{"id":9313,"date":"2015-07-18T01:25:22","date_gmt":"2015-07-18T05:25:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.jokeruniverse.com\/?p=9313"},"modified":"2015-07-18T16:03:08","modified_gmt":"2015-07-18T20:03:08","slug":"how-is-letos-joker-different-from-previews-performances","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.jokeruniverse.com\/?p=9313","title":{"rendered":"How is Leto’s Joker Different from Previews Performances?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"NRjrbjtEIb05_18aIl_VuimGKN7nG32FfLA04oKWOCs\"<\/a>I personally have stayed away of making final judgments on the Jared Leto’s performance and looks, just because the information available is kind of patchy and sparse. Still, I find this is an interesting little article that appeared in CINEMABLEND.COM<\/span> comparing what we have seen from Jared Leto’s Joker with previous performances depicting the Clown Prince of Crime. The article, written by Mike Reyes covers all the Joker appearances since Cesar Romero and includes the animated version as well. \u00a0Enjoy the report (my comments are added in green and in parentheses):<\/p>\n

With the first trailer for Suicide Squad being leaked out of Comic Con, it\u2019s hard not to get excited about David Ayer\u2019s entry into the DC cinematic realm. One aspect in particular that had audiences pleasantly surprised is the first official appearance of Jared Leto\u2019s incarnation of The Joker.\u00a0One of the reasons we\u2019re so pleased with what we\u2019ve seen is the fact that David Ayer\u2019s Joker is familiar to die hard fans, yet different enough that everyone has something new to look forward to. With that in mind, join us as we take a look at Jared Leto\u2019s Joker as he compares to the Jokers of the past.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

1. \u00a0The Voice<\/em><\/span><\/h4>\n

If there was any one influence that could be singled out for Jared Leto’s vocal performance as The Joker, it would have to be Heath Ledger. While Cesar Romero and Mark Hamill took lighter pitched approaches to the clown prince of crime\u2019s dialogue, Jack Nicholson started the trend of adding a more psychotic tinge to Joker\u2019s one liners. While Nicholson still camped it up to a certain degree, he made the Joker a man to be reckoned with, and that\u2019s something that even Hamill\u2019s interpretation would build off of.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Of course, Ledger was the first to get truly disturbed with his voice, and Leto seems to follow a similar pattern of speech and cadence. The big difference in Jared Leto\u2019s vocals though is that his laugh is more deliberate and drawn out. If anything, it almost sounds like a laugh being pushed through a sensation of physical pain, as opposed to the giddy or manic laughs his predecessors have displayed. \u00a0<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

(Definitely agree that Leto is pulling inspiration from Heath Ledger’s iconic Joker voice, but I’m not so sure that he is as effective. \u00a0Of course, it is very limited what we have heard the Joker say to draw a conclusion, but in my opinion, psychotic or not, Joker has always had a combination of wit, perverse and twisted sense of humor mingle with a sincere and terrifying sense of dread in his voice. \u00a0He is the Clown in your nightmares after all. \u00a0Unfortunately I think I will have to hear more of the dialogue to see if he is able to hit the Joker\u00a0core.)<\/span><\/p>\n

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2. \u00a0The Clothing<\/em><\/span><\/h4>\n

The Joker in Suicide Squad is more of a fashion plate than any other portrayal. With Cesar Romero, all the way through to Jack Nicholson and Mark Hamill, The Joker has been a man of more gawdy tastes. Think of a tuxedo by way of a circus sideshow, and you\u2019ve got The Joker\u2019s usual flare for the theatrical. Heath Ledger, on the other hand, had a slicker look once he robbed the mob of their money – opting for a three piece suit that still flashed with The Joker\u2019s signature mindset, but bringing him closer to reality in the process.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Jared Leto\u2019s costume, from the snips we\u2019ve seen in set photos, is definitely more of an ensemble of modern glitz. With a shiny suit and a nice red shirt, this Joker isn\u2019t standing on ceremony. The absence of a necktie only further accentuates this nightclub-ready Joker. Not to mention, his Joker is so jacked we\u2019re going to see him shirtless in Suicide Squad<\/i>, making Leto the first Beefcake Joker we\u2019ve ever laid eyes on.<\/span><\/p>\n

(I’ve said it before, this Joker\u00a0definitely makes a fashion statement on the screen. \u00a0Love the way Reyes calls his look as “night-club-ready Joker” it definitely suits the Clown well. \u00a0From what we have seen, there is definitely a departure from the classic purple tux to a much more modern look. \u00a0And with the Joker’s new \u00a0set of wheels (a bright purple Lamborghini with gold trims), this Joker promises to be also extravagant on its tastes (come on, like nobody is going to recognize that car as the Joker’s ride…)<\/span><\/p>\n

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3. \u00a0The Hair<\/span><\/h4>\n

Much like the costumes worn by the various Jokers in DC\u2019s cinematic history, the hair is an integral piece that\u2019s developed over the ages with the character. Cesar Romero and Jack Nicholson really didn\u2019t alter their hairstyles all that much for their incarnations of the role, except for the coloring. Both gentlemen had a light green that could stand out, but didn\u2019t pop too much when set against anything other than the pale face of The Joker. Even Heath Ledger\u2019s hair wasn\u2019t particularly eye popping, but it was still noticeable as his incarnation for stringy, unwashed hair with an imperfect dye job.<\/span><\/p>\n

Jared Leto\u2019s Joker stands out like a neon sign that says, “Look at me!” Not only is his hair a bright, eye-catching green that you\u2019d have seen on Nickelodeon in the 1990\u2019s, but it\u2019s also trimmed and extremely neat. Combined with the costuming choices they\u2019ve made for his character, we can\u2019t help but notice that Zack Snyder must have had some influence on the project, as this Joker reminds us of the one Frank Miller gave us in The Dark Knight Returns<\/i>. In other words, the nice suit and the well-coiffed hair are mere distractions from the insanity that lies within.<\/span><\/p>\n

(Interesting point Reyes makes here, about the nice suit and well coiffed hair as distractions of the insanity within, but in my humble opinion, the neon green color is just a tad too much for this character. \u00a0Why not go with a toned down green like Cesar Romero or even copy the green color from the graphic novel that Snyder seems to be influenced by? \u00a0I don’t know, it’s just…not attractive. \u00a0In my opinion it is distracting and turns the Clown into a caricature, taking away part of his presence. \u00a0Just like those gazillion of tattoos… it;s simply too much)<\/span><\/p>\n

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4. \u00a0The Makeup<\/span><\/h4>\n

Of course, when we talk about The Joker, the one thing we can never forget to discuss is the makeup. It\u2019s a factor so key to the character\u2019s background that you can tell what type of maniac the filmmakers are going for when you take a closer look. Heath Ledger has, of course, become iconic in his own right for the Nolan trilogy\u2019s usage of a Joker whose makeup is as sloppy as his emotional state. But the character had always been a sort of traditionalist through the Romero\/Nicholson\/Hamill era. The only real deviation was the face that was wearing it.<\/span><\/p>\n

Yet here comes Jared Leto\u2019s Joker, with a look that both stands out and blends in. It stands out because the shades he uses do stand out when lit correctly. His red lips in particular stand out among the tattoos and the eye makeup he employs in his appearance. The big difference though is the white foundation the character has been known to use. In Suicide Squad, it doesn\u2019t look like he depends on it all that much, as the glimpses we get of him in the trailer make him look more naturally pale than any other Joker out there. He may have less makeup, but that just makes his natural pallor all the freakier to look at.<\/span><\/p>\n

(I personally like the idea of the whole body pallor. \u00a0It suits the Clown much better as it goes more in accordance with his origin. \u00a0Romero and Nicholson’s makeup was definitely that of the circus clown, and Ledger’s was more of the “war paint” referred to \u00a0in the Dark Knight prologue. \u00a0Leto’s makeup is more atoned with reality of what could happen to your skin after an acid bath. \u00a0What unfortunately for me takes away from the whole makeup is not necessarily the presence of the tattoos (which I’ve stated before thought was a great idea) but the fact that they were TOO MANY, poorly selected and some are even poorly placed. \u00a0Maybe moderation was the key word here. \u00a0The lipstick red lips I imagine are inspired in Dark Knight Returns, and suits this character, and one thing that is really freaky is the lack of eyebrows. \u00a0Another thing that I think is just filler without real purpose is the presence of the metal grill in his mouth. \u00a0Makes the Joker look more like the street pimp with no sense of fashion and just wants to show off. \u00a0I don’t know. \u00a0So far it really does not call me yet.)<\/span><\/p>\n

I’ll simply wait for the release of the movie to make my mind.)<\/span><\/h5>\n

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