A Brief History of Christopher Nolan by Ewan North

A BRIEF HISTORY OF CHRISTOPHER NOLAN

1 - 2 Intro to Christopher Nolan

3 - 22 Filming Techniques

5 - 10 Psycological

11 - 18 Nonlinear 19 - 20 Neo Noir

21 - 22 Other Filming Techniques

24 - 25 Following

26 - 27 Memento

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23 - 40 The Films

28 - 29 Batman Begins 30 - 31 The Prestige 32 - 33 The Dark Knight 34 - 35 Inception 36 - 37 The Dark Knight Rises 38 - 39 Man Of Steel

EARLY LIFE Christopher Nolan had a dual citizenship between the UK and USA, spending most of his Childhood between London and Chicago. He first started making films at the age of seven with his brother, he did this by using his dads camera, the super 8. As a child he loved science fiction and star wars, he was fascinated by the experience of being taken to a new world. This would no doubt of influenced him in later life and one of his most recent projects is bringing this love of sc fi to his repertoire, Transcendence, which is described as a modern day science fiction film, which alll started with his education.

C H R I S Details

Full Name: Christopher Jonathan James Nolan Born: July 30, 1970 In London England B.A in English Lit Occupation: Film Director, Film Producer, Screenwriter Style: Neo Noir, Non linerar, Psycological

Nolan was taught at Haileybury and Imperial Service College, an independent school on in Hertfordshire, and later read English literature at University College London (UCL). He went to UCL purposely for its filmmaking facilities, which comprised of a Steenbeck editing suite and 16mm film cameras. Whilst studying English Literature he realized that filmmakers could utilize the same story freedoms as authors. With these skills in liteture his films would then hold a stronger storyline and make the film more interesting as well as captivating. During his stay at university Nolan set up one of the most successful film socieities in England with his long time film producer

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and wife Emma Thomas. Later he was awarded honorary fellow at ULC, which is an award that is given to people who have attained a distinction in the arts, literature, science, business, public life or exceptional service to ULC. After graduating Christopher Nolan moved to Los Angeles to become a freelance script reader, which he then went on to become a struggling independent filmaker, when he started to have a steady income he started saving up money to start his first project, a very low budget film called Following.

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Christopher Nolan has 3 very interesting ways in which he films to create his own uniques style:

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1. Pyscological 2.Nonlinear 3.Neo Noir

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WHERE DOES CHRISTOPHER NOLAN USE IT? Psycological thriller is evident in many of Christopher Nolans films, one obvious example of this is in The Dark Knight Rises, where by Christian Bale (Batman) is on his last legs physically and mentally. He is then put up against Tom Hardy (Bane) who is much stronger than him, and to overcome him Christian Bale has to ‘find himself’ and gather the strength and mental will power which is gained in the deepest darkest place. Once this will power and strength has been gained he is able to defeat Bane.

Characters can no longer rely on physical strength to overcome there stronger enemines, they become reliant on there mental attributes. Usually with it coming down to a battle of wits, The suspense in a psycological thriller comes from two or more characters preying upon each others minds by playing deceptive games and destryoing one anothers mental state. Some general trends and constant themes include, reality, perception, mind, existence/prupose, identity, death and black comedy. These subgenres help develop the characters, making them find there ‘personality’.

WHAT IS A ‘PSYCOLOGICAL’ GENRE IN FILM? A psycological thriller is a sub genre of film that focuses on the unstable emtions of characters, it combines mystery and thriller however it often incorporates the drama genre. Many psycological thrillers overlap and contain traits from many different psycological genres, they all have attributes and elemnets that are related to the mind and process of the mind containing mental rather than physical traits. Sometimes the suspense comes from one solitary character, where by they must resolve the conflict with there own minds. Usually this conflict is an effort to understand soemthing that has happened.

Batman on his last legs

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Finding himself ...Chirstopher Nolan keeps an auidience in suspense by making them undecided on a plot or character, another example of this is ......

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INCEPTION

Whereby the narrative structure of the film focuses in on the mental construction of the character Leonardo DiCaprio (Dominic “Dom” Cobb).

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WHAT IS NONLINEAR FILIMING? Nonlinear filming is where the story or events within the story are portrayed out of chronological order or where the narrative doesnt follow the correct pattern of events, such as adjasent plot lines, dream imersions, or another main story within the plot.

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WHERE HAS CHRISTOPHER NOLAN USED NONLINEAR FILMING? Christopher Nolan began using nonlinear structures for his plots with his debut film Following, and continued with a reverse structure in Memento and one in The Prestige that splintered in three ways, it helps to make the audience think about what there seeing, shock and confuse them. The most obvious examples of where he has done this is in Memento and Inception. In Memento the storyy is backwards whereby we see what the outcome of the story is at the beginging and the build up to that story is the main content, also within the plot we get flashed back and forward in time. Nolan describes his films as “levels of reality, and perceptions of reality.” The other most obvious example is Inception, where nonlinear stroy line is shown by the dream imersions. That takes the audience through many different time zones and places. This all provides a film that confuses a lot of people but on many levels produces a extremely interesting and thought provoking film, as described by Leonardo DiCaprio, “It is complicated, it’s a complicated story-structure. It sprung from the great filmmaker Chris Nolan’s mind and he’s been able to take highly complex jigsaw puzzles in a narrative and put them together in an entertaining way that we could have never foreseen”. The examples to the right show how different time zones are created with reality and a dram state and also how the skip all over the world.

DREAM STATE (PARIS)

EXAMPLES OF THE 2 DIFFERENT STATES OF MIND

REALITY (MOMBASA)

CHRISTOPHER NOLAN CREATES THESE

NONLINEAR PLOTS TO

SHOCK

AND CONFUSE THE AUDIENCE.

3. N E O

THE CORRUPT DETECTIVE

MENTTALY UNSTABLE PROTAGINIST

SEDUCTIVE LOVE INTEREST

STORY ABOUT CRIME

N O I WHAT IS NEO NOIR? A classic Neo Noir film encopases the previous 2 filming techniques i talked about, psycological and non linear, all creating a distinctive look to a film. -A specific visual style characterized by lowkey lighting, deep shadows, and obscuring camera angles. -Disorientation through plot devices such as a non-linear plot line, an unreliable narrator, or flashbacks. -A sense of impending doom or hopelessness. -Stories about crime, either from the

perspective of the criminal or the investigator. These crimes often include robberies, heists, or crimes of passion such as murder or suicide. -Morally questionable protagonists that are not portrayed in a sympathetic light. They may be mentally unstable, corrupt, have a criminal background, or be involved with criminals. -The “femme fatale” – a mysterious and seductive love interest who often leads the hero into compromising positions. She is not necessarily a bad person, although she is most often portrayed in an unflattering light.

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Christopher Nolan only uses film when shooting and never uses digital. He does this because it keeps the cost down and the quality he feels is much stronger. Not only this but he doesnt use a zoom lense when filming but physically moves the camera closer. One aspect that he thinks is so important when filiming is the point of view, he cant shoot a film unless hes figured out whos point of view hes looking at, so he can get an idea of what the viewer will be seeing. One aspect that shows this runs throughtout all his films, the shot that walks into a room behind a character, because to him, that takes him inside the way that the character enters. An example of this is shown to the right.

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1. FOLLOWING

3. BATMAN BEGINS

5. THE DARK KNIGHT

7. THE DARK KNIGHT RISES

2. MEMENTO

4. THE PRESTIGE

6. INCEPTION

8. MAN OF STEEL

1998

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PLOT The following is where it all started for Nolan, it set a trend for all his future films. It is a typical nonlinear story line and the obvious Neo Noir stlye, with low key lighting and dark shadows. It holds aspects that are later reavealed in every other film he has produced, The unique spin on the anti-hero (later seen in Inception), ts play on the notion of right and wrong (Insomnia and Batman series), and the way in which Nolan withholds information in order to develop tension (The Prestige and Memento). The story is about a young man who follows strangers for material meets a theif who takes him under his wing, He is drawn into a

a criminal underworld when he fails to keep his distance. He is introduced to a man named Cobb who he follows around and he is amazed by. Cobb then intorduces him to a blonde girl The Blonde turns out to be the girlfriend of a small-time gangster (Bald Guy) whom she split up with after he murdered a man in her flat. The Blonde then finds out that the Bald Guy is blackmailing her with incriminating photographs. The Young Man breaks into the Bald Guy’s safe, but is caught in the act by an unidentified man. The Young Man kills the man with a hammer and leaves with the Bald Guy’s money and photos.

When he returned to his flat, he finds that the photos are innocent modeling shots. Confronting the Blonde, the Young Man learns that she and Cobb have been working together to manipulate him into copying Cobb’s burglary methods. She tells him that Cobb had recently discovered a murdered woman’s body during one of his burglaries, and is attempting to deflect suspicion from himself by making it appear as though multiple burglars share his method. The Young Man leaves to turn himself in to the police. The Blonde reports her success to Cobb, who then reveals that he actually works for the Bald Guy. The story about the murdered woman was part of a plot to deceive both the Blonde and the Young Man, The Blonde has been blackmailing the Bald Guy with evidence from the murder he committed in her flat, and he wants her murdered in such a way that it cannot be connected to him. Cobb kills the Blonde to death with the same hammer that the Young Man used during the burglary of the Bald Guy’s safe and leaves it at the scene. The police, checking out the Young Man’s story, find the Blonde murdered and the claw hammer with his fingerprints on it. The Young Man is thus implicated for the murder of the blonde woman. Meanwhile, Cobb vanishes into a crowd.

2000

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insurance investigator who can no longer build new memories, as he attempts to find the murderer of his wife, which is the last thing he remembers. One story line moves forward in time while the other tells the story backwards revealing more each time. This story is so typical of Christopher Nolan, playing with the viewers mind and confusing them no end, the confusing story lines will without a doubt make the audience want to view the film a number of times to try and see if they can make sense of the story, despite this confusing storyline the films is extremely fascinating and has Nolan written all over it.

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PLOT Memento was Christopher Nolans first big film, within the film he uses a non linear style that again has a neo noir look to it and and very definite psycological thriller. The film bounces back and forth in time creating a very confusing films that has many different varations as to what people thought happened at the end of the film. Was Teddy the killer? Was he not? The story is basically a man who is suffering from short-term memory loss, he uses notes and tattoos to hunt for the man he thinks killed his wife. Memento chronicles two separate stories of Leonard, an ex

Memento in Money Budget: $9,000,000 (estimated) Opening Weekend: $235,488 (USA) (16 March 2001) Gross: $25,530,884 (USA) (9 November 2001)

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2005

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n s THE NEO NOIR FEEL

PLOT After his parents were killed, millionaire playboy Bruce Wayne relocates to Asia when he is coached and trained by Henri Ducard and Ra’s Al Ghul in how to fight evil. He then discovers the plan to wipe out evil in Gotham City by Ducard, Bruce prevents this plan from getting any further and he goes back to his home. Back in his original surroundings, Bruce adopts the image of a bat to strike fear into the criminals and the corrupt as the icon known as ‘Batman’. This was such a contrast in film than the previous Batmans that had been portrayed, there was a very typical neo noir feel to the film, lots of dark sahdows and

low key lighting. This was one of his first films where it was so blatently obvious that a neo noir style had been adopted. Apart from those previous 2 characteristics there was plenty more in the film, tense loud music, Injured main character, fighting scenes, rembrandt style side lighting, flashbacks, shadows, death/murder, 2 sides of character, dark alley, mob ties, lawyer/inspecter character, good vs evil, fast edits. The scene shown on the right from Batman Begins highlights these characteristics perfectly.

GUN FIGHT LOW KEY LIGHT 29

MOBS/GANG

GOOD VS EVIL

DEATH DARK SHADOWS 30

2006

4. t h e PLOT In the the Nineteenth Century, in London, Robert Angier, his wife Julia McCullough and Alfred Borden are friends and assistants of a magician. When Julia accidentally dies during a performance, Robert blames Alfred for her death and they become enemies. Both become famous and rival magicians, sabotaging the performance of the other on the stage. When Alfred performs a successful trick, Robert becomes obsessed trying to disclose the secret of his competitor with tragic consequences. The film holds a very non linear story line with narration of the two competing illusionists.

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The Prestige is another example of a non linear film by Nolan. Some non linear films, like the Prestige, may use extensive flashbacks or flashforwards within a linear storyline, this is shown in this film by the 2 magicans, that run parrarell to each other, with both having a major roll in film with and a strong plot behind them.

g e THE TWO LINEAR SEQUENCES WITH THE STORY

2008

This film like the first Batman film is very dark, but it has a much more psycological touch than the first. This is due to the fact Bruce Wayne (Batman) has to deal with loss of the woman he loved and the loosing battle against the Joker. He has to solve the challange himself and out wit his evil enemy, who makes this film extremely dark and twisted almost casting a dark shadow over Batamn himself. These all make for another neo noir film by Christopher Nolan.

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PLOT Batman increases the stakes in his war on crime. With the help of Lieutenant Jim Gordon and District Attorney Harvey Dent, Batman sets out to get rid of the remaining criminal organisations that roam the city streets. The partnership is effective, but they soon find themselves in toruble to a reign of chaos unleashed by a rising criminal known to the citizens of Gotham as The Joker.

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2010

6. i n C e

The Femme Fatale The woman creates a distraction and complicates things for the main character of the film

Inception plays on all Christopher Nolans strengths and styles, he uses all three withing this film, as well as doing stunts without CGI. The film shifts from one time zone to another and from one city to another, the dream emersions create a very non linear story, the protagonist who is involved with crime and performing a heist, who also has 2 different sides to his personailty and being mentally unstable as the film progresses creates a very psycological plot and the low key lighting and dark cast shadows all add up to a neo noir film. I have devised 6 elements within the film that make it a neo noir special.

to pull off the reverse: their task is not to steal an idea but to plant one. If they succeed, it could be the perfect crime. But no amount of planning or expertise can prepare the team for the dangerous enemy that seems to predict their every move. An enemy that only Cobb could have seen coming.

Anti Hero A good Noir hero has somebody solving a crime but commiting one at the same time.

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The City

Anti Hero

The lighting

The Rain

The Stairs

The City logical setting for gritty crime, but the towering buildings represent entrapment and confinement

p PLOT Lenoard Di Caprio (Dom Cobb) is a skilled thief, the absolute best in the art of extraction, stealing valuable secrets from deep within the subconscious during the dream state, when the mind is at its most vulnerable. Cobbâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rare ability has made him a coveted player in this unpredictable new world of corporate espionage, but it has also made him an international fugitive and cost him everything he has ever loved. Cobb is being offered a chance at redemption. One last job could give him his life back but only if he can accomplish the impossible-inception. Instead of the perfect heist, Cobb and his team of specialists have

The Femme Fatale

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The lighting Nolan uses a muted color palate and he changes the lighting rather than edit to a high contrast. The Rain Rain usually comes on when danger is happening or about to happen as seen in Inception. The Stairs They can have many symbolic meanings, ascension to heaven, dissention to hell.

2012

7. T h e s e s i r

d a r k PLOT 8 years after the events of The Dark Knight, Gotham is at a time of peace. This is due to Batman taking the rap for Harvey Dentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s murder. However, a new evil force named Bane has arrived in Gotham and aims to take over the city and expose the truth behind who Harvey Dent really was. Bruce Wayne has become almost reclusive, rarely leaving the estate. And with Bane taking over the city by force, it forces Batman to come out of retirement. But his allies are few and far between. A jewel thief by the name of Selina Kyle could be the key to stopping Bane.

Like the previous Dark Knight this film holds a very neo noir look, as well as having the psycological twist within it, as i explained earlier on page 5 There is a lot of dark shadows and low key lighting,

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2013

8. man PLOT A child, sent to Earth from a dying planet, is adopted by a couple in rural Kansas. Posing as a journalist, he uses his extraordinary powers to protect his new home from an insidious evil. Despite this film not being out yet it is clear to tell that Nolan has had a hand in making it just from the posters and trailer, Superman has had a massive transformation from previous films and he already looks more â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;earthlyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and a member of society, but along with that there is a darker hidden personailty behind him. The neo noir theme is clearly there as well, as seen by the images to the right.

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