Dark Knight

[Northern Wish]

I am not a movie buff, or even a big Batman fan (or any comic book movie of any sort)........

That being said:

WOWOWOWOWOW.

Wow, wow.

That is all,

Sean

ps. Its not just hype or cause he died, Ledgers performance was wow.

[Hartamophone]

I came out of the theater last night and said to my friends "Wow, that was everything a summer movie should be."

I haven't seen all of the Batman movies, but this one was incredibly entertaining and has to be among the best. Really well done all-around, and the way the Joker makes a pencil disappear will stick with you.

[NewRider]

I love that they've taken Batman away from the kids. Batman Begins was fucking awesome. I'm gonna go see this one today or tomorrow.

[Northern Wish]

Go right now NR, you will be glad you did.....

[Jaimoe]

I'm not the biggest fan of comic-book film adaptations (minus American Splendor, Ghost World and a few others) or comics/graphic novels in general, but I can't wait to see this movie. I liked Batman Begins and from all reports, this sequel blows it out of the water.

[Big Wooly Mammoth]

argh - all of the IMAX showings today are already sold out as is Sunday's 7PM showing. I guess I'll have to wait until next week.

by the way, this movie was actually shot using IMAX cameras, as opposed to other movies (i.e. regular Hollywood movies) which adapt the film for IMAX, but are shot using standard film and equipment.

[Jaimoe]

I heard that only 20 minutes of the film uses IMAX.

[Kanada Kev]

New one day record:

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5iUrp4FEo_7YQxrTpBze-Hk4ob7PAD92118180

`Dark Knight' sets box office record with $66.4M

By DAVID GERMAIN – 5 hours ago

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Batman's joust with the Joker has set another box office record.

Stoked by fan fever over the manic performance of the late Heath Ledger as the Joker, "The Dark Knight" set a one-day box office record with $66.4 million on opening day, Warner Bros. head of distribution Dan Fellman said Saturday.

The movie's Friday haul surpassed the previous record of $59.8 million set last year by "Spider-Man 3." "The Dark Knight" might break the opening-weekend record of $151.1 million, also held by "Spider-Man 3."

"I think they're in jeopardy," Fellman said of the "Spider-Man 3" records.

"The Dark Knight" began with a record $18.5 million from midnight screenings, topping the previous high of $16.9 million for "Star Wars: Episode III — The Revenge of the Sith."

The opening day grosses for "The Dark Knight" far exceeded the full weekend haul of its predecessor, "Batman Begins," which took in $48.7 million in its first three days in 2005.

Reviews were excellent for director Christopher Nolan's "Batman Begins," but they were stellar for his "Dark Knight."

"We've really never seen anything like this," said Paul Dergarabedian, president of box-office tracker Media By Numbers. "The death of a fine actor taken in his prime, a legendary performance, and a movie that lives up to all the hype. That all combined to create these record-breaking numbers."

Buzz had been high for the Batman sequel well before Ledger died of an accidental prescription-drug overdose in January. Trailers last fall revealing Ledger's demented Joker, with crooked clown makeup, turned up the heat even more. The critical acclaim over his performance that built from advance screenings left fans in a frenzy.

"It's a combination of things. Certainly, that's a great part of it, but I think this movie's gross was partly because of the reviews it received and the incredible buzz and word of mouth that preceded it with our early screenings," Fellman said. "And the success and quality of the last one, `Batman Begins,' delivered by Chris Nolan just set the tone for the opening of this movie."

"The Dark Knight" reunites Christian Bale as Batman, the vigilante crime-fighter tormented by personal tragedy, and co-stars Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman and Gary Oldman. Maggie Gyllenhaal also stars.

The film spins an epic crime duel as Ledger's Joker orchestrates a reign of terror on the city of Gotham aimed to spread chaos and break down the restraint that keeps Batman on the right side of the law.

While critics are taking the film seriously enough to suggest Ledger could be in line for an Academy Award nomination, the action-packed movie also delivers as pure summer movie escapism.

"If you're worried about mortgage payments and gas prices, when you're sitting in `The Dark Knight' for two and a half hours, you're not thinking about any of that stuff," Dergarabedian said.

[Kanada Kev]

I heard that only 20 minutes of the film uses IMAX.

It will look amazing for the sequences done in IMAX. This is what IMAX.com says:

http://www.imax.com/ImaxWeb/filmDetail.do?type=comingSoon&movieID=code__.__448

THE DARK KNIGHT: THE IMAX EXPERIENCE, from Warner Bros. Pictures, will feature six sequences filmed with IMAX® cameras. This marks the first time ever that a major feature film has been even partially shot using IMAX cameras, marking a revolutionary integration of the two film formats.

[Northern Wish]

I am tired of these opening weekend #'s, I think they need to start using stats such as $ per screen or something. Of course it set a record as every theater is showing it on at least a few screens multiple times per day.

We saw it last night on an added showing, that was added once the others sold out.

Just my .02

[Hartamophone]

I heard that only 20 minutes of the film uses IMAX.

It will look amazing for the sequences done in IMAX. This is what IMAX.com says:

http://www.imax.com/ImaxWeb/filmDetail.do?type=comingSoon&movieID=code__.__448

THE DARK KNIGHT: THE IMAX EXPERIENCE' date=' from Warner Bros. Pictures, will feature six sequences filmed with IMAX® cameras. This marks the first time ever that a major feature film has been even partially shot using IMAX cameras, marking a revolutionary integration of the two film formats. [/quote']

I could tell watching it which scenes were shot in IMAX (or at least which scenes would look coolest in IMAX) and I think it would be well worth the trip to one of the big(ger) screens for it.

[SaggyBalls]

I'm glad it wasn't all shot in HD. Real film is the best way to go. Real chemical representations of the moment stopped in time are ideal.

There's an arcade in Vancouver called movieland and they have some of the last 8mm peep show reels in existence. I don't know if you see Heath Leger's ass in the Dark Knight but there's something about seeing a real glint off a buttock that makes it worth going to see a movie in a dark room with strangers.

[Ms.Huxtable]

Ahhh.... okay there Beats.

[rubberdinghy]

Scary.

[bouche]

I'm glad it wasn't all shot in HD. Real film is the best way to go. Real chemical representations of the moment stopped in time are ideal.

There's an arcade in Vancouver called movieland and they have some of the last 8mm peep show reels in existence. I don't know if you see Heath Leger's ass in the Dark Knight but there's something about seeing a real glint off a buttock that makes it worth going to see a movie in a dark room with strangers.

quoted for "posterity"

also, suggesting that it wasn't shot in HD is a complete misnomer. perhaps mr.peeps meant "wasn't shot using digital means".

[AD]

What the fuck?

So Batman drives a Lamborghini? Lots of room for his bat-purse. Stupid car.

[SaggyBalls]

'Posterity' - funny guy...

Batman Begins looks HD, haven't seen Dark Knight...I don't see this franchise buying into the digital vs. film debate as Digital has more attributes that outweigh the tangibility of film.

Does Batman drive the gallardo or was it Bruce Wayne?

[AD]

Yeah it was Wayne. But you'd think he knows better.

[Davey Boy 2.0]

I'm glad it wasn't all shot in HD. Real film is the best way to go. Real chemical representations of the moment stopped in time are ideal.

There's an arcade in Vancouver called movieland and they have some of the last 8mm peep show reels in existence. I don't know if you see Heath Leger's ass in the Dark Knight but there's something about seeing a real glint off a buttock that makes it worth going to see a movie in a dark room with strangers.

don't go changin doode

[scottieking]

Joker - Psychotic Genius Masterpiece.

Harvey Dent - Photo realistic horror

Cinematography - Spellbinding

Bruce Wayne - Shmarmy perfection

The "Bat" Voice - drives me nuts

Christopher Nolan - stop now at perfection (see Sam Rammi for details) and make another Memento-sque movie

All in all, top movie of the summer for me so far.

[AdamH]

I really enjoyed the film and have some of the same thumbs up/thumbs down as Scott.

The storyline was somewhat disjointed and could've been tightened up or sequenced a little more clearly. But overall the film was great and can I just say for the record: THANK YOU FOR BOOTING KATIE HOLMES.

[bagochips]

Batman star held over 'assault'

Batman star Christian Bale has been arrested by detectives investigating claims he assaulted two family members.

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said a 34-year-old man had been arrested in connection with an allegation of assault, and remained in custody.

Mr Bale is alleged to have lashed out at his mother and sister in his suite at London's Dorchester Hotel on Sunday.

The Welsh-born actor stars in the title role in the latest Batman film, The Dark Knight.

"A 34-year-old man attended a police station in central London by appointment and was arrested in connection with an allegation of assault - he currently remains in custody," a police spokesman said.

The Hollywood star attended the European premiere of The Dark Knight last night in London's Leicester Square.

He had been due to meet radio journalists at the Dorchester to promote the film on Tuesday afternoon.

It has been reported that the assault allegation was originally filed at a police station in Hampshire.

A Metropolitan Police spokesman confirmed it had received an allegation from another force.

Mr Bale rose to fame as the child star of Steven Spielberg's Empire of the Sun.

He went on to play Patrick Bateman in American Psycho, and had leading roles in Shaft and Captain Corelli's Mandolin.

In 2005, he took on the role of the Caped Crusader in Batman Begins and reprised the role in The Dark Knight.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7519689.stm

[AD]

The "Bat" Voice - drives me nuts

Totally. As if Alfred couldn't have come up with something more pleasant or even listenable.

My only complaint that I can think of now though, so that's pretty impressive.

[Kanada Kev]

[allison]

Just saw it last night.

Great movie...The Joker is fantastic!!If I didnt know that that was Heath Ledger I NEVER would have guessed it.

The bat voice is incredibly irritating...and there was a bit of a drag to the movie as it segued to setting up the ending.

The whole society needs its villains and heroes part was really well done..intelligent without overt melodrama, edgy without being campy...mostly due to the fine rendering of the Joker.