If Christopher Nolan”s emotional plots don”t strike you, his elaborate design choices will on some level. He”s a guy who decided he needed to build all of Gotham City”s “The Narrows” on a stage, thought to put a ornate hotel hallway on a gimbal, and built a full-scale spaceship with windows displaying actual scenic black hole shots. He”s a crazyman when it comes to realizing his vision, and for that, the Art Directors Guild is praising him this awards season.
The Art Directors Guild (ADG) announced late Wednesday that Christopher Nolan will receive the prestigious Cinematic Imagery Award from the at its 19th Annual Art Directors Guild”s Excellence in Production Design Awards. Comedian Owen Benjamin will host the ceremony, set for January 31, 2015.
According to the ADG”s, the Cinematic Imagery Award is “given to those whose body of work in the film industry has richly enhanced the visual aspects of the movie-going experience.” Previous recipients include Martin Scorsese, Warren Beatty, Clint Eastwood, Norman Jewison, John Lasseter, George Lucas, Steven Spielberg and Blake Edwards.
“Christopher Nolan”s body of work reflects a clear appreciation for the contribution Production Design brings to the stories he brings to life,” ADG Council Chairman John Shaffner and Awards Producers Dave Blass and James Pearse Connelly said in unison. “His creative legacy is quite remarkable and it demonstrates a great love and respect for our visual medium. The teams of designers and craftspeople that he continues to bring together as a vital part of his filmmaking family are always of the highest caliber, and their work is among the most celebrated, unique and creative in our craft. Christopher Nolan”s films remind us over and over again why we love to go to the movies.”
While mixed reactions caused “Interstellar” to lose some steam in the 2015 Academy Awards race, the film is sure to be a contender for below-the-line guild awards and critical accolades from groups who get behind Nolan”s vision, following suit with most of his other work. “Memento,” “The Dark Knight,” “Inception” and “The Dark Knight Rises” were all honored by the American Film Institute, recognizing the year”s greatest achievements in American film. Nolan received DGA nominations for all of those films minus “TDKR.” “Inception” and “Memento” broke into the Best Screenplay Oscar categories, with “Inception” snagging a Best Picture nomination. Will that Best Director nomination ever come? Surely.