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Batman Discussion
I won't be reading it because I haven't been able to go yet, but I suspect a goodly number of you have already partaken in the latest Batman flick that taunts me. Mocks me. And knows that I don't have time today or probably any time this week (unless there is a movie theater near the OSCON venue?) Anyway -- here is the official place to talk about the biggest geek movie out until the X-Files comes out next week, and I have similar frustrations.
Yes. List of posthumous Academy Award winners. It's been over 30 years since an actor has won one posthumously, though.
Spoiler alert: I enjoyed the movie overall. Loved the action and joker was great. However there were some major plot holes. 1. When batman rescued what's her name in the Fund Raising scene ... wasn't joker still at the top of the building with all of the people? What happened with that?
2. Who put Harvy Dent and what's her name in the oil barrel rooms? Joker said he didn't do it. (This one's an interesting plothole and I think the hint "What time is it?" might have given it away ...) Maybe I'm reading more into it than there is. Possible villain for 3rd movie?
I also felt that the fall of Harvy Dent to Two-Face wasn't that believable. I believe the movie needed more attention to detail there. The scenes with him felt kind of rushed.
The Joker went through so many changes through the comics due to two factors: 1) The Comics Code Authority, and 2) Writers.
The Comics Code Authority came about when Dr. Frederic Wertham performed studies and offered his expert analysist that comic books were the cause of juvenile crime and behaviorial issues. Think Jack Thompson of the comic book world.
The CCA set an insane amount of rules that had to be met for comics to be displayed in retailers (before the launch of the direct-dealer comic book stores we have today). Good always had to win. No implications of significant advancement in relationships (effectively bringing Clark Kent and Lois Lane's relationship to a standstill). References to the occult, zombies, etc, were unacceptable.
The CCA went so far as to censor Archie comics. There was a panel in which Betty and Veronic make sand representations of themselves on the beach. The panel had to be redone to include lines to indicate the sand-models were wearing bathing suits.
So, of course, the Joker could not be an insane lunatic on killing sprees with the CCA looming overhead. It wasn't that he wasn't a psychopath, he wasn't allowed to be shown to be a psychopath.
With the direct market, the CCA's grip on the industry was loosened. Some writers have taken to writing their own vision of the Joker, which will also cause variations in behavior. You can find one of my favorite variations in "Batman: The Killing Joke".
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Intelligent Sadistic Anarchistic Psychopath. He was amazing, true to form to the gritty, dark, real, version of Gotham City. Great performance.