Why Does Everyone Love 'The Dark Knight'?
I don't believe anyone predicted this kind of support
What is going on? This weekend The Dark Knight became the second highest grossing film in history as it passed Star Wars and currently sits $129 million behind the all-time leader Titanic. Now I don't want to hear anything about inflation and how Gone with the Wind would be #1 with $13 gazillion if ticket prices were the same back in 1939. Dark Knight is #2, Titanic is #1 and Star Wars and all its re-releases are #3. That's the way it is. But why?
In the past two years I have seen ten films more than once at the theater. Those films include Blood Diamond, Smokin' Aces, 300, Reign Over Me, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, The Kingdom, No Country for Old Men, Atonement, In Bruges and The Dark Knight. Of course being a film reviewer I typically don't pay to see movies a second time. Of the bunch I listed above the only two I paid to see a second time were In Bruges and Atonement. I actually would not have gone to see The Dark Knight a second time in a traditional theater. Both times I went to see it was in IMAX and it was primarily because of IMAX I went to see it a second time. However, IMAX theaters are not in abundance across the States and IMAX screenings have contributed very little to The Dark Knight's bottom line.
So, why is everyone going to see this movie?
Is it Heath Ledger's performance? Does it take a sadistic clown dressed in purple and a cut-up face to get you folks into theaters?
Is it the story? Is this film actually that much better than everything else that people can't help but go see it three and four times?
Is it the politics? No matter what side of the political spectrum you fall on it seems people see a little bit of the right and left in this film and it is drawing up debates.
Is it a combination of everything? Does this film just move you so much that everything about it makes you just want to see it again?
There is no way you can look at The Dark Knight and say it is flawless. If you believe it is, just go see it again and tell me how the Joker got out of Bruce Wayne's penthouse after Batman saves Rachel. Sorry, but that is my one major pet peeve with this film and I love it.
Many folks have pointed out Batman's voice as something they don't like and I am sure many of you have various other nitpicks you may have with the film. Too long perhaps?
So what is it? Despite any flaw you may or may not see, why are you going back and seeing this film so many times. I know this film didn't makebased on folks going and seeing it only once.
We all realize it won't be beating Titanic since Warner is going to have to announce that holiday DVD and Blu-ray release date soon, but as it held the #2 spot this past weekend earning an additional $16.7 million it isn't showing any signs of leaving the box-office top ten any time soon.
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Personally, I'm getting fed up with the Batman voice thing. People seem to forget that his voice is altered through a mic/speaker system in his suite.
See… how stuff works says so:
http://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/batsuit2.htm
It's a good question and difficult to answer. Why is this the second highest grosser of all time? The main reason I believe is hype and quality. Hype and a damn near perfect marketing campaign. Yes it is an excellent film and Heath Ledger is amazing. But it was the marketers at WB that managed to build up the hype to fever frenzy. The viral marketing got people interested. Batman Begins was by many fans and critics called the best superhero film ever. The critics loved it. Heath Ledger was getting rave reviews and Oscar talk started several months before the release. The Joker was returning! The most popular comic villain ever and as I read somewhere, the match up between Batman and Joker is like Ali v. Frazier. It is the biggest rivalry in comic history.
Besides all that you have quality. Chris Nolan proved with Batman Begins that Batman is more then nipples and corky stories. He grounded it into realism (as realistic as superhero stories can get) and went dark. As dark as the psyche of a man who saw his parents killed, as dark as Batman should be.
And quality also oozed with the choices of actors. Even small parts were filled with good actors. Combining quality of Batman Begins and the prospect of a film just as good, or even better with The Joker in the story and a great marketing had not only sent geeks into an anticipation frenzy but also regular non comic book fans. And then came Ledger’s tragic death. Historically, the death of a main actor always pushes a film more into media. Just look at The Crow. And with rumors like Heath couldn’t handle portraying Joker and that playing Joker did weird things to him just increased the awareness of this film and increased the frenzy.
So I believe the reason The Dark Knight is going to be second film ever to pass $500 million is Heath Ledger as Joker, Chris Nolan’s handle of the subject material and brilliant marketers at WB. And it is all deserved. This is a fantastic film and without doubt the best superhero film and one of the best action film ever made.
For me, what Nolan has done for the Batman legacy is so perfect, it has made the batman fan in me extremely happy. Let's face it, Nolan has done the first 2/3rds of batman's story. He has nailed every aspect he has put on screen and it shows especially with The Dark Knight. Sure there are things to nit-pic, there are in every movie! What The Dark Knight is, is a little bit of everything for all film goers. It has suspense, it has a rich love story that is also a triangle (nice work there Nolan), it has amazing action, great dialogue, phenominal performances by everyone in it (not just Ledger, Eckhart and Oldman were fantastic, as was Bale), it has deception, it has true human in emotion, and it is all wrapped together in a really tight package!
People have compared Thae Dark Knight to "Godfather II" and "Heat." Sure the film takes from other movies, but again, most do! How else are directors inspired to become film makers? They see something on screen that inspires them and pushes them to think I can do that, and maybe even better! I remember seeing The Explorers as a kid with Ethan Hawke and River Pheonix and said to myself, I can do that. I have never had enough fortitude to push myself and actually try, but instead I have found my nitch in reviewing and covering the film industry. Oh by the way check out my site too! Schofizzy Movie Review & Entertainment News
Something has to be said for the marketing of The Dark Knight as well! WB has pushed The Dark Knight hard, for over a year with viral marketing. Then came Ledger's untimely death back in January or Feburary, this sent huge waves of promotion to the film! WB brass feared it may be negative press, but in fact it definately helped the film. People wanted to see Ledger in one more film. After the intial reviews came pouring out in positive favor, word of mouth would be a final push of why for 4 straight weeks, The Dark Knight held it #1 spot!
By the way, if Bruce Wanye didn't talk in a different tone, wouldn't people recgonize his voice? It is like no one ever realized, "Hey Superman and Clark Kent sure do sound alike?" I felt, that Nolan did a amazing job of making all of batman's gagdets realistic and practical!
I have only seen the dark knight once…. and thats all i need till the dvd comes out. I like the darkness of it and how crazy the joker is in this film. I also think this is a money grabber because its Heath Ledger's last full movie :( .
"I don't believe anyone predicted this kind of support."
We did, actually. Twice.
In an article titled "The Formula: Predicting 'The Dark Knight'" (http://moviecrypt.com/?p=1990) posted on July 17th, 2008, we announced that a three-day opening of $150+ million was fully expected by us based on sheer buzz alone. We were within just a few million.
To be fair, however, we're still trying to fathom how better-than-expected "Speed Racer" did SO poorly and how "The Happening" made any money at all after opening weekend.
growing up with a brother just barely older than me probably shaped my mine in some way. his favorite character was batman and that pretty much meant he was mine. we watched the old shows from like the 50's in black n white and we still have some on vhs. we watched the tim burton films and when i was old enough to read i was so interested in batman that my uncle gave me a shit load of comic books. i read and read and read.
batman was a very important person to me. and out of every villian there were to that i loved more than any other.
the joker
and the riddler.
tim burton's version of batman was cute. it was something i could watch and enjoy. but the dark knight is something else. it is the closest i've ever seen a movie coming to a comic.
that im afraid is only half the reason this means so much to me.
i also had an older sister. although she is five years older.
her favorite movie was 10 things i hate about you.
i must've seen that movie 100 times. and it sparked my interest in heath ledger. i have seen practically every movie he has ever been in. from the four feathers to candy to im not there. so for me to see the dark knight was amazing.
it brought two of my completely favorite things together.
the joker
and heath ledger.
its one of the best films i have ever seen.
that is why i've seen it more than once. and why i am going to see it again in imax for the first time.
yes you can say the movie has things that annoy you or that aren't right but its okay.
every movie has something.
and every movie always will.