If Cole knew about the kid in the barn
How come he didn't remember that some lunatic with his name kidnapped a psychiatrist? It seemed to follow that story on all the news shows.
shareHe'd probably remember a story that involved a kid, more than a story of a kidnapped psychiatrist. Interesting point, though. Makes me think he'd also have seen some story about the Army of the 12 Monkeys (we see it as front page news in the newspapers at the airport, where he gets shot). Yet, he doesn't seem to put that together at any point throughout the movie - because it seems it's the scientists in the future who point out this 12 Monkeys gang to him. But, maybe it was rattling around somewhere inside his brain. Interesting.
shareI guess my point was more that he should probably remember the time someone with his own name was in the news or at least remember it just as clearly as the boy in the barn news story. But yes, also 12 monkeys news the day he went to the airport. Also I'd imagine the news would say a man was shot and killed at the airport and has been identified as crazy man James cole. Kidnapper of the psychiatrist. Said psychiatrist was also at the airport wearing a disguise. Authorities have yet to determine if the doctor was aiding and abetting or once again kidnapped by the lunatic James cole.
I would assume little James would watch that news report as well seeing that he witnessed the whole thing.
Well, I have to admit when I was 8 years old I never read newspapers or paid that much attention to television reports. I think Cole remembered the boy in the well hoax because he was able to relate to it more - a boy who was close to his own age (in 1996), someone he felt afraid for. Until he found out Ricky Newman had been hiding in a barn all along.
When he was in the hotel talking about the hoax to Dr. Railly, Cole vaguely said something about seeing it on a TV show. "Well maybe this boy saw the same TV show I did and he copied it", Cole said to Railly. There was actually an episode of The Simpsons where Bart pretended he was trapped in a well. The event even inspired Sting and some other celebrities to record the single "We're sending our love down the well". Perhaps that was the show 8-year old Cole watched and 9-year old Ricky copied? The moral of the episode being, "never cry wolf".
I would think Cole's parents might have wanted to shield him from the airport shooting news coverage - actually witnessing the event would have been traumatic enough.