Author Topic: Heath Ledger - News Accounts  (Read 1142291 times)

Offline Fran

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Re: Heath Ledger - News Accounts
« Reply #280 on: January 31, 2008, 01:48:25 pm »
Just wondering, what scum of the earth would even make such a video in the first place?  Was their intention blackmail?

This is even more confirmation that we're living in a very sick world.

Offline serious crayons

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Re: Heath Ledger - News Accounts
« Reply #281 on: January 31, 2008, 01:54:43 pm »
I bet there are videos like that all over the place of lots of celebrities. Anyone with a cell phone can take one. But the tabloids generally are interested in only eight stars (for the record, it's the three "bad girls" -- Britney, Paris and Lindsay -- plus Brangelina, Tomkat and Jessica Simpson).

Heath's death vaulted him into that questionable company (and Britney's sister's pregnancy is "elevating" her up there, too). Until then, the tabloids couldn't have cared less about the Heath video.


Offline serious crayons

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Re: Heath Ledger - News Accounts
« Reply #282 on: January 31, 2008, 02:12:06 pm »
From Slate:


The Dark Knight Without Heath Ledger

How will Warner Bros. sell a summer blockbuster marked by tragedy?

By Kim Masters
Posted Thursday, Jan. 31, 2008, at 12:42 PM ET

Knight's Tale: Despite persistent rumors that Heath Ledger had not finished recording all his lines for the upcoming Batman movie, Warner Bros. insists that director Christopher Nolan got what he needed while filming.

Warner has kept largely mum about how it will manage its big investment in The Dark Knight after Ledger's sad and untimely death. The studio is still figuring out what to do not just with the film but with products like T-shirts and toys. In fact, the studio has set a big meeting for today to discuss those merchandising questions.

Warner plans to release the movie as planned in July. Usually, after filming is completed, actors do looping sessions—that is, they record and perfect their lines in a studio. It would be unusual for Nolan to have all the sound that he wants at this early stage but a producer—not associated with this project—tells us that it's not impossible. "I can't think of a movie where there were no looped lines whatsoever, but I can think of movies where a main character was not looped," he says.

On a big-budget franchise picture like The Dark Knight, he adds, looping would be the norm. "When you are doing a movie like Batman, as opposed to The Savages, you loop," he explains. "You are a perfectionist because you have the money to do it and the studio gives you whatever you want. You go through 17 takes of Heath Ledger saying, `I'm the Joker,' and if it isn't just right, you loop it."

Warner could use a voice artist if needed—and there are rumors that the studio will do that. If so, the studio's denials would be understandable: Warner wouldn't want the public to be listening for variations in the voice when the movie is released. But the producer assures: "With a good voice artist, you would never know the difference."

Indeed, when Spartacus was rereleased in 1991, the studio wanted to insert the deleted seduction "snails and oysters" scene between Tony Curtis and Laurence Olivier. The footage was there, but the sound was not. Curtis was available to redo his lines; Olivier's part was seamlessly performed by Anthony Hopkins.

A Warner executive acknowledges that another actor may at least have to provide a Joker voice for such things as a planned theme-park attraction. Some marketing efforts—like an idea that involved calls to fans' cell phones—may be scrapped.

Dozens of licensing agreements have been in place for months, but another studio source says that relatively few involve Ledger's image. Many Batman-associated products are aimed at children aged 5 to 9, so, this executive says, Warner was proceeding with a degree of caution even before Ledger's demise because of the intensity of the Joker's character in the film. For some products, the cartoon image of the Joker was already being used. And Ledger did photo shoots so that his likeness could be used on certain products such as T-shirts.

Now Warner has to figure out what to do with products bearing that likeness. "You don't want people to think you're exploiting his death," the source explains. "But his character is part of the movie, and he was on board with wanting to do this with his character." And if Warner doesn't release the merchandise, "The pirates would come out of the woodwork, and then it's completely out of control."

Meanwhile, Warner is likely to alter some of its marketing campaign, which featured Ledger's image in the early going. A source close to the project says the plan all along was to start with the Joker and then segue to the image of Aaron Eckhart as Two-Face. In the film, Two-Face is in a love triangle with Rachel Dawes, played by Maggie Gyllenhaal. It was clever to cast Gyllenhaal in the role vacated by Katie Holmes. Both have similar kewpie-doll faces, so it's not a grating change. And Gyllenhaal brings more weight to the part. That's one less thing to worry about in a blockbuster that's already carrying a lot of weight.


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Re: Heath Ledger - News Accounts
« Reply #283 on: January 31, 2008, 02:39:51 pm »
My coworker told me earlier today of the upcoming story scheduled to appear in People (a reputable if admittedly starstruck and gossipy publication) relating the allegations of Heath's illicit drug use, and that Michelle left him finally because she did not want their child to be exposed to any of that. The allegations arise from apparent friends of Michelle, who emphasized that the actress left Heath as a form of "tough love", hoping that her absence might inspire him to seek help.

I bring this all up not to condone the continuing, sensationalizing inquiries into Heath's alleged substance abuse, but to suggest that even if illicit drugs did not contribute directly to Heath's death, they still might have compromised his health sufficiently up to that point in time to have rendered death more likely. For this reason, I think the subject is pertinent, however distasteful or disrespectful we may find it to be.

Offline Kd5000

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Re: Heath Ledger - News Accounts
« Reply #284 on: January 31, 2008, 02:44:26 pm »
I would think they'd wait to run stories about illegal drug use based on autoposy results. If he's "clean" (no opiates or illegal substances), what's the point? I bought this issue of PPL, but I certainly wouldn't buy the one that MOREMOJO is alluding to.
As is, Heath is not around to defend himself. 

Offline TOoP/Bruce

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Re: Heath Ledger - News Accounts
« Reply #285 on: January 31, 2008, 05:10:25 pm »
I would think they'd wait to run stories about illegal drug use based on autoposy results. If he's "clean" (no opiates or illegal substances), what's the point? I bought this issue of PPL, but I certainly wouldn't buy the one that MOREMOJO is alluding to.
As is, Heath is not around to defend himself. 

I am speculating that the tabloid news people want you to stick around for the toxicology report next week, and they are willing to dig up and publish almost any crap to trick people into staying tuned. They are afraid that the story will lose momentum if the don't keep it churning.

They are not only exploiting Heath and his family, they are exploiting his fans' grief.
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Offline belbbmfan

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Re: Heath Ledger - News Accounts
« Reply #286 on: January 31, 2008, 05:19:46 pm »
The tabloid news wants you to stick around for the toxicology report next week, and they are willing to dig up and publish almost any crap to trick people into staying tuned.

They are not only exploiting Heath and his family, they are exploiting his fans' grief.

You have a very good point there Bruce.

At first I felt 'cut off' because of the lack of media interest in Heath over here in Belgium, but now, I'm glad I don't have to stand at the supermarket check out and try to not look at those magazines...

Heath deserved so much better.
'We're supposed to guard the sheep, not eat 'em'

Offline TOoP/Bruce

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Re: Heath Ledger - News Accounts
« Reply #287 on: January 31, 2008, 05:27:08 pm »
You have a very good point there Bruce.

At first I felt 'cut off' because of the lack of media interest in Heath over here in Belgium, but now, I'm glad I don't have to stand at the supermarket check out and try to not look at those magazines...

Heath deserved so much better.

It's the daily television tabloid news that is most egregious - ET, Inside Edition, etc. 
Former IMDb Name: True Oracle of Phoenix / TOoP (I pronounce it "too - op") / " in fire forged,  from ash reborn" / Currently: GeorgeObliqueStrokeXR40

Offline Ellemeno

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Re: Heath Ledger - News Accounts
« Reply #288 on: January 31, 2008, 05:41:45 pm »
I feel fine about looking at magazines about Heath while in the supermarket checkout.  But if I see even one photo in it that looks like it invaded his or Michelle's or Matilda's privacy, I won't buy that magazine.  I will look at those photos and those articles at the store, or on the internet, but I won't give them my money for it.



Offline serious crayons

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Re: Heath Ledger - News Accounts
« Reply #289 on: January 31, 2008, 05:46:40 pm »
I feel fine about looking at magazines about Heath while in the supermarket checkout.  But if I see even one photo in it that looks like it invaded his or Michelle's or Matilda's privacy, I won't buy that magazine.  I will look at those photos and those articles at the store, or on the internet, but I won't give them my money for it.

Good policy. But if you go to the sites on the internet, don't they record the visits and use the numbers to boost their advertising revenue? That's what I was wondering earlier, anyway.