David Muhieddine
FIQWS 10108
11-28-18
Prof. Dalton

The Influence of an Outlier

Hollywood glorifies madness within the production film industry in which alternates such social norms. Two very popular films within the movie industry, The Dark knight, and One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s contain an antagonist and a protagonist that both influence other characters and movie-viewers as well. With this being said, The Dark Knight provides a story that alludes to a contemporary setting that has altered social beliefs on insanity along with a diffusion of philosophical beliefs. With unique creativity, the outliers within these two films hold such interest from the audience that the characters insanity seems to triumph throughout each storyline.

The Dark Knight, directed by Christopher Nolan, stars Heath Ledger, who plays a sick and demented antagonist commonly referred to as the joker. Within DC Comics, this particular character establishes utter chaos throughout a bustling metropolitan city that may seamingly allude to Chicago and New York. Throughout the film, Joker, the antagonist, receives such great applause and attention for whenever he appears during scenes that portray a city in despair. Moreover, the audience provides the Joker with such an overwhelming amount of exuberance simply because he takes on the role of an outlier within the film. He stands out from the rest of society due to his unique philosophical beliefs which often contributes and provides explanation to his sheer madness as a DC villain.

The Joker serves as a profound influential character throughout the film due to his manipulative tendencies. This particular villain had certain abilities to instill fear and fright within the people’s eyes of Gotham. According to the Christopher Nolan film, The Dark Knight, the Joker was able to turn several characters against each other and enforce violence amongst the people in Gotham City in order to for the Batman to reveal his identity. In a particular scene in The Dark Knight, the Joker threatens the city of a possible explosion within a hospital unless the assassination of Mr.Reese was completed by a random civilian with a certain time limit. In addition, the Joker was able to influence and create upheaval throughout the city of Gotham in which many people to try to murder Mr.Reese for the prevention of any explosion within hospital grounds. Another example could be the scene where Joker finds Harvey Dent within the abandoned hospital and introduces him to his own philosophical beliefs and his stance on society. In reference to that particular monologue, the Joker states, “If tomorrow I told the press that, like, a gang-banger would get shot, or a truckload of soldiers will be blown up, nobody panics. Because it’s all part of the plan. But when I say that one little old mayor will die, well then everybody loses their minds!” (Ledger, Dark Knight). Moreover, the Joker then continues to say, “Introduce a little anarchy. Upset the established order and everything becomes chaos…” (Ledger, Dark Knight). Thus, clearly proving how the Joker easily initiated Harvey Dent’s dynamic personality and transformed him into a heartless killer.
The Joker from Christopher Nolan’s ideal Batman world easily influenced movie-viewers as well in so many ways. With the help of Heath Ledger’s talent within the arts and the contemporary setting which closely alluded to reality clearly instituted a popular appeal to people watching The Dark Knight. With this being said, the film has sparked so much controversy primarily because of the memorable catastrophe within a Colorado movie theatre shooting that left approximately fifty persons dead. According to an article, “Mental Illness, Mass Shootings, and the Politics of American Firearms”, states, “Aurora, Colorado, movie theater shooter James Holmes “was seeing a psychiatrist specializing in schizophrenia” before he opened fire in a crowded theatre…” (Pg 5, Metzl &MacLeish). As the perpetrator, James Holmes appeared in court, his hair resembled the Joker’s hair with it being bright and flashy orange which can physically prove the influence the joker had on this particular individual. Due to this particular mass shooter being motivated by an antagonistic character clearly shows how influential the character was since madness was being glorified throughout the world. It was proven that the perpetrator was greatly influenced with the character of the joker which prompted him to resemble the fictional villain and to murder innocent movie-goers. This was all incited from the glorification of madness within Hollywood.

One flew over the cuckoo’s nest starred a famous actor known for portraying Joker in an older film of Batman, Jack Nicholson. Jack Nicholson’s performances were popularized mainly because of the way he portrayed characters that underwent mental illness or madness. The Shining, a film directed by Stanley Kubrick, possessed one of Jack Nicholson’s most notable performances and sparked such mass influence all around the world for his unique ability to improvise throughout the film’s scenes. As for One flew over the cuckoo’s nest, originally being a best selling novel, carries a psychological fiction context in which incorporates a critique of behaviorism and a focus on individualistic principles. With this being said, One Flew over the cuckoo’s nest provides a study of institutional processes and awareness to the procedures carried out within that particular setting, a mental hospital. Throughout the book and film, Randle McMurphy (the protagonist) establishes disorder within the mental institution primarily because of him possessing such dynamic characteristics which proved him to be an outlier. With the protagonist being surrounded by all apparent static characters that seem to be institutionalized and not undergoing any social exposure to the real world, motivates McMurphy to unleash a series of rebellions against the medical staff. Thus, with the outlandish behavior and actions presented by the protagonist creates a chain reaction towards the other mentally ill patients who begin to follow his footsteps. However, under the authoritarian rule of Nurse Ratched, freedom of expression and being able to take part in certain activities as simple as watching a ballgame on television to making bets in questionable card games was prohibited. This was a prime example as to how there were limitations in terms of socializing and forming bonds between one another as patients.

The background of Randle McMurphy has a great impact on how the audience may view this particular character or the plot of the film itself. According to the book, One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest, Randle McMurphy, acted by Jack Nicholson, was a Korean War POW (Prisoner of War), who had to go through such an unimaginable experience within the prison camp which through time developed into psychological warfare for this particular character. With his past encounters throughout the war, McMurphy was awarded a “Distinguished Service Cross” for inspiring a breakout of a communist occupied prison camp. This can easily prove how the protagonist carries a great amount of leadership skills. Despite McMurphy’s heroic gesture, he was dishonorably discharged for insubordination. In other words, the character did not submit to any form of order. After his military career came to an end, the main character entered a life of crime and violence. To be specific, the character engaged in extreme gambling, and was found guilty of battery along with a statutory rape charge. With McMurphy being charged with battery and sexual assault on a minor signifies and provides emphasis on how he may carry a very violent and impulsive personality. Uttered with impulsivity can clearly prove the significance of his prior experiences during the Korean War and how that can potentially contribute to the development of madness and mental illness. Furthermore, as McMurphy entered the mental institution and continuously conversed with the group of patients, he eventually took on the role of a leader. According to a psychological entry, An Introduction to Sociology through Fiction Using Kesey’s “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest”, it states, “ His ability to persuade reluctant fellow patients to go on a fishing trip, to invite “girls” into the word, and to “watch” the World Series on a blank T.V screen make for interested reading and spirited sociological debate…” (Pg. 127, Lena & London). With this being stated, it shows how McMurphy was able to take on the role of a leader. Within the entry, it also states, “At this point in the narrative, McMurphy had achieved a clearly defined position in the group. He was the “bull-goose loony.” (Pg.126, Lena & London). According to the 1975 film (directed by Milos Forman), McMurphy engages in group therapy sessions with all the other patients where they express their feelings about certain things. However, his exuberance and sarcasm fascinates the patients and results in a disruption in Nurse Ratched’s authoritarian rule over the institution. In a particular occurance, he is able to sway ten out of eighteen patients to raise their hands so that Nurse Ratched could allow them to watch the World Series baseball game, with this being done, it would disrupt and change the daily schedule Nurse Ratched has utilized for years. Furthermore, with Randle McMurphy creating a change in the daily schedule that was believed to be “therapeutic” for most patients, he gains the trust of his fellow peers and influences them enough to stimulate disorder throughout her routine meetings. Thus, shows how Randle McMurphy lead the group and influenced them to establish a chaotic setting as Nurse Ratched worked.

Throughout the two movies, The Dark Knight and One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, incorporates the story of two outliers, one being an antagonist (Joker) and the other being a protagonist (McMurphy) basically proves that they hold such great influence throughout the storylines. This may prove how the film industry in Hollywood glorifies madness and insanity through its films.

Work-Cited

Nolan , Christopher, director. The Dark Knight. Performance by Heath Ledger , and Christian Bale .

Kesey, Ken, and John Clark. Pratt. One Flew over the Cuckoos Nest. Penguin Books, 1996.

Metzl, Jonathan M., and Kenneth T. Macleish. “Mental Illness, Mass Shootings, and the Politics of American Firearms.” American Journal of Public Health, vol. 105, no. 2, 2015, pp. 240–249., doi:10.2105/ajph.2014.302242.

Lena, Hugh F., and Bruce London. “An Introduction to Sociology through Fiction Using Kesey’s ‘One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.’” Teaching Sociology, vol. 6, no. 2, 1979, pp. 123–131. JSTOR, JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/1317260.

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