Video Essay: See Michael Mann's Influences on Christopher Nolan's THE DARK KNIGHT

If you'd seen any of Michael Mann's filmography beforehand, it should have been pretty obvious back in 2008 that the director had a major influence on Christopher Nolan's modern superhero masterpiece The Dark Knight. Nolan took a lot of his visuals from Heat, Mann's bank robbery classic, as well as L.A. Takedown (Mann's made-for-TV precursor to Heat), and the two clearly have a mutual respect since Nolan hosted a Q&A about Heat with Mann and stars Al Pacino and Robert De Niro. Joey had a chance to attend that Q&A, and you can read all about it and see videos from it right here.

Now Glass Distortion (via /Film) has put together a cool video essay showing Nolan's The Dark Knight side-by-side with the moments from Mann's films that inspired it. You'll see some clear parallels between the movies' bank heists, as well as similarities between the iconic De Niro/Pacino diner scene and the Batman/Joker interrogation and more. Check it out:

This videoessay compares the influence and references to Michael Mann’s Films in Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight. Nolan actually screened Michael Mann’s “Heat” for all his department heads before going into production, he say once: “I always felt 'Heat' to be a remarkable demonstration of how you can create a vast universe within one city and balance a very large number of characters and their emotional journeys in an effective manner.” List of Films used: L.A. Takedown (1989) Heat (1995) The Insider (1999) Collateral (2004) Music:
 “A Watchful Guard”
 Composers: Hans Zimmer & James Newton Howard © Legendary Pictures © Syncopy Films © DC Entertaiment @ Warner Bros. Pictures Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use.