I notice the strangest things when people die.

Heath Ledger was born on the anniversary of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Death and died the day after the celebration of his birth. A random thought for an inexplicable death.

I didn’t know the man personally and have no clue as to why he is gone. Thousands of people lose their lives in their prime but ledger’s celebrity means that more people will know and care that he’s gone. I can not say I’m sad to hear the news just bewildered.

I’m not a sentimentalist if you hadn’t already guessed. I’m very dispassionate when comes to death. My greatest concern is for the people he leaves behind. My heart goes out to his daughter Matilda Rose. I can’t imagine growing up in a world full of people who think they know your father when all your memories of him stop at age two.


When I spoke to Herbie today we both had to agree that this reminded us of Brandon Lee’s death. Both were 28 and had a career changing comic book movie pending. ‘The Crow’ was well received and Brandon’s tragic end help cement it as an iconic fan movie. Ledger on the other hand had an established career and an Oscar nomination to his name. He was currently working on Terry Gilliam’s ‘The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus'. Word is Ledger finished principal photography on this film and was in New York for a short vacation before going back to finish effects shots. They were able to digitally add Lee where needed for ‘The Crow’ in ’94 so we may be hearing about Ledger again in ’09. For now we have six months till see what may be his final performance.

Early reports have Ledger’s role as the ‘Joker’ being transcendent. This was not going to be your father’s Joker or even you grandfather’s. Word is that Ledger’s Joker steals the movie in a cheerfully psychotic way. Not Cesar Romero’s buffoon or Nicholson’s Punchinello. If what has been said is true Heath Ledger has made the character his by using dry wit and a whet stone to carve out his own brand of humor. I’ll let you know if this is true after July 18th.
Heath Ledger has attained the eternal youth that is cinema and joins the list of Nick Romano's many acolytes.

"Live fast, die young, and leave a good-looking corpse”
Heath Ledger
4 April 1979 - 22 January 2008


-C J