Have seen both the norwegian original and the nolan's version.
While we may never get to know for sure how much of "Nolan" was in this film compared to following and memento it was lesser for sure. But still within the studio set-up I think it was a fairly dark film.
I personally preffered the nolan film....felt it conveyed the themes better..the fact that robin williams' character and Al pacino's character were both literally and metaphorically, in the same boat...
I hadn't realised until recently that Nolan had directed this one, too. I'd seen it in the movie theatre when it was first released, and I was really struck by the atmosphere. After all this time, that's what has stuck with me the most. I really ought to check it out again, because I do want to see how it 'stacks up' against 'Memento' and 'The Prestige'.
Oddly enough, I wasn't terribly enthralled with 'The Prestige'. It was a good movie, but as someone pointed out earlier, Bale and Jackman's characters aren't particularly likable after their rivalry gets ugly. I also wasn't terribly impressed with the 'solution' to the 'trick', either... I guess it had something to do with Tesla's wizardry, I dunno, or maybe I was just too tired when I was watching it to really 'get' it.
Anyhow, with my 'hazy' memories of 'Insomnia', and my much more recent memories of 'The Prestige', I'm much more likely to rate the former over the latter.
#1fan wrote:i think it is the least respected because anyone could have done it
Exactly, and because it is a remake. If it had been an original film, Nolan would have made it amazing.
Well, is a remake all that different that an adaption? It's not because it was a remake, it was because he didn't write it. I find Nolan's direction is best when he's had a part in writing. His other films have his obvious stamp on them (give or take Batman Begins), but his direction is not particularly strong or immediate in Insomnia. As has been stated, It could have been made by any other director.
Anyone who says Insomnia could have been done by anyone should read Seitz's script (http://www.nolanfans.com/screenplays/in ... script.pdf).
Nolan did in fact deviate from the script at many points, as I suspected. I'm especially happy he didn't keep the script's ending or opening.
Location: We can't stop here, this is Bat Country!
hmm, I reckon is not the least respected film, is probably the least recognizable film, is has very kinda noir-independent sort of feeling which is not a very attractive format to the masses, even though is a very good story it has a very potent weakness, it´s vibe and it´s photography, let me be clear, Im not saying the photography is bad, Im saying they had to deal with a very difficult visual aspect. Nolan mentioned in an interview that one of the most difficult elements to deal with in this film was the fact that they needed to show this vibe of tiredness and exhaustion through the whole movie without actually exhausting the audience, showing this dark aspect of the insomniac and this dark nature of the characters in the middle of this cold-absolute bright place were there is not much of action, where most of the characters are active at all is a very hard thing to do and something that people don't appreciate a lot for the simple fact that they are not used to see this kind of movie.
I think Insomnia is an amazing film and a true challenge for a filmmaker, is one of the movies where we can see what Chris can achieve as a director, is not my favorite film but I hold a lot of respect for it.
Probably his least respected film is "The Prestige" (unfortunately) but this film, in my opinion is one of the greatest films of all time, my conclusion is- Nolan is the type of filmmaker that never disappoints you and all of his films are respected for their depth, style and story.
Location: We can't stop here, this is Bat Country!
#1fan wrote:
OVERMAN wrote:hmm, I reckon is not the least respected film, is probably the least recognizable film
this was the only film he hadn't written
before insomnia and after.
yeah you are right, this is an important factor, as a director/not writer he had to share and follow another man's vision, yet most of his movies are based on stories that he didn't actually invented and that are not his original vision (insomnia, batman begins, the prestige, the dark knight) and he had to follow certain rules in order to honor this visions and not ruin them.
With his other movies in which he actually had full control of the story (insomnia, memento and the upcoming Inception) we can see Nolan's full vision taking place on the screen.
All of his movies have one thing in common, and that doesn't imply the fact that he write it or not, that thing is his success on showing us what he had on his mind at the beginning, it's the way the story is presented to us what matters the most.
Eternalist wrote:
But the reason it's easily his weakest film is because Nolan had no part in writing the film. All of Nolan's films, except Insomnia, have had his hand in writing and is why I believe they turned out great.
Interesting that you say that because I have been reading bits of the script and it appears that Nolan adapted the script quite a bit and even changed the ending. It would have been a very mediocre movie if it didn't have his touch to the script.
Yeah, maybe. But then again, this is my first Nolan movie that I watched (mainly because of Al Pacino), but I was satisfied. Then I start to follow his films, from Memento and was eagerly anticipated the Batman Begins as well Inception
