So, I very recently completed the entire backlogue of Nolan's films (in reverse order, quite fittingly) and one thing that startled me was the almost unfathomable leaps forward each of his films has brought. His career started with a short called "Doodlebug" which is not, as the name might suggest, about a cuddly animated friend. Instead it's a brief journey into a man's insane mind. This theme would become prevelant later in his career.
Next is Nolan's first feature and it's called "Following". Made on a budget of six thousand quid, it is a quite brilliant noir mystery about a man obsessed with following people, until he becomes the followed. (Dun dun duuuuuuuuun)
From there he then made "Memento", which is a certified classic of modern cinema in my opinion. To write a story as complex and thrilling is one thing, to do the whole thing backwards is just pure genius and once again, a huge leap foward from his previous work. Note: If you have not seen this film, stop reading this rubbish and do so...at once.
2000's "Insomnia" is the one film he didn't write. However his directing turned a pretty basic plot into a top drawer, moody, crime story. Then came "Batman Begins". Now, I'll be the first to admit that I scoffed when I heard that a new Batman film was being made. However, I'd say that now it's probably my favorite of all the series. Nolan brought dirty, filthy realism back to the franchise and actually got it right, as far as what Batman's all about.
Next came "The Prestige" which was a brilliant period piece, which again I highly recommend, with yet another stinging twist in the tale. Then came "The Dark Knight", which I don't even need to talk about really do I. It speaks for itself.
However, just when you think old Chrissy boy can't get any more stunt-tastic, or complex, or both, out comes "Inception" - which, I hope, taught the whole world that not every summer blockbuster has to be a mindless pile of robots punching each other, or indeed that a character-driven, highly intelligent piece of work can be just as entertaining for the masses as Kevin James falling on a dog turd (or whatever "fat bloke" film he's doing now)
I think what's most impressive about Christopher Nolan's work is his ability to merge mind-bending stories with equally breath-taking visuals but somehow avoiding all the cliches you'd expect with this marriage of ideas. The Dark Knight, to me, doesn't feel like a summer blockbuster at all, it's more an intimate story about people, with severe personality problems, trying to do each other over. Marvelous! After all, the key to good storytelling is to create characters that we actually care about, regardless of their situation and whether the budget is 6 grand or 6 billion, and of today's current crop of film-makers, no-one does this better than Nolan.
I'm just glad to be around while this man is making films. Can't wait for "The Dark Knight Rises". Maybe on this film, Nolan can achieve his greatest directorial feat yet, getting Christian Bale to stop doing this:
Maximum respect blud.
JB.
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