PERCEPTION
THE DARK KNIGHT
CREDITS
ARCH 443 - tyler bowa
The Dark Knight is an excellent example of how the eyes can be used to portray a sense of humanity in movies
and film. When all sense of being physically human has been stripped away the eyes will continue to ring
emotion and madness, regardless of physical appearance.
When first watching the film, our attention is immediately drawn to the amazing make-up and costumes used on
each character. From Batman, to the Joker, to Harvey Dent; they all rely on some sort of important ‘mask’ to
play their character effectively. These masks are what cover their individual identities, making it seem as
though all physical human qualities have been stripped away. But even when all sense of humanity has been
stripped away from the characters, the eyes are still able to relay emotion.
The director, Nolan, makes sure to have multiple close-up shots of the characters eyes in the film. As a viewer,
when I stare into the eyes of say Batman or the Joker, I can feel that sensation and connection of being
human. Even though the film is clouded in madness, from the characters to the setting, it is still able to retain a
humanist feel thanks to the connection made through the eyes. In a world like Gotham that screams for
change, the eyes are the one pure element that will not be stripped away.
and film. When all sense of being physically human has been stripped away the eyes will continue to ring
emotion and madness, regardless of physical appearance.
When first watching the film, our attention is immediately drawn to the amazing make-up and costumes used on
each character. From Batman, to the Joker, to Harvey Dent; they all rely on some sort of important ‘mask’ to
play their character effectively. These masks are what cover their individual identities, making it seem as
though all physical human qualities have been stripped away. But even when all sense of humanity has been
stripped away from the characters, the eyes are still able to relay emotion.
The director, Nolan, makes sure to have multiple close-up shots of the characters eyes in the film. As a viewer,
when I stare into the eyes of say Batman or the Joker, I can feel that sensation and connection of being
human. Even though the film is clouded in madness, from the characters to the setting, it is still able to retain a
humanist feel thanks to the connection made through the eyes. In a world like Gotham that screams for
change, the eyes are the one pure element that will not be stripped away.