always being there. As for the Joker changing his backstory? In the comics, Joker replied to his target(I forget if this was directly aimed batman), that he'd rather have his origins be multiple choice

[@Henry-fn1zw]

Greatest comic book movie of all time imo

[@alexhefnerstvmovievault]

legendary Henry!

[@codystensland4177]

The multiple stories about his scars could be a reference to a line from The Killing Joke where he said "If I'm going to have a past, I'd prefer it to be multiple choice". The ambiguity about Joker's origins are the main selling point of the character.

[@jobebachand3419]

You seen this before at the beginning you were referring to him as joker before the reveal. Still a fan though

[@LeoGrimm]

Awesome reaction, can't wait for the final iteration in The Dark Knight Rises.

[@alexhefnerstvmovievault]

its up on my channel!

[@Telruin]

This version of the Joker wasn't crazy. He seem to have a plan. He is in complete control every step of the way. A couple of things I can guess about this version. I believe that he is a former mathematician. There is a lot of game theory involved in his schemes. I would guess that he was trained as an agent to destabilize... whatever they needed to destabilize. Given who he targets, it seem like he is trying to do some of what Bruce is trying to do. But instead of doing it covertly, he is being overt. And he considers the end to justify all means. I'm not sure... but I have been wondering if he's bored. He seem the most entertained when something isn't 100% predictable by him. Batman is providing that.

[@Omegaroth666]

The "Behind the Scenes" feature the that talks about the Garbage truck scenes is very fascinating.

[@alexhefnerstvmovievault]

sounds intriguing

[@Omegaroth666]

@@alexhefnerstvmovievault another Batman movie you might like is Batman: Under the Red Hood.

[@luziel3071]

Nestor Carbonell is, in fact, NOT wearing eyeliner. His eyes are so dark it looks like that. During his time on Lost they had Sawyer call him “buddy with the eyeliner” in response to people speculating if Nestor was wearing eyeliner. They cleared up all speculations in a Behind the Scenes feature where they showed they were actually trying to make his eyes lighter with concealer

[@Justin.Franks]

33:21 The machines have battery backups built in which powers them while transporting the patient. And ambulances have AC power inverters and power outlets so they can be plugged in there if it's a long trip.

[@dowogenesthedog7186]

There is no way this guy hasn't seen these movies before at least 2 times.

[@PedroHernandez-ju1id]

Dude I didn't see any star wars movies until I was 18 and they are just as iconic as the dark knight, so yes it's entirely possible

[@dowogenesthedog7186]

@@PedroHernandez-ju1id he is a lot older than 18, and knows the internet. No way he hasn't seennone of these before.

[@jeeve12]

He did say he watched the movie already but 14 years ago, chill

[@dowogenesthedog7186]

@@jeeve12 those movies weren't out 14 years ago. He knows these movies more than me.

[@paulshaw9953]

He said the film at the cinema when it came out, he says that at the start of the reaction and in his pinned comment Fact is, some people just don't watch all movies. I've not seen Lord Of The Rings 🤷🏼‍♂️

[@gettingstranger]

This movie gave me my username! I've been rocking it ever since this movie came out lol. 3:19 is the inspiration. Too many near death experiences and traumas for me to not be strange. haha

[@knurgsson]

React to Deadpool I & II

[@Andrew.Grabowski]

He really should see the rest of the X Men movies first before the Deadpool movies. Continue Marvelous Movie Mondays the right way!

[@alexhefnerstvmovievault]

great suggestion Andres

[@strider5119]

@@Andrew.Grabowski I don't see how that will matter, considering how jacked up the continuity is lmao

[@ChrisCreats]

I still love that truck flip at 25:07 was done for real full scale. Can’t beat things done for real vs cgi