Chapter 871: The Most Terrifying Aspect of Duke Rosenberg's Films

"If you ask me why the criminal chose to shoot the audience during a screening of The Dark Knight Rises, I can only say it is absolutely inseparable from the film itself."

On Saturday, a flurry of similar reports appeared across various media outlets, pointing the finger directly at The Dark Knight Rises.

"This was the answer an American police officer in Los Angeles gave when a reporter asked, 'Do you think the shooting suspect was influenced by the film?' Similar questions were asked by reporters as early as the release of Duke Rosenberg's second Batman Series film, The Dark Knight. At the time, critics worried that the Joker, played by Heath Ledger, was so realistic that it would incite young people to imitate him."

"Back then, Duke Rosenberg's answer was, 'Young people have their own judgment.' That sentence became the core of the harsh criticism leveled against him by certain media outlets. The grand, massive, and intensive promotional campaign crafted by Duke Rosenberg and Warner Bros. Company for The Dark Knight Rises was deemed by experts and police as an indirect incitement to crime."

"The promotional methods for The Dark Knight Rises were completely viral and brainwashing. They constantly exaggerated the confidence, evil, and darkness of the villains in Duke Rosenberg's films. Even Batman himself was transformed from a hero into 'a morally conflicted man struggling in the sinful mire of Gotham City'... I believe most fans go to the movies to see how the villain turns reality upside down. They look forward to a killer who can kill Batman, because Duke Rosenberg makes them love neuroticism, revenge, and anarchism."

"This also profoundly exposed a problem with Duke Rosenberg. His Batman Series differs from previous comic book superhero films; it focuses not on Batman and Bruce Wayne, but on villains like the Joker and Bane. They are far more three-dimensional and distinctly characterized than Batman. This creative approach, combined with the pre-release promotion of the villains—in Duke Rosenberg's hands, Batman is a foil, and he spent 250 million dollars just to forge villains who break the supporting legs of Batman and society—instills fans with values leaning toward the villains. This is the most terrifying aspect of Duke Rosenberg's films: he directly influences and twists the audience's values."

"During the promotion of The Dark Knight Rises, the studio heavily utilized viral marketing, such as posting wanted posters for the film's villains online, to raise awareness. From another angle, this blurred the dividing line between film and reality. This method of promotion previously caused panic among fans during The Blair Witch Project in 1999. At the time, an American TV station conducted a survey, and surprisingly, forty-seven percent of the interviewed fans believed the footage in The Blair Witch Project was real."

"Even more terrifying is that the high praise Duke Rosenberg accumulated from his previous Batman film, The Dark Knight, became another potential catalyst for this incident. Long before the 'The Dark Knight Rises shooting incident' occurred, some fans had threatened to 'arrange an accidental death for early viewers who leave bad reviews.' Even he personally received death threats."

"Some media outlets also cited eyewitness rumors, claiming James Holmes committed the crime because 'he couldn't buy a ticket to the Premiere.' These speculations have left the public across America terrified!"

"It is time for us to reflect, and this reflection should start with rejecting the values promoted by The Dark Knight Rises!"

Statements like these appeared in droves across major media platforms.

"In the hands of Tim Burton, Batman's enemies were comically deranged characters, but in Duke Rosenberg's hands, they were inverted into three-dimensional, complex terrorists like the Joker. They believe in anarchism. Before turning into thugs, they were victims of a cruel materialistic society just like Batman, only they walked a path entirely opposite to Bruce Wayne's."

"This path is more in line with a normal person's choice. Falling into depravity is far easier than upholding justice. Take the Joker, whom James Holmes imitated, as an example. He trusts no one; he can execute his own subordinates with a single shot without hesitation. He doesn't need money or power, yet he uses both to toy with everyone. He doesn't fear death or failure. He only wants to destroy this world that is as cold and ruthless as he is."

"It was precisely this kind of person and character that led the twenty-five-year-old James Holmes down a path of no return!"

"Ever since the first filmmakers discovered the commercial and entertainment properties of film a century ago, violence has formed an indissoluble bond with cinema. In the hands of famous directors like Duke Rosenberg, it has gradually evolved into an art form that makes the blood boil."

"Looking at Duke Rosenberg's twenty-year directing career, we can see a very obvious pattern: no violence, no commercial success. The violent elements in his films satisfy restless hearts dissatisfied with reality, allowing the audience's hero complex and destructive desires to find temporary satisfaction in the virtual world of the movie."

"At the same time, Duke Rosenberg's films have familiarized audiences with crime, taught them how to commit crimes, and even made them obsessed with crime. We must admit that films indeed bear an undeniable responsibility for the increasingly rampant violent activities in society. Let me ask those who have seen The Dark Knight: who among you wasn't mesmerized by the Joker's extreme madness and meticulous planning? Who dares to say that after watching it, they didn't have the urge to detonate a bomb somewhere and waddle out just like the Joker?"

These attacks, along with the heavily orchestrated public opinion, were basically entirely within the expectations of Duke and Warner Brothers. As if by prior agreement, the media under Warner also continuously published relevant commentary regarding the incident.

It was impossible to completely erase the impact of the shooting incident, but it was still possible to foster a debate rather than allow a one-sided trend of public opinion detrimental to The Dark Knight Rises.

Warner Brothers first brought out multiple criminal psychology experts.

Michael Werner, a criminal psychology expert from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, wrote an article for the press: "Looking at the series of major shootings that have previously occurred in America, the killers can generally be classified as a specific type of person: misanthropic, suffering from severe paranoia, and seeking to make an impact through killing. James Holmes is a typical example of this. It doesn't have much to do with any movie."

Jeffrey Swanson, a professor at Duke University studying violence and mental illness, argued, "We shouldn't jump to conclusions about the killer's motives too early. Although the perpetrators of mass shootings are generally young men who have autistic tendencies and often imitate certain movies, the problem is that there are tens of thousands of people who meet these criteria yet have never done anything like this."

Steve Albrecht, an expert from the Association of Threat Assessment Professionals in America, told reporters, "The killer is likely a loser in a series of life events, attempting to solve his problems through killing." He speculated that the police's efforts to find the killer's motive might be futile, and that they would be better off focusing their energy on preventing such criminal cases beforehand.

Although these people didn't directly state that James Holmes's actions were unrelated to the Batman Series films, their remarks were undoubtedly beneficial to The Dark Knight Rises.

Perhaps because this incident was advantageous to O-Coal's policies, the White House Spokesperson representing the Washington Authorities believed there was no connection between the shooting and the film.

"The violent scenes in films capable of a wide-scale release are very limited. The Batman Series is essentially still a family-friendly franchise, and many children go see it."

At a routine White House press briefing, the spokesperson said, "If you want to argue that movies are linked to violence, literature has violence too. Everyone shouldn't make reckless associations. In truth, the core issue of this incident is American gun control."

He also offered high praise: "In The Dark Knight Rises, Director Duke Rosenberg maintained a very high standard. He has elevated the class and caliber of superhero films."

Facing the various voices of doubt aimed at the Batman Series, Duke's paid online shills mobilized once again. They haunted various famous movie websites and social networks, directly refuting the viewpoints of some media outlets.

"Let me ask the friends who have seen The Dark Knight: who among you wasn't mesmerized by the Joker's extreme madness and meticulous planning? Who dares to say that after watching it, they didn't have the urge to detonate a bomb somewhere and waddle out just like the Joker? But did you actually do it?"

"No! Because you are rational. You can distinguish between fantasy and reality."

"But some people have always lived in fantasy, or have been forced to live in fantasy. Let's shift our focus to the cold-blooded killer, James Holmes. According to descriptions from his neighbors, teachers, and classmates, James Holmes was a quiet, introverted, and even reclusive person. His classmates described him as an 'enigmatic figure,' and his name couldn't be found on the friend lists of any classmate's social media."

"All this goes to show that James Holmes, just like the Joker, has a shocking and gruesome scar. However, Holmes's scar isn't on his mouth, but in his heart. Criminal psychology posits that the occurrence of criminal behavior is inextricably linked to childhood experiences. The real world's impact on a person's psyche is the true root of criminal behavior!"

If someone claimed that movies completely failed to influence reality, Duke himself wouldn't believe it, but Warner was bound to promote it as such.

Actually, there is a quote that puts it perfectly: Audiences actually know the truth. This world is very simple and very cruel. There are no miracles, and there is no magic. But if you can fool them, even for just a second, you can make them marvel, and then you will see something very special. Do you really not know what it is? It's the expression on the audience's faces.