Patri's Peripatetic Peregrinations - I'm going to be the only person who didn't like this movie (no spoilers)

I'm going to be the only person who didn't like this movie (no spoilers)

Jul. 24th, 2008 at 9:47 PM

I'm a quality snob when it comes to movies, so it's almost unheard of for me to think a movie is really good but not like it. But The Dark Knight was such a movie.

In fact, I didn't like it exactly *because* it was so good! I found it so powerful and gripping that I was much more disturbed by the dark aspects than I normally would be. I don't like violence and murder and psychopathy, and this was just too engaging a depiction of them for my taste. Kudos to H.L., may he rest in peace, for such an incredible acting job. He deserves a posthumous Oscar for his nightmare-inducing performance. I just don't like nightmares, as it happens.

Seriously[1], I want to go cuddle with puppies now, to walk in green fields under the golden sun, to raise a glass in a bar filled with ordinary people whose main outlet for their violent tendencies is video games and enthusiastic support for their local sports teams. Anything to celebrate how bright and safe and not-evil our world is, the vast majority of the time, compared to that one.

Anyway, there were definitely some interesting philosophical aspects, which I will post about later...

[1] Deliberately inviting the obvious...

Comments

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prock wrote:

Jul. 25th, 2008 04:51 am (UTC)

And yet, you liked Sin City?

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patrissimo wrote:

Jul. 25th, 2008 05:36 am (UTC)

I did find it mildly disturbing, but it didn't seem as real. Not as visceral and immediate and palpable.

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triath wrote:

Jul. 25th, 2008 03:25 pm (UTC)

Really? Huh, I had exactly the opposite experience. Both Sin City and Kill Bill Part 1 (I never saw part 2) gave me nightmares, but The Dark Knight didn't bother me. I guess I don't mind dark, but I do mind violence and TDK didn't seem to have that much.

But to each their own.

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geheimnisnacht wrote:

Jul. 25th, 2008 11:03 pm (UTC)

Right, I would say TDK was not visceral in its violence, as it showed remarkably little blood (if any?) or other carnal depiction of the violence. However, to use another definition, you could say TDK was a more visceral experience overall, as it drew you in more (to me), making you feel everything more strongly.

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zuleikhajami wrote:

Jul. 25th, 2008 05:17 am (UTC)

Now I'm no longer sure if I want to see it! I'm pretty sensitive to nightmares.

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radiantsun wrote:

Jul. 25th, 2008 05:59 am (UTC)

I wonder what connection that role may have had with HLs drug overdose

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triath wrote:

Jul. 25th, 2008 03:27 pm (UTC)

It was ruled an accidental overdose of painkillers, sleeping pills and anti-anxiety medication. I suppose it's possible there's a connection, but everything I've seen of on-the-set films, they just aren't scary. Without the music, fast cuts, and other post-production, it doesn't seem so bad.

But it is an interesting theory.

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istgut wrote:

Jul. 25th, 2008 04:01 pm (UTC)

It can't be healthy to play someone *that* insane...

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patrissimo wrote:

Jul. 25th, 2008 05:12 pm (UTC)

Especially so effectively.

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patrissimo wrote:

Jul. 25th, 2008 05:13 pm (UTC)

The overdose may have been accidental, but the fact that he was using all these drugs is meaningful.

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triath wrote:

Jul. 25th, 2008 05:15 pm (UTC)

I'll bet a survey of movie stars and rock musicians (or really anyone strongly in the public eye) would show that this is not uncommon regardless of whether the person is playing a psychopath.

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patrissimo wrote:

Jul. 28th, 2008 09:51 pm (UTC)

Could be.

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patrissimo wrote:

Jul. 25th, 2008 05:12 pm (UTC)

Well, maybe you have to be a little crazy to be able to act a crazy person so well. And crazy people like to self-medicate.

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benfrantzdale wrote:

Jul. 25th, 2008 10:35 pm (UTC)

It looks like the issues leading to the OD may have been at least some relation to the part.

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benfrantzdale wrote:

Jul. 25th, 2008 10:31 am (UTC)

Well said. I take the awe-inspiring levels of disturbing, well-choreographed movie depravity as exciting and, well, awesome (in the literal sense).

That said, I've been flashing back to that film all week. I'm going to make this pencil... disappear! *Shudder*.

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grandmofhelsing wrote:

Jul. 25th, 2008 04:06 pm (UTC)

Awww. Let's put a smile on that face.

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kirinn wrote:

Jul. 25th, 2008 04:28 pm (UTC)

(OBTUSE SUB_PLOT SPOILER)

Hey, at least those two sets of people didn't end up blowing each other up. Really, that's about the one sort of uplifting thing I can remember happening. I still have to say I enjoyed it, though. Real, well-done madness is... interesting? Even when horrible.

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geheimnisnacht wrote:

Jul. 25th, 2008 11:11 pm (UTC)

I would expect the Joker to pull the same trick on those people as he did on Batman in the prison. That'd have been interesting...

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kirinn wrote:

Jul. 26th, 2008 12:10 am (UTC)

Yes, I was expecting that as well. I guess we'll never know (unless Nolan decides to say so in an interview or something.)

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