The prologue was an experience in sensual cinema, with heavy emphasis on the “sin.” I would later pick Nolan’s brain about what I’d witnessed: He talked about his influences for the sequence - 1970s thrillers, and I name-dropped titles like The Parallax View and The Taking of Pelham 123 as he nodded politely from inside his scarf. I was there in New York’s cavernous Lincoln Square IMAX theater for that first screening of the “ Dark Knight prologue,” the opening six minutes of Nolan’s sequel to Batman Begins. The occasion was so momentous - an act of spectacle as a rallying cry for the preservation of celluloid - that Nolan gathered a small group of people six months ahead of release to show what he had accomplished, like his own mini World’s Fair. His latest, The Dark Knight, would be the first feature-length, live-action motion picture to incorporate footage shot with IMAX film cameras. This was not Batman, but Christopher Nolan, who on that day in December 2007 wore a scarf indoors even though the heat was on. His face was somewhat obscured by a curious sartorial choice.

Moreover, he was a man standing alone, a champion against a powerful system, undaunted by trends. He had a vision, a just vision, where people were treated with dignity and offered what could quantifiably be called “the best” thanks to a profound trust and understanding of technology. This is the retrospective you deserve and the one you need right now.Ī man stood before me in a dark room, silhouetted by what little light shone behind him. Why so serious? Because Christopher Nolan’s Bat-sequel gave us lots to talk about.

On the occasion of The Dark Knight’s 10th anniversary, Polygon spent a week investigating the comic-book blockbuster’s legacy.

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