Yesterday afternoon, a call comes in on the Gilster's hotline, from MovieWeb headquarters. Apparently, the Joker had a cake delivered to HQ, with all kinds of fun stuff crammed in it. Read that story here.
BB at HQ calls me on the DL (heh, sorry), saying he can't make it to The Bridge (a theater here in LA), so I have to go in his place. We assumed it was to catch the first 6 minutes of The Dark Knight, which some people had seen earlier in the week, but I was thinking that maybe it was that, PLUS a preview screening of I Am Legend.
Alas, I was only half right.
Around 2pm, we meet at the rendezvous point, I grab my "Gotham Times" press pass, and head to The Bridge Theater. A line had already formed, as I guess this event was open to people who responded to some online promotion. Luckily, my pass got me to the front of the line, and with the event not starting for another few hours, I took the time to meet up with a buddy, and smoke a stogie (CAO Mx2, a nice maduro, that's both bold and smooth, if you're wondering).
(At this point, you're probably saying "Get on with the fucking 1st 6 minutes already!" If you are, good. Some people were waiting since 11am to see this, so I think you can wait the minute it takes you to read a couple of paragraphs, right?)
6pm rolls by, and I hop in front of the line. Strangely enough, only one other person with the pass I had showed up- a nice girl from Suicide Girls (no, not a naked model, you pervs). I guess The Joker ran out of eggs for more cakes. Anyway, I thought I saw one other person with a pass, but maybe he bailed when he heard it was only 6 minutes of the film.
Too bad for him.
I know it seems like a lot to go through for such a short clip, but I got to tell you- if you can make it to an IMAX showing of I Am Legend next week, you're going to be in for a treat, even if you end up hating that film.
The well-oiled machine that was the event's security ushered all 300+ of us into the theater, and before long, the lights went down, and the screen lit up with logos for WB, DC, etc., in sort of a long widescreen bar, then BAM! Full IMAX!
Here we go. Some spoilers ahead!
Movie Picture
We're in the air, soaring over a very real looking Gotham, like in the majority of Batman Begins. The camera starts in the direction of a building, but before we get too close, one of the windows explodes at us. Inside the building, we see two clown mask-adorned thugs, setting up a grapple gun, and shooting it to the roof of a building below.
Cut to a shot of a man standing on the corner of a street, from behind. We see he's holding a clown mask in his left hand, and perhaps there's a hint of green in his hair. A van pulls up, with two more thugs (more clown masks), and the man puts on his mask (we don't see his face as he does this) as he jumps in the van.
Back to our two thugs with the grapple gun, as they slide down on the cable they had just shot out the window. Now this is where the IMAX really shines. As they go out the window, the camera follows them, and then seems as if it's going to take us down to the street below. The 70m film not only gives you an image that is bigger and more vertical, but it also gives you a greater depth of field, so that when something like the aforementioned shot happens, you really get a sense of vertigo. I love it.
Inside the van, the three thugs are going over their plan, talking about how they're going to split the money 5, no, 6 ways, with the 6th person being the guy who hired them all, but is not present- The Joker. It cuts back and forth between the van thugs, and the roof thugs, as they discuss who the Joker is. Supposedly he's crazy? Supposedly he wears make up?
The van thugs pull up to a bank, go in with guns blasting in the air, as the roof thugs open a power box, and start fudging around. The van thugs start rounding up the bank's patrons, tying live grenades to their hands, saying they don't want the people doing anything those hands.
Back to the roof thugs, as one of them fixes a device to some of the wires in the box, and says "there goes the silent alarm. Got it!" But then he looks at the device, and comments on how the out-going alarm wasn't going to 911, but to a private number instead. The other thug behind him asks if it's going to be a problem, gets "no" for an answer, and then shoots the other thug!
If you haven't read any other description online of this scene, I recommend that you don't. I'm not going to spoil too much next, but I can tell you there's all sorts of double crossing that happens really fast, showing that not only is the Joker insane, but a criminal genius as well. This all builds up to the Joke making his presence known, with the great line (which will surely be EVERYONE'S myspace headline next year):
"What doesn't kill you, only makes you stranger!"
When the scene ends, we get a montage of scenes from the film, showing the new bat suit, the Batmobile, the Batpod (Batman's motorcycle), clips of the Joker firing an automatic gun, and LOTS of explosions. The last shot is of Jim Gordon, hesitating before he smashes the Bat-signal with and axe, then it cuts to Batman's bat icon.
Then we got kicked out of the theater.
If the bank scene is any indication of how well the movie is going to flow, then we're in for an intense film next year. A lot happens in the 1st six minutes, and it's great that it moves so fast, yet one is still able to pick up on every little thing as it happens. Fast, tight, and intense. That's my catchphrase for this bit.
This has been Gil Brooks reporting.
The Dark Knight was released July 18th, 2008 and stars Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart, Michael Caine, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Gary Oldman, Morgan Freeman, Monique Gabriela Curnen. The film is directed by Christopher Nolan.
Comments (21)
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THE JOKER
i guarantee its going to definitely the biggest money maker. No doubt.
4 years agoby @mcleve02Flag
JOSE_CTM
i DONT KNOW ABOUT THE BIGGEST MOVIE OF 08 BUT IT LOOKS PRETTY GOOD, WAY BETTER THAN THE FIRST
4 years agoby @jose-ctmFlag
THE JOKER
this film is going to rock. everything it right about this movie, Batman the Joker, the director, writers, producers, composers. everything this is going to be the biggest movie of 2008 and i can not wait
4 years agoby @mcleve02Flag
Alan_Smithy
"Does it come in black"? Makes a guy want to put his undies on the outside, steal a black curtain and start busting some skulls. Can't wait.
4 years agoby @alan-smithyFlag
TRUVISION82
CHECK OUT THIS "NEW" TRAILER TO THE ORIGINAL BATMAN, VERY COOL!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWY9lHkroZ4
4 years agoby @truvision82Flag
k2dx
Joker. Craziest then ever.
4 years agoby @k2dxFlag
MikeyV1
has anyone seen the new pic of joker sitting in the back seat of a car??
4 years agoby @mikeyv1Flag
Brian
I love how Gil Brooks is pointing at his press badge in the last picture.
4 years agoby @brianFlag
Yogi Pogi
Nolan made a wise decision to shoot it through Imax... This sounds really intense and accelerating. This guys are taking the Batman franchise to level where no superhero movie has reached... with the most awesome cast... its just killing me 'cant wait'!!!
4 years agoby @yogeeeFlag
Outlaw122779
All I want to know is when do we get to see it
4 years agoby @outlaw122779Flag
artkid04
This sounds sweet!
4 years agoby @artkid04Flag
ed_wood
It sounds great. I just worry about so much hype with seven months to go.
4 years agoby @ed-woodFlag
THE JOKER
what are you talking about they are going to screw it up. this sounds awesome. its obvious it is going to remain dark and the joker is crazy. he isnot some cackling idiot. this is going to be realy cool. i love the sound of this
4 years agoby @mcleve02Flag
CelluloidDreams
Lucky bastard!!! My 3 favorite words: " Fast, tight, and intense!!"!!
4 years agoby @2movieguysFlag
Phatlightning
bad ass
4 years agoby @sxers2k1Flag
B-RAD08
yeah, like they screwed up the last one???????? lol! no rubber niples in this movie!! it's going to be sweet!!
4 years agoby @b-rad08Flag
ridgl
i don't think im missing too much yet
im not really excited about this because i think theyre gonna screw it up.
4 years agoby @ridglFlag
wizdome
Movieweb i am incredibly jealous!!!
4 years agoby @wizdomeFlag
AnnoyingFilmCritic
This movie is going to be fan-f*cking-tastic...This installment is going to be the serious, in your face, did that just happen? Batman movie that fans have been waiting for. Great director, great cast, great vision! Now wait...
4 years agoby @annoyingfilmcriticFlag
StoneColdJedi
Nolan only filmed part using an IMAX camera. Its easier (aka less expensive) to convert IMAX to regular film instead of vice versa. This is to test the waters as to whether the film will be received well on an IMAX screen. My guess is if it goes well, then TDK will be on IMAX. Otherwise, WB doesn't have to worry about dropping a ton of money on converting a film to IMAX.
4 years agoby @stonecoldjediFlag
Yogi Pogi
Nolan made a wise decision to shoot it through Imax... This sounds really intense and accelerating. This guys are taking the Batman franchise to level where no superhero movie has reached... with the most awesome cast... its just killing me 'cant wait'!!!
4 years agoby @yogeeeFlag