given the nature of film, the audience is far more likely to be overwhelmed and is much more easily manipulated than in any other medium -- stage, written word, music, etc.

You know that.

I'm not saying that the audience is without responsibility. Not at all. But the director is the creator of the film. You seem to be saying that he bears no responsibility.

Here is one of three reasons that I said I don't want to see World Trade Center, which is more or less what sparked this thread. Note first that it is ONE of THREE reasons. Note exactly what I say in this paragraph. It's really easy on message boards to try to argue a specific point and instead get caught up in side issues and generalizations.

"Third, while I understand that this topic has lots and lots of dramatic possibilities, I *still* don't think it is in good taste or in any way appropriate to capitalize on people's emotions surrounding the actual events. Think about this: The emotions that were stirred up by the event itself led to war on Afghanistan and war on Iraq. Let's just note that the war on Iraq was begun under VERY false pretences, and the only reason that the US citizenry has given this fucking government a pass and reelected Bush is because of the marketing of fear and the manipulation of the public's anger that Bush & Co. have engaged in. I just can't get behind a dramatization of the events that one could say set this chain in motion. I think there is too high a possibility of negative repurcussions."