This summer sees the release of the eagerly awaited completion of the Batman trilogy with the release of The Dark Knight Rises. It's release should seal it's director as one of the greatest visionary directors of his generation.
When you look back over Christopher Nolan's career he has been behind some truly incredible creations. Here at the Armchair Director I'd like to take a moment to salute a man who has continued to inspire and baffle me not to mention blow my mind with his vision.
Momento firmly established Nolan as a director who isn't afraid to tear up the rule book of 'how to make a film'. A sensational thriller, as a man has to piece together events, a normal enough story. What Nolan does so brilliantly is he starts at the end and works backwards, literally backwards! It's a mesmerising film and one that leaves you feeling you need to watch it all over again immediately.
One of Nolan's lesser known films is Insomnia. For you who haven't seen it, I'll say this; it's cast include Al Pacino, Robin Williams and Hillary Swank. Need I say more? A taught thriller that tells the story of two cops sent to Alaska, where the sun doesn't set, to investigate a murder. As the film develops you begin to feel like you are in Alaska too, sellotaping black paper to the windows just praying for an hours sleep (as Pacino's character desperately does in one scene). As we Watch Pacino's character dissolve in to a world of insomnia, Williams demonstrates another fine role as a damaged individual reminiscent of his disturbing performance in One Hour Photo.
Nolan then took on the Batman franchise, one that had become almost a laughing stock of the comic adaptation world. Batman and Robin was just laughable and it took a brave man to reinvent the vigilante. That man, Nolan... and my word did he reinvent it. He got together a collection of fine actors and created a dark, violent creation with a sublime batmobile to add and ladies and gentleman Batman Begins (properly)! Finally a comic adaptation that becomes a truly great film. The best thing was, there was better to come. Stay tuned for my dedication to Nolan part two which will look at his two (so far) best films, The Dark Knight and Inception.
I'll finish with The Prestige. When there are two films out virtually simultaneously about magicians you have to fear one will be left in the dark, and also ask the question 'why magicians?!'. While I did like The Illusionist, what Nolan did with The Prestige was seriously clever. Yes the film was almost ruined by David Bowie's horrific Russian accent, but the film will leave you utterly baffled and questioning if you understood what you had just watched. The more you think about it after the more you realise just how clever this movie is. I love a film that just when you think you know what's going on, shifts and confuses you again. It ends with Michael Caine asking 'have you been watching closely?'
I think I had... Now I'm not sure... Damn it Nolan you got me again!!
If the trailer for The Dark Knight Rises is anything to go by this summer will be about one thing and one thing only... the brilliance of Christopher Nolan.
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