The Dark Knight Rises Steven Spielberg calls the Nolan Batman movies beautiful art films

[The Joker]

[YT]r69N56plrDE#t=256[/YT]

Go to 4:42 on the video. He says they're very successful well told stories, but also beautiful visual art films. I think that's really a great compliment coming from someone of Spielberg's status.

 

[James.B]

The Joker
Steven Spielberg calls the Nolan Batman movies beautiful art films
VIDEO-CLick to Watch!:

Go to 4:42 on the video. He says they're very successful well told stories, but also beautiful visual art films. I think that's really a great compliment coming from some of Spielberg's status.

There is a lot of love for this trilogy from other filmmakers as well-
Paul Thomas Anderson:

"I’ve never really been asked to do [big tentpole blockbusters]. You look at what Christopher Nolan did with Batman, that’s like the meeting of the highest level of artistic skill & a kind of commerciality and appeal to a wide range of people which is what anybody would want. It’s kind of unparalleled actually, and they don’t come to me with those. And that’s alright."_

Guillermo del Toro :

That ties into something else I was going to ask: do you think that blockbusters are perhaps a bit too cynical now? There's a bit too much soul-searching and darkness, perhaps?

Not at all. I think there's a certain examination of the superhero myth that is really, really beautiful when it's created by a genuinely creative filmmaker like Chris Nolan. Then it's really genuine. It's a little harder when you don't feel the cohesiveness within somebody's work.

To me, Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy is of a piece with Memento, or The Following, or Insomnia, or even The Prestige - you can feel the same hand. Sometimes I feel that some of the conventions of other summer entertainment, the darkness, is an affectation that is not of a piece with the rest of the work of the person who made it.

Nicholas Winding Refn

'With Nolan you got a guy who came from a background like me and the studios gave him a possibility to make the dark knight movies, or batman movies, the bat movies ? ....... And A: made really good films, but also made movies that had a lot of substance, and the audience wants that, of course everybody wants that, and they should get it'

Wes Anderson:

"I enjoy Chris Nolan's work in general, but I watched the Blu-Ray and it has a thing where you can go to any scene in the movie and go to the making of that. There's nothing that has ever made me feel less like a professional than watching Chris Nolan's group at work. The remote-control miniature cars. Just every technique. The rehearsal of flipping the semi-trailer end over end in the middle of the desert before they blow it up in Chicago... There's one scene where a guy jumps off the top of a skyscraper — they rehearse the jump but for the actual thing they did it CG. 'But for the rehearsal you did jump off the building?' 'We have it as a reference.' Wow. Chris Nolan is quite great. My favourite is Memento, but I'd like to learn how to do these things."

Werner Herzog:

In a way, I was totally astonished by The Dark Knight because, on the one hand, it’s a huge, mainstream movie. But it also astonished me at how dark it was, as though it was a premonition of something coming at us. I went to see the film, and ran into Christian Bale, which was the only reason I saw the film: I wanted to see how Christian was doing, because I so love that man, as an actor. I ran into Christian and (director) Christopher Nolan, and said to Nolan ‘Congratulations, this is the most significant film of the whole year.’ He thought I was kind of making it up, or joking. And I said ‘No, no, no! This is a film of real substance. It doesn’t matter if it’s mainstream or not.’ And it’s wonderful that he made the film the way he did.

Paul Greengrass:

"There have been a round of movies that haven't worked lately, but it's not so long ago that we were feasting on Dark Knight and Dark Knight Rises," he said. "You can't expect that every one of these films will be a Dark Knight Rises or an Inception or a Bourne."

 

[redfirebird2008]

Very interesting quotes from those filmmakers, especially knowing that there are film snobs who would bash Nolan and worship the likes of Wes and PT Anderson.

 

[JackWhite]

Consider that the last positive thing to be said about the Nolan trilogy. It's time to exalt something brand new.

 

[kvz5]

[YT]r69N56plrDE#t=256[/YT]

Go to 4:42 on the video. He says they're very successful well told stories, but also beautiful visual art films. I think that's really a great compliment coming from some of Spielberg's status.

Good man.

Werner Herzog:

His quote cracks me up. He's such a character.

Consider that the last positive thing to be said about the Nolan trilogy. It's time to exalt something brand new.

It's a good thing filmmakers don't have short term memories. Unlike fanboys.

 

[Brother Jack]

I absolutely believe that the trilogy will stand the test of time and be respected for a long time to come as an example of quality within the category of superhero movies. It will probably be quite a while before there is another series that rivals its artistic excellence, though I'm eager to see what it'll be when it comes.

 

[Ryan]

Thanks for sharing that video. I think if anything, the passage of time will remind fans how good we had it with the Dark Knight Trilogy.

 

[The Joker]

Love the quotes, James. I had no idea that many notable people had made positive comments about the trilogy. I only knew about Paul Thomas Anderson's one.

 

[Tequilla]

A Bat Refn movie would be amazing.

 

[shauner111]

I hope this new Batman has substance, and I think if Affleck is in charge of writing/directing the solo films, it can be the best interpretation of Batman there is. Or "the closest" to the source material. But we may not get Affleck directing, or we may not get solo films for quite a long while if WB heads are in the "Justice League" mindset.

So, if that's the case, I think these next couple of flicks will be more style over substance. And Nolan's trilogy will be looked back on as something truly special.

The Burton/Keaton movies were style over substance for the most part and Nolan was the opposite. As films this is why the trilogy will be remembered more. Affleck's Batman has a chance to merge the two with great balance but it could also be another Keaton type thing where it's remembered more for how cool it is, and how the suit looks, and how the toys are or how wicked this fight scene was.

 

[DACrowe]

[YT]r69N56plrDE#t=256[/YT]

Go to 4:42 on the video. He says they're very successful well told stories, but also beautiful visual art films. I think that's really a great compliment coming from someone of Spielberg's status.

Thanks for that. A fascinating interview all around. I think Nolan is the closest the new generation has to a Spielberg. While their aesthetics and interests are worlds apart, they both understand how to find depth, beauty and even art in the commercial. And they're both hated by purist cinephiles (and the Academy) for it.

It's a good thing filmmakers don't have short term memories. Unlike fanboys.

I absolutely believe that the trilogy will stand the test of time and be respected for a long time to come as an example of quality within the category of superhero movies. It will probably be quite a while before there is another series that rivals its artistic excellence, though I'm eager to see what it'll be when it comes.

It is funny to see how quick comic fanboys turn on it. For fans of film, at least those without high pretensions on what qualifies as a "film," these are going to be a benchmark IMO, not unlike Jaws, the original Star Wars trilogy and Raiders of the Lost Ark. A pinnacle that will be hard to reach, much less top.

In the immediate years, fans will turn on these films because they'll have a new series. But as time passes, I suspect the Nolan trilogy will still stand tall, high above the genre for decades to come.

 

[ThePhantasm]

In the immediate years, fans will turn on these films because they'll have a new series. But as time passes, I suspect the Nolan trilogy will still stand tall, high above the genre for decades to come.

This is because fans only think in false dichotomies.

Whaaat, its possible to like all the different Batman movie interpretations? Get outta heeeere!!

 

[JackWhite]

This is because fans only think in false dichotomies.

Whaaat, its possible to like all the different Batman movie interpretations? Get outta heeeere!!

[YT]-N4f4sR_QpY[/YT]

 

[Micromind]

It is amazing that Batfans who loved Nolan's movies a few years ago now have turned their backs on his Bat trilogy now.

 

[The Joker]

It is amazing that Batfans who loved Nolan's movies a few years ago now have turned their backs on his Bat trilogy now.

It only happened after TDKR came out. Now with a new Batman on the horizon the backlash is going to get worse. It's the classic fanboy cycle. When something new comes along suddenly the older stuff that they once loved is now bad.

 

[kvz5]

Yeah I don't think that many is surprised with this behavior. It's very typical fanboy behavior. I mean, we even have a thread on how soon the backlash will start. It reminds me of what happened with Raimi's Spiderman. Granted, Spiderman 3 was **** and deserves the hate but fanboys seem to have forgotten how good the first two were (especially the 2nd one).

 

[Senator Pleasury]

It only happened after TDKR came out. Now with a new Batman on the horizon the backlash is going to get worse. It's the classic fanboy cycle. When something new comes along suddenly the older stuff that they once loved is now bad.

Oh yes, but in time this is happening exponentially faster and faster.

 

[Green Goblin]

I can't see fans turning on the trilogy. TDKR isn't considered as bad as Spider-Man 3.

 

[shauner111]

"Batman" fans will turn on it if Affleck really delivers and Bats vs Supes + the first solo film wins over that crowd. But the trilogy will always be remembered. As time goes on, fans will see Rises in a better light, which is what happens with all things controversial. Music or film.

Critics liked Rises and so did general audiences. Fans nitpick it to death but that doesn't matter. It makes Spider-Man 3, the 3rd X-Men look like crap (even more) despite its flaws.

Even if hardcore Batman fans don't like TDKR...it still has an incredible score, cinematography, acting/cast, and amazing action on a massive scale so that's what the movie has going for it. Compare that to all the comic book movies or action/franchise sequels that get mixed or terrible reactions. All those movies usually have nothing going for it in the field of "filmmaking".

Then there's BB, which is highly regarded as the greatest origin film, or one of them, of all time. TDK will forever be remembered as the greatest comic book movie of all time and probably wont be knocked off unless a future Batman movie comes, stunning everyone silent. Which may be a while.

So the trilogy will take some blows if Affleck delivers but they wont last. The trilogy will stand the test of time. And as soon as a Batman movie falls on its face again (itll happen)...the first thing people will do.....is look to these movies and smile.

When Spielberg, Refn, P.T Anderson, Rian Johnson, James Cameron and God knows what other directors give the entire trilogy HIGH compliments...it speaks volumes.

 

[Green Goblin]

"Batman" fans will turn on it if Affleck really delivers and Bats vs Supes + the first solo film wins over that crowd. But the trilogy will always be remembered. As time goes on, fans will see Rises in a better light, which is what happens with all things controversial. Music or film.

Critics liked Rises and so did general audiences. Fans nitpick it to death but that doesn't matter. It makes Spider-Man 3, the 3rd X-Men look like crap (even more) despite its flaws.

Even if hardcore Batman fans don't like TDKR...it still has an incredible score, cinematography, acting/cast, and amazing action on a massive scale so that's what the movie has going for it. Compare that to all the comic book movies or action/franchise sequels that get mixed or terrible reactions. All those movies usually have nothing going for it in the field of "filmmaking".

Then there's BB, which is highly regarded as the greatest origin film, or one of them, of all time. TDK will forever be remembered as the greatest comic book movie of all time and probably wont be knocked off unless a future Batman movie comes, stunning everyone silent. Which may be a while.

So the trilogy will take some blows if Affleck delivers but they wont last. The trilogy will stand the test of time. And as soon as a Batman movie falls on its face again (itll happen)...the first thing people will do.....is look to these movies and smile.

When Spielberg, Refn, P.T Anderson, Rian Johnson, James Cameron and God knows what other directors give the entire trilogy HIGH compliments...it speaks volumes.

I personally did not like Rises but I can't see the trilogy getting the type of slack Rami apparently has got. Spider-Man 3 was not generally liked by the audience and fans. It appears on the worst CB Films ever and even Empire's readers voted it the 50th worst film ever. Other than users here or some blogger on IGN I can't find anything like that for Rises.

 

[DACrowe]

I can entirely see it, because I CREATED the "How Soon Will the Backlash Start" thread. When people are comparing TDKR to SM3 or B&R already, and yes there are fans who did, it is inevitable that if BVS is half decent, it will become a major chorus. Not unlike how so many were trying to put down the Chris Reeve films or (hilariously) claiming that Shannon was better than Stamp only a few months ago.

However, I do think these films will endure past that initial and petty backlash. In another ten years, they will still be masterful and rediscovered by the fan community while the film community, critic community and GA already considers them fantastic.

And for the record, while third one is probably the least satisfying for comic book purists, I increasingly see it as the second best movie in the trilogy and one of the five best in the genre.

 

[The Joker]

When Spielberg, Refn, P.T Anderson, Rian Johnson, James Cameron and God knows what other directors give the entire trilogy HIGH compliments...it speaks volumes.

What did Cameron say?

 

[kvz5]

I can entirely see it, because I CREATED the "How Soon Will the Backlash Start" thread. When people are comparing TDKR to SM3 or B&R already, and yes there are fans who did, it is inevitable that if BVS is half decent, it will become a major chorus. Not unlike how so many were trying to put down the Chris Reeve films or (hilariously) claiming that Shannon was better than Stamp only a few months ago.

However, I do think these films will endure past that initial and petty backlash. In another ten years, they will still be masterful and rediscovered by the fan community while the film community, critic community and GA already considers them fantastic.

And for the record, while third one is probably the least satisfying for comic book purists, I increasingly see it as the second best movie in the trilogy and one of the five best in the genre.

The fans will go back to loving and praising it once the Synder/Affleck Batman backlash starts (after a couple of their movies or once the post Snyder/Affleck era starts).

 

[Green Goblin]

Well I do not genuinely believe that Nolan's films will get that much backlash.

 

[shauner111]

What did Cameron say?

This was back during the Begins or Dark Knight days I remember him talking about never liking the Burton films and felt Nolan did it right.