Directing is a demanding profession, and besides, of course, there are the glamorous red carpet moments – if you’re lucky, the final cut is followed by the rightful audience. Congratulations to birthday boy Christopher Nolan, who made it look easy, including unanimous praise for his work. So as the Hollywood legend turns 54, here’s a look back at his favourite cinematic trope, the rise of the anti-hero, coupled with the decidedly complex but noble non-linear narrative, earning it mainstream applause.
oppenheimer
The 11th film in Christopher Nolan’s decorated filmography, oppenheimerReleased in July last year, the film gripped audiences with an epidemic of Barbenheimer fever. barbie It may have surpassed Nolan’s passion project to cross the billion mark at the box office, but oppenheimer It more than made up for that shortcoming, as it completely swept the awards season.
Now, on to the film’s (anti)hero J Robert Oppenheimer. Oppenheimer is a polarising character in not just American but global history. The most prominent narrative about the late physicist, the ‘father of the atomic bomb’, is that he was the primary promoter of the nuclear full-stop to World War II. What’s different? oppenheimer In the film, Nolan presents the physicist not as a monster, but as a human being torn between his conscience and his notions of national duty.
Initiation
Even the handful of people who aren’t really familiar with Nolan’s commercially packaged, intellectual cinematic style are bound to check out the Leonardo DiCaprio-led film. Initiation (2010). Those who have formed their understanding of this film after watching it countless times can understand what this film is like. Initiation There is essentially no ‘hero’ in this, and for this reason, Nolan’s direction is in a different league.
Leonardo’s Cobb has his heart mostly in the right place. But what’s unusual about him as he races through time and memories is his greed and selfishness. What Nolan has done, however, is craft a story that is so convoluted and believable that the audience simply doesn’t have the time or awareness to understand the limits Cobb falls short of in terms of being a hero. Cobb is flawed, as is everyone, and Nolan not only respects that, but makes sure most of his audience does as well.
Memento
Memento This was practically Christopher Nolan’s first commercial feature film for all purposes. Released in 2000, the film was based on a man who suffered from anterograde amnesia. The story gets even more interesting when Guy Pearce’s Leonard relentlessly tries to avenge his wife’s murder. While it’s easy to sympathize with Leonard, the story points that keep coming up will leave you in a dilemma whether Leonard is really worth worrying about or not. If you haven’t watched it yet MementoThe less said about this movie the better. It’s one of those movies that you just turn off the moment you hit the play button.
Next
Nolan’s first time handling the camera was just as iconic as the last time he donned the directing hat oppenheimerThough it was on a staggeringly small scale, Nolan announced his love of uncertainty and noir with his 1998 debut. Next. The protagonist is a struggling writer, looking for inspiration to begin his journey. He follows people around the city to peek into their lives and hopefully channel his creative energy. The fine line between harmless and intrusive is thrown to the dogs as the story progresses. All we can say about this film is what could be better than one anti-hero? Two anti-heroes.
Obvious mention: Nolan’s Batman trilogy
On the one hand, Nolan is responsible for crafting mind-bending stories such as Initiation (2010), interstellar (2014) and Principle (2020) has been optioned for the screen. On the other hand, he seamlessly makes the transition to larger-scale, commercial stakes such as Batman Begins (2005), dark Knight (2008) and the dark Knight Rises (2012), of course, with its own unique touch.
For cinema intellectuals, Nolan’s batman The trilogy might not rank high among his other critically acclaimed projects. However, one of the many reasons it has found a place in the hearts of audiences is Bruce Wayne’s transition between broken and savior – the latter still retaining flashes of the former even as he repeatedly saves Gotham City. The skillful portrayal of the Joker, immortalized once again courtesy of Heath Ledger, is another testament to Nolan’s love for the grey that borders on darkness.
We wish Nolan a very happy birthday!
