10 Small Details From Heath Ledger’s Joker Performance That Prove He Will Always Be The Best

The Joker is the greatest comic book villain of all time. He is also the most widely acclaimed villain on screen. Immortalized by the late Heath ledger’s performance in the dark Knight, there are several instances of brilliance in the movie you never noticed.

He Was There In Many Scenes Without You Noticing

Heath Ledger was an actor who embodied the very essence of the Joker. He was truly a genius. He knew the Joker is a character who cares less about evil and more about getting under Batman’s skin. He would go to any extent to do that. And that involved spying on him in events and places he would least expect the Joker to be. In several scenes of The Dark Knight, Bruce Wayne keeps acting as the rich, spoilt brat. Heath ledger appears as himself in the background, observing Batman from a distance and keeping tabs on him. A criminal mastermind, he absolutely is.

Insisted On Doing his Own Make-Up

The Dark Knight was a multi-million dollar movie. Nolan could have hired an army of make-up artists and cosmeticians to make Ledger look the part. But the actor insisted on something very radical. He believed the Joker was a deranged man who had a knack for two things – a hand-on approach and theatricality. The Joker, if he really existed, would do his own make-up. Every time the character appeared in a scene, the make up was a little different for a reason. In some scenes, you could even see the make up stuck to his fingers. If that is not dedciation, we do not know what is.

Incredible Accuracy Of Action Sequences

Ever fired a Bazooka or a rocket launcher before? For the unlucky ones who answered no, here’s a tip for ya. The back blast from an RPG launcher could actually kill you. If an RPG is fired from a close room, it is enough to launch several people flying. During the Harvey Dent chase scene, the Joker and his goons come dangerously close to the armored truck carrying Dent. The Joker launches an RPG at him and the trailer has both doors open so that the back blast has a way to go out. If not, many of the henchmen standing close to him would have been seriously injured.

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There Was Never a Choice

This is how brilliant Ledger was when he was playing Joker. Thank goodness he is not a psychopathic killer in real life. He would have caused a riot. After Rachel dies and Dent is horribly disfigured, the Joker visits him. There he explains to Dent who was at fault. As the final act of his piece de resistance, he takes a gun and puts it in Dent’s hand. With the barrel aimed at his head, he asks Dent to kill him if he still thinks the Joker was responsible for her death. Many did not notice this but there was never a choice for Dent. The Joker had put his hand in between the trigger. Even if Dent had pulled the trigger, the gun would not have fired.

Made Michael Caine Speechless

Michael Caine is a seasoned actor in the film industry. They do not make it like him anymore. People like Michael Caine and Anthony Hopkins represent an indomitable era when movies reigned supreme. So it is safe to say Michael Caine has done it and seen it all. Nothing in the industry phases him anymore. But when he saw Heath ledger as the Joker for the first time, his look and performance was so powerful it literally made him speechless. Michael Caine, ladies and gentlemen, was at a loss for words.

The Mask He Wears In His First Appearance Has a Hidden Meaning

The Bank robbery scene in the Dark Knight was another highlight of the movie. it showed just how manipulative the Joker could be, using a literal web of lies to take down most of his crew. We never knew who the real Joker was. But it is finally revealed a few moments into the scene. The Joker wears a mask that bears a striking resemblance to the mask worn by the 1966 Batman Episode “The Joker Is Wild”

Why Does The Joker Keep Licking His Lips

There’s a very simple explanation for that. It was not an impromptu move on Heath ledger’s part. Since he did his own make up using regular cosmetic products, it was not perfect. Many times during a scene, it was either too hot or humid. The sweat from his face would trickle down and his make up would literally start melting away. To keep the make up from falling off, the Joker would start licking his lips. Nolan liked it so much he asked Ledger to do it in the rest of the shots.

The Joker And Batman – Two Sides Of The Same Coin

During the Party scene where the Joker makes his first public appearance, his entrance mirrors that of Bruce Wayne’s who had appeared earlier. Just like Bruce Wayne, the Joker comes forth in an entourage. The moment he enters, he asks for Harvey Dent and Rachel Dawes. And just like Bruce Wayne, he throws out champagne. Coincidence? We think not!!

Also Read: The Joker: 15 Crazy Fan Theories to Leave You Shocked

Do You Know How I Got These Scars?

The comic book fans could have a field trip on this one. In The Dark Knight, Heath Ledger’s Joker keeps changing the story about how he got those hideous facial scars. And there is a particular reason why. Ledger is said to have been a big fan of Alan Moore’s the Killing Joke. he based off his character from the Joker of the same series. In The Killing Joke, the Joker claims he has trouble remembering his past so he keeps his options open by crafting multiple origin stories. And Heath Ledger’s Joker does the same.

When The Cops Empty Joker’s Pockets, They Find a Vegetable Peeler

Perhaps the scariest aspects of the Joker were the stuff that was never explained. Some theories claim he was military intelligence officer who went rogue and now uses this skills on psychological warfare on the same people he once protected. There’s a particularly subtle but scary moment when the Joker is captured after his infamous Harvey Dent chase. When the cops empty his pockets, they find many weapons that could be used for torture. They also find a vegetable peeler in his pockets. What kind of sick man uses a vegetable peeler as a torture device? Only the Joker could stoop down to that level.