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« Doc Corner: 'Life, Animated' Lacks Complexities of Modern Disney | Main | Team Experience Finale: Golden Globe Gaiety »
Tuesday
Dec132016

Thoughts I Had... The "Dunkirk" Poster

Chris here. If you're one of the lucky souls getting to see Rogue One this weekend in the very few IMAX 70MM projections it will have, you'll also be getting an extended glimpse at Christopher Nolan's Dunkirk. While we can brace ourselves for the inevitable repetitive bickering between the director's fans and detractors, it's at least intriguing to see Nolan stepping into a new genre for the WWII flick. Here's a look at the first poster and some thoughts:

  • Different genre, yes, but the stoic "man from behind" shot and the steely font recall just about every cliche Nolan is known for. There is a compelling scope and undercurrent of emotion, though.
  • Remember the litany of names attached to the posters for The Dark Knight Rises? This has a strong cast that goes unmentioned: Tom Hardy, Mark Rylance, Cillian Murphy, Kenneth Branagh...
  • ... and LOL Harry Styles, never mind.
  • At least Nolan will also rescue us from CGI madness: he's purchased and refurbished authentic WWII machines that will be featured (and YIKES, destroyed) in the film instead of added in post-production
  • "From the Director of... Interstellar" Our memories aren't so short - Nolan's best The Prestige is always getting sideswiped by the films that made more money, no matter how divisive.
  • [insert frustratingly early talk of next year's Oscar race, even though it does look like Nolan is chasing what has evaded him]

Dunkirk opens July 21, 2017! What do you think of a Nolan war epic?

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Reader Comments (23)

Ive been intrigued by this story since the breathtaking scene(s) in Atonement. Hopefully this whole movie can live up to those amazing scenes

December 13, 2016 | Unregistered CommenterMJ

Imo, Momento is Nolan's best, n Prestige a close 2nd

December 13, 2016 | Unregistered CommenterClaran

Can't wait for this! No matter their faults, Nolan films are almost always worth watching

December 13, 2016 | Unregistered CommenterWhat what

I really like the poster. Yes that man from behind shot is clichéd but in this case it makes sense to me. Seeing the devastation and horror while being completely helpless. Still, I hated, hated hated Interstellar (What´ up with Jessica Chastain and Casey Afflecks´s characters?)
However, I love Memento, Prestige and The Dark Knigh Trilogy, while Inception was more entertaining than clever which is fine.
Also: It´ a summer release, so Academy Members have to use their cells for a change and remember it.

December 13, 2016 | Unregistered Commentertherealmike

I'm sure it will be dazzling, but the quality of his and Jonathan's story-telling dipped considerably with TDKR and Interstellar. Here's hoping for a comeback.

December 13, 2016 | Unregistered CommenterSawyer

What I've seen of Nolan, best to worst:

1. Memento (A)
2. The Dark Knight (A)
3. The Prestige (A-)
4. Batman Begins (A-)
5. Inception (B-)
6. Interstellar (C-)
7. The Dark Knight Rises (D+, just a mess.)

December 13, 2016 | Unregistered CommenterVolvagia

Christopher Nolan's movies are movies I make sure I watch on the big screen. They do not hold up well on smaller screens. The only movie of his I remember very fondly is Memento ( and sometimes Inception). I'm not a huge fan of his Batman work because I don't particularly enjoy mixing superheroes with seriousness and intensity. I think these movies should always be made with a wink to the audience and he is too self serious.

December 13, 2016 | Unregistered CommenterTony T

Am I the only one who liked Interstellar and TDKR? LOL

I cannot wait to see this. This poster is a classic.

December 13, 2016 | Unregistered Commenterbrookesboy

Tony T: There's a difference, though, between making a "superhero serious" movie starring a normal superhero and trying to make a normal superhero "regular serious". It's, loosely, the difference between a Captain America: The Winter Soldier and a Dark Knight.

December 13, 2016 | Unregistered CommenterVolvagia

It's being Sold on his so called brand with Harry Styles,no thanks,War films are something I struggle to connect with,I need me some Keira Knightley and letters on a beach.

December 13, 2016 | Unregistered Commentermarkgordon

Yea. Memento best for sure

December 13, 2016 | Unregistered CommenterMJ

I find the history of WWII very interesting so I'm basically in the tank for this even without Nolan.
But, Joe Wright's "Atonement" stands out for it's depiction of Dunkirk. He basically conveyed all of the chaos in the most personal and poetic way. That beach sequence enthralls me and breaks my heart every time.

Will Nolan be poetic? Doubtful.
My problem with Nolan is his lack of coherent scripts masked by huge action sequences.
However with that cast and such dramatic subject matter I'm still looking forward to this.

December 13, 2016 | Unregistered CommenterLadyEdith

If "the Prestige" is always getting sideswiped, then people basically have forgotten the excellent "Insomnia"...

December 13, 2016 | Unregistered CommenterLars

Best of Nolan: The Prestige, Insomnia, Memento, The Dark Night, Batman Begins (not necessarily in that order).

December 13, 2016 | Unregistered CommenterPaul Outlaw

I have a very soft spot for the Dunkirk episode, makes me feel all "We will fight on the beaches..."

And I don't pay much attention to posters but this I like. The silhouette in the background is so menacing and tragic.

December 13, 2016 | Unregistered CommenterGena

Question: Do we need more superhero films or more WWII films?

December 13, 2016 | Unregistered CommenterRyan T.

Oh! the boredom

December 13, 2016 | Unregistered CommenterPeggy Sue

I'll play.

Among My Favorites:
1. Inception
2. Memento
3. The Dark Knight

Very Rewatchable:
4. Batman Begins

Strong, if Not Top Tier:
5. Following

Mixed Bag:
6. The Dark Knight Rises

Messes:
7. The Prestige
8. Interstellar
9. Insomnia

December 13, 2016 | Unregistered Commentereurocheese

The image is stunning- Nolan needs to find a good editor for his movies- "Interstellar" was the movie that would not end- but I love " Inception"

December 13, 2016 | Unregistered CommenterJaragon

This looks like Christopher Nolan's 'Pearl Harbor'. No thanks.

December 13, 2016 | Unregistered CommenterMareko

I'm a Christopher Nolan fanboy. So there. Anyway, I agree with LadyEdith and MJ -- Joe Wright's Dunkirk beach scene in Atonement certainly is the benchmark from which Nolan's film will be compared to. Personally I consider that scene the greatest WWII scene ever filmed, along with Spielberg's Normandy invasion opening in Saving Private Ryan. So haunting, poetic and sublime -- and what brilliant camera tracking Wright used.

@brooksboy: I'm with you. Interstellar ranks along with the great contemporary science fiction films, imho.

December 13, 2016 | Unregistered CommenterCraig

That first original teaser from earlier this year was pretty thrilling as well IIRC.

If Nolan can honestly pull this off... on such a large scale but with an isolated setting, with this impressive (exclusively male) cast telling this very British story of the early part of WW2... and it becomes a fat hit... I think they'll have to start engraving that Best Director Oscar for next year. All the elements are there for it to hit the sweet spot.

That said, every time he's been given a chance lately not to play into all his worst directorial habits, he's given in completely and made his films overstay their welcome. Or they crumble under their own weight before the third act.

I've liked his films less and less but I'm kinda rooting for this one and it'll be a nice history lesson for Americans to boot. Not many people outside WW2-dieheads know what happened in Dunkirk or why it became such mythos and a source of bitter-sweetness in the UK for decades after.

December 14, 2016 | Unregistered CommenterMark The First

My first thought was: This looks like a Transformers movie!

December 15, 2016 | Unregistered CommenterDoug
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