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Christopher Nolan

Artist Profile

A first glance at Christopher Nolan on the street, you probably wouldn’t take a second look at him, yet he has brought to life some of the most powerful blockbusters and worked with Hollywood’s most notable faces. I can’t speak on behalf of the entirety of his work, and I am certainly not an expert at all, but watching his movies showcase his style and attention to his technique. His creative storytelling is one that I truly admire because how he chooses to unravel a story goes beyond the story itself.

Nolan was born in London, England and is the son of a British advertising executive and American school teacher. His love of filmmaking started from a young age when he would make short films on a Super 8 camera, inspired by science fiction and space. He attended University College London, where he studied English and became president of the Union’s Film Society. While at school, he made two short films that appeared at the Cambridge Film Festival, where they are still today considered one of UCL’s best. After earning his degree, he directed and personally funded his first feature, Following, and received critical success, which catapulted him into creating his breakthrough film, Memento.

One of the greatest directors of the modern era and with a near perfect filmography, let's explore the career of the highest-grossing director in history…

Works of Art

Memento (2000)

Batman Begins (2005)

The Prestige (2006)

The Dark Knight (2008)

Inception (2010)

The Dark Knight Rises (2012)

Interstellar (2014)

Dunkirk (2017)

The Dark Knight Series is where Christopher Nolan was really able to gain his mainstream success and revive art that preceded him. The Batman franchise had a long line of work before Nolan took his turn at it. The 1966 Batman was kooky and comedic with Adam West taking on the role. It was campy and goofy, and represented the character for quite some time through not only the movie but an animated series as well. The reprise of the hero to screen took over 20 years and obviously made efforts to darken the story and eliminate the candor. Michael Keaton, Val Kilmer, and George Clooney have all had their share of playing the iconic role with Tim Burton and Joel Schumacher leading the projects respectively.

Nolan's Batman

The series has been one that has been attempted numerous times, each time different from the last and (in my opinion) failing to showcase the darker human elements that are characteristic to the masked hero. With so much source material to pull from, and an established fan base, the overwhelming task of creating a relevant, cool, and sleek movie out of the comics is a challenge. Additionally, due to the extensive exploration done to the franchise, the pressure for Nolan to be inventive with the series while also staying true to his vision had to align with production companies and fan expectations.

Nolan was not only able to elevate the Batman character, but he explored the complex side of Bruce Wayne that had been lacking in the previous films. He took a fully formed character and previously established story to complete new heights. One of the most important aspects in the series and one that proves to be foundational to all of Nolan’s work is his involvement of larger themes, such as guilt, hero/antihero, and revenge. It tested the waters with Batman Begins and peeled back the dark layers of emotion that make way for Batman’s purpose. He explores the death of his parents that young Bruce Wayne witnesses and the challenges he continuously battles with himself. Christopher Nolan heightened this theme with The Dark Knight Rises, being the first Batman film to not include “Batman” in the title. He continued to round out the trilogy with The Dark Knight Rises. Each installment tells a different story, yet one in the same.

Nolan and Hugh Jackman on the set of The Prestige

I see how some mistake his movies for lacking depth and being overly calculated. Yes, his films are surgical; so precise to a point of being almost clinical, but that aspect is one that I fully appreciate. I admire that Nolan is not only able to tell a story through this art form, but also do it with such craftsmanship. It is isn’t purely about being a romantic artist, and translating any thought to screen. This trait is necessary, but when combined with Nolan’s ability to take his art form to a level of educational practice it has proven to be a beautiful type of mastery. It’s researched, studied, premeditated, and everything serves a purpose. He is able to curate his entire world, exactly how he would like it, and that is why his movies are able to truly resemble him.

Where Craft Meets Art

Nolan on the set of The Dark Knight

Is Cillian Murphy, Christian Bale, or Michael Caine in this movie?

Is there an accompanying eerie soundtrack that involves high-pitched alien sounds?

Does the film open and/or close with an intense monologue?

Are there multiple dramatic, silent flashback sequences?

Do you continuously ask yourself “Wait, am I supposed to be this confused?”

Is it based on overarching themes of guilt, pain, and revenge?

Am I Watching a Christopher Nolan Film?

If your answer is yes to most of these questions, then yes, you are probably watching a Christopher Nolan movie.