The Original Ending?

[Kamdan]

Hey Darrell, I couldn't agree with you more.  The ending was practically perfect (give or take the shoddy effect of Jack plummeting to his death).  Also, as much as I like the Spiderman films, I think you're right - Sam Raimi does the whole 'damsel in distress' ending too often.  It wouldn't be so bad if it wasn't always Mary-Jane who needed rescuing.

Right! It just seems like Spidey doesn't give a sh*t about the danger at hand, but, if MJ's involved, he will care.

[Joker81]

I agree the ending is perfect.

I love the  ending to BATMAN. One of the reasons I love the movie.

I think I heard that the Joker was meant to kill Vale. Not sure when exactly, but before the final act.

[The Dark Knight]

Even though I go through moments where I wish Joker lived, I wouldn't change the ending for the world. It's an epic showdown in an awesome location, and it couldn't be more Batman if it tried.

[batass4880]

wow. how'd she die?

I don't know.  I thought you did.  You're the one who brought it up.  All I said was that I read someone else on another board mention it.  As far as I know, they could have been talking nonsense.  I can't see why the filmmakers would kill off the female lead - ir'd be a pretty major downer if they had.

That was me and I was referring to something I saw on the imdb trivia board saying that originally the Joker was to kill Vicki just before he went up the church tower.

I was questioning where it was referenced because it's nowhere to be found in Sam Hamm, nor Warren Skarren's drafts. We pretty much figured that it was probably an on-set rewrite that was scrapped at the last minute

[Gotham Knight]

that cliche has WIDELY overused (Sam Rami, I'm talking to you!).

Took the words right outta my mouth

[GuedesGothamKnight]

For me the ending is perfect, I just wanted The Joker to be alive..

[The Dark Knight]

For me the ending is perfect, I just wanted The Joker to be alive..

Well, like one un-used B89 poster said, 'only one will claim the night.' That really does capture what tone the film was going for during the last half. Realisation and revenge that results in only one walking away alive. Batman was not going to let the man that shot both his parents dead in cold blood stay alive. Simple as that. The very man that is the root of his crusade. In his thinking, if his parents are dead, then he can die as well. If it's good enough for them, it's good enough for him. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.

[The Joker]

Having the Joker live certainly would have left the door wide open for Nicholson to return to the role, but typically the main villain in these types of films bite the big one at the end. Which is understandable. As simply having the Joker, or whatever villain apprehended by Batman or the Police just isnt quite as satisfying to the general audiences as having a big showdown between the hero & villain, where of course the villain gets his, or hers at the climax of the film itself.

I've heard something about Nicholson actually making some sort of pitch to WB about doing another Batman with him reprising the role of the Joker during the late 1990's (and it wasnt just doing a hallucinated Scarecrow gas cameo proposed for Batman Triumphant), but I have no idea if there was any truth to the matter, or what ideas he actually pitched.

Would love to know though.

[The Dark Knight]

As simply having the Joker, or whatever villain apprehended by Batman or the Police just isnt quite as satisfying to the general audiences as having a big showdown between the hero & villain, where of course the villain gets his, or hers at the climax of the film itself.

Total agreement.

[Seantastic]

As simply having the Joker, or whatever villain apprehended by Batman or the Police just isnt quite as satisfying to the general audiences as having a big showdown between the hero & villain, where of course the villain gets his, or hers at the climax of the film itself.

Total agreement.

Same, thats why I don't like TDK as much