This summer, since Joker debuted at the “Venice Film Festival” and hype started building over its grand themes, issues have surfaced about whether people would be too afraid to see it. Not just because it’s a drastic, R-rated thriller featuring a criminal psychopath, but also because much of the prerelease chatter about Joker has focused on worries of mass shootings at screenings, with the U.S. military advising service members to be alert, local police departments posting officers at multiplexes on opening weekend, and families of the 2012 movie-theater firing in Aurora, Colorado, publicly expressing concern over the film.
As Joker proposes its Friday release, this story of stress has taken on a life of its own and appears to be somewhat rooted both in the actual plot and in broader worries about the state of American pop culture. If fans are worried or nervous, those feelings aren’t displaying up in box-office tracking; Joker is predicted to cut October records with an opening of around more than $80 million. We shouldn’t be astonished that the newest version of the Joker is courting controversy. After all, he’s been doing so for decades. Performers and Creators have struggled boundaries with the character of the movie.
To explain why the new Joker is so divisive, it’s essential to glance back at both the history of the villain and his growth to distinction in the darker edges of social media. Here’s how we approached this particular moment.
THE KILLING JOKE(1988 Book-2016 MOVIE):- The Killing Joke is a 2016 American adult animated superhero film written by Warner Bros. Animation and classified by Warner Bros. Pictures.
Based on the acclaimed photographic story Batman: The Killing Joke takes a walk into the dark psyche of the Clown Prince of Crime – from his rough origins as a struggling entertainer to his deadly encounter with Batman that turns both of their lives forever. After a year later, and now disappeared from Arkham Asylum, The Joker devises an approach to demonstrate that one bad day can make anyone as obsessed as he is – setting his views on Commissioner Gordon. It’s relevant to the Dark Knight to put an end to The Joker’s latest scheme and save one of Gotham City’s most beautiful. Following a gripping preface introducing Barbara Gordon’s heroic experiences alongside Batman as Batgirl, Batman: The Killing Joke stays true to the real tale that has held fans’ thoughts for nearly three decades – spotlighting the birth of a Super-Villain, the fortitude of a Super Hero and the punchline that will leave you voiceless.
BATMAN(1989):- Batman, a masked vigilante from Gotham City, fights against evil to prevent its citizens safe. He must battle Jack Napier, who changes into the Joker and frightens to take over Gotham City. Later, Nicholson’s Joker is mostly recognized as an icon in the superhero movie genre, giving a more severe and practical take on the villain. For better or worse, it is this description that sets the template for the versions to come.
THE DARK KNIGHT(2008):-The Dark Knight gave the world a particularly annoying version of the Joker that indeed won Heath Ledger a post-mortem Oscar the following year. Ledger’s Joker was a terrifying appearance precisely because he denied to reveal his origin story. In this movie, he gives several explanations for his facial scarring. The Joker, like a terrorist, is attempting to seed chaos and confusion. His enemies cannot examine him or his motives, nor divine what he is going to do. In 2008, he was a powerful metaphor for the post-9/11 terrorist threat that the United States faced.
THE JOKER(2019):- Like in The Killing Joke movie, Joker tries to describe the mysterious villain. He has mental wellness problems. He can’t get the vaccination to assist with those problems because of state cutbacks. He is approached poorly by people around him because of these problems. He feels rejected by a father he never knew, fascinated with the mother who stayed. He chases a woman and feels discarded by her. He’s threatened by the sorts of men who do get women’s attention because they have power and money. Ultimately, he receives his hands on a gun and wreaks devastation.
Now those mass fans finally have an opportunity to see the film; after more than a month of critical discussion online, they can decide for themselves how far to extend their empathy. Controversy hasn’t stopped moviegoers; in fact, it may well have stimulated their interest.
When those discussions finally ebb, it’s safe to bet we’ll get another Joker down the line to get them raging again.
Examine this with the already exhausting conversation around Joker. The trailer alone was enough to motivate pragmatic tutting on Twitter.
“Unpopular opinion From Twitter: that joker trailer looks like a love letter to kids who become mass shooters and how many awards it will win is why I’m scared of men,” one viral post read.
One thing we can divine that in 20 years, nobody will be asking the suppression of Joker. Controversies clustered around Taxi Driver, The Exorcist, and A Clockwork Orange. All were more intense than Joker. All became adornments of their times.