INSTEP Magzine

Christopher Nolan is the type of film director that comes along ever so rarely. Most directors that choose their vision over what might be deemed viable are often victim to bad box office takings but may still receive critical acclaim. Nolan has the audacity to do what he wants and bring with him the support of Hollywood’s money hungry executives. The power to satiate the bigwigs as well as the ability to enthrall the audience is a combination that is always sought but hardly ever found.

The most epic piece of film making by Nolan and in the history of film is 2000’s Memento, starring Guy Pearce as the protagonist (or even possibly antagonist) of the film. Memento was based on a short story, Memento Mori, which is a Latin phrase that roughly translates to ‘death is inevitable’. The story was written by Nolan’s brother Jonathan Nolan and they worked together to make the film which Christopher directed. It turned the very nature of film making, directing and screenwriting on its head. The ability to do so made Nolan a director that everyone knew would never disappoint and so far he has yet to.

After the subsequent success of Insomnia, Nolan approaches Warner Bros. along with Blade screenwriter David S. Goyer to work on Batman. The last Batman movie up to that point had been the disappointing Batman & Robin. Warner Bros. agreed and Batman Begins was born and gave new life to a well loves super-hero embodied by Christian Bale as the Caped Crusader. The film was the biggest success of the year and the highest grossing Batman movie ever that was the record until Nolan made the second Batman installment, The Dark Knight. Nolan will be making a third and final Batman movie due to release in 2012 that will end the franchise and not leave room for another interpretation on Nolan’s Batman. He, along with Goyer, has also confirmed their interest in working on Superman in a way that has never been done before.

Recently director/ writer/ producer Christopher Nolan is riding high on the success of his latest film, Inception starring Leonardo Dicaprio and Ellen Page which is another roller coaster ride. It’s actually done better business in India than any Bollywood film.