Body Language Analyst Reacts To Why so serious? Scene | The Dark Knight 

The Joker has placed his knife in the mob boss' mouth, this is an indication he is not a very good dentist.

Joker mentioned he hated his father at one point in the movie. That fits this story.

You know, the "Why so serious?" scene's story always rang to me as more likely the truth through I could never quite place why until now.

Just the way Heath Ledger is acting these movements in the movie, can we assume the Joker could be acting that to make his story more believable?

the way heath delivers the "why so serious" line in this scene still to this day goes right through me beyond chills..

What’s even more eerie about his scar stories, it’s accommodating to the person he’s telling it to. It makes it that much more impactful. Gambol- Daddy issues Rachel- Distraught Wife

First time watching: "oh dammmm that's a sympathetic backstory" Then in Rachel scene: "OH DAMMMMM he's just insane!" Now - wow that's some layered acting there, totally awed by the performance.

I wish we could ask Heath ledger if this was his intention. Such a good observation

“If I’m going to have a past, I prefer it to be multiple choice!”

1:40 it definitely could be, even though he could simply be improvising what to say by looking up that way IMO. But what you said about being the real story of how he got the scars is also likely because of what he says to the old man at the party ("you remind me of my father, and I hated my father")

This is strange, I was just watching that exact cutscene from Batman The Dark Knight

Great video, love how you said this is Joker's real origin and even showed your evidence.

I’ve always said that I think this is the real story for the Joker about his scars, versus his other 2 attempts he says it with such anger and realism!!

The Joker remembering how he got his scars could've simply been Heath trying to remember his lines!

I still like the theory that the Joker (this version) was a war veteran who was the sole survivor of his platoon after a bomb attack (many scenes of him seeming to know a lot about special forces techniques and his one-off line about "a bus load of soldiers gets blown up" point to this), but there's no reason they can't BOTH be true. Like, THIS story was how he got his scars, but he still could have joined the army as a young adult and that lead to him finally go full nihilist.

Can you do the coin flip scen in No Country for Old Men?

Your deduction in this video, really revealed the emotional side of The Joker..... I felt so emotional, after Joker's emotional moments.... Thank you so much....

Watching through these videos, I think it's really interesting how the Joker seems to have two distinct modes. Everything he says is either the pure, vulnerable, unadulterated truth or a complete lie. He switches between them so seemlessly that you have to be some sort of body language expert to tell which is which

For a very small moment I felt sympathy for the Joker because this memory he describes in great deteal reveals to us underneath his makeup lays a very damaged inner child who has massive amounts of unresolved trauma. We can only imagine how horrific his formative years really were.

"As you can see, the man died. You can tell because he fell to the ground after...getting his cheek cut...what?" Ik it's an old meme for the channel, that's why I changed the ending. And I'm genuinely curious how that guy died.

He makes up how he got the scars based on who he’s telling. Apparently ppl think that this joker is X military and that’s why he’s so smart and tactical.

The "audition" part. The three thugs at gunpoint the one looking at joker could be giving a self taught reaction. Leading the lifestyle they do, they've taught themselves not to look away until the threat is gone. Which is what he does for three most part. Also indicating a former boxing/mma background as many fighters train themselves to do the same.

Here’s why I love this joker 1. He loose his mind when he tells his scars story. 2. He likes it to be intimated by his makeup because he may look like a clown but that doesn’t mean he can’t be a mafia and can’t be taken seriously. 3. He just likes it when the mafia agrees with him because he know what he is planning and doing even this. This joker looks unhinged when things doesn’t goes to his plan.

Soon he is going to have 2 hrs and 32 min of body analysis on The Dark Knight

You should react to Joaquin phoenix’s joker in the bathroom scene Edit: that’s rather vague, I mean where he finds out he’s adopted and gets punched in the face

I like the theory that he was a soldier caught in an explosion - that was an example he gave Harvey Dent in the hospital. The other examples he gave happen on-screen, so that one might have happened off-screen.

The reason The Joker retells his story differently each time is actually because he is remembering it differently each time. "Sometimes I remember it one way and other times I remember it another way and even I don't know what the truth is," paraphrasing The Joker quote. This was intentional so that The Joker would be the most psychotic killer in all of DC. When we can relate to a killer, we can better understand them. The Joker cannot be understood because no one truly knew his origin and even he didn't know. That's why he actually believes each different retelling as if it is what actually happened.

An interesting thing I like about the Joker's scar stories is that he asks them "Do you want to know" and then nods his head a little. I don't know if that has any significance in body language but its always something that caught my eye about him. As for you analysis of this being the "true story" of how he got his scars and how the Joker's expression and body language suggests that he's remembering, that's super interesting. I remember reading that the Joker changes his story depending on who he's telling it to, to press their buttons, and each stpry is "true" to him at the moment he tells it. I always thought that meant this version od the Joker could have some training in psychology or even interrogation be able read his enemies and know exactly what story would get under their skin. Maybe he is remembering a real story, but could it be that it's not actually hia story to remember, just one he heard elsewhere? What do you think about the possibility that the Joker haa training in reading body language himself?

Hello there, can you react when Rick finds out Lori's pregnant (TWD) pls!

Please will you break down scenes of Bane in TDKR? Because of the way he uses his body language, and just his eyes to portray his scenes and emotions is so amazing!

In the "Lie to me" series I heard that if you look at the top right while telling a story, it means you are imagining/creating something with your mind, and therefore lie. On the other hand, if you look with your eyes at the top left, it means you are trying to remember something, so you are trying to tell the truth. Note: I saw that episode a really long time ago, so I might confuse the meanings of left/right, but there was definitely a scene like this.

During the time stamp of 2:21, Joker lets out a sort of scoff. In a lot of cases of talking about trauma, people scoff, myself included. It basically means "they were an idiot so it's funny" when in reality he's not. With each "Why so serious" he sounds gradually angrier. This entire monologue, Joker was getting gradually more furious and bothered, whilst pretending like he was fine. This is just such flawless acting! I don't watch DC so I don't know anything about the Jokers and their acting skills. I'm watching clips purely out of interest for the character and so fare I agree, this guy was the best Joker!!

These videos are so interesting! I don't know if you already have that in schedule but I'd love to see something about the body language in Seven (1995), especially the scenes with John Doe and Mills!

The left eye also could show him remembering the physical pain of being cut by his father. It’s looks like he’s almost wincing in pain.

Nicely done. Keep up the good work young man

Why so serious!?

He talks about his father twice. At the party, he looks at the old man and tells him “You know, you remind me of my father. I HATED my father!” So I agree that this may be the true story.

nice catch with the joker looking up during that one rendition of how he got his scars.

He! You did my favorite scene of the dark knight!!

Kind of unrelated but I always love how Joker left just the one half of the pool cue. Dude is savage.

I would love some scenes from the show lie to me to see how accurate it is

I have never seen this movie. At all. So this is super fascinating because I’m like, feeling out the first bits of the scene, and the “up to something” bit really (for me) started out when the makeshift body bag was shown. Maybe because it’s a cliche thing to do, but it fully hit when they were looking around. I was like, “why would they be looking around? That’s a little confusing.” Sure enough, they were up to something. (I’m just gonna keep giving commentary because this is really cool) Ok so when you mentioned the remembering bit, I thought you were going to say “lying” instead, because looking away usually is an indicator of lying. And I’m decently familiar with the comics and other media, so I know he changes his story every time he’s asked, and I honestly thought that this wouldn’t be any different.

great job on the video .... gives quite a plausible theory ..... very intriguing

Why so good content?

One of the best movies ever. One of the best scenes ever. Also, the Joker in this movie creates such a dark atmosphere and it makes the movie that much better.

I like to think he changed the story up the 2and time so he wouldn't need to relive his traumatic experience again

Gamble's henchmen, the prospective "try outs" likely direction is that they've been in the same crew for some time, formed some bonds, they don't get totally submissive because they are mobsters and killers themselves, and they don't immediately go for the weapons because they've been working and fighting as a team, solidarity gives them pause. Gangsters are still human.

Think Story did something similar, he suggested that each time The Joker did a "Got These Scars" rant, it was meant to be a story of how that person relates to the situation. First one is a dominating dad, kills Gamble. Second one, husband trying to please his wife - his wife leaves him, and Ratchel kicks him. Third was predicted to be about Batman taking a large hit by becoming like the Joker in tactics, outside of the law... But we never get to hear it. But this guess came because Joker said " don't talk like you're one of them, you're not. Even if you'd like to be." It was an interesting theory at least.

I feel like when the gang members walk in and are looking around they’re looking like they’re admiring the room. And when the other ones are on the ground they’re not looking submissive because they’re not everyday people. They’re hardened gang members and they know Joker is extremely hostile given he just ended their boss. So they don’t want to take their eyes off him because there is no telling what he might do to them. When they hesitate with the broken cue no one wants to act first because of a personal connection they all have since they’ve been working together and all bonded. It would be like pitting three brothers together saying only one can survive or none

I think he was still lying about his story on the scars, you do have some evidence backing it up especially with the eye reflex. However, looking up also can mean that the person is thinking about what kind of response they want to make up. Usually this is a good way to find out if someone is lying when they make an elaborate story they tend to look up to think about what kind of story they want to create. It is possible that Joker is making up these signs to make people believe everything he’s saying.

I think the remembering thing was Heath ledger remembering his lines. I believe Joker tells the these story’s because it most likely lines up with their backstory

The directors stated that the background they worked from was that The Joker was a soldier of some kind, injured by shrapnel, familiar with explosives and, like many ex-military terrorists, targeting government institutions. That said, as Mr J himself says "If I have to have a past, I prefer it to be multiple choice!"

I always thought the true backstory to jokers scars was when batman throws him off the building near the end but we never got to hear it

Joker is holding a knife in this scene, subtly implying that he wants to kill Gambol

1:21 Eyes move up and to the right (from the observers perspective) NLP term: Visual Remembered NLP notation: Vr The brain is accessing an image or some sort of visual memory of something the person has seen before.

I used to think that this was how he started getting his scars as a kid, then he grew up and his scars were healed. Then what happens with his wife, he re-cuts himself, regetting his scars.

3:25 I don't know why but that one goon with the dreads just makes me laugh. His expression is like "Yeah...? Yeah...? Whatever you day boss..." like VERY interested on what Joker has to say

Minor thing I noticed in this too. Joker winces his left eye/side of his face, same side he's about to cut on the gangster - over 70% of the population is right side dominant so it's fair to say his dad likely was too. Ledger (not Joker) is right hand dominant it would be more natural to wince/act on the right side - this, I think, makes it even more likely that Joker is remembering a true story, or a part thereof.

I like this content so muchhh!!! Can you please make another walking dead video?

I remember hearing in the comics many years ago that the joker is so lost in his own chaotic mind that every time he remembers the past he seas something different. To the point that he rebuilds his own continuity over time. Sometimes he is more like a gangster, sometimes he is more like a movie slasher and sometimes he is an "artist" in need of public expression. In this scene I like to imagine what he is remembering is a delusion or hallucination that feels real.

Side note. The direction he looks indicates if he Lies or not. Right side is memory and left side is lying. Right side og the brain is memory and left side is imagination

I love your new setup! The audio quality is suffering a bit though. I wonder if you put the mic closer to you if that would fix it.

That guy is just watching Heath Ledger put on an acting clinic right in front of him.I wouldn’t look at the ground either!

I like the theory to this joker. That he's not actually diagnosed crazy, potentially has either military or cop or such training, and if this was his real story. Meaning he is a sort of different kinna bad ass

Wtf why am i unsubbed i know i subbed. Oh well subbed again love ya man

We have to remember...this is all acting. So he was given cues to act out the scene as if it were his 'real' emotions as interpreted by a body language expert.

All of the last scene Walt and Skyler have together from Felina season 5 B of Breaking Bad, or anything from Ozymandias in the same season.

Or... since the story is similar to stuff that happened in "The Shining," maybe he was remembering that movie, while trying to maintain his focus on the guy he's threatening. That's how I saw it.

Great reaction to a great character/actor! I'd be interested to know if you've thought of doing Hopkins' Hannibal.

I remember reading somewhere, however that depending on what direction a person looks is an indicator of recollection or fabrication. To me that he was looking up and to the left could also convey that he was making up a story. This is the joker we are talking about here. Agent of chaos. A trickster. A man whose plan is that he has no plan.

Can you do the scene from TwD when Rick´s group is captured at Terminus and are about to get killed by the butchers? Thank you for reading, and nice video!

Seeing how the Joker seems genuine about this origin story, I’m thinking that Heath had decided on which scars story would be the real story. Could be why his nonverbal cues pointed to it.

Has anyone ever considered that maybe the 2 stories line up with the scars on either side of his mouth? That would mean he's telling us the truth in both.

The only problem I see with the analysis is that according to the comics and established lore on the Joker, he is able to control all body language, even things that are normally subconscious, to such a degree that it is impossible to use body language analysis on him. This is part of what makes him such a deadly enemy for the Batman, who also relies on these queues to determine what his villains are actually up to.

i believe this is the real story of his scars. in another scene he mentioned his hate against his father. -we don't intimidate by thugs. +you know, you remember me my father.. *I HATED MY FATHER*

Even the joker still has emotions as lost as he may be

That must explain why the Joker expresses hatred for his father in the other scar story scene.

I do know from personal experience that looking up can be that he is picturing or fantasizing of the event. Looking up helps imagination. Where as with Rachael: he may have had this planned. However he may not know this man's back story.

Hey first here i wanted to say keep up the hard work

Maybe Joker did have a rough childhood, bad parents and stuff, but through out the movie he also indicates that he is a soldier

Just because he is looking up doesn't mean that he is remembering something. We also look up or away when we use our imaginations. Also, when he tells the story to Rachel, he looks her directly into her eyes which indicates confidence. However, the vice-versa for both is also true. The genius of method acting there.

They didn't move because they were still held, with guns to their heads. Joker didn't say they could move.

I don’t really know about the men on the floor. If a big wolf is confronting you, and is probably going to hurt you, you do not look away. Your eyes will be glued to the nearest threat. Their eyes follow the jokers every move in preparation for a way to either escape or counterattack.

It makes sense that this would be the true story. He knows going in that he is going to kill the mob boss, which would make him more comfortable about telling the truth, because this guy won't be around to spread the information. However, he hadn't really decided what he was going to do with Rachel. He was just having fun terrorizing her and the other party goers. He doesn't decide that he's gonna try until Batman sets him up for it, which means she could share this personal information. Plus , there are only a few other witnesses in this scene, which Joker has complete control over so he feels comfortable sharing the truth. He doesn't think any of them would dare share this information, and if they did he could easily silence them by killing them. However, at the party he is surrounded by a lot of uncontrolled variables in the form of the many guests which he intends to let go to share their terrifying experience at his hands. Also,in the party story the choice to mutilate his face was his own, making him seem more powerful and terrifying whereas in this scene's story he is a vulnerable victim in the story, not an impression he'd want to get out.

i wana see the john wick vid but its blocked in the uk!😭😂. also i saw how quickly your channel grew and id love that one day😂. i know we dont have the same content but i would love that amount of subs :)

I always thought that the Joker did tell some of the truth when it came to his father. He later on stated how he hated his father and I agree with the expert that this story seemed personal. At the very least he hated his father.

The thugs may have been looking around the room as an unconscious assessment for escape or conflict, but also maybe taking stock of how swag it is or isn't -- either in contempt for Gamble, but probably because they know they're about to own all that sh*t.

I love how the music is string instruments being played with razor blades to give it this squealing struggling sound as if the instruments are being tortured.

he doesn't give any ''ques of truth'' during his scene with maggie because she didn't like how he put hands on her. it wasn't in the script for him to grab her. heath was just trying to get through the rest of the takes after that. after that, all he did was casually rest his hand on her with the knife pointed away from her while he maintained eye contact. this male actor did not make a fuss, so ledger felt he could really go theatrical, take his time , make faces.

I'd say it's more likely that this was the way, but I feel like he could just have given them to himself for the fun of it too

For the scars thing, the joker is actually extremely smart and manipulative, how do you think he can survive and cause Batman so much guilt and anger, nobody knows his origin story. This is exactly how he died in the dark knight returns (animated movie and comic run) it was his plan to make Batman go down a dark path to take on his role which eventually happened like injustice. He is as smart if not smarter than batman.

I had always just assumed that any story the Joker told about his scars would be a lie, that he would leave the real story buried in the past. You have given me reason to question that assumption. Also, the gangsters who brought him in always gave off an impression that they didn't work directly for Gambol but were instead small-timers who'd gotten lucky and taken down the Joker. The looking around you mentioned I always assumed was them taking in the opulence of a real crime boss' place.

I always took both stories to be true. My only reasoning is that the scars on either side of his face are distinctly different.

I have a different theory. looking up and avoiding eye contact can also indicate that his mind is racing for an idea or in this case a lie to throw off his victim. he wants to "play" with his prey like a cat does with a mouse. he wants to savor the emotions as he says later in the film. I don't think he tells the truth once about his scars in the film. I think he changes the story based on who he is monologuing to. he does this to elicit the most visceral response in whoever he has under his knife. I think they left out the true origins and left most of his dialogue ambiguous to drive up the fear he exudes. "you always fear what you don't understand" -the Joker (to Batman)

I partially agree that the first story is correct. While I believe that the actions taken place are correct, the characters involved seem too mundane for the true tale of the scar. I have seen a theory that the joker might’ve been part of the military due to his ability and knowledge on manipulating and reading people, so I feel that this theme plus that situation might be closer to the truth of the scar.

I disagree that he tells the truth about how he got the scars. He is obviously inventing the story the moment he tells it. The second time he said the story (after he saw that it succeeded to scare the victim, he decided to use it again, and woould do it a 3rd time to Batman towards the end - probably different again, but was violently interrupted) he had prepared a storyline. In both cases the way he chose to present his scars had something personal to do with the one dealing with: Gamble was a mob boss and many people dealing with the mafia are know for having difficult childhood through disfunctional families, and Rachel was preparing to get married. We will never know how he got them - probably even he doesn't remember anymore. It's part of his mystery.

With the two men about to fight scene. The man that was staring at Joker may have already maid up his mind that he's going to die and wanted to see it coming. Some of us when confronted with what appears to be "certain" death want to see it through right to the bitter end, especially a gangster type with what I'm assuming is a guilty conscience.

I like this scar story better than the other scar stories

Have you thought about doing Gary Oldman's character from the professional? Leon the professional

Thanks Enigma. A great video for sure.