Case studies
it’s like for an actor to look at his face in that a revolutionary integration of the two film scene, “You have nothing to do with all
way and see it so distorted and so maimed. formats. How was it to work with such your strength. There’s nothing to threaten.”
heavy cameras? You can’t intimidate somebody who’s not
Even for the audience, it’s hard to look at him. I’d wanted to work with the IMAX camera bound by any conventions or rules of
It’s hard to look at him, but we made it so for a long time because that film format, engagement, if you like, and doesn’t in any
extreme and so fanciful, really. Hopefully it’s which has only really been used for way respect your authority or rules. And
more of morbidly fascinating than repulsive documentaries in the past, is the highest that’s what The Joker is. He’s a pure force
for the audience. We had looked at more quality image that’s ever been created for of anarchy.
restrained versions, and they were more motion pictures. I wanted to try to use it to
stomach-churning, depressing and a little immerse the audience in the action of the Do you think a film can avoid being political
too real. It felt like we needed to have a very film. The camera is very large, very after 9/11?
extreme approach with a little movement cumbersome, so there are a lot of challenges I think if the film is written as we tried to,
and detail in it that would be, as I said, a bit in terms of finding ways to move the camera and made as we did, in a very sincere way
more fanciful and more removed from reality. the same way you move 35mm cameras. But where the filmmakers are trying to engage
we found ways to mount it on the Steadicam, with the things that excite them, the things
The Dark Knight marks the first time ever to mount it on the dolly and so forth. that frighten them in real life and trying to
that a major feature film has been even have some real texture to the thing, so that
partially shot using IMAX cameras, marking There are several fights between Batman it’s actually personal to us and relevant to us,
and The Joker in this film, and each time it there, I think, will inevitably be political
gets more fierce. It reminds me a little bit of parallels in retrospect. But the key is to not
the US war against Iraq. There’s no end in be self-conscious about that, to not be
sight. Is there any solution for those kinds forcing that. The key is to really just try
of fights? and make a great film, to tell a great story.
Well, I’m not sure there is, which is why I But I think it will live in the same world,
think it’s an interesting story point. Batman and I think if you’re creating from your
is an extraordinarily powerful fighter. He’s place in this world, from genuinely the way
an extraordinarily strong individual. And yet, you see the world, after the fact, looking
Chris Nolan on location with IMAX camera
as The Joker says to him in the interrogation back at the film, then you see parallels. n
Batman could become like The Joker? and was trying to shrug off Batman, and he’s The Dark Knight… a new level of comic
Right. Neither will compromise. One thing confronted with The Joker, who’s trying to book movie?
you can say for The Joker is that he’s not a make him question his ethics, but naturally, I think Chris has proved that films like this
hypocrite; he stands by his word and will while Batman Begins is purely about shouldn’t be looked down on, that popcorn
die for that. That’s what he despises about Batman, now we have a more complete movies can be something with real substance
society so much—that they’ll quit their supporting cast. and heart. I think he’s changed the game
beliefs so easily—they’ll run from heroes, for good. I didn’t like comic books when I
they’re cowards, fuelled by fear, and in Did you enjoy the gadgets? was growing up. I’ve only read Batman
Batman he finds an equally uncompromising Yeah, any day I had free I was like, “I need recently; I’ve not branched out. n
character. Although Batman has a weakness: to go and practice in that Lamborghini.”
morality. He won’t kill. The Joker says that Or, “I got to get on that bike again!” I think
he’s got a really worthy opponent, and he I share a fascination with the extreme, like
must bring his full intellect and cunning many people do. I think it’s a case of testing
into trying to break Batman’s code of ethics. people’s mettle when the chips are really
He wants to prove that everyone has a price down. In the same way, dark characters are
and will sell out. often more intriguing—we’re fascinated
with people who break the rules of normal
Was the preparation different this time out: society. The shadow side is in all of us—
mentally and physically? the desire to destroy on occasion, and when
Physically, I was coming from a place of less people do that it’s always fascinating.
weakness this time round. The suit was Of course, as an actor, I find that interesting.
leaner, so I wanted to be a little leaner In saying that I don’t want to become
myself. It’s like the differences in the predictable in my choices, but there’s no
military—you get these big beefy fellas in doubt that those types of characters get
the regular military and then when you get more noticed and remembered more vividly.
to the Special Forces, they’re leaner, wiry, The good guy who toes the line is the
and that’s what I was going for. Mentally, harder character to play, because he’s not
there are more mind games being played in that memorable. I like variety—I want to
this movie. Chris really laid everything out be able to play the whole spectrum. That’s
for me—the character has evolved, matured what a good actor does.
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