What Happened in YOUR Theater? Dispel The Myth.
I am in no way a fan of things based on idolizing characters or brands or companies. I like things I can perceive as having quality and that are entertaining and positive to me, regardless of who brings it to me, or what “icon” it represents. I state this because if I don’t then people who can’t formulate arguments will try to dispel my statements by merely slinging poo claiming I’m a “fanboy” of a certain flavor. Just preempting the bull.
At the showing I went to for “The Dark Knight”, the theater I was in was packed. Clearly everyone there was hoping to see a great movie, whether fans of the character, comic, hype, actors, director, whatever. Whatever the case, it was packed. So if it was so good of a movie as claimed by the majority of people with Internet access and a desire to share their opinion, why was there practically no audience cheering or clapping that I observed?
I’ve heard from many people this was their same experience.
Movie ands and its… “clap…[pause]…clap…[long pause]… …. clap” and then silence and everyone starts getting up barely before the credits start to role, and start walking out. Pretty much everyone has a deadpan look on their face, and nobody (literally nobody) has a look on their face that they just saw “the best movie ever”. Rather, the opposite look like “WTF? Was I supposed to have liked that?” This wasnt a surprise – it completely matched my own perception.
During the movie, there were only 2 or perhaps 3 moments where even just a few members of the audience reacted to what happened on screen with clapping or hooting. One was when Gordon showed up behind The Joker pointing a shotgun at him (indicating he was alive the whole time). About 5 or 6 people clapped and that was it. The second was that stupid idealistic prisoner moment with Tiny Lister (Debo)… same 5-6 person clap. I don’t recall if there was any other clapping or reactions which would indicate more than a few people were enjoying the movie.
In contrast, when I went to see “Iron Man” earlier in the Summer, the audience enjoyment was significantly more apparent. This was in the SAME theater, SAME night of the week, SAME midnight style showing, and same packed theater. During “Iron Man”, the audience was fantastically engaged – laughing when things on screen were actually funny, cheering when particularly action-filled moments were taking place, clapping fairly regularly when it seemed pretty appropriate, and at the end a roar of applause.
Now, do I think “Iron Man” is the greatest movie ever? No, it was cool, entertaining, and well-made, and clearly deserved the kind of audience reaction it got. Had it been lauded online as some kind of flawless piece of cinematic art, I would consider that bizarre but could shrug it off as an oddity and temporary insanity of the masses. The reaction to it in the media and online pretty much matched the reality I observed.
“The Dark Knight”, on the other hand, had the poor audience reaction, yet somehow online and by critics is being lauded as some kind of masterpiece. This contradicts common sense and it’s a wonder what is really going on here… that perhaps the Internet hype marketing machine for the movie is still going on and people’s opinions are still being influenced by others, by brand, by media, but not by the true opinion of the masses. Sure, it got a huge opening box office and held steam, but that could only mean a “follow the crowd” behavior, especially during economic times where other forms of entertainment are far more expensive.
So… what was YOUR theater experience and observation? Did your audience cheer, hoot, and clap or did they just sit there like lumps on a log? Was there a massive applause at the end or did people just silently scuffle out of their seats to go home? Did they have happy and entertained looks on their faces when walking out or did they look like they were on their way to work on a Monday morning?
Filed under: Entertainment, Uncategorized Tags: applause, audience, cheering, clapping, Entertainment, iron man, ironman, movie theater, movies, myth, the dark knight, theater
Well, my theater absolutely loved it. Of course I was at the midnight showing, so I doubt that any haters were there ^.^ Also, the three times I’ve seen it, the audience loved it. Weird reaction from your crowd!
I was surprised I sat there like a bump on a log. And left looking as if I were headed to work on a Monday morning. I had prepared myself for a response that was more like, “OH MY GOD!!” than “Oh my God…”
I posted a blog about how I didn’t like it and I listed a few reasons and I swear it was like I had offended each person to the core.
Ridiculous.
Why are you basing your opinion of the film on someone else’s approval ? It’s ironic that you say you don’t want to idolize something based on the general consensus.
1) Here is a good reason why no one is clapping through the movie and at the end. TDK is the feel shitty movie of the summer. It’s not meant to make you feel good at the end, and explode with laughter and cheering. Iron man was certainly more fun to watch.
2) If you’re going to criticize the movie’s applause decibel level based on just 1 or 2 showings in 1 theatre, in 1 town, then what about the hundreds of thousands of other showings around the world? The first time I saw it, no response from audience. The 2nd time, everyone (alot) cheered, and clapped.
3) Criticize the movie based on all the stupid and illogical shit that happened in the movie… You haven’t even touched on all the logical fallacies.
“Why are you basing your opinion of the film on someone else’s approval?”
Have you even been reading this site? Where did I say (in this article) that my opinion or observations were anything but my own? The content of this post is relaying what I observed and asking people to relay what they observed. Objectively. There isn’t even an opinion in this article, except the comment about Iron Man. This article is completely and totally about relaying experiences of what was observed about the audiences who went to see it. Grasp a clue on this one.
And, this point IS very pertinent. If droves of people online are claiming cheering, clapping, and great audience responses, then it would seem that’s what would be relayed here, and I’m sure we would all like to know for sure. Wouldn’t you want to know whether there was a difference in what was claimed by the lovers of the movie versus what was observed by many people? Further, if there is a stark difference in what was observed in terms of audience reaction versus claimed online, then that might very well speak of “met too” behavior online that could be driving hype rather than the genuine feelings of people that they had about the film at the time they were watching it.
I find it hilarious that I post an observation that contains no judgemental opinion at all, yet it seems to be taken personally as if I stated an opinion. OK, this site is called “The Dark Knight Sucks” but this article does not contain an opinion and is merely asking people to relay their OBJECTIVE observations. The more detail & info the better.
We saw it less than a week after it opened, the theater was nearly empty. There was nearly no audience participation at all. I actually got embarassed at one spot where I burst out laughing in the dead theater… looked around hot faced. By the 2/3s point the guy above me had ceased making his comments private and was pretty much MST3King it. About 5 minutes later (after much yawning on my part) another guy near me audibly yawned as well. Soon as the lights went up everyone BOLTED out of the theater.
We saw Indy: Crystal Skull in a packed theater full of cheering and laughing AND a loud applause at the end.
tdksucks – the point i tried to make is that the movie isn’t really geared towards drawing an applause out of a crowd. How many people were cheering at the end of Titanic, or Braveheart?
I have been reading this site, and sincerely enjoy the posts related to the “real” issues with the movie, the horrible editing, etc…….but unfortunately I haven’t read an argument (unless it’s from a 10 y/o fanboy) that people were cheering throughout the movie. Trying to prove that TDK sucks by having us comment on the “true” cheering level in the theater doesn’t really work to prove anything, and bottom line to this website…it’s not that funny because you can’t compare apples to oranges…..
This was what I was noticing on various web forums, especially the most fervent lovers of the movie – that their theaters were erupting in regular clapter, cheering, and seemingly the equivalent of a standing ovation at the end. That’s not to say everyone who loved it claimed that, just the most fervent, which made me suspicious of whether that was happening at all given my own obsevation.
I had no clapping because well, it isn’t a clapping movie. What normal GP person is going to clap when the hero is outlawed at the end for killing and capturing the two villians? I saw a midnight showing of Titanic and there was no clapping at that either FYI.
The reaction in my theater all 3 times I saw it (All three packed full theaters) was a pause and then a pretty collective “Wow” as in “Wow that was crazy good” and I insinuate the wow to mean that because as I left the theater people were talking about how good it was and how much they liked it.
Their expressions were more like shocked at how they just watched the first movie in a long time (And one of the first superhero movies) end with the hero as an outlaw and the villain “winning”
I saw it in IMAX, not the midnight showing, but the 7:30 p.m. showing the first day it was out, and people applauded loudly when the joker slammed the pencil into the guys eye socket, when batman got sky hooked out of the building, when the joker was apprehended by the joker, and when the prisoner threw the detonator out the window. Followed by a standing ovation at the end. I think its funny how you keep saying the only reason anyone likes the movie is because everyone else likes it. If someone likes the movie, its because THEY LIKE THE MOVIE and actually I know plenty of people that saw it that are not super hero fans or anything and said “yea it was pretty good” indicating that they acknowledge that its a good movie, but didnt think it was anything special. Your little theory of “if your smart at all you know its the worst movie ever” doesnt exactly work out from my experience with people. Also, I have a friend who is a die hard spiderman fan, he thought spiderman 1-3 were all “AMAZING!!!” while I only thought that the first one was really good, followed by an ok one, followed by one that i will never watch again, I’ll just put it that way. He always made fun of me for being a batman fan and saying how spiderman had way better movies, and even criticized the dark knight for how it was going to focus on the joker so much, saying he doesnt care about the joker. Then after it came out he called ME to tell me about how that was the greatest superhero movie ever made. On top of that I have a friend that doesnt even have cable, so therefore he never saw any previews for the dark knight, and he is a “captain america” and thinks no other superhero compares, well he saw it a total of 3 times already, more than me. Its pretty much his favorite movie. Just because you want to believe that your the smartest person around that the only reason people like it is because of the media, or they are just stupid, doesnt mean its true.
Well, my friend literally dragged me to see that abortion to accompany him for his 4th (!) viewing. The theatre was packed, of course and most were the crazy fanboy type. But a similar thing happened; it was for the most part silent. Not even whooping it up for that austrailian guy (whom I swear if he wins an acadamy award for this, the terrorists have won). The only real sounds from the audience were the belly laughs from myself and a few others during the more absurd serious parts. Damn, am I glad this blog exists!
Yeah I really wanted to clap when the good guy takes the fall for a crazy DA. I mean I just jumped out my sit and said ” YEAH, That is great , you chase down the good guy , and kill him. ” I did the same thing at the end of the Green mile. ” Yeah you kill that innocent man, you fry him up good. ” Ladder 49 I was so happy , I was like burn baby burn. Malcolm X ” I was like yeah , how dare you see your mistakes and try tochange for the better X . “
i walked out after an hour. i should have walked out right after the watchmen trailer finished. i still get goosebumps even thinking about Watchmen. batman was shit. through and through. the audience was only there to gawk at a dead man (HL). nothing was left out of this movie. a lame courtroom drama going on with stupid bat toys filmed at 5mph. margret gylenhall is NOT a pin-up girl. ledger was good. too bad he wasted his last performance on this drivel. gosh aren’t movie critics smart, huh? i’m disgusted.
well I saw this thing at a midnight showing and I definitely detected an air of disappointment after it was over. Yes there was some scattered applause at the end (though I admit I do find clapping at a non-live event a bit silly). Most of the people walked out in silence, scratching their heads, as if to say “WTF was that?!?” And before I get accused of being a “Nolan hater” I remember seeing Batman Begins (which I love) a month after it opened and there was 10x the energy and enthusiasm in the theater than there was for TDK. As I recall Batman Begins did not open to massive hype. After the crummy Schumacher films, the last thing people wanted was another Batman flick. It really had to work hard to win people over. The popularity of BB was more organic and genuine, whereas the popularity of TDK is for the most part all manufactured hype, buoyed by uncritical, unobjective fanboys, and Ledger-loving teenyboppers.
And I love the comments by the defenders of this movie saying “well you see, this really isn’t a ‘clapping movie’.” LOL nice spin. I saw Braveheart in a theater and people did indeed applaud. Jeez these Nolan nerds are almost as funny as Bale’s Batman voice.
Blake Question
“Yes there was some scattered applause at the end (though I admit I do find clapping at a non-live event a bit silly).”
And the you say
“well you see, this really isn’t a ‘clapping movie”
So while you find it silly to clap for a movie , people that shear your view are some how nerds ?
I have to agree with you, there wasn’t any clapping or hollering, but then I imagine it’s hard to clap after the sensual diptheria you suffer after the Dark Knight and I mean suffer. You don’t watch it and feel good after it, you tag along for a very miserable ride that commutes the idea that whatever our protagonist does, he’s fucked.
Don’t get me wrong, I like a film where I get to celebrate with the main character and vocalise my delight, but often that isn’t possible when you watch a film. I’d love to meet the man who clapped and hollered throughout Schindler’s List or Silence of the Lambs. Sure these films surpass Batman in quality, but the tone of them is not unlike that of the Dark Knight.
re Joey:
I’m saying it’s a bit of a copout to say that the lack of applause was because this was such a serious, somber film (which it really isn’t; it’s PG-13 summer blockbuster based on a comic book) and it would somehow be inappropriate to applaud, and not because the audience was disappointed. While clapping at the end of a movie is something I personally don’t do, I understand it is something a lot of people like to do, especially at a midnight show, and I don’t have a problem with it. In fact, I’ve never been to a movie on opening night and not have at least some members of the audience clap at the end, regardless of the subject matter of the film. I remember seeing ‘Gladiator’ on opening night, and the theater fairly erupted with applause when it ended, and that film didn’t exactly have a “happy ending.” Again I bring up ‘Batman Begins,’ where people applauded when it was over, and this was a month after it was released. I just did not see this with TDK. You can spin this however you want, but the fact is this movie was a let down to a lot of people.
ironman was the better movie
im reading all these posts and im like wow…people calm down..its only a movie…..titanic was a good movie they say but i hate it……get my point?…..people were coming out of the theatres like WTF did i jes see? why?? its because its not what they expected…they expected a family type movie..geared toward the kids….like batman and robin or batman forever…….no one expected a crazy joker or nothin like that…if you dont like this movie then yer not a comic book fan at all…..appreciate this movie for its dark ways like in the batman comic book………
I went to see this in the IMAX and everybody loved it! People clapped, n laughed and cheered!
You saying – “Rather, the opposite look like “WTF? Was I supposed to have liked that?” This wasnt a surprise – it completely matched my own perception.”
This in a sense implies that you went into the cinema already thinking that it wasnt going to be good.
It is a waste of your time to have made an entire website/ blog thing to a film you say was awful.
Ive seen it twice now and it was almost like pandemonium both times. Granted they were both on opening week and one was a prerelease screening at IMAX but out of everyone I’ve talked to about the movie, not one was dissatisfied. You are certainly in the minuscule minority of haters.
My suspicion is if you saw it the first week, you were in a fanboy audience that would have cheered anything. However, after that the adults came out to see The Joker Loves Harvey… I mean The Dark Knight, so the reaction was more restrained.
Still one cant help but wonder when the audience around them are MST3King it…..
Wholeheartedly agree with Edward Blake. With the clapping issue as well as many others Bat-fans try to have it both ways. Either everyone loved it so much they clapped at moments throughout and gave a raucous standing ovation at the OR the movie was so incredible and serious and thought-provoking that the audience reaction was one of silent wide-eyed amazement at the masterpiece they just saw. Bullshit. They try to pull the same tactic when talking about the movie as being more than just a comic book movie, but when critical factual and logical errors are exposed they tell us to lighten up and that it is a comic book movie. Sorry fanboy, but you can’t have it both ways.
In my theater the only clap was for the pencil trick, and if there was more of that kind of stuff in the film I might have liked the Joker more. I’ve readcomics since I was in middle school and Batman was always my favorite DC character. I saw the movie with my Dad who’s read comics since the Silver Age and my brother who is a Batman fan. We all walked out of the theater thinking WTF was that?
saw the bat thing with a sold out late night IMAX crowd and there was no claps, no laughter, no gasps, no screams, no OMGZ, there was not much of any reaction besides some seat shifting at the most anxious bits. but who cares. it was dumb. most people are easy to fool, just look who we’ve had for a fearless leader these past seven long years.
Wow… I’d like to know where some of you live! I’m going to be 100% honest about each time I saw it:
I wanted to see the midnight showing, but I had to work, I tried to get to the 7pm, but they had one ticket left and I had a group to go with, so I waited till 10…(I refused to go to a regular theatre, I had to see it at the IMAX). I called up more friends to go buy their tickets… and guess what… SOLD OUT just a few hours later!
In line, waiting to get it, I heard nothing but people talking, quietly, but like they were amazed, some guy walked up to me randomly (it was pretty funny, haha), and said “Dude… you need to turn around, right now, and go buy another ticket for tomorrow”. I saw a coworker of mine walking out and I start a quick convo, and he said “dude… I know you’re excited to see this movie… but your expectations will be surpassed!” (I got a similar message on myspace from another coworker who saw the midnight release).
Anyways… INSIDE the theatre… there was constant “WOWs!”, plently of laughter at anything the Joker did(that was funny) or witty comment a character said, a billon “Whoa!”s and “OMG!”s, and well, PLENTY of interaction with this movie! There was a scene where a guy comes up to a semi and says “Hey! Wait in line like everyone els….!” and the Joker pops up outta the blue and just shoots him, someone in the back said (after laughter with everyone else)”..,well, I guess not!”, and there was A LOT of that during the ENTIRE movie!
At the end, yep! There was clapping! Lots! Some people looked quiet, but I think that was due to more of the end being, well, not a happy one exactly. I actually felt somewhat speechless after the end, but I did clap along. Everyone I saw it with (we ended up with a pretty large group, like 12, jsut people inviting other people), were amazed by the film!
When I went online to search stuff(I didn’t realize quite how popular the movie was, I just knew I was hyped for it and enjoyed it so much), it seems almost everyone’s audience was the same! And felt the same about the movie!
The 2nd time I saw the movie was at the IMAX opening weekend.. and YEP! Clapping, laughter, all that jazz! I heard people saying “Wow… that was better then I thought it would be! Best Batman ever, thats for sure!”
3rd time(Only saw it 3 time so far),I tried to go to the IMAX again, at a 7pm showing… but they WERE SOLD OUT! THis was after opening weekend, a week after on a Saturday…. so I went to a regular theatre and still half full there…. there was plenty of laughter and some clapping during the action sequences… I wasn’t paying as much attention to everyone else cause I took my mom and curious how her reactions… and SHE LOVED IT! She laughed, cheered, almost cried during a couple scenes!
I heard one person in the back tha time… complain about the movie’s length… thats IT!
So yes… I think you’re in the dark, and the ones posting here are the few and far inbetween… really in all honesty… I haven’t seen so much emotional response to a movie! And if it’s STILL making bank… THAT MEANS PEOPLE ARE GOING MULTIPLE TIMES!! And I’ve read things online about other people’s expriences being the same! Some might be fanboys, but I’ve still read the same for some who say they don’t even like super hero movies that much! Very, very, very insane…. :p
“The content of this post is relaying what I observed and asking people to relay what they observed. Objectively.”
You claim this post is objective? It is so saturated with judgment and opinion that you may not see it, because it is your own (and having your own opinion is OK), but to ask a rhetorical question and say it is objective is just silly and ignorant. First, how does one “read” a face, and can one do so and interpret what the person is feeling correctly? Second, what does clapping or no clapping signify? There could be a multitude of variables influencing this choice! You get a “B+” for trying to think about what might be going on “behind the scenes” in the reception of this film, but a “C-” for not supporting all your claims correctly. I’m not mad because you’re “dissing” something that a lot of people think is good, but the fact that you’re spouting off opinion in the name of “objectivity” is unacceptable. This is not an objective scientific poll. People who want to prove a point (most likely coinciding with your argument) are going to post here.
Now, your other arguments on this site are just weak. If you want to convince people (which you obviously do, given that you’ve taken to a public forum), you need to have an airtight argument. I’m not saying that’s not possible (I would gladly consider an argument against TDK that was halfway convincing), I’m just saying you’re not there yet; and if you would take the time to construct a logical, well-thought-out argument then people might take you seriously instead of dismissing you as another extremist.
“The content of this post is relaying what I observed and asking people to relay what they observed. Objectively.”
You claim this post is objective? It is so saturated with judgment and opinion that you may not see it, because it is your own (and that’s OK), but to ask a rhetorical question and say it is objective is just silly and ignorant. First, how does one “read” a face, and can one do so and interpret what the person is feeling correctly? Second, what does clapping or no clapping signify? There could be a multitude of variables influencing this choice! You get a “B+” for trying to think about what might be going on “behind the scenes” in the reception of this film, but a “C-” for not supporting all your claims correctly. I’m not mad because you’re “dissing” something that a lot of people think is good, but the fact that you’re spouting off opinion in the name of “objectivity” is unacceptable. This is not an objective scientific poll. People who want to prove a point (most likely coinciding with your argument) are going to post here.
Now, your other arguments on this site are just weak. If you want to convince people (which you obviously do, given that you’ve taken to a public forum), you need to have an airtight argument. I’m not saying that’s not possible (I would gladly consider an argument against TDK that was halfway convincing), I’m just saying you’re not there yet; and if you would take the time to construct a logical, well-thought-out argument then people might take you seriously instead of dismissing you as another extremist.
There was clapping in the theater last Saturday night when I saw it, but creepily, it was as the lights went down, not when the movie was over. There was an air of puzzlement and bewilderment more than anything else. I honestly don’t know how anyone could like this piece of dreck. It’s really scary how easily the public can be manipulated.
There was alot of clapping in my theatre and I mean ALOT. It was almost annoying. The second week pretty much the same. I didnt care for the movie. But I did like the bleak ending. I saw it 3 times to try and like it BUT everytime it got a rousing ovation. soo sorry to break your guys bubble.
I didnt like this movie because I didnt like. I think most of the people on this site dont like it because everyone else seems to like it. Thats kinda dumb. But i like the site though.
So, lemme repost… I went to see the movie a fourth time today(well, now yesterday)…. and now it’s been like two weeks… I remembered this blog before it started and decided to pay attention to my surrondings on purpose…. and guess what!
Laughter! Some clapping(people don’t need to constantly clap if they enjoyed, espically two weeks out), gasps! And people whispering “THAT was as good as ______ said! Better then I thought” on the way out….
No-one was hooping and cheering like an idiot when I saw the Shawshank Redemption at the cinema either, that doesn’t mean it’s a shitty film.
I’m not part of the “DARK KNIGHT IS THE BEST MOVIE EVER” brigade, but consider that the cinema goers at your showing were so enthralled by the action, they didn’t deem it neccesary to start acting like drunken Frat boys.
People clapped when they saw Batman…I mean, the Dark Knight. I clapped when I saw The Joker, even though my friend said to shut up because we both think clapping in a theater is pretty dumb. I said holy shit when I saw Gordon, and the audience went kind of crazy. People clapped at the end of the film, I think because they liked it, maybe because it finally ended after two and a half hours. I was just so pissed off about Two Face I didn’t really have much of a reaction when it ended, just that I liked the music. I was sort of surprised no one clapped when Rachel Dawes was blown up
lots of people like to ride roller coasters
some get excited and wanna ride again
some see it for what it is
it goes nowhere
it isn’t real
this film is an amusement, not a serious film, nor to be taken so
people like to be amused
distracted
unaware
it’s popular
dumb rules!
Roller Coasters aren’t real!
Jeez what have I been riding all these years??
Yeah, everyone must really hate this movie. That’s why it’s still number 1 at the box office.
Let me tell you something, if I hate a movie, I see it once and never see it again. I don’t fork over my money and see it multiple times. But that’s what you seem to be implying is happening. Why else would it continue to be at the number 1 spot, if people aren’t seeing it multiple times? But since, according to your logic, since no one applauded when you saw the movie, everyone must have hated it. Yet they are continuing to go see the movie. A movie they hated.
And yes, it does make sense that people can enjoy the movie and still not want to applaud. I’ve been in several plays over the years, most of which were fairly unanimously enjoyed. And one thing I learned from performing live in front of an audience is that no two audiences are the same. Literally, there will be different people at every performance of a show. And thus, no two audiences will react the same way to the show. And even the people who have been to one performance might react differently to subsequent performances. They’ll laugh in different places, or they’ll laugh differently at some jokes than they did before. It all depends on variables that are different for every audience member every time they see the show.
Well tdksucks you were successful on this one, the myth was dispelled…the myth you attempted to start that if there is not roaring clapping during a movie, that it must have not truly been liked by the audience…
So I guess when you went to see ‘the departed’ everyone in the audience cheered at the end? Or how about ‘No Country for Old Men?’ ‘There Will Be Blood?’ Some of the best films ever made don’t leave you feeling like you want to applaud and cheer.
You site that people attending ‘Crystal Skull’ applauded and cheered throughout the movie, but that was widely regarded as a terrible sequel, and a terrible film.
In my mind that only proves that a film’s success must NOT be directly linked to the audible audience reaction.
Or maybe you just have Aspergers Syndrome.
The six times I have seen The Dark Knight, the audience has overwhelmingly loved it. Many cheered throughout and many applauded the movie at the end.
The first time I saw the movie, I did not applaud and I wondered why, or more accurately, HOW anyone was applauding at the end. I was absolutely speechless.
Do you know why? (Probably not.)
It was because I was on the verge of tears, powerfully moved and inspired by what I had just seen. The ending was like an epiphany, a reality-altering experience. It had solidified my view of the Batman, inspired me by how much of a true hero he is.
Though I don’t get that exact feeling anymore at the end of The Dark Knight, only a first time viewing can have that powerful of a sensation, I still feel a semblance of it all of the other five times I have seen the film.
I regard The Dark Knight as a film masterpiece because it successfully connected to me in a way few other films have before (The Shawshank Redemption, The Iron Giant, The Green Mile). That it failed to connect to you in the same way leaves me only feeling pity for your loss.
I had the same ‘WTF’ feeling. Too long, too pretentious, felt let down. Good site
“powerfully moved and inspired by what I had just seen. The ending was like an epiphany, a reality-altering experience. It had solidified my view of the Batman, inspired me by how much of a true hero he is.”
Thats what its all about man, the whole point of the movie, im glad to know you got the same reaction I got. That is why I loved the movie, not because its heath ledgers last performance, not because of the marketing and not because everyone else thought it was awesome. But solely because it was a great way to show the change from amateur Batman to now being fully aware he will be Batman for a very long time, and the Batman that has now been exposed to the true level of madness he will be facing in the years to come, and what its gonna take to combat them. And how even without super powers, he is a more true hero than any other one out there.
Yo, I saw it in the heart of Brooklyn late into the night…those mothafuckas were jumping off the hook in almost every scene. I stayed in my seat, silent, expressionless to the very end. No clapping, no whooping, no shitting bricks all over the seats, but you know what? I loved it. Probably more than any of the loudest whoopers in the theater. So yes sir, you are clever and uber intelligent when it comes to puking on things that make money, but creating a site just to express your jaded bitching is the highest crime any writer can commit…which is why I’m creating my own double counter-attack: WHYthedarkknightsucksSUCKS.com
Who’s with me?!
Ironman was more of a feel good movie and yet it lets your inner side out and so was Wanted (which was not bad at all if you can suspend disbelief). Now the Dark Knight was more of a movie that left you thinking and speechless it was that great.
“why was there practically no audience cheering or clapping that I observed?” It’s easy to clap at movies like iron man. yeah, they’re great fun, hence the claps. but the dark knight had a lot more depth than iron man. movies which have deeper meaning and themes tend not to elicit the same reaction as movies like iron man. Dont get me wrong, they are both great movies, but they’re a different sort of movie.
odds are, people were too wrapt by the dark knight to clap, too busy taking it all in. The Dark knight is more a movie that wants to get audiences thinking about the questions its posing rather than going “oh yeah, hes got the suit man! YEAH! IRON MAN! IRON MAN!”. For this reason, that would be why people weren’t all happy and joyful and bouncy as you expected them to be. they would have been in thought about the movie, what it meant.
On a side note, i always find it really annoying and distracting when ppl clap in movies. Really kills it for me, specially in deeper movies like this.
Here in Australia, I’ve never heard anyone clap a movie in my entire life. Do you guys clap the tv when you’re at home? No performers are there to appreciate the applause, whats the point?
I saw The Dark Knight the week after it had been released, midweek in the evening. Just setting the scene.
In all honesty, it wasn’t a bad atmosphere at all. There was laughter when something was particularly amusing. Often it would be the actions or words of the Joker it seemed. There was gasps at certain violent or explosive scenes.
BUT noone clapped. You know why? Because noone is that pathetic. Here in the UK, we don’t clap films, just like we often don’t clap planes taking off. Why? Because there’s no point. There’s noone to appreciate it. End of.
Iron Man is a totally different film because it’s a piece of fun entertainment whereas The Dark Knight is meant to be a little more than that. Not that The Dark Knight is on the same emotional level but would you clap Schindler’s List or The Shawshank Redemption?
I guess clapping at the end of a movie is an American thing. Yes it does happen, but usually with hyped up crowds at some sort of event film. Yes they know the actors can’t hear them. I think it is just some sort of quick group way of sharing with everyone else what you thought of the movie. Sort of like cheering at a big moment. I think it is a little extreme to call it pathetic. But of course everyone needs to be extreme in their comments these days.
That said, yes, there was applause at the end of my viewing of TDK around opening weekend. But you know what else, I just saw this film again the other night. It was late night. There where only about 15 people in the theater, AND THERE WAS STILL SOME APPLAUSE. So I guess the lack of clapping was not as universal as you would say. And the whole premise that most people did not like is is silly. With that much repeat business you simply cannot make a case for that. Sure you could explain the initial crowds due to hype, but not all the repeat business after that. I am not saying everyone liked it, but far more than not.
Frankly I am surprised there was clapping anywhere, not because the film was bad, but because the film’s tone just does not drive that sort of thing. Most people had a more muted “wow that was pretty intense” reaction that I spoke to. Not a bad thing, but not a mood of “whoo hoo!”. Clapping means nothing about quality.
As for Iron Man, I liked that film too, but the ending is MUCH more upbeat. Of course people would leave that film all psyched.
And I am sorry, but I just don’t buy the idea that HL’s death had anything to do with the films box office. His performance, sure, but if you look at the history of films sporting recently dead actors, there is no consistent bounce there.
Well, there was major applause at my theatre… and that NEVER happens in Holland.
You are a god. You’re echoing things I’ve been saying forever met by the same crazed reactions that you get all the time!
Iron Man (opening day): Not packed theater. Huge reaction during movie. Applause at end. People high-fiving, smiling, jumping on each other, etc… at end.
Dark Knight (week after opening): PACKED theater (due to hype) NO RESPONSE whatsoever. Not a cough, nor a clap. Nobody I saw was smiling nor laughing or anything.