Exhibitionism of Violence

Published in Süddeutsche Zeitung
(Germany) on 21 July 2012
by Fritz Göttler (link to originallink to original)
Translated from by Sandra Alexander. Edited by Josie Mulberry.
Again and again, America experiences such brutal shootings as the current one in Aurora. One will once again debate action films, video games and firearms. The controversy could become more aggressive this time. Christopher Nolan’s “The Dark Knight Rises” offers a brutal reflection: The exhibitionism of violence that the film develops has been taken from society.

Late Thursday night, shortly after midnight, terror returned to Denver, Colorado. In 1999, there was the massacre in Columbine High School in Littleton, a site near the city; now it came as a brutal shooting in Aurora, a suburb of Denver. Twelve people were killed, dozens wounded. America is accustomed to experiencing such extreme acts of violence at regular intervals.

This is the most frightening to date. It occurred in a movie theater during the screening of a movie, “The Dark Knight Rises,” the finale of Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy. The terror on the screen begins with the capture of an airplane; the terror in front of the screen began shortly after this scene.

"The Dark Knight Rises" is the big event of summer movies; the excitement has been mounting. There were sold-out midnight openings across the country and many fans came in masks. The potential to arouse emotion is enormous.

America will once again dispute the concerns and accusations that are intertwined with violence in films and video games, and the all too easy access to firearms.

The controversy could become more aggressive this time amidst the crisis of a demoralized, polarized America. The film offers a brutal reflection: The exhibitionism of violence developed in the movie is taken from society.


Immer wieder erlebt Amerika solche brutalen Schießereien wie jetzt in Aurora. Erneut wird man über Actionfilme, Video-Spiele und Schusswaffen debattieren. Der Streit könnte diesmal aggressiver werden. Chris Nolans "Dark Knight Rises" reflektiert das brutal: Der Film hat den Exhibitionismus der Gewalt, den er entwickelt, der Gesellschaft entnommen.

In der Nacht zu Freitag, kurz nach Mitternacht, kam der Terror zurück nach Denver, Colorado. 1999 hatte es das Massaker in der Columbine High School von Littleton gegeben, einem Ort in der Nähe der Stadt, nun kam es zu einer brutalen Schießerei in Aurora, einem Vorort von Denver - zwölf Menschen wurden getötet, Dutzende wurden verwundet. Amerika ist gewöhnt, in regelmäßigen Abständen solche Gewaltexzesse zu erleben.

Dieser aber ist schauriger als die bisherigen - er fand in einem Kino statt, während der Vorführung eines Films: "The Dark Knight Rises", das Finale von Christopher Nolans Batman-Trilogie. Auf der Leinwand beginnt der Terror mit der Kaperung eines Flugzeugs - kurz nach dieser Szene begann auch der Terror vor der Leinwand.

Der "Dark Knight" ist das große Ereignis des Kinosommers, die Stimmung ist aufgeheizt. Im ganzen Land gab es volle Mitternachtsvorstellungen, viele Fans kamen maskiert. Das Empathie- und Erregungspotential ist enorm.

Amerika wird erneut über die Bedenken und Vorwürfe streiten, die sich um die Gewalt in Filmen oder Video-Spielen und den allzu leichten Zugang zu Schusswaffen ranken.

Der Streit könnte diesmal aggressiver werden, in der Krisenstimmung eines demoralisierten, polarisierten Amerikas. Der Film reflektiert das brutal: Er hat den Exhibitionismus der Gewalt, den er entwickelt, der Gesellschaft entnommen.
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