“Wanna know how I got these scars? My father was… a drinker. And a fiend. And one night he goes off crazier than usual. Mommy gets the kitchen knife to defend herself. He doesn’t like that. Not. One. Bit. So, me watching, he takes the knife to her, laughing while he does it. Turns to me and he says ‘Why so serious?’ Comes at me with the knife, ‘Why so serious?’ He sticks the blade in my mouth. ‘Let’s put a smile on that face!’ And….. Why so SERIOUS?”

I’m not looking to drown in hyperbole here, and I sure as hell don’t want to set ridiculously high expectations for you if you’re someone who’s yet to see the film, but I can’t help it. Yesterday I saw The Dark Knight for the second time and, I swear, it was even better. It’s a spectacular film and Heath Ledger’s performance as The Joker rises above all others (in what is a supremely well acted film) to solidify the role as one of the top two or three movie villains of all time. Word is: “to prepare for his role as the Joker, Heath Ledger lived alone in a hotel room for a month, formulating the character’s psychology, posture and voice (the last one he found most difficult to do). He started a diary, in which he wrote the Joker’s thoughts and feelings to guide himself during his performance.”

This got us thinking. Wondering… what music might Ledger have been listening to in order to get into character? What sort of mix could we make out of tunes that reflect, and perhaps even inspire, an actor’s transformation into such a fearless force of chaos?

***Listen to what we came up with (aka this week’s muxtape) HERE***

Join EAR FARM’s Community for a link to download the entire extended mix as a ZIP. It’s twenty songs long and includes tracks from Nine Inch Nails, Grand National, Pixies, and more, in addition to what you’ll hear over on EAR FARM’s muxtape. That’s one plus hour of songs that might inspire The Joker… click ‘em and smile.

EAR FARM’s Muxtape #19: Why So Serious?
1. “When Jokers Attack” by The Brian Jonestown Massacre
2. “Insane In The Brain” by Cypress Hill
3. “Painted Smiling Face” by Corrosion of Conformity
4. “Criminally Insane” by Slayer
5. “Knives Out” by Radiohead
6. “Nylon Smile” by Portishead
7. “Stone Cold Crazy” by Queen
8. “Something Must Break” by Joy Division
9. “I Will Kill Again” by Jarvis Cocker
10. “Institutionalized” by Suicidal Tendencies
11. “The Joker’s Joke” by Page France
12. “Hunted By A Freak” by Mogwai

*above photo from HERE, front thumbnail from HERE.
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A Muxtape is a simple way to create and share mixtapes. We create and share a brand new one each week on Friday morning. That’s all there is to it. Feel free to share your own mix in the comments. Check out all of the EAR FARM Weekly Mixes HERE.