Click HERE to see this thread with all of the graphics, features, and links.

Who do you think could have played the joker better than jack Nicholson, Pesonally i didn't like his performance but everybody has opinions

in Tim Burton's Batman universe?? Prolly Jeffrey Jones ... aka Principal Ed Rooney from Ferris Bueller's Day Off .. back in the day he had a creepiness about him (that wasn't because he was a pedophile)

Gary Oldman probably could have taken that role and ran with it HARDCORE. But tons could have done it better than Jack...unless we're talking Jack from the late '60s when he actually gave a damn about acting.

I don't think anyone could have played that role like Jack myself. I think he did an excellent job.

Jack Nicolson did it rather well I thought, he's good at playing a scary crazy guy, I think his role in the shining helped him get the role...played a scary crazy guy in that and did it really well

I don't know, Jack has that certain charm even when he is acting crazy, the same charm readers get from the Joker in the comics, of course we all know that the Joker is demented but we have a liking for him, and i when reading stories involving him practically every Batman fan wants to see what he's up to, Jack can play nasty but he still carries that same charm, because of that i think he did rather well...i don't really think that there was anyone else (at the time) who could have pulled it off, other then Jack.

well i heard jack Nicholson done such a great job as a joker he got paid extra

check this out

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCOl9v0b0zM

I never liked him i don't no what it was may be it was just the fact that i didn't like the movie i thought that tim curry could have done it better may be robert england some one like that

I think Jack's acting capabilities are best displayed in 'Anger Management' myself...No one could have played that role as well he did...Truly SPECTACULAR. I mean, that's the way the character is MEANT to be played! BRILLIANT.

I have three main problems with Jack`s performance as The Joker.

1. Too big of a name for the role- His casting meant huge number of people were going to pour into cinemas just to see the movie thats all fine and well. But I feel he was too big a name for the role and people see him as a big legend that they wanted to preserve this because of what they think of "Jack" outside of his acting. And if you don`t believe me all you have to do is watch the extras for on the Batman DVD when doing the makeup for Jack they said they wanted to preserve as much as Jack as possible now in my exprince as a Drama student you are supposed to sink into a role that you almost become unregoniseble thats like acting 101. Ledger did this perfectly but unforuntnly the people working on the movie did not see it this way because of Jack`s name and they wanted to preserve that which was just wrong.

2. Joker in the comics is Batman`s arch nemesis and in the movie it did not feel like that at all and they had to dramatically change the source material to make it this way which was just wrong imo. Now from what I have seen from Ledger he seems more of the joker from the comics he seems to have really caused Batman troubles and looks like he will become Batman`s arch nemesis in the movie unfourtnaly the way Jack`s Joker was written he did not come across as the arch nemesis that has caused batman so much pain like in the comics.

3. Jack did get the sick twisted humor of the Joker down to a t in this movie but from interviews with Burton I think thats all he understood of the Joker character this dark sick twisted sense of humor and Jack`s joker did not come across as threatening really.

In conclusion I don`t think Jack`s Joker was all that bad he had some pretty good moments in the movie but it was not consistent with the comic book Joker which I think Ledger has already played so successfully from what I have seen. I think if Jack played Joker like he played his role in The Shinning he would have been a much better and scarier Joker+ if he was written better without him killing Batman`s parents angle and just hurt Batman in a way or really caused Gotham City chaos then he would have been better. Jack is not a bad actor imo it was just how The Joker was written and how he performed him left much to be desired imo and really overrated.

What do you mean who could have played the Joker better?

We haven't even seen the movie, and from what I've seen, he played the Joker pretty well.

Originally posted by Combat_Guru
What do you mean who could have played the Joker better?

We haven't even seen the movie, and from what I've seen, he played the Joker pretty well.

..uh...you gotta read more than just the thread title friend.

Jack is one of my fave actors, he was absolutely amazing in The Shining, One flew over the cuckoo's nest and As good as it gets

Have any of you seen the youtube/pirated footage of the I am Legend footage? Well, the same idiots that laugh when the Joker kills someone or strikes them as clever are the same idiots laughing because they think they know when the Joker would laugh. It's the predictability of some kid scribbling in his diary about how fun crime is. Well, it's secondary to the motivations of a character like the Joker. Basically, if you think you should laugh at what you think is supposedly the punchline, you are laughingat yourself. The true punchline can only be known by the person telling the joke; not by the person that interprets the joke.

Tim Curry in his prime would have made a great joker

Willem Dafoe

Originally posted by Mr Shindiggery
I have three main problems with Jack`s performance as The Joker.

1. Too big of a name for the role- His casting meant huge number of people were going to pour into cinemas just to see the movie thats all fine and well. But I feel he was too big a name for the role and people see him as a big legend that they wanted to preserve this because of what they think of "Jack" outside of his acting. And if you don`t believe me all you have to do is watch the extras for on the Batman DVD when doing the makeup for Jack they said they wanted to preserve as much as Jack as possible now in my exprince as a Drama student you are supposed to sink into a role that you almost become unregoniseble thats like acting 101. Ledger did this perfectly but unforuntnly the people working on the movie did not see it this way because of Jack`s name and they wanted to preserve that which was just wrong.

2. Joker in the comics is Batman`s arch nemesis and in the movie it did not feel like that at all and they had to dramatically change the source material to make it this way which was just wrong imo. Now from what I have seen from Ledger he seems more of the joker from the comics he seems to have really caused Batman troubles and looks like he will become Batman`s arch nemesis in the movie unfourtnaly the way Jack`s Joker was written he did not come across as the arch nemesis that has caused batman so much pain like in the comics.

3. Jack did get the sick twisted humor of the Joker down to a t in this movie but from interviews with Burton I think thats all he understood of the Joker character this dark sick twisted sense of humor and Jack`s joker did not come across as threatening really.

In conclusion I don`t think Jack`s Joker was all that bad he had some pretty good moments in the movie but it was not consistent with the comic book Joker which I think Ledger has already played so successfully from what I have seen. I think if Jack played Joker like he played his role in The Shinning he would have been a much better and scarier Joker+ if he was written better without him killing Batman`s parents angle and just hurt Batman in a way or really caused Gotham City chaos then he would have been better. Jack is not a bad actor imo it was just how The Joker was written and how he performed him left much to be desired imo and really overrated.

very good well thought out post. Yeah I think william defoe would have been a better choice as well.Also-and I have heard this mentioned as well from other batman fans-they should have had the actors in these batman movies-Jack Nicholson and Jim Carrey,but they should have turned them around and had them swap roles with Jim Carrey as The Joker and Nicholson as The Riddler.Nicholson was better suited with his build that he has for the role of The Riddler,and carrey had the perfect build for the Joker.Plus Carrey constant non stop laughter would have been perfect for the joker,Nicholson couldnt laugh non stop like the joker does and like carrey did as the riddler,so thats another reason he would have been better suited for the role of the riddler.

Originally posted by Il.Mozalini
..uh...you gotta read more than just the thread title friend.

true.thats what I was about to say-was wtf? the movie hasnt even come out yet.thinking it was about Heath Ledger as the joker. good thing unlike him,I decided to read the thread.

Originally posted by Bat Dude
Willem Dafoe

http://storage.canoe.ca/photos/rsoc_en/1/0/0/2/c/400x400/1002cbc27b1666cdec8d87cdfc3feddb.jpg

Nuff said...

Originally posted by Mr Parker
laugh non stop like the joker does

thank you for proving my point.

and thank you for showing how you chiidishly belittle others when they dont worship the ground nolan walks on like you do.

Originally posted by Mr Parker
and thank you for showing how you chiidishly belittle others when they dont worship the ground nolan walks on like you do.

I'm not the one that childishly belittles. Neither am I the one that thinks the characters and pages of a comic book can be realistically portrayed on a movie screen unless it's done by mindlessly clinging to the childish aspects of it. What do you want? Do you want the Joker to kidnap Robin and Jim Gordon and tie them to the rocket-powered candles on an enormous birthday cake while he performs a comedy routine, his thugs ensuring laughter at the end of a machine gun barrel?

It isn't that you dislike Nolan, it's that you are going to be unhappy with any movie that you didn't write and direct. And it would likely suck.

I think The Joker is a very hard character to play well. Judging by the trailer, Ledger is the actor best suited for the role. His performance is much more true to the comic book character, and in general did a much better Job than Nicholson. I think theres a "legendary aura" that revolves around Nicholson and no one really dares to criticise his works.
Anyway, Ledge really put everything he had into the role, rarely do you see such commitment to a character. In fact, I don't think I've ever seen any actor let themself go so completely and just totaly sink into a character. I mean, the guy spent a month alone by himself to develop the psycho/maniac persona.

Anyway heres Michael Caine on Ledger's performance:



We'll have to wait and see, but I think his performance will be legendary compared to the past and even future Batman films. In my opinion, he went out with his best performance.

How the **** do we know???????????????????????????????????

FYI, Dark Knight, ISN'T OUT YET!!!!!!!!!!!

im talking about the Batman burtons first one jesus if Dark knight hasen't come out yet then i must mean the other film with the joker just think before u type

Originally posted by Combat_Guru
How the **** do we know???????????????????????????????????

FYI, Dark Knight, ISN'T OUT YET!!!!!!!!!!!

Yeah...try reading before you reply. It would've taken you 12 seconds to understand what the thread is about.

I always thought David Hyde Pierce would make a good joker


sounds dumb but try and picture it.

Originally posted by batmanfan136
Who do you think could have played the joker better than jack Nicholson, Pesonally i didn't like his performance but everybody has opinions

No one.

Originally posted by Emil Blonsky
No one.



meh I think Jack was perfect for the part but I think he could have done better srug

Originally posted by ScarletSpeed
meh I think Jack was perfect for the part but I think he could have done better srug
I think he did just fine as far as what he was directed to do

Jack was fine with what he did & I loved his Joker to death, especially since his was the inspiration for the animated Joker of the '90's, but I already know I'm going to like Heath's more because he's going deeper into the character & his method behind doing so was just extraordinary.

Originally posted by Emil Blonsky
Jack was fine with what he did & I loved his Joker to death, especially since his was the inspiration for the animated Joker of the '90's, but I already know I'm going to like Heath's more because he's going deeper into the character & his method behind doing so was just extraordinary.
I think I will see them as two different kinds of Jokers. I'm not sure which incarnation I will prefer as of yet but I am sure that Heath's will work well in Nolan's universe just as I think Jack's Joker was aces for the Burton Batman universe. In any event I am excited

Robin Williams could have faired well in the 1989 version. Not saying it would have been better per se, but Williams can be funny and scary.

I've just watched Tim Burton's 1989 Batman movie again for the purpose of comparing and contrasting Jack to Heath, and well here is my honest opinion: I've read The Killing Joke by Alan Moore, which Heath Ledger read along with Arkham Asylum: Serious House on Serious Earth as consultation for getting into character. Killing Joke's Joker has got Heath Ledger written all over it in terms of characterization, not so much Jack though.

From the moment I saw the first trailers, I immediately knew that Heath's Joker was going to scare the crap out of me when I went to see the movie. Everything about Heath's Joker spells out pure and utter insanity, from the sound of his laugh, his personality, his motives, and even his appearance.

Jack's Joker didn't truly strike me as being a truly terrifying monster from the foulest pits of Hell like Heath's has been. In short, I'll truly reserve judgment till I see the movie, but from what I've been reading from the actors in The Dark Knight to just about everyone else who's seen it, it seems that Heath indeed gave the performance of a lifetime to bring us the one true live-action version of Batman's arch-enemy.

When I was younger Jack Nicholson's Joker terrified the crap out of me. I hadn't seen Batman 1989 in years until I saw it again a couple years ago and I had flashbacks as a kid to certain scenes that scared the hell out of me. Him killing that guy with a feather had stuck with me for a long time, why I don't know.I will see if Heath's is scary though. So far I find him just nasty looking. But I did think Jack's Joker was terrifying at one point and time. What was scary about him to me was that he was so whimsical he should have by all means been completely harmless and yet he was so deadly in his whimsicality. And that smile...creepy.