Saturday, April 6, 2013

Christopher Nolen Rocks

I like Nolen. Call me a blasphemer, but I preferred his grimy tale of magical intrigue, The Prestige, to his  more celebrated Inception.  Still, both excellent movies.  My boys are impressed with his rather restrained reliance on computer graphics.  I know he's used them (sometimes obviously), but I also know he shies from using them too much.  Thank goodness.

But I had absolutely no idea that the unbelievably awesome flipping semi-truck stunt in The Dark Knight was a real freaking stunt!


My regard for Mr. Nolan just went up two points, and it was already hovering near the top of the scale.  And lest you fear that our lazy, crazy filmmakers are becoming too complacent and just leaning on CGI, there is some hope out there, as this, this, and this link show.  Warning, it is Cracked website, so the language and general attitude can be a bit under the holiness radar.  Plus, it includes movies from quite a long time ago.  Still, it should show movie makers today that yes, Virginia, fantastic scenes can happen without having to hit ENTER.

BTW, it's in the American bloodstream to make fun of Disney's original Tron.  But it was all black and white then hand painted?  I have to look into that.  If it's true and not a gag (it is Cracked, after all), I guess I have to add a couple digits to that movie as well.

2 comments:

  1. (there's several posts I've wanted to comment on but am currently without internet at home so I just have time to post this quick note)

    I've been meaning to rewatch Prestige since it left me cold the first time but Inception got better on rewatches so I'm curious if the former will as well.

    Inception remains one of my top movies of all time, but I admit some of that is because of personal reasons.

    And finally getting around to watching Farscape makes me realize how much we've lost with CGI replacing animatronics as the go-to SFX. Would that we could find some way for both to be usuable.

    Still, if I was rich, I'd so put that rotating hallway in my house.

    (although I'm sure there's a scifi story about genetic engineering becoming the new SFX...)

    ReplyDelete
  2. My boys love the rotating hallway. But to be honest, even though I have no particular interest in magic or illusionists, I can't watch the Prestige enough. I think it's because it's the first movie since The Sixth Sense that really blew my mind. I like Inception, just not as much.

    ReplyDelete

Let me know your thoughts