The Rule

I was reading about the new movie, “The Dark Knight“, the sequel to 2005’s “Batman Begins”, which opens July 18, 2008. Of course, the focus was on the (not-so) recent death of actor Heath Ledger and other posthumous movie releases.

I walked away from the story wondering at the immortal stardom of those who die before a movie is released. Of course, the article tied in Bruce Lee, Brandon Lee, John Candy, Spencer Tracy, James Dean, Clark Gable, and Will Rogers. Hollywood is such a navel-gazing, cannibalistic beast that it continually eats its own to make a few dollars. And pop culture fans will shell out the extra dough to see “last film of <insert-actor-here>”

Every article since Mr. Ledger’s death has (and will) tie in the Joker character in this last film. Every article mentions how tortured he was while performing this role. And every article will somehow whitewash the impact of such roles on the person himself.

“It was punk, it was ‘A Clockwork Orange, it was druggie. It was this kind of fantastic, anarchic look to him. This character who had absolutely no rules whatsoever,” said Christian Bale, who returns as rich guy Bruce Wayne and his crime-fighting alter-ego Batman. “That’s not like any Joker I’ve ever seen before, what I saw Heath do.”

A Clockwork Orange? I still vomit a little bit into my mouth whenever I think about that movie. Why would anyone want to be compared to that? That is a lasting comparison which will taint Ledger’s career until the next celebrity-death-prior-to-movie-release.

And Hollywood wins. Why? Because you have to see it:

… said “Brokeback Mountain” director Ang Lee. “That’s why it’s scary. You see the trailer, just a few shots of him, you have to see the movie. … I’m anxious to see it. I’m afraid to see it. I don’t know how I’ll respond to it, but you have to see it.”