Terry Gilliam Blasts 'Dark Knight' Oscar Push for Ledger as Studio Gimmick

Perspective is everything, I guess. If you're a cast or crew member of The Dark Knight - or if you have seen and loved or will see and love the film - you probably believe Heath Ledger deserves at least an Oscar nomination. Yes, Gary Oldman, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Christian Bale, and Michael Caine have all said they believe their late co-star is worthy, and a lot of early reviews indicate the same thing. But if you're Terry Gilliam, the director of The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus, the film Ledger was working on when he died of an accidental overdose earlier this year, you have a slightly different viewpoint.

"That's what Warner Brothers are saying, but they'll do anything to publicise their film...That's just what they do and you can't get upset because it's bullshit. They're like a great white shark which devours whatever it can."

Gilliam told London's Telegraph that he intends to dedicate Parnassus to Ledger, and the film, which hired Johnny Depp, Colin Farrell, and Jude Law to finish what Ledger had begun, is now in post-production and will be released in 2009. Is Gilliam right about all of this talk being a cynical marketing gimmick? No, but he's not entirely off-base, either. It's not as if Warner Bros. isn't playing up the fact that Heath Ledger is in the movie, but they'd be doing that if he were still alive. Likewise, it's certainly not improper for his co-stars to wish that Ledger's performance gets the sort of recognition they feel it deserves. They'd be doing that if he were still alive, as well. There is, though, a morbid curiosity in this country, and I think a role like this in a movie like this under circumstances like this take The Dark Knight from a $250 - $275 million movie (remember, the last one barely broke $200 million) and make it a potential $350 million movie or more. I don't blame Warner Bros., because I really haven't picked up on anything extra in their push of the film that I would deem distasteful, and I don't blame Gilliam because he's clearly still stung by the loss of his friend and collaborator, and I can't even blame the public, because they go crazy for a couple movies a year anyway for one silly reason or another. To get worked up over them wanting to see a great performance...I thought that's the sort of thing we wanted audiences to do.

Comments

[Henry Oak]

Long ago, when I first saw that Heath would be cast as the Joker, I realised that it was a brilliant choice. Ledger would be able to play from the vulnerability which he had shown in various ways in his different roles. And what is psychosis if not the mind's reaction to vulnerability? Already before his death there were reports of an extraordinary performance from Ledger. The hype surrounding the film has certainly been magnified by his death. I don't think the studio has done much to encourage it but by the same token it would surprise me if they didn't welcome it. Ultimately, I believe that Gilliam may be frsutrated that evereone is talking about The Dark Knight and that nobody is talking about his Imaginarium. But being a significant but quirky film-maker he must realise that he'll never have the mainstream success of Batman. For better or worse.

[Matt K]

I believe the people at WB are hyping up Ledger's final performance for profit, sure, but Gilliam's comments are infinitely more distasteful. To say that the possibility of an Oscar nod is bullshit is extremely disrespectful to Ledger.

[Get The Big Picture]

I don't think that's what he's saying. If I read it correctly, he believes the whole publicity cycle for movies is bullshit, this one more so, in his opinion.

[Brandon]

So you are posting your review of the movie tomorrow right? Since so many are going to see it Thursday night.

[Get The Big Picture]

Sometime tomorrow, I think, yeah. I'm actually seeing it again tonight.

[Brandon]

I must say I am quite jealous. I have had my fair share of sneak screenings last week with Hellboy 2 and Tropic Thunder, the first we got into and the second one we didn't. I hate waiting in those lines outside for that long in the late afternoon. So Sunday morning is when my friends can all see it and the 5 dollar tickets before noon really makes it worth it.

[JM]

Gilliam may be right in a way, but I don't think anyone is actually exploiting Ledger's death. He has been nominated for an Oscar before. It's not that far-fetched to think he'd be capable of another nomination. Sure, WB stands to be a big winner here but they did nothing wrong. Are they supposed to be saying Ledger was awful and urge people to stay away?

[Get The Big Picture]

I agree with you. I think it's sad that it's the thing everyone's talking about it in large part because he's dead, but it's not something I would blame the studio for. I am surprised, though, that they never curtailed the Joker posters right after his death. I thought the first "Why So Serious?" poster would be gone for sure.