Into the Mind of Christopher Nolan

Life has certainly changed for Christopher Nolan. He has come from being the weedy, bullied film nerd through to multi-millionaire, making billion dollar Hollywood blockbusters. From using his father’s Super 8 camera to being on sets, using mil-lion dollar rigs and set ups. So, how did he get to where he is?

The film business started off very slowly for 7-year old Christopher Nolan. He had not yet developed a passion his heart lay in botany. But soon enough, Nolan found his father’s Super 8 camera and he began working on short films, often collaborating with his brother, Jonathan. By the time Nolan reached high school, he was film-ing movies with friends and family and at college, he joined forces with some of his fellow students and it was there he creat-ed his first feature film, Following, a story about a writer who has an obsession with following random people. It was reached with very positive reviews and Nolan was noticed by recognised photographer Wal-ly Pfister, who worked with Nolan on his next project, the Oscar-winning Memento, the story of Leonard Shelby, a man who, after suffering severe head injuries, is unable to create new memories. It was praised for its innovativeness and new way of storytelling (starting at the end, and moving to the start as the film pro-gresses). Although it was not a box-office hit, it has since developed a cult following. That was when people started to notice Christopher Nolan.

Guy Pierce as Leonard Shelby in Memento

After the success of Memento, multiple Hollywood stars, including Al Pacino and Robin Williams, all wanted to work with the next big thing. Nolan had to make his next film incredible and it was: Insomnia. It tells the story of two detectives investigating the methodical murder of a teenager. It was dark, chillingly and beautifully twisted and it also brought some fantastic performances out of its leads, Pacino and Williams. It won critical acclaim left, right and centre and it has gone on to become a classic of modern film. After the disappointing box office perfor-mance of Batman and Robin, Warner Bros. Studio placed the trust in Christopher No-lan to successfully revamp the Batman franchise. But instead of the dark comedi-ennes that the franchise had become known for, Nolan took a darker, more sinis-ter and route and the product; Batman Be-gins. It chronicled Bruce Wayne’s journey from spoiled rich kid to crime-stopping vigi-lante. It was a major success and it proved that Nolan could also direct the big budget-ed Hollywood blockbusters as well as the indie-cult hits. Many top critics claimed that

to his roots and direct another gripping drama and with that in mind, he cast the star of Batman Begins Christian Bale and also Hugh Jackman, who both played opposing magicians in The Pres-tige. It boasted Nolan’s brilliant storytelling and his uncanny abil-ity to make you believe every-thing that happens. It wasn’t a major box office success (making only $113,714,830 worldwide), but it casts a spell over every-body who has seen it.

Christopher Nolan:

Following (1998)

Memento (2000

Insomnia (2002)

Batman Begins (2005)

The Prestige (2006)

The Dark Knight (2008)

Inception (2010)

Upcoming Projects

Man of Steel (Superman remake)

The Dark Knight Rises

After the success of Batman Begins, Warner Bros. again offered Nolan the chance to make a new Batman film and after the brilliant ending of his previous Batman, Nolan could not refuse. After two years of strenuous filming, The Dark Knight was re-leased to the world. It was the highest grossing film of 2008 and it narrowly lost the ‘Best Picture’ Academy Award race to Slumdog Millionaire. It fea-tured a dark, compelling crime story, along with Nolan’s signature plot twists. It also contained an incredible performance from Heath Ledger, who played The Jok-er. The Academy Award for ‘Best Supporting Actor” was obviously going to go to Ledger, but when the Austral-ian Star overdosed on sleep-ing pills and was killed, the film world was in mourning. Along with many stirring trib-utes on the night of the Os-cars, Ledger also posthu-mously won the ‘Best Sup-

described what it was like to work on set with somebody as talented as Heath Ledger. Af-ter the release of The Dark Knight, Nolan was the biggest director in the world, even trumping the likes of George Lucas and James Cameron. Although he was getting doz-ens of offers to direct multi-million dollar films, the one that caught his eye was a psy-chological action thriller called Inception. It was about a cor-porate espionage agent named Dom Cobb, who got his employers their secrets by infiltrating the world of the dream. It featured Nolan’s best special effects yet and many argue it is his greatest film to date. But with many upcoming projects (including the next film in his Batman saga, The Dark Knight Rises and a new Superman revamp, Man of Steel) we will all just have to wait and see.

Heath Ledger as The Joker in The Dark Knight.. Hugh Jackman and Christopher Nolan on the set of The

Prestige

“ The best actors instinctively feel out what the other actors need, and they just accommodate that.”

Christopher Nolan

What is the best genre of movie?

Five Star recently conducted a survey on a group of 26 school children, posing the time-old question: What is the best genre of movie. The categories were action, romantic comedies, com-edies, horror and drama. And the results were interesting to say the least.

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Managing Director of M

Managing Director of Madman Entertainment

I magine walking down a street, any street, and you see man wearing board shorts, thongs and hair that looks like it has never seen of gel in its life. He seems the typical

Aussie bloke. But would you suspect that he is a multi-millionaire film distributor who single-handedly brought anime and manga to Australia? No, you would not. But that is the exact-ly the kind of man that is Paul Wiegard, Managing Director of Madman Entertainment.

A�er borrowing money off family and

friends, Anderson and Wiegard started buy-

ing licenses for Japanese anime and manga

series’, which they believed were about to

take off. A�er a few successes and failures,

the pair decided to stop buying licenses and

start distribu!ng anime and manga films. And

the first film they bought for distribu!on was

Akira. “Akira is about a secret military project

that endangers Neo-Tokyo when it turns a

member of a biker gang into a raging tele-

pathic psychopath that only two kids can

stop.” Wiegard described. Akira was one of

the movies that popularised anime in the

west along with another one of Madman’s

films, Ghost in the Shell. Both were met with

very posi!ve reviews, some claiming that

they are the two greatest anime films of all

!me.

Paul Wiegard

Madman’s Akira

Madman’s powerhouse production, Ben 10.

“There isn’t a typical day at Madman. Everyday is different.”

Paul Wiegard

A fter the success

of Akira, Mad-

man began dis-

tributing many

more animes, but they had

also turned their attention

to independent films, espe-

cially Australian ones and

this tradition has contin-

ued to today, with the re-

sults being films such as

Kenny, Snowtown and The

Loved Ones, all of them

met with a raving recep-

tion. But Madman still dis-

tributes T.V shows, with

their most successful pro-

gram being the power-

house Ben 10.

Madman Entertainment’s logo

M adman is still at large throughout the DVD

and more recently, Blu-ray distribution with

Australian films and T.V shows, as well as

Japanese animes and mangas. In fact, 97%

of animes in Australia have been distributed by, you

guessed it, Madman Entertainment. They have become

one of the most successful companies in Australia and it

has turned Paul Wiegard from average Joe to multi-

Madman’s Kenny

Explosions and gunplay have be-

come one of the main a,rac!ons

at the cinema over the last couple

of decades. While there have been

some adrenalin-pumping heart-

stoppers, there have also been

some movies that use explosions as

make-up, to hide their terrible, un-

sightly visage. From the uber-

violence of the 80’s, through to the

effects-driven romps of the 2000’s,

ac!on movies have never failed to

entertain. And here are some of

the very best!

10

300 (2006)

Possibly the most macho film ever made, 300 tells the

story of King Leonidas (Gerard Butler) and his force

of 300 Spartans as they attempt to defeat the entire

Persian Empire. With some spectacular slow-motion

battle scenes and some memorable quotes (‘Tonight

we dine in Hell!’ This is where we fight! This is

where they die!’), 300 serves as an incredibly enter-

taining history epic.

9

District 9 (2009)

This sci-fi alien romp through the slums of Johannes-

burg also packs an emotional punch. Although it slumps

to a B-grade shooter during its second act, ‘9’ is a film

that may change your views on many things.

8

Speed (1990)

There is a bomb on a bus. Once the bus reaches 50

mph, the bomb arms. If the bus drops below 50 mph,

it explodes. This is the predicament faced by young

cop Jack Traven (Keaunu Reeves) in this fast-paced

action spectacular. With cameos from a young Sandra

Bullock, Jeff Daniels and the late Dennis Hopper

(who puts in a nice turn as the killer), Speed is a must

watch.

7

Gladiator (2000)

Russell Crowe puts in an Oscar-winning perfor-

mance as Maximus, a Roman General who is be-

trayed by a corrupt prince and left for dead in a

small town in Italy. Full of blood, gore and sev-

ered heads, this epic revenge drama cannot be

missed.

6

First Blood (1982)

First Blood is the stereotypical 80’s action blockbuster.

Sylvester Stallone is John Rambo, a Vietnam vet who is

struggling to adjust to modern life. After a traumatising

run in with local British Columbian police, he escapes

from his police cell into the expansive forest and starts a

one-man war on the police and the army. Complete with

guns, explosions and impossibly tough guys saying im-

possibly tough things, First Blood is a classic.

5

Terminator 2: Judgement Day

T2 is the second in the time-travelling Terminator

trilogy, chronicling the lives of Sarah Connor and

her son, John, who is going to become the leader of

the resistance in the future. But Terminators, sent

back by the evil Skynet Corporation, travel back in

time to kill John and therefore wipe out all re-

sistance in the humans war against the machines. A

truly mesmerising film from start to finish, Judge-

With ultra high-definition picture quality and a simple set-up, the RedOne is the visual spec-tacle of the 21st century.

Achieve impossible

4

Inception (2010)

Dom Cobb is an extractor. He goes into dreams and

extracts secrets. He is the best in the business. But he

is also a family man who cannot get home after he

was framed for the murder of his wife. So when a job

is offered that could get him home, Cobb accepts. But

the mission is impossible: inception. With some

breath-taking special effects (including a zero gravity

fight scene), and plot with more twists than a bowl of

spiral pasta, Inception will leave your mind in a

shambles.

3

The Dark Knight (2009)

Not only the best superhero movie ever, but also a

richly thrilling crime saga, The Dark Knight contin-

ues the crime fighting story of Bruce Wayne/

Batman , billionaire playboy by day, masked vigi-

lante by night, who falls victim to rising criminal

mastermind, The Joker (played by Heath Ledger,

who won the ‘Best Supporting Actor Oscar posthu-

mously). Dark, grim and frighteningly realistic, The

Dark Knight casts a spell over all those who see it.

2

Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)

Harrison Ford is Indiana Jones, a puzzle-solving,

grave-robbing archaeologist who is trying to stop the

Nazis from finding the Ark of Covenant, which Hitler

believes will make his army invincible. Full of puz-

zles, whips and memorable sword fights, Indiana

Jones is the greatest adventure movie ever.

1

Die Hard (1988)

John McClane is a LAPD cop who, while attending his wife’s

work’s Christmas party, is instead the leader of a rebellion against

a group of German terrorists, who have taken McClane’s wife and

her co-workers hostage. Having to use modern guerrilla tactics

against his cunning foes, McClane and a cop on the outside of the

building wage war on the evil terrorists. An edge-of-your-seat

thrill ride from start to finish, Die Hard lives strong!