Batman Movie Director Nolan Expresses Shock At Theater Massacre

[News_Editor]

Batman movie director Nolan expresses shock at theater massacre < br />

2012-07-22 07:50:38 GMT+7 (ICT)

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA (BNO NEWS) -- Batman movie director Christopher Nolan on Saturday expressed "profound sorrow" on behalf of the cast and crew after a gunman opened fire during the premiere of 'The Dark Knight Rises' in Colorado, killing 12 people and injuring nearly 60 others.

Nolan described the massacre as a "senseless tragedy" that has befallen the entire community in Aurora, a city which is part of the Denver Metropolitan Area. The shootings happened on early Friday morning during a midnight screening for the movie, which is the third installment in Nolan's Batman film series.

"I believe movies are one of the great American art forms and the shared experience of watching a story unfold on screen is an important and joyful pastime," Nolan said in a statement posted on the official Facebook page for the movie. "The movie theater is my home, and the idea that someone would violate that innocent and hopeful place in such an unbearably savage way is devastating to me."

He expressed his shock on behalf of the cast and crew of 'The Dark Knight Rises'. "Nothing any of us can say could ever adequately express our feelings for the innocent victims of this appalling crime, but our thoughts are with them and their families," he added in the brief statement.

Christian Bale, the star of 'The Dark Knight Rises,' also expressed his shock. "Words cannot express the horror that I feel," he said in a statement on late Saturday. "I cannot begin to truly understand the pain and grief of the victims and their loved ones, but my heart goes out to them."

The massacre took place when a gunman walked into an auditorium at the Century 16 Movie Theater in Aurora. He appeared as a silhouette to moviegoers, some of whom first assumed he was part of a stunt for the movie, but then set off two devices with smoke or some sort of irritant to distract them.

The gunman, who was outfitted in complete ballistic gear, then opened fire at the moviegoers, killing twelve people and injuring 58 others. Responding police officers arrested 24-year-old James Eagen Holmes outside the movie theater. He was carrying several weapons and reportedly identified himself to police as 'the Joker,' a character in the Batman series.

Friday's massacre was one of the worst mass shootings in U.S. history.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2012-07-22

[chuckd]

My questions to the esteem director would be...

"If you direct a film with unlimited violence, killing and other macabre incidents, how can you possibly not take some blame for your actions? The film is going out to a general public that is filled with unbalanced people that are capable of doing the sort of things you portray in your movies yet anybody can pay the fare and watch them. Why would you not be intelligent enough to realize your films are simply setting the background or planting ideas in the minds of unbalanced viewers for similar or even worse incidents such as this to occur?"

Hollywood yet again washes their hands of the entire problem and takes no responsibility for their own actions.

[bdw]

Of course the films are making disturbed people act out. Didn't The Joker have a scene where he wiped out people with an assault rifle ?

What can be done about it ?, monitor the content of ALL movies ?

Give the viewers a Psych test before allowing them to watch it ?

They'll just DL it and watch it at home.

[GiHadOrange]

Why not blame comic books?

[chuckd]

Why not blame comic books?

If this movie can not be blamed, how can guns be blamed?

This fool was dressed as the Joker, claimed he is the Joker and killed people, as the Joker does.

Your comic book reference is patently absurd.

[irlguy1]

Why not blame comic books?

If this movie can not be blamed, how can guns be blamed?

This fool was dressed as the Joker, claimed he is the Joker and killed people, as the Joker does.

Your comic book reference is patently absurd.

How about we stop showing the news and ban newspapers. dam_n I hate people that blame movies for violence.

I see the news showing soldiers murdering entire villages, I see newspapers with headlines of murder and rape and front page pictures of dead bodies.

Oh wait let's ban books to I mean I read about the nazis and how they incinerated the Jews. Gimme a break it's absurd to say people kill because of movies. People kill because they are sick twisted psychos and with or without movies they would still be suck twisted psychos. Oh dam_n how would we have this conversation in your world I mean shouldn't we be banning the Internet too?

Of course the blame is on guns lets look at the math shall we? No guns in a country means less gun crimes is it just me that sees that. Ireland have no guns wow surprise surprise no gun toting maniacs marching into a cinema yet strangely enough they all watched the same movies.

Edited July 22, 2012 by irlguy1

[Steely Dan]

The Taliban seem to manage pretty well in the gratuitous violence stakes whilst they ban televisions, which in my opinion supports the notion that psychopathic behavior comes from within. If a clear ideology presents itself as an excuse for violence then I agree it should be banned and all mediums for spreading the ideology should also be banned. In the case of this film I don't yet see a cult of violence springing up around the film, if it does then that is a game changer as occurred with the film 'Clockwork Orange'.

[chuckd]

Why not blame comic books?

If this movie can not be blamed, how can guns be blamed?

This fool was dressed as the Joker, claimed he is the Joker and killed people, as the Joker does.

Your comic book reference is patently absurd.

How about we stop showing the news and ban newspapers. dam_n I hate people that blame movies for violence.

I see the news showing soldiers murdering entire villages, I see newspapers with headlines of murder and rape and front page pictures of dead bodies.

Oh wait let's ban books to I mean I read about the nazis and how they incinerated the Jews. Gimme a break it's absurd to say people kill because of movies. People kill because they are sick twisted psychos and with or without movies they would still be suck twisted psychos. Oh dam_n how would we have this conversation in your world I mean shouldn't we be banning the Internet too?

Of course the blame is on guns lets look at the math shall we? No guns in a country means less gun crimes is it just me that sees that. Ireland have no guns wow surprise surprise no gun toting maniacs marching into a cinema yet strangely enough they all watched the same movies.

It's nice to be hated. You will have to stand in line though.

Tell me again, who was the shooter dressed up as and who was he reenacting? Certainly he was sick, twisted and perverted, possibly driven over the edge by too many violent movies, but you can't escape the facts in this case.

If he was dressed as Mary Poppins you might have a case. Dressed as the Joker, you don't.

[smokinfun]

there have been crazy and murderous people through out time; don't think movies will start or stop that.

[Thaddeus]

there have been crazy and murderous people through out time; don't think movies will start or stop that.

Indeed, if this movie had never been made this nut-job would have found another excuse.

[GiHadOrange]

Why not blame comic books?

If this movie can not be blamed, how can guns be blamed?

This fool was dressed as the Joker, claimed he is the Joker and killed people, as the Joker does.

Your comic book reference is patently absurd.

Isn't the Joker a character from a cartoon book?

And who is blaming guns? Some blaming fridays. Some others blamed entrance doors, because the killer was going trough one.

Other killers in the past said Jesus spoke to them. Should we ban Jesus now?

Or just take the words of a lunatic who claims whatever as the words of a lunatic.

[rijb]

We can blame the movies. We can blame guns. I just blame the monster that did the killings.

[koheesti]

I've been watching violent movies since the mid 70's. I was reading Batman comics even before then (stopped in the early 80's). I've never felt the urge to go out and kill people.

[Scott]

An unnecessarily vulgar comparison has been deleted.

[Jingthing]

Movie producers are totally blameless in regards to this mass murder. Loose and easy gun laws in the US? Not so totally blameless.

[irlguy1]

An unnecessarily vulgar comparison has been deleted.

You could have just cut the part you didn't like. I apologise it wasn't meant as vulgar just as an analogy so here is the post without that part as I feel it's still an important point.

For a start he wasn't dressed as the joker he wore a gas mask.

Facts are he was nuts. A costume means nothing any it would just be a way to gain access. If he had gate crashed a baby shower maybe he would have worn a diaper.

If movies are such a brain washing medium then why didn't he dress as a blue alien alien and try to fly a dragon

Or put on an iron man suit and STOP violence? More people saw that film than this one.

[Globalight]

I've been watching violent movies since the mid 70's. I was reading Batman comics even before then (stopped in the early 80's). I've never felt the urge to go out and kill people.

er

Two NEW Movies HERE FOR download Online "Chronicle and Meeting Evil" Great inspirational movies for the future Jokers out there...

God Bless u all..

[irlguy1]

Movie producers are totally blameless in regards to this mass murder. Loose and easy gun laws in the US? Not so totally blameless.

Agreed . You don't see people watching willy wonka then going on a sweet giving frenzy.

If movies are to blame for violence then equally they have to brain wash people in all ways. I think I will watch titanic again. I feel like going on a water chucking spree. Or maybe I will get really into it and use a fire hose.

[GiHadOrange]

Movie producers are totally blameless in regards to this mass murder. Loose and easy gun laws in the US? Not so totally blameless.

Freedom doesn't come without risks.

[Jingthing]

Movie producers are totally blameless in regards to this mass murder. Loose and easy gun laws in the US? Not so totally blameless.

Freedom doesn't come without risks.

Agreed. There is a balance in gun rights freedoms that other advanced nations have managed to achieve, but mysteriously eludes the USA. Correction, I think I've solved the mystery in 3 letters: N, R, and A. Edited July 22, 2012 by Jingthing

[GiHadOrange]

Movie producers are totally blameless in regards to this mass murder. Loose and easy gun laws in the US? Not so totally blameless.

Freedom doesn't come without risks.

Agreed. There is a balance in gun rights freedoms that other advanced nations have managed to achieve, but mysteriously eludes the USA. Correction, I think I've solved the mystery in 3 letters: N, R, and A.

Gun laws in the USA are part of American history and traditions, kind of a cultural heritage. Other countries, advanced nation have developed different and have other traditions.

The risk of getting killed in a shooting spree is very low.

I don't believe that the laws should be more easy and don't fall for that argument that a decent citizen if he would have been allowed to carry a gun all the time where he goes could have stopped this killer or that would have stopped one of the killers in other cases.

But i also don't believe that more regulation and more control is needed or that the NRA is here to blame.

[irlguy1]

Movie producers are totally blameless in regards to this mass murder. Loose and easy gun laws in the US? Not so totally blameless.

Freedom doesn't come without risks.

Agreed. There is a balance in gun rights freedoms that other advanced nations have managed to achieve, but mysteriously eludes the USA. Correction, I think I've solved the mystery in 3 letters: N, R, and A.

The risk of getting killed in a shooting spree is very low.

Tell that to columbine and all the other victims of shooting sprees in the USA.

Fact is without movies violence happens but without guns there are no shooting sprees.

[GiHadOrange]

Tell that to columbine and all the other victims of shooting sprees in the USA.

Fact is without movies violence happens but without guns there are no shooting sprees.

Tell them what? That freedom or life in general doesn't comes without risk and laws cannot protect you from some lunatics.

Relatives of people killed in the Columbine massacre filled also a couple of lawsuit against video game makers, with the claim that video games turned the teenagers Harris and Klebold into monster killers. All lawsuits were dismissed.

Someone had to told them. Nope, sorry video games didn't kill your kids. Fact.

Another fact is that without cars would be no accidents caused by drunken drivers.

[koheesti]

Movie producers are totally blameless in regards to this mass murder. Loose and easy gun laws in the US? Not so totally blameless.

There were no "loose and easy gun laws" where this shooting took place. So now how do you explain it?

People crying out for more gun laws ignore one undeniable truth - criminals don't obey laws, only law-abiding citizens do. Chicago has very tough gun laws and people get shot and killed there on an almost daily basis. Washington DC has tough laws and it is also one of the more dangerous cities in the USA.

[koheesti]

The Dark Knight Movie Massacre & Why I Carry a Gun Everywhere I Go

The Aurora Dark Knight Massacre is exactly why I carry at least one gun everywhere I go—because crap always happens when you least expect it. That’s why, as responsible citizens and gun owners, we must always be ready and must always expect it because when it happens, it happens fast; if you’re not ready, you and others are screwed.

For instance, it’s a beautiful and quiet day on Miami Beach this morning. I’m drinking my coffee at an outdoor cafe, minding my own business while I work on this column and on my website. I don’t see any bath salt zombies on the prowl. There are no Trench Coat Mafia wannabes lurking around. There is no real foreseeable reason to carry a weapon. But I am. The reason? Well, I’m not omniscient. I’m just a dumb clunk living in a jacked-up world where med school students go bat crap crazy and shoot up normally peaceful places for inexplicable reasons. Therefore, I’m locked, cocked and ready to rock should some demented dill weed decide to strafe the local patrons sipping a cup of Joe.

http://townhall.com/columnists/douggiles/2012/07/22/the_dark_knight_movie_massacre__why_i_carry_a_gun_everywhere_i_go/page/full/

[ttelise]

Movie producers are totally blameless in regards to this mass murder. Loose and easy gun laws in the US? Not so totally blameless.

Freedom doesn't come without risks.

Agreed. There is a balance in gun rights freedoms that other advanced nations have managed to achieve, but mysteriously eludes the USA. Correction, I think I've solved the mystery in 3 letters: N, R, and A.

Gun laws in the USA are part of American history and traditions, kind of a cultural heritage. Other countries, advanced nation have developed different and have other traditions.

The risk of getting killed in a shooting spree is very low.

I don't believe that the laws should be more easy and don't fall for that argument that a decent citizen if he would have been allowed to carry a gun all the time where he goes could have stopped this killer or that would have stopped one of the killers in other cases.

But i also don't believe that more regulation and more control is needed or that the NRA is here to blame.

Gun laws here have gotten much more lax. 20 years ago, no one had concealed permits. Now guns are every where and most of my friends carry pistols. I always get uncomfortable when they pull them out.

Once, I was sitting on a radiator heater in my friends bed room next to a mirror. He pulled the clip out and I said what if a bullet is still in the chamber as he pulled the trigger while aiming in the mirror right next to me. The gun discharged, his eyes got big and he said like that. Missed me by 6 inches and went through the house out into a neighborhood.

The assault rifle thing is my biggest gripe. This guy could not have hit 70 people without a high powered assault rifle and the 100 shot magazine. Someone might could have taken him down also with 100 shot clip and if he had to constantly reload. Anyone can buy an assault rifle now and private individuals sale these at gun shows to people without any background check whatsoever.

I am sorry, one has to be pretty much retard if they think more guns on the street will make things safer. Politicians may stand for to get voter base, but not believe safety proposition for a second. Just more selfish US entitlement bs.

Edited July 22, 2012 by ttelise

[irlguy1]

Tell that to columbine and all the other victims of shooting sprees in the USA.

Fact is without movies violence happens but without guns there are no shooting sprees.

Tell them what? That freedom or life in general doesn't comes without risk and laws cannot protect you from some lunatics.

Relatives of people killed in the Columbine massacre filled also a couple of lawsuit against video game makers, with the claim that video games turned the teenagers Harris and Klebold into monster killers. All lawsuits were dismissed.

Someone had to told them. Nope, sorry video games didn't kill your kids. Fact.

Another fact is that without cars would be no accidents caused by drunken drivers.

Make up your mind are you agreeing with me that movies and games don't kill people or saying they are. Your making no sense mate.

And my comment about Columbine was in reply to the post" that not many die in shooting sprees" so yes many do die in shooting sprees.

Your "fact" about cars is ridiculous as its not the cars that cause the accidents it's the drunks and by that analogy it's still down to the person not to drink and not to drive like billions of people world wide every day. Hey maybe we should ban NASCAR and grand prix because it makes people drive fast.

Simple fact is there is no need for every man woman and child to carry or have access to a gun. This crap about right to bare arms is the governments way of making more money and an idiots way to be an idiot with a gun. Bottom line as I said already. No gun no gun spree.

[irlguy1]

Movie producers are totally blameless in regards to this mass murder. Loose and easy gun laws in the US? Not so totally blameless.

There were no "loose and easy gun laws" where this shooting took place. So now how do you explain it?

People crying out for more gun laws ignore one undeniable truth - criminals don't obey laws, only law-abiding citizens do. Chicago has very tough gun laws and people get shot and killed there on an almost daily basis. Washington DC has tough laws and it is also one of the more dangerous cities in the USA.

Only tough gun law is a no gun law .

[irlguy1]

The Dark Knight Movie Massacre & Why I Carry a Gun Everywhere I Go

The Aurora Dark Knight Massacre is exactly why I carry at least one gun everywhere I go—because crap always happens when you least expect it. That’s why, as responsible citizens and gun owners, we must always be ready and must always expect it because when it happens, it happens fast; if you’re not ready, you and others are screwed.

For instance, it’s a beautiful and quiet day on Miami Beach this morning. I’m drinking my coffee at an outdoor cafe, minding my own business while I work on this column and on my website. I don’t see any bath salt zombies on the prowl. There are no Trench Coat Mafia wannabes lurking around. There is no real foreseeable reason to carry a weapon. But I am. The reason? Well, I’m not omniscient. I’m just a dumb clunk living in a jacked-up world where med school students go bat crap crazy and shoot up normally peaceful places for inexplicable reasons. Therefore, I’m locked, cocked and ready to rock should some demented dill weed decide to strafe the local patrons sipping a cup of Joe.

http://townhall.com/columnists/douggiles/2012/07/22/the_dark_knight_movie_massacre__why_i_carry_a_gun_everywhere_i_go/page/full/

Yes that makes perfect sense

A guy walks into a cinema and starts shooting and you think the solution is to whip out a gun in a panicked dark environment and start shooting back.

I rest my case

[MJP]

My questions to the esteem director would be...

"If you direct a film with unlimited violence, killing and other macabre incidents, how can you possibly not take some blame for your actions? The film is going out to a general public that is filled with unbalanced people that are capable of doing the sort of things you portray in your movies yet anybody can pay the fare and watch them. Why would you not be intelligent enough to realize your films are simply setting the background or planting ideas in the minds of unbalanced viewers for similar or even worse incidents such as this to occur?"

Hollywood yet again washes their hands of the entire problem and takes no responsibility for their own actions.

Spot on.

Supermarkets in the UK even stock that Hostel series of macabre evil.

Sick products of sick minds creating sick societies.

Edited July 22, 2012 by MJP