The Dark Knight Anti-Alcohol themes in TDK(and why Alfred actually killed Dent)

[PantherSaysGrrr]

Hey, Ive been thinking about this for some time now, and who knows, perhaps Im just reaching here, but;
is there an anti-alcohol message in this film? And if not, at least its an interesting little coincidence.

First of all, there are lots of shots of people drinking alcohol in this film, and many of those characters die soon after:

Comissioner Loeb, quite literally killed by his drink;



Harvey Two Face;


(Also, Harvey is burned by the explosion after laying face-first in a puddle of gasoline, perhaps an analogy for booze?)



Dead.


Now, here is where it gets interesting;

Batman throws away the contents of his sparkling wine glass;


... survives the film.

The Joker, almost mirroring Bruce, spills most of his drink and finishes only the bottom of the glass;



The sip gets close to costing his life, as he almost falls to his death later in the film, saved by Batman before hitting ground.
(There must be some sort of connection too between Bruce throwing his drink down the balcony, The Joker throwing Rachel in the same direction, Batman saving Rachel, Batman throwing Joker off a building, Batman saving Joker. )

Rachel, who doesnt drink in the film, chooses Harvey, a drinker, over Bruce and goes down with him strapped to barrels of gasoline, symbolising how alcohol abuse hurts those closest to us.

And,finally, lets get to Alfred;

Killing Bruces competition in love

...and also provide us and Bruce with a healthy alternative to booze(or a Screwdriver, you decide.)



So, any thoughts? Is Nolan a straight-edge teetotalist, or should I stop drinking?

 

[Eddie Dean]

it's true alcohol will kill u

 

[PantherSaysGrrr]

it's true alcohol will kill u

Of course everything in moderation, but it seems this film suggests we should stay away from alcohol entirely, which seems a bit harsh and high horsey

 

[The Joker]

When I saw the thread title I thought this was just a joke thread, until I saw the level of effort you put into your post. The movie doesn't suggest anything of the sort about alcohol. By your theory all the guests at the Dent fund raiser should have been slaughtered since they were all chugging down champagne.

Look at that scene. I'm amazed all four of them were not killed off after this. Look Rachel drinking wine (even though you claim she was not a drinker). *GASP*. It must be why she died nearly 2 hours later!!!! 11 years since its release and this is the first time I've ever seen anyone bring up such a crackpot theory, and we've had some doozies over the years.

As for Alfred killing Dent.......HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!

 

[Gothamsknight]

This is definitely a stretch if you ask me, no offense haha. But I give you credit for noticing all the drinks.

 

[PantherSaysGrrr]

When I saw the thread title I thought this was just a joke thread, until I saw the level of effort you put into your post. The movie doesn't suggest anything of the sort about alcohol. By your theory all the guests at the Dent fund raiser should have been slaughtered since they were all chugging down champagne.

Look at that scene. I'm amazed all four of them were not killed off after this. Look Rachel drinking wine (even though you claim she was not a drinker). *GASP*. It must be why she died nearly 2 hours later!!!! 11 years since its release and this is the first time I've ever seen anyone bring up such a crackpot theory, and we've had some doozies over the years.

As for Alfred killing Dent.......HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!

Not so fast cowboy,

While youre right about Rachel drinking in this scene, and dying 2 hours later( you sank my relatives suffering -side theory), Bruce still doesnt drink from his glass, survives, and Harvey is shown drinking as Two Face when he shoots the corrupt cop in bar. As for the extras in the party, they are not characters in the story nor are we shown wether or not they survive; they might have got hit by an anvil or a giant piano right after the party.

and yes, the Alfred theory is a joke: He offered Dent alcohol to save Bruce from the pain of Rachel choosing Dent.

 

[The Joker]

My goodness. If the movie was sending an anti-alcohol message then anyone who had alcohol pass their lips would be killed, main character or not. I'm sorry I can't dignify this silliness with any further discussion. If you're pulling our legs, then bravo. But this is all so absurd that it shoots itself down.

 

[PantherSaysGrrr]

My goodness. If the movie was sending an anti-alcohol message then anyone who had alcohol pass their lips would be killed, main character or not. I'm sorry I can't dignify this silliness with any further discussion. If you're pulling our legs, then bravo. But this is all so absurd that it shoots itself down.

Subtle. Anyway, I respect your opinnion and that's why I asked IF I'm reaching here. Perhaps it's a halfbaked message

I left you a free counterargument to pick up in the judge lady blowing up in her car, or the fat guy with a cellphonetummy, yet you choose instead to go straight intocrackpot, dooziness and capslock hahas and ridicules. Now while I was very high when I wrote this originally, crack isn't on the menu.

Weather the message is there or not there, I don't know, but it's still an interesting coincidence. Please behave, cheers

 

[shauner111]

Things do get really weird around here every time a Star Wars movie comes out.

 

[PantherSaysGrrr]

Things do get really weird around here every time a Star Wars movie comes out.

My father was a drinker...and a fiend. And one night, he goes off crazier than usual and makes me create this thread.

 

[Kane52630]

When I saw the thread title I thought this was just a joke thread, until I saw the level of effort you put into your post.

That's the best kind of joke threads.

 

[David H.]

 

[hellblazer103]

I mean, I don't think it's that deep lol

But uuum... Yeah. Drinking bad.