The real editor is the Writer/Director, who is unique in cinema, like all great directors are. No one makes films like Christopher Nolan, from England. He studied English Literature, which is why his scripts are so intellectual AND smart.
He started making movies as a boy, with a Super-8mm home film camera. This is the passion needed to become a good filmmaker.
The Director's first film was FOLLOWING (1998), made for US$6000. It's terrific, with dark humor, mystery, violence. The film won awards, so he got money to make Memento.
Another excellent film by the Director is INSOMNIA, a psychological-thriller genre, starring Al Pacino. These critically successful independent American films inspired Hollywood studio executives to make a brave decision to let Nolan direct BATMAN BEGINS (2005), which changed the comic book hero into a dark, disturbed real human being.
In between his Batman films, Nolan made THE PRESTIGE, a really interesting, excellent period film about magic, jealousy, and revenge.
INCEPTION was marketed as a "special effects" film - and the effects were sensational, never seen before. But actually, it is another of the Director's psychological-thrillers. His films always distort time and linear storytelling, to get deeper into the subconscious brains of the main characters.
BATMAN: DARK NIGHT made US$1-billion and received 8 Oscar nominations (rare for a movie based on a comic book character, because Academy of Motion Pictures voters take themselves VERY seriously). Nolan became the hottest (money-making) director in Hollywood. Not only "hot," but great.
BATMAN: DARK NIGHT RISES (2012), the "darkest" Batman movie, earned the most money, and got the best reviews, even from "serious" international film critics.
Now Nolan is directing SUPERMAN: MAN OF STEEL, trying to make the perfect, pure, boring all-American hero more interesting and real.
Taiwan has a different version of Memento. Maybe the distributor changed it so audiences would understand it better. That rarely works. Usually the film is ruined. When a studio, distributor, or producer (who has more power than a young new director) tries to "improve" a difficult, great film, the re-cut film fails in theaters.
Most people are bored or confused by the film. Audiences are not used to seeing films that they have to pay CLOSE attention to, and work hard as detectives to understand. That is one big difference between Entertainment (enjoyable and fun) and Art (thrilling to the heart and spirit, requiring active participation, thinking, analyzing, and work).
Student filmmakers should make films that challenge them as writers and directors, not just satisfy professors. They will feel great after trying, and the films may even be good....If not, their next films may be better, really.
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My blog is for vulnerable communication from my heart, mind, and spirit, meant to touch readers who are passionate about creativity, art, life, and cultures.... Nastiness and personal attack are expressions of bitterness, not meaningful communication. The internet drowns in negativity, but not this site....Thoughtful criticism, however, is not negative, but an affirmation of ideals, hopes, and caring. Positive comments are more useful if they are not meant for my ego, but to share compassion and love....Thanks for reading, feeling, and sharing.