Here is my interview with Christopher Nolan: are you a bard for a civilization at dusk?

Definitely the best press interview "Atonement didn't exist in Greek culture or in Homer's Odyssey...It exists in your Odyssey. Did you Christianize the Odyssey?" A question grounded in knowledge, with a hint of critique, wrapped in a layer of curiosity that invites engagement Although I believe the Greeks had a concept of atonement, but different from us, and definitely not for deeds made in war

Very interesting how almost every other interview besides this one was about the filmmaking process (imax cameras, practical effects, real locations), but someone finally asked informative questions about the themes and story adaptation. Well done.

We need more interviewers like you

Please continue to make these unimpressive directors look like midwits with what should be standard but well-researched questions. Also, continue with that shoe choice, please.

Excellent questions…some of his answers were still somewhat evasive unfortunately

Nice work. He is a dullard and a bore

Excellent questions….nolan’s responses highlight the accuracy of Wilson’s critique. Nolan wants to make Odysseus into a modern hero. My response is use a real modern heroic story—Red Platoon comes to mind— or write your own. Putting modern consciousness in ancient warriors does a disservice to all…in the time of Ancient Greece cities were sacked, men killed in mass, woman and children raped and enslaved as a matter of course. As to your question about pride. The book arguably makes clear the moment Odysseus tells the cyclops his real name, preening over how he’s defeated him, is the moment pride goeth before a fall. And in keeping with the pragmatism of the time the reason is the simple fact this info allows the Cyclops to curse Odysseus and his crew… Great work on your part…👍🏻

Thank you for cooking this guy. It's clear that Nolan hates European culture and heritage, and hates himself.

Terrific work

Wow. Stunning interview-the concept of apologising for greatness. You kept Nolan on his toes and amused. I always thought of him as a philosopher first and a filmmaker second-that running theme of time, memories and subjectivism. Great interview.

Absolutely incredible work. This is the amount of Homework interviewers should be putting in when they get to interview hard working creatives like Nolan.

nolan wasn't prepared for this level of questions

Just a phenomenal interview. Thoughtful and resonant questions throughout. You’ve given me so much to think about!

So many thoughts: - re: ‘xenia’ but the part that’s missed (and painfully obvious) is that xenia morphed into the Golden Rule. The Greeks and Romans presaged modern theological sentiment. Another example: Noah’s arc and the opening of Ovid’s Metamorphoses. It’s everywhere once you see it. - Nolan is aware of Borges’ insight into how writing is just half the job and the readers’ have to complete that job, which makes the writer less important than we credit them for. "...it is the dialogue it establishes with its reader... A book is not an isolated entity: it is a relationship, an axis of innumerable relationships." - Borges - re: the perception of Gods, Aronofsky already attempted this modern take in ‘Noah,’ but Nolan’s take is much more sophisticated. Also, we forget that this ain’t ‘The Odyssey’s first rodeo in reinvention. James Joyce’s ‘Ulysses’ is the ultimate, and of course, there are many other lesser versions. That said, it might be ironical but every film of Nolan’s centers around ‘nostos’ or homecoming (‘Interstellar,’ ‘Inception,’ ‘Dunkirk’). He either knew or didn’t that he was just remaking the Odyssey repeatedly. The ‘home’ just kept changing. Lastly, I think the Greeks had two words that I think are both applicable to Nolan, and I mean that in the most laudatory manner: ‘poiesis’ and ‘techne.’ He is a master craftsman in how he holds both ideas in equal measure. Bravo.

We don’t see quality like this very often. Congrats. People keep comparing Chinese to Western interviews. Let’s just celebrate class regardless of where the interviewer is from.

@nolanarchive This was amazing!!!!! You need to interview him for every movie he makes 😭

Shame that Western Civilization and Western peoples are still around to ruin our legacy like we're doing. Imagine how Asians would celebrate our art, poetry, achievements, and innovations if we weren't around to cringe it up.

@HistoryBoomer Best interview iv seen in years

tl:dr the poem can be interpreted as the fall of the bronze age due to civilization no longer adhering to xenia or zeus law. same for the US, what made it strong is its laws and institutions. when civilization stops respecting its own institutions, then its a civilization at dusk

Amazing

Even Nolan himself was surprised by the insightful questions & after the mindnumbingly redundant questions thrown at him during the press tour in the west he was delighted to speak to the heart of the movie & his storytelling & not just the technical bits! Fantastic interview

He anglicize a Greek work to serve a few purposes. Prominent one is to make ppl empathize with the imperialism guilt. Savagery unleashed on other can be forgive if culprit atone their sin. It also normalize classism. Only rich king can redeem himself, the solders are not allowed.

Issue isn't that he is but that western civilization is indeed at dusk

One of the best interviews in any movie circuit I’ve ever seen

This is the best interview he’s done and he seemed very pleased afterwards 👏🏽🙌🏽 Bravo!!

A truly fascinating and even inspiring interview. Thank you.

@RaisinaSeries This is the only way to make him open up: to engage him with intellectual debate, digging deeper into the mechanics of writing, approach to storytelling from a subjective POV, cultural influence shadowing the literary objectivity. We need more of this. Like those with Scorsese.

Great interview. The key question is what John Stuart Mill alluded to as the problem of empathy in history. People wrongly assume that current character traits are innate and not products of our time and circumstances. And thus project their moral views on a different world.

“Are you a bard for a civilization at dusk?” Let’s see, every one of Nolan’s films of the past fifteen-plus years—INCEPTION, THE DARK KNIGHT RISES, INTERSTELLAR, DUNKIRK, TENET, OPPENHEIMER, and THE ODYSSEY—have closing scenes shot at or near dusk. TENET dialog: “We live in a twilight world.” A seed text for ’14’s INTERSTELLAR—Exodus 12:6 (also the 10th anniversary re-release date: 12.6: “and ye shall keep it unto the fourteenth day of the same month; and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it at dusk.” (JPS Tanakh 1917) Yes, I think you can say that Nolan is “a bard for a civilization at dusk.”

Good interview!

He translated the Odyssey into the language of Hollywood b/c if was true to the original, it wouldn't work as a movie and no one would buy a ticket b/c the world of Homer is alien to us. Not every book (or epic poem) should be a movie. Pray they don't make a movie of Dante!

Best interview with Nolan so far. Possibly ever.

Even though atonement isn't specifically discussed among ancient Greeks, divine justice is definitely a theme and concept in Homer's stories. You were focused on his guilt, but you could also look at his punishment. Odysseus won the war in an underhanded way by tricking the Trojans into thinking the horse was a peace offering, which wasn't really glorious. The horse trick violated Xenia (guests murdered hosts). He basically had to live as a guest sabotaged by every host he encountered for 10 extra years as punishment before he was allowed to go home.

It’s disarming to see a thoughtful and sincere discussion about art. Feels so quaint and old fashioned.