Joker: The commercial author cinema

Rating: 8/10 (9 March 2020)

On a movie
It is commonly clear that screens are of the products designed for the mass market such as blockbusters or franchises, as well as non-standard films with a narrower focus. To somehow separate these two phenomena, many cultural figures often resort to the terms "commercial" and "author" cinema.
The classification gradually transformed, was refracted by various film critics and cinematographers, which ultimately led to the formation of an ominous image of a commercial film - a film end-to-end designed for profit. As a rule, it has a universal scenario, accessible to everyone, unified visual form and entertaining emotions for the viewer who came to watch a commercial movie in the theater to spend the time with fun.
If the concept of profit-oriented commercial cinema appears in the coordinate system, it is logical to assume that financial success turns into an important criterion when defining a film in one or another "camp". The situation seems simple when it comes to "Avengers" or "Fast and Furious": a one-chord plot combined with a simplified movie language and billions at the box office. It is precisely on such examples that the idea of classification into authors and businessmen rests.
But what about examples that are not so clear? "Joker" by Todd Philips cost only $70 million and brought in a billion at the box office. The Joker's laugh is still hearable as an echo in manifold cinemas around the globe. However, the script is notable for its complex psychologism and references to Scorsese's "Taxi Driver", and directing demonstrates masterful work with the actor, a characteristic visual solution and a love for the New York streets typical of the director. It is no doubt that a huge part was brought here by people familiar with DC, Joker, Batman and superhero movies. I will not take into account this part and concentrate on the mass market's role.
Does "Joker" belong to the commercial cinema by virtue of its huge profits or does it retain the status of an author's project thanks to the means of artistic expression? Does the engagement of the mass market basis only on the entertainment stamps and features of the commercial movies or it could be found from something different?
On the movie
What makes Joker laugh? With no doubt, it is fair to say its face and story. The acting method of the Joaquin Phoenix that performs the role of Arthur Fleck (the Joker) is radical - it not only transforms physically but surrenders to the hero completely and plunges into his life and feelings.
What is this story? This story is a fantasy. Sick, dark and personal. The way its story presented on the screen is the way the character of Joaquin Phoenix, Arthur Fleck interprets it for himself. His vision of the world does not differ from reality. His world is a reality. That is what he claims and that is what a viewer sees when watching the movie for the first time. The cut of the film despite the usual cinematography methods does not highlight this at all to penetrate viewer to the world of Joker in both direct and indirect meaning. It can only be caught via inconspicuous elements such as color correction bringing the character's emotions or a music sound ambiance accompaniment. By the end of the movie the reality that was presented in it, dark, smoked & sick, fears with its hopelessness. And it makes you fear more when released this fantasy makes you astonished of how deep and dark can be the inner world of a sick person and instills a mysterious awareness of what happened in the real-life of Arthur. Of course, if Arthur is a man shown in the white rooms of the hospital.
And here we come to the second motive that makes this smoky black and sour colorful smack of the movie which is hopelessness. Every time a viewer sees that it can not be more worth it, it is. The rise and fall of the hero in this film are moved through the painful theme of hopelessness. The heroine of a single mother performed by Zazie Beetz is a direct symbol of hope in the film and the hope of Arthur himself that the world can be good and kind. Kindness and hope are what Arthur needs. Her presence in difficult moments for him e.g. at the stand-up or in a hospital showed that the cure was a ray of light of one for whom he matters.
The hero seems to be striving for her throughout the first part of the film, in particular, we understand this when finding out that she was only part of this fantasy. This gives us food for thought that it is possible when everything is over, he will burst in, as he wanted to give her a hot kiss as if rewarding her for living in his imagination all this time and giving him hope. And if through the veil of his illusions, this light appeared to him, which even makes his illness disappear for a moment it means that Arthur has still existed. However, this was not destined to happen - so we get into the world of the Joker, the black where hope exists not.
Sum it up
What makes Joker laugh? The division into commercial and author's cinema is rather untenable than vice versa. This classification is more suitable to confuse everyone. But if it is incorrect, what classification should be used? This is a big question. For any other classification is faced with its mass of contradictions. The combination of Joker's fantasy and centralized Joker's character performed by the brilliant acting play of Joaquin Phoenix defines the movie as a great balance between commercial and author's movies. There are commercial elements such as Batman character franchising and the potential of creation of the universe from the character of Zazi Bitz that apparently could be a perfect Harley Quinn in a real-world out of Joker's fantasy. There are author's features such as twisted, art-house vibes, smoky hopeless atmosphere and unusually created world. It is impossible to distribute everything smoothly into genre movies - exceptions will constantly appear.
The reality of the creative process is much more complex and diverse than even the most sophisticated classification can offer. Maybe we should hang up labels less and pay more attention to practice?