TDKR: Hans Zimmer On Why Christopher Nolan Is So Secretive

TDKR: Hans Zimmer On Why Christopher Nolan Is So Secretive

While discussing his work on the score for the movie with Hero Complex, the composer also offers an insight into the reasons behind Nolan's famous (infamous?) secrecy..

By MarkCassidy - Feb 23, 2012 05:02 AM EST
Filed Under: Batman
Source: LA Times Hero Complex

In a new interview with Oscar winning composer Hans Zimmer, he talks about his score for the upcoming Batman threequel The Dark Knight Rises. We have already heard snippets of it in the trailers -- ominous chanting courtesy of thousands of volunteers -- but Zimmer promises us there is much more to it. He also touches on Christopher Nolan's much discussed secrecy when it comes to his movies - which has amped up considerably for his third and final Batman flick. Some fans feel he goes to far, and that he should let a few more details slip through on the plot etc, while some feel he is doing exactly the right thing. Here is Zimmer's take on the matter..



“There’s always this thing [that people say], ‘Oh, Chris is so secretive.’ Well, I think that there are two elements to this. One is, I think, to be able to do really good work, you have to have the chance to fail in privacy. And if everybody’s watching you on the Internet, I think it stifles creativity. And I think ‘Dark Knight’ is the perfect example of this idea. Everybody knew we were making a Batman movie. But until it came out they didn’t know it was going to be that sort of a Batman movie.

And isn’t that what we’re supposed to do? We’re supposed to go and surprise you. And part of the experience has to be a surprise. It feels a little bit like we’re working very hard at protecting part of what is great about movies -— the surprise. Because it seems like the world doesn’t want you to do that anymore. They want to know everything, they want to know about the stars and [this and that] immediately. And it’s not important to us. To us, really, the thing is the writing and the script and the ideas and the journey, and making it into something really good.”


While part of me is chomping at the bit to find out some more about TDKR, I don't think you can argue with this. We already know pretty much every detail of so many movies before we see em these days, it's definitely refreshing to go in a bit more in the dark. What do you guys think? Be sure to head over to Hero Complex to read the full interview, in which Zimmer talks about the origins of his latest score.









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Sparrowsabre7
Sparrowsabre7 - 2/23/2012, 5:33 AM
I agree with Hans, these days I try and avoid spoilers and too much info about movies I know I'm going to see, I'll even avoid trailers if I can (that doesn't always work lol) The Avengers I don't mind so much because I'm not expecting the story to be especially amazing, it'll be the visual that will impress, while TDKR I'm looking forward to being surprised by.
HavocPrime
HavocPrime - 2/23/2012, 5:35 AM
It is pretty damn impressive he can keep big spoilers out of his films, makes viewing them even better.
StrangerX
StrangerX - 2/23/2012, 5:36 AM
Makes sense.
australiancomicbookmoviefan
australiancomicbookmoviefan - 2/23/2012, 5:38 AM
You know as a junior I used hang out to read the snippets of movie related news in a local magazine, and when that stopped I was really upset til I got wind that the internet had these awesome sites to read, watch, and find out about what was being made so much so, it borders being almost an obsession.

I think that the lengths at secrecy for the 3 biggest comic book films to come out this year can only be a good thing, because if we know all about it before the movie even gets shown, what's left for us to see at the cineplex?
TonyChu
TonyChu - 2/23/2012, 5:55 AM
@teabag I absolutley 100% agree with you. I love the secrecy of this years comicbook films. When ever I go to the theater to see these movies I want to be wowed and genuniley shocked by what I see. Thats why I dont understand why people are so determined to find out the aliens in the Avengers. Just wait!
TonyChu
TonyChu - 2/23/2012, 5:58 AM
Actually I wish there was even more secrecy towards the Avengers and TDKR. I was a little dissapointed with all those set photos from this summer. But big kudos to Marc Webb because we absolutley dont know much about that film i.e Peters parents, Oscorp, or if Christoph Waltz is Norman Osborn.
MarkCassidy
MarkCassidy - 2/23/2012, 5:59 AM
The thing is though, while it's all well and good being so secretive thsi far away from release, a week or two before we are going to see them - clips, trailers, quotes, everything will be all over the net. If you really want to go in blind you almost have to stay offline for a couple of weeks before seeing the movie...or just not click on the stories, but who can do that?:)
plasticman
plasticman - 2/23/2012, 6:01 AM
When the best parts of the movie are given away in the trailer just to get you to buy a ticket you know you have a cinematic dud in front of you. So I agree with you, tea, I have equal anticipation for all three of these movies.
redsoxdude
redsoxdude - 2/23/2012, 6:02 AM
I like this. I mean we all really know this anyway... we all know that Nolan is going to be secretive... and like Tea said others have been doing a good job too. To be honest i really like to be surprised in the movie so for one i am glad they are this way.
But....that doesn't mean i don't come to this site 200 f'n times a day hoping for some sort of spoiler. I don't have the will power to not look.
yeoldeemoney
yeoldeemoney - 2/23/2012, 6:04 AM
If this is truly the year the world ends at least we have great films to send us off. Avengers, TDKR, the Hobbit just to name a few.

P.S. I don't think the world will end.
Darkknight23
Darkknight23 - 2/23/2012, 6:14 AM
In Nolan I trust.
antonio
antonio - 2/23/2012, 6:26 AM
I just want to stay away from the net at least two weeks before TDKR comes out. I just want to wait until I experience this epic at the IMAX midnight screening at Lincoln Square IMAX cinema in NYC(reason is because I pre-ordered 4 advanced tickets and the fact that I live all the way out here in Arizona).

It's gonna be something.....
Shaman
Shaman - 2/23/2012, 6:32 AM
A movie never gets ruined for me whenever i hear about the plot twists and ending before seeing it. Because THE JOURNEY of going through the film is what entertains me. Not the "surprise". It's not like watching a baseball game for me where the actual payoff is the ending. Unless there are spectacular "out of this world" plays in the game, which normally very rarely happens, a baseball game is just three hours of ball scratching until a team wins. So i wouldn't sit through all that if i knew who were the winners. In TDKR, whether Batman dies at the end or not, he still wins. So in a way, it's already kinda spoiled. The journey of how we get to his win is what we paid the tickets and popcorn for. And for me, knowing how he wins doesn't spoil it for me, i'm there to SEE how it all happens.
antonio
antonio - 2/23/2012, 6:39 AM
@Nomis I did the same for TDK as well, but I did not look at every article at least 4 1/2 weeks before the film was actually released. Just the RT score, trailers, Tv spots, posters etc. I will continue to do the same with TDKR.
Shaman
Shaman - 2/23/2012, 6:44 AM
And Inception was the most predictable film i've seen in my entire life. So people telling me just how brilliant a concept the film was, refusing to tell me the plot and twists, completely ruined it for me. Had i known before hand the details of this film, my expectations wouldn't have been sky high and i might have enjoyed it a LOT more.
THEDARKKNIGHT1939
THEDARKKNIGHT1939 - 2/23/2012, 7:03 AM
At least give us more posters. How can a poster spoil the movie.
MrReese
MrReese - 2/23/2012, 7:05 AM
Movie of the year!!! XD
Hawksblueyes
Hawksblueyes - 2/23/2012, 7:09 AM
Shaman and tea: I felt the same disappointment the first time I had sex. I had heard such awesome things about it to. =D

Seriously though, I agree with both of you about both films

Shaman
Shaman - 2/23/2012, 7:25 AM
Tea- It could also be that it just wasn't as good of a "Batman Film" as Batman Begins was. I know that's the main reason why i felt slightly disappointed with TDK. All that time, people weren't truly praising TDK, they were praising Ledger. And as much as i agree with their reason for praising the film, i can't agree that he made the film better than it was. He was just a spectacular performer in a very average crime drama.

Hawksblueyes- Dude, are you me??? No jokes, seriously, first time i had sex was REALLY not as "awesome" as what people were saying, especially most guys. I left the room thinking it was the most overrated shit ever. It's one of those things that gets better with time and especially with the right partner. Newbs beware and informed, you probably had better handjobs with yourselves than what your first time will turn out to be.
MercMatt
MercMatt - 2/23/2012, 7:26 AM
Meh! Spoilers never ruined movies for me. I don't mind knowing everything about the movie, before I see it. BECAUSE... Hearing about it and actually seeing it on the big goddamn screen, are two different things, to me. But I have to admit... All the secrecy and mystery around this year's BIG THREE does have me hyped for the movies.
Hawksblueyes
Hawksblueyes - 2/23/2012, 7:33 AM
HAH! In all seriousness, my first time was on the beautiful, snow white, sandy Florida beach. DO NOT LET THE MOVIES FOOL YOU! Romance cannot be found in THE SAND! There is no blanket large enough to protect you from skin removal. =O
Hawksblueyes
Hawksblueyes - 2/23/2012, 7:36 AM
Although...it may have been better with an actual partner.
batfan175
batfan175 - 2/23/2012, 7:58 AM
I agree with hans Zimmer 100%. Stop judging a film by its set photos: you have seen stuff that will be in the movie but you don't know the context, content or significance of the scenes that have been leaked and already the loudest people here are saying it's going to suck. I'm getting mighty tired of the naysayers who judge films before they've actually seen them. i'm actually polite enough not to do that with the Avengers or the Amazing Spiderman, even though it'd be sooo easy to sneer. I'm rational enough to say: I haven't seen the whole film therefore I will not judge and it doesn't matter whether it's a Marvel film or DC product.
Shaman
Shaman - 2/23/2012, 7:59 AM
xXkryptoniteXx- I agree 100%! In fact, that's precisely what's worrying me so much about TDKR. Nolan's track record on female characters isn't his strongsuit so i KNOW the movie will feature very little importance given to Catwoman. That just about leaves us with Bane and Batman as the main characters. I never thought i'd ever say this but this time around, i hope the film will primarily be about everyone else around them such as Alfred, Gordon, JGL, etc. Bane really feels lackluster to me and Bale's been going downhill for me in this series. Then again, that just lowers my expectations which gives all the more room for Nolan to impress me.

Hawks- Alone on the sand... hmmm... i dunno, i kinda wanna book a trip now :P
Minghagz
Minghagz - 2/23/2012, 8:00 AM
2 pump chump
MarkCassidy
MarkCassidy - 2/23/2012, 8:07 AM
I'm kinda 50/50 when it comes to spoilers, on one hand they don't ruin anything for me really..knowing about some awesome scene only amps up my excitement, on the other , on the rare occasion I manage to remain in the dark it's always a nice surprise. I disagree completely about Inception, I refused to read anything about it and was blown away in the theater. Not by the plot necessarily, but the visual set pieces and simultaneous real world/dream level craziness at the end..whether you think the plot was original or not something like that hasn't been done on film before. So I avoided and hype..and actually probably contributed to it with my review, you're welcome:)
marknjoanna
marknjoanna - 2/23/2012, 8:13 AM
its nice how the marvel fans dont come in talking shet that has nothing to do with the post huh i wonder why the nolanites always have to spam the marvel post ps james camaron is the man
MarkCassidy
MarkCassidy - 2/23/2012, 8:20 AM
Don't remember that..but everything has continuity issues after all! I dunno, for me those scenes were times, shot and edited to perfection and I had never seen anything like it. Just can't understand how that would fail to impress anyone even if the movie wasn't their cuppa.
SuperSpiderMan5778
SuperSpiderMan5778 - 2/23/2012, 8:34 AM
the movie being any good ALONE would be the only "surprise" i'm looking forward to
MarkCassidy
MarkCassidy - 2/23/2012, 8:42 AM
ea, I hear that complaint about the movie..and most Nolan movies actually, that he's a bit too cold/clinical. I don't think so, I get invested in what's going on but I definitely see where you're comin from. I just think that in an effort to stay as far away from cheese and schmaltz he might take things a bit too seriously, but honestly I prefer that to the alternative!
Shaman
Shaman - 2/23/2012, 8:42 AM
Ror- I guess to each's own. I was impressed with Sucker Punch where plenty weren't. The only remotely crazy/cool scene for me in Inception is when their car gets hit by the train in the middle of a street with no rails. After that, it all went downhill for me. The anti-grav scene looked like bad wireworks to me and i'm used to watching plenty of chinese films that feature nothing BUT bad wirework. "Hero" with Jet Li had way better wirework/anti/grav fighting than Inception. And the end scenes were all tarnished by the retarded concept of levels upon levels of dreaming. That was the nail in the coffin for me.
MarkCassidy
MarkCassidy - 2/23/2012, 8:52 AM
I thought Sucker Punch was technically impressive, but it was like watching a very long car advert or something..zero investment in anything that was happening. I loved the dream layer concept:)
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