The Dark Knight Rises The Fascination w/ Gotham City

[quara33]

nothing to see here, move along, move along

 

[Marvolo]

The name Gotham has been used to refer to New York City since Washington Irving coined it in 1807. Because of that I've always assumed it took New Yorks place. Regardless of its location, its known to be a big economical power and is largely run by one of the richest person in the world and most powerful corporation in the world. Wayne enterprise is a huge worldwide corporation and its headquarters is in Gotham. Destroying Gotham could cripple the corporation and hurt more than just Gotham. That makes its very important.

 

[Ant-LOX]

Yeah, in BB they stress that Wayne can't go incognito for too long, even in different countries. Wayne Enterprises has global reach.

 

[Daniel Thompson]

If anything Gotham City is more like NYC from the 70s.

 

[Thundercrack85]

Which really doesn't make a whole lot of sense. Bruce Wayne would be the equivalent of a famous industrialist's son at that point. Who here knows how any industrialists look like? Much less their kids. Especially outside of the US.

 

[KneelBeforeZod]

Ra's Al Ghul Called it Earth's Greatest City in Batman Begins....Why?

Why would this city be rated over any other such as New York, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Hong Kong, or France?

..or even METROPOLIS???

Are the League of Shadows wanting to cause Chaos all over the world (like Al Queda) by hitting Earth's Greatest City (911-esque)....Is this a parallel to our reality of terrorism?

I just don't get why Gotham is considered the greatest city ever

The LOS wants to take Gotham down because it is a cesspool, not because it is the greatest city ever. Gotham represents the greatest urban disaster area in the U.S. -- crime, corruption, greed, decadence, murder, mayhem. It is the home of mobsters and super villains. It is Sodom and Gomorrah.

Only a city as corrupt as Nolan's (or Miller's) Gotham could create situation extreme enough to cause a guy to dress up like a bat to become a skull-cracking crimefighter. Batman isn't needed in Metropolis -- the streets are too safe, the cops too good, and the government too honest.

The League of Shadows is not exactly a terrorist organization ... at least not in the "War on Terror" sense. They're more like an environmentalist terrorist group. Their cause is understandable (anti-corruption) ... their methods are heinous. Al Qaida-like terrorist organizations have a bad cause and bad methods. Joker was more comparable to Al Qaida.

As for real-world analogies -- Gotham is modeled a bit after NYC ... at least the bad areas of NYC. The Chicago comparison works because Chicago is notorious for mob ties, and political and police corruption. The Dark Knight had some War on Terrorism overtones which made the NYC analogy work better, though.

KBZ

 

[KneelBeforeZod]

Which really doesn't make a whole lot of sense. Bruce Wayne would be the equivalent of a famous industrialist's son at that point. Who here knows how any industrialists look like? Much less their kids. Especially outside of the US.

Steve Jobs. Warren Buffett. Bill Gates. The Waltons. The Bushs. The Rockefellers. The Kennedys. Paris Hilton is the daughter of a businessman -- nothing more -- and is tabloid fodder. Imagine how much more publicity she'd get if her Hilton father and mother had been murdered in front of her as a child.

I think JFK Jr. is a good analogy to Bruce Wayne. Grandfather was a rich, powerful businessman. Father was a war hero, Senator and President. Uncles were Senators, Attorneys General, Presidential candidates. Rich family with deep roots. Accumulated political and business power. Camelot.

JFK Jr's father was murdered in front of his mother, and his murder was a national spectacle. The image of the saluting toddler JFK Jr. was on the cover of Time Magazine. His uncle was murdered during his Presidential campaign. Everybody knew who John-John was ... his face was recognizable the world over, and his history common knowledge. And, he was followed by the tabloids for the entirety of his life ... his love life, his dates, his life were scrutinized for no reason other than his Kennedy name and his father's legacy.

Good-looking rich playboy from a famous, powerful, rich family steeped in tragedy. All John-John needed was obsession, a batsuit, and combat training.

KBZ

 

[Ant-LOX]

Wow, Never related JFK Jr. to Batman, it's very striking similarly - But Batman predates John -John - Bob Kane was onto something, really early.

I wonder if any NY families were inspiration for him, or if his own family had a similar horror story? - Time to investigate

 

[Nevincer]



 

[87vertgt]

I honestly cant believe you "Senior Members" and "Hard Core Fans" dont understand this concept.

even a newbie non nerd like me understands...

Gotham is simply a made up name for a large metro area.
Its not another town/city thats stamped "Gotham"

havent yall noticed they never mention any other city/state.

another example of a made up area is "the narrows"


now where the hell is the Narrows? no where execpt in Gotham.

 

[Goku Goes Crazy]

Isn't Gotham City actually a State in Nolan's films?

 

[Nevincer]

I honestly cant believe you "Senior Members" and "Hard Core Fans" dont understand this concept.

even a newbie non nerd like me understands...

Gotham is simply a made up name for a large metro area.
Its not another town/city thats stamped "Gotham"

havent yall noticed they never mention any other city/state.

another example of a made up area is "the narrows"


now where the hell is the Narrows? no where execpt in Gotham.

Lol.

 

[DACrowe]

Ra's Al Ghul Called it Earth's Greatest City in Batman Begins....Why?

Why would this city be rated over any other such as New York, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Hong Kong, or France?

..or even METROPOLIS???

Are the League of Shadows wanting to cause Chaos all over the world (like Al Queda) by hitting Earth's Greatest City (911-esque)....Is this a parallel to our reality of terrorism?

I just don't get why Gotham is considered the greatest city ever

 

[DACrowe]

Seriously, New York used to be called "Gotham" or "Old Gotham." And the earliest Bob Kane comics took place in New York City and not "Gotham." So, I always just assumed Gotham was their way of taking NYC and getting creative with it visually and narratively without having to adhere so much to reality.

 

[Nevincer]

The world must be in a terrible state in the Nolanverse if Gotham is considered it's "greatest city." You'd think Batman would be fighting crime global.

 

[joem4077]

Yeah, in BB they stress that Wayne can't go incognito for too long, even in different countries. Wayne Enterprises has global reach.

It seemed like the only person who knew who he was outside of Gotham was Ra's. I get what you're saying, though, when he said "The world is too small for someone like Bruce Wayne to disappear."

Isn't Gotham City actually a State in Nolan's films?

Maybe a city-state?

 

[MrWayne]

Nope.... New York IS Gotham, Gotham IS New York.

Anouther reason why Nolan chose to film some of TDKR in NY, on 5th ave

 

[mackblack01]

I think Gotham is an amalgam of numerous cities as Toronto, Vancouver, New York City, Boston, Detroit, Pittsburgh, London and Chicago. But mainly inspired by New York.

Look :

Gotham City (

/ˈɡɒθəm/ GOTH-əm) is a fictional U.S. city appearing in DC Comics, best known as the home of Batman. Batman's place of residence was first identified as Gotham City in Batman #4 (Winter 1940). Since first being mentioned, Gotham has taken elements from New York City, Boston, Detroit, Pittsburgh, Toronto, Vancouver, London and Chicago. Frank Miller has referred to Gotham City as New York City after dark.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gotham_City