[Music] hi talk about split personalities stop the Press welcome to watchmojo.com and in this installment of verses we're pitting Heath Ledger against Jack Nicholson to see who's the better [Music] Joker round one makeup and Munitions let's put a smile on that face in this corner we have the zany the Kookie the psychopathically irrational Jack Napier you can call me Joker probably closer in appearance to the comic book iteration Nicholson's Joker has bleached white skin pouty red lips and a penchant for purple crushed velvet oh oh I love purple he uses all manner of gag weapons
which inevitably turn out to be lethal and in this corner we have the dark the brooding the facially disfigured Ledger Joker good evening ladies and gentlemen this season's clown Prince of Crime is sporting the always trendy Chelsea Grin long straggly green hair and skin Foundation that's just a shade too light in lie of exploding whoopy cushions this Joker prefers good old-fashioned knives firearms and pyrotechnics you see I'm a guy of simple taste I enjoy yeah Dynamite gunpowder coming in just under the wire Ledger's version steals the wind with a look that says why so serious
winner Ledger now round two closest to the comics Jack Nicholson surprised Everyone by proving that a 52-year-old man could still prance around on screen as a Gody super villain wa till they get a load of me while this detracts somewhat from the Ageless comic book version Nicholson stayed faithful to the Joker with a combination of well-tailored clown suits and gag weapons the pen is truly mightier than the sword rather than limiting himself to the time-honored image we still hold dear Heath Ledger made the Joker his own by introducing a lot of grungy anarchic elements see
I'm not a monster I'm just a head of the curve his version is completely insane and often contradictory and for that he will always be remembered now I'm always smiling unfortunately originality doesn't win this round never rub another man's rubar with a technical KO Jack Nicholson comes in on top for his faithful depiction of the character winner Nicholson Daddy's going to make some art darling round three onscreen Origins well you look nervous is it the scars you want to know how I got him in 1989's Batman the Joker starts off as common crook Jack Napier
who slowly climbing the ranks of Gotham's seedy underbelly you are my number one gu he's eventually set up by his boss and comes face to mask with Batman nice outfit this encounter ends with Napier falling into a vat of chemicals which alter his appearance and shatter his mind kill you you idiot you made me in 2008's the dark knight Ledger's Joker comes out of nowhere and describes conflicting accounts of how he came to be disfigured speaking of it you know how I got these scars there's no background info on him and he has no close
ties in Gotham City no name no other Alias this gives the character more gravitas and threat but again you don't get points in this round for deviating from The Source material the winner take it away Jack life's been good to me round four maniacal [Music] mannerisms Nicholson's Joker was bursting with all manner of crazy catchphrases this town needs an anima he danced around like a nut and stole scenes from Michael Keaton's Batman with frenetic Glee you wouldn't hit a guy with glasses on would you but summer of 2008 was rif with a low hum of
constantly quoted Ledger lines I'm an agent of chaos not only did he steal scenes he stole the whole movie with his maniacal cackle and loping Grace very poor choice of words we got to give this round to Heath Ledger winner Ledger I just did what I do best I took your little plan I turned it on itself round five intensity and Insanity Jack Nicholson plays Jack Nicholson in pretty much every role he's ever had this is a great thing because because Nicholson is basically a nut and so is the Joker you can't make an omelette
without breaking some eggs his performance was exactly what you'd expect from the actor crazy intense and at times terrifying I'm glad you're dead all kinds of stories circulated about how Heath Ledger prepared for his role he purportedly shut himself up for days on end in an effort to fully flesh out a character that is fundamentally insane you see this this is how crazy Batman's made Gotham the result was a portrayal that is yet to be topped and can probably never be imitated it's not about money it's about sending a message Ledger wins this round by
a long shot winner Ledger you truly are Incorruptible aren't you Verdict by a score of 3 to2 the winner is Heath Ledger Joker crazy is as crazy does but in this battle of Psychopathic criminals Ledger's version is a special kind of magic you know I just do things did our verdict just drive you nuts and I thought my jokes were bad be sure to debate in the comments and subscribe to watchmojo.com for more entertaining versus battles if you could see inside I'm really crying you might join me for a weep [Music]
