I never understood the criticism of it being a film with comic books jammed in. DC is probably THE comic book brand where its most critically acclaimed branches of story are self-contained elseworlds or one-offs. Where the writers and artists push and pull what they like about a character and twist to make them not in line with the mostly established canon running through the mainstream counterpart.
This film is a lovely version of one of those.
I'd love a bathroom dance scene. For me that is the pivotal moment of the film and also such a unique and interesting character point both inside and outside of the film. The fact that Hildur Gudnidottir created the music beforehand and JP and TP created this scene together in such a naturalistic manner adds more to it. I love that TP made this joker have musicality to him.
It follows the harrowing train scene which is his self-defence breaking point. It also flies in the face of people's misunderstood criticism of him going on a killing spree, he never does. He uses self-defence and then fight or flight anger kicks in when he tracks down the last guy. What does he do next? Run away in a beautiful shot and then we see his really cathartic Tai-chi like dance. It's a metamorphosis. I love the camera work from his feet up to his dance, it's very emotive and such a unique take. Anyway, it's from here his Joker persona clicks, he's no longer an object being pushed around by the motions but a force that moves others. I think there's a philosophical line of thinking where you become your most dangerous when you drop all manner of caring what people think of you or an expectation of what you're supposed to be. I don't mean in a literal dangerous sense, but you become free and a self-agent, people tend to become better and do more in this mindset, and this is where it becomes so for himself (obviously from the end of the film we don't actually know if any of this happened).
I personally think it's more iconic than the stair dance scene. It's such a great transition piece, you have his clown makeup bloodied and half coming off, his old clown suit tattered, it's definitely the bridge between Arthur Fleck and Joker.
I'm really tempted by the JND studio piece, I'd rather it was Joker or bathroom Joker, but everything about this film I love.
