The Dark Knight

1. Production Elements- Jordan

1.1. Sound

1.1.1. Sound plays a vital role in almost every key scene in the movie. When the intensity rises in the film, so does the volume and speed of the music. When the Joker is visually or mentally present, the sounds are always jerky, loud and spooky. It creates a sense of fright and anxiousness for the viewer, and this reflects his personality. However when Batman is present, or he is defeating evil, the music is heroic, and the music is fast paced. This shows and reflects Batman’s personality, as he is always on the run and trying to save the good from evil.

1.2. Camera Angles

1.2.1. Camera angles create mood, effect and themes in the films context. On many situations, there are close up’s of all the protagonists. Such as the Joker – and this is to display his evil, carved smile. However there are other situations where the close ups are on Harvey Dent and Rachel, to reveal the intense, and intimate relationship that the two share. On other occasions however, there are pan scenes, and far out shots to show the magnitude and ferociousness of violent and extravagant scenes.

1.3. Lighting

1.3.1. The lighting is another vital production element in the Dark Knight. It creates mood, atmosphere, and character. The light on the Joker always seems to be bright, and this is to emphasize his defining face. However on Batman the lighting tends to be dark, and this adds to his character. The lighting in intense scenes also is dark, and this relates to the themes in film being dark, and gloomy. However in love scenes, and in success scenes there is a focus on white light, which reflects the mood of happiness, and intimacy in the scene. Light plays a key role in identifying the mood of the scene, and the identity of characters.

2. Key Events- Jack

2.1. Hospital confrontation- Joker and Dent

2.1.1. The hospital confrontation scene plays a pivotal role in the movie as it is the scene where The Joker persuades and mentally breaks and changes Harvey Dent. At this point in time The Joker plays with Dent's mind and turns him into a 'two face' villain. The Joker persuades Harvey to stand up, rebel and seek revenge on Gotham and the police force as well as to clarify the relationship between The Joker and Dent. Proceeding this scene, Dent immediately chases up loose ends with people who knew about the plot involving Rachael and himself and utilises evil and luck to create similar scenarios involving choice and death. As well, this scene sparks a personality change in Dent where he becomes selfish and obtains an alter-ego.

2.2. Batman Doll- Identity blackmail

2.2.1. This scene has a detrimental affect on the reputation of Batman as The Joker begins to deploy a plan to turn the city of Gotham against Batman and turn a hero into a villain. Having the fear of losing innocent civilians of Gotham and directing the blame away from The Joker to Batman, puts huge pressure on Bruce Wayne to reveal his identity. This plot also shows that The Joker has complete control over Gotham and that Batman is no saviour, rather useless, weak and pathetic as portrayed by the defeated doll. As well this scene sparks not only a battle between the people and The Joker but also Batman and the people. The Joker also cleverly draws the attention away from himself and back on Batman and the police force when Harvey Dent reveals himself as Batman, a key event in itself in this extended scene.

2.3. Coleman Reese bounty

2.3.1. This scene is the starting point of where Gotham becomes more focussed on the greater good and not the individual, rather than previous times. This is shown when they are prepared to put Coleman Reese's life on the line in front of themselves to protect an entirety and not worry about individuals. Gotham begins to turn on itself and its own people during this scene when the man outside the hospital attempts to shoot Reese. This scene creates enormous fear and hatrid amongst the people and as well shows that the Joker owns and dictates Gotham's movements and people when he blows up a hospital putting doubt and terror into the people's minds.

2.4. Police March

2.4.1. Fear becomes reality in this scene when Gordon is shot and the lives of the city's people are being threatened for real in Gotham. This scene is also the start of a change for Harvey Dent who begins to seek revenge and transform as a person behind the scenes when a number of lives including his and Rachael's are threatened. This scene also creates doubt and anxst for the Gotham police who now have to try to control a city led and run by The Joker and his men, a more powerful force.

3. Characters- Liam

3.1. Each character has their own way of developing the story. The difference between the main three characters is how they act on what happens. The Batman or Bruce Wayne is described to be the ‘dark knight.’ The hero that Gotham doesn’t deserve what they don’t realize is that he is exactly what they need. He is shaped in the way that shows when everything has gone wrong and Gotham is about to fall there is always the fight for justice through the character batman. The Joker is described as a character that throws chaos into the mix of things. He plays of chance and doesn’t leave anything to a plan. In the movie, the joker has a very good description of himself. “I am like a dog chasing a car, I wouldn’t know what to do if I caught one.” This highlights what the Joker is defined to be. A person who runs around Gotham leaving everything he does to chance. Harvey Dent is a person who develops into a completely different character at the end of the story. For the start of the movie he is ‘Gotham’s white night,’ locking up hundreds of criminals. Unlike the batman, he is exactly what Gotham needed, a character that takes out criminals using the law. Then comes a great quote that comes about half way through the book where Harvey says, “You either die a hero, or live long enough to see yourself become the villain”. Unfortunately for Harvey he lived long enough to become the villain. At this point with the falling of the white night, Harvey felt that the only thing left to do was to leave to chance. He starts having the same morals as Batman and then ends up with the Jokers.

4. Relationships- Lachlan

4.1. One of the main relationships in Batman is between Batman and the Joker they have a sternness relationship. The Joker and the Batman are so different in many ways, Batman fights for good and joker has no rules and just wants to make the world suffer as he did when he was a child with his dad. Batman also has a relationship with Harvey Dent which in the early days was a good one and they where mates and trusted each other all the way till when the Joker tricked batman and made him get Harvey not Rachel so when Harvey found out he collected Harvey instead of Rachel he turned onto the Jokers side after a bit of per from the Joker. The relationship between Batman and Alfred is very good they are long trusted friends and help each other out the whole time. Alfred is a bit of a father to Batman and always makes sure he is doing the right thing as batman is always asking Alfred for advise on what’s good and what’s evil and what’s rite and what’s wrong. Even though Alfred is in danger the whole time due to being Batman's best man and the man who helps him create the Batman’s fighting tools. The relationship between Rachel and Batman is a hard one because she promised him when he stops the batman they will be together they are child hood friends/lovers and Batman is devastated when the Joker catches her and blows her up.