Jack Nicholson or Heath Ledger?

Be kind. No government, state, or local politics allowed. Admin has final decision for any/all removed posts.
Forum rules
Be kind. No government, state, or local politics allowed. Admin has final decision for any/all removed posts.

Who's the better Joker?

Jack Nicholson
4
16%
Heath Ledger
21
84%
 
Total votes: 25

User avatar
TMurphy
4 valves
4 valves
Posts: 831
Joined: Sun Mar 21, 2004 11:29 pm
Location: NJ

Re: Jack Nicholson or Heath Ledger?

Post by TMurphy »

Netflix will be delivering the 1989 Batman to my front door tomorrow (my girlfriend has never seen it :shock: ), and then Saturday I will probably go and see The Dark Knight. I will try and post a fairly objective comparison then, with both movies fairly fresh in my mind.


I remember when I first heard about Heath Ledger being cast as the Joker. My first thought was, "You can't top Jack Nicholson." I am super psyched to see this, since EVERYONE I know says Ledger did exactly that.
User avatar
brianggilbert
bugler
bugler
Posts: 163
Joined: Sun Oct 28, 2007 1:37 pm
Location: Wilmington,DE

Re: Jack Nicholson or Heath Ledger?

Post by brianggilbert »

tubazach07 wrote:As one person put it. Nicholson's joker is a mob boss that lost everything crazy and Ledger's joker is a put on your moms underwear and run around while spreading peanut butter on yourself crazy.
I think I laughed so hard at this that I must now use the bathroom...
Chesapeake Silver Cornet Brass Band
Aldersgate Brass
Besson 982
Mouthpieces-a-Plenty
BriceT
3 valves
3 valves
Posts: 277
Joined: Thu Apr 26, 2007 10:03 pm
Location: Dallas, TX

Re: Jack Nicholson or Heath Ledger?

Post by BriceT »

tubazach07 wrote:As one person put it. Nicholson's joker is a mob boss that lost everything crazy and Ledger's joker is a put on your moms underwear and run around while spreading peanut butter on yourself crazy.

I've got just the video for this. :twisted:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=mgmGL9pKVAo
pulseczar
3 valves
3 valves
Posts: 435
Joined: Tue Sep 27, 2005 2:03 am

Re: Jack Nicholson or Heath Ledger?

Post by pulseczar »

I liked Christopher Nolan's Joker. I wouldn't say his Joker is the type to run around in underwear and peanut butter. Everything he did in the movie had a purpose. He just had a quirky way of getting to that purpose.
User avatar
The Jackson
5 valves
5 valves
Posts: 1652
Joined: Sun Oct 07, 2007 9:34 pm
Location: Miami, FL

Re: Jack Nicholson or Heath Ledger?

Post by The Jackson »

I'm going to watch the movie again tonight, so I think I could pay more attention to the score.
Nick Pierce
3 valves
3 valves
Posts: 377
Joined: Sat Mar 08, 2008 2:00 am
Location: Colorado

Re: Jack Nicholson or Heath Ledger?

Post by Nick Pierce »

Again, does anyone know if the IMAX version is worth the extra money vs. a normal theater? I need to decide this before I go see it again.
User avatar
The Jackson
5 valves
5 valves
Posts: 1652
Joined: Sun Oct 07, 2007 9:34 pm
Location: Miami, FL

Re: Jack Nicholson or Heath Ledger?

Post by The Jackson »

Well, I saw the movie again, and listened a bit more for the score.


The recurring little "hero" theme is kinda cute, but that was really it for me. /:
Nick Pierce
3 valves
3 valves
Posts: 377
Joined: Sat Mar 08, 2008 2:00 am
Location: Colorado

Re: Jack Nicholson or Heath Ledger?

Post by Nick Pierce »

the elephant wrote:
The Jackson wrote:Well, I saw the movie again, and listened a bit more for the score.


The recurring little "hero" theme is kinda cute, but that was really it for me. /:
The problem for me is that, while I do not really care for the score, the playing is so damned GREAT! Nice cimbasso work, man! I just cannot imagine it on a stage unless it was really short. And that might happen. A second viewing on my part will definitely help me solidify my opinion on this score. My earlier opinion might have been too harsh because of conditions in our theater that my wife reminded me of after I had posted here. We shall see.

____________________

And to Nick - It was great on the largest screen at our multiplex. The sound really benefits from lots of subwoofer and the image is impressive on the big screen. I am certain that the very cool IMAX treatment would be worth the $$$. So GO already!

:lol:

Cimbasso, really? I assumed that it was all bones. Interesting.

I'd love to, but as a soon-to-be starving college kid, $15-$30 bucks (not sure how much IMAX is out here) will soon be 3-5 meals. Food, for a tuba player, is always cause for pause.
THE TUBA
Deletedaccounts
Deletedaccounts
Posts: 706
Joined: Sat Jun 11, 2005 6:54 pm

Re: Jack Nicholson or Heath Ledger?

Post by THE TUBA »

I saw the opening midnight showing on Thursday night/Friday morning, then I watched it again the following Monday evening. Should I have waited a bit longer before watching it again? Probably, but the opportunity presented itself and I don't regret it.

The music functions well as audio to accompany the video. I'm not going to buy the soundtrack, and I certainly didn't walk away humming anything, but I think the music added to the movie and helped a quite suspenseful movie become even more tense.

More on the ways of the topic, I did notice something I didn't catch the first time. I don't think this contains any spoilers....





The Joker compares himself (at least once) to a wild dog. Upon watching the movie again, I noticed how many times he licked his lips (by sticking his tongue out), how he stuck his head out of the window of a police car, and how he (in one scene) has three dogs as bodyguards and proceeds to attack alongside them. Anyone else see any canine qualities or just think I'm completely off-base?
[/post]
User avatar
The Jackson
5 valves
5 valves
Posts: 1652
Joined: Sun Oct 07, 2007 9:34 pm
Location: Miami, FL

Re: Jack Nicholson or Heath Ledger?

Post by The Jackson »

I also noticed the weird dog references. How Batman is wounded pretty severly by a dog that forces him to get a new suit. The Joker's reference to dogs and how he has 3 of them guarding him in his last scene. That definitely was something...
User avatar
Dean
pro musician
pro musician
Posts: 416
Joined: Fri Mar 19, 2004 6:52 am
Location: Section 66

Re: Jack Nicholson or Heath Ledger?

Post by Dean »

Slightly off-topic here, but the dog references just made me think of this..


Odd how Batman was so prone to dog bite injuries, isn't it??

Considering the armor he wore would "Stop a knife" and stop gunfire "Anything but a straight shot," as was stated in the Batman Begins movie. I would think a dog bite would be a bit easier to stop than a bullet...
BriceT
3 valves
3 valves
Posts: 277
Joined: Thu Apr 26, 2007 10:03 pm
Location: Dallas, TX

Re: Jack Nicholson or Heath Ledger?

Post by BriceT »

Dean wrote:Slightly off-topic here, but the dog references just made me think of this..


Odd how Batman was so prone to dog bite injuries, isn't it??

Considering the armor he wore would "Stop a knife" and stop gunfire "Anything but a straight shot," as was stated in the Batman Begins movie. I would think a dog bite would be a bit easier to stop than a bullet...
That's what I thought too. :?:
User avatar
TMurphy
4 valves
4 valves
Posts: 831
Joined: Sun Mar 21, 2004 11:29 pm
Location: NJ

Re: Jack Nicholson or Heath Ledger?

Post by TMurphy »

Last night, I sat down and watched the 1989 Batman movie, with Jack. Tonight, I went to see The Dark Knight.

My opinion??? Heath Ledger blew Jack Nicholson out of the water.

While it's true that they both had very different takes on the character, I think Ledger's was much more interesting, and more in line with what I think of when I think of the Joker (as a comic book fan.) The difference between the two really shines for me when they fight Batman. Nicholson's Joker pleads with Batman, starts trying to talk his way out of getting beaten. Ledger's Joker just laughs. Every time he gets hit, he laughs harder. That, to me, was perfect.

I noticed the lip licking, too, and found it very unsettling. It definitely added to his overall creepiness. It was a great "finishing touch," so to speak.
Post Reply