Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight (2008) had Heath Ledger playing one of the most impressive portrayals of Batman’s arch nemesis The Joker. The film showcased Joker’s anarchic plan to terrorize Gotham and its residents while psychologically challenging Batman himself. The film has been considered one of the best DC films ever made due to its many memorable and impactful scenes. One can still remember the awe and suspense they experienced when they saw the mind-blowing truck flip scene as Batman tries to apprehend The Joker. Another memorable sequence from the film is the one where Joker blows up the Gotham General Hospital. The sequence is quirky and interesting due to the nonchalant nature with which he simply blows up an entire hospital. One might be shocked to know that the whole sequence was properly planned and rehearsed.
The Joker’s Initial Disappointment with the Explosion was Planned
In the scene, as Joker walks out of the hospital, small explosions and bursts are seen in the background. Heath Ledger‘s Joker is frustrated since he had planned for a bigger and louder explosion that created a big scene. He starts thumping the detonator button and much to his surprise, the big explosion happens, destroying the entire hospital while he escapes through a bus.
In one of the behind-the-scenes of the making of the hospital sequence (via YouTube), Christopher Nolan talks about how that entire sequence was pre-planned and rehearsed extensively. Even Ledger’s expression of disappointment regarding his bomb plan was all planned and not improvised as many fans believed. Nolan explained,
“Chris [Corbould] and his guys, working very closely with the demolition team, they were able to come up with a scenario in which Heath [Ledger] could actually be walking out of the building. Because what Chris worked out is if we put in a little beat where the first set of explosions stops, as if something has gone wrong, and the Joker just takes a second to look around, surprised, like the audience is surprised, then the major demolition comes in, and he jumps straight in the school bus. In that way, he was able to come up with a practical scenario in which we could actually take a principal actor, walk him out of a building that’s about to be destroyed, and literally drop a building to the ground”
Nolan’s emphasis on making the entire sequence as practical as possible made the sequence exhilarating and terrifying at the same time.
Heath Ledger Extensively Rehearsed for the Scene and was not Improvised
In the same video, Christopher Nolan talks about the pressure of delivering the whole sequence in one shot due to its expensive nature. The whole crew including Heath Ledger had to extensively rehearse for the sequence around 12 times. He explained,
“We rehearsed endlessly with Heath that morning. We walked him out, going through exactly what he was going to do. Chris Corbould calling the explosions where they would take place. We rehearsed it, I think, about 12 times, I think, we literally walked him out, videotaped the rehearsal, and looked at it from different camera angles. Heath was such a perfectionist to be so precise in what he was doing, which was essential because this was obviously a one-take thing, and the angle I knew that we really needed, despite all of the other cameras we set, we really needed that close shot on him walking out to work perfectly. He did it very, very precisely. I don’t know how he resisted looking back, you know, all of the explosions and lightweight material that the special effects guys were blowing behind him. I think he winded up with bits in his hair at the end of it, so close he was to everything that was going off”
The dedication and passion for delivering authenticity and realism is reflected in Nolan’s words. Fans can now put to rest their assumptions that Ledger’s initial reaction of disappointment was an improvisation. The whole thing was a meticulously planned, thoroughly executed sequence.
The Legacy of The Dark Knight
The Dark Knight destroyed existing myths and stereotypes that a big studio comic book film is just an entertaining fare and does not provide anything meaningful and substantiative. The film proved that such superhero films can also provide deep character dramas laced with real-life themes and scenarios. The film became the highest-grossing film of 2008 grossing a billion dollars at the box office.
The film also cemented Heath Ledger’s legacy and his performance as the Joker as one of the best cinematic acting roles of all time. He won many posthumous awards for Best Supporting Actor at the BAFTAs, Golden Globes, and the Oscars, making it the first time that a comic book role received such prestigious awards.
Source: YouTube
