Todd Phillips’ Joker is on the verge of becoming the first R-rated film to gross $1 billion worldwide. Many critics had voiced fears that Joaquin Phoenix’s portrayal of a mentally ill loner with a violent streak could influence similar folk who feel hard done by society. What these critics did not see coming was a cultural phenomenon of a different kind.
A staircase in Bronx, New York, featured prominently in the film, has sparked the latest trend in meme tourism. The scene has protagonist Arthur Fleck, dressed in the Joker’s suit, dancing to Gary Glitter’s 1972 hit Rock and Roll Part 2 as he descends the long flight of stairs. Movie buffs visit the staircase to recreate the scene, and post pictures on Instagram. Residents around, though, are miffed by the noisy, “disrespectful” visitors. One man even threw eggs at them.
In fact, the locale has been the most-visited tourist spot in all of New York since the film’s release on October 2. It was even briefly marked as a religious site on Google Maps. Seems like cinema tourism has come full circle from the “Rocky Steps” of Sylvester Stallone’s iconic training montage in Rocky to #JokerStairs.