context

Representations

• Mental health portrayal evolves from pity to an ‘outside’ perspective as his insanity deepens

• Inspirations from Scorsese urban films that influence jokers thematic and aesthetic choices

Spectatorship

• Arthur / joker as antihero prompts audience empathy despite engaging in criminal behaviour

• Exploration of emotional responses -questioning the justification of his actions

Ideology: nihilism

• References to anti capitalist and anti authority movements like Occupy and Anonymous - joker has a nihilism

• He attacks wealthy and powerful but everyone is portrayed to negatively (rich+poor are awful and women and poc)

Ideology: anti capitalism

• Socio-economic and political ideology that opposes or seeks to mitigate the influence of capitalism, advocating for alternative economic systems that prioritise social equality and communal ownership of resources

• Shown through mise-en-scene ‘kill the rich’ on newspaper

• Trump = Wayne, Rich= bullies who manipulate poor, Poor = mh issues

Context: social

• Might be seen as a hero for incels (involuntary celibates, ppl who think they can’t get sexual relationships despite wanting them)

• Their frustrations take the form of hostility towards women and numerous acts of violence have been perpetrated by men who identify as incels

Context - political

• Wayne = Trump, tycoon who won political power by condemning disadvantaged people as being ‘lesser’

• Civil disruption Joker inspires = Wall Street movement, opposing social and economic inequality, Guy Fawkes masks

• Hide identity and show solidarity w his intentions to blow up parliament

Context - Institution

• Dark and disturbing storyline was considered a risk by studios (Deadpool shown it could be a success)

• Origin film - Neale theory

Neale genre theory

• Merge genres to make hybrid genres

• Blending elements of psychological thriller and superhero genres - repeats conventions w/ dark urban settings and psychologically complex protagonist

• Subverts expectations turning protagonist into antagonist and adding social commentary (challenging trad hero-villain dynamics)