The Dark Knight Rises, A Tale of Two Cities, and Fritz Lang?

[BatmAngelus]

In the latest issue of EW, Chris Nolan cited that the film was influenced by Charles Dickens's A Tale of Two Cities as well as the films of Fritz Lang (presumably Metropolis).

A Tale of Two Cities is a classic.  I remember reading and enjoying it years ago in high school.  Apparently one of the chapters was named "Fire Rises."  There's also an issue of class warfare at the center of the conflict, which was heavily implied in the trailer during Selina's monologue.

As for Lang, any recommendations from people familiar with his work?  I haven't seen Metropolis yet.  I do remember from an interview with Jonah Nolan that the Dr. Mabuse films may have influenced his take on Joker in The Dark Knight.

[GBglide]

I wish Nolan took some cues from Metropolis, then maybe his Gotham wouldn't be so boring.....

[Azrael]

So it all comes full circle, in a way? We know which film was primarily influenced by works of German experssionism, like Metropolis or Dr. Caligari

Metropolis is really the only Lang film I am familiar with. It's still visually brilliant, and the 2010 BluRay restored version is highly recommended. Stellar picture quality, especially for such an old film (the few restored scenes look like scratched by cats, though).

[Grissom]

I could say he has some solid influences, just hope the ideas of the film don't overtake the actual emotions that com eout of these ideas.

[Silver Nemesis]

I'm a big fan of Lang and Weimar cinema in general. Metropolis is definitely my favourite of his films. I was fortunate enough to see it on the big screen when it was rereleased in 2010. A timeless classic.

As far as similarities with Nolan's films go, I say check out M (1931). It's a crime drama about a city being terrorised by a child killer known simply as 'M' (played by a young Peter Lorre). The citizens and police want him caught, so they start coming down hard on the criminal underworld. All the gangsters want the police off their backs, so they unite in an effort to hunt down M themselves. It then becomes a matter of who'll get to him first: the police or the gangsters.

It's a pretty good film and the one most reminiscent of Nolan's work, especially in relation to the moral themes concerning crime and punishment.

As regards the references to A Tale of Two Cities, I wonder if it's the theme of self-sacrifice. Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan contained a lot of references to ATOTC, all of which culminated in the death of Mr Spock (echoing the noble demise of Sydney Carton in the book). I wonder if The Dark Knight Rises will have a similar ending...

[gordonblu]

Another Fritz Lang film worth checking out (they all are actually) is one he made called Spies, slow moving but with fascinating visuals and another villainous turn by Rudolf Klein-Rogge (Rotwang in Metropolis).

[BatmAngelus]

More insight into the Tale of Two Cities inspiration:
http://www.superherohype.com/news/articles/171563-christopher-nolan-on-the-dark-knight-rises-literary-inspiration

"It just felt exactly the right thing for the world we were dealing with," says the director. "What Dickens does in that book in terms of having all his characters come together in one unified story with all these thematic elements and all this great emotionalism and drama, it was exactly the tone we were looking for."

I've been re-reading the book, but I'm not very far into it and just got to Charles Darnay's introduction.  I'd like to finish it before I watch the film, though.

[johnnygobbs]

I can easily see how The Dark Knight might have been influenced by A Tale of Two Cities.  Bruce Wayne is in many ways like Sydney Carton the apparent wastrel who nevertheless sacrifices himself for the good of Charles Darnay his doppleganger.  Towards the end of The Dark Knight, Bruce/Batman does something similar by taking the wrap for the apparently unwarranted murder of Harvey Dent for the good of both Dent's reputation and the city as a whole (which recalls the infamous line "It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done..." to some extent, which Carton utters just before he assumes Darnay's place on the guillotine).  Wayne in his ordinary guise also assumes the persona of an arrogant, syboritic wastral whilst covertly sacrificing himself every night for the good of the city, whilst the ostensibly decent man, the city's 'white knight', Harvey Dent dies as a hero (taking his 'dark side' to the grace with him for all but Wayne, Gordon and Gordon's immediate family).

[Paul (ral)]

"The Sea Rises" - interesting. I will definitely be looking into this book. Thanks BatmAngelus!

[bobbym]

The tale of two cities is a wonderful story, I remember reading that in school.