Comments on: When fantasy becomes reality: thoughts on The Dark Knight Rises

By: Anna

Anna — Wed, 25 Jul 2012 22:55:32 +0000

I had planned to see the movie, as well. After the shooting, I decided not to see it in the theater and possibly not at all. How could I go into a theater and not look up a the front of the room and image a sick individual harming so many people? I didn’t want to have the situation feel any more real than it already does. It’s like going to a concentration camp and standing in the “showers” that were really gas chambers. For me the situation is already so disheartening and sad and I just can’t put myself in a situation where it will feel even more so. From the new details being released each day, it seems this individually was really, truly sick and possibly suffering from Schizophrenia. It’s unfortunate that there aren’t coping measures in place at most universities to identify people and situations that are prime for fostering mental illness, especially because university students are at an age when many mental illnesses often show themselves.

As far as the entertainment industry, I don’t feel it is to blame. This individual, in his current state, would have found a way to hurt others no matter what, whether inspired by his own imagination, a book, other recent news events, etc. And the reason so many people love super hero movies is because of the hero who rights wrongs. Or, in Batman’s case, a boy who overcame hardship to do something good.

By: Kelli Breton

Kelli Breton — Mon, 23 Jul 2012 17:00:51 +0000

Hi Lesley, I had the same feeling about the movie. Russell has been wanting to go see it pretty much every night since it came out, but I have been so hesitant. Glad I’m not the only one having that feeling. I’m sure I will see the movie eventually, but something in me doesn’t feel right going to see it after what happened. Needless to say, Russell will be having a movie date with one of his buddies very soon. Thank you for writing about this and sharing how you felt. So devastating.

By: san

san — Mon, 23 Jul 2012 05:45:50 +0000

” We pay good money to watch people act like evil villains, blow up cities and shoot up dinner parties, and then we’re shocked when it happens in real life. We ask, “why would someone do something like this?” when millions and millions of people have paid billions and billions of dollars to watch actors kill people on a big screen.”

I couldn’t have said it better, Lesley. I do watch those kinds of movies occasionally, but I totally agree that we can’t be surprised when there are people who imitate what they see on the big screen.
This country has a lot to learn when it comes to working on the true problems that cause those kind of incidents.

P.S. I am not planning to see the movie in theaters.