Posted on 10/15/2019 7:44:43 PM PDT by rintintin
When Joaquin Phoenix took on the title role in the new movie Joker, he could have found inspiration in the performances of actors including Jack Nicholson, from Tim Burton’s 1989 Batman, or Heath Ledger, who later played the same character. After all, Ledger’s performance was so celebrated that his family accepted an Oscar for it a year after his death.
But Phoenix, instead, modeled his Joker after a turn from another actor, Ray Bolger, who’s best known to audiences as the Scarecrow in The Wizard of Oz. Bolger, who died in 1987 at 83, also was known for his work on Broadway, as well as other movies and guest roles on TV shows, including The Partridge Family, Little House on the Prairie and The Love Boat. He began his showbiz career in vaudeville, so it makes sense that some of his credits are variety shows.
Phoenix says he closely watched one of Bolger’s routines over and over again while preparing to play Batman’s eventual nemesis.
Ray Bolger: The Old Soft Shoe: https://youtu.be/kM8yBTV7BgA
(Excerpt) Read more at google.com ...
That’s very interesting.
Bob Kane’s version of the Joker was at least partially inspired by Conrad Veidt’s performance in “The Man Who Laughs”.
Kane’s assistant, Jerry Robinson’s original visual for the villain would have been similar to the 90’s animated series version of Harley Quinn.
Gavin Newsome looks like Conrad Veidt’s character.
It is also one of the most apolitical movies in quite awhile. No bashing of Trump or "the deplorables", just a very good story and execution. Hollyweird should take note!
I was looking up Phoenix’s acting history. Way back when, he was in an episode of “Murder She Wrote” entitled “We’re off to kill the wizard”!
IIRC JP played the villain in Gladiator, and played it so well that I was compelled to look up his name back when that movie came out...
IIRC JP played the villain in Gladiator, and played it so well that I was compelled to look up his name back when that movie came out..
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As well, he played porn addicted young Gary in Parenthood.
If I Only Had a Brain - The Wizard of Oz
www.youtube.com/watch?v=nauLgZISozs
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