Christopher Nolan began using nonlinear structures for his plots with his debut film Following, and continued with a reverse structure in Memento and one in The Prestige that splintered in three ways. Despite its large budget and prime summer release date, it appears Inception will continue Christopher Nolan’s use of distinctive plot structures, according to an Empire interview with Leonardo DiCaprio.
“It is complicated, it’s a complicated story-structure. It sprung from the great filmmaker Chris Nolan’s mind and he’s been able to take highly complex jigsaw puzzles in a narrative and put them together in an entertaining way that we could have never foreseen. Like you look at Memento, I don’t know how a filmmaker is able to pull a narrative like that off and have you be fully engaged. And this is another one, done on a much grander scale with more spectacle to it.”
The precise structure remains a little foggy. DiCaprio goes on to explain something that seems similar to The Prestige, yet at the same time sounds like nothing we’ve ever experienced in a film before.
“It is a plot-structure that’s working on multiple layers simultaneously – and quite literally when I say simultaneously, I do mean multiple narratives simultaneously. So everyone’s going to be in for a treat when they see it, including myself. I want to see how he puts it all together.”
Nolan recently described the film as dealing with “levels of reality, and perceptions of reality.” And in an earlier interview with the Los Angeles Times, Nolan mentioned that the globetrotting aspects would not just be in a geographic sense, but also “in time and dimensions of reality as well.” It will be very interesting to see how this plays into what appears to be a tricky narrative structure. DiCaprio’s comments also clarify what he recently stated to be some on-set confusion amongst the cast members: “It didn’t make sense to many of us when we were doing it. We had to do a lot of detective work (laughing) to figure out what the movie was about.” Inception is certainly is shaping up to be the most complex blockbuster ever filmed.
Thanks to filipeG for the tip!
on March 16, 2010 at 12:35 pm
I don’t have any idea what that means.
on March 16, 2010 at 12:53 pm
I Bet It Would Be The Film You’d Never Forget. Chris Is Master At This Style Of Story Telling. Its Really Gonna Be a Treat To Watch It ! & He’s At His Best This Time. Just Can’t Wait!!!!
on March 16, 2010 at 1:11 pm
Sounds good to me.
Memento with Batman’s budget!!!!!
on March 16, 2010 at 2:27 pm
I guess this is somewhat of a confirmation that it will be non-linear.
on March 16, 2010 at 2:31 pm
This is awesome! General audiences NEED something like this to shake them out of the vapid movie wasteland they’re used to. Can’t wait!
on March 16, 2010 at 3:07 pm
Can’t wait to see this movie, this got me more excited. I love complex things.
on March 16, 2010 at 3:39 pm
So stoked!
on March 16, 2010 at 3:52 pm
THE VIDEO DOESN’T WORK! I wanna see/hear him talk about it.
on March 16, 2010 at 4:35 pm
Ok, never mind, got the vid to work. Firefox was being dumb.
on March 16, 2010 at 4:41 pm
Yes! Finally a blockbuster that values intelligence and will let the audience make up there own minds. We need more non-traditional stuff like this.
on March 16, 2010 at 4:45 pm
I wonder how the average movie-goer is going to react. I thought Shutter Island was pretty straight forward and most of the AMG thought it was too complicated.
on March 16, 2010 at 5:36 pm
Shutter Island still made a lot of money though. I think I read somewhere that it’s now Scorsese’s highest grossing film box office wise (I think). I’m sure WB has a plan to make this appeal to general audiences.
on March 16, 2010 at 7:04 pm
I do not believe in god, but I do believe in Nolan. I cant wait for this film.
on March 16, 2010 at 7:44 pm
I believe in Harvey Dent.
on March 16, 2010 at 8:47 pm
Very cool. Looks like a real mindbender.
on March 16, 2010 at 9:18 pm
Oh this just gets me more & more excited to see it. Don’t know how I can wait another 4 months!
on March 17, 2010 at 3:03 am
Just 4 more months…yaaaay1!! looonnnggg wait though:)
on March 17, 2010 at 5:27 am
Batman Begins was nonlinear too right?
on March 17, 2010 at 8:05 am
Video!
on March 17, 2010 at 11:00 am
@Eternalist:
on March 17, 2010 at 1:18 pm
#1fan: Yea, it was.
on March 17, 2010 at 7:27 pm
@Saurabh
Source?
on March 17, 2010 at 7:29 pm
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5heDgyVe9eYVD6nwHYmSWaIdSFxtA
on March 18, 2010 at 9:14 pm
So WB just announced all their tent pole movies (including the new Superman and Batman) will be in 3D, as it has become the “standard for [their] films…”
Thoughts?
on March 18, 2010 at 9:15 pm
link:
http://www.slashfilm.com/2010/03/18/all-warner-bros-tentpole-movies-will-be-released-in-3d/
on March 28, 2010 at 12:52 am
Batman begins was his worse film in my opinion. Memento his best.
Can’t wait for Inception.