It's Sir Michael Caine's opinion that Heath Ledger beat the odds andtoppedJackNicholson's JokerfromBatman (1989) : "Jack was like aclownfigure, benignbutwicked, maybeakiller old uncle."
Burton has been searching for just that "tone" in directing films that run the gamut, from the obscure 1984 "Frankenweenie" to the blockbusters "Batman" (1989), "Batman Returns" (1992) and the high-priced critical and commercial defeat "Mars Attacks!"