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The Dark KnightImportant scenes
Directed by Christopher Nolan
The Batman Trilogy… setting it up
• “People need dramatic examples to shake
them out of apathy and I can’t do that as
Bruce Wayne. As a man, I’m flesh and blood.
I can be ignored, I can be destroyed. But as
a symbol- as a symbol I can be incorruptible,
I can be everlasting.”- Batman Begins
Nolan says…• “That was a very important scene for me, not just because I knew it would
play out over three films as a theme, but I had to understand why the
imminently sensible Alfred Pennyworth would sit there and listen to his
employer explain that he’s going to dress up as a bat and fight crime as
vigilante. That’s a huge leap to make. We had to build that correctly, and
we couldn’t cheat. So in each film, we talk about the symbol of the
character being the key thing. It’s not about what he can achieve
beating up criminals one by one. We address this again at the
beginning of The Dark Knight, where you have these copycat
Batmen popping up. The idea is to ask: Is that the meaning of
symbolism? To raise an army of these guys? No. Bruce sees himself as a
catalyst for change in Gotham, and to me, in that conversation with Alfred,
it’s very clear to me that Bruce inly ever thinks of this as, a five-year plan,
a short-term thing.”
Putting it to the test…
• The Joker- a psychotic agent of chaos
– Wants to prove a point.
• Harvey Dent
• Batman
• People of Gotham
• Does he accomplish his goal in the end?
• “You truly are incorruptible, aren’t you?”
Introducing the Joker…
• “We are introduced to the Joker- Heath
Ledger’s performance is completely
convincing making him a worthy
adversary for Gotham’s great hero.”
The character of the Joker in Nolan’s
film is a diversion from previous takes
on the character.
• The film begins with the disguised Joker and various
masked henchmen robbing a mob-owned bank, and
systematically double crossing one another- killing each
other to obtain a larger slice of the money. Eventually
the only survivor is the Joker, who reveals himself to the
bank manager before taking the money and driving away
in a school bus (after shoving and detonating a smoke
grenade into the bank manager’s mouth- you all
expected him to explode admit it!) joining a line of similar
school buses just as the cops arrive.
Camera Work… Introductory scene
• ES- Gotham City
• Zoom (slight low angle)
• Two men, both wearing clown masks
• Cut
• Third man standing on the street
• Zoom- mask
• Framing
• Cut
• Original two men preparing to abseil.
• Aerial shot
• Cut
• LA- MLS
• Once again in the car the third man with the bag (who we
later know to be the Joker) is left of the frame. He is sitting in
the back of the car but it’s him who is holding the gun now.
• He’s lurking in the back, so you are fooled into thinking he’s
unimportant for now, effectively maintaining his disguise of
just another clown crony.
• Yet though he doesn’t speak, the camera focuses on him. The
other two in the car are only focused on, the driver to the
forefront, when they begin speaking about the Joker.
• Again there is a high angle looking down on the
other two clown cronies as they try to pry open
an entrance while they talk about the Joker.
• There is a low angle of the bag man (Joker),
showing how he surveys the area in his mask as
we look up at him (he is the superior one as
they all run up the steps to the bank).
Rule up a chart like this one.Note at least four other shots used in the
bank robbery sequence
Shot/ angle
Characters involved/ description
Purpose of the shot- does it suggest anything?
• Throughout the scene there are
frequent close ups of the robbers
faces and their clown masks.
– Creates tension
– Deepens the narrative
So what have we learnt about the Joker?
• They are all wearing masks, clown masks – this
is indicative of the Joker’s black sense of humor.
• In the car as the men discussed the job and
their employer they state that they could refuse
to give a cut to the brains behind the operation.
They do not expect that the Joker will get his
hands dirty nor that he is in the car with them.
•Why do you think
the Joker has
chosen the image
of a clown for
himself and for his
henchmen?
• As the scene continues there are multiple mentions of the Joker
despite the fact that we have yet to ‘see’ him. ‘I heard they call him
the Joker’ – the dialogue builds up to the dramatic entrance and
reveal of the Joker.
• ‘Because he wears make up – you know, war paint’. Rumors and
mystery surround him, building the character up.
• ‘He thinks he can sit it out and still take a slice’ the henchmen are
referring to the Joker, their lack of self-sensorship suggests that they
do not know their boss– they have not considered the possibility that
he may turn the tables on them. (They do not seem concerned
about the job ahead suggesting that their criminal behavior is not
new and relying on the element of surprise and their guns to ensure
their success.)
• What else did you notice during this
scene?
– Soundtrack
– Costume
– Lighting
Batman vs the Joker
Batman versus the Joker- it is one of the greatest
advisiarial pairings in modern mythology. The Dark
Knight demonstrates this clearly a number of times
but none so clearly as the interrogation scene where
the pair engage not in violence but in a conversation
that articulates the philosophical differences between
the pair. The Joker has absolutely no interest in killing
Batman, instead he is looking for a much bigger
prize- he wishes to invalidate Batman’s purpose.
What does that even mean?• Batman is fighting to preserve the
morality of Gotham and it’s citizens-
the Joker is trying to prove that
Batman is risking his life to save
citizens that will ultimately turn on
him- the morality Batman fights for
doesn’t exist.
The Interrogation Scene
• Who is winning here?
• Each violent act is a small victory for
the Joker as his ultimate goal is to
compel Batman to loose all control
and take his life- the ultimate sign of
corruption.
So, about that scene…
• The setting within this sequence is an
interrogation room and office in the
basement of Gotham police station.
• What do we expect an interrogation room
to look like? Does it look like this one?
The setting…• The interrogation room has white marked walls, a
dirty floor, two way mirrors and fluorescent lights.
– The only objects in the room are a metal table, two
chairs and a lamp.
– Secondary setting of the adjoining office- the room
where the interrogation is being watched.
– Colours
– Textures
– Contrast
Lighting…
• The lighting within the setting allows the
audience to connect with the action. The
lighting is all electrical, using lamps and
fluorescent ceiling lights.
– Sequence begins in darkness with only one ceiling
light and a desk lamp lighting the room.
– Gordon’s face
– Joker’s face/ makeup
Sound…• Non-diegetic sound is used to heighten
the tension of the sequence and show
the changes in mood.
– soft music begins to play
– Increasing volume, slowing pace
– Drum beat
– Piercing note
• Contrasted with the noises of the Joker
Camera work…
• Take note of the composition of this
scene.
• Nolan notes that he is extremely
happy with this scene- it was the first
scene they filmed and this means
they spent more time on it.
• The open framing of the scene allows the
characters to move in and out as they
wish, all except the Joker, who seems to
be the highest influence of the space.
This creates an uneasy atmosphere for
the audience as they are unable to
identify who controls the situation.
Camera work…
• Long shots
– set the scene within the interrogation room .
– demonstrate Batman’s physical dominance
• Medium close-ups
– Joker’s reactions
• Mid shots/ reverse shots
– Conversation and reactions
• Pan around characters
• Tracking follow the action
• Mid shots/reaction shots that show the
Police reaction to the action within the
room.
Camera Work…
• High angles are used to demonstrate the physical power
held by the characters of Gordon and Batman.
Throughout the scene, Batman is viewed from a slightly
higher angle than the Joker, telling the audience that he
appears to be dominant. The Joker is viewed as inferior,
through the use of low angles. The main example of this
is when Batman is beating the Joker for answers.
• Is Batman the dominant character here?
• Batman appears physically
dominant, yet the Joker is mentally in
control.
– He dominates the scene, causing
Batman to play his game and lose his
temper.
• There is one camera angle that seems out of place
within this sequence. A tilted camera shot shows
the Joker about to rise from the table. This is the
only shot like this within the scene, causing the
audience to feel disorientated.
• However, this shot could be seen as at the climax
of the action within the scene. Batman has finally
lost his temper, causing him to act violently, just as
the Joker wanted him to.
A thought… a move into analysis
Nolan appears to use this sequence to demonstrate the
Joker’s intelligence and power with words. Using camera
angles that have differing connotations to the action
taking place and non-diegetic sound that heightens the
tension, Nolan manages to influence the audience to feel
the same confusion that Batman and Gordon are feeling.
The dominance of character is shifted, showing the
audience that both characters are equally matched,
creating an intriguing inversion of connotations which
causes them to rethink their point of view.
Techniques…
• Parts of the scene were filmed using handheld
cameras and shot from a multitude of different
angels. Nolan notes that he wanted to invert the
expectation- we have all seen interrogation scenes
where someone is being given the third degree, we
expect a poorly lit room, a sense of gloom and
desperation. Having the bright, harsh and bleak
lighting allows us to see the Joker’s make-up and
notice it’s decay.
Getting it into words…Initially the scene is filmed tightly, there are tight close-ups with only
the smallest amount of drift in the camera. The filming seems
controlled, but even within that frame the Joker bobs in and out,
suggesting that Batman doesn’t yet have a deep enough sense of the
Joker and his ‘game’ (yet Nolan has filmed the scene to look a little
like a boxing match with the two sparing). If you watch this scene
carefully you will even note that the camera seems to be having a
little trouble trying to capture him (Joker) within the focal plane as a
result of his constant movement, however, this doesn’t detract from
the scene instead it offers a sense of strangeness as if we, like
Batman, are on the back foot trying to interpret and understand the
Joker. In contrast, at least until the interrogation spills over into
physicality, Batman seems very controlled and restrained.
• At the point where the Joker is dragged across the table
the cameras become handheld. This is the moment
where Batman looses the control that Gordon has
assured those watching he has; the moment where rage
spills over and he would break the rules. What the Joker
seems to show is that his motivation is in pushing
people’s buttons, finding their set rules and turning it on
them. Batman places a great deal of importance in his
rules, his morals, it is what distinguishes him from a
common vigilante. The Joker is able to twist him around
and make him question his own approach and his own
actions.
Nolan notes, “The rage is very much a central part of the story in
The Dark Knight, and that interrogation scene is the fulcrum on
which the whole movie turns. I think Batman finds out- and Bruce
Wayne finds out- a lot about himself in that scene.”
• “You have nothing to do with all of your strength.”
There’s this sort of impotence of the strong, armoured and
muscular Batman; he’s very powerful, feared by many, yet there
is nothing he can do, there is no useful way his power can be
exercised in this scene- the Joker is not afraid of him. Each
movement, each enraged punch merely plays into the Joker’s
game and allows him to see which buttons to push. Batman has
to confront that. When he drops the Joker, he has realised the
futility of what he’s done. You see it in his eyes. How do you fight
someone who thrives on conflict?
Who has won the battle?
• Look at the contrast between the two
figures: the dark, brooding, muscular
figure of Batman and the scrawny,
awkward and comically made up Joker.
• Do the costumes set us up to have certain
expectations of the outcome of this
encounter?
• Note that while Gordon’s part in the scene
is small it is important- he knows Batman
and has orchestrated the interrogation but
he also knows when things go wrong and
tries to get into the room.
– Batman also knows Gordon- he moves to place
the chair under the handle. The chair briefly
remains the focal point of the shot to
emphasise this.
• Nolan notes about this scene, “I’m
realizing this now about that scene- I
haven’t thought it through before-
the synthesis of all the different
elements that I am most interested
in come in that scene.”
The Corruption of Harvey Dent
• The Joker’s corruption of the physically and
emotionally scarred Harvey Dent is a seduction into
the world of villainy by way of surprisingly logical
rationalisation. The Joker, dressed in a nurse’s
uniform, successfully tempts Dent with the idea that
he will never be expected to plan again- this of
course is ironic because the Joker has many plans and
Dent has been a central figure in his biggest one.
• “Introduce a little anarchy. Upset the
established order, and everything
becomes chaos. I’m an agent of
chaos. Oh, and you know the thing
about chaos? It’s fair!”
• Harvey is at an all-time low point, he feels deeply
wronged- he has after all been a defender of honour
and justice; he has fought for the American dream; he
is physically deformed (refusing help for his injuries)
and deeply feels the loss of his fiancé- the sense of
injustice is overwhelming he did everything right.
With the Joker bending his ear Dent finds a new sense
of fairness, one where everyone has the same odds;
Dent is no longer making his own luck but is placing
his sense of fairness and morality in the flip of a coin.
• “I took Gotham’s white knight and I
brought him down to our level. It
wasn’t hard. You see, madness, as
you know, is like gravity. All it takes
is a little push!”
Your mission…In groups of three you will analyse either this scene or the following
(Batman’s sacrifice). You will need to create a resource that can be
photocopied for others in the class. Your resource must look at a range
of techniques.
What techniques are used?
-What is the effect of the technique?
-For what purpose is the technique used?
-How does the use of the technique help to further the message of
the scene, the film as a whole?
-What is the director’s purpose? Why did Nolan use this scene?
Why did he film it this way? (make a judgment)
Do you think this scene is successful? Why/ why not? (Make a
judgment)
Batman’s Sacrifice• Night after night, Batman has put his life on the line to protect
and inspire the people of Gotham. His selflessness reaches an
all-time high though when he sacrifices his legacy to protect
that of Harvey Dent and reward the citizens of Gotham for their
belief in him.
• The Joker won by corrupting Gotham’s White Knight to the tune
of multiple murders and taking Gordon’s family hostage.
• Batman’s intervention- saving young James Gordon, Jr. results in
Dent’s death.
Batman’s Sacrifice
• “You either die a hero or you live long
enough to see yourself become the
villain.”
• “Sometimes the truth isn’t good enough,
sometimes people deserve more.
Sometimes people deserve to have their
faith rewarded…”
• Why does Batman take the blame for
crimes he did not commit?
• “This is what happens when an unstoppable
force meets an immovable object… You
won’t kill me out of some misplaced sense
of self-righteousness. And I won’t kill you
because you’re just too much fun. I think
you and I are destined to do this forever.”
Batman’s Sacrifice
• Gordon objects, but ultimately complies with Batman’s
plan to lie in place of a truth that isn’t good enough.
The last line of the scene and the film belongs to
Gordon who essentially knights Gotham’s protector. In
epic, poetic fashion, Batman earns his titular nickname,
The Dark Knight, by learning for himself (and teaching
the audience) just how adaptable a symbol can be. He
is whatever Gotham needs him to be; he will always be
whatever we need him to be.
• “Because he's the hero Gotham
deserves, but not the one it needs
right now. So we'll hunt him.
Because he can take it. Because he's
not our hero. He's a silent guardian.
A watchful protector. A Dark Knight.”