As a film enthusiast with a particular fondness for the dark and gritty world of DC Comics, I find myself intrigued by the latest installment in the Joker saga – “Joker: Folie à Deux.” The movie seems to be skillfully weaving together elements from various Batman stories, creating a unique tapestry that both fans and newcomers can appreciate.
Contains spoilers for “Joker: Folie à Deux”
2019’s “Joker” stormed globally, earning more than $1 billion at the box office and garnering 11 Oscar nominations, with Joaquin Phoenix claiming best actor for his portrayal of Arthur Fleck, who adopts the Joker identity. Prior to its release, there were fears it might provoke real-life violence, but thankfully, that didn’t happen. Regardless, the film became a cultural phenomenon.
Five years on, I’m thrilled to say we’ve got “Joker: Folie à Deux” to continue Arthur’s tale. Director Todd Phillips mentioned he’d only come back for the sequel if it retained the same profound impact as the original. Indeed, this movie delves into captivating themes, such as loving a person for their pretense rather than their true self. However, it appears that audiences are reacting quite differently to the sequel compared to the initial release. Preliminary responses for “Joker: Folie à Deux” all seem to echo the same sentiment – it’s a significant disappointment, even for those who admired the first film.
As a die-hard fan, I’m always on the lookout for hidden gems, regardless if we’ll be seeing “Joker 3” anytime soon. There’s a treasure trove of intricate details to uncover in the potential sequel, “Joker: Folie à Deux”. And let me tell you, it’s no coincidence that there are even subtle nods to classic musicals, considering the film’s numerous musical sequences. No matter how this movie eventually unfolds, it seems like it has a lot of thought-provoking ideas it wants to share with us viewers.
Me and My Shadow
One appealing feature of “Joker: Folie à Deux” is that it starts off with a playful Looney Tunes-style sketch. In this, we see Arthur attempting to host a late-night talk show, but his actual shadow, in an amusing twist, takes control instead, shoving him aside. This cartoon segment reinforces the movie’s main theme that there might be two distinct personalities within Arthur Fleck – the real Arthur and the Joker character. The shadow (symbolizing the Joker persona) is significantly more captivating than Arthur, who must struggle to assert his own control. It’s also intriguing to ponder the title of the short – “Me and My Doppelgänger.
1927 saw the creation of a song called “This Is a Song,” which was jointly penned by Al Jolson and has since been interpreted by various artists such as Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., Judy Garland, among others throughout the years. Given the diverse musical inspirations in “Joker 2,” it makes perfect sense for the initial animated sequence to incorporate some musical references as well.
However, the idea of a “shadow” could have a different connotation in this context. While there’s no Batman in “Joker: Folie à Deux,” the “Shadow” could be alluding to the Caped Crusader, considering how an early inspiration for the character was the pulp hero The Shadow. This was a mysterious vigilante created in 1931 who appeared in serials, video games, and feature-length movies. Batman clearly overtook the character in terms of popularity, but he may not have existed in the first place if it wasn’t for the Shadow.
Colorful umbrellas everywhere
The movie “Joker: Folie à Deux” makes it clear from the start that Arthur Fleck is still prone to moments of detachment from reality. This is particularly evident in a scene where he’s accompanied by four guards from Arkham Asylum. In one frame, all their umbrellas are black, but when Arthur looks up, they have changed colors – now red, orange, blue, and yellow. Throughout the movie, Arthur continues to encounter such whimsical hallucinations, like his musical performances with Harleen “Lee” Quinzel (played by Lady Gaga).
The vibrant umbrellas in the scene are a tribute to a similar image from the 1964 French musical, “The Umbrellas of Cherbourg.” This movie, known for its sung dialogue, has left an impact on numerous contemporary films such as “La La Land” and “Barbie,” and “Joker: Folie à Deux” is among them. It’s possible that there may be a more profound connection to this film in the context of “Joker: Folie à Deux.
“The Umbrellas of Cherbourg” tells a story of young love, but unfortunate circumstances separate the two lovers when Guy Foucher (Nino Castelnuovo) is drafted into the Algerian War. In contrast, “Joker 2” explores a different kind of love, where Arthur develops feelings for Lee. However, their relationship unravels not due to war, but because Arthur confesses that there’s no Joker persona; he alone was responsible for the murder of TV host Murray Franklin (Robert de Niro), and the Joker never truly existed.
Lee mimics Arthur
Harley Quinn and the Joker’s backstory, as portrayed in “Joker: Folie à Deux”, deviates from traditional lore because when they initially meet, she is both his psychiatrist and a patient. In essence, Harleen Quinzel (Harley) is an ardent admirer of the Joker and yearns to encounter him. Their bond is forged when Lee attempts to catch Arthur’s attention outside the music room and mimics the gesture he used when invading Sophie’s apartment in the original film, by placing her hand as if it were a gun to her temple.
In the future, Lee’s action will take on more importance when she loses faith in Arthur after he confesses that the Joker was a fabrication. Faced with despair, she points a real gun to her head, but then encounters Arthur standing on the steps where he danced in 2019’s “Joker,” indicating that she didn’t pull the trigger.
From the gun motion with her finger to the staircase, it’s clear that Lee knows a lot about Arthur. Or to be more accurate, she knows a lot about the supposed Joker persona he renounces during his trial, when he says he was fully aware of his actions from the first film.
Joker’s a bit of a Psycho
Although Arthur doesn’t seem to have multiple personalities, it’s undeniable that he exhibits signs of mental instability, possibly stemming from his tumultuous childhood experiences. As for “Joker 2”, there are a few nods to another mentally disturbed character from cinema – Norman Bates (portrayed by Anthony Perkins) in “Psycho”.
At the beginning of the movie, Arthur undergoes an interview to support the claim that he suffers from Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID). During this conversation with Dr. Beatty (played by June Carryl), Arthur imitates his mother’s voice. In “Psycho,” the character Norman Bates also has DID and creates an entire separate persona modeled after his mother, Norma. Whenever this persona emerges, Norman adopts her tone of speech, speaking as if he were an older woman.
During the court proceedings in the movie “Joker: Folie à Deux,” Sophie testifies about her chats with Penny Fleck, Arthur’s mother. She remembers Penny stating that Arthur was harmless and wouldn’t dare hurt an insect. This references the iconic last line from “Psycho” when Norman speaks in his mother’s voice: “I won’t even squash that fly. I hope they are watching. They’ll see. They’ll see and they’ll understand, and they’ll say, ‘Why, she wouldn’t even harm a fly.'” The irony lies in the fact that both Norman and Arthur concealed their true violent nature beneath their seemingly benign personas.
Pepé Le Pew pops up
In the movie “Joker: Folie à Deux,” elements from “Looney Tunes” are recurring beyond just the opening scene. During the trial, Arthur shouts out, “That’s all folks,” which is reminiscent of Porky Pig’s well-known phrase. Additionally, there are scenes where Arkham inmates are watching cartoons featuring Pepe Le Pew on TV. The choice to use Pepe Le Pew, who was excluded from “Space Jam: A New Legacy” due to being problematic, might seem unusual. However, his presence in “Joker 2” appears to be well thought out and fitting.
Pepe Le Pew is always chasing after true romance, despite the fact that his skunk-like smell causes everyone to avoid him. His persistence often veers into stalking territory, as he continues to pursue female animals even when they’ve made it clear they’re not interested. This could be likened to Arthur’s pursuit of love in “Joker: Folie à Deux,” where he finds affection in Lee and develops feelings for her. He imagines romantic musical scenes with the two of them together, even going so far as to hallucinate about their wedding.
After Arthur renounces his Joker identity, Lee leaves the courtroom with contempt in her expression. However, he attempts to win her back, but she’s no longer receptive. This situation might remind you of one of Pepe’s classic unsuccessful advances, where he tries to charm a woman who, at this moment, just wants to move on and distance herself from him.
Tiny Joker’s on the way (but probably not)
It comes to light that Lee first deceives Arthur about different parts of her past, such as her choice to reside in Arkham and the fact that her father is alive. Later, Lee confesses to this deception but somehow wins Arthur’s support by disclosing that she’s pregnant after they share an intimate moment while Arthur is isolated in solitary confinement.
It’s not a new concept for a DC project to explore the possibility of the Joker becoming a father. For instance, in the “Batman: Arkham City” game, Batman discovers a positive pregnancy test belonging to Harley, but later finds multiple negative tests, suggesting that she wasn’t actually pregnant. On the other hand, in both the “Batman: White Knight” universe and the “Injustice: Gods Among Us” continuity, Harley does become pregnant and gives birth to a child.
But while other media have dabbled with the Clown Prince of Crime becoming a father, in “Joker: Folie à Deux,” it may simply be another lie from Lee. When they meet on the staircase toward the film’s ending, it’s implied that Lee likely lied about being pregnant, just like how she lied earlier to get Arthur to like her. Within the “Joker” movies, the lines between what’s true and what’s a ruse are easily blurred.
Some trailer moments didn’t make it into Joker: Folie à Deux
In many cases, previews of Hollywood films may not accurately portray the final version of the movie. Famous quotes often featured in these previews might not make it into the actual film, leading to disappointment among viewers who feel misled. For instance, a significant scene from the trailers of “Joker: Folie à Deux” is missing in the theatrical release; however, there’s always a chance that this sequence could be included when the movie becomes available for home viewing.
One memorable scene from the 2019 film, “Joker,” is when Arthur Fleck dances down a staircase. Referencing this, the trailers for “Joker 2” show a scene where Arthur, dressed as the Joker, and Lee in a blue dress, are dancing down the courthouse steps with spectators on either side. This appears to be part of an enchanting musical sequence; however, it’s not present in the actual movie. Additionally, it seems that some other scenes hinted at in trailers and behind-the-scenes images were not included in the final edit, leading many on social media to call for Warner Bros. to release the “Gaga Cut,” suggesting additional footage featuring Lady Gaga.
On the platform X (previously known as Twitter), @stevenartpop shared multiple Lady Gaga stills that didn’t make it into the final version of the movie, while expressing his opinion that if those scenes had been included, the movie “Joker: Folie à Deux” would have received a perfect score of 10/10. Contrary to what the promotional materials suggested, Lady Gaga’s character, Lee, has a less prominent role in the film compared to Arthur Fleck. It seems that more footage was shot with her, but for some reason or another, those scenes were ultimately removed from the final cut of the movie.
Spiffy suits can only mean one thing — death
When I choose to stand trial, I slip into the snazzy red jacket – the one that was part of my deadly act on “Live! With Murray Franklin.” Yet, it’s not long before I don another outfit, a choice that will resonate with comic enthusiasts everywhere.
As a fan, I can’t help but notice the striking resemblance between Arthur’s wedding outfit and the Joker’s suit from “The Dark Knight Returns” by Frank Miller, Klaus Janson, and Lynn Varley. In that iconic comic book tale, the Joker used his toxin to massacre a talk show audience. Regardless of the medium, it’s always risky business to let the Joker make an appearance in formal attire.
In various narratives, the white suit worn by the Joker seems to hint at future events or twists in the storyline. For instance, in “The Dark Knight Returns,” the Joker ultimately snaps his own neck after Batman refuses to take his life once more during their final showdown. Similarly, in “Joker: Folie à Deux,” Arthur meets a gruesome death at the hands of another inmate. These instances suggest that allowing the Joker to wear a suit or appear on a talk show is generally not a wise decision, as it often leads to chaos and violence.
Arthur takes cues from Ted Bundy
Approximately midway through “Joker 2,” Arthur dismisses Maryanne Stewart (played by Catherine Keener) as his lawyer and elects to represent himself instead. This action appears to be intended to give Arthur’s Joker character more room to express itself, but it’s interesting to note that a notorious real-life killer also made a similar choice.
Notorious serial killer Ted Bundy represented himself in court because he believed his counsel wasn’t able to mount a good enough defense for the numerous murders he committed. Of course, Bundy’s action would be all for naught, as he was still found guilty and sentenced to multiple death sentences. “Joker: Folie à Deux” draws several parallels between Arthur and Bundy. A big deal is made early in the film how Arthur’s trial will be the first ever to be televised. In real life, Ted Bundy’s trial was the first to be televised nationally.
As a dedicated gamer immersed in the world of “Joker,” I can share that while “Folie à Deux” draws heavily from Ted Bundy for its main character’s dark inspiration, the original Joker was more influenced by John Wayne Gacy. The intriguing makeup sported by our anti-hero echoes the clown-like visage Gacy donned at his parties. Moreover, the comedy club where the Joker performs in that movie is named Pogo’s, mirroring Gacy’s stage name as Pogo the Clown.
Harvey Dent becomes Two-Face … kind of
In the movie “Joker: Folie à Deux,” it’s quite possible that character Harry Lawtey, who plays the district attorney of Gotham City, will suffer an incident leading to a disfigurement resembling Two-Face’s iconic appearance. Towards the end of the film, there appears to be an explosion in the courtroom, potentially causing injury or death to several characters, and it seems that Harry might have taken some damage on half his face. This scene echoes a significant event from Batman lore, as one of his major villains, Harvey Dent, is often depicted with such disfigurement following a tragic incident in the storyline.
In this version of Gotham, Harvey appears less damaged than in previous portrayals, aligning with the more authentic and realistic approach taken by the “Joker” movies. Given the current circumstances, it’s unlikely we’ll see a “Joker 3” featuring a new Two-Face character. Todd Phillips has expressed that he won’t be involved if a third film is made. Furthermore, creating a third installment would be challenging due to Arthur’s death in the controversial ending of “Joker: Folie à Deux.
A new Joker rises
In the final scene of “Joker: Folie à Deux,” Arthur is informed he has a visitor, but we never learn the visitor’s identity as he encounters another Arkham resident. This unnamed man shares a joke about a psychopath and a clown meeting in a bar before brutally stabbing Arthur multiple times in the stomach. As Arthur succumbs to his injuries on the floor, we can see the mysterious figure laughing insanely in the background, brandishing his shiv and carving a grin into his own face, mimicking the facial scars of Heath Ledger’s Joker from “The Dark Knight.
In the finale of the movie, Arthur meets his demise, which seems to conclude this particular version of The Joker. However, another individual seems poised to embody the more faithful comic book portrayal of the villain. Interestingly, Todd Phillips has hinted at this possibility even before the release of the first “Joker” film. When discussing the movie’s ending with The Los Angeles Times, Phillips stated, “Perhaps Joaquin’s character sparked the Joker. You wouldn’t understand it.
In the finale of “Joker 2”, there appears to be a striking resemblance to the ending of “The Killing Joke” by Alan Moore and Brian Bolland, where the Joker tells Batman a joke, leading fans to speculate that Batman ends up killing the Joker after they both laugh. The conclusion in “Joker: Folie à Deux” is clear-cut, making a third installment seem highly improbable, unless we’re planning to explore the story of a new Clown Prince of Crime, potentially Arthur’s killer.
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2024-10-05 00:30