10 Rules That Joker Must Follow In Every Movie
DC has a wide range of villains. But none of them are close to Joker when it comes to reflecting the demented part of the society. The character was created by Bill Finger, Bob Kane, and Jerry Robinson. Moreover, it’s been 80 years that Joker has carried DC on his shoulder and fans just cannot get enough of him. However, when it comes to the DCEU, we have seen some magnificent performances and Heath Ledger is someone who solidified the role forever. His performance was unmatched until Joaquin Phoenix came along in 2018 and blew our minds with his work. Moreover, Jared Leto’s cameo in Zack Snyder’s Justice League portrayed a version of Joker that fans won’t get to see. Although, there are 10 rules that every Joker must follow in every movie. Check it out!
1. Signature Laugh Is Mandatory
Joker is particularly known for his maniacal laughter which haunts the cinema halls and sticks with the audience. While other characters have a theme song that represents them, Joker has signature laughter which makes him stand out. Every actor who has ever portrayed Joker feels the ultimate pressure of getting the laugh right. However, most of the actors that have portrayed Joker believe that it’s Mark Hamill who perfected the laugh as he voiced the character in Batman: The Animated Series.
2. Joker & His Sense of Humor
Every actor that plays Joker has to have a natural sense of humor. Of course, each individual alters the style. For example, Ledger’s performance in The Dark Knight had a style that he blended with an erratic behavior but perfect comic timing. This allowed him to get a few laughs from the audience while being a totally cynical character. The dark comedy really suited Ledger’s personality. Even Phoenix was impeccable when it came to a menacing performance.
3. Patent Green Hair & Purple Outfit
Joker stands out from other Batman villains in many ways. But the one copyright that he can actually claim is his green hair and purple outfit. While many villains might want to stay hidden in terms of outfit, Joker definitely wants to be seen as the guy is not afraid of attaching his name to the chaos. This color scheme is barely donned by villains and Joker does not give a F about it.
4. Joker Is Batman’s Twisted Reflection
Batman and Joker share a deep relaitonshp as they reflect each other’s personality. Over the years, the writers, notably Frank Miller and Alan Moore have recreate the Joker to be Batman’s twisted reflection in nearly every sense possible. That is why when it comes to the Caped Crusader, the clown is the perfect villain. Even though the list consists of the Riddler, Bane, etc., Joker completes Batman and is the other half of the coin.
5. Star of the Show
Joker is always the star of the show and that is how it’s always been. Whenever Bruce and Joker share the screen, it’s the Clown Prince of Gotham who outshines the Caped Crusader. For instance, Jack Nichllson’s performance in 1989’s Batman was simply outstanding and the menacing portrayal outshined Keaton’s Batman. In my opinion, this is how it should be because Joker provides the very basis for Batman in their scenes.
6. Joker Always Evolves
Joker, as a character, is always destind to evolve. In Batman: Mask of the Phantasm, Hamill’s Joker wore a cheeky purple suit and 2008’s Ledger sported a much darker and grin look. Moreover, the latter’s portrayal showcased the post 9/11 fear of terorrism. And now, the Joker has evolved and using the internet and what not.
7. Joker Goes Solo
One of the many traits that Joker has is that he always goes solo. It’s like he is naturally bad at being a team player. He is a ruthless villain which allows the writers to completely seperate him from the heroes. This is showcssed in his choices that he makes whenever he’s working as a team with someone. The character in general is unpredictable who ends up shooting his aliases.
8. Joker & His Bang-On Entries
When it come to intoducing the Joker, the entry has to b so grand that it changes the entire narrative of the story. This is something that we saw in Nolan’s depiction as well. By the time the bank robbers realized that the Joker has instructed them to execute each other, the audience knew how ruthless and merciless the Joker would be. Moreover, his tells us that the villain is extremely intelligent, which is a killer combination if you’re a mad man. But in Joker, the true character arrives in the third act with an absurd dane which reflects the demented peronality of the character.
9. Batman & Joker Can’t Kill Each Other
One rule that is obessessively seen is that neither Joker nor Batman can kill each other. It’s more like they need to keep each other alive to feel alive. In the Dark Knight‘s interrogation scene, Joker admits, saying, “I don’t want to kill you, what would I do without you?” This is actually more dangerous as you know the trouble never ends. Moreover, this suggests that the torture from both the ends wil continue. And honestly, this makes up for a great story overall. Joker has even acepted that his life without Batman would be boring, which he absolutely doesn’t want. It’s a game of chess where you cannot checkmate.
10. The Joker Is Always Scary
Joker needs to be scary and that is one of the many reasons why the audience can never forget this villain. Apart from being truly horrifying with his actions and mentality, the character looks severely demented and scary. This, in my opinion, bods well with the overall dark vibe of Bruce Wayne. If you need an instance, then remember the hostage tape/snuff film that Joker sends to Gotham news in The Dark Knight. And if not that, then remember how he killed the host in Joker and then laughed at it as if he doesn’t feel anything. Truly remarkable for a villain. Now, when all this is combined with his laughter, it makes for a great cinematic experience.