Christopher Nolan - Appreciation Thread

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  • Posts: 6,709
    You save me a lot of posting, @jetsetwilly ;)
  • Posts: 1,394
    I’m all for Arnold returning.He makes even bad Bond films ( DAD and QOS ) worth watching because of his fantastic scores.

  • LucknFateLucknFate 007 In New York
    Posts: 1,649
    Nah, Arnold’s score is what kept CR from being better. He should have been left behind like Vic Armstrong and other Brosnan era elements. My least favorite part of his score is when Bond realizes Vesper’s treachery and Arnold decides to score Bond’s search for her with pounding music. It’s so goddamn over the top and ridiculous that it takes me out of the moment. That said, Arnold adapted better with QOS. In fact, that really ought to be the high note he leaves this franchise.

    But I’ve already spoken about how I thought Newman was a big step up. I remember the feeling of escalation in the music with the pre-titles of SF that felt reinvigorating for the series. It really enhanced the film in a way no score had since a long time.

    And I do think they should keep a revolving door of composers because theres so much talent out there that shouldn't be neglected in favor of one guy. Alberto Iglesias would actually be my pick.

    To me Arnold was one of the best things about CR and QoS, and Newman one of the worst things about SF and SP.

    If Arnold didn't return, I'd be happy with Justin Hurwitz. His score on First Man was superb, and evoked a 60's John Barry sound without sounding too obvious like Arnold does.

    Happy we align on some things.
  • MakeshiftPythonMakeshiftPython “Baja?!”
    Posts: 8,188
    Justin Hurwitz would be a solid choice @jetsetwilly!
  • Posts: 3,327
    Wow! A few people agreeing with my posts this morning. I'm feeling the love.... >:D<
  • Posts: 727
    “Nolan can’t direct a Bond movie”

    Nolan:

  • peterpeter Toronto
    edited August 2023 Posts: 9,509
    No, @Benjamin_Weekly69 ... Nolan COULD direct a Bond film. He just should get his brother, and his brother's wife to write the screenplay. Give him a co-story credit, just don't let him near the keyboard...

  • MaxCasinoMaxCasino United States
    Posts: 4,634
    peter wrote: »
    No, @Benjamin_Weekly69 ... Nolan COULD direct a Bond film. He just should get his brother, and his brother's wife to write the screenplay. Give him a co-story credit, just don't let him near the keyboard...

    At this point, not to repeat myself, I don't want Purvis and Wade near the next Bond script's keyboard, please. At least both Nolans would be something fresh.
  • Posts: 1,394
    “Nolan can’t direct a Bond movie”

    Nolan:


    That scene was pure Bond.
  • RichardTheBruceRichardTheBruce I'm motivated by my Duty.
    Posts: 13,803
    AstonLotus wrote: »
    “Nolan can’t direct a Bond movie”

    Nolan:


    That scene was pure Bond.
    To do what I do, I need some idea of the threat we face.

    We live in a twilight world. And there are no friends at dusk.

    I need to watch that one again yes. And if Nolan hasn't made "a Bond film", it's not surprising if he's holding that in reserve.

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  • MakeshiftPythonMakeshiftPython “Baja?!”
    Posts: 8,188
    Nolan will absolutely need a co-writer when it comes to writing women. I don’t think he’s written an interesting female part since MEMENTO. He gives Emily Blunt a great monologue in OPPENHEIMER, but for most part it’s a sausage fest with a bit of Florence Pugh nudity sprinkled in.
  • Posts: 4,162
    It might just be me, but I also think he tends to cast some of his female leads strangely too. I'm not sure why he thought it'd be a good idea, for example, to have Anne Hathaway play Catwoman (nothing against Hathaway, she's a good actress, I just don't think she was the right choice). Or Katie Holmes as Rachel Dawes. I know neither are the most well written parts, but both are essentially confident, fiercely independent characters, and both Hathaway and Holmes have more of a 'girl next door' quality to them that doesn't quite gel with that.
  • LucknFateLucknFate 007 In New York
    edited August 2023 Posts: 1,649
    007HallY wrote: »
    It might just be me, but I also think he tends to cast some of his female leads strangely too. I'm not sure why he thought it'd be a good idea, for example, to have Anne Hathaway play Catwoman (nothing against Hathaway, she's a good actress, I just don't think she was the right choice). Or Katie Holmes as Rachel Dawes. I know neither are the most well written parts, but both are essentially confident, fiercely independent characters, and both Hathaway and Holmes have more of a 'girl next door' quality to them that doesn't quite gel with that.

    I think they were trying to do the same trick Heath Ledger pulled, going from romcom boy next door type to seething villain, they wanted Hathaway to have the same effect - nice girl turned bad. I don't think it's unwatchable, but it's not my first choice. I think the Craig era on the whole did an excellent job with casting great actresses, I don't see why Nolan would make them stop.
  • MakeshiftPythonMakeshiftPython “Baja?!”
    Posts: 8,188
    I thought Hathaway was very good with what little she was ultimately given.
  • edited August 2023 Posts: 4,162
    LucknFate wrote: »
    007HallY wrote: »
    It might just be me, but I also think he tends to cast some of his female leads strangely too. I'm not sure why he thought it'd be a good idea, for example, to have Anne Hathaway play Catwoman (nothing against Hathaway, she's a good actress, I just don't think she was the right choice). Or Katie Holmes as Rachel Dawes. I know neither are the most well written parts, but both are essentially confident, fiercely independent characters, and both Hathaway and Holmes have more of a 'girl next door' quality to them that doesn't quite gel with that.

    I think they were trying to do the same trick Heath Ledger pulled, going from romcom boy next door type to seething villain, they wanted Hathaway to have the same effect - nice girl turned bad. I don't think it's unwatchable, but it's not my first choice. I think the Craig era on the whole did an excellent job with casting great actresses, I don't see why Nolan would make them stop.

    I dunno, he cast Katie Holmes prior to TDK who has similar problems to Hathaway I'd say, and had done a couple of rom coms. To be honest, as much as I like her as an actress, I'm not sure if casting Marion Cottilliard as a mysterious femme fatale in two of his films really works either.

    I don't think Nolan's got a particularly good eye for casting female leads in this sense. But you might be right, given the casting of the actresses in recent Bond films it may not matter.
    I thought Hathaway was very good with what little she was ultimately given.

    She's a good actress, and I think she did well in the role, but it's always seemed a very odd casting decision to me. I just don't think she embodies those qualities of Catwoman as a character in the same way that Michelle Pfeiffer or Zoe Kravitz did.
  • MakeshiftPythonMakeshiftPython “Baja?!”
    Posts: 8,188
    I was skeptical of her casting but she won me over in the film. I rate her as high as Kravitz.

    While I like Michelle Pfeiffer’s performance, she wasn’t really playing Catwoman. That’s just a whole new Tim Burton character with a IP name slapped on. Same with Burton’s Penguin.
  • Posts: 1,394
    I don’t get what people’s issues are with women in Nolan’s films.He casts very talented actresses ( I would say Katie Holmes was slightly miscast in Batman Begins but I don’t think he had all the power when it came to casting at that stage of his career ).

    As far as Oppenheimer being very male driven,that was a natural part of the story given the subject matter and the time period it was set in.Back in the forties and fifties,women generally speaking did not have as much say in society as they do now.

    Despite that ,I thought Florence Pugh and Emily Blunt were very good in their roles.Elizabeth Debicki in Tenet is possibly one of the best female characters in Nolan’s films and while she is being abused by her husband,she takes an active role in taking him down.

    As for Hathaway as Catwoman,I loved her realistic take on the character ( And as Iv said before,those lips!😉 )
  • M_BaljeM_Balje Amsterdam, Netherlands
    edited August 2023 Posts: 4,520
    Dutch boxoffice:

    Barbie (So far $17,500,000) / Opperheimer (So far: $16,222,409):
    5 weaks: $17,500,000 (198) - $16,222,409 (173)
    4 weaks: $15,165,385 (171) - $14,459,741 (163)
    3 Weaks: $12,326,318 (164) - $11,535,878 (161)
    2 Weaks: $8,285,785 (162) - $6,957,833 (161)
    1ste Weak: $3,607,327 (161) - $2,625,644 (160)

    NTTD (total: $23,887,855):
    5 weaks: $18,333,593 (147)
    4 Weaks: $15,903,044 (150)
    3 Weaks: $12,065,101 (150)
    2 Weaks: $8,387,086 (149)
    1ste Weak: $4,087,377 (149)

    () = Count of screens. If wil do more then another 7,5 million Barbie can beat Skyfall who did almoost 25 million. Spectre did almoost 23. Barbie did almoost 2,3 million in weak 5 but needed 27 screens more for it then previous weak and as you can see NTTD did almoost same in weak 5 with 51 les screens.
  • RichardTheBruceRichardTheBruce I'm motivated by my Duty.
    Posts: 13,803
    So I can say Barbie has legs?

    And Oppenheimer is the bomb.

  • edited August 2023 Posts: 1,394
    M_Balje wrote: »
    Dutch boxoffice:

    Barbie (So far $17,500,000) / Opperheimer (So far: $16,222,409):
    5 weaks: $17,500,000 (198) - $16,222,409 (173)
    4 weaks: $15,165,385 (171) - $14,459,741 (163)
    3 Weaks: $12,326,318 (164) - $11,535,878 (161)
    2 Weaks: $8,285,785 (162) - $6,957,833 (161)
    1ste Weak: $3,607,327 (161) - $2,625,644 (160)

    NTTD (total: $23,887,855):
    5 weaks: $18,333,593 (147)
    4 Weaks: $15,903,044 (150)
    3 Weaks: $12,065,101 (150)
    2 Weaks: $8,387,086 (149)
    1ste Weak: $4,087,377 (149)

    () = Count of screens. If wil do more then another 7,5 million Barbie can beat Skyfall who did almoost 25 million. Spectre did almoost 23. Barbie did almoost 2,3 million in weak 5 but needed 27 screens more for it then previous weak and as you can see NTTD did almoost same in weak 5 with 51 les screens.

    Why are you comparing Barbenheimers box office to the last few Bond films?

  • edited August 2023 Posts: 7,507
    I can't remember enjoying any other Nolan film as much as I did Oppenheimer. Finally the subject matter seemed meaningful rather than just a creative concept he dreamt up or something purely action driven. It's no doubt his technical prowess in terms of film making is at the very top end. I hope he uses it for stories like this rather than all the quirky stuff he's done before.

    I used to be against him ever directing Bond, but my opinion has changed, not least due to the sheer curiousity I have for how it will turn out. It's no doubt that the next era and actor needs a strong start, and the assured technical quality, creativity and publicity Nolan would bring with him is a strong argument in favor of him.
  • LucknFateLucknFate 007 In New York
    Posts: 1,649
    So I can say Barbie has legs?

    And Oppenheimer is the bomb.

    And, perhaps, the Mission was actually Impossible this time.
  • RichardTheBruceRichardTheBruce I'm motivated by my Duty.
    Posts: 13,803
    LucknFate wrote: »
    So I can say Barbie has legs?

    And Oppenheimer is the bomb.

    And, perhaps, the Mission was actually Impossible this time.

    It actually was for me. Watching it in theater and evacuated for a reported fire I still haven't seen the last 20 minutes of the film. But will eventually.

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  • DwayneDwayne New York City
    edited August 2023 Posts: 2,847
    I saw Oppenheimer for a second time. At the risk of repeating myself (and echoing @jobo), it is a real work of art and one of the best films I've ever seen.

    One of the measurements of a movie's effectiveness for me (for this type of film anyway): Does the film stay with you? Not just for the next few hours but for days or weeks later.

    J. Robert Oppenheimer: When I came to you with those calculations, we thought we might start a chain reaction that would destroy the entire world...
    Albert Einstein: I remember it well. What of it?
    J. Robert Oppenheimer: I believe we did.

    That's a powerful ending although altered somewhat from the actual history. In reality Oppenheimer consulted Arthur Comption, Director of The University of Chicago's Manhattan Project Team.


    As to whether Nolan should direct a Bond film, I have mixed feelings about that, but under the right conditions.....

    I'm reminded of the story (joke ?) about Akira Kurosawa expressing interest in directing a Godzilla film in the 1960s. While I would really have liked to see what he would have done, I not sure it would have worked. And if the story is to be believed, TOHO didn't think so either. The import (and expense) involved wasn't something that they wanted to do by that point.

    That said, a Nolan Bond film (or a Kurosawa Godzilla flick) - as a one off, experimental film - could be so unique that it would shake things up. And maybe that is what we need.
  • MakeshiftPythonMakeshiftPython “Baja?!”
    Posts: 8,188
    Finally got to see the 70mm IMAX screening on its last day in Irvine. An amazing presentation. If Nolan does get Bond 26 as rumored, I hope to see that in this format.
  • edited September 2023 Posts: 579
    Posting this here, too in case someone missed it in the "Where does Bond go after Craig?" thread: New Nolan rumours! 2-3 Nolan films? New adaptations of the Fleming novels? Period setting? https://www.worldofreel.com/blog/2023/9/26/lluj1u172l3gwejmovm5wcaf3fftqu
  • Posts: 12,473
    A faithful, period MR adaptation by Nolan could potentially be amazing. That’s got to be the material best suited for him.
  • Posts: 2,165
    I hope the rumour is untrue.

    Are Babs and MGW so entirely out of ideas that they would hand over to Nolan, kick the series back 70 years to do period pieces, and have him exec produce future films? No thanks.
  • Mallory wrote: »
    I hope the rumour is untrue.

    Are Babs and MGW so entirely out of ideas that they would hand over to Nolan, kick the series back 70 years to do period pieces, and have him exec produce future films? No thanks.

    I don't think this would mean that they are out of ideas. If all this is true, then it simply means that they really want Nolan, which makes sense. Generally, I would prefer a present day set Bond 26, but if someone can make a Bond film set in the 50s interesting and feel fresh, it's Nolan.
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