Heath Ledger's Joker Voice Simultaneously Scared & Impressed Christopher Nolan
Heath Ledger's portrayal of the Joker in Christopher Nolan's "The Dark Knight" is one of cinema's most treasured performances. Ledger completely transforms his voice and body to inhabit the role of a homicidal maniac. From his crooked, erratic stride to the constant licking of his lips, his character constantly buzzes with frantic energy — eager to cause disruption and destruction with his vicious schemes. As he explains, he's like "a dog chasing cars. I wouldn't know what to do with one if I caught it!" In the bizarre way he carries himself, we can easily see Heath Ledger's inspirations for the role, as Christopher Nolan discusses in Gothamist and The Hollywood Reporter.
One of his biggest influences for the Joker was Alex DeLarge from "A Clockwork Orange," another outcast who enjoys disturbing the social order with violence and mayhem. Both characters have an unsettling charm in their physicality — especially their sly smiles and transfixing, predatory gaze. Ledger also wanted to emulate the punk artists Johnny Rotten and Sid Vicious, the lead vocalist and bassist of the Sex Pistols. Both musicians were known for their anti-authoritarian lyrics and discordant instrumentals performed with a wild, aggressive physicality that matches the Joker's unruly nature. Another inspiration was a ventriloquist dummy, which you can see in the Joker's theatrical gestures. They create an uncanny look that seems both controlled and chaotic.
Not only did Heath Ledger use unsettling physical movements to craft his character, but also an "extraordinarily unpredictable voice" to illustrate the Joker's disorderliness.
A sinister symphony
Christopher Nolan says the way Heath Ledger modulates his Joker voice, "from its highest pitch to its lowest pitch, is very extreme, and where it shifts is unpredictable and sudden" (via The Hollywood Reporter). He also remarks that Ledger's line delivery was "always a surprise" (via Gothamist). The actor composes a symphony with his voice, rising and falling at any given moment with a sinister blend of malice and charisma, all tied together with his trademark laugh. He suddenly moves from high-pitched, childlike sounds to bellowing anger.
There are chilling moments where he utters "I'm not crazy" in a quiet, even-keeled whisper, or bellows "LOOK AT ME!" in his kidnapping video. This sudden roar, (which was downright terrifying in IMAX) comes out of nowhere, indicating that he is always just one step away from unhinged anger. All it takes is a little push. These erratic vocals keep both the characters and the audience on edge, never knowing exactly how he is going to respond or if they'll be the next victim in one of his menacing games.
His loud, gravelly voice is also very exaggerated and performative. Nothing he says sounds sincere, especially the story about his scars. Using interweaving levels and intonations, the Joker paints himself as the commanding, ostentatious ringleader of a twisted circus, torturing the citizens of Gotham for his own amusement. The Joker's vocals are both scary and impressive, truly capturing the deranged absurdity of someone who just wants to watch the world burn.