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Christopher Nolan's 'Tenet' Makes a Global Bet on the Film Industry (wsj.com) 103

Posted by msmash from the closer-look dept.
In Christopher Nolan's new thriller, "Tenet," the fate of humanity pivots on characters moving back and forth through time. It is an epic, brain-bending exploration of ideas the filmmaker has spent decades examining. But now, as "Tenet" opens after multiple delays in cinemas around the world, it comes loaded with symbolism that its writer and director could never have foreseen. From a report: As the first big-budget theatrical release since Covid-19 struck, "Tenet" represents one of the biggest gambles in Hollywood history -- from the studio wagering it can release the movie amid the pandemic, to long-dormant theater chains banking on it spurring a recovery for their business, to potential ticket buyers balancing safety concerns with their urge to get back to the big screen. Mr. Nolan, though known as a champion of the theatrical experience, is somewhat uneasy with all the significance assigned to his sci-fi spy picture. "This is the most radical shift in my career, my lifetime, between the making of a film and the world it goes out into, and I'm still grappling with that," he says.

Starting with an Aug. 26 opening in parts of Europe and elsewhere, the rollout of "Tenet" reaches the U.S. Sept. 3. It is the fourth domestic release date for the movie -- which was delayed repeatedly as studio and theater executives dealt with shifting lockdown measures -- yet it is still unclear when it will open in regions where indoor theaters remain closed. That includes two cities that are normally first to get new movies, New York City and Los Angeles. When coronavirus lockdowns descended in March, Mr. Nolan says, his team's first challenge was to use remote methods to put the final touches on "Tenet" and turn it in on time to AT&T's Warner Bros. studio. Meanwhile, every big movie on deck for the season, starting with the James Bond installment "No Time To Die," retreated on the calendar to fall or next year. By contrast, Warner Bros. pushed back the July 17 release of "Tenet" by only two weeks, and later pushed it again. The studio never seriously considered an online premiere for "Tenet," a Warner Bros. executive says, even as others experimented with online releases, as Disney has done this summer with "Hamilton" and "Mulan." The movie enjoyed a strong $53 million debut overseas. "We are off to a fantastic start internationally and couldn't be more pleased," said Toby Emmerich, Warner Bros. Pictures Group chairman. "Christopher Nolan has once again delivered an event-worthy motion picture that demands to be seen on the big screen, and we are thrilled that audiences across the globe are getting the opportunity to see 'Tenet.'"
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Christopher Nolan's 'Tenet' Makes a Global Bet on the Film Industry More

Christopher Nolan's 'Tenet' Makes a Global Bet on the Film Industry

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  • Sounds like astroturfing to me (Score:4, Insightful)

    by theJavaMan ( 539177 ) on Monday August 31, 2020 @09:15AM (#60458480)

    I keep noticing articles about this movie. Looks like an attempt to astroturf some buzz and pump up the box office. Nice try.

    • Re: (Score:1)

      by Anonymous Coward
      You must be new here. That is why BIZX acquired Slashdot three or four years ago. Go and read the press releases. BIZX's business model is manipulating social media and search engine results.

    • Re:Sounds like astroturfing to me (Score:4, Insightful)

      by thegarbz ( 1787294 ) on Monday August 31, 2020 @10:15AM (#60458724)

      I keep noticing articles about this movie. Looks like an attempt to astroturf some buzz and pump up the box office. Nice try.

      Or maybe people are actually excited about the only big budget movie to actually come out. Maybe people talk about pop culture, and stories about time travel are of interest to nerds. When a Linux kernel is released is it also "an attempt to astroturf some buzz" simply because we discuss it on Slashdot?

      • Are people excited, or news reporters and editors? I've never seen user comments about this movie, outside of major outlet stories about it. This was posted by WSJ.

        • News reporters aren't people? I for one am excited. It's the only movie I've looked forward to since the 2020 dumpster fire kicked off. Who are you to complain what other people like or want?

          I've never seen user comments about this movie

          You've never seen user comments about a movie that was delayed due to Coronavirus, literally just came out, and has had a very restricted cinema patronage due to coronavirus closures? *Surprisedpikachuface*

          What are you expecting. Not even Rotten Tomatoes currently runs a "Box Office" list instead substituting it with TV

    • Comment removed based on user account deletion

  • No (Score:4, Funny)

    by nospam007 ( 722110 ) * on Monday August 31, 2020 @09:22AM (#60458510)

    "it comes loaded with symbolism that its writer and director could never have foreseen. "

    Since he didn't 'load' it, it's just people seeing things that aren't there, as usual.

    BTW, I have a toast with the face of the Virgin Mary that I could sell you for $250.000.

    • But now, as "Tenet" opens after multiple delays in cinemas around the world, it comes loaded with symbolism that its writer and director could never have foreseen.

      Or could they?

  • Sounds amazing (Score:5, Insightful)

    by OMBad ( 6965950 ) on Monday August 31, 2020 @09:23AM (#60458512)
    This sounds like an amazing movie. And it is by Christopher Nolan (Interstellar), so you know it is going to be good. However, COVID is real, and you risk dying to enter a movie theater. I recommend you wait until the vaccine is out. Stay inside, wash your hands, wear a mask, and SOCIALLY DISTANCE (the most important part).

    • Re: Sounds amazing (Score:1, Insightful)

      by reanjr ( 588767 )

      You risk dying every time you get in your car. Get some fucking perspective.

    • However, COVID is real, and you risk dying to enter a movie theater.

      You may, not everyone will. Our local cinemas here in Europe have very strict controls in place including how to seat people, dramatically limited maximum number of patrons, cleaning requirements, etc.

      The downside especially about the limited seating is that every session this past weekend was completely sold out. Still the chances of you catching something here is still far lower than going to a super market, manhandling trolleys, money, fresh produce, brushing past each other in isles.

      • Re:Sounds amazing (Score:5, Insightful)

        by timeOday ( 582209 ) on Monday August 31, 2020 @10:32AM (#60458826)
        At this point the Covid risk in Europe is VASTLY different than in the US.

        Germany's daily average deaths last week were about 5 (if it's even valid to average such small numbers).

        In the US, right about 1,000.

        Yeah our population is about 4x of Germany, so call it 20 to 1000.

        It simply is not even close to equivalent.

    • Interstellar was disappointingly stupid. Stupid people making stupid decisions then god saving them all in the end.

    • And it is by Christopher Nolan (Interstellar), so you know it is going to be good.

      Is this the same dork who shot only parts of Interstellar in IMAX and kept switching aspect ratios randomly throughout the movie?

    • This sounds like an amazing movie. And it is by Christopher Nolan (Interstellar), so you know it is going to be good.

      Not everyone shares that analysis. It was 8.6 on IMDb about a week ago, now it's 8.0.
      Meaning many 10.0 set from paid accounts at the beginning, then it goes back to a "normal" rating little by little. So in a couple weeks it'll be around 7.6. Not so bad, but it's not a masterpiece it seems.

      • Ratings are a funny thing, though. I always check the ratings on Amazon before I buy something, but I also like to read the low ratings because sometimes people are idiots.

        Example:
        Rating: 1 star out of 5.
        Comment: Product is amazing, works great, seems indestructible and will probably last forever. One star because it's more than I wanted to pay and it arrived one day late.

        So basically, the actual rating should have been 5/5 but the buyer was an idiot who doesn't understand how ratings are supposed to be use

        • Most of the time, for good Amazon products, the 1/5 is due to users who don't understand the rating purpose, like "but the box was damaged by the PO", "but the package delivery was 3 days late"... OTOH, people register to IMDb to vote, they don't buy anything, and unlike Amazon where sometimes you have only 10 votes, blockbusters on IMDb are voted by thousands, so the "idiots" are a margin error.

    • This sounds like an amazing movie. And it is by Christopher Nolan (Interstellar), so you know it is going to be good. However, COVID is real, and you risk dying to enter a movie theater. I recommend you wait until the vaccine is out. Stay inside, wash your hands, wear a mask, and SOCIALLY DISTANCE (the most important part).

      Why isn't this modded as "Funny"?

    • I recommend you wait until the DVD is out.

      Fixed that for you. Oh wait, this is 2020 - people probably all stream a legit or pirate version. Anyhow, it's hard to beat the comfort and convenience of your own couch.

  • Nolan's movies are crap anyway (Score:3, Interesting)

    by realmolo ( 574068 ) on Monday August 31, 2020 @09:26AM (#60458524)

    He does the whole "fake deep" thing. His movies *seem* like they are thoughtful and multi-layered, but they aren't. They're just meandering and poorly-plotted.

    If you leave *all* questions unanswered, then you can trick a lot of viewers into thinking their is subtext, even if there isn't.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by OMBad ( 6965950 )
      Guess you never saw "Dunkirk".

    • Re: (Score:2, Funny)

      by blackomegax ( 807080 )
      Just admit you lack the intelligence to fully grasp the depth of the genius in his movies.

    • He does the whole "fake deep" thing. His movies *seem* like they are thoughtful and multi-layered, but they aren't.

      That's a big generalisation.

      If you leave *all* questions unanswered

      Ahhh right. You generalise because you haven't actually seen his movies, is that it? Very few of them "leave *all* questions unanswered". Hell they don't even leave "most" questions unanswered.

      I can see people considering his movies poorly plotted if they don't have the attention span to actually see how he brings his plots together. Maybe this just isn't for you, but one thing is clear: Pretty much everyone disagrees with you, and that isn't because of some higher intellect you

      • I don't know about intellect per se, but he does put a significant amount of references to relatively esoteric stuff like elements of Gnosticism which, although common in Hollywood movies, aren't widely familiar.

        It might be nice if there were an online course explaining the various mythologies and cosmologies and philosophies used in films and series so they can be better understood in that context.

      • Comment removed based on user account deletion

    • Not "crap" but for non-readers (Score:5, Insightful)

      by mykepredko ( 40154 ) on Monday August 31, 2020 @10:40AM (#60458858) Homepage

      Personally, I find Nolan's movies to be interesting and well shot but nothing I've ever walked away from thinking it was the greatest thing ever or that he was the best director ever.

      Looking over his filmography:
      - *Memento. I think it's his best, somewhat unexpected and engaging
      - Insomnia. I felt that while Robin Williams did well but the pushing of light and dark was too over the top and overshadowed what was a somewhat pedestrian thriller
      - */3 Batman trilogy. If you thought that was great, you would be blown away by reading some of the thousands of Batman comic books that have been published over the last fifty years or so. Terribly overhyped - honestly, the Batman: The Animated Series has many stories that are as good or better. I did think Nolan did a good job on the first one and they went downhill from there (yes, I don't think Heath Ledger did the best "Joker" ever)
      - Inception. I liken it to a Philip K. Dick story that never really came together. An interesting idea but turned into recursion gone wild
      - *The Prestige. Good movie and interesting introduction to Tesla if you hadn't heard about him (which most people wouldn't have because Musk's car company hadn't produced any cars at that point)
      - *Interstellar. I was impressed by the visuals (and the idea that they were all practical effects) but the story was like something out of a 1960s "Astounding" science fiction magazines
      - Dunkirk. Read a history book people. I have no idea what the amazement for the movie was - other than, as my son said, he didn't know that the English were so good at queuing up

      Looking over his filmography, I can't believe I've seen all of Nolan's movies (except for Tenet) in the theatres.

      I've marked the ones that I thought were worthwhile and I'd recommend - four out of nine which would probably be my rating of his movies. I'd rate him higher as a director but that would be more on the technical side of things, not on his story telling.

      • "Inception. I liken it to a Philip K. Dick story that never really came together."

        So basically any Philip K. Dick story. The man had great ideas but, boy did he suck at tieing his plot together! He was actually the first to admit it.

        PS I mostly agree with your summaries.

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by pz ( 113803 )

        - *Memento. I think it's his best, somewhat unexpected and engaging

        The thing about Memento is that if you eliminate the (highly inspired) editing that simulates the lack of being able to form long-term memories and play the clips in the correct order, it's an insipid who-done-it story. One that a high school English student could beef up and make more interesting. Maybe an incredibly simple story is necessary when you employ that particular directorial tool, but still, the film was merely good as it was, and could have risen to greatness without much additional effort of

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by AmiMoJo ( 196126 )

        I think you missed the point with Batman and Heath Ledger's Joker. Batman has always had many different versions, constantly changing aspects of the character and the same is true for the Joker. Ledger's Joker was a fascinating take on a more realistic version, mentally ill to the point of criminal insanity and played in a believable way that other incarnations require much more suspension of disbelief for.

        Yeah the story was recycled but it was very well done.

        Dunkirk... Well yes we are experts are queuing,

    • I'm not watching it, but at least he is a real artist, if you define art as entertainment designed to provoke interpretation and debate. Compare to J.J. Abrams and his franchise themed fireworks displays. Feh.

    • At least someone truly understands CN's movies.

    • Ehh, that's a bit of an overgeneralization on your part. Memento was hardly the "meandering and poorly-plotted" film you're painting all of his films to be, and I can't recall any threads it left unanswered by the end of the film. Likewise with Dunkirk. It still felt very much like a Christopher Nolan film—for better and worse—but it didn't suffer from the pitfalls into which you've suggested all of his films fall. It was taut, carefully plotted, and actually was multilayered as it told three ov

  • How much did they pay you? (Score:4, Insightful)

    by mabu ( 178417 ) on Monday August 31, 2020 @09:46AM (#60458590)

    Shouldn't this be marked as an advertisement?

    • Isn't every Slashdot story an advertisement? I for one vote we never run a story on a Linux kernel release. Damn Slashdot taking Linus kickback money.

  • Here's my bet (Score:5, Informative)

    by DontBeAMoran ( 4843879 ) on Monday August 31, 2020 @10:06AM (#60458676)

    I haven't set foot in a theater in over a decade, so I sure as hell not going to set foot into a theater during a worldwide pandemic - with no proven vaccine available on top of that.

    Opening theaters, restaurants and schools? Do you want more deaths, because that's how you get more deaths.

  • I couldn't find anything about "symbolism that its writer and director could never have foreseen". Anyone know what they are talking about?

  • and won't be until we have a vaccine and/or more effective treatments or the virus is contained (which is looking more and more unlikely, especially in the United States where a significant portion of the population is treating it as a hoax).

    Multiple hours in Recirculated air that's been conditioned is about the worst thing you can possibly subject yourself to. It's what they call a "super spreader" event. Add that masks aren't practical (since the point of theaters is to stuff your face with popcorn

    • Re: (Score:1)

      by OMBad ( 6965950 )
      Exactly. Mod parent up. There are lots of people rioting who aren't even social distancing.
  • Comment removed based on user account deletion
  • I initially misread the tile: "telnet". Showing my age... :-/

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by ls671 ( 1122017 )

      I had a project manager that kept on calling it telenet. For him, the core of Linux was the Linux colonel. When told so, he replied: telenet, telnet same thing! colonel, kernel, same thing, close enough.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by kaur ( 1948056 )

      I initially misread the tile: "telnet".

      I heard it is about a mis-managed NTP server?

  • We're not going to theaters any time soon. VOD or nothing for us!
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