Directed by : Christopher Nolan
Imdb link -> http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0154506/
Great movie made in low budget, Nolan's fascinating cinema started from here.
You take it away, and you show them what they had.
Read at your own risk, the post may have some spoilers.
This is Nolan's first directed feature, that started a new 'Nolan cinema' .. which has been unique and full of questions ever since. Each and every movie has tested the brain cells, so is the case with 'Following'.
Clearly made on a low budget, with the camera its shot or the production setup you notice.. all that actually falls in favour of this genre. To add to it, Nolan uses his mind to film it black n white completely, that adds to the mysterious element, almost like a new layer.
The non-linear narrative style he had used right from this movie itself. I would like to call this film more of a pre-Memento film. In Memento, he explores on a larger scale probably a good budget helped.
Following is the tale of a lonely unemployed guy, Bill (Jeremy Theobald) who wants to be a writer. He follows people, strange people.. people he doesn't know. That gives him scope to know many aspects and maybe he would find that character to write on too. On the flip side, its a way for him to connect to the world, as he has no friend (atleast not shown to us in the film). But, his habit turns into a nightmare when the person he follows, Cobb (Alex Haw) entices him into the burglary world which Bill can't resist.
As is the case for most of Nolan films, I decided to watch this one 2nd time before writing on it. I used editing software to reconnect shots in correct order (with odd problems of voiceover dialogues), and watched the movie in chronological order. While that did sort out the entire plot with very few confusions (which wasn't the case when I saw it 1st time with non-linear narration), the point to note would be that the film loses its credibility watching it this way.. unless you have doubts on the plot, you would be better off watching it in the original format only.
There are 3 segments used in the narration, 1st is the conversation between Bill and the police investigator, 2nd is how Bill and Cobb meet and then combine to do some thefts, and 3rd is the new look Bill who gets interested in blonde lady (Lucy Russell), and this segment is further divided into part where Bill is following closely people that enter the pub owned by blonde lady's man. Nolan has used mainly blackouts which I felt were overdone, and gave a jerk feel at times. If I remember correctly in Memento, he continued story without any stoppages, at most places. Here, it was like making the viewer ready to shift to other segment.. maybe as first film he didn't want to make it too tough for the audience.
He very perfectly uses the shot of a man following someone else's belongings with his gloves on. The background theme, my fav one runs with it as the title 'Following' comes written. The other theme comes too at same shot which is shown in detail later, a very light one. At other places the background is kept very silent.
Also, he uses a shot from 3rd segment, as well as a shot from pre-3rd segment part (i.e just before he starts following blonde lady's man pub) in the start. He gives small hint to where the story would lead, and then Bill himself reveals when his following went wrong.
At first, I felt that Cobb is also a insane follower like Bill, only that his ways are different. But when he takes Bill to his profession of burglary, in the 1st burglary sequence it is revealed that Cobb is way more insane as he believes in hiding things so that the people who come back in that house later realize what they had and never cared for.
One of my fav scene is when Bill crosschecks Cobb making him try to steal from his own home, just to check if Cobb falters anywhere in case he was a fake person. Then, the one where Bill checks blonde lady house, its same one he and Cobb went to steal 3rd time around. But Nolan's non-linear narration meant that we see the burglary scene much later.
The main reason why this narration actually works apart from making the viewer engaged and interested, is that this way Nolan can keep the suspense part till very end. While watching you never get time to think that Cobb is setting up Bill, and blonde lady is setting up Bill too, while blonde lady is being set up by Cobb. Because you just need to focus on next segment while watching, you aren't given enough time to think over. Those who still did it in 1st view and guessed suspense right, kudos to them.
One of those movies where the end doesn't go in favour of the 'good' protaganist. Or in short, good didn't win over evil. Bill never knew that his obsession of following will lead him to such a trap he won't be able to come out of.
The final shot is classic, we see Cobb as individual in the crowd with the mid shot.. a fellow person passes by and Cobb is gone in the crowd.. now we see crowd or maybe a new individual (there was some guy visible just before blackout happens).
Among performances, I specially loved both Jeremy Theobald and Alex Haw. Jeremy played the loner in search of friend/love yet not sure who very well, the expression on his face when Cobb caught him was superb. While Alex Haw looked confident, and never gave a hint of what he really was upto.. and he surprises you once atleast if not twice.
Some things that I noted from film and comments of various people :
• Both Jeremy and Alex have done almost negligible amount of films since Following. Infact one person quoted aptly that Alex Haw remained into his character of Cobb, gone missing in the crowd and hasn't since then seen in any other movie.
• Nolan re-used Cobb name for Leonardo Di Caprio in Inception, interesting thing is that he was also a thief but of mind.
• The batman logo on the door of Bill house when Cobb goes with him for 2nd burglary. Don't know if Nolan had Batman series in his mind then, or it was just a tribute thing.
• There's a mention of old man by Cobb before he kills blonde lady. I assume it was that pub owner, but Nolan may be linking to someone else. I ain't fully sure.
• Jeremy Theobald character name is Bill to Cobb, and Daniel to blonde lady, while credits refer to him as 'the young man'. So, his real name is never disclosed which he probably must had told the police officer.
Overall, Following though Nolan's first movie.. its good enough to be called among his great works. Also, this film tells how good Nolan's command over narrating a story was since the start. He knew how to use certain elements, and how he can cheat or confuse the viewers. With a better budget, and those blackouts thing sorted, he improved those weak parts in further movies. Following works for the way its sustains the mystery part with the performances that compliment the direction very well. Also, the length of movie is just 69 mins, didn't overtry things and kept it simple yet special.
Imdb link -> http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0154506/
Great movie made in low budget, Nolan's fascinating cinema started from here.
You take it away, and you show them what they had.
Read at your own risk, the post may have some spoilers.
This is Nolan's first directed feature, that started a new 'Nolan cinema' .. which has been unique and full of questions ever since. Each and every movie has tested the brain cells, so is the case with 'Following'.
Clearly made on a low budget, with the camera its shot or the production setup you notice.. all that actually falls in favour of this genre. To add to it, Nolan uses his mind to film it black n white completely, that adds to the mysterious element, almost like a new layer.
The non-linear narrative style he had used right from this movie itself. I would like to call this film more of a pre-Memento film. In Memento, he explores on a larger scale probably a good budget helped.
Following is the tale of a lonely unemployed guy, Bill (Jeremy Theobald) who wants to be a writer. He follows people, strange people.. people he doesn't know. That gives him scope to know many aspects and maybe he would find that character to write on too. On the flip side, its a way for him to connect to the world, as he has no friend (atleast not shown to us in the film). But, his habit turns into a nightmare when the person he follows, Cobb (Alex Haw) entices him into the burglary world which Bill can't resist.
As is the case for most of Nolan films, I decided to watch this one 2nd time before writing on it. I used editing software to reconnect shots in correct order (with odd problems of voiceover dialogues), and watched the movie in chronological order. While that did sort out the entire plot with very few confusions (which wasn't the case when I saw it 1st time with non-linear narration), the point to note would be that the film loses its credibility watching it this way.. unless you have doubts on the plot, you would be better off watching it in the original format only.
There are 3 segments used in the narration, 1st is the conversation between Bill and the police investigator, 2nd is how Bill and Cobb meet and then combine to do some thefts, and 3rd is the new look Bill who gets interested in blonde lady (Lucy Russell), and this segment is further divided into part where Bill is following closely people that enter the pub owned by blonde lady's man. Nolan has used mainly blackouts which I felt were overdone, and gave a jerk feel at times. If I remember correctly in Memento, he continued story without any stoppages, at most places. Here, it was like making the viewer ready to shift to other segment.. maybe as first film he didn't want to make it too tough for the audience.
He very perfectly uses the shot of a man following someone else's belongings with his gloves on. The background theme, my fav one runs with it as the title 'Following' comes written. The other theme comes too at same shot which is shown in detail later, a very light one. At other places the background is kept very silent.
Also, he uses a shot from 3rd segment, as well as a shot from pre-3rd segment part (i.e just before he starts following blonde lady's man pub) in the start. He gives small hint to where the story would lead, and then Bill himself reveals when his following went wrong.
At first, I felt that Cobb is also a insane follower like Bill, only that his ways are different. But when he takes Bill to his profession of burglary, in the 1st burglary sequence it is revealed that Cobb is way more insane as he believes in hiding things so that the people who come back in that house later realize what they had and never cared for.
One of my fav scene is when Bill crosschecks Cobb making him try to steal from his own home, just to check if Cobb falters anywhere in case he was a fake person. Then, the one where Bill checks blonde lady house, its same one he and Cobb went to steal 3rd time around. But Nolan's non-linear narration meant that we see the burglary scene much later.
The main reason why this narration actually works apart from making the viewer engaged and interested, is that this way Nolan can keep the suspense part till very end. While watching you never get time to think that Cobb is setting up Bill, and blonde lady is setting up Bill too, while blonde lady is being set up by Cobb. Because you just need to focus on next segment while watching, you aren't given enough time to think over. Those who still did it in 1st view and guessed suspense right, kudos to them.
One of those movies where the end doesn't go in favour of the 'good' protaganist. Or in short, good didn't win over evil. Bill never knew that his obsession of following will lead him to such a trap he won't be able to come out of.
The final shot is classic, we see Cobb as individual in the crowd with the mid shot.. a fellow person passes by and Cobb is gone in the crowd.. now we see crowd or maybe a new individual (there was some guy visible just before blackout happens).
Among performances, I specially loved both Jeremy Theobald and Alex Haw. Jeremy played the loner in search of friend/love yet not sure who very well, the expression on his face when Cobb caught him was superb. While Alex Haw looked confident, and never gave a hint of what he really was upto.. and he surprises you once atleast if not twice.
Some things that I noted from film and comments of various people :
• Both Jeremy and Alex have done almost negligible amount of films since Following. Infact one person quoted aptly that Alex Haw remained into his character of Cobb, gone missing in the crowd and hasn't since then seen in any other movie.
• Nolan re-used Cobb name for Leonardo Di Caprio in Inception, interesting thing is that he was also a thief but of mind.
• The batman logo on the door of Bill house when Cobb goes with him for 2nd burglary. Don't know if Nolan had Batman series in his mind then, or it was just a tribute thing.
• There's a mention of old man by Cobb before he kills blonde lady. I assume it was that pub owner, but Nolan may be linking to someone else. I ain't fully sure.
• Jeremy Theobald character name is Bill to Cobb, and Daniel to blonde lady, while credits refer to him as 'the young man'. So, his real name is never disclosed which he probably must had told the police officer.
Overall, Following though Nolan's first movie.. its good enough to be called among his great works. Also, this film tells how good Nolan's command over narrating a story was since the start. He knew how to use certain elements, and how he can cheat or confuse the viewers. With a better budget, and those blackouts thing sorted, he improved those weak parts in further movies. Following works for the way its sustains the mystery part with the performances that compliment the direction very well. Also, the length of movie is just 69 mins, didn't overtry things and kept it simple yet special.
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