HOW MIGHT THE DARK KNIGHT RISES INCOPORATE NY’S OCCUPY WALL STREET PROTEST?

Beautiful. You're raising my hopes that TDKR can surpass TDK. Let's hope...

Just wanted to say great article, Renn. Without delvnig into full-on analysis, you make a good case for the previous film's tapping into the zeitgeist, and helps us look at the upcoming one with smarter filters.

Thanks guys!

Is the poster registering? I probably spent too long on it and it's rather subtle.

Your piece has probably gotten me more excited about the film than anything we've seen so far.

Yeah, your photoshopping is a bit too subtle.  I wouldn't have known to look for it had you not mentioned it. 

GREAT piece, even if you may be over-thinking things (maybe Nolan just wants... crowd shots?)

Hard to say what the politics of The Dark Knight Rises will be. I think a lot of people who liked The Dark Knight's cloak-and-dagger right wing approach neglected to mention both the downbeat, sour tone and the insecurity of those involved.

For instance, Bruce arming all the cell phones in the city. Lucius has a problem with it, but Bruce clearly says, "Beautiful, isn't it?" We saw Lucius' resignation, but does the movie take his side? And does Bruce really have such a hard-on for going outside of the law for that, and the dubious extradition activity regarding Lau? The Dark Knight Rises is in a tricky position, because now it has to validate those actions, or condemn them, particularly if it's the end of this particular series.

Using the Wall Street protestors seems dicey, in that the city itself is a character in Nolan's films, but the people aren't. Unless they spout stuff like, "COPS ARE DYING OUT THERE." It would be pretty disingenuous to just feature those random extras suddenly partaking in an aggressive anti-corruption rally, no?

The Wall Street occupation is such a difficult environment, because it's not simply cut and dried. Neither is Batman's hypocritical (blind?) advocacy of the people and support of activities of clandestine illegalities vs. Bruce's apparent interest in urban infrastructure on top of a free-wheeling use (abuse?) of free-market capitalism. Then again, we don't REALLY know... what does Wayne Enterprises DO, besides build awesome military tech that nobody uses?

That direct-to-DVD animated film "Gotham Knight" apparently happens within movie continuity and features Bruce trying to stop an insidious urban sprawl project that would displace several poor people, and I've only seen it once, so I don't remember much, but doesn't he eventually lose an appeal to the courts? Could that be the sort of stuff we see in the new movie?

And from a nerd perspective... where does Catwoman come into this? Does she not steal from the rich? Is this the lower class, poorer Catwoman of some select comic runs? Judging by some spy photos, it doesn't look like it. Is Bane a Glenn Beck-like figure in the League of Shadows Tea Party enterprise, given that the League is likely, like the Tea Party, secretly funded by rich corporations and only pretending to be a grassroots movement? And how can we get Earle back into this series? Could this whole post be any fucking nerdier?

Excellent piece, Renn!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gabe T Is Bane a Glenn Beck-like figure in the League of Shadows Tea Party enterprise, given that the League is likely, like the Tea Party, secretly funded by rich corporations and only pretending to be a grassroots movement?

"You know, we all have our inner demons. I, for one – I can't speak for you, but I'm on the verge of moral collapse at any time." *activates the venom*

"Throughout the ages, our weapons have become more sophisticated. With Gotham, we tried a new one: economics."

This very much fits with what you're extrapolating about the League in TDKR. Nice read, Renn.