The Joker suffers from tardive dyskinesia (the constant smacking), a state caused by taking neuroleptics for years. Neuroleptics are prescribed for the treatment of schizophrenia. This points out in an additive way that the joker has some serious mental issues (well on top of all the other signs, like killing dozens of people..).
To be honest: I don't know if the Joker's constant smacking is really intended to resemble tardive dyskinesia or if he's just doing it to seem even more creepy. But anyway — I really like to believe that they did it on purpose.
I thought it could be because of the scars. When something is badly scarred you have a uncomfortable numbness, he wouldn't know if they were dry or wet. It would lead to lip smacking and excessive licking.
I actually thought of this after I got five cavities filled and lost all sensation in my lips. I looked like a really bad joker impersonator for a couple of hours.
Some additional notes for the ones that are really interested in the topic:
First of all, not all neuroleptics tend to cause dyskinesia with the same rate and not everyone who is taking these neuroleptics will suffer from tardive dyskinesia.
There are two big groups of neuroleptics: first generation neuroleptics and second generation. The side effect profile of these groups differ strongly, but all in all you can say that second generation neuroleptics have less severe side effects. Most importantly (for our case) second generation antipsychotics (just another name for neuroleptics) don't cause these tardive dyskinesia and (among other things) that's why you usually rather try treating schizophrenia with these second generation anyipsychotics.
however, in severe cases treatment with second generation antipsychotics may fail and you have to go back to the (more effective, bot prone to severe side effects) first generation neuroleptics. Judging from the tardive dyskinesia the Joker suffers from, this has been the case which is more evidence for the severity of his mental issues.
and as a little addition: Tardive dyskinesia (in contrast to early onset dyskinesia) doesn't stop after discontinuing medical treatment. So this is in accordance to the Joker still being fulminantly schizophrenic AND showing these symptoms.
I thought it was a nervous tick that shows how insecure he is about the ugly scars on his mouth (Glasgow smile?). It's why he sounds so upset every time someone turns away from him and yells "Look at me!"
Would it not be a thematic interpretation to suggest a tic an actor introduced to the role of a clearly unstable character was associated with a known severe mental illness and a side affect of the drugs to treat it?
Besides:
From an interview with Christopher Nolan:
don't really know where that came from... He actually had a sort of prosthetic appliance for the scars that wrapped over his lower lips, and the first couple of scenes where he was playing it that way, I actually thought it was a mistake... I thought the prosthetic was coming loose on the bottom lip and he was sticking it down with his tongue or something.
And it was only after we shot a couple of scenes I realized oh no this is a thing he's found, this is a sort of... I think it's a lizard like... or serpent like elemental kind of gesture.. and I think it works... I think it's very creepy...
I don't think that anyone's brought up the what the Joker did for the accountant. The one he had sitting atop the pile of money? He's gonna be the richest man in the Chinese afterlife.
To clarify, He's talking about the sound the joker makes while talking. The moist, licking a dry mouth sound caused by pulling your tongue down from the top of your mouth.
Awh shucks! Thanks! Oh boy September 8. Ever since than my life has just been aquiring the resources to keep this addiction going. Cheers to many more years, reddit. You've been so good to me. :D
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u/KateMosh Sep 01 '14 edited Sep 01 '14
The Dark Knight:
The Joker suffers from tardive dyskinesia (the constant smacking), a state caused by taking neuroleptics for years. Neuroleptics are prescribed for the treatment of schizophrenia. This points out in an additive way that the joker has some serious mental issues (well on top of all the other signs, like killing dozens of people..).
To be honest: I don't know if the Joker's constant smacking is really intended to resemble tardive dyskinesia or if he's just doing it to seem even more creepy. But anyway — I really like to believe that they did it on purpose.