VIDEO: "Batman Unmasked: The Psychology of the Dark Knight"

By: Adam Quigley Posted: October 13, 2008 Filed under: On the Web

Batman Begins and The Dark Knight are both excellent sources of entertainment, but they also offer a complex and interesting dissection of a man who learned to use his own fear against criminals. The Batman character has undergone a fairly extensive evolution since its creation, and Nolan made sure to tap into the varying aspects of his psychological state and reflect its effects on the world he inhabits. This very topic was explored in-depth in the fascinating History Channel documentary entitled "Batman Unmasked: The Psychology of the Dark Knight," which I found via In Contention.

Not only does it delve into the mindset of the caped crusader, but it also offers some incredible parallels between him and Theodore Roosevelt and shows how religious iconography had a lot to do with the creation of "the Batman." Additionally, it provides brief insight into the driving force that propells other characters like The Joker and Catwoman.

You can also watch the video on YouTube. (I would've embedded these vids originally, but annoyingly the uploaded disabled that ability.)