Comments on: David Cronenberg Calls ‘The Dark Knight’ Movies “Boring,” Says Christopher Nolan’s Best Film Is ‘Memento’

By: bob

bob — Fri, 13 May 2016 11:45:56 +0000

maybe he shud be quiet. everyones entitled to their opinions but shud he really bash another fellow filmmaker when answering a news question? the question was whether he'll get into/ make any superhero movies in the future, not what his thoughts were on nolans work. it wasnt the time or place to say such things. nolan probably doesnt like some of cronenbergs movies but he doesnt say it to the news when he gets the chance. he cant even admit that all the other batman movies before 'begins' were crap because he respects other filmmakers and their visions. maybe next time cronenberg will use a useful resource to vent (private twitter dude).

and regarding nolans batman movies, their not movies about batman, their movies about a man becoming batman, as a symbol for catalystic change in justice. what differs nolans movies is that instead of bruce wayne/ christian bale being batman because he has to be, or because the fans know he will be is that nolan took the oppurtunity to show why hes becoming this man in a cape. throughout the whole trilogy he goes back to this countless times and shows how bruce wayne, the little kid who cant release his anger or fear over bats/ his parents murder, uses it to strike fear in the enemies that present themselves and become a symbol for justice in a city which on the outside looks like it doesnt need it but underneath is a hell. Bruce wayne to most of the citizens of gotham was a happy billionaire but underneath he was a monster waiting to be free. batman wasnt in the movie just because the movies called batman, hes in there cuz hes necessary. thats how nolan elevated it. not just cuz its a movie and has to be. its a pretty damn interesting story and a progressive one, no matter what its original source was. its a character arc. bruce wayne is not a superhero but a human.

And the target audience has nothing to do with the movie. a movies a movie. a books a book. and i dont know if im alone, but i wudnt recommend any of the movies in the nolan trilogy to someone under the age of 11 or 12. if he doesnt like the movie, he doesnt like it. but dont trash it because u dont like the original source or the target audience. watch the movie and see how u feel after watching that and that alone. not how much it made, what the other filmmakers movies were or how u feel other people shud look at it.

By: George

George — Fri, 13 May 2016 11:45:56 +0000

only 65 comments? I expected a fanboy revolt and a system shutdown. God forbid anyone have an opinion that differs from theirs. Happy to see the Gestapo like tactics determined to shut down any opinion that differs from haven't come to fruition (at least yet). Open your eyes and see that Cronenberg makes a valid point. Crowd pleasing and box office don't equate to something having significant artistic merit. His point about Nolan's Memento (and I would add Inception) being much better films artistically than any in TDK series is valid. Dark and muddy scenes and mumbled dialogue can't be elevated to a higher artistic level just because an exceptional performance ( ie. Ledger) is thrown in the mix.

By: Oz

Oz — Fri, 13 May 2016 11:45:56 +0000

I want to know what Cronenberg thinks of those intelligent, epic, and well-acted and not at all adolescent at their core 'Twilight' movies, then. You know, the ones starring none other than his current protagonist.

By: Pat

Pat — Fri, 13 May 2016 11:45:56 +0000

Wasn't "A History of Violence" based on a graphic novel aka a comic book?

By: jimmiescoffee

jimmiescoffee — Fri, 13 May 2016 11:45:56 +0000

i love david cronenberg. he's possibly my favorite filmmaker. but i also love comics and think nolan's batman films are incredible. that being said i think 'memento' and 'the prestige' and 'inception' are all superior to the bat trilogy.

By: Anonymouse

Anonymouse — Fri, 13 May 2016 11:45:56 +0000

i completely agree with cronenberg. he may have misspoke when referring to 3D, but i'm not sure as i have not read the american cinematography magazine article in question. the latest nolan batman was technically a marvel and yet very boring and pedestrian with an atrocious final act, imo. and who wouldn't agree that memento is nolan's best film? maybe fans of the prestige?

By: HG

HG — Fri, 13 May 2016 11:45:56 +0000

Cronenberg has made 3 or 4 cool movies in his 40+ year career… but he's in no position to hate on Nolan. No one like a hater BRO!

By: Q?

Q? — Fri, 13 May 2016 11:45:56 +0000

Subject matter doesn't determine whether or not a film is art, the way the material is handled does. A film about a man turning into a giant mutant fly could never be considered art could it?

By: DL

DL — Fri, 13 May 2016 11:45:56 +0000

Wait who's David Croberg lol

By: caro

caro — Fri, 13 May 2016 11:45:56 +0000

i respect his opinions even if i disagree

By: jimmiescoffee

jimmiescoffee — Fri, 13 May 2016 11:45:56 +0000

63 comments? playlist boner!

By: Oogle monster

Oogle monster — Fri, 13 May 2016 11:45:56 +0000

TEAM NOLAN. Also, second what Katie/Stalison said below… seems like Cronenberg hasn't actually watched any of the Batman films if he thinks there is a 3d version floating out there. Nolan is vehemently against the 3d format, DUH CRONIE! Also, for him to say that Nolan's interpretation of Batman is just another "superhero" movie is such bull- dude elevated the genre to something quite extraordinary and every superhero film after it has tried (and failed) to capture what Nolan has done. It seems like this was Cronie's one opportunity to bad mouth Nolan so he went for it… sounds like a case of serious hater-ritis if you ask me… THIS is the reason why Nolan has yet to be nominated for Best Director b/c the DGA is full of whiny little directors who wish they could make the kind of money AND quality films that Nolan makes… and yes, I'm a hardcore Nolanite. 🙂 I still like Cronenberg but lets never ever ever repeat A Dangerous Method again. Or at least hire a new editor because that shit was edited so poorly.

By: Stalison

Stalison — Fri, 13 May 2016 11:45:56 +0000

Apparently Cronenberg doesn't know much about Nolan's work because Nolan is famous for hating 3-D. But Cronenberg apparently doesn't think Gary Oldman is a good actor so I have to question some of his opinions. But he shouldn't be hated for one comment.

By: JJ

JJ — Fri, 13 May 2016 11:45:56 +0000

Im stil mystified as to why people genuinely think the TDKR was a good film. Such denial.A terrible script and the twist with Cotillard was the most useless, pointless twist EVER. It was an absolute mess.

By: I seriously hope you guys ross douthat

I seriously hope you guys ross douthat — Fri, 13 May 2016 11:45:56 +0000

He's basically right. There's nothing wrong with a good adolescent superhero movie: the problem with Nolan's Batman films is that Nolan, on the whole, takes them too seriously. Heath Ledger in TDK and Anne Hathaway in TDKR *are* pretty fun but you have to put up with a lot of other rubbish to see them.

By: Katie Walsh

Katie Walsh — Fri, 13 May 2016 11:45:56 +0000

#TEAMCRONENBERG

By: Carter

Carter — Fri, 13 May 2016 11:45:56 +0000

He's right!

By: Ron

Ron — Fri, 13 May 2016 11:45:56 +0000

I think Cronenberg is a great film maker, but I actually find his movies very slow and boring.

By: Sean

Sean — Fri, 13 May 2016 11:45:56 +0000

How dare an amazing filmmaker have opinions about another decent director and his films!

By: Andrew

Andrew — Fri, 13 May 2016 11:45:56 +0000

I can totally see Cronenberg's point of view, even though he's made some bad (and great) movies himself. But that's not the point… point is, he's restricting an art form which thrives and progresses on creativity. He says comic book movies are meant to be a certain way (adolescent), and can't be cinematic art. That's BS. That's like saying you can only paint with primary colors, or make music with only 7 notes instead of 13. If there is humanity and skillful story-telling, regardless of the genre, why WOULDN'T it be artistic? What about Toy Story 3? A "children's" movie so fun, yet so deep and resonant, that it probably made more adults contemplate their lives and cry than any movie that year. Art is hindered by people who think it must be done a certain way. People who think outside the box and have that creative gift, are able do the un-doable because they have the balls to try. While that requires risk, it paid off because to me, The Dark Knight is in fact a deep and meaningful film.
* Whatever I said is just my opinion. Please don't take anything personally, I hate arguing with a keyboard.

By: Lorenzo

Lorenzo — Fri, 13 May 2016 11:45:56 +0000

Cronenberg is sick with envy.

By: Rohan

Rohan — Fri, 13 May 2016 11:45:56 +0000

This article looks forgot to mention that when Nolan makes a film and releases it on Summer is not actually considered a summer blockbuster. I mean, your regular summer blockbuster. It's more than that. And, the problem that I have with this article is that it tries to compare the 'The Dark Knight Rises' to 'The Avengers.' I don't think that Batman film of Nolan's is for kids. They are more darker than 'The Avengers' and all the other superhero films that we see today. Cronenberg is bored, I haven't seen any film of his yet; the only reason I pay attention to Easter Promises is because of Viggo and the film's score. Cosmopolis just like the book is going to release and then people will forget about it. A pointless book and a pointless film in my opinion. It is what it is. If Cronenberg has his opinion, we, Nolan fans have ours as well.

By: JP

JP — Fri, 13 May 2016 11:45:56 +0000

Cronenberg is full of it. The fact that he states Nolan utilizes 3D shows that he hasn't bothered watching the film. He certainly is entitled to his opinion, but it sounds like he's just bitter because Eastern Promises 2 will not be happening. Admittedly, this is a problem due to studios increasingly doing away with the mid budget film (30-60 million) in favor of tent poles, unless you are one of a dozen or so directors who can attain financing. As for material determining whether or not something is art: BS. Puzo's The Godfather is a trashy novel that Coppola elevated to art. Same with Rosemary's Baby, Jaws, The Ghost Writer, Carlito's Way, and A History of Violence (based on a graphic novel). The minute we elevate ourselves above any material, we lose the ability to actually be relatable to sensibilities.

By: Katie

Katie — Fri, 13 May 2016 11:45:56 +0000

"heâs shooting IMAX and in 3-D"

What in the name of arse is he talking about? Nolan has never shot in 3D. :/

By: Sean

Sean — Fri, 13 May 2016 11:45:56 +0000

Funny. When other directors talk smack about someone like Michael Bay, it's alright. But when he say something about someone that critics and the public love, such as Nolan, it's blasphemy.