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Why Do We Fall?: Examining Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight Trilogy
"Why Do We Fall? kicks off with an insightful introduction by one of the greatest Batman comic book writers in history, the legendary Denny O’Neil, and then launches into a piercing analysis of genius director Christopher Nolan’s heralded Dark Knight Trilogy, in the process proving just how Nolan elevated the art form itself, making not simply great comic book movies, but rather great films."
-- Michael Uslan, originator & executive producer of the Batman movie franchise
The Dark Knight Trilogy, composed of Batman Begins (2005), The Dark Knight (2008) and The Dark Knight Rises (2012), is the most cohesive and complex adaptation any comic-book character has ever had. It is also one of the most celebrated trilogies in recent cinema history. It has affected the way movies and TV shows are told today, from Marvel Studios’ Infinity Saga to Matt Reeves’s The Batman. Today, all comic-book adaptations are analyzed with Nolan’s trilogy in mind.
In Why Do We Fall?, David Hernando examines The Dark Knight Trilogy as well as Nolan’s other landmark films from a holistic approach — focusing on dialogism, intertextuality, and fidelity — to highlight the importance of these movies within the director’s filmography and the history of Batman adaptations.
From Sequart Organization.
-- Michael Uslan, originator & executive producer of the Batman movie franchise
The Dark Knight Trilogy, composed of Batman Begins (2005), The Dark Knight (2008) and The Dark Knight Rises (2012), is the most cohesive and complex adaptation any comic-book character has ever had. It is also one of the most celebrated trilogies in recent cinema history. It has affected the way movies and TV shows are told today, from Marvel Studios’ Infinity Saga to Matt Reeves’s The Batman. Today, all comic-book adaptations are analyzed with Nolan’s trilogy in mind.
In Why Do We Fall?, David Hernando examines The Dark Knight Trilogy as well as Nolan’s other landmark films from a holistic approach — focusing on dialogism, intertextuality, and fidelity — to highlight the importance of these movies within the director’s filmography and the history of Batman adaptations.
From Sequart Organization.
160 pages, Paperback
Published February 11, 2022
1 person is currently reading
9 people want to read
About the author
David Hernando
17 books4 followersEditor, ensayista y teórico catalán que ha trabajado para Dolmen, Planeta-DeAgostini y Panini. Desde 2012 es Director editorial de Planeta Cómic. En su faceta de teórico ha publicado varios libros como Batman. El resto es silencio (2004), Spider- Man: Historia de una araña (2004), En Primera Persona: Frank Miller (2005), En primera persona: George Perez (2005), Supermán: la creación de un superhéroe (2013) y Batman. Serenata nocturna (2014).
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
July 18, 2022
The Christopher Nolan-directed Dark Knight trilogy—Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, The Dark Knight Rises—is one of the most acclaimed in cinema history for its ability to wrangle all of Batman’s backstory into a coherent narrative. In “Why Do We Fall?”, author David Hernando expertly picks apart both the Nolan approach to filmmaking in general and the plot/character/theme arcs of the Dark Knight trilogy specifically.
Much (if not most) of the material here is 5-stars in nature. As a fan of the Nolan film canon, I was especially intrigued by how Hernando uses other Nolan flicks—like Following, Memento, Insomnia, The Prestige, Inception, & Interstellar—to inform the superhero film triad analysis. This was perhaps the most interesting angle of the entire text. Hernando’s ability to reference intertextuality and the comic book exploits of the Caped Crusader is also quite impressive and helped me understand why I love these movies so much.
Why the deduction of a star? Two main reasons: First, it is always a bit tricky to assume intent on creative choices. I realize that no analysis can be present without at least some assumptions being made (this book isn’t built on a Nolan interview), but the fact remains that there will always be different interpretations than what Hernando lays out here. Secondly, there was a noticeable amount of typos (punctuation, missing words, etc.) in the text. One or two I can usually ignore—but more than that becomes a pattern and has me “on guard” for more (changing the reading experience a bit).
Overall, though, “Why Do We Fall?” is a really solid look at a filmmaker and his contribution to the superhero genre. I’d give it 4.5 stars if able.
Much (if not most) of the material here is 5-stars in nature. As a fan of the Nolan film canon, I was especially intrigued by how Hernando uses other Nolan flicks—like Following, Memento, Insomnia, The Prestige, Inception, & Interstellar—to inform the superhero film triad analysis. This was perhaps the most interesting angle of the entire text. Hernando’s ability to reference intertextuality and the comic book exploits of the Caped Crusader is also quite impressive and helped me understand why I love these movies so much.
Why the deduction of a star? Two main reasons: First, it is always a bit tricky to assume intent on creative choices. I realize that no analysis can be present without at least some assumptions being made (this book isn’t built on a Nolan interview), but the fact remains that there will always be different interpretations than what Hernando lays out here. Secondly, there was a noticeable amount of typos (punctuation, missing words, etc.) in the text. One or two I can usually ignore—but more than that becomes a pattern and has me “on guard” for more (changing the reading experience a bit).
Overall, though, “Why Do We Fall?” is a really solid look at a filmmaker and his contribution to the superhero genre. I’d give it 4.5 stars if able.
Displaying 1 of 1 review