Examining the movie "Interstellar" - Showing the collaboration between Nolan and Zimmer to build the unique world and aesthetic/philosophy of the movie. Nolan's world building and visual grammar practice, the story building, the score, is unchallenged - I read Interstellar as a serious work on the nature of reality in cinematic form. No one is more fanatical and exacting - in a good way. Zimmer and Nolan have the most incredible collaborative creative relationship - I love watching interviews with the two of them and getting a sense of their work approach. Intimacy combined with missive scale and scope.
I especially like about this the extreme dedication to engineering and science- part of why its easily one of my top favorite films.
Black Holes- Truth can be stranger than fiction. Why not examine real possibilities.
The Philosophy of Gene Roddenberry
Of course a beloved figure in the science fiction world. He directly describes here the philosophical base that is underpinning the narrative of star trek. Its one of those shows I loved as a kid, found too dull and inscrutable in high school, and loved again watching it at an age when I could appreciate the incredible character depth and the breadth of topics the show tackled. Gene is a very empathetic person who seems to have moved on from a life which could at times be very violent- working as both a pilot and a police officer before taking up writing. Its a mass audience short format that is a little more direct and straightforward. I do feel that there is perhaps a bit of optimistic extremism to the point of kitsch. This kitsch element has always quite put me off from ever fully being a trekkie. Just a little too saccharine.
The actual show largely avoided this - but interestingly the more gritty, run and gun fantasy elements of the Star Trek have been emphasized in more recent years at the expense of the philosophical side and positive outlook. Interstellar feels far closer to Roddenberry than star trek today seems to be - Nolan is building on a similar conceptual base with a sense of urgency and looming catastrophe that I find more grounded and compelling- yet still with a sense that things can work out. The comparison/contrast feels worth while to tease out the distinction... I find I wish for a little more optimism.