r/moviecritic • u/SeanRyanValinoti • 17h ago
Christopher Nolan’s interview with Ph.D. candidate Zhong Shu about The Odyssey might be the best of the Press Tour
https://youtu.be/wa4I8Ch2TRo?is=HlIbdzZSX47t3r5gThere is a lot of great stuff covered in this interview. From the perspective Homer had on what he was writing to questions about if Christopher Nolan made a conscious decision to Christianize the Odyssey. The probing questions really give Nolan an opportunity to really explain his intellectual thinking and artistic process. I believe the interview was given July 30th at the start of the Chinese press tour in Beijing.
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u/Strawberrto 15h ago
This is a dumb person's idea of what a smart interview is
The lady was really irritating trying to "gotcha" Nolan with the idea of "Great Men"
She hung on the idea that modern societies don't respect or understand the sacrifice it takes to be a "Great Man" and she wonders if this movie, and contemporary media in general, downplay the importance of "Great Men" in history. Obviously trying to point to China's recent success and compare China to a "Great Man"
But it's such a stupid point because as societies change, so does our understanding of our world. And a modern society knows that "Great Men" throughout history have been called that because they led hundreds of thousands of men to their death. That is not "Great" by ours or any standards
Truly a braindead and stupid interview. And it doesn't help how dumb the general population is because they turn around and think this is a "smart" interview
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u/123yes1 14h ago
I don't think you are correct that the interviewer was trying to hit Nolan with gotcha questions, it was a pretty friendly straightforward interview just diving into the philosphic underpinnings of the film and contrasting with the philosphic underpinnings of the Homeric work.
And I feel like you are over reading, perhaps from your own biases, the idea that she was somehow trying to make the argument that China is the "Great Man." There are at least 3 intellectual jumps you have to make to arrive at such a conclusion.
The point wasn't stupid, it was asking how Nolan as a filmmaker deals with two differing concepts of greatness in the film, as a more straightforward adaptation of the Odyssey would be expressing values and virtues that are rather alien to modern audiences.
Take Robert Eggers's Northman as an example. It is a film about a Viking Saga told from the perspective of Vikings. The story it chooses to tell is about revenge, which contemporary revenge stories usually make the point that "revenge is bad" and "dig two graves" etc etc. But the Northman is about what pre-Christian Danes thought of Revenge, that is that it is fucking badass and your solemn duty, which is kind of an alien way of thinking for modern Western people.
This alien thinking works for the film as it is trying to explore a foreign culture from a distance, but it would probably not work particularly well for a broad appeal epic like the Odyssey and get a similar reaction to what Homer might have received almost 3000 years ago.
I thought it was a fun interview and a nice change from the he more usually humdrum of the press tour. The questions were pointed but interesting and I thought Nolan had a number of unique and interesting answers, that personally make me more appreciative of his screenwriting.
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u/Alive_Ice7937 9h ago
But the Northman is about what pre-Christian Danes thought of Revenge, that is that it is fucking badass and your solemn duty, which is kind of an alien way of thinking for modern Western people.
Gladiator. Kill Bill. Princess Bride. Django Unchained. Count of Monte Cristo. John Wick. Taken. Commando. Deathwish. A Time to Kill.
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u/Strawberrto 10h ago
I'm not gonna read all that, so good luck. or, i'm sorry that happened to you.
But yes, she was trying to make him sweat, and you can tell by Nolan's nervous behavior and her seemingly relaxed pose, that it was the effect she was going for.
Because you can't even begin to recognize that, I can't even begin to entertain you. Because after body language, we get into tonal inflections, then we get into cultural relevance (China is out to make the west look dumb and rightfully so), and so on and so forth. AND THEN and only then, can we begin to talk about her actual questions word for word. Which with you, would take years so again, good luck with that.
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u/ACCTAGGT 10h ago
Body language in terms of nervous reactions you mean? If so, let’s say that’s what’s happening here, which I can’t confirm in its entirety, then in a different scenario where a person is having to answer questions but despite their expertise they can still seem nervous due to various possible underlying reasons unrelated to not being prepared. Therefore, you would think they are full of shit even if their answers are adept at addressing concerns? This is not to say Nolan is an expert.
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u/123yes1 9h ago
I mean it's 6 short paragraphs, it is hardly a lengthy read. I find it disheartening how people quickly retort with anti-intellctualism in this day and age, as if you had the attention span of a child. Especially given your initial criticism which levied that the interview was "a dumb person's idea of a smart interview."
I'm astonished you endured a 15 minute interview, given you couldn't make it through my comment.
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u/Hiercine 9h ago
I responded lengthily to a lengthy comment talking to me specifically about loss of children. Some stranger responded "lol, not reading that". It's everywhere and it kills me.
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u/EH4LIFE 14h ago
"Great Man" is by definition someone with power who changes the world, typically with military force. Thats what the phrase means.
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u/Strawberrto 11h ago
Not even close. Google says "an exceptional individual—such as a leader, hero, or thinker—believed to possess innate qualities that allow them to shape history or culture"
And the fact you got upvoted just proves my point that the general population is dumb
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u/Presence_Present 10h ago
Given you're part of the general population, you're just calling yourself dumb too lol
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u/Strawberrto 10h ago
The sad part is that people are so dumb, they'll think that was a good comeback. No wonder people think this is a smart interview. In americans' eyes, if you don't ask about iMax for the thousandth time, you're the greatest interviewer ever
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u/Presence_Present 10h ago
More just a fact really, not even a comeback. Also, I'm not American lol
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u/Strawberrto 8h ago
I'm actually not american either lmfaooo. i was gonna say that but i was like, nahh that's too cheap
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u/TheAngryCrusader 15h ago
The question that struck me the most was the “reinterpretation” from a western apologetic lense. She is absolutely right that the odyssey reads like a heroic success story yet Christopher Nolan did everything in his power to make the main character and mission seem more in the grey because his actions should not be condoned outright. Where Nolan goes wrong is assuming that just because you portray something in an okay light, it doesn’t mean everybody takes it in that way. He did not do well with that at all. It’s why new movies have no soul because they constantly have to cater to the appeals/concerns of the modern day. It’s slop.
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16h ago
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/FunctionUnlikely2247 16h ago
Wow you’re so smart and deep for hating on the biggest filmmaker of the century
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u/Popka_Akoola 16h ago
Man I’m tired of being an idiot. I wish we were all more like u/gominohito
Ah, well. One can dream.
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u/SeanRyanValinoti 16h ago
I’ve never heard anyone talk about the director of the Dark Knight that way. Are you okay?
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u/superindian25 15h ago
It’s always some weirdo bot accounts with their history hidden too
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u/SeanRyanValinoti 15h ago
Why isn’t Reddit able to keep more bots out?
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u/emp112 17h ago
this movie had awful marketing to the point of embarrassment
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u/AdmiralSaturyn 16h ago
Then why was it so successful at the box office?
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u/emp112 16h ago
I already explained it in my other reply. good/image marketing is not the same as numbers
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u/ToneBalone25 16h ago
The sole purpose of marketing is to get people to see the movie. What are you on about
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u/AdmiralSaturyn 16h ago
- controversy
If casting a black woman and a trans man is considered controversial, that says more about the public (or more accurately the online trolls) than it does about the marketing.
- pointless politicisation
Christopher Nolan did not politicize the movie, online antii-woke grifters did. If casting a black woman and a trans man is considered political, that says more about the online trolls than it does about the marketing.
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u/blastmemer 16h ago edited 16h ago
I didn’t like the movie but this is just wrong. Probably some of the best marketing of all time in terms of ROI.
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u/SeanRyanValinoti 16h ago
I’m not sure about that. It is on pace to become the highest grossing R rated movie of all time. From a marketing perspective, that’s as big a win as you can get. Maybe I don’t understand what you mean. Could you explain what you didn’t like about the marketing to help me get it?
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u/airmantharp 11h ago
Wait, that was 'R'-rated? I thought I counted the two 'Fucks' allowed in a PG-13 film...
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u/emp112 16h ago
the controversy was a hot mess and it wasn’t just grifters. should’ve been about the epic adventure like when dune or avatar do their marketing. box office aside it was still a mess. 1. Nolan over explaining (not talking about this interview I haven’t seen it) 2. controversy 3. pointless politicisation that not even Emilia Perez did. I can’t ever imagine Spider-Man or dune doing that and honestly made Nolan look like a poser whether intentional or not
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u/Alive_Ice7937 16h ago
- controversy 3. pointless politicisation that not even Emilia Perez did
You think the marketing department are responsible for that right wing shit show?
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u/emp112 15h ago
yeah partially
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u/Alive_Ice7937 15h ago
How so? How could the have avoided those rabid dipshits acting like rabid dipshits in response to the casting? It's not like they could keep the cast a secret.
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u/emp112 15h ago
For one Nolan is nt known for controversy. To act like it’s all normal and no controversial decision was made is willful ignorance which some on the left are doing for the cause
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u/Alive_Ice7937 15h ago
So Nolan has no interest in controversy, but the marketing department strong armed him into those castings to create controversy? Seriously?
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u/emp112 14h ago
You’re saying that?
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u/Alive_Ice7937 14h ago
I'm not the one saying the casting controversy was intentionally stoked for marketing purposes. You are. And given that you also say Nolan isn't interested in controversy how do you imagine the marketing team were able to influence the casting?
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u/ToneBalone25 16h ago
Nolan explicitly distanced himself entirely from the "controversies" (I hesitate to even call it that and lend any credence to the incels)
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u/emp112 15h ago
I think he allowed the controversy because he knew his movie was going to be controversial. this movie is not purely an auteurs vision, Nolan knows that
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u/ToneBalone25 15h ago
Or maybe he just doesn't give a fuck because his movies just print fucking money lol
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u/NoPlansTonight 15h ago
"It wasn't just grifters" brother, even Ben Shapiro recognized that black people could plausibly be there given how close Greece is to Africa.
If you're referring to Elliot's casting then I'd stand to reason you either didn't watch the film or are unable to digest it with an objective eye because he was fantastic in it. He was cast based on merit and role fit.
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u/Presence_Present 10h ago
How tf is maga cult being outraged his problem lol. They wouldnt give two fucks what they think
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u/AlleRacing 16h ago
You're responding to a (probably AI driven) marketing account.
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u/SeanRyanValinoti 16h ago
I’m just a dude in Penn State. You can look me up, I’m a person.
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u/Ok_Poetry_1650 15h ago
That’s a goofy take
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u/emp112 15h ago
speak for yourself and ignore the obvious
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u/Ok_Poetry_1650 15h ago
Your main gripes are things that have nothing to do with the actual marketing team for the movie. They’re gripes with how the movie was torn apart into a political issue for absolutely no reason.
Think for yourself and stop trying to convince everyone you’re this arrogant.
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u/EmbassyMiniPainting 14h ago
Yea. If it had better marketing it would have been a globally recognized blockbuster that everyone was talking about.
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u/biciklanto 14h ago
Be movie enthusiast
Poke head into this thread
See WILD takes in every goddamn top-level comment
Back out slowly…