Searcy, AR. (LP) — The Clown Prince of Crime has dominated media for decades now as one of the most famous villains of all time. It’s pretty common knowledge that the Joker is a nihilistic, murder-happy, sadistic psychopath. He’s often characterized as intelligent, dangerous, and bloodthirsty. Many would consider him to be on the same level as, if not even worse than, the infamous Hannibal Lecter. Despite this, the most recent telling of the Joker’s story has clashed with a rather surprising amount of backlash. Opponents to the movie warn that it could inspire and rile up potential mass shooters such as those of recent years, and they use the 2012 Aurora, Colorado mass shooting as a prime example.
Joker, the most recent movie featuring the titular villain, gives a very unique take on the Joker that has’t really been seen before, especially in film. Despite its premise being inspired by Alan Moore and Brian Bolland’s 1988 graphic novel The Killing Joke, the film itself offers a completely new origin story for the notorious comic book villain. According to the film’s official synopsis, “Forever alone in a crowd, failed comedian Arthur Fleck seeks connection as he walks the streets of Gotham City. Arthur wears two masks — the one he paints for his day job as a clown, and the guise he projects in a futile attempt to feel like he’s part of the world around him. Isolated, bullied and disregarded by society, Fleck begins a slow descent into madness as he transforms into the criminal mastermind known as the Joker.” It received an R-rating from the Motion Picture Association of America for its violent and disturbing content. The movie polarized critics; while Phoenix’s performance as Fleck in particular received quite a bit of praise, the dark tone, portrayal of mental illness, and handling of violence divided responses.
To make a very long story short, the controversy over the film centers around this: opponents to the movie are worried that its sympathetic portrayal of a homicidal madman could inspire future mass shooters like the man who shot up a movie theater in Aurora, Colorado back in 2012. This fear is not at all helped by the still-persisting rumor that the Aurora shooter had called himself and believed himself to be the Joker and had shot up the theater because it had been showing The Dark Knight Rises, a rumor that started when then-New York police commissioner Ray Kelly falsely claimed Holmes had referred to himself as the Joker and suggested the fact that his hair was dyed red as further evidence. The claim was later refuted(multiple times) by the Colorado district attorney as being entirely made up, with further proof coming from the fact that, upon searching Holmes’s apartment, investigators found nothing that showed the killer had any particular liking for the comic book character, except for a single Batman mask. Dr. William Reid, the psychiatrist that interviewed Holmes for several hours during the trial noted that his decision to dye his hair prior to the shooting had been inspired who had dyed hair himself. His reasoning for shooting up a screening of a Batman movie? That was the biggest blockbuster at that time, and the best way ensure that the theater was as full as possible for the attack. That was it. Nothing about the Joker character had actually inspired James Holmes to shoot up that theater.
Despite the noticeable divide the film has caused between most viewers, students at Searcy High School seem to be mostly alike in their opinions on Joker and the major controversy that it’s caused. “The controversy is over whether people are going to get inspired or ideas for mass shootings in the movie,” SHS senior Maliha Crockett explained. She further expanded on her statement, noting, “Which is understandable in light of the gun reform in school shooting marches recently.” Meanwhile, sophomore Matthew Mancini was a bit harsher on those protesting the movie, stating, “I think it’s dumb but only on grounds that the assumption of people not being able to separate fantasies from reality, which just kind of happens these days, is true.” He explained his stance further, saying, “I feel it’s a bit over the top, but it’s of course a very serious and sensitive issue that shouldn’t be ignored, but letting them ruin an experience like a wonderful piece of film making like this is just idiotic.” Of course, not every person at SHS holds these views, but it seems that the opinion of the majority is in favor of the film and against those would rather have it censored or even banned entirely.
In the end, despite any good points the other side might make, we can only hope that the voice of those who genuinely appreciate movies like Joker for what they are will protect similar projects in the future.
