In a 2010 interview with The Telegraph, Nolan revealed that “Inception” began life as an experiment in subconscious terror. Per Nolan:
“I was thinking along the lines of a horror movie at first, but it eventually became this project. I was looking for a device whereby the dreams would become important to the story, and the thought that someone could invade your dream space and steal an idea is immensely compelling to me. The concept that dreams feel real while we’re in them underlies the whole film.”
It would’ve been fascinating to see Nolan work a brainy riff on “A Nightmare on Elm Street,” but I’d prefer something a tad less derivative. At a recent British Film Institute Q&A, he again expressed interest in tackling a horror picture. “I think a really good horror film requires a really exceptional idea. And those are few and far between,” he said. “So I haven’t found a story that lends itself to that.”
This was a week ago, so unless he’s struck by a bolt of inspiration soon, it seems unlikely that he’ll make a fright flick in the near future. But a movie-mad Nolan fan can, uh, dream, right? (Personally, I hope his next movie is an animal-centric inspirational sports romp à la “Air Bud” or “Gus”.)
