Interstellar’s Most Enduring Quality Is What People Used to Hate About It

As a film enthusiast with a particular fondness for science-fiction and a parent myself, I find Christopher Nolan’s “Interstellar” to be a profound exploration of love, family, and the mysteries of the universe. The movie takes us on an emotional rollercoaster that mirrors the journey of life itself – filled with joy, heartbreak, wonder, and ultimately, hope.

In 2014, many film experts believed that Christopher Nolan’s movie “Interstellar” could potentially win the Oscar for Best Picture. This was due in part to some feeling that Nolan had been overlooked for nominations in previous years, such as for “The Dark Knight” in 2008 and “Inception” in 2010. The production of “Interstellar” was a significant investment, making it Nolan’s most ambitious project yet. Much like Steven Spielberg in a past era, Nolan had earned Hollywood a lot of money through both serious films and franchise productions. His upcoming release was a star-studded, nearly three-hour sci-fi epic, co-produced by Warner Bros. and Paramount, with a screenplay originally intended for Spielberg himself to direct. The film’s depictions of intergalactic travel and black holes had been advised by Nobel Prize-winning astrophysicists, promising accurate science and groundbreaking special effects. Exclusive early Imax, 70mm, and 35mm screenings were planned, with the hope that the buzz surrounding “Interstellar” would revive the dwindling art of film projection. Alfonso Cuarón’s “Gravity,” a space movie released the previous year, had been both financially and critically successful, winning several Oscars, including Best Director. However, no science-fiction or space movie had ever won the Oscar for Best Picture, with films like “2001: A Space Odyssey” and “Star Wars” being among those previously overlooked. Many believed that “Interstellar” could finally break this trend in 2014.

The major issue was that no one had watched the movie “Interstellar” prior to its release, as it was kept under extremely high levels of secrecy, similar to national security matters. Unlike other films, there were no public premieres or critics discussing their early viewings. Instead, “Interstellar” was only shown when Christopher Nolan deemed it appropriate. However, once it was screened… the wind seemed to be taken out of its sails during the awards season.

It appeared that no one was ready for how unusual the film “Interstellar” turned out to be, particularly in the Peak Era of Online Sarcasm. Unlike the hard science fiction preferred by genre enthusiasts or the intense space adventure anticipated by fanboys, this movie had an unexpectedly tender and dreamy core. It left many wondering why a director known for gritty cinema and somber tales was creating a film that seemed to suggest love was a force stronger than gravity. (One can almost picture all the Academy Award prognosticators in the audience at the early screenings of “Interstellar” turning into The Simpsons’ Professor John I.Q. Nerdelbaum Frink Jr., as he reads, bewildered and annoyed, the results of his analysis: “The secret ingredient is… LOVE?!?”) In its opening weekend, “Interstellar” grossed $47 million, which was respectable but lower than anticipated, finishing second to Disney’s “Big Hero 6.” It was successful internationally and eventually turned a profit. It even won several technical awards but few others. That year’s Village Voice Film Critics Poll named it as one of the worst films of 2014. It certainly seemed that Christopher Nolan, once considered infallible, had taken a small blow.

Over time, the movie “Interstellar” has been widely recognized as a near-masterpiece by many viewers. This week’s Imax rerelease marks its tenth anniversary and tickets were quickly snapped up in most screenings weeks prior. The film’s enduring appeal stems from an aspect criticized as a weakness when it was first released in 2014: its raw, emotional intensity. There’s a constant struggle between intellectual sci-fi and overt melodrama within the movie. “Interstellar” features lengthy sequences of silence and awe-inspiring scenes explaining complex astrophysics, but it also contains moments where Anne Hathaway delivers a speech suggesting love can surpass time and space. Despite its massive budget and cutting-edge technology, the film’s most lasting image is still a close-up of Matthew McConaughey shedding tears.

The heartfelt yet uneasy expression of emotion exhibited by Nolan, initially perceived as unusual for him, appears to be part of an evolving trajectory culminating in the profound despair portrayed in “Oppenheimer.” Prior to “Interstellar,” Nolan was widely recognized as a contemporary and captivating filmmaker, a mastermind with an uncanny knack for catering to audience demands. However, with “Interstellar” he demonstrated himself to be a more unique and intriguing artist, navigating the delicate balance between mass entertainment and his personal passions.

Although Christopher Nolan’s films encompass vast landscapes, they often revolve around minor incidents, conversations, or private scenes that become recurring themes throughout the storylines, providing fresh perspectives with each revisit. For instance, in ‘Oppenheimer’, the dialogue between J. Robert Oppenheimer and Albert Einstein by the small pond significantly impacts the protagonist’s post-war destiny, yet its significance is only fully understood at the film’s conclusion. In ‘Interstellar’, the central theme hinges on repeated scenes involving the protagonist Coop (McConaughey) bidding farewell to his 10-year-old daughter Murph (Foy) before embarking on a final space mission. This room, where Murph initially perceives supernatural messages, becomes crucial in the film’s climax when Coop gets trapped inside a black hole, reliving his goodbyes repeatedly from within this memory. Here, he attempts to communicate with his earlier self through these messages, essentially transforming into the spectral presence in Murph’s bookshelf. This memory serves as a turning point for humanity’s survival; if Coop doesn’t depart, mankind cannot be rescued. However, as he progresses on his solitary and somber voyage, he views this decision as the greatest regret of his life. In essence, these two concepts can be reconciled by understanding that small, seemingly insignificant moments can have profound, far-reaching consequences in shaping a character’s future and the fate of those around them.

2014 marked the year when I penned down an extensive reflection on the movie “Interstellar”. Initially, my intention was to defend the film from certain criticisms that were floating around. However, as I delved deeper into the analysis, it morphed into something more profound. Here’s how I expressed it back then:

Throughout the movie, Cooper’s initial dream of exploration and flying has transformed into a desire for return. The film’s discussions about black holes and wormholes, the giant machines whirling and connecting across the expansive IMAX voids of space, Matthew McConaughey surfing the universe’s largest wave, the powerful score with its relentless clock sounds clashing against somber organ chords – all these elements have been building up to this point: a man experiencing the pain of his past estrangement from his daughter. Now, by repeatedly revisiting and potentially rectifying that painful separation, Cooper gets another chance to make things right. He can’t undo the past or prevent his departure, but he can express his longing to remain.

Through understanding his longing to stay, Cooper gains the power to connect with human history. His sorrow and empathy bridge the gap between the impersonal data of the universe and our species’ persistence. Essentially, love turns out to be the crucial component.

Towards the movie’s conclusion, there’s a poignant recurrence of an earlier scene, but with a changed setting – Coop is now on a colossal space station derived from his daughter Murph’s scientific breakthroughs (thanks to data he miraculously sent from within that black hole). Remarkably, Murph, previously portrayed by Mackenzie Foy and Jessica Chastain, is now played by the legendary Ellen Burstyn. In just a couple of minutes on screen, she underscores why she’s considered one of the greatest actresses ever. Coop goes to see her in a hospital room filled with her children and grandchildren, and this time it’s an elderly Murph who urges him to depart. “No parent should bear the sight of their child dying,” she tells him.

Notice how the scene featuring Coop appears to be filmed and edited. He seems to glide into view, with those around Murph making way without any dialogue. And immediately after Murph asks him to depart, he almost effortlessly exits the scene. Director Nolan also uses a quick cut at this point, enhancing the scene’s dreamlike feel. It’s interesting that we never witness Coop conversing with these other people, who seem to be his descendants spanning multiple generations. Some viewers interpret this as a hint that Cop might have already passed away and that this final segment could be a sort of death vision.

It’s possible that there’s more to Coop’s story than meets the eye in this film. Earlier, Coop told Murph, “Once you’re a parent, you’re the ghost of your children’s future.” Later, he became a literal ghost in her room, speaking through her bookshelf. Now, he seems to exist somewhere between life and death, out of time and place in a future century where he doesn’t belong. Coop, a man of science and technology, doesn’t believe in ghosts, but the events unfolding before him defy explanation. He disappears into a black hole, is trapped inside Murph’s memory, then emerges from it at her deathbed. Coop himself doesn’t question how or why this is happening.

It’s interesting to note that Interstellar was initially intended for Spielberg, known for his emotional storytelling and comfort with spiritual themes. In contrast, Nolan, who favors a materialistic and rational approach, crafted a superhero trilogy without relying on the supernatural or extraordinary powers. As an engineer of films, Nolan is meticulous, always striving to comprehend and clarify how things function. However, in Interstellar, despite the abundance of astrophysics in the script, he cannot fully explain everything. He can’t resolve the inconsistencies; instead, he acknowledges them. This is because he recognizes that being a parent sometimes involves accepting the mysteries of the universe and the immense, crushing force of love.

2024-12-06 19:54

Interstellar’s Most Enduring Quality Is What People Used to Hate About It

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