With the release of Joker, comic book films have entered a territory where they are more inspired by films than their source material. Whether that’s for better or for worse, and whether that makes them better films, is up to the viewer.
But, what it does offer is a chance for viewers to see the great films that inspired movies like Joker. Now that you’ve seen the film, here are the 10 essential movies you need to see to understand its visual and thematic language.
The Man Who Laughs
First on this list is the 1928 silent film The Man Who Laughs. Although not a horror film in its narrative, its sheer aesthetic embraces the full tradition of German expressionism.
The narrative itself also ties into the sympathetic clown angle Joker takes for Arthur Fleck. The protagonist, Gwynplaine, is a deformed clown whose life is destroyed by those in power. This film is essential not only for fans of Joker but for any fan of Batman, as the makeup design heavily inspired the comic book villain’s look.
Battleship Potemkin
The Man Who Laughs isn’t the only silent film on this list. Battleship Potemkin, a Russian film from 1925, details the real-life massacre of revolutionaries in Odessa. The massacre sequence remains one of the most iconic stair scenes in all of cinema (tying a direct line to Joker’s).
On a real note, the films also both share themes of class warfare and the uprising of the impoverished. Pair that with the landmark stair sequences and the two feel strongly connected.
Modern Times
If you’ve seen Joker, you know that a good portion of the film deals with a screening of the Charlie Chaplin film Modern Times. This classic from Chaplin’s filmography deals once again with the working class and them clashing with the one percent.
But, at the same time, it is a comedy first and foremost, and although Arthur visits the screening with different motivations, he still takes time to watch it, and laugh.
Clockwork Orange
Like Joker, Clockwork Orange delves into the mind of a psychopath, and the external forces that can push them over the edge. Similarly to Joaquin Phoenix, Malcolm McDowell’s performance as Alex is one of the most haunting portrayals of an insane killer ever filmed.
Watching the two films, you can see the direct inspiration that McDowell’s performance had. Both equally frightening and unhinged, Arthur and Alex share so much more than the letter “A.”
You Were Never Really Here
For Joker, Joaquin Phoenix lost tons of weight to embody the starkly thin role of Arthur Fleck. For his role in 2017s You Were Never Really Here, he looks fairly opposite. Bulking up with a large bushy beard, Phoenix still plays a fairly unhinged killer in this indie.
But, unlike the Joker, Joe has a strong moral compass, tracking down missing girls. But, like many of Joaquin’s roles, he is completely committed and explores some of the darkest recess of the human mind.
One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest
The representation of Arkham Asylum in Joker is the most clinical ever put to screen. Where it’s often shown as a derelict gothic estate turned nightmarish mental prison, this version renamed Arkham State Prison, doesn’t need the cartoonish effects to be scary.
Like the realistic representation in the classic One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest, this iteration of Arkham uses the real-life horrors of American Mental Health facilities during the time. The films also both share actors who played the Joker, with Cuckoo’s Nest featuring an iconic performance from Jack Nicholson.
Network
In one of the most explosive scenes in Joker, Arthur Fleck gives a full-blown meltdown on live television. Without giving much constructive criticism, the tirade is nothing more than the emotive collapse of a madman pushed to the edge.
There is an obvious tie to this scene in the classic 1976 film Network. In the film, a disgraced news anchor plans to kill himself on live television after ranting over the decaying landscape of his city. But, the station instead allows his rant, in order to garner up viewership for the network. The writing of Joker’s televised speech ties directly into and was inspired by this iconic cinematic monologue.
Mean Streets
There are few filmmakers that were more influential to Joker’s narrative, aesthetic, and performance than that of Martin Scorsese. The man defined New York on screen for so many, including many comic book writers during the 1980s. His work has constantly inspired the Batman universe, at the very least, on a world-building and visual level.
Mean Streets is a perfect example of this. The gritty underbelly ran by these crime syndicates paints a picture of a crime-ridden New York, but which is taken advantage of by those criminals who see the chaos as an opportunity. The way the city is personified here ties directly into the visual language of Joker.
Taxi Driver
There are so many parallels between Joker and Taxi Driver. Firstly, the main protagonists share a deep disdain for the “filth” of their cities. The insanity, greed, and pollution that tears their world apart are one and the same. The two also are social outcasts at work, home, and in their romantic lives.
The vilification of Thomas Wayne also is a direct homage to Palantine in Taxi Driver, but Joker takes it upon itself to make that relationship far more personal. Even the miming of suicide by Arthur to Penny is a direct homage to the haunting ending of Taxi Driver, when De Niro (presumably?) makes the gesture his final words.
The King Of Comedy
Though the film’s dark heart lies in Taxi Driver, Joker shares even more with a lesser-known Scorsese picture, The King of Comedy. This film tells the story of Rupert Pupkin, a man so disconnected from reality yet who believes he is the next big Stand Up Comedian. After stalking his idol Jerry Langford, a late-night host who is played by Jerry Lewis, Pupkin takes his fandom to another level.
Kidnapping the comedian, Pupkin ransoms a starring spot on Jerry’s show, earning him widespread fame for his gutsy and illegal attempts at fame. The questions that Joker wants to ask, but is too distracted to do so, are given the attention they deserve in this near-perfect film from Scorsese. Also, to truly appreciate De Niro’s role in Joker, you will need to watch this film.
