The Nolan Variations, Tom Shone
The Nolan Variations, Tom Shone
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The Nolan Variations
The Movies, Mysteries, and Marvels of Christopher Nolan

Author: Tom Shone

Narrator: Nicholas Guy Smith

Unabridged: 14 hr 42 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 11/03/2020


Synopsis

An in-depth look at, and written in collaboration with, the man considered to be the most profound, and commercially successful director at work today--a franchise unto himself--whose deeply personal million-dollar blockbuster movies (The Dark Knight (2008), Inception (2010), Dunkirk (2017) among them) have earned more than $4.7 billion worldwide: his work, his influences, his vision, his enigmatic childhood past, and much more. 

A rare, intimate portrait of Christopher Nolan with the full cooperation of Nolan himself who opened up more fully than ever before in his talks with Tom Shone. In chapters structured by themes and motifs ("Time"; "Chaos"), Shone writes of Nolan's thoughts on movies, on plots; on time, identity, perception, chaos, daydreams. Here is Nolan on the evolution of his pictures, and the writers, artists, directors, and thinkers who have inspired and informed his films. To write the book, Tom Shone, who has known Nolan for more than two decades and who spent months with the director, was given unprecedented access to Nolan's notes, scripts, storyboards, and artwork.

In this riveting portrait of an artist, Shone deftly navigates Nolan's themes, influences, and working methods (both in writing and directing). Here is his dislocated, trans-Atlantic childhood ("It makes you feel very differently about the concept of 'home'") . . . how he dreamed up the plot of Inceptionlying awake one night in his dorm ("I prized the imaginative space of listening to music in the dark, thinking about things, imagining things, films, stories") . . . his color-blindness and its effect on Memento ("People are fascinated by other people's perception of the world and the way in which it differs") . . . his obsession with puzzles and optical illusions . . . and much, much more.

About The Author

TOM SHONE was the film critic of the Sunday Times from 1994 until he moved to New York in 1999. He is the author of five books, including Tarantino: A Retrospective and Martin Scorsese: A Retrospective. His writing has appeared in The New Yorker, The New York Times, the Times Literary Supplement, Intelligent Life, and Vogue. He currently teaches film history and criticism at New York University.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Evan

My fondest theater memory remains seeing The Dark Knight at midnight at 15 years old, absolutely giddy when Batman hitched a ride via skyhook and when a truck flipped end over end. In 2010, I ran around like a madman, trying to finish all of my closing duties at Corner Bakery so I could run across t......more

Goodreads review by June

a form and design, lonesome shine against ebook, in time to define, art, aesthetic, philosophy, academy shrine. a tome, so fine, hit home, a sign: Nolan may peak -   cinema golden and IMAX I seek. Stream in motion, CGI chic; Reality unfolding, mass meek.......more

Goodreads review by Cristie

This biography was so interesting and filled with tidbits of Christopher Nolan's life, such as him being colorblind that I hadn't heard before. Christopher Nolan's life is so much more exciting than the movies he makes. It was nice to see behind the scenes of his life.......more

Goodreads review by Romulus

To nie jest biografia, choć do biografii reżysera się odnosi. Najlepiej ująć to słowami samego autora: to retrospektywa twórczości Christophera Nolana od pierwszego filmu po „Teneta”. Oparta przede wszystkim na rozmowach autora z samym reżyserem. Film po filmie, ale również przekrojowo. Bogata w szc......more


Quotes

"This is the book for which Christopher Nolan's many admirers have long been waiting ... Shone sat with Nolan for numerous conversations over three years, producing what is almost a coauthored exploration of Nolan's creative process, his extensive influences, and his films ... Shone seamlessly weaves these conversations within a narrative that stretches from Nolan's formative boarding school days in England to the evolution of his career and work ... a thoroughly entertaining and fascinating portrait. For the foreseeable future, this is the definitive word on Nolan and a must for film buffs."--Library Journal (starred review)"Nolan is a wonderfully unlikely contemporary filmmaker. We're fortunate indeed to have him, and fortunate now to have this book."--William Gibson"Drawing on interviews conducted over three years, film critic Shone shines a light on Christopher Nolan, who has 'long perfected the art of talking about his films while giving away nothing about himself.' Shone devotes a chapter to each of Nolan's films [and] provides thoughtful context for Nolan's commentary."--Publishers Weekly "An up-close and personal look at one of Hollywood's most successful directors ... unique access to the 'most successful filmmaker to come out of the British Isles since Alfred Hitchcock.' This erudite book is packed with extensive, expansive discussions about Nolan's films, all written or co-written by the director; insight into what he was trying to accomplish with each film; methodologies; and the movies, directors, books, art, architecture, and music that influenced him ... revealing ... invaluable."--Kirkus (starred review)