Favorite Crown Prince of Crime - The Joker in Film

“All it takes is one bad day.” That line spans, or a variation of it spans the entirety of the Joker. It doesn’t matter which version you’re looking at, it all boils down to one point, somewhere in his past, something happened on one single night that changed him. Sometimes it’s connected to Batman directly, sometimes it’s not. But the fact remains that the Joker has become a symbol himself with or without the Dark Knight shadowing his every move.

He is the crown prince of crime. He is known throughout the DC universe. You’ll be hard pressed today to find a person who doesn’t know who the Joker is. Even those who don’t watch comic movies or read the comic books, knows who he is. They know he’s a psychic clown, they know he’s a villain. He is one of the most iconic villains in history, and some amazing actors have gotten to grace our screens are him.

I honestly thought more people had stepped into his shoes, but only six had. A few more have voiced him in random video games and animated projects, but I’ll talk about those a bit later. For now, let’s get started with my list.

Please remember this list is MY OWN OPINION. Based on my feelings and is not trying to tell you that these are the BEST Jokers ever. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions. I just decided to write mine down. You should do the same!

5. Jared Leto. This man is now 0 for 2 for in comic book roles, well according to reviewers anyways. I personally enjoyed his take on the Joker in Suicide Squad and I liked the scene that was cut from the Synder Cut of the Justice League. I think if given the chance, he could have really done something with the role. But I also think he might have taken things a bit too far with the whole method acting thing. Becoming the Joker and acting the Joker shouldn’t turn you into the Joker. He’s a very toxic person and he should never be someone you ever want to be in the head space for during extended periods of time. Sad to say he does come last, because others just out shined this punk rocked out version of a gangster Joker.

4. Cesar Romero. So, my father used to watch the Adam West version of Batman back when I was a little kid, so he was actually my first introduction to the Joker. Not a bad one, mind you. But I had a thought in my head about the character that just, I couldn’t seem to shake. He was a laughing criminal, who used jokes and gags to try to take out Batman and Robin. It wasn’t very threatening and wasn’t really someone that you should fear. I wasn’t the kid that was afraid of clowns (no that would come later when I read IT), so even the clown get-up wasn’t enough to make me see him as a threat. But he was charismatic and able to make people follow him, no matter how silly he seemed to look. That is one of the biggest things with the Joker that is overlooked a lot in Jared Leto’s version. He doesn’t really have a large following, just because. It’s mostly out of fear for him. Mr. Romero’s was because they are just as crazy as he was, and believed what he said.

3. Joaquin Phoenix. When the trailer for this movie first came out, I was a ball of nerves. How could you have a Joker movie without linking it to Batman? Well, this is exactly how. Mr. Phoenix gets to tell you the tale of how the Joker became the Joker and it’s a roller coaster of emotion and it all makes perfect sense from the start. But of course, there was one big factor that sticks him here and draws the line between my top three and the bottom two: The Laugh. The most iconic part of the Joker is his laugh. When you first hear it, without seeing the face you should get chills and a gut feeling of fear. Because you have no idea what that laugh means. Does it mean death? Does it mean merriment? You have no idea. I think Mr. Phoenix had the perfect laugh, and the saddest reason for it. It wasn’t mimicking anyone; he wasn’t trying to be better. He just wanted to tell his version of the character and boy did he do it.

Now I mentioned before about video games having had their voice actors too. The one that I wanted to single out from that is Troy Baker. He voiced the Joker in the Arkham games from Warner Brothers and he did an amazing job. With the Joker’s animated voice coming from such a legend as Mark Hamill before, I think Mr. Baker did a great job. He’s a talented Voice Actor who has a wide range. And if anyone has noticed I am a big of a Borderlands fan, so yes… he might have gotten a bit of a leg up because of that. But not by much.

2. Heath Ledger. I want to start this section by saying, no I did not make him number two because we lost him too young. I place him in this spot because he deserves it. When the movie first came out, I will be the first to admit I wasn’t a fan. I was a hard person to please at that time when it came to comic villains, especially in the Batman movies. But when I rewatched the movie when it came out on DVD, I realized how unfair that was to Mr. Ledger. He took a role that was a mental struggle and turned it into something new. The Joker before him had always been seen as a clown with a gun, but with Heath Ledger, he suddenly became the threat that we see in the comics. Knowing that the role might have had a hand in causing Mr. Ledger’s mental decline hurts my heart, but it makes me want to treasure the movie all through. He put his soul into that role and for that, as a Batman fan, I can only say: THANK YOU MR LEDGER.

1. Jack Nicholson. Good old Jack. Who didn’t see this one coming? Tim Burton knew what he was doing when he wrote the Joker for his Batman film, and I’m sure he had Mr. Nicholson in mind when he was setting it all up. The man seemed to have been born for the role. He’s the total package. He’s got the face, the charisma, the laugh, and most importantly… he’s scary. Mr. Nicholson, even without the Joker makeup, can grin like no one’s business and it’s scary how that grin can make your heart stop in your chest. It’s no wonder the man was born to act in horror and suspense movies.

To end this article, I’m going to take my hat off to the one and only, Mark Hamill. Nearly every Batman fan will know his name and voice, because he is our Joker. The animated series was such a huge part of so many lives and knowing that the man came back to re-voice the crown prince again for The Killing Joke made my heart sing. He retired the Joker’s voice years ago, but he keeps going back to it for special projects and that just makes him the best. His laugh is one that people have tried to copy at every con, and any Batman fan will say that’s the laugh you need to have if you’re going to be a good Joker. If the laugh comes close to his, you’ve made it. But it was his delivery of the general lines too that made the Joker come to life.

So, what did you think? Was my list on point to your own opinions? If not, how about writing up your own list of favorites? I’d love to find and read them!

All it takes is one bad day

to reduce the sanest man alive to lunacy.

That's how far the world is from where I am.

Just one bad day.

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