For the past week, I would say I haven’t gone a single day without hearing about The Dark Knight.
Usually, I try to keep my ears and eyes closed to any criticism of a film before I’ve seen it, but there was no avoiding the constant mummers of Heath Ledger’s Oscar-worthy performance.
Tonight, I finally saw what all the fuss was about. I had feared dissapointment, but instead found complete awe. If I didn’t know it was Ledger, I would never have recognized him. He is completely and utterly The Joker– dark, twisted, and a little bit funny. I literally yearned to see more of him in the film.
It is easy to note how tragic it is that this was his last fully completed film. I’ve always believed there are very few actor actors– those who are in it for the art, rather than the fame and fortune. It is very clear that Ledger is one of the few, and for all his fans out there, The Dark Knight is a true testament of that.
After we’re gone, most of us will only leave behind our offspring, and the memories we’ve shared with others. But for the lucky few, they leave behind eternal documentation of their greatness–whether that be in writing, or, in Ledger’s case, film. And we’re all pretty lucky to get to see that greatness.
Rebecca M Ford 