Why doesn’t Christopher Nolan want anybody to see his first film?
Before Christopher Nolan was known for his gargantuan budgets and global box office hits, he was a student at University College London. He didn’t study film, and instead was a member of the film society and would make short films with his now wife, Emma Thomas. While we’re able to see most of Nolan’s early work, there is one film that he doesn’t want anyone to watch – his first short film, Larceny.
In 1995, Nolan directed Larceny with a group of university friends; a black and white eight-minute short about an apartment burglary. No specific details on the plot have ever been released, as the film shortly vanished the following year, much to the dismay of his now colossal fan base that would quite frankly kill for the chance to see his one of his first films.
Shortly after the buried short, Nolan directed Following, Doodlebug and then Memento, the grungy feature that put Nolan on the cinematic map, sparking a career that has dominated our screens ever since. Nolan now has two Academy Awards under his belt and his films have grossed over $6billion worldwide, something that has been achieved by few filmmakers.
However, the popularity of his current work has made the mystery around Larceny even more peculiar, with many wanting to gain an insight into the overall evolution of his style. And given the success that he has achieved, what could be contained within that short that would make us see the director in a different light? Is it because he feels pressure to demonstrate the genius associated with him in the short film? And even if it isn’t good, surely his ego isn’t so fragile that it would be bruised by the quality of one mediocre student film?
Nolan announced the decision to keep the film private during the press tour for Doodlebug, his three-minute short released in 1997. Film lovers have speculated why this could be, with some theorising that the director perhaps wants to adapt the film into a feature in the future or is perhaps simply embarrassed.
But again, when you’re a director of that level, does it really matter? No-one would question the quality of validity of his later work based on one tiny film, and it can be helpful for many aspiring filmmakers to see the humble beginnings of the people they admire – it makes filmmaking feel more attainable and less like a fantastical dream when you can see your idols making mistakes and creatively growing.
However, in 2021, a fan tracked down a copy of Nolan’s 1990 film Tarantella, with the help of a Chicago television studio. The film was then posted on Vimeo and Nolan’s production company shortly filed a copyright infringement claim to have it removed. It seems unlikely that Larceny will be subjected to the same fate as it remains firmly under lock and key, and will probably remain an enigma forever. But maybe Nolan will prove his fan theories one day and release a three-hour epic about a burglary gone wrong, and when that does happen, we’ll all know the true story behind it.
