How Christopher Nolan Ends a Film
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- Опубликовано: 21 сен 2024
- Christopher Nolan opens The Prestige with voiceover from Michael Caine informing us that “every great magic trick consists of three parts or acts.” Here, the use of the word “acts” seems to be very deliberate, as traditional film narratives consist of three acts. Nolan is a master of narrative. His structures often seem a little unconventional since he loves non-linear storytelling, but all of his films adhere to the basic principles of a three act structure. However, Nolan loves to switch things up at the end of the third act.
More often than not, Nolan throws us a curveball as we near the end of act three. Traditional film narrative calls for the third act to be dedicated to the film’s resolution. Usually, the hero conquers the problem introduced at the end of act one, and all loose ends are neatly tied. Nolan always has a resolution of some sort, but he frequently introduces a new problem at the end of the third act. He adds another plot point which would lead into a fourth act, but the fourth act doesn’t exist. We cut to black without knowing the outcome of the new problem. This ambiguity allows Nolan’s films to linger in our minds long after the credits roll. There is no neat and clean resolution for us to have closure. He leaves us shocked and unsure, desperate for more information. I’m not sure that any current filmmaker has a better grasp of narrative than Christopher Nolan. His approach to storytelling is confident and he knows how to use our expectations against us. And in doing so, he crafts endings that are truly magical.
Christopher Nolan is undoubtedly one of today’s most exciting filmmakers. Learn more about this contemporary auteur, with pieces like Christopher Nolan: The Pros and Cons of a Prestige Filmmaker, The Three Acts of Christopher Nolan, and Their Favorite Films: Christopher Nolan. Plus, read about the superhero movie trend that Nolan started, learn about Nolan’s trusted cinematographer, Wally Pfister, and take it back to 2008 with our retrospective on “The Dark Knight.”
I never realized that The Dark Knight's ending happens in a non-chronological order. The scene was so well done, it never became apparent to me. It felt like one cohesive scene happening at the same time.
The power of editing. Surely one of the least appreciated part of filmmaking that is one of the most crucial part of storytelling.
Chutiya hai tu fir
I mean... How else do you explain the fact that Gordon is talking to his son in one scene and then he is daylight making speeches about Harvey Dent?
EgocentricHead, I should've specified what I meant. I knew that the scenes are not happening at the same time, but the editing made it look so to me and I never even realized that it's actually happening separately. And I actually never thought that the scene where Alfred burns Rachels' letter was a flashback. I always thought he burned it in the current time.
I've never seen a director end a trilogy in such grand and amazing style
He also doesn’t use a bunch of CGI. Makes the movies feel much more real.
CGI is a necessity nowadays, practical effects cost a lot.
@@DC-zi6se so does cgi
@@jonah.67 have u never seen interstellar ?
CGI gets a bad name because only BAD cgi is noticed. also inception CGI is insane too
interstellar and inception were totally real bro
I know this is about Nolan and his endings, but the score for Interstellar, even in parts, just gives me chills every damn time
Ya. That is probably what makes interstellar my favorite movie.
YEPPPP
That credits goes to Hans Zimmer
That's Hans Zimmer for u
It’s funny. I remember the feeling I had hearing the score. But I don’t remember the music itself
The opening and ending of any Nolan film are just so cinematic and masterful.
Anand Singh The beginning of The Dark Knight is 👌
And everything in between
The beginning of Dunkirk surprised me. I was already hyping because it's Nolan movie and the first gunshot bang was just exploding my hype~
I've never gotten bored watching a Christopher Nolan movie, I sit down, watch it and then it ends after a while. I never look at the time I just enjoy the movie, he is one of my favourite, if not my favourite movie director(producer?).
How did you like tenet?
@@akshay_0352 Brilliant movie, very fun to try and piece it all together after you've watched it.
Dunkirk's soundtrack is really unbelievable. The way Hans Zimmer uses Elgar from Nimrod is amazing. I will never forget hearing that crescendo when the boats arrive for the first time. I cry every single time.
Dane Harris
This is how i felt about Interstellar. Everyone bashed the soundtrack but it was brilliant.
Who bashed the Interstellar soundtrack? I think it is the best of all of the soundtracks to any of Nolan's films. The only soundtrack I would say Hans has done that I personally like as much or better would be BR 2049.
Variations 15, the nimrod track, was composed by Benjamin walfish
@@joshualarue1624
No time for Caution, STAY .
@@jitendra-ke5lb
??
What makes Nolan brilliant is his screenplay, wide 70 mm IMAX camera, thrilling story, soundtrack and extreme work to make a Movie even more closer to reality by minimizing CGI shots
Great video. Nolan is one of the best filmmakers working today.
Jared Wignall nope
Anosh Aibara Yep.
Nolan is the BEST
Best filmmaker of all time!
Jared Wignall not the best , but sure , he is one of the best .
Memento's ending gives me chills. The way he says "now where was i" fucking destroys me.
I'd like to add that Nolan's endings are not just ambiguous in nature, more specifically his ending scenes are drenched in forward momentum. He often ends his movies with a question. It's like he shows us the movie in its entirety, poses a question in the dying moments of the film and vanishes before providing an answer, forcing us to look back at the movie to try and deduce the answer. It's interesting that he does not resort to unfinished storylines to achieve this effect; he ties up the themes and character arcs neatly, it is the sudden new cog in the narrative, a plot point to a possible fourth act that leaves us wanting more. This is different from an ending that is akin to a character waking up from a dream; the latter provides us with information which instead of shedding light on the future of the character, instead solely re-contextualizes the story we've just seen. Nolan's endings don't so much recontextualize the past so much as they enquire about the future of the character. And it is this forward momentum that he generates along with a fantastic Hans Zimmer fueled background score and montage that make his endings so delectable.
Another thing that often impresses me with Nolan films is, with the exception of The Dark Knight trilogy, nearly all his films begin at the ending of the story and then he'll revisit the beginning towards the end of the film. The way he messes with timelines is just amazing.
Pete Bell it took me awhile to get used to that with memento haha
My favorite ending would have to be 100% Interstellar. You just feel some sort of hope that he’ll find her.
Absolutely, that's one of the main messages of the film, the never ending human endeavor, our endless craving to explore new worlds, to make the unknown known. Always in the persuit of own survival.
he finds her. they shag. they have their own family.
Although I agree, I feel It may have been better to end it just before Matthew McConaughey wakes up when he's floating away in space.
I fucking love that ending too, Hans Zimmer music in it just makes the scene 10x more powerful.
@@foglias what's about
Dr. mann's survival.
Dr. Mann: You were never tested like i was , Few man have been .
And Dr Brand's poem "Do not go gentle in good night .... . "
Most inspirational
David Fincher is another director who always has great endings & understands the concept of storytelling very well
Mike S Fight Club is in my opinion the very best example for that.
Oh and if any of u haven't seen mindhunter it's a gr8 show. It was coproduced by fincher and he directed a few episodes. Highly recommend 👍
Its on netflix btw
Zodiac's ending gives me chills every god damn time.
Do you think Fincher's films are left ambiguous, though?
Mike S Fincher did a great job with Mindhunter. Long lingering shots in greyed out landscapes, and his camera work is undeniably masterful. The way he makes the audience vigorously participate is simply astonishing.
THANKYOU!
I walked out of Dunkirk convinced that people would be talking about that final fadeout shot, and yet you're literally the first other person I've seen mention it anywhere.
Graeme Strachan I understood the very last shot in a different way than everyone's interpreting what did you feel about the last shot of Dunkirk ?
In the context of the scene, after the soldier reading out Churchill's speech and the Pilot burning the spitfire, I felt it was almost a wink to the audience. Since he looks up and almost seems to look embarrassed.
Like Nolan was saying "you don't really believe all that jingoistic hero stuff do you? Neither does he..."
I took it to mean that rather than it adding human empathy, it's a final pinning of the point of the film.
Graeme Strachan I would've never thought about it like that I'm shook haha you have a very deep thought about it I like it
Christopher Nolan talks about this decision directly in the Dunkirk Complete Screenplay book on p. xv. "The reason the film ends with the shot of Tommy rather than the shot of the burning plane, because it was scripted ending with the burning plane, which is an apocalyptic image - kind of things to come - but it's a big image. And when I saw the dailies of Fionn reading the Churchill speech and then, at the end, he did this thing where he just, I don't even know what he's doing, but you want to end with this quiet moment with him, where no one's paying attention to him and Alex is eating and drinking stuff the girls are handing through the window. It brings you back to this personal moment: he's trying to process the words he's just read from this very eloquent politician and trying to reconcile that with his experience. Hopefully the audience is trying to do the same thing, through his eyes. So it comes back to a very small thing."
I couldn't finish Dunkirk. It was awful, to say the least.
Who's in for Christopher Nolan marathon!?
Quick Fix where
Yeah dog
Any day, any moment
Memememememememememe
Nto
The edited batman ending made me so uncomfortable even tou i knew it's for explanation purposes but made me realize how impact full shots are
I think the closest filmmaker to Nolan in terms of style and structure is Denis Villeneuve. Especially in Enemy, one of the most terrifying last shots in any film.
MrSquifler Totally agree with this on some level. But early Villeneuve works have clearly been inspired by Nolan, so we need to give him credit. Excited to see both filmmakers' future works.
Denis Villenueve is a better director but doesnt screenwrite
MrSquifler Arrival really for me felt like what Nolan's version of a alien invasion would be like, as you see Denis play with the concept of time in a way that Nolan usually would and it's more of a thinking piece compared to other alien invasion film, also Sicario has a grittiness similar to the Dark Knight trilogy and a similar study of humanity
random nerd exactly my point! Arrival so much looks like a Nolan film. Very ambient and beautifully edited.
MrSquifler Nolan's impressionistic editing and achronological storytelling is all over Villeneuve movies. Yeah, Bergman has some of that, but Arrival and BR2049 feel closer to Inception than to Persona.
Very well built explanation, and good thoughts! Keep up
Nolan truly knows how to end a film. he's without a doubt one of the greatest director of this generation
Not just Chris, Jonah as well! His endings on Westworld and Person of Interest play with narrative and ambiguity in very similar ways!
Alvin Chee agreed
the dark knight is actually my favorite ending ever. love this video.
Imo, Damien Chazelle has mastered his endings as well. He doesn't go for ambiguity. Instead it's a sort of melancholic finality that just sticks even after the movie is over. The emotion just hangs in the air and I think that's brilliant.
Christopher Nolan just has a way with storytelling
Well said! Nolan is the uncrowned king of film right now and it's such a shame that he's not received more recognition for his work, as far as awards are concerned.
If it makes you feel better, he is rather revered by most film makers. I mean he got to interview Quentin Tarentino and has been mention by numerous filmmakers as being a rockstar and trailblazer for so many directors including Steven Spielberg, James Cameron, Denis Villanueve and numerous others.
"Now, where was I?"
Awsome!!!
I'm a die hard fan of Nolan😍😍😍
Njanum oru Nolan fan aanu mwonoose
Mallu spotted
@@ajaymohan3175 Ha ha ha
Naanum Avaroda fan thaan 😍😍😍
One of my favorite film makers.
Is amazing how the Dark Knight changes with just a couple of clips moved. Nolan truly is a great filmmaker and director.
I'm blessed to come of age in a time where Nolan, PTA & Fincher were at their peaks
Honorable mention, the ending of 'Batman begins' .
I believe that the most important part of a film is always the ending. It makes the whole journey worth it. It’s what gives that final punch. Inception, Dark Knight, Memento, Interstellar all have powerful endings that as you said tie everything thing you just saw together but leaves the story open, unending, it goes on. If a movie ends in a whimper what was the point?
One thing you did point out that I hadn’t really thought about was the editing and sequencing of the shots. All the information is there but it’s how he structures it that gives that great impact.
Dude, this is by far the BEST channel about cinema, keep it up, saludos desde México
Saw this video and the one on Carol. Excellent work!! I look forward to what you put out next.
I like how he ends films because it's like they don't have traditional endings. The ambiguity you mentioned helps to elevate the films because it tells us the story goes on even if we aren't along for that journey
This video is very well done and has some brilliant points. Nolan is a master.
Memento has such a fantastic ending. His best film in my opinion.
"The night is darkest just before the dawn, but I promise you the dawn is coming." The last shot of the batpod covers the light until we finally catch a glimpse of it before it cuts. Brilliant.
I felt that Memento had the best ending out of his films.
Dark Knight is quite possibly one of the greatest endings ever. Something about it feels, although an ending, also a beginning. And in an epic way. Tingles every time Gordon says "He's a silent guardian. A watchful protector, a dark knight."
Very good work. Continue!
The dark knight ends and the camera is keeping up with the camera, and then we let go
I have to admit, I do like the shuffled order of events at the end of The Dark Knight - and picking up right where things were left (chronologically) in the The Dark Knight Rises ties it altogether nicely.
Great vid. Subscribed! I never considered Nolan's final scenes before.
Nolan is definitely my favourite film maker. Interstellar, Inception, Dark Knight, Dunkirk.
I never noticed this little stream of light at the end of the dark knight just before they cut. Beautiful.
Nolan is a genius. Master of neurotic and time bending cinema. The way he uses music is great.
This was wonderful. Thanks for it. I am a HUGE Nolan fan. As big as they come. My my... What a legend! 🙏🏼
Christopher Nolan's films usually end with a question and leaves you wanting more.
One more imp thing bout nolan is hanz zimmer's terrific scoring which makes all his movies with him absolute masterpieces
This is getting me so excited for whatever his next movie. I NEED MORE NOLAN
You know what the re edited version of the Dark Knight ending is quite good not as good though but still a solid ending
This channel seems extremely well organized and inspired. My dream is to find a channel like this, but instead of being about movies it's about literature. Doe anyone know if such a channel exists? Litterature channels on youtube seem limited to girls speaking about young adult novels or semi-young men speaking about David Foster Wallace while wearing a bandana.
Mrs. Featherbottom not strictly about literature but it’s about writing, I’d recommend lessons from the screen play
I know a couple off the top of my head:
1) The "Thug Notes" series by "Wisecrack".
2) The literature series by "The School of Life".
3) The "Just Write" RUclips channel, although it really covers writing in movies rather than books.
4) The "Academy of Ideas" RUclips channel which although covers some literature, it's main focus is on philosophy.
thanks a lot! That't really helpful. This "Thug Note" guy... what a treasure. The Academy of ideas seems a bit liberal for me, but everything else seemed great. The production value though seems to be notably lower than on movie videos like this one... I guess people just like movies more than books.
Mrs. Featherbottom Your welcome, and by the way I just thought of two new channels which are literature based (I may list more if I discover additional channels):
1) "video sparknotes"
2) The literature series by "Crashcourse"
There is an amazing channel about Literature, but its in portuguese. His name is "Quadro em Branco".
Weird that you uploaded this video on his birthday.
What's Weird bout that?
your comment it's weird
Anarcristo try coming up with a better insult.
Harman Sahani no, weirdo
Harman Sahani you must be weird if «weird» is a insult to you
For me, the perfect ending was that of Inception.
I love your use of memento at the end! Totally fits with the line from The Prestige
Wait a goddamn minute. I feel like that alternate Dark Knight ending you showed us was entirely better
"You should use your real name. I like that name, Robin."
Nolan has outdone the greatest filmmakers of all time.
all of my favorite movies have been directed by Christopher Nolan! and that is no coincidence, this guy is amazing at what he does!
Dark Knight, the GOAT of all movies.
In interstellar corn fields were real. . And later sold to make profit. . Cgi wouldn't have done that
The Dark Knight ending on the batman symbol being broken is kinda cool though
I literally check EVERY day to c what Nolan’s doing next
This technique has an unfortunate effect in The Prestige. It creates the impression that there is more to figure out, but the words are only a repetition of the consept explained, and the visuals only confirm what we already know.
a beautiful piece
This vid should have had 100 million views
Great video.keep making them
The answer is he doesn't he keeps element of the story unfolded so that after watching his movies audience are forced to think how exactly the ending is and they themself can interpret it that's why he is one of the greatest director of our generation. (Yes there are some exception)
please do more on nolan, great work!
Best opening and ending scenes ever.
Cut to 2023, Nolan raises the bar with Oppenheimer’s Ending sequence🔥❤
In my opinion, the meaning of the final shot of Dunkirk (the soldier's shot) is to criticize the speech of Churchill.
Churchill talks about the war but he lived it in a office, not in the battlefield.
The soldier don't believe in the Churchill's words because he battled in the war and don't find the reason to do that: fighting in war. Besides, he (and the rest of the army) scaped from the war. He can't understand how the government want that the people don't lose the hope when all the army only wanted to survive leaving France.
Sorry about my English but I tried to explain my opinion by a kind of academical way and maybe my level is over than that haha.
The Dark Knight: Joker won. Batman must take blame because he let Harvey die.
Interstellar: After a black hole journey through time- there is still hope. To be honest, the father came so far but barely made much progress to fully realise that he wasted time and could’ve spent his days with his daughter.
Memento: Truth is always scary, so willingly not to accept it will lead to a quest that maybe isn’t your quest.
Dunkirk: Sacrifices have to be made. Even in the darkness, there is light.
The Dunkirk final shot was a thematic decision. The theme of the film being the narratives and lies we tell ourselves to persevere- the point of the final shot is to remind the audience that the romance of Churchill's speech and the miracle at Dunkirk were stories- the final shot is reality.
Denis Villenueve is another master at this. Him and Nolan are my top two directors these days.
Amazing video!
Christopher Nolan is hands down my favourite director
I felt different in this video essay. I was shook when you didn't even shared a word about Following. The ending isn't ambiguous but on surface layer, without his debut feature, his filmography is incomplete. If we dig deep, Following does have something in it. We just didn't grasped it well, or not at all.
Kudos mate..for...the way you explained his ingenuous talent... I believe it takes one to know another. 👌
I have never seen such great and brilliant director in this world...
The Prestige is/was one of the best films I had never watched until tonight. If you haven't seen it, go check it out on Netflix.
My problem is I never want a Christopher Nolan film to ever end.
Maybe we like his endings because it feels like life. One problem in life is tied up, but something else comes up.
The way you ended the video. Ahh, you can't just let Leonard say that line and leave out the credit song, it feels so off. The perfect way of showing the power of a ambiguous ending ngl.
Best director of this generation. Hands down
I am always wondering what makes Nolan`s films so powerful afterwards, maybe your video explains it well.
Excellent video mate. Keep up!
What is Nolan's next movie? I will watch it.
the chronological end to the dark knight is a completely different message but still kinda works. Guess movies really are made in post
On a similar note, Shawshank Redemption by Frank Darabont ends with the narrator saying "I did not look at his shoes. How often do you look at a man's shoes?" At the same time, the audience is in such awe of what has happened that they don't realize that the narrator was in his cell and could not have noticed the things that Andy had done. If he did not see the black shoes Andy was wearing, how is he telling the audience now that he had changed his shoes?! 😊Another example of "you just want to be fooled"
wow i totally never saw nolan in this way :D thank you for the technical help!
still, everything kept aside. Can we all acknowledge the re-edited version of dark knight's ending where the bat symbol is broken down and the movie ends is not that bad. Sure it's not perfect compared to the original but still not bad.
the thing nolan made about batman with begins is that a symbol is everlasting, Batman cannot be destroyed because he is more than a man. It may not be horrible but visually it kind of goes against the themes of the trilogy. I think it made sense and why the ending is more impactful the way nolan did it because to show the bad stuff first like the batsignal destroyed and him being chased but it ending with him riding off with hope that he will be fine shows that it does not matter what happens he will still be around.
Fair enough.
I think The Dark Knight Rises has the best ending. A fitting conclusion to one of, if not the best, trilogies out there. Alfred at the cafe is simply wonderful.
NOLAN+ZIMMER=EPIC
God damn I love Christopher Nolan
Absolute genius!
Interstellar will always be my all-time favorite movie.
INCEPTION is Nolan's BEST and WORLD'S BEST MASTERPIECE EVER
Wait till Tenet comes out.
I think memento
Nope, it's a pretentious and mediocre movie that was just overhyped by critics and film buffs.
Greatest movie director at the moment and one of the greatest of all-time.
Terry Malloy no
The ending of The Dark Knight Rises is the best thing in this world!
Now lets see tenet.
He asks himself, “What’s the least satisfying way to end this film?” Then he does it
Least satisfying? What??
How is TDK not satisfying?
you mean most I think