Who was the best Joker?

[Khev]

 

[TaliBane]

People kept making me feel like my stock Hot Toys figures were complete mediocrity - but then you investigate the better of these customs and for some reason the headsculpts cost a grand and the outfits almost as much. **** that. So I just got rid of the damn things altogether.

The Terminator figures aren't perfect either but A) better alternatives simply do not exist and B) if they did I highly doubt they'd set you back over a thousand. That's some weird Heath Ledger Joker tax capitalizing on this bizarre mass obsessiveness about him specifically.

He died at exactly the right moment to turn him into an obsessive cult figure - playing the type of character/role he did, then dying before it releases. It's like one of those creepy urban legend type things that some horror movies have (curse of making Poltergeist etc.) Watching a now-dead person seeming to channel mental illness or the devil and all that.

Personally, the Dark Knight series to me (and Ledger's Joker) requires decontamination after watching, but hey it was a post-9/11 world of entertainment I guess. I was always amazed by the fact that at the DKR shooting, someone had taken a child under age 10 to a midnight screening of it, but different strokes and all that.

 

[JAWS]

Nicholson is the only Joker I still have in my toy collection. The cult that developed around Ledger was offputting to me so I sold off any figures of him that I had.

In a way Nicholson will always be my favourite.

However I still haven't seen Phoenix so I haven't voted yet.

Hmmm... That's interesting.. I also would rather have the Nicholson Joker in Toy form... But I prefer Ledgers Joker much more in the films..

I also don't like the cult following he has.. But I do really enjoy the film and his portrayal of the character.

 

[azurepred]

He died at exactly the right moment to turn him into an obsessive cult figure - playing the type of character/role he did, then dying before it releases. It's like one of those creepy urban legend type things that some horror movies have (curse of making Poltergeist etc.) Watching a now-dead person seeming to channel mental illness or the devil and all that.

Personally, the Dark Knight series to me (and Ledger's Joker) requires decontamination after watching, but hey it was a post-9/11 world of entertainment I guess. I was always amazed by the fact that at the DKR shooting, someone had taken a child under age 10 to a midnight screening of it, but different strokes and all that.

I felt this way after seeing the new film, which is why I doubt I will see it again. With Ledgers performance, I don't feel empathy for his character since he shows how he is a true criminal mastermind, unlike Arthur. While Phoenix's version is also greatly acted, it was much more sad and disturbing to me because it's so realistic in the way our society is a let down to the mentally ill.

 

[filip629]

Ledger all the way for me.

 

[evenflow]

Ledger was phenomenal. Perfect mix of genius mastermind and psychopathic deviant.

 

[Prime Clone]

Finally saw it yesterday. Probably still leaning towards Ledger, even though Phoenix’s is my preferred origin story.

Nicholson is third because, while a great performance, Jack was already bad - he didn’t have far to fall.

 

[SilverStar17]

Ledger for me. I don’t have any Joker figures, but if I could have only one figure to represent him, it’d be a Ledger one.

 

[Prime Clone]

Just giving this a bump for anyone who missed it the first time...

 

[Lejuan]

I don’t get the love for Nicholson’s Joker. As an actor he doesn’t have a whole lotta range, and his Joker was basically Nicholson playing Nicholson. I enjoyed his performance but that was it.

Ledger though propped up the whole movie. Take away his scenes and the film is a big steaming pile.

 

[The Clown Prince of Crime]

I don?t get the love for Nicholson?s Joker. As an actor he doesn?t have a whole lotta range, and his Joker was basically Nicholson playing Nicholson. I enjoyed his performance but that was it.

When you're perfect as is, there's no need to change anything.

Ledger is my favorite, but he HAD to become something entirely different than who he was naturally, because who he was as a person was so distant from the Joker character. He managed to reinvent the character into something completely unique and original. Lightning in a bottle, some call it.

Leto failed because he tried to do a very superficial and empty transformation. Then again, he didn't have much to work with, so perhaps he needed hollow gimmicks to make it interesting.

Phoenix on the other hand, went for subtlety and zero gimmicks. Arthur/Joker is more in line with Jack Nicholson's Joker than Ledger in that Phoenix is not drastically altering his onscreen persona unlike Ledger, who was unrecognizable. That's one of the reasons I still give Ledger the edge over Nicholson and Phoenix.

 

[surfin4]

I dont get the ledger thing seemed like he just done a semi solid impersonation of tom waits .....voice, mannerisms all unoriginal,
it was ok,but blahh��

 

[The Clown Prince of Crime]

Jack Sparrow is an impression of Keith Richards. Whatever works for a character.

 

[Prime Clone]

his Joker was basically Nicholson playing Nicholson

Just like Lex Luthor was Hackman playing Hackman.

 

[DiFabio]

Phoenix Joker is the best performance. He ran circles around the others pretty effortlessly. He’s got my vote.

I like his different Joker looks throughout the film too culminating in the red suit, green hair and the cigarette. It’s a cool look.

 

[guyver1]

I still think Ledger’s Joker backstory was unique

 

[Captain Clown]

I still think Ledger’s Joker backstory was unique

Which backstory?

 

[Wor-Gar]

Poor Nicholson is not cared for anymore. His Joker is a silly clown. People think he's old and pointless and from another era. Sad.

 

[The Clown Prince of Crime]

Poor Nicholson is not cared for anymore. His Joker is a silly clown. People think he's old and pointless and from another era. Sad.

Well, he was kind of old and from another era.

Jack Joker - "Call me, JOKER...and as you can see I'm a..."

2020 -"OK BOOMER"

 

[Lejuan]

Poor Nicholson is not cared for anymore. His Joker is a silly clown. People think he's old and pointless and from another era. Sad.