The Disney movie Christopher Nolan calls “extraordinary”
The undeniable master of the modern cinematic spectacle, Christopher Nolan has dominated contemporary film discourse for a while now. With acclaimed sci-fi projects like Inception and Interstellar, Nolan’s approach to high-budget genre filmmaking has captivated audiences all over the world while earning critical and commercial success. From memes to visual frameworks, the director’s impact on the cinematic landscape is omnipresent.
This year, Nolan made the headlines again by directing a highly anticipated biopic about J. Robert Oppenheimer, which became one of the most significant releases of 2023. Not only did it manage to start a massive social media trend with Greta Gerwig’s Barbie, but Oppenheimer also earned widespread praise for its nuanced portrayal of the man who facilitated the unprecedented evolution of weapons of mass destruction.
On multiple occasions, Nolan has cited the likes of Stanley Kubrick and Nicolas Roeg as primary influences, but his personal archive of inspirations extends far beyond the usual suspects. During an interview, the Dunkirk director was asked about the films he watched with his children, and he immediately opened up about his love for Disney movies. Beginning by mentioning The Lion King, Nolan soon focused on the seminal 1964 musical Mary Poppins.
Nolan started: “When I look at Mary Poppins, what’s interesting to me technically is that it’s so well made — it’s extraordinary. Not just visual effects. You’ve got these performers singing and dancing with no cuts and, therefore, with nothing to hide it with, which is extremely extraordinary. I’ve watched Mary Poppins [with my children] several times. Particularly with DVD, they’ll watch a section for a song, and the technology really embraces that. But when I look at trends in cinema, I don’t see things [in terms of] getting better or worse.”
The filmmaker added: “In technical terms, it’s getting worse — cinema’s in big trouble and needs to be put back on course in terms of image quality. At the same time, the sound quality is getting much, much better. When you look at films from 30 years ago, you would have far fewer cuts, but they’re not necessarily better because expectations and rhythm and ability to absorb have changed — and you can’t go back. You have to be realistic about the growth in complexity about each generation of films. You’re not creating film in a vacuum; you’re building on what’s come before.”
While Disney are obviously known primarily for their innovative animated masterpieces that completely changed the medium, it’s interesting that Nolan highlighted one of the few live-action gems within their extensive body of work. Regarded by many as one of the definitive additions to the beloved genre, Mary Poppins continues to delight younger generations as it solidifies its status as a timeless classic.
Watch the trailer below.
