The Odyssey: Nolan’s, not Homer’s
…and the issue of colonialism “Film has nothing to do with literature; the character and substance of the two art forms are usually in conflict.” - Ingmar Bergman(1) I want to lead off with this because I think one of the issues I’m seeing with some of the critical approaches to Nolan’s The Odyssey is this issue of the text-as-inviolable on the one hand and a lack of understanding about film in general on the other. Mostly, I’m thinking of academics and classical scholars who have turned their attention to the film. In some cases, I don’t disagree with some of the criticism(s); but I think we bump up against authorial intent when we cling too much to the validity or lack thereof on some points. Over the years, I’ve argued (in my head, anyway) with Bergman about this assessment. When I first read it, it was as a lightning bolt that pissed me off. Of course, literature and cinema had a lot to do with each other! C’mon, Ingmar, what is this?! And Bergman patiently responded wit...