BB is underrated but TDK stands out because it was more original. Batman's origin has been well written so many times it would be hard to do it badly. Nolan improved on it and in doing so finally did the character justice then with TDK the Joker got the same treatment.
The thing about his origin is that it hadn't been in a movie before.
And Nolan did such a good job that it will never have to be again. Having rewatched it recently I'd agree it's just as good as TDK but as an origin story necessarily includes elements that fans are familiar with making it feel less original. Some consider it the better of the two but I like them equally.
I didn't find The Dull Knight to be original at all
I hadn't seen a depiction of Batman or the Joker like that before. Admittedly Batman was already established in BB but as the Joker says, they're a matching pair. TDK justified the Batman even after Ra's AlGhul had been stopped. That was original.
Nolan "borrowed" from other movies, including other Batman movies, for TDK.
I hadn't seen a depiction of Batman or the Joker like that before.
Correct. And that isn't a good thing. Batman is no longer "The World's Greatest Detective" and, even though he's trained for several years in multiple forms of martial arts, he looks like cr*p when he fights.
And, Joker is the "Clown Prince of Crime", yet isn't funny even in a maniacal way. He isn't even intimidating; just annoying. Take away his makeup, suit and don't refer to him as Joker, and no one would know which character he was.
Which?
Joker falling from the top of a tall building. Two Face dying while flipping his coin. And the scene where Joker is in prison is a direct rip-off of a made for TV movie, "Storm of the Century" when they first arrest the bad guy.
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Why because you dislike it? Good to know you speak for everyone else.
And, Joker is the "Clown Prince of Crime", yet isn't funny even in a maniacal way. He isn't even intimidating; just annoying. Take away his makeup, suit and don't refer to him as Joker, and no one would know which character he was.
What you just said is completely subjective. Same could be said about Nicholson's Joker so your point is irrelevant.
Joker falling from the top of a tall building. Two Face dying while flipping his coin. And the scene where Joker is in prison is a direct rip-off of a made for TV movie, "Storm of the Century" when they first arrest the bad guy.
Joker falling from the top of a building and being caught by Batman? I was not aware he was caught during his fall in Batman 1989.
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Joker falling from the top of a tall building. Two Face dying while flipping his coin. And the scene where Joker is in prison is a direct rip-off of a made for TV movie, "Storm of the Century" when they first arrest the bad guy.
Sorry but this is a really weak list...
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Harvey Dent is flipping a coin while waiting to shoot someone, and then gets killed before he can catch the coin.
Name which film that was.
Joker has Batman hanging off a ledge, then Batman turns the tables and Joker is now hanging from a high spot.
Name which film that was.
The criminal is sitting in his cell, the camera slowly zooms in on him while we hear the police saying that they couldn't find anything in his pockets to ID the criminal.
Name which film that was.
A propeller plane is captured mid-air when another air-craft "lasso's" it around the tail and tows it along.
Harvey Dent is flipping a coin while waiting to shoot someone, and then gets killed before he can catch the coin.
Name which film that was.
Joker has Batman hanging off a ledge, then Batman turns the tables and Joker is now hanging from a high spot.
Name which film that was.
The criminal is sitting in his cell, the camera slowly zooms in on him while we hear the police saying that they couldn't find anything in his pockets to ID the criminal.
Name which film that was.
A propeller plane is captured mid-air when another air-craft "lasso's" it around the tail and tows it along.
That's what origin stories are supposed to do so that doesn't make them more original, except in the literal sense.
Admittedly they both borrow heavily from the comics but it was the performances in TDK that make it stand out. Ledger's Joker will be difficult to improve on, Dent's TwoFace is the best depiction of the character and his story I've yet seen. Caine and Oldman were just as good as they were in BB. Add to this Bale's contribution and you have an orchestral performance!
However, ALL of Nolan's villains were well portrayed, even the mob bosses. His characterisation was excellent. We didn't see much of the Scarecrow in TDK but he appeared in both other films instead. Neeson's Ra's AlGhul Ghul was awesome, as was Hardy's Bane.
Hence, I can agree that BB was as good as TDK. They just told different stories.
BB was mostly about why Bruce needed Batman. TDK was about about why Gotham needed him, something that hasn't been explored in any depth before...