Did anyone else notice the eerie similarities between Joker and Black Swan? (major spoilers for both films ahead) Like two sides of the same coin:
- Protagonists start out as virginal, socially awkward, emaciated, somewhat childlike, TENSE people: so tense you can see it in the muscles in their bodies and on their faces
- Live alone in claustrophobic city apartments with domineering, possessive mothers, father was never present or is never even alluded to, in Nina’s case
- Get bullied by callous coworkers in dressing rooms where they apply their makeup
- Experience tense and demeaning experiences on the oppressive subways they have to ride: Arthur is brutally beaten, Nina sits frozen in fear as nasty old man sexually harrasses her
- Everyone in their lives just seems to PUSH and PUSH them with no regard to the effect on their sanities, as if they are seen as less than human
- As both protagonists are beginning transition to chaotic alter egos, they hallucinate encounters with beautiful, unavailable women (ok, Nina does have a BIT more of an explicit hallucination shown to viewers lol)
- Both films even contain nearly identical frames of protagonists staring into mirrors covered with writing in bright red lipstick, though at different stages of their transition
- Both protagonists use white face paint to signal takeover of new personas - After Nina realized what truly happened in the traumatic and murderous encounter in dressing room, she instantly gains composure, you can literally SEE her face transform as she becomes the Black Swan the very split second she begins applying her white face paint, it’s less of a decoration than an armor, more war paint than mere makeup for both Nina and Arthur
- Transformation from past selves into new alter egos is signalled with powerful, triumphant dance - they’ve become more alive, more confident than they ever were as their past selves, they’ve been reborn through power of dance
- Transition is also accompanied by both characters passionately kissing people who weren’t expecting it, something the old Arthur and old Nina ever would have dreamed of doing
- Climax of both films shows Joker and the Black Swan triumphant, seen and loved by crowds like never before in their lives, perfect, the peak of their lives thus far
- Ending is left purposefully ambiguous, though Nina’s fate is strongly implied - nevertheless, their fates don’t diminish from their perceived triumphs
Anyways, I’ve been thinking about this stuff for a while, also it would be a SHAME if any talented authors were to ship these two characters somehow ;)
Hope this was thought-provoking or at least interesting
gracieabrams
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