HEATH LEDGER – LONG LIVE THE JOKER!

Come July and The Dark Knight is due for release. Of course, Christian Bale who plays Batman will as always be a favourite among kids, but the late Heath Ledger won't go unnoticed either. Normally one hails the hero when the villain is battered, punched and destroyed at the end of every film, this time it won’t be so.

Everyone would just hope to see more of the Joker even if it means that he creates mayhem, destruction or even troubles the kid’s iconic hero….because one wouldn’t get to see the immortalised Heath Ledger after that…no you won’t be seeing him giving interviews or in any more films (except one more film The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus which is unclear whether he did complete it not) neither on chat shows nor celebrating his acceptance of the joker by the audiences, if his film does well.

Yes, my dear friends Heath Ledger, the Australia born actor of the 1990’s became the heart-throb and darling of the audiences when his films Two Hands and 10 Things I hate about you brought him to the foray and notice of directors like Roland Emmerich, Marx Forster, Lasse Hallstrom, Shekhar Kapur and Ang Lee. The young actor in the yet to be released Batman film died just at the age of 28 early this year after an accidental drug overdose, left behind an oeuvre of films like The Patriot, The Monstersball, The Brokeback Mountain, Casanova, The Four Feathers and of course the much eagerly awaited film The Dark Knight to his credit. An Oscar nomination under his belt and host of other awards is what this he had achieved in his short-lived career span.

Indeed his fans would want to have more of him….and who wouldn’t want more of this versatile actor who played diverse characters such as the beleaguered British officer, a gay cowboy, a playboy, a patriot, a fairytale scribe and of course the much coveted role of the Joker in his short lifetime.

Now, what his fans would be awaiting to see in his latest flick is the psychopathic, lunatic and the menacing character of the Joker. If he were alive, his critics would have panned him on his gamble of playing the joker had he not matched the joker once immortalised by legendary actor Jack Nicholson in the 1989 flick Batman. But who knows his gamble might just pay off…except that he wouldn’t be here among us to reap and celebrate the fruits of his labour.

And going by the latest buzz in Hollywood circles, it seems that the critics are so impressed with Ledger’s portrayal as the joker that they will plead his case for a posthumous Oscar nomination…and for all you fans of Heath Ledger…he might just get the golden statue…except that he won’t be here among us to collect that prized trophy which actor would cherish and yearn to have in their lifetime!

Among the digs that I have read on various sites and blogs on whether he deserves it or not or just because he is dead, everyone’s going overboard about it…well that may be one angle of looking at it…but the other angle would be to consider that playing a sane or ordinary character is far simpler than playing a lunatic, psychotic character and more so when a 28 year old is to compared and asked to match legendary Academy award winning actor Jack Nicholson’s performance….. and he succeeds in it then it certainly calls for bouquets and not brickbats! For an actor it is of great pride and honour if he does so much justice to his character that he supersedes the expectation of the role he is playing especially when it was immortalised by another actor.

To explain my point, if today we had to remake The Great Dictator and let’s say we had Jim Carrey playing Hitler’s character which was once perfected by Charlie Chaplin…comparisons are inevitable…but if Jim Carrey succeeds in doing so, then this efforts should certainly be lauded…likewise the same case with Ledger and why not with an Oscar nomination!! My question is Why not??

Another angle if one does consider for giving Ledger an Oscar nomination would be for his diverse role portrayals in a short span of time…a casanova, beleagured British officer, a gay character (which won him an Oscar nomination in Brokeback Mountain) and of course the Joker….and from what I have read The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus…it promises to be good…but I do hope the director is able to complete the film since Ledger died mid-way during the filming….another film of Ledger to look out for! The Academy award would be like a mini-lifetime achievement award for the actor.

Here’s our modest tribute to this young multitalented actor who left the film world in a shock by his sudden death and his fans and admirers in a tizzy.
Long live the Joker!
Love, 
Sonyaa

And of course his much awaited film:The Dark Knight (releases on 18th July 2008) and another film in its post-production:The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus Watch the trailer of THE DARK KNIGHT