Happy Sad Confused Christopher Nolan, Vol. II
Dec 9, 2020
Filmmaker Christopher Nolan discusses the influence of Michael Mann and James Bond films on his work, the ambition of 'Tenet', and the bold performances of Heath Ledger and Tom Hardy in the Batman films. They also explore the complexity of 'Tenet', the decline of action films, the experience of having their films analyzed, the importance of endings in films, and the impact of COVID-19 on the film industry.
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Lunch That Turned A Filmmaker Into A Collaborator
- Christopher Nolan described meeting Michael Mann at a Beverly Hills restaurant and realizing the Ferrari outside belonged to Mann.
- Nolan recalled arriving in an old Civic and having an immediate meeting-of-minds with one of his filmmaking heroes during that lunch.
Films Dictate Their Own Rules To Audiences
- Nolan argues films set their own conventions and audiences accept the world they're shown, which lets filmmakers dictate narrative terms.
- He links this to historical shifts in film grammar, comparing silent-era conventions to modern stylized acting and audience expectations.
Fuse Plot And Premise Or The Film Falls Apart
- Nolan distinguishes plot from premise and says strongest films fuse the two so concept and narrative align.
- He warns against movies that feel like sequels to unseen films where premise lives in trailers but not the plot.