Christopher Nolan Says ‘Dunkirk’ Is His Most Experimental Movie, Explains How Shooting On Film Saved Key Sequence

You’ve already heard a lot about “Dunkirk,” and you’re going to hear a lot more in the days before it opens, and undoubtedly in the weeks ahead. Yes, the film is worth every bit of the hype, with Christopher Nolan‘s WWII tale playing out like a full-length anxiety attack. Cleverly structured, and featuring very little dialogue (indeed, you could probably watch the film with just Hans Zimmer‘s supremely intense score and not miss a thing), it’s Nolan at his most stripped down. Even the director recognizes that “Dunkirk” finds him going boldly into new cinematic territory.

READ MORE: New Trailer For ‘Dunkirk’ Never Surrenders

“I would say ‘Dunkirk’ is my most experimental structure since ‘Memento.’ I tried to give the audience an experience that will wash over them. They’ll sit back and—I won’t say enjoy the ride, because this is a very intense ride—but experience the film,” Nolan told Time. “I never want the audience to watch the film in an overly cerebral way. It’s not meant to be a puzzle. It’s meant to be an experience.”

To that end, he has certainly succeeded. “Dunkirk” feels overwhelming, and part of that is due to the large format filmmaking, which sees the analog-loving Nolan shoot on IMAX and 70mm. Of course, he will forever advocate for the medium in the digital age, but he also reveals how a sequence was saved thanks to old techniques.

**Spoilers ahead**

In the midpoint of the film, a Spitfire piloted by Jack Lowden gets shot out of the sky, and lands in the water. Of course, Nolan strapped an IMAX camera to the cockpit of the plane for the scene, which sees Lowden’s pilot trying to free himself, but things didn’t quite go to plan. The camera wound up completely submerged in water and Nolan thought he had lost the footage, but alas….

“…we called the lab and they clued us into an old-fashioned technique that used to be used on film shoots,” Nolan told Business Insider. “You keep the film wet, you unload the camera, and you keep it damp the whole time. We shipped it back to Los Angeles from the set in France, and they processed it before drying it out and the shot came out absolutely perfect and it’s in the film.”

“Try doing that with a digital camera!” he added.

Alright, score one for Nolan. “Dunkirk” opens in wide release tomorrow.