Heath Ledger's legendary turn as the Joker in The Dark Knight didn't happen without a whole hell of a lot of thought. It's been widely reported that the late Australian actor kept a "Joker journal" to inspire his performance as the Clown Prince of Crime, and now you can see bits and pieces of that journal for yourself.

Video evidence of the famed Joker diary has arrived online at ComicBookMovie.com, clipped from the 2012 German documentary series Too Young to Die. The minute-long clip features Heath's father Kim Ledger flipping through and describing the diary.

"He locked himself up in a hotel room for weeks," Ledger explains of his son's process. "He liked to dive into his characters, but this time he really took it up a notch."

Several instantly recognizable images stand out as Kim flips through the journal, including a "Got Milk?" ad and a cut-out of Malcolm McDowell's twisted character from A Clockwork Orange. Also featured in the clip is a quick glimpse at the Academy Award that Ledger posthumously earned for his Dark Knight performance.

It's a tragically brief look at one of the building blocks behind Ledger's unforgettable role. Then again, "tragically brief" is perhaps fitting for a talent like Ledger, gone far too soon.

(via io9)