Cinema Blend recieved a tip via a friend who tells them that execs at Warner Bros. are considering cutting a rather unsettling and meta scene from The Dark Knight featuring The Joker due to Heath Ledger’s unfortunate passing. The source says the scene is not playing well with test audiences. Read on if you want to know the scene, nothing too spoilerish in such limited context. And keep in mind this is just a rumor.
The scene involves The Joker pretending to be dead inside a body bag. If true, I’m not going to jump at the decision just yet. Usually I’d rail against it, but to me, this is a matter of taste/respect and while Christopher Nolan’s grim vision should remain intact along with the performance that Ledger will be most remembered for, maybe it’s just a bit much. Wow, this might be the first time I’ve camped out with the “too sooners.” The scene could always be permanently restored on the DVD. How do you all feel about it?
UPDATE: Slashfilm reader consensus seems to be “leave it” and “don’t be such a girly man, girly men!” :’(
April 10th, 2008 at 2:15 pm
Leave it. His death has nothing to do with the context of his performance in the film. He was an actor, and assuming he did his job correctly, the audience shouldn’t be thinking about him but rather his character.
April 10th, 2008 at 2:18 pm
I’m with you Hunter, I hate to be a band wagon jumper..but I say take it out. It hits a little too close to home. And yes, I know “IT’S PART OF THE PERFORMANCE” and I apologize for not KNOWING the actor..but…
Too soon.
April 10th, 2008 at 2:20 pm
I know it could be reinserted later on dvd, but artistically, it should be left in. I don’t know how many people are going to go watch the Dark Knight hoping for Heath’s performance to be light and uplifting? Let his amazing work live on. I am hoping people will finally realize that Jack’s joker was contrived and bloated. The best thing about the buzz on this movie is how uncomfortable it’s going to be, it was supposed to be unsettling before his death anyway. I guess they could cgi a purple jacket on Heath too…
April 10th, 2008 at 2:20 pm
I understand some people may seem uneasy about the scene, but it was intended to be part of the film. I think it should remain because in the end it is still a movie. I know respect and all but I would want my performances, regardless of the scene, to be remembered and not left behind after I passed away.
April 10th, 2008 at 2:20 pm
I feel they should take it out. Sorry but it will remind me a lot of people of his death.
April 10th, 2008 at 2:22 pm
i’m on the fence with this one, which is weird cuz normally i’d shout ‘leave it in!!’ at the top of my lungs. but this passing was different - for me - than other celeb deaths, still really bummed. i like your idea about having it in the dvd.
anyone else see those new weird pics of heath’s joker? i dunno if they were real, but they were trippy as hell. they were up a few days ago, but i think they’re gone. there’s some cool spoilers on another site about some of his lines/scenes, but i won’t say cuz i know alot of people don’t wanna know.
April 10th, 2008 at 2:22 pm
@ Alex
I totally understand your point, but I think separating the two in July will nearly be impossible. The Crow’s original theatrical release is a great example. Then again, Brandon Lee died from a freak bullet incident and he was shot countless times in his last film. I can’t recall if any scenes were cut out of respect for his passing.
To me, it’s really not a matter of “people can’t handle it.” For one, I can’t say whether Ledger would want the scene in there. Maybe WB should ask his family what he’d want to do with this one scene. Not sure why I feel this way about it, but respect plays a big part. Again, this is all speculation.
April 10th, 2008 at 2:23 pm
Fuck test audiences.
April 10th, 2008 at 2:23 pm
I think I would have those feelings of too soon throughout the whole film. It’s going to be odd watching him on screen knowing that he has passed away. I understand a lot of actors have passed away and they’re immortalized on film but this is a movie that he will never get to see or be rewarded for after the viewings.
April 10th, 2008 at 2:28 pm
It is hard to have an opinion, not having seen the scene, the context, or anything else other than that brief description. I’m usually in the camp of if it works leave it, but in this particular instance… I dunno, maybe it hits just a little close to reality. Again, with DVD we can see a lot of cut scenes, this could be one. Ultimately I’ll have to trust Nolan with this one, he worked with Ledger and he knows his film. If he feels it should be left in, he’ll fight for it.
April 10th, 2008 at 2:29 pm
I think the scene should be kept. Just because he jumps out of a body bag really doesn’t have anything to do with his death. Its not like the Joker is overdosing in one of the scenes or something like that, even though he is crazy. I think the scene should be treated like any other scene in any other movie should be treated, if audiences are reacting badly (For reasons other than Ledger’s death), then sure, it should be cut. People need to look past the fact that they know the Joker was played by Heath Ledger in real life, if it was any other actor, would anyone care at all, not really. Audiences need to look at that scene as if they know its the JOKER not HEATH LEDGER jumping out of a body bag, which they should be doing already anyway. The side of respecting what the actor did is also an issue. Wouldn’t it be kind of a shame (and somewhat disrespectful) if you were to downgrade the actor’s final complete movie? Obviously if the character he was playing was important enough to him for him himself to be suffering somewhat during his portrayal, so shouldn’t that same attention be given by the others involved in the project? Though these are difficult subjects to argue over, I am eager to hear the opinions of those who think the scene SHOULD be cut.
April 10th, 2008 at 2:35 pm
That’s my problem, people en masse are ridiculous and will put 2 and 2 together and cry about what a horrible image it protrays.
People get so caught up with their emotions they will tag anything that reminds them of this persons ordeal or some historic situation and want it erased from the planet of the Earth. Let’s not tread back to a time when advertisers were falling victim to all the 9/11 shit people “thought” they were seeing in images.
Bans were being thrown around like “fuck you’s” in a Deadwood episode.
April 10th, 2008 at 2:35 pm
I say leave it in. I don’t think we know the whole story behind the scene. I think the movie needs to be the whole vision from Nolan not some cut up crap that Warner Bros. have deemed watchable. I want TDK to be “dark” and if that means seeing this great actor in a body bag then so be it.
April 10th, 2008 at 2:35 pm
COME ON MAN!!!! STUPID AMERICANS AND THEIR “OOOOOOOOOOOOOH TAKE IT OUT”
Its a movie, get over it!!!! You guys live in a fantasy!!!
Im American by the way, so dont even bother.
April 10th, 2008 at 2:36 pm
Leave it in
April 10th, 2008 at 2:38 pm
At first i was thinking maybe they should cut it, but after pondering it for a little bit I think it would be better if they left it in.
There was no way to tell that he was going to pass away, so why let it affect the performance that he had acted in? I think it’s human nature to compare the two and make the ‘death’ conclusion.
BUT!!
Watching Ledger playing the Joker on the screen (no matter the context of the character) is a celebration of his life and if you take anything away from his performance then they are being sensitive to what audiences think rather than being sensitive to Ledgers decision to make The Joker a memorable performance.
That’s my take!
April 10th, 2008 at 2:39 pm
It’d be a shame if it gets removed - personally I think that Ledger would have been disappointed if it was cut.
April 10th, 2008 at 2:40 pm
Keep it of course, foreboding or not, it was all part of the story prior to his passing.
April 10th, 2008 at 2:41 pm
If Heath acted in the scenes and agreed to do them, I’m sure he had every intention of them using the footage. I’m sure he’d be dissapointed to know his art is being tampered with just because of his death. He had every intention of making the Joker a dark character.
April 10th, 2008 at 2:41 pm
Probably the same testers who like Fanboys without the cancer. Leave it in!
April 10th, 2008 at 2:41 pm
I say we all just smoke a bull, calm down, and chillllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll. Far out, man. X)
April 10th, 2008 at 2:53 pm
Keep it in. It sounds like something the Joker would pull anyway. What happens on film is one thing. What happened in real life is another.
April 10th, 2008 at 2:54 pm
How the hell do you smoke a bull? Like smoking pork?
Sounds good!
April 10th, 2008 at 3:02 pm
This reminds me of The Crow and how they reshot/re-edited the scene where his character was shot (they turned it into a stabbing after his real-life death). Of course, it’s a little different… the shot in question doesn’t involve Ledger actually getting killed.
I too say leave it in, but agree with a previous commenter about how the allusion to Ledger’s death will overpower the scene if they leave it in. Whether or not it’s “too soon”, people will immediately go, “oh yeah, he died” and will be thinking of that for the rest of the scene, instead of focusing on the story.
April 10th, 2008 at 3:02 pm
@REAL6
YOU SHOW THEM.
Such a good rebuttal!
It’s like saying “fuck fags, but I’m gay..so don’t bother.”
April 10th, 2008 at 3:08 pm
wLeave it, easy choice. Heath wouldve wanted it that way.
April 10th, 2008 at 3:12 pm
Holy craptacular nonsense, Batman.
DON”T GO SEE IT yet if you are sensitive and having a rough time! You can’t tell me that this one scene is the only one that will spark emotion connected with his death. This debate is ridiculous.
April 10th, 2008 at 3:12 pm
The Dark Knight leave it alone! Its the Joker man he would pull stunts like this, its not real life… its a story (a amazing story). Mr Ledger should be aloud to shine even in dark times, they should show everything. I want to see it all and I am sure there many more who do to.
April 10th, 2008 at 3:14 pm
It should be kept in the film. People need to stop being sissies. Death is a part of life.
April 10th, 2008 at 3:19 pm
Keep it in there. The scene was part of his entire performance. Should they just not release the movie because it will remind us that Heath is no longer with us? No. Taking the scene out won’t bring him back. Leave it in, any footage we can see of such a good and dearly missed actor is special.
April 10th, 2008 at 3:19 pm
“Death is a part of life.”
No it’s not…being PART of life implies life goes on after death. Death ends life.
April 10th, 2008 at 3:26 pm
Leave it in. Let’s not cheat the audience out of the man’s last complete performance.
April 10th, 2008 at 3:27 pm
The movie hasn’t screened yet. The story is BS.
April 10th, 2008 at 3:28 pm
Oh boo hoo. Political correctness is in no place to constitute whether or not scenes should be cut out of a movie.
April 10th, 2008 at 3:29 pm
100% Leave it in. I don’t expect Nolan put the scene in the movie just to pass time, I’m sure it adds to the atmosphere/character/story. I really think it’s ridiculous to consider editing the movie unless there’s a scene where he takes out a bottle of sleeping tablets and swallows it whole.
A body bag is far too generic an image to provoke editing.
Dave.
RIP Ledger
April 10th, 2008 at 3:32 pm
They absolutely should NOT cut this scene from the movie. How is seeing him in a body bag going to “remind you that he is dead?” Did you forget?
I for one would like to see as much of his performance as possible, every last disturbing second of it.
April 10th, 2008 at 3:32 pm
i agree with hunter they should take it out,
infact they should take joker out the movie i don’t want his last film to be him as a killer. You see i am a huge pussy and can’t seeing him in a body bag is too much for me. Even though i never meet him or talked to him his death was so important to me that his last film should be edited and cut so his death is easier for me to deal with. Because i don’t understand art or a directors vision, and a scene in a film where he looks like he is dead even though he ISN’T EVEN DEAD IN THE DAMN SCENE is too much for me to take and will remind me too much of LORD LEDGER
April 10th, 2008 at 3:40 pm
the 65,000 dollar question is: would Heath want it pulled? think for a moment. if an actor is told a scene they did was cut, would it sit easy with them? we haven’t seen the movie but it’s safe to say he put his whole self into the role and to cut a scene to me is a slap in the face. ask any actor and they would tell you the same. while i see where WB is headed and think they are keeping the right intentions, it would be like cutting a scene in one of james dean’s movies when he passed.
April 10th, 2008 at 3:41 pm
Fuck Exces let Nolan keep it however he wants. If he says no, then we’ll have wait to see in it in ton the dvd…but if Nolan says keep it I’m all for it. It is HIS vision we’re going to see after all, so I say let him have the last word.
April 10th, 2008 at 3:47 pm
Leave the scene in the movie. Heath Ledger’s death has nothing to do with The Joker hiding in a body bag.
April 10th, 2008 at 3:50 pm
Here’s the question: does it throw people out of the film if its in? Can it be cut without fucking up the story/tone of the movie?
Lots of stuff gets left on the editing room floor… original vision my ass. ‘Original Vision” gets your the Star Wars prequels.
I’m as amped as the next guy- moreso- to see every wattage of Ledger’s performance as the Joker. I want to see every bit… but if one simple image throws people out of the whole story then it needs to go.
And don’t blame the WB…blame the douchebags who took pictures of the bodybag leaving the apartment building for this one.
April 10th, 2008 at 3:55 pm
In the end, the studio respects Nolan too much to pressure him. It’s all on Nolan if the scene is tasteful or not.
April 10th, 2008 at 3:56 pm
Leave it in.
Most of what we do to accommodate someone’s passing is for the ease of the living not for the sake of the person who’s passed. I don’t think Heath Ledger would want the scene cut. Especially if it’s a good scene. He was dedicated to his craft, to say the very least.
It would be an entirely different situation if they fabricated something posthumously and stuck it in there but this was something that he created. It might be a little eerie to watch but I don’t think it’s in poor taste at all.
April 10th, 2008 at 3:56 pm
Put three more months between now and the first time it is viewed and it won’t seem so “soon”.
I get the whole too soon talk, but in all reality, Brandon Lee crawled out of a grave in Crow. Nobody thought it was too soon for him.
Leave it in
April 10th, 2008 at 4:06 pm
This is a really tough call to make. Obviously something can be said for keeping the artistic vision but it may also be a little too close to home.
I’m of the opinion that unless it’s critical or gives the viewer something that otherwise couldn’t be given then keep it in. Otherwise cut it and then include it on the DVD.
I would hate for the scene to go completely unseen by mass audiences so if they do cut it I hope they release it in the special features.
April 10th, 2008 at 4:11 pm
I’m sorry, but removing a scene because the studio fears it will remind people of Ledger’s death is absurd. Do they think the audience will suddenly forget it happened if they cut the scene? I’m sure they believe that by doing so they’re being respectful to a few overly sensitive people in the audience, but in actuality they’re being disrespectful to Ledger. Let’s face it, the studio is afraid of making the audience uncomfortable which they believe will ultimately affect their bottom-line. It’s further proof that executives know nothing about film except to sanitize it beyond any possible offense. I may be showing my cynicism here, but it seems like a bunch of PC bullshit designed to widen demographics and ensure that Jack and Sally from wherever-the-fuck USA aren’t made to feel uncomfortable (God forbid). Seriously, If you want to respect the man and his (unfortunately final) work, leave the performance intact.
April 10th, 2008 at 4:21 pm
Hunter, I can’t believe you are taking that position.
Nobody who really loves film can take that position. Therefore, you, Hunter, are not a true lover of film.
April 10th, 2008 at 4:23 pm
I say leave it in. Heath was a great actor and it seems to me he probably wouldn’t want his performance sanitized. The movie is supposed to be unsettling and he’ll live forever on film.
However, if his family had a problem with it, I’d respect their wishes.
April 10th, 2008 at 4:23 pm
Leave it in. It’s not in bad taste, it was shot BEFORE his passing.
I respect Heath as much as the next person but taking it out is
losing part of the story. From what I’ve read Heath was quite happy with his performance in the movie.
April 10th, 2008 at 4:40 pm
Simply put…I would imagine “the deceased” wouldn’t want his performance in the film altered. No matter the case.
And if this does get cut, there is NO WAY in the world they would include it on the DVD. Would it be any less “offensive” 8 or 9 months after the release? No. You are dreaming.
In my own opinion, I’d say leave it in…I don’t see how watching his character play dead will be any more shocking or offensive then seeing him in that gruesome-ass makeup, playing a murderous psychopath.
April 10th, 2008 at 4:54 pm
Did people scream and cry during every scene that Brandon Lee’s character was shot in The Crow? As I recall, that movie did rather well and is still pretty popular with some crowds. I say the decision should be with Nolan, or with Ledger’s family if there has to be a second party involved. Otherwise you’re just degrading the work that Ledger put into the part.
April 10th, 2008 at 4:59 pm
Leave it in. He’s dead. Taking the scene out of the movie won’t bring him back to life. Plus, 99.9% of the people seeing the movie didn’t know the man. If it bothers them so much they need to get a life.
April 10th, 2008 at 5:06 pm
I always hear about these f#@king test audiences, who are they made up of????? Are they even fans? Do they even read comic books?? WTF. Who ever these audiences are made up of, they apparently have no place being in a movie theatre in the first place or even critizing for that matter.
April 10th, 2008 at 5:11 pm
This could be nasty but, leave it in. Just because an actor had tragedy in real life has no bearing on a filmmaker vision. Besides if Ledger did his job, and it looks like he did, then its the joker we’re watching on screen not Ledger. Coincidence aside its a movie. The edgier the better. There are way more offensive things in movies than the joker in a body bag. Test audiences are a scam anyway.
April 10th, 2008 at 5:15 pm
leave it in, let the babies cry
April 10th, 2008 at 5:41 pm
Heath was an actor who was passionate about his craft. It would be an insult to him to remove any of his work from the film. People shouldn’t take any scenes personally, they should embrace his performance as just that- a performance.
April 10th, 2008 at 5:44 pm
Fuck, it’s not like it’s Batman’s fault Ledger died. No disrespect to him, but leave it as is. It’s a movie. A supposedly artistic endeavor, told by storytellers. How can they tell their story if they have keep shifting it an cutting things out. I think even heath would have wanted it to stay. This is of course under the assumption that it’s a necessary element to the film. If not, then who cares. God damn I’m hungry.
April 10th, 2008 at 6:02 pm
a dead body in a bag is art kelly?
hahahaha
April 10th, 2008 at 6:45 pm
If you passed away just after giving your last great performance (one which has been described by several, including acting virtuoso Michael Caine, as utter genius), would you not want the COMPLETE version of that performance in the final cut? I think cutting the scene is a big middle finger to all those who cherished Heath’s work, not to mention completely INSULTING to the late actor. This is, quite frankly, a fucking travesty.
April 10th, 2008 at 7:04 pm
test screenings, pfftt, it sounds fake-o. when has it tested?
this however is real. viva australian release dates
http://symscovington.blogspot.com/2008/04/does-iron-man-eat-planets-first-review.html
April 10th, 2008 at 7:10 pm
leave it in…..not sure what the big deal is.
Brandon lee died on set in full makeup…did they edit him out of the crow?
April 10th, 2008 at 7:32 pm
i say keep it in for all of the reasons already stated
April 10th, 2008 at 7:40 pm
i smell a debate created by the WB marketting/PR department. I think they call it a preemptive strike.
April 10th, 2008 at 7:58 pm
The book “Comic Book Movies” mentions the fact that Brandon Lee’s family told the producers of “The Crow” that they shouldn’t shelve the movie after his death - the film was insured so the financiers would have gotten their money back. So with a little tweaking, they released the movie on the family’s request, respecting their wishes.
WB, Christopher Nolan etc will do the right thing and ask Heath’s family and I would imagine that they’ll say to keep the scene in, respecting him and his work.
April 10th, 2008 at 8:42 pm
back to deleting comments, eh? yay censorship. as it turns out I have a friend who is a very well known screenwriter that says WB has screened DK all of 4 times and only for WB people.
there have been no public screenings, therefore this story is BS. Like I said earlier, before I was so hastily deleted. have I added enough qualifying information to pass your screening process yet, pete?
April 10th, 2008 at 8:44 pm
ah fuck, times posted are PST on here. I apologize. I was looking in the wrong spot.
April 10th, 2008 at 8:55 pm
They can NOT!! even start this campaign until Hollywood removes the world trade center from every film EVER made.
Then, and only then can we address the insanity of showing Heath in a film acting dead.
April 10th, 2008 at 9:10 pm
WB go do your polls elsewhere
April 10th, 2008 at 9:25 pm
are you serious? leave it in. I hate this kind of crap. This is supposed to be his best performance ever so wouldn’t it be a better tribute to have him in it as much as possible? If people are so shaken up or heartbroken by seeing it then when that scene comes on they can just pull out their “lad magazine” to pass the time until Heath starts shooting and stabbing people again
April 10th, 2008 at 9:33 pm
HEATH WOULD NEVER WANT IT TOUCHED.
April 10th, 2008 at 9:51 pm
Who cares??! they will leave it for the DVD..
Nolan can do whatever he wants to do with his movie.
April 10th, 2008 at 10:28 pm
Screw that, leave it in.
April 10th, 2008 at 11:18 pm
I just hope they leave in the scene where the joker dies of a sleeping pill overdose…
April 11th, 2008 at 12:47 am
They show Brandon Lee Get shot in the crow and diddnt take it out, getting shot so the CROW dies. I dont see why a pretend body bag scene is so bad. pretend in both movie and ” its a movie” sence of the term
April 11th, 2008 at 12:57 am
This is self-fulfilling. Sometimes if you ASK people if they will be offended by something, they’ll say YES. But if never asked, they never bring it up or comment on it.
The media does this all the time with political reporting.
That being said, if this gets media attention, you’ll have to take it out as it will be distracting to audiences. It will stop the film dead in its tracks as audiences murmur about “the scene they heard about.”
But as someone else said, it’s months away. People have short memory spans.
Leave it in.
April 11th, 2008 at 1:46 am
I’ve been thinking on this & came to my decision: I back whatever decision Nolan makes. He’s closer than anyone to all of this, and we all know he will take everything into account; taste, respect, what the story needs, Ledgers’s vision/family, etc. Since we dont know much & if WB puts it in his hands, I’m ok with the choice he makes - either way.
I just hope the final decision is up to him.
April 11th, 2008 at 1:51 am
I feel that they should leave it in so that the movie is complete but if it isn’t that big of a scene then i feel it can be taken out.
April 11th, 2008 at 3:04 am
They knew when Heath passed that this film was going to become controversial. I mean he is playing a pychopath!!. Leave the man’s work alone. This film is not “Nims Island”.
April 11th, 2008 at 3:59 am
Time & time again, test audiences are the bane of any filmmaking that aims even slightly above lowest common denominator. The cult of mawkish mass faux-bereavement strikes again. These are not the grounds on which any scene in this film (or indeed, any other) should be cut.
April 11th, 2008 at 6:45 am
I am so tired of this bullshit, Im so sick of hollywood and studio executives. They dont watch movies, or appreciate film they just sit at a big fancy desk and make fucking stupid decisions regarding films. If nolan’s head is on straight, he will keep the scene in. This in no way offends me, or should offend anyone, I mean has anyone here ever met heath ledger? Seriously he was a great actor, but if you are going to sit and mope and bitch about his death you honestly need to get a life because, yes, death is a part of life and it happens. So i say im all for this scene and if something like this does get cut, im going to be pissed off and lose all faith in Hollywoodland. On with this scene and the dark knight will be an incredible movie and hopefully an incredible final performance for Mr. Heath Ledger himself.
April 11th, 2008 at 7:40 am
I would like to also suggest that future editions of Monster’s Ball edit out the scene where Heath’s character shoots himself, thus eliminating any need for the rest of the story and sex scene between Halle Berry and Billy Bob. The new runtime will be around 55 minutes. Also, future editions of Brokeback Mountain will not have Heath’s character die in the end, instead, Jake and Heath will live happily ever after, proving that everyone in the world now agrees that homosexuality is ok, especially in the South.
After that Hollywood will only produce stories with happy endings, about sunny subject matter. The ironic and unforeseen consequence will be that everyone in the world will later commit suicide out of sheer fucking banality and boredom.
April 11th, 2008 at 8:17 am
Wow, Agony I could not agree with you more, that is really well put
April 11th, 2008 at 8:18 am
I think it would be a great, chilling scene. But it may be a little too soon. If Nolan is fine with the cut, I think it’s fine. It should be his call. Personally, I think test audiences are worthless. Just let the director and writers release their vision.
April 11th, 2008 at 8:32 am
lol @ Agony’s post
April 11th, 2008 at 10:35 am
@ agony
great point about monster’s ball…but did you see brokeback? re-watch it, there’s a new surprise ending with the fate of heath’s character.
April 11th, 2008 at 10:37 am
and capt awesome, i’m shocked that you didn’t call agony on his mistake! you’re usually the one poster who beats me to the punch!
April 11th, 2008 at 12:13 pm
We’re all working under the assumption that this rumor is true. Remember that’s it’s only a rumor. From what I’ve read the only people that have screened the movie have been Chris Nolan, his people, and WB exec’s. I’m guessing someone just started a rumor to tie in with Heath’s unfortunate death. I just can’t believe this has any truth to it. Besides it seem a bit early to be screening a movie that is being kept under tight wraps.
April 11th, 2008 at 12:20 pm
Of course they’re gonna cut the scene out from the theaters, it’s the best publicity the DVD will get: the infamous cut scene in the DVD extras.
April 11th, 2008 at 12:28 pm
This film should not be at the mercy of a few lucky (and most probably, unmerited) people who get to see the screening. The film is above them, and Heath’s performance is above us all. If the scene adds color to THE JOKER’s character, if Heath felt the scene was important, than it should stay. Nolan must do what Heath would have wanted. We cannot alter history, the history about to be made by this incredible actor. He died after he became the Joker. Let’s not cut what he was. The wolrd understands irony. We are not afraid.
April 11th, 2008 at 12:45 pm
with due respect to heath ledger, i say leave it in.
frankly it would be an insult to his final performance if but one second were left out.
r.i.p. mr ledger.
April 11th, 2008 at 1:51 pm
Leave it in, taking it out would be stupid as hell
April 11th, 2008 at 1:56 pm
To be honest I’m lazy and did’t read your other comments.
and this is not directed t the website or the other people that are commenting.
But come on!
1) An actor died, Yeah it’s sad and it’s a big deal but would he want the film and his character to suffer for it.
2) “rather unsettling” the point of the joker character is to be psychotic disturbing and completely insane. He’s a violent and disturbed killer.
I think part of his character may be “rather unsettling” for a reason.
3) Yes it’s a cover but it’s par of the original that is remembered and all tho not key to plot is sure to be a brilliant scene.
Need I even mention Brandon Lee from The Crow!
did they remove anything because he dies, NO.
April 11th, 2008 at 2:04 pm
It should be left in. It’s pretty much his final performance (if they can even do anything with the other film he was filming). It should be fully shown to do him justice for putting his all into such a role. They really shouldn’t cut anything more than needed with Ledger in it, to let him go out with a grin upon his face.
April 11th, 2008 at 2:04 pm
I love how so many commentators are saying “Heath would want it in”… like you guys knew the guy. For all we know, he may have thought that scene was stupid. Do you really think every actor has some sort of personal attachment to every scene they shoot for a movie?
I’m sure the Director has a much better idea of what Heath would want… and ultimately as long as the director is the one who makes the decision, I can’t imagine it’d be bad for the film.
Now, if the director wants it in there, but the studio execs force it to be cut, that’s a different story.
April 11th, 2008 at 2:12 pm
Leave it, it’s a part of the film.
April 11th, 2008 at 2:14 pm
I’d be pissed if someone cut an entire scene of my work. It’s more respectful to leave it in, the way he acted it.
April 11th, 2008 at 2:15 pm
It would be an insult to the memory of Heath Ledger if they cut any shred of the film featuring him. It is the equivalent of censoring passages out of a president’s memoirs.
April 11th, 2008 at 2:21 pm
If he was in his jim jams, coughing and spluttering in a hotel room dying in a drug overdose then maybe I’d be on the side of “cut it out for the sake of sensitivity”
As it stands, he’s playing THE JOKER: a comic book character who - big whoop - sits in a body bag. MEH. Leave it in
April 11th, 2008 at 2:25 pm
I doubt Mr. Ledger would want a scene cut now that he’s dead that he wouldn’t have cut when he was alive. I do not say that because he wouldn’t want the film to suffer on his behalf or that people need to grow a skin and stop being so emo. I say that because dead people don’t want.
Jez lewez.
April 11th, 2008 at 2:29 pm
IF cinema is to be considered an art form then it MUST be left intact or it ceases to be the work it was supposed to be.
I’m sure Ledger put in enough work for him to be at least a little proud of his performance in this film and to take it out, I feel, would be contrary to HIS wishes.
This is his final complete work and should be left uncut, at least as a testement to his ‘craft’. (for contexts sake I have to admit that I don’t rate him much however I DO feel that his performance should either be taken as whole or not at all, cutting for the sake of sentiment is worse than censorship.)
April 11th, 2008 at 2:35 pm
Wow, who ever writes this blog, you miss-spelled receive at the beginning of your article.
April 11th, 2008 at 2:38 pm
Leave it in! He’s playing a murderous psychopath, if you cut out what sounds like a great scene, then you might as well cut his entire performance out of the the film.
This is one of the most anticipated comic book films to ever come out. Now that Batman Begins has shown us what is possible with a screen version of Batman, it would be such a shame to lose even a second of what sounds like a thrilling performance by the late Heath Ledger.
April 11th, 2008 at 2:39 pm
too soon
April 11th, 2008 at 2:41 pm
How long had he been dead when they decided to shoot that scene? I mean, I think it’s in poor taste and I didn’t think they could actually put real dead bodies in movies?
Am I wrong?
April 11th, 2008 at 2:41 pm
This is not the same thing as cutting the twin-towers shot from
spiderman. in that case of the spiderman, the shot of the building
would be immediately connected to the visual and
impact from the events of 911.
In the case of the joker shot… it should remain.
The joker and the actor playing the joker are too different visuals
and are abstractly different enough that it will no upset the
audience. The actor didn’t die during the making of the film.
He didn’t die in makeup, he didn’t even die on the set.
He died at home in bed.
Remember the actor who played the crow was shot and killed on the set of the crow during a gun battle shoot.
When a gun that was loaded with blanks contained a lossed lead
slug and was accidentally fired and killed the actor.
They left in the shot… they had to… it was a major part of the move. everyone knew the actor had been killed, and killed in that shot making the whole idea even more surprising that it was used.
People should not try to be so politically correct.
People do die, people have during and after movie shoots.
This should not affect the editing of a film.
April 11th, 2008 at 3:15 pm
Don’t take it out. Heath would want it all in there, he was an actor’s actor and wouldn’t have done it if he hadn’t intended it to be seen…
So let’s not lose a single frame of his performance as the Joker!!!!!!
April 11th, 2008 at 3:38 pm
They’ll end up adding the scene to a ‘directors cut’ dvd anyway so what’s the point? Just leave the scene in. Unless it is a way to make more money on different versions of the film…
April 11th, 2008 at 3:59 pm
I think they should leave it in. I mean anyone ever see The Crow, Brandon Lee died while filming that movie, he’s shot and killed in that movie.
April 11th, 2008 at 4:05 pm
i before e, except after c
April 11th, 2008 at 4:17 pm
LEAVE IT! Its a dark film not Horton Hears a Who.
April 11th, 2008 at 4:29 pm
Life imitates art, I suppose? Tee hee hee.
You think Ledger wanted to come to know his character a bit more?
Or maybe he wanted to practice not-breathing so he could look realistic on camera?
If you were messing around with the Olsen twins, would you want to be alive?
I can go on and on and on….
P.S. Leave it in.
April 11th, 2008 at 4:41 pm
If audiences will be thinking about Ledger and it distracts from the scene itself, then the answer is pretty obvious. His acting ability won’t be diminished because of a short little scene that was cut from the movie. Can you hear yourselves? “OMG - look at that actor play dead! What skill! What, you’re going to remove the scene? You bastard!”…..yeah ok.
April 11th, 2008 at 5:04 pm
If people can’t handle the Joker in a body bag, how are they going to handle anything else he does in the movie? I haven’t been spoiled in the slightest, but this is THE JOKER we’re talking about. He’s going to be a grisly, twisted character who kills innocent people on the slightest psychotic whim, and odds are pretty good that, after plenty of murder and mayhem, the movie’s going to end with the Joker at least presumed dead himself. Given all that, how can hiding in a body bag really stand out as the one thing that comes off as “disrespectful”?
April 11th, 2008 at 5:18 pm
Leave it in, definitely. His death shouldn’t affect any of his work.
April 11th, 2008 at 5:29 pm
“His death shouldn’t affect any of his work”???
April 11th, 2008 at 5:44 pm
If its important to the plot - leave it. If its insignificant - take it out. Or better yet ask the family how they feel about it- they’re the ones that really matter.
I think the “compromise” of taking it out of the screens but adding it to DVD will only sensationalize his death more i.e. “Dude you totally gotta checkout that deleted never seen before footage of Ledg-err, um the Joker in a bodybag.” Instantly the scene becomes a commodity that will then overshadow the performance.
I know its an eerie parallel to the tabloid footage of Ledger being carried out in a bodybag - but *everyone* ends up in a bodybag when they die - maybe we should retroactively remove bodybags from films whenever *any* actor dies. Oh yea ban caskets and tombstones too from movies they’re all evil.
April 11th, 2008 at 5:54 pm
They better leave this scene in the movie. Personally, if I worked my heart out to give the best performance I could for a movie, I would be upset if people took away part of my accomplishment because of their “too soon” feelings.
Did any of you replying to this know him personally? Did you speak with him? Hang out with him? befriend him? Who are you to say it is “to soon?” What loss have you experienced in your life from his passing which makes you think that you have the right to butcher his performance?
This pseudogrieving from the general public is disgusting. Are you seriously going to this batman movie for a happy feel-good time? Did you forget this is Batman? The ***DARK*** knight? The movie should be disturbingly dark! Welcome to Batman!
April 11th, 2008 at 6:59 pm
the movie would not be the same i want to remember heath for his last performance being great not for getting cut up
April 11th, 2008 at 7:08 pm
Leave the scene in. Yeah its sad. I was bummed a bit when I found out about it. But im not gonna sit here and say its “too much”. People feel like they know a person just because they see them in a movie. These are the same people who would bother him while he was eating out with his family. Thinking its ok cause their a fan. you dont know him. At least not the real person. The least they can do is let him go out with a bang. As for the execs, they dont give a damn. They just want to fill seats and make their money.
April 11th, 2008 at 10:54 pm
Heath’s death is living proof that life is too short to worry about what so many people MAY think. Look at him, he lived a rockstars life… If he were here, reading this he woulden’t even comment. Leave it in– Sad? yes. Ironic? yes. Face it… he is dead (i’m not a jerk for saying that.. he IS in fact dead). and lets not forget how hard he worked on this movie while he was alive…
April 11th, 2008 at 10:59 pm
Though Heath Ledger’s death was a tragedy, I think what would only serve to add to it, would be cutting this scene.
As he was an actor, and a damn fine one at that, the greatest insult to his memory would be to cut out a scene in his final film. I understand the view of it being too soon, however, death is the only inevitability in life, and even though his was too soon, people should honour his life by leaving his last film intact.
April 12th, 2008 at 7:47 am
Im no expert, but im guessing that if heath(in heaven) sees an important seen from a movie thats probally gonna be considered one of his best performances ever get cut because he died, he gonna make a deal with the devil to come back to earth, kill the guy editing the film and spend eternity in hell with a smile on his face. Heath himself even said this was his most challenging role ever, and left him alittle disturbed. Leave the guys hard work alone and get over your selves! Hes gone, The least you could do is respect the work he did while he was alive. I dont think he laid in a body bag for the film thinking” Man , if i die i hope they cut this out”.
April 12th, 2008 at 9:11 am
Although I agree that they should honor his performance (and leave the scene in), there is a point where you stop seeing a character, and you start thinking of the actor, which gets in the way of the storytelling.
I could understand taking it out if people are just thinking of Heath Ledger, rather than the Joker, but not for the “too soon” factor.
Really looking forward to whatever Christopher Nolan decides to present me with.
April 12th, 2008 at 11:33 am
Eh, I don’t really care if they do or not. I mean, I understand if they take it out, but if they don’t, whatever.
April 12th, 2008 at 11:50 am
Now I’m sure I will remember Heath for playing in a movie that got cut up by his death.
This is just some stunt to boost the DVD sales.
April 12th, 2008 at 12:24 pm
Whatever you got left, keep it in … in this case, as a final performance goes, the fewer the cutouts the director has to make, the better … [ADDENDUM] Seems the guys on Digg network agree overwhelmingly in favor of leaving the scene in …
April 12th, 2008 at 11:33 pm
while most of the posts here have overwhelmingly railed in favor of keeping the scene, and fuck test audiences, and how dare they, and all that - i haven’t heard the argument, that this scene might be difficult for HEATH’S FAMILY to watch. i didn’t know him, nobody here knew him, but we all got big opinions on why this scene should stay in. i’m curious if anybody gave a thought to the fact that seeing him in a body bag could be pretty rough for them. i wonder how many people thought about that before they made their posts.
i’m still going with whatever decision nolan makes, and it sounds like it’s staying in. i’m posotive that nolan took everything into mind when making the call, so that’s good enough for me.
April 13th, 2008 at 12:25 am
sorry, i kinda repeated myself in that post!
April 13th, 2008 at 9:44 am
Leave it! Thats Ridiculous. Why cut that scene. That has nothing to do with his death, its part of the movie. Plus he is faking his death as the joker. I want the full experience of this film cause i’m not going in thinking the whole time thats heath fighting batman.
April 13th, 2008 at 2:37 pm
“i haven’t heard the argument, that this scene might be difficult for HEATH’S FAMILY to watch. i didn’t know him, nobody here knew him, but we all got big opinions on why this scene should stay in. i’m curious if anybody gave a thought to the fact that seeing him in a body bag could be pretty rough for them. i wonder how many people thought about that before they made their posts.”
Then I will say it again, Heath Ledger is playing THE JOKER, a cackling, murderous lunatic with a face scarred corpse-white by acid. If you’re worried about Heath Ledger’s performance being “difficult to watch”, then you’re going to have delete the entire movie, or make it ten minutes of Batman hanging out and doing nothing, because the Joker, by definition, is a very morbid character. Perhaps this was simply the worst sort of role for anyone to play immediately prior to dying, but barring the decision to toss the whole film away, I can’t see how Heath Ledger being in a body bag is going to be far and away worse than Heath Ledger holding a woman at knife point like he does in the cover photo on this page, or Heath Ledger doing any of the things the Joker does as a matter of course. This was his last performance and, by bad luck, it happens to be a dark and unsettling performance, which is a testament to his talent as an actor. Nitpicking exactly which image is the most unsettling with a role like this is ridiculous: the only way for anyone who can’t separate the actor from the role, the entire movie is going to inevitably be a punch in the gut, body bag or no body bag.
April 13th, 2008 at 5:31 pm
Keep it. He probably spent a lot of time working on that scene and I think he would want it in the movie
April 14th, 2008 at 1:53 am
Leave it in, it’s part of the movie and in there for a reason.
I’m getting totally sick and tired of this whole PC thing with movies.
Next thing we know batman hitting someone must be cut out, due to the voilent nature. Oh and he jumps down a building, we should cut that out too, that’s dangerous. His motorcycle’s got guns, cut it!
And then we end up with Happy Days, only there is a Batman in it….
Yes a gifted actor died and some people (the oversensitive sort) might be “shocked” by the scene, but remember he is the one who played this scene!
It’s an educated guess taht he wasn’t forced to do this and played the scene as a good actor: in his role!
April 14th, 2008 at 2:57 am
leave it in to honour the guy, if he did it surely he’d want it in the film.
to take it out would just dishonour some of his hard work.
think 9/11, would you have said ok if they stopped showing all that footage just because it was unsettling, we’ve been thru worse and he really put his all in this.
miss that guy, excellent actor and great bloke!
April 14th, 2008 at 6:31 pm
Leave it. Leave it, leave it, leave it. The man was an artist, and I’m sure he poured his heart and soul into that scene. He’d want it to be seen.
April 16th, 2008 at 11:37 am
Eh im not too upset, by the time the DVD comes out, the “shock time” will have gone down enough for them to put it on the 2-Disc Special Features that big movies like this always have.
April 20th, 2008 at 7:13 am
Leave it! Heath worked his ass off to get that movie right. He said himself that the movie caused him to get worked up so much that he was on sleeping medication just to get him to pass out at night. Do you honestly think the man would be thrilled about having that scene taken out if he were alive? I think not. Do you think he would be thrilled about having the scene taken how because he died? I think not. Actors die. Plain and simple. Tragedy in this case but it doesn’t mean we should do away with part of his work “because it makes us feel uncomfortable”. People should really learn to deal with death better. It’s acting. Period. Leave the movie alone and enjoy his great work. Ugh.
May 5th, 2008 at 1:34 pm
I think that Heath would have wanted that scene included, he wouldnt want a movie to lack talent and his skill
May 15th, 2008 at 3:58 pm
Fucking oversensitive girls leave what was meant to be in the movie and not try to make such a big deal out of things.