TENET Director Christopher Nolan Says Other Filmmakers Called Him To Complain About His Inaudible Dialogue

TENET Director Christopher Nolan Says Other Filmmakers Called Him To Complain About His Inaudible Dialogue TENET Director Christopher Nolan Says Other Filmmakers Called Him To Complain About His Inaudible Dialogue

Audiences have had issues with the sound in Christopher Nolan's movies for years, but the Tenet director has now revealed that other filmmakers actually called him to complain about the inaudible dialogue.

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By MarkCassidy - Nov 13, 2020 05:11 AM EST
Filed Under: The Dark Knight Rises

It seems it's not just moviegoers who have a problem with the sound in Christopher Nolan's films!

In an excerpt from a new book about the director's filmography, Nolan reveals that a number of fellow filmmakers called him to tell him that they couldn't make out all of the dialogue in Interstellar.

"I actually got calls from other filmmakers who would say, ‘I just saw your film, and the dialogue is inaudible.’ Some people thought maybe the music’s too loud, but the truth was it was kind of the whole enchilada of how we had chosen to mix it."

People have been complaining about the audio mix in Nolan's films for years, but it really became an issue with his latest directorial venture, Tenet, because the plot of the sci-fi actioner would be difficult to follow even if you could hear what the characters were saying to each other.

Nolan doesn't seem to view this as a problem, however.

"I was a little shocked to realize how conservative people are when it comes to sound. Because you can make a film that looks like anything, you can shoot on your iPhone, no one’s going to complain. But if you mix the sound a certain way, or if you use certain sub-frequencies, people get up in arms."

Yes, people do like to be able to follow what's happening in the movie they're watching. Funny that.

What do you guys think? Have you had issues with the sound in Nolan's movies, or have you always been able to make out his dialogue?

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MrDandy - 11/13/2020, 5:03 AM
As someone who really likes the movie.....yeah. The sound mixing was shit
JustALurker - 11/13/2020, 5:13 AM
@MrDandy - I always depend on subtitles when watching Chris Nolan movies
jj2112 - 11/13/2020, 8:03 AM
@MrDandy - Saw it dubbed so it wasn't a problem.
Battabing - 11/13/2020, 5:06 AM
Nolan thinks his shit don't stink.
GhostDog - 11/13/2020, 5:11 AM
He says sound mixing is his favorite thing to work on when making a film too, I think.


Sometimes it’s way too loud.
Feralwookiee - 11/13/2020, 5:12 AM
I am a pretty big fan of Nolan's, but there are plenty of moments in his, mostly recent, movies where the dialogue is drowned out by the score and or sound effects.

Off topic: https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/joaquin-phoenix-joker-betrayal-mentally-105543208.html
UXASIS - 11/13/2020, 5:23 AM
I wanted so much for Tenet to overcome Inception, making it my new favorite movie.

But I didn't get it.

The best movie of 2020 is still Devil All the Time.
JoeInTheBox - 11/13/2020, 5:27 AM
He's wrong about people not caring about the look of a movie. The difference is that we know full well going into the film how it looks due to stills, trailers and promotional materials. We already have a good idea if not 100% prepared to know how a final film will look like before seeing the whole thing. We have no idea how a final film will sound until we get into a theater since promotional teams add music, etc to the trailers and commercials. Not to mention some people aren't watching trailers on optimal devices.
WackyBantha - 11/13/2020, 5:31 AM
KWilly - 11/13/2020, 5:31 AM
You'd think someone as accomplished and experienced as Nolan would know how to... Oh idk... TURN UP THE DIALOGUE AUDIO.
WackyBantha - 11/13/2020, 5:31 AM
connorblaze - 11/13/2020, 5:33 AM
I’ve really enjoyed every Nolan film, in fact Interstellar was my favourite since the Dark Knight, Dunkirk was incredible too. And Inception is a [frick]ing masterpiece. But Tenet was just a flat out bad movie for me. It eccentuated all of his flaws as a filmmaker (dull, humourless characters, poor sound mixing, poor action). And it didn’t bring any of his strengths. The trippy set pieces would have been cool if I knew what the [frick] was going on. And I would have cared enough to look into it, rewatch and undertstand it better if there were characters or a plot I actually cared about. It commited the worst movie sin, being completely boring.
LSHF - 11/13/2020, 5:45 AM
"But if you mix the sound a certain way, or if you use certain sub-frequencies, people get up in arms."

No, Nolan. The people told you what the issue was, and it wasn't "sub-frequencies". They are getting "up in arms" because they can't hear the dialogue. It's one of those things that people have been trying to do since infancy. That is, to "hear" what people are saying.

I don't understand why Nolan is ignoring people on this (like he ignored that issue with people being afraid of getting COVID-19 if they go to a movie). They tell him it's deadly virus, but he thinks people will risk their lives to see his film. So, what, he either doesn't believe the virus or the people? And they tell him they want to hear the dialogue (which is 100% normal), and he interprets it as them as "getting up in arms" about "sub-frequencies".

Does he have a hearing problem? Or is he so out-of-touch with normal people, that he thinks people are willing do die to watch his films and they don't care about hearing dialogue.

I don't get it (I don't get him), and he doesn't get it, either (he doesn't get normal people).

I suspect he is even weirder than I am. And that is saying a lot.

I wait until his shit comes out on Blu-ray before I watch any of it, so I can use the close-caption feature.


LameLuka - 11/13/2020, 6:42 AM
@LSHF - I saw it in theaters and I didn't die. Still alive and well.
patgreyc - 11/13/2020, 6:52 AM
@LameLuka - Same. I get being nervous, but acting like it will get you killed is a little much.
LSHF - 11/13/2020, 8:03 AM
@patgreyc - I'm not acting like it will kill me. No where in my statement did I say I thought I was going to die. I'm arguing against his arguments. He thought it would bring everyone back into the theater, but people (in general) were concerned about getting and/or spreading the virus (and possibly dying). He made some arguments, and I'm stating my counter-arguments. f
LSHF - 11/13/2020, 8:06 AM
@LameLuka - Good for you. I hope you didn't pick it up and pass it along to anyone. Anyway, I think you misinterpreted my statements. He made arguments, and I stating counter-arguments. But thanks for the reply anyway.
EskimoJ - 11/13/2020, 11:05 AM
@LameLuka @patgreyc - "My personal experience was fine, thus others' concerns are unfounded."

Bonus: "I didn't go to a movie theater that was jam-packed with people like it might normally be, thus my experience was even MORE valid and reflective."

Lastly: "I am not a member of the most at-risk populace, ergo I should be used as the reference by which you guide your actions."

✊🏾
patgreyc - 11/13/2020, 1:58 PM
@EskimoJ - We simply pointed out expecting the worst case scenario is a bridge too far. Nowhere did anyone say to ignore your own personal health issues or risks. But please, continue to make exaggerated assumptions based on your own personal biases.
bkmeijer2 - 11/13/2020, 5:47 AM
I would've given Nolan a call too if I had his number. Although I wouldn't complain about the inaudible dialogue, but about the ear damaging sound mixing (I get gunfire is loud in real life too, but I'm not going to see a movie because I want ear damage)
CplHicks - 11/13/2020, 5:58 AM
Imagine if Nolan hired cinematographer Fabian Wagner(GOT Battle of Winterfell episode) to do one of his movies. If someone asked you afterward how was the movie you'd say"I..I dunno."
theFUZZ008 - 11/13/2020, 6:03 AM
Particularly if the film is convoluted, you need to be able to understand the exposition and the dialogue.
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