Heath Ledger and the Dark Knight

Like many other people, I was shocked when hearing the news of Heath Ledger’s death. He was an accomplished actor and love by many. This may be old news to the mainstream, but I feel that there are certain topics that have not been discussed much. After hearing of Ledger’s passing, the first thing on my mind (like many) was if they would finish the movie, The Dark Knight. Such an event sometimes has a large impact on a production such as this. As far as I have heard, no delays have been issued for the film.

One thing much of the public sees in a situation like this is a tribute on the DVD of the movie. I feel that these features have to be handled with delicacy, grace, and dignity. Otherwise, it becomes part of the marketing that are DVD sales. Christopher Nolan, director of The Dark Knight issued a heartfelt article about is experience working with Ledger. His words and comments were full of trust and sincerity for the actor. I believe that if a tribute feature is released on DVD, it will be one of the best ever presented to the public. Never have I seen a director feel the loss of an actor like that of Christopher Nolan.

The issue of Heath Ledger’s death is still not over. A baptist church, that shall remain nameless, will be protesting at his funeral. They protest the message of hate toward homosexuals and state that they will protest Ledger’s funeral for his portrayal as a gay cowboy in the movie Brokeback Mountain.

This kind of publicity is negative not only toward the Ledger family, but also toward The Dark Knight. I will not make any assumptions to whether or not this protest will be bad for the release of the film or not. I only hope that the work that Ledger and Nolan put into this film will be seen by the public and appreciated for the raw talent that they both put forth. Heath Ledger, no matter the controversy surrounding his death, will be sorely missed and all hope for the best for his family and friends.