Comic Book Heroes

Last Monday afternoon, I was at my brother's place doing laundry, and the only thing on T.V. was the original "Batman" film starring Michael Keaton and directed by Tim Burton. I grew up with this film and one that followed ("Batman Returns")  and because of these two films, Batman has always been my personal favorite when it comes to comic book heroes.


I also grew up with the 1980 film "Flash Gordon" with a soundtrack by Queen.  I had not seen this film in YEARS! Then I watched it with my brother on Christmas day a few years back (yeah, I know, very festive .) and my friends and I got together last year to watch it for my birthday.  Of course, there a considerable amount of differences between the film Flash and the original comic book Flash, but still, I love this movie!  It has a great cast, including Timothy Dalton, Topol and Max Von Sydow (best known as the older priest in the film "The Exorcist") as Ming the Merciless, ruler of the universe!  This film is so very, deeply cheesy and campy, but that makes it so very, deeply, fun!


Interestingly, Batman and Flash are my all time favorite comic book heroes.  What I like about them is that neither one is actually a "super" hero.  Flash is the original comic book hero, btw, predating Batman, Superman and Spiderman.  Of course, Bruce Wayne is only a superhero because he has more money than God, but still. :-)


So, I was watching the original "Batman" film,  and frankly, I just cringed.  I really see how far we have come in the last 30 years.  The new films "Batman Begins" and "The Dark Knight" are both far superior films.  In both films we get a much deeper understanding of the motivations for this character.  It addresses so many issues on so many emotional levels.  Chris Nolan is my current fav director.  I loved "The Prestige" and "Inception" was an incredible film that really blew me away.


After watching "The Dark Knight" again last week, I am of course thinking about the loss of Heath Ledger, and I feel the loss to the world of Hollywood.  He obviously was just beginning to show us all his extreme talents.  Do I believe that this role led to his death?  Honestly, no.  I believe that it was an accident.  It is tragic, yes, but I believe it was an accident.  The way he played the role of the Joker, is far deeper and more disturbing than that of Jack Nicholson.  The mannerisms, the voice, the whole look and feel.  It is not just that the character was reinvented for this film, anyone can write a character, but when the actor steps into their shoes and begins to feel around in the subconscious mind of the character and try to understand their motivations and actions, then, the character truly comes to life, as Ledger did so brilliantly this film.


Looking beyond his incredible portrayal of the most sinister Joker I have ever seen, the film has a very deep psychological and truly fascinating ending which gives you so much insight into the character of Bruce Wayne, who proves beyond a reasonable doubt, that he is a true hero, as Rachel says in the first film " It is not who you are, but what you do, that defines you."  And he proves that superbly in "The Dark Knight".  At the end when Gordon's son says that Batman didn't do anything wrong, so why is going to take the heat for everything, Gordon replies that Batman is the hero Gotham deserves, but he is also, not the one Gotham needs right now.  Wayne's understanding that the knowledge of what happened to Harvey Dent would destroy the hope of the people of Gotham is deeply insightful, and his true nature is revealed in his willingness to be whatever it is that Gotham needs him to be, whether it be the hero or the villain.


"The Dark Knight Rises" is currently under production and I eagerly await it's release.