Teen critic will miss Heath Ledger, seen here in his last completed role as the Joker in The Dark Knight (Universal)
By Candace Kavanagh
If there was one name that carved a niche in every slumber party across the country in the late nineties it was Heath Ledger. With his Australian accent and bad boy appearance in 10 Things I Hate About You he dug himself -- and his character Patrick Verona -- into the middle of every prepubescent teenage girl's heart. Even I found time for the occasional re-viewing of all his movies with gasps of "aww" and "oh my god" on a constant loop. And if you're a girl my age, you probably remember every move he did and every word that he said to woo the social outcast Kat (Julia Stiles) in this update of the Taming of The Shrew . And of course we could no longer think of that classic song, Oh Pretty Baby, in the same way. Oh yes, Heath Ledger was the actor that made every high school boy seem inferior and every girl want to act like a mean-spirited Julia Stiles, in the hope he might give you that symbolic guitar.
His heartthrob reputation proved durable in any era as he played a 14th century squire going against all odds to become a jousting knight in A Knight's Tale . This film was fun, and like 10 Things, I watched it over and over until every line was permanently burned in my brain, lines like, "Your breasts... they're beneath your throat." So it was mildly surprising when in an interview he said that he loathed those heartthrob roles, and that he never wanted to do play them again. I guess he feared that his career as an actor would be summed up by shallow comments on how cute he was.
Michelle Ewell from Mount Miguel High School
September 25, 2008 at 06:32 PM
I Agree with what Candice Kavanagh had to say about this film The Dark Knight. And how she talked about how Nicholson and ledger where at competition. When really there was no competition. I think that Ledger did and excellent job of being the joker. It was a really good movie. And i think everyone should see this great movie that ledge did such a good job in.
Samuel Flores from Mount Miguel High School
September 25, 2008 at 06:40 PM
I loved this review, because it didn't in dwell in just sorrow for Heath, but it captures the greatness of his career and idolizes his work.
You're a genius and I love your way with words.
Carmen Aguiar from Mount miguel
September 25, 2008 at 07:56 PM
I love Heath!!!!!!!! So, every movie he's been in makes it my favorite movie. I liked the what Candace had to say in her comment and I totaly agree with her. Heath made "The Dark Knight" a legend. He added so much suspense to the film and was the whole attention getter.
kaRL KACHELE from spring valley
October 09, 2008 at 08:08 PM
i agree with samuel flores, this was a great review
i also like to remember people for who they were and not the tragedies, Heath ledger was a great actor and should be remembered for that
jane from mississippi
November 15, 2008 at 04:02 AM
Heath was amazing in every movie he was in, he has touched so many people, and will forever be remembered, he lives on through his friends, family & fans, he had such a personality to him it made everyone just absorbe his every being in this life, he had such a love of life to him, he was just a beam of sunshine to life, i am going to miss seeing his stunning face in his movies.
Keelie
November 15, 2008 at 04:10 AM
did that last movie he was suppose to be in even get finished before the whole od... The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus i'm pretty sure it wasn't finished.
Beth Accomando from San Diego
November 15, 2008 at 05:32 PM
Not yet. It's Terry Gilliam's film and he is trying to get other actors to finish out the role so that 4 actors -- including what footage Ledger shot -- are playing the one part. The actors who have stepped in are : Johnny Depp, Colin Farrell and Jude Law.
Here's the website:
http://www.doctorparnassus.com/
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